I am finally taking guitar lessons!

[MERRYKISSMASS2U]

Well, I'm finally taking guitar lessons. I just had my second lesson yesterday, and the dude gave me a short "song" to practice on.


I've been practicing, and I've finally mastered it. I can't wait to be as awesome as you guys are!

He wrote it out in tab, but the whole song isn't really there. I hit either the low E string or the A string (it depends), play the chord, then hit the three thin strings coming back up. I repeat this three times, do the 320 or 023 part, then move on to the next part.

I think I'm progressing well, and so does the instructor. The lessons are once a week on Thursday.


He also gave me a few bar chords, and some other misc things.


He gave me the song so I could practice the chords in a fun way. (It's boring to just keep playing chords. Incorporating it into a song makes it fun.)


:D :D :D :D

Here is the song:

<img src="http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/193/scan0001bx3.gif"></img>


Please let me know if you want to see the other things he taught me. Also, please give a new guitar player some advice :)

[Big Fat Sammy]

That song is kinda like Redemption Song by Marley...among others.

[MERRYKISSMASS2U]

I'll have to listen to it. He said a lot of country songs have similar patterns.

[bastardog]

It looks like a math equation to me.

[MERRYKISSMASS2U]

The numbers = Frets.

It's really not as hard as I thought it would be.

[sadaist]

A great site to check out is
http://www.guitaretab.com/
Since you seem to know how to read tablature a bit, it might be fun to look up some of your favorite songs & riffs when you get bored with what your instructor gave you.

[MERRYKISSMASS2U]

Originally posted by sadaist
A great site to check out is
http://www.guitaretab.com/
Since you seem to know how to read tablature a bit, it might be fun to look up some of your favorite songs & riffs when you get bored with what your instructor gave you.

Thanks, but I don't think I'm ready for Hangar 18 yet!

[MERRYKISSMASS2U]

Do you think you could give me a very easy song to start off with? I only know a few chords.... half of these tabs include terminology I'm not even familiar with yet.

[Nitro Express]

You are never a real guitar player until you can play rythum well. Even BB King in his 60's took music lessons because he wanted to learn how to read music and play chords better.

[Nitro Express]

I took classical guitar lessons after three years of piano lessons (A family requirement in the house I grew up in). My mom bought me a classical guitar with the big neck. The nylon strings and low tension did make learning easier.

I never felt I mastered chords and rythum until I bought a used 70's three bolt Strat with the 7.5 inch radius neck. That broomstick of a neck made playing chords easy and to this day, I still have that guitar.

[MERRYKISSMASS2U]

Well, I'm only on my second lesson, so I don't really think I have ryth<b>y</b>m mastered yet.


Which kind of guitar would you recommend for me to get? I want to play metal/rock stuff.

The Squier Strat I have now isn't the best..... it's ok. but it going out of tune is driving me absolutely INSANE.


I want to get a guitar that locks the strings in place, has dual pickups, etc etc.


I'm looking for rock shapes; the Flying V is looking pretty good so far. I don't know when I should upgrade; it depends on how fast I learn.

[sadaist]

Originally posted by MERRYKISSMASS2U
Do you think you could give me a very easy song to start off with? I only know a few chords.... half of these tabs include terminology I'm not even familiar with yet.

Start with just the beginning of a song you like. An easy one would be Dokken - Alone Again. You will see that a lot of rock ballads have a very similar approach to the notes for the main riff. Not very much fretboard work, but helps with getting your picking and tempo down. Also Metallica - Fade To Black, One, Sanitarium; Def Leppard - Foolin', Hysteria; etc...

Just fuck around until you recognize the sound you are playing. You don't even really need to master them at the beginning. Just having some different riffs to mess with can make it more interesting if you get bored with the same practice riffs.

[Nitro Express]

You never completely master anything. You always can do better and anyone that thinks they have become a perfect God like character is a self-absorbed asshole.

Rule number one: You have to want it and eventhough it's a lot of work you should like doing it.

Rule number two: Play for the moment. Don't fixate yourself on what you don't know. Play what you know now and do the best you can at it.

Rule number three: Don't play a poorly set up guitar. You can take a $7,0000 Gibson Byrdland and set it up to where it's unplayable. You can also take your Squire Strat and set it up to where it will do the job. Put light guage strings on it. Adjust the truss rod to where the neck is straight. Drop the bridge saddles down to where the strings start to buzz and raise them a tad until the buzzing stops. If you play hard you might loosen the truss rod a tad to put a little bow in the neck to give that big E string some vibrating room. Play your Squire for a while before buying another guitar because you are too early in the game to know what you like.

[Eyes of the Night]

Sounds cool indeed 2U ...

[MERRYKISSMASS2U]

At Nitro:

I would take your suggestions, but I don't even know what a truss rod or a bridge saddle is!

