User Panel
User Panel
User Panel
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 3:34:40 PM EDT
[#1]
If you're me apparently 300 years or so....
|
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 3:36:50 PM EDT
[#2]
This goofy fucker will have you playing a bunch of songs pretty quickly.
Edit: I bought a guitar a few months ago and make sure to pick it up at least a few times a day to practice. No lessons (no time) but I've made progress and it's fun. |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 3:41:04 PM EDT
[#3]
Buy a beat up six string from a second hand store. Then proceed to play it till your fingers bleed.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 3:46:31 PM EDT
[#4]
Quoted:
Buy a beat up six string from a second hand store. Then proceed to play it till your fingers bleed. Don't do this. I took guitar lessons when I was probably 8 years old - I didn't stick with it. A couple of decades later, I just bought a Martin HD-16R LSH and am THOROUGHLY enjoying playing. I had dinner with my parents a few weeks ago and Dad brought out my old guitar so I could play a bit. Holy shit! No wonder I hated playing that thing. Cheap guitars suck. |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 3:47:46 PM EDT
[#5]
You can quickly get mediocre at it if you practice (couple of months). Getting really good at it takes a lot longer.
Regular chords are easy to pick up, bar chords are harder, playing leads a lot harder than that. Your fingers will hurt like hell at first, until they get calluses on them from the strings. |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 3:48:15 PM EDT
[#6]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Buy a beat up six string from a second hand store. Then proceed to play it till your fingers bleed. Don't do this. I took guitar lessons when I was probably 8 years old - I didn't stick with it. A couple of decades later, I just bought a Martin HD-16R LSH and am THOROUGHLY enjoying playing. I had dinner with my parents a few weeks ago and Dad brought out my old guitar so I could play a bit. Holy shit! No wonder I hated playing that thing. Cheap guitars suck. Never heard the song? Youngster. 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 3:48:42 PM EDT
[#7]
Quoted:
Buy a beat up six string from a second hand store. Then proceed to play it till your fingers bleed. What you did there, I see it. |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 3:52:23 PM EDT
[#8]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Buy a beat up six string from a second hand store. Then proceed to play it till your fingers bleed. Don't do this. I took guitar lessons when I was probably 8 years old - I didn't stick with it. A couple of decades later, I just bought a Martin HD-16R LSH and am THOROUGHLY enjoying playing. I had dinner with my parents a few weeks ago and Dad brought out my old guitar so I could play a bit. Holy shit! No wonder I hated playing that thing. Cheap guitars suck. Never heard the song? Youngster. I'll be honest - had to google it. 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 3:53:44 PM EDT
[#9]
Totally up to you. I dicked around with guitar for years and got adequate. Switched to drums, got obsessed and got pretty good pretty quick. Its directly tied to your desire and the amount of time you spend on it.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 3:56:40 PM EDT
[#10]
Really, six or seven chords and a capo will get you started, and for a lot of country players that's all they ever do. That is pretty easy. I'd say a few months of constant practice will make transitions between those chords a piece of cake.
Then start learning the other 11 keys.  |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 3:57:01 PM EDT
[#11]
Go the acoustic route to start with. Don't go too cheap. Get light strings. Practice. |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 3:59:29 PM EDT
[#12]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Buy a beat up six string from a second hand store. Then proceed to play it till your fingers bleed. What you did there, I see it. Yeah. He didn't know how to play it, but he knew for sure....that one guitar felt good in his hands..... |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 4:00:00 PM EDT
[#13]
I've been playing for 13 years now, entirely self-taught. I can burn through Metallica, good chunk of Van Halen, and the like. My friends and other guitarists consider me pretty good.
Personally, I think I suck balls. I wish I would have taken formal lessons when I was starting out. I don't know the proper names of chords, I don't know much about music theory. I know where to put my hands to get the sounds I want and mechanically I'm good. I just wish I would have taken the time initially to learn all these basics I didn't have the patience for. Take your time, learn it proper. It is very rewarding. I'm also an advocate of getting at least a decent guitar for your first axe. If you're playing with shit equipment it can hinder your desire to learn and progress. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 4:11:06 PM EDT
[#14]
As with any instrument, music comes from within you! Some people have it, some don't. If you fall toward the have not end, it will take you longer etc...
