Well I'll just be damned.  I've got 7 or 8 chords down now, and I'm quite shocked at the number of things I can comfortably strum along to.  Once I "got" the concept of chord progressions and how they interrelate, at the basic level that I am working at right now, it just makes "sense"!  I am REALLY enjoying actually LEARNING something on this thing, something I have not attempted before, just aimless noodlings before.  I have also just today "figured out" 4 of my favorite GD songs, just by working with some diminished chords, I'll get those down pat tonight.  While I'm sure I'll never be as good a guitarist as Esteban, and who in the hell COULD be, this sure is fun!

its all about having fun bro, it doesnt matter how good you are.

Very cool. I don't have the fine motor skills for it. I can barely write so that people can read it. It sure is cool to hear of people learning to play well though.

Mel Bay chord books. That's where I started 20 years ago. Self-taught all the way...

The best part about learning guitar is the "clicks".  You've taught your hands to do something they don't want to without really knowing the reason "why" you're doing it.  You've learned a scale or two just because you know you should know them.  Then, out of nowhere something "clicks" and the two or three unrelated things you learned work together to make something happen and you gain some understanding.  From that understanding you can use something else you learned and didn't understand at the time.

I enjoy stumbling upon something that one of my "guitar gods" was doing and thinking, "well shit, that wasn't so tough now that I understand it".

Keep your hands on that fretboard, there's lots more clicks to come.

That's a lot better than being a guitarist who plays bass! (guitarists make the worst bass players)

It's sad to see how many folks never bother to work on the essentials.

Scales and arpeggios teach your fingers where to go.

Then chords, chords, chords.

So what guitar did you go with??

I got an Alvarez RF20SC acoustic/electric cutaway.  I'm quite pleased with it.  Next up: a Martin D18.  Not really.

Quoted: Quoted: Mel Bay chord books. That's where I started 20 years ago. Self-taught all the way... HOLY CARP!!! Mel bay... Self taught bass player here... used the same method. As I start with the guitar... any particlular book of Mel Bay you recommend? I dont care if it is the basic of basic... I always believe in starting with square ONE

It's been a long time since I bought a MB Book. I've also learned alot through tablature of songs that I like. Tablature is SO much easier to learn and read than traditional staff. Also, bass is a totally different animal. When I was young and playing with metal bands, the other guitar player used to say "The bass is supposed to mimmick the guitar notes." That's bullshit. A good bass player knows his scales and runs.

Quoted: So what guitar did you go with?? I got an Alvarez RF20SC acoustic/electric cutaway.  I'm quite pleased with it.  Next up: a Martin D18.  Not really. www.stevesmusiccenter.com/AlvarezRF20SCBig.jpg

I'm glad to see you didn't go with one of those plastic-back Ovation acoustic-electrics. I hate the sound of those things. Nothing sounds like wood.

HOLY CARP!!! Mel bay... Self taught bass player here... used the same method. As I start with the guitar... any particlular book of Mel Bay you recommend?

I dont care if it is the basic of basic... I always believe in starting with square ONE


Go here and browse some great materials. Hal Leonard and Alfred are the major publishers these days. I too, started with Mel Bay chord books over 35 years ago.

I would also suggest that you learn some theory (as painful as it sounds, it is not). At some point you will want to know that a major chord is built with the root, major third and perfect fifth for example. A little theory early will result in a much better understanding of the fantastic possibilities available on this instrument.