So, I decided I want to learn to play the guitar

I found a guitar and amp, Ibanex starter , I know not the best, but I only paid $30 so I don't think i got screwed on the deal. I really just wanted something to learn on and practice before I jumped in too deep.

Can anyone recommend any good books for a beginner? A local shop offers classes for $104 a month which seems like a good deal, it's a 30min class everyday.

The link didn't work for me. Really don't know what style of music you are looking to learn, but you can't go wrong with a good teacher when starting out. I would look into the DVDs by Lick Library or the "At a Glance" series by Hal Leonard. I am sure if you can't find them at your local shops that you may get them from Amazon or Ebay.

http://www.halleonard.com/search/search.do?menuid=477&seriesfeature=GLANCE&subsiteid=7

http://www.licklibrary.com/

The beginners series by Troy Stetina is also worth checking out:

http://www.stetina.com/lessons.html

I always liked this book, you can find it at any good music store:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1580628834?tag=lgf04-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=1580628834&adid=01K79GM825J1NEM1TV6K&

Some advice to you: Don't get frustrated, it takes a lot of practice to get good. Just have fun with it and try to put as much time into it as you can.

Thanks for the tips, the model is the Ibanez IJX121

Not a bad looking guitar. I have an Ibanez RG and they are very easy to play. It was only $30?

Yep, with the amp and bag. The guy, another Marine, was moving and his wife said 4 guitars was too many

This will be out soon.

http://rocksmith.ubi.com/rocksmith/en-US/

I will be starting lessons pretty soon. By me, they are $130.00 per month(4 lessons), one 30 minute lesson per week. I did see some cheaper lessons around, but the place I will be going to gets great reviews.

Word(s) of advice on private lessons.

1. Look at resumes and shop around. You want someeone with performance experience in the style you're looking to play. Guitar and piano are the worst "offenders" as there are lots of Otto the bus drivers and Hausfraus out there that have big studios (there are always people out there who want to learn guitar and piano) but can't teach or play worth a damn. For most instruments you want someone with at least their Masters in performance on their instruments, NOT and "ed" degree as 99% of music ed people are, well.....dim. Obviously, you're not going to find many rock guys with Masters degrees, so look for one with real playing experience (studio, touring, bands, etc). Also, consider that your "average" jazz guitarist with degrees from UNT (let alone conservatory trained classical players) will certainly have the chops to teach rock as well. Depending on where you live, it's surprisingly easy to find outstanding teachers for reasonable rates. Major metropolitan areas (DC or NYC) are supersaturated with professional musicians, so even some of the best teach on the side to supplement their incomes.

2. When it comes to lessons, especially with "in demand" instruments, you get what you pay for.

I think lessons are great. But some of the best lessons i learned when starting out were self taught. Find a song, listen to it, find a (good) tab, and challenge yourself. Granted, that path isn't for everyone.

Lessons are great. With the right teacher, definitely.

But...my thought on using guitar tab is that it's not the BEST way to go. If you're going to learn, it's not much more effort to learn musical notation
and learn to sight read. I really think it's a big mistake for most guitar players to not bother to learn sight reading. It's NOT THAT HARD!


When you can sight read, you can play. Period. Tablature leaves EVERYTHING to be desired. It ensures that you will have a hard time exchanging
written musical ideas with anyone who isn't also a tab-dependent guitarist.


Learn to read musical notation. If a kid can do it, you can. And you'll be a better musician for it.


CJ

Basic lessons are great when getting started....and when you want to learn how to do a certain technique (like sweep picking for example) when you're more advanced. Always be sure to check the instructors credentials...you get what you pay for.

As for learning notation, I am with CJ 100%. When I started playing guitar, I knew the bass clef up and down due to playing low brass and bass. It took my a bit to transpose what I was seeing on the treble clef to my fingers, but I figured it out quickly. It really helps in learning the rhythm and techniques used to play any given song. Also focus on all of the common chords so that if someone hands you a chord chart (just lyrics and chord changes), you can switch between positions quickly and professionally....all while appearing like you have actually heard the song before.

Best of luck! Just keep at it and soon it will consume your life (more guitars, effects, amps, toys......)! In the end though.....it can be very rewarding....

I have to agree with the notation issue CM and Cage brought up, as well. Tab will set you back 15 years.

And, learn theory, too. Basic theory is NOT difficult at all. I've been studying it for just a couple of months and I'm already able to
harmonize scales and identify the various modes. If you know how to figure out what chords harmonize to each scale and key, then you
have the knowledge you need to compose your own music. And that is a skill that is apparently FAR beyond the capabilities of quite a few
of the most popular bands in todays' music scene!

I've been serious about my music studies for only a couple of months and already I'm starting to be able to express musical ideas
that until now have only been in my head with no way for me to get them out into the world. And the more I learn, the more I appreciate
songs that I've heard before but didn't really LISTEN to. They give me ideas now!

I feel like an utter fool for having waited so long to learn this stuff. Better late than never, yes, but who knows where I'd be, musically
speaking, if I'd started to learn this stuff when I was still in my early 20s rather than my mid 40s?


I made the decision to cure my musical illiteracy. Why did I wait so long to do it?

I completely agree with you. What I was really getting at was listening to a song and trying to figure it out with tabs (you could use musical notation) but to rely on your ear, that way you aren't just plugging in notes which is a trap that can happen with both tabs and musical notation.

Of course. Ear training is a vital part of any musical education.

Your ears can tell you what notes and chords you're hearing, and your education in theory, scales, modes, and harmonization
can guide you in figuring it all out. It's fun, when you identify several chords in a song and think, "Hey, this matches the harmonized
chords of A Minor! and then suddenly you use that information to fill in the gaps where you weren't quite sure what you were hearing.



CJ

Be careful not to confuse "ear training" with "playing by ear". "Ear training" develops your musical abilities so you will be able to know how a piece should sound before you hear it. This is a tremendously important (perhaps one of the most important), liberating, and often overlooked aspect of musicianship, especially in the amateur world. Develop your sight reading skills and you will be much more of a musician. The key to developing sight reading is to do it every day, 10 minutes (in addition to your regular practice) is plenty. Make sure to work on the things everyone hates to work on: "unconventional" and/or changing time signatures, less melodic more unpredictable melodies, key signatures up to and including six sharps and flats.

If you really want to stretch your "chops" and insist on playing by ear, don't just play things by ear...instead listen to it and then write it down...correctly, note for note. This is a fantastic (albeit tedious) exercise popularized by Nadia Boulanger. If you think it's hard to do for a guitar solo, imagine doing it for symphony.

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