Awesome comment though :)

[ELVIS]

I could possibly be of some help, but you don't seem to care for me or my brand of entertainment...

So, sod off...

[MERRYKISSMASS2U]

I don't really want or need your help.

[Nitro Express]

Steel stringed guitars have a steel reinforcement rod that runs through the neck. If that rod wasn't there the 300lbs of pull the strings put on the neck when tuned would bow the neck to where the guitar would be unplayable. Most truss rods are adjustable and have a little nut you turn. Access to this nut is either on the heal of the neck or through a hole behind the nut on the headstock. Turning the nut to the right tightens the truss rod and straightens the bow of the neck. Loosening the nut does the opposite and increases the bow of the neck.

A bridge saddle is simply the metal thing the string goes across at the bridge and they are usually adjustable for hieght (up and down) and innotation (in and out).

If your bridge saddles and truss rod aren't adjusted right the guitar is a misserable bitch to play. Some people pull their hair out and fuck the thing up more trying to fix it.

Amazingly manny music stores have no idea either.

Always the master at the simple. Eddie Van Halen mentioned how he sets up his guitars and I like the way his method works. Theres a zillion different ways and it gets confusing as hell. Ed does it so simple.

First, make sure all the strings are on the guitar and tune to standard tuning (A 440hrz). Once you have that. You take a one foot metal ruler (The kind that go with a carpenters level /square) and see if the tops of the frets are level. If the neck has a sag in it tighten the truss rod but only in small amounts. One whole turn on a truss rod nut is a lot. I use quarter turns. Some time is needed to let the neck settle in so this process is kind of on-going until the guitar settles the way you like it. Once you have the neck straight just your string hieght. If the strings are too high lower them, if they are too low, bring them up. You do this by raising the saddles at the bridge.

Eddie lowers his stings until they start to buzz and backs them off a bit. Once you have that done your guitar is setup for some easy playing. If the big E string buzzes you might loosen the truss rod a tad just to put enough bow in the neck to give the big bastard some vibrating room.

Hard picking players like Stevie Ray Vaughn like high action strings because play so hard low action means buzzing strings. Players like Eddie Van Halen like a low action and light guage strings.

The method I described is how Eddie sets up his guitars and the only tool you need is a good metal ruler and usually some hex wrenches and screwdrivers.

When you raise your bridge saddles you want to have them the same radius as the neck on the guitar. You can make a radius guage by drawing out a circle as the same radiouse as the neck's fretboard. Draw it on some poster board and cut it out. Use the curve to set the saddles to.

[ELVIS]

How 'bout just setting each string to the neck, play it while incorporating some huge bends, and slightly raise the strings that buzz ??

Personally, I like a little buzz...

Makes it squeal...;)

[ELVIS]

Nice reply though...

I wasn't trying to get ya...

[DrMaddVibe]

Eddie Ate Dynamite Good Bye Eddie

[MERRYKISSMASS2U]

Does anyone know how to change the tempo on guitar pro 5?

[Seshmeister]

Can I be the rain on the parade?

You've left it too late. You will never be a good guitarist.

[MERRYKISSMASS2U]

Thanks for giving me motivation to prove you wrong.

[Nitro Express]

I've seen people retire who never had a music lesson in their life and because they no longer have to work, they jump right in and learn an instrument. I know a guy who started playing piano at age 60 and he's 80 now and kicks ass on it. He sometimes plays at Nordstroms or at high end parties and gets paid pretty well to do it.

It's never too late.

[ELVIS]

Is that what it's about, getting paid ??

[Nitro Express]

It's the guys who are always chasing something in life who live a full one. The people who give up fill nursing homes and are miserable fucks.

You are going to fucking die sometime so might as well turn the crank now and set out to accomplish something new. Life isn't fair. Some people get screwed through the whole deal. Others seem to luck out. Fuck the comparisons and live life for yourself.

[Nitro Express]

Nope. But nobody is going to pay you if you suck. I think it's cool. A lot of people have nothing to do in their retirement and they just watch TV all day and get paranoid and negative. They constantly watch their investments paranoid they are going to outlive their money.

Hey, life is mostly buying and selling. Music is art and in the highest sense it shouldn't be about $$$$$$ but if people dig your art they will pay for it and what's wrong with taking the money?

[Big Fat Sammy]

Originally posted by Nitro Express
but if people dig your art they will pay for it and what's wrong with taking the money?

I'm all about the money. :D

But I could make alot more by playing in a crappy rock band playing Green Day covers for drunken chachis and pom-pom girls who really don't give a fuck...

...in my opinion its ok to be into the cashola, but a line must be drawn...

In other words...I'd rather be homeless than be in a Jimmy Buffett tribute band. No shit. :D

[MERRYKISSMASS2U]

Well, I just had my fourth lesson today.

