Re: Guitar Players - Need Advice Alphabet Girl: [quote author=Whirlpool link=topic=36060.msg383660#msg383660 date=1160786634">
Learn tablature, it will be your best friend! Lots of sites on the net where you can learn. I started playing when I was 14 but just by ear. Buy some simple scales and chords books (tablature if you can't read music). A great way to condition your fingers and learn your scales at the same time.
As for what type I recommend a nice action electric (strings very close to fretboard), but it depends on what type of music you are gonna tackle. Good luck!
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I was always told not to learn tablature when you're beginning because it gets you dependent on using that instead of training your ear. I play/played bass instead of guitar which is why I haven't jumped in on this, but the guitarists and bassists in the bands I used to hang around all swore by that and wouldn't touch the stuff. I guess that isn't a problem for everyone??
Re: Guitar Players - Need Advice spooky: I think learning tab and becomeing dependant it relative. I'm not sure if that's what happened to me or not. I can't read music at all, but I always was just barely passing music so it might just be the way I am. I've been told Jimi Hendrix didn't learn music until he'd been playing for years.
As far as what guitar to get: Acoustics are sometimes less expensive, but I think they're harder to play too. I've found the actions are often fairly high (the space between the frets and strings is larger) and I know my bronze string acoustic wears muscles out. That could be an advantage though, you'll wind up with stronger fretting capabilities. I started out on a Fender Squire series Stratocaster. I think it was great to learn on. I was told to get the most "professional" rig you could get, so if you have the funding get a custom ESP or Paul Reed Smith with a Mesa/Boogie stack. And in that event be sure to let me know. I'll come over and set it up for you and make sure it works. ;)
Re: Guitar Players - Need Advice Fendann: I can't read sheet music any more, nor could I figure out how to play a G7m if you told me to, but I play by ear....always have. I can sit down with some tab and a CD and have a song figured out fairly well with just a few hours...
Learned bass, guitar, drums, and keys like that...though I'm not that good on keys.
Anyhow, to the question at hand....
Accoustic is probably the best route to go, since you won't have to worry about plugging in anywhere just to hear yourself play. It's also a little easier on the hands, IMO. Electric is good once you can start getting used to fast chord progressions and sliding your hand around without looking at the bridge.
Re: Guitar Players - Need Advice Whirlpool: [quote author=Alphabet Girl link=topic=36060.msg383667#msg383667 date=1160787080">
[quote author=Whirlpool link=topic=36060.msg383660#msg383660 date=1160786634">
Learn tablature, it will be your best friend! Lots of sites on the net where you can learn. I started playing when I was 14 but just by ear. Buy some simple scales and chords books (tablature if you can't read music). A great way to condition your fingers and learn your scales at the same time.
As for what type I recommend a nice action electric (strings very close to fretboard), but it depends on what type of music you are gonna tackle. Good luck!
[/quote">
I was always told not to learn tablature when you're beginning because it gets you dependent on using that instead of training your ear. I play/played bass instead of guitar which is why I haven't jumped in on this, but the guitarists and bassists in the bands I used to hang around all swore by that and wouldn't touch the stuff. I guess that isn't a problem for everyone??
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I don't believe in that at all, some people can't do the ear thing at all, others are naturals, and the rest are somewhere in the middle. I advise beginners to jump right in and start learning scaler, chords, and their favorite songs. This helps build your technique and coordination and your ear trains itself. Most people are going to learn by ear simply through playing and knowing what sounds like what. Don't let the purists discourage you, I know many guitarists who will laugh at you if you use tablature. Screw them and do what you want, just because they learned the hard way does not mean you have to. I've played for 20 years and cant read one note, never saw the need to.
Re: Guitar Players - Need Advice spooky: If you're going to be one of the players who are hired to play other's compositions, than you'll need to know musical notation and probably the most common scales and whatever. But, if you're playing for you, learn whatever you want and have a good time. It's not how or why you know to play it, it's how good you make it sound.