You will feel like you suck, and you will want to give up....But don't . Rock StArs usually start off with a big ass attitude, and raise thier level of playing to match it over time. Some never match thier playing ability with thier attitude though. I've never had a professional lesson in my life, but can shred with the best of them. Once again it is inside you, and the guitar is just an instrument in releasing it! After months/years of playing. Sometimes I hit a wall, where I will walk away from it for a time and do other things. But when I come back, and plug my baby in, it's like a new fresh feel! By stopping, I reach a whole nother level of playing. It's very weird but cool at the same time. |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 4:20:19 PM EDT
[#15]
It kinda depends on how naturally musical you are. Ive seen guys want to learn so bad, they take all the lessons but they still cant play a simple three chord song . The same person cant even operate a cd player very well. Seriously, how much do you like music ? Do you have any rhythm ? Are you coordinated ? Ive been playing drums for almost 30 years. Played in many bands, rock and country. I always wanted to learn guitar, still do, but I just never wanted to put in the time to learn. My problem is that I can sit behind a drum set and just naturally play. I never took lessons for drums. Drums are pretty easy, I think. I am now learning bass a little, on my own . Ive been around the instruments and players for so long that I can pick it up pretty easily, just gotta get my fingers to do what I want.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 4:21:14 PM EDT
[#16]
This guy has a pretty good series of lessons if you're willing to teach yourself.
http://www.justinguitar.com/index.php |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 4:24:53 PM EDT
[#17]
Really, do buy a quality guitar.
edit: sp |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 4:27:31 PM EDT
[#18]
Quoted: This guy has a pretty good series of lessons if you're willing to teach yourself. http://www.justinguitar.com/index.php +1. I've learned quite a bit from him. I still totally suck at guitar, but it's still fun, and that's what counts. |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 4:31:46 PM EDT
[#19]
There is no so thing as "professional level". An actual professional is always refining, learning, perfecting.
That said, if you want to be good enough to play in front of people without looking like an idiot, it completely depends on time spent, dedication, and quality of instruction... Not to mention aptitude. I had no aptitude at all. Level of dedication was around half-assed. Great instructor. 1-2 multihour lessons a week. Would screw around on my own a few times a month, increasing as I got better. Three months from first trying to playing in front of a crowd without looking like an idiot. I'm sure those dedicated or gifted could do it in far less. Without the good instructor I'd still suck. So obviously it can take way longer. I still can't play complex songs, stumble from time to time, and cannot sing while playing. |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 4:33:01 PM EDT
[#20]
I took lessons when I was younger...built a solid foundation of fundamentals....learned barre chords....the biggest thing for me was simply ear training....its really weird but sometimes I can hear something and get my guitar out and get pretty close right off the bat....I would sit for hours and listen to music, find the key the artist was playing then play along......have fun.... don't get discouraged....spend a little money on a good guitar and you wont regret it...this thread needs pics!
Fender American Standard Stratocaster 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 4:34:15 PM EDT
[#21]
|
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 4:35:10 PM EDT
[#22]
1: get a guitar
2: tune guitar 3: learn what a power chord is 4: bang away..... |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 4:45:07 PM EDT
[#23]
I picked up a guitar for the first time when I was 11 years old, I wanted to learn to play but I got discouraged very quickly. The guy I was taking lessons from was an amazing guitar player, but his teaching style was very rigid. I took lessons from him for 7 months and I never actually learned to play anything, all he wanted to do were exercises that were supposed to build a solid foundation and once I mastered that he would begin to teach my how to actually play songs.
I got frustrated with that, decided playing guitar was boring and felt like work, so I quit. 12 years later, when I was 23 I decided that I wanted to try guitar again and this time I got an amazing instructor. The first question he asked me was "What kind of music do you want to be able to play?" I answered that question and from that point on all he taught me were the skills I needed to play the kind of music that I actually like. That was 6 years ago and I'm still playing and enjoying the guitar. I guess that's a long way of saying that if you are going to take lessons find a teacher that you like and play music that you like. If you do that you will want to practice and you can probably become a better than mediocre player in under a year. |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 5:09:26 PM EDT
[#24]
Very relevant to my interests. I bought a Yamaha electric acoustic from a friend of mine sveral months ago and really want to dedicate the time to learning to play it.
