Lately I am kind of wanting to learn to play guitar. Looks like a nice and rewarding thing to do. Wondering how long it takes to get decent at. All those hours spent on video games, most of which were forgettable and crappy, I could have mastered a musical instrument by now.
The thing is, it's all about muscle memory. So yeah, lots of practice. If you're watching TV, strum your guitar. If you're on the phone, strum your guitar. You gotta learn instinctively where the strings are and where you finger placement should be. If you have to think about it, you're still learning.
It's a pain in the ass at first, and your fingers WILL kill you until you build up some calluses.
Also, don't go straight for learning chords: start with your scales. Forwards and backwards. This will teach you both how to pick individual strings as well as finger placement.
Further down the line, if you really want to learn the instrument, learn some classical guitar.
Start on an acoustic, not electric.
Don't expect results overnight. It took me over 6 months to be able to chord and strum properly without having to watch my fret hand. It took me a couple of years to become what I'd consider proficient. Some people learn faster, some slower. Just stick with it.
The thing is, it's all about muscle memory. So yeah, lots of practice. If you're watching TV, strum your guitar. If you're on the phone, strum your guitar. You gotta learn instinctively where the strings are and where you finger placement should be. If you have to think about it, you're still learning.
It's a pain in the ass at first, and your fingers WILL kill you until you build up some calluses.
Also, don't go straight for learning chords: start with your scales. Forwards and backwards. This will teach you both how to pick individual strings as well as finger placement.
Further down the line, if you really want to learn the instrument, learn some classical guitar.
Start on an acoustic, not electric.
Don't expect results overnight. It took me over 6 months to be able to chord and strum properly without having to watch my fret hand. It took me a couple of years to become what I'd consider proficient. Some people learn faster, some slower. Just stick with it.
My friend learned on an electric, he said it wasn't much different from acoustic...he just plugged it into his phone and put on headphones and learned just the basics on it.
My friend learned on an electric, he said it wasn't much different from acoustic...he just plugged it into his phone and put on headphones and learned just the basics on it.
An electric is more complicated for a variety of reasons.
The second and fourth strings above aren't going to register with the left-most pickup because the pickup is over the node (minimal movement). (The red above indicates 'out of phase' which means the string is moving in the opposite direction). You can shift which pickups are on/off with the switch, but this changes the registered sound. You won't get a clean chord on an electric like you will an acoustic.
If you're actually going to learn some theory while you learn to play, you really should go for the acoustic.
Lately I am kind of wanting to learn to play guitar. Looks like a nice and rewarding thing to do. Wondering how long it takes to get decent at. All those hours spent on video games, most of which were forgettable and crappy, I could have mastered a musical instrument by now.
I play piano and I'm going to buy a bass and launch head on. I used to play guitar as a kid but I was never too fond of it. I was able to do proper chords in about 3 weeks but that was because I practiced them a lot, some people will take longer. I never considered myself to be a profficient guitarrist, even an OK one.
I play the harp. My wife plays the harp, guitar, hammered dulcimer and now starting on frame drum just so that she plays something other than strings =P
My friend learned on an electric, he said it wasn't much different from acoustic...he just plugged it into his phone and put on headphones and learned just the basics on it.
An electric is more complicated for a variety of reasons.
The second and fourth strings above aren't going to register with the left-most pickup because the pickup is over the node (minimal movement). (The red above indicates 'out of phase' which means the string is moving in the opposite direction). You can shift which pickups are on/off with the switch, but this changes the registered sound. You won't get a clean chord on an electric like you will an acoustic.
If you're actually going to learn some theory while you learn to play, you really should go for the acoustic.
Ah, I see. I guess a cheap acoustic is good for now to learn on. Thanks
My friend learned on an electric, he said it wasn't much different from acoustic...he just plugged it into his phone and put on headphones and learned just the basics on it.
An electric is more complicated for a variety of reasons.
The second and fourth strings above aren't going to register with the left-most pickup because the pickup is over the node (minimal movement). (The red above indicates 'out of phase' which means the string is moving in the opposite direction). You can shift which pickups are on/off with the switch, but this changes the registered sound. You won't get a clean chord on an electric like you will an acoustic.
If you're actually going to learn some theory while you learn to play, you really should go for the acoustic.
Ah, I see. I guess a cheap acoustic is good for now to learn on. Thanks
If you're going for an acoustic, make sure they have an irregular shape on the lower part of the bridge, right next to the box, this is to help you play the last frets.
I've been playing piano for about a year. Not very good at it (still learning basic finger technique, terminology, scales) but it's a work in progress. I find playing music is fairly easy, it's simply a matter of repetition and muscle memory. What's difficult is bringing the human touch into it so it doesn't sound like a clunky machine is just doing the motions. I never knew how important subtlety and humanism is to music until I began playing. It's a bitch.
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