I want to play guitar!

[Sailor]

Hello!
I have recently decided that I REALLY want to play guitar. On Friday, some guy in my class brought in an acoustic and played one of my favorite songs, "One", by Metallica. It sounded so PERFECT, and great..so I decided that I'd do it, learn to play guitar. I've always wanted to play an instrument anyway, and Guitar Hero pushed me a bit further too. I like the drums better a bit, but too expensive >.<

Anyway, I don't know anything really about it. Like, what should I get, acoustic or electric?
What's the difference between a guitar + bass, really? I think the bass has less strings, and they don't play the major part of most songs, right? :\
Also, what should I get for a starter guitar..and how will I learn? >.<
Should I buy lessons, or is there another way? :0

All I really want a guitar/acoustic for is to replicate some of my favorite rock songs and play them by myself. Please help me, musicians of gbatemp :'[

 

[BoneMonkey]

start off with acoustic then go to electric btw you CANNOT TEACH YOURSELF no matter what ppl say

get lessons

 

[Golds]

get an acoustic, a cheap one, that way if you decide you dont want to play you didnt spend lots of money

get a chord chart and a book of songs you like and learn the chords, and play them over and over, until you can see a "G" and play the chord without looking at a chart.

thats how i learned, if you want to get better after you learn the basics on your own and stick with it, find someone to teach you cooler stuff

 

[Sailor]

start off with acoustic then go to electric btw you CANNOT TEACH YOURSELF no matter what ppl say

get lessons

How much does an acoustic cost? My parents said we used to own one..but when I was a kid I smashed the hell out of it >_>"
Dam me!

And yea, people always say you can teach yourself, so that's why I asked if there was another way.
I wonder how much lessons cost :s

 

[Opium]

start off with acoustic then go to electric btw you CANNOT TEACH YOURSELF no matter what ppl say

get lessons


How much does an acoustic cost? My parents said we used to own one..but when I was a kid I smashed the hell out of it >_>"
Dam me!

And yea, people always say you can teach yourself, so that's why I asked if there was another way.
I wonder how much lessons cost :s

I taught myself with the help of a few online tutorials. I've been playing acoustic guitar happily for 3/4 years now. Ultimate Guitar is your friend. They have a very big community, lots of lessons for different techniques and such to read up on plus all the tabs you could want. If you don't understand something ask in the forums there. That's the main resource I used.

Other than that just practice, practice, practice. But make sure you're only practicing because you genuinely like playing otherwise it becomes a chore. Find a few tabs of some easy songs you like and try to play them. Start slowly and build up.

https://beginnerguitarhq.com/best-guitar/

 

[BoneMonkey]

go to guitar center and buy a used acoustic guitar should cost around 100- 150 bucks

 

[leetdude_007]

You can teach your self but use a lot of tutorials that simulate lessons. Also make sure that you really really want to play guitar. I personally am tempted to get a Banjo when I have the money. Twang!

 

[Bob Loblaw]

I taught my self. Had a little help here and there from other experienced players. But taught myself for the most part with some books and tablature. I also had a good music teacher in elementary school.

Here is some links to some projects i've had. they are all defunct now but you can hear my self taught guitar playing abilities

http://www.myspace.com/lifeinseconds

http://www.myspace.com/everythingtofear

may not be your cup of tea.

 

[JPH]

I've heard learning bass guitars make it easier to learn to play "real guitars."

So, I suggest getting lessons on playing bass guitars, buying a bass guitar, and practicing.

Good luck and remember - you can't be good at playing overnight, you've got to practice a lot.

 

[Opium]

I've heard learning bass guitars make it easier to learn to play "real guitars."

So, I suggest getting lessons on playing bass guitars, buying a bass guitar, and practicing.

Good luck and remember - you can't be good at playing overnight, you've got to practice a lot.

Bass guitar is pretty much completely different

Just get a normal acoustic guitar to start with. The style of playing a bass guitar is very different to a normal guitar.

 

[Mangofett]

There are like cheap 70$ guitars at Sams Club if you really dont want to spend a lot

 

[BoneMonkey]

if i wasnt soo broke i would mail you a old acoustic guitar i have

althought i have no idea how cuase its hugggggggggggge

 

[Opium]

This is the first thing I ever learnt to finger pick hehe. Recorded it years ago.

I suggest systematically recording songs and things you play every now and then through a computer mic. It's great because years down the track you can look back and listen to what you were like then and what you're like now. It reminds you how far you've come.

 

[Beware]

OK.

1. You CAN teach yourself if you have the motivation and the know how. Google is your friend. Any previous musical know-how will help in the long run.

2. Playing bass will NOT help you learn to play guitar. They are COMPLETELY different. Anyone who tells you otherwise has been mislead, is completely ignorant or has absolutely no idea how to play bass or guitar. Of course feeling your way around the frets is similar, but it will not help if you are learning the correct techniques.

3. You do NOT have to spend hundreds for a good guitar. You don't have to buy a junky starter either. That's the great thing with guitars. It doesn't matter how expensive a guitar is. A great sound comes from quality craftsmanship, not a fancy label.

4. The first thing you should learn is open chord positions. These include G, G7, C, E, E Minor, D, D7, D Minor, F (one variation), A, A7 and A Minor. Then you should move onto Barre Chords. These are chord forms that are formed by "barring" an entire fret, so they work anywhere on the net. Thirdly, you should learn different scales starting with major, then minor pentatonic. These scales are very important as this is how you improvise.

Of course, all of this is just if you want to REALLY play. Knowing your instrument is the first step in mastering it. Practice and dedication are the second, third, fourth, fifth, etc...

If you really don't care about being a musician and only want to be able to play a few little diddies, then all you need to know is how to read TAB and know your open chords.

Hope that helps.

 

[DrKupo]

Buy Rock Band; It's cheaper and far more fun.

 

[Beware]

Buy Rock Band; It's cheaper and far more fun.

Not helpful and no where near as fun or satisfying as mastering a real, finely crafted musical instrument.

 

[DrKupo]

Buy Rock Band; It's cheaper and far more fun.


Not helpful and no where near as fun or satisfying as mastering a real, finely crafted musical instrument.

I'm having far more fun with a copy of Rock Band than I'd ever have with a physical instrument.

 

[Beware]

Ignorance truly is bliss. Regardless, your comment was unhelpful and unnecessary. [/off-topic]

If you are looking for an intro into playing the drums, Rock Band on Hard and Expert rivals actually playing the drums.

 

[Hiratai]

Buy Rock Band; It's cheaper and far more fun.


Not helpful and no where near as fun or satisfying as mastering a real, finely crafted musical instrument.

I'm having far more fun with a copy of Rock Band than I'd ever have with a physical instrument.

Only because you don't know how to play any physical instrument the same way you can fiddle you fingers on a set of buttons.

 

[Mewgia]

JPH, playing bass is very different from playing the regular guitar. Slap whoever told you otherwise please.

Buy Rock Band; It's cheaper and far more fun.


Not helpful and no where near as fun or satisfying as mastering a real, finely crafted musical instrument.



I'm having far more fun with a copy of Rock Band than I'd ever have with a physical instrument.

Only because you don't know how to play any physical instrument the same way you can fiddle you fingers on a set of buttons.

DrKopu, go away :/ Nobody likes your trolling.


aaand to OP, if you want to play drums then I would personally suggest saving up for drums instead of switching to guitar. Drummers are in much higher demand anyway if you every start trying to get gigs.