We reviewed barre chords again... he showed me how to play Dani California by RHCP....


AND!....

he showed me palm muting and power chords.... all in order to play the main riff of Megadeth's symphony of Destruction.

[Big Fat Sammy]

Originally posted by MERRYKISSMASS2U

he showed me palm muting and power chords....

You'll be able to play all the metal stuff once ya get those two things down.

[MERRYKISSMASS2U]

Originally posted by Big Fat Sammy
You'll be able to play all the metal stuff once ya get those two things down.

I'm just going to leave Hangar 18 alone for a few years!

I'm working on Symphony of Destruction and Wake up Dead.

[Matt White]

You never stop learning...............

It's the beauty of the guitar..................

[Matt White]

Originally posted by MERRYKISSMASS2U
I'm just going to leave Hangar 18 alone for a few years!

I'm working on Symphony of Destruction and Wake up Dead.

Make sure to check out the next GUITAR WORLD...

http://guitarworld.com/images/jan_prev_banner.jpg

[ThrillsNSpills]

Originally posted by MERRYKISSMASS2U
I'm just going to leave Hangar 18 alone for a few years!



Hey man, I say go for Hangar 18, just take a couple notes at a time and work it up slowly. Isolate the picking parts that are most difficult and practice it as a picking exercise.
You'll grow into it it you're patient and persistent.

[MERRYKISSMASS2U]

Originally posted by Matt White
Make sure to check out the next GUITAR WORLD...

http://guitarworld.com/images/jan_prev_banner.jpg

Kickass! I must have it!

[Coyote]

Originally posted by MERRYKISSMASS2U
I'm just going to leave Hangar 18 alone for a few years!

I'm working on Symphony of Destruction and Wake up Dead.

That's the way to go. Practise songs, not just technique.
And don't leave anything alone. Assault the fuckers!! :D




Originally posted by Matt White
You never stop learning...............

It's the beauty of the guitar..................

True... No matter how scary the material you're learning.

Like what I'm learning at the moment:
5 different shapes of C# minor 7 flat 5 (C#m7b5) and G maj7 scales, played against an A7 chord.

(The technical term for this escapes my vocabulary at the moment...)

A bitch to practise, at first especially, but if that's what it takes to improve my shots at getting into a conservatory some 6 months from now, I'll do it to death.

[DrMaddVibe]

Originally posted by Matt White
Make sure to check out the next GUITAR WORLD...

http://guitarworld.com/images/jan_prev_banner.jpg


I highly recommend a subscription to this or its brother...

http://www.guitarworld.com/toc/bass.html

Worth the dough and keeps you plenty interested.

[vheddyrmv8]

Cool, you need a LOT of free time in order to learn guitar well at a really fast pace just keep it up, I've been playing for 4 years and still suck.

[DRRN]

when i first started playing my dad taught me three cords
on an old j45 d g a and i practices those three standered chords till my finger tipps ached not that the action was high
but that he was teaching me classical form ...
inwhere i rolled my wrist around and under till i was right up in my tipps of the fingers and i had the neck high like dave mathews
and the guitar was across my left knee
looking anything but country, rock, bluegrass
or normal
and i still play that way today!
when sittingafter learning my three standard chords
i begain standing and playing them alone
trying to make up words that would fit the chord structure
then years later i took classical lessons from my dad agian
this time learning the scales on a 54 strat i fiddled around with them running them forward and backwards till i figured out riffs such as down on mainstreet the audience is listening
the last date then i had store bought lessons from a music madjor
blues then went home that day and wrote my first original lyrics
and blues tune with rhythum lead and intro i was 21 by then though
he also taught me the blues scale

but i had a stroke at 22 i can still play with my right hand using
a bass walk with my thumb while playing the remaining 5stings like a harpe


but no shit practice form practice standing practice those elvis standard chords on a flattop and never stop playing
i never stop writing lyrics and their better now that im working with a handicap by the way




pick a chord like a call it 1 like your thumb thensay a b c d e f g a
and chords 1 4 and 5 go together
like a d e b f g etc etc for standard progression o yea good luck!.....

[DRRN]

if you got a chunk of cash a flying v is the right idea there about $18000$
now less than a strat but still its a vintage instrement that probly barks ive never played one but its an investment and maybe is the item that will save rockn roll an explorer is good and i absaluteley
love the invaders gibson has like aviral and joe perry play

[DRRN]

my first one was a melody maker jr no sound and it took years to really take an interest till i bought a new ibenez flattop silk finish during the grunge plunge

[DRRN]

unplugged s t p rocked

[DRRN]

nirvana too

[MERRYKISSMASS2U]

Holy fucking shit dude, 5 posts in a row?