Wes |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 5:11:18 PM EDT
[#25]
Quoted:
I took lessons when I was younger...built a solid foundation of fundamentals....learned barre chords....the biggest thing for me was simply ear training....its really weird but sometimes I can hear something and get my guitar out and get pretty close right off the bat....I would sit for hours and listen to music, find the key the artist was playing then play along......have fun.... don't get discouraged....spend a little money on a good guitar and you wont regret it...this thread needs pics! Fender American Standard Stratocaster
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj67/lsheets65/Untitled.jpg Nice Axe I got a American Standard Sunburst w/Texas special pickups.... but I like my '91 American Telecaster more.... and I have 2 nice Gibson Les Pauls but you will not lose $ buying a decent American Guitar... |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 5:30:22 PM EDT
[#26]
You can be a competent but basic player in a few months if you practice half an hour a day, every day.
Without SOME sort of regular practice schedule, you will not make much if any progress. Strats have been shown, now it's time for another category of guitars:  Full custom build, based generally on the Paul Reed Smith Custom 22 pattern. |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 5:32:21 PM EDT
[#27]
Easy to pick up and learn some chords, takes a lifetime to master. I'm at the basic chords level and probably will remain here.
Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 5:34:13 PM EDT
[#28]
Just remember, there's a difference between PLAYING a few songs and KNOWING how to play. If you just want to learn a few songs to play around a campfire, that can be accomplished in a few weeks with a high level of proficiency at those songs arriving in a couple months.
Actually leaning to play the guitar, however, is a long term commitment. It'll be at least 3-6 months of regular practice to learn your way around the instrument properly, and depending on how seriously you want to take it, a lifetime to learn it all. If you want to be able to play with other people (either in a band situation or just random jam sessions) you'll want to dedicate as much time to learning musical theory as you do playing the instrument. I've known many guitar (and other instrument) players who can rip through any [insert notable band here] song like they were born doing it but didn't actually learn any music. When these types of players get together with other musicians, they wind up lost. They can only regurgitate the songs and riffs they know, and lack the knowledge framework to improvise, create, and follow a dynamic musical situation. |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 5:35:13 PM EDT
[#29]
Usually about 87 days.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 5:35:56 PM EDT
[#30]
Quoted:
1: get a guitar 2: tune guitar 3: learn what a power chord is 4: bang away..... Please don't 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 5:37:39 PM EDT
[#31]
Quoted: 1: get a guitar 2: tune guitar 3: learn what a power chord is 4: bang away..... |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 5:39:08 PM EDT
[#32]
It really depends on how old you are, and whether you have any prior musical experience. I tried to pick it up at about 34, and It didn't go so well.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 5:40:56 PM EDT
[#33]
If your me...20 years... i think i was better the first year i started playing
|
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 5:43:09 PM EDT
[#34]
Start with an electric that is properly set up. If I started with an acoustic I probably would have said fuck it. I may be different since my left hand doesn't have full range of motion though.
Its easy to go drop c and try some system of a down like I did but you don't really learn anything. |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 5:46:57 PM EDT
[#35]
Quoted:
Say starting next week with professional lessons, how long till a person of average aptitude could play a decent song or two. First you'll learn where the notes are on the strings. After you've learned the first three strings, there are plenty of songs your teacher will give you to play. Maybe a month or so, you'll be able to pick a few real songs. Be patient and work on your timing. It really is important. Stop by the music and musicians forum under General. There are tons of good posters there. They will help you and encourage you. Enjoy.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 7:56:43 PM EDT
[#36]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Buy a beat up six string from a second hand store. Then proceed to play it till your fingers bleed. Don't do this. I took guitar lessons when I was probably 8 years old - I didn't stick with it. A couple of decades later, I just bought a Martin HD-16R LSH and am THOROUGHLY enjoying playing. I had dinner with my parents a few weeks ago and Dad brought out my old guitar so I could play a bit. Holy shit! No wonder I hated playing that thing. Cheap guitars suck. Holyshitnuggets. $2800? |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 8:00:17 PM EDT
[#37]
Quoted: Say starting next week with professional lessons, how long till a person of average aptitude could play a decent song or two. Depends on your aptitude, how much time you can spend practicing, and your end goal. When I started playing, I didn't do lessons. I just got tabs for 'Hey there Delilah' and started going through it bit by bit. Took me about 2 weeks to be able to play it and for my fingers to handle it. You can actually start to learn some songs pretty quickly, just by playing simplified versions. You can add more and more flamboyance to it as you go along, just start with chord progressions and strum/pick patterns. Just my .02, cause I only played for a few months years and years ago.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 8:02:39 PM EDT
[#38]
Quoted:
Quoted:
1: get a guitar 2: tune guitar 3: learn what a power chord is 4: bang away.....  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0X69rIzFQDY
|
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 8:02:55 PM EDT
[#39]
Quoted:
It really depends on how old you are, and whether you have any prior musical experience. I tried to pick it up at about 34, and It didn't go so well. I'm 34. 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 8:05:04 PM EDT
[#40]
Quoted:
Buy a beat up six string from a second hand store. Then proceed to play it till your fingers bleed. Bought a beat up six string, in a secondhand store Didn't know how to play it, but he knew for sure That one guitar, felt good in his hands, didn't take long, to understand Just one guitar, slung way down low Was a one way ticket, only one way to go So he started rockin', ain't never gonna stop Gotta keep on rockin', someday gonna make it to the top |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 8:05:42 PM EDT
[#41]
Quoted:
Say starting next week with professional lessons, how long till a person of average aptitude could play a decent song or two. Not too long, hard to say. |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 8:05:44 PM EDT
[#42]
Easiest to learn, hardest to master.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 8:08:05 PM EDT
[#43]
I played the saxophone (Soprano, Alto and Baritone) in jr high / high school and in some cheesy garage rock bands.
I spent a summer trying to learn how to play rhythm guitar so I could do something when I was not playing the sax. Didn't go over too well. 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 8:10:38 PM EDT
[#44]
Quoted:
You can be a competent but basic player in a few months if you practice half an hour a day, every day. Without SOME sort of regular practice schedule, you will not make much if any practice. Strats have been shown, now it's time for another category of guitars: http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l234/cmjohnson65/DSC_7090.jpg Full custom build, based generally on the Paul Reed Smith Custom 22 pattern. I'm a Carvin player my self. That looks similar to my carved top. |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 8:13:04 PM EDT
[#45]
Play Smoke On the Water in G, not E.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 8:17:38 PM EDT
[#46]
10,000 hours
It takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at anything. In order to put in the time you have to like "putting in the time". So the journey of learning has to be fun to you. Most people simply give up before they master something because they hate the process of learning it. 2 hours a day for 14 years and BAM! ...you're an instant virtuoso
|
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 8:21:11 PM EDT
[#47]
Quoted: 10,000 hours It takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at anything. In order to put in the time you have to like "putting in the time". So the journey of learning has to be fun to you. Most people simply give up before they master something because they hate the process of learning it. 2 hours a day for 14 years and BAM! ...you're an instant virtuoso I'll take 14 hours a day for 2 years... actually that's too much work. How about I purchase a 'Learn Guitar in 15 Minutes' online course? |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 8:33:26 PM EDT
[#48]
Quoted:
Quoted:
It really depends on how old you are, and whether you have any prior musical experience. I tried to pick it up at about 34, and It didn't go so well. I'm 34. One other thing that is VERY IMPORTANT. If you're not working well with your teacher, find another one. Some people, no matter how smart, talented, or kind they are, just will not connect with you. This isn't math. It's art. If you don't connect with the teacher, reading the book won't make you "get it." Do it for yourself. |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/21/2012 8:41:08 PM EDT
[#49]
Quoted:
10,000 hours It takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at anything. In order to put in the time you have to like "putting in the time". So the journey of learning has to be fun to you. Most people simply give up before they master something because they hate the process of learning it. 2 hours a day for 14 years and BAM! ...you're an instant virtuoso There you go. The cool thing is that if you lay off of it for a year or two, it will take you another five hundred to a thousand hours to get your chops back, if you lay off after becoming a "virtuoso." Time. Passion. Life. |
|
|
|
Posted: 11/22/2012 5:21:00 AM EDT
[#50]
Quoted:
Quoted:
It really depends on how old you are, and whether you have any prior musical experience. I tried to pick it up at about 34, and It didn't go so well. I'm 34. Go for it man. I'm 37 and just started. Whats helping me is I played piano for about 8 years when I was a kid. So surprisingly, I can still read music pretty well once I knocked the rust off. I'm following one of the beginner books right now. Figured I would get thru that then start learning some chords. |
|
|
Win a FREE Membership!
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.
