Recommendation? Anyone play guitar? Learning to play?

[Mitchell Knives]

When I was around 17 or 18 or so (20 years ago) I started trying to learn to play the guitar. I was self taught, but got to the point that I could play a few songs and riffs.

I bought a few pieces of nice gear, but stopped playing all together in college. Since then, everything has just been sitting in the closet collecting dust.

Lately I've been thinking about learning to play again, as I listen to a lot of guitar based instrumental music. I cracked open my guitar case, and I've apparently forgotten a lot over the last 20 years. (Not that I knew much to begin with) I would pretty much be starting over.

Anyone have suggestions on methods for learning to play the guitar? I'm not really into doing traditional lessons, so I've been looking around at instructional sites. (guitartricks.com mostly.) I think my problem originally was that I didn't really have a plan, and no source of instruction.

 

[ndmiller]

I started playing the Ukulele over a year ago and just started watching Youtube video instructions on one 3-5 chord song (Over the rainbow of course). Practice every night for about 15 min-1/2 hour and adding videos to watch, different styles, techniques, songs one the year. Upgraded from $100 Soprano Ukulele to few hundred $ Tenor and it's amazing what that change affected in term of ability...almost overnight got better as I had to adapt to a new instrument which sounded 1000% better than the buzzy thing I started with.

Start small and just play what you like. It's amazing how 15 minutes a day can add up to skill and technique over a year or 2. Favorites.....Mad World, Jumper, Creep, Lost Boys, Radioactive, Hotel California is what I'm working on now along with Jumper.

 

[FOG2]

I too am self taught and agree play what you like.. Its really amazing how many good songs are only 3 chords.
I have know idea how it's done today. But i learned a lot via DVD. I think they were cd,s back then.

 

[J Hubbard]

I get a lot of my chord sheets and tabs from
ultimate-guitar.com

Just find some songs you like and start simply with them as you get better at the play through add more and more of the complicated stuff.

 

[BP_]

I agree with the suggestion for UG. They even have an app for your phone, if you so choose.

I would also suggest getting the tabs for a few scales as well as the tabs on UG. Get your fingers back working again. Then retract yourself the basic chords. Good luck, I think it’s awesome you’re playing again

 

[Mitchell Knives]

Thanks for the input guys.

I went ahead a purchased a membership at the site I mentioned earlier. They have video/tabs and the price was right. It's structured, which is probably what I need. Also purchased the tabs and backing tracks for a bunch of old surf music. So, I should have plenty to work with.

Should be interesting to see how things go. Now that I'm older, I actually think it actually might be a little easier.

 

[akadave2]

Im self taught and have been playing about 30 years. Played professionally in college and a couple other venues over the years. You picked a great time to pick the guitar back up. Youtube is your friend! Tons of free videos about how to play the guitar. The great thing about is, they all dont start you out with open chords and simple songs, you can progress at your own pace AND learn things that interest you immediately. Sure wish I had that back in the day. Im still learning ...and still accumulating gear lol! 19 guitars and counting!

When I was around 17 or 18 or so (20 years ago) I started trying to learn to play the guitar. I was self taught, but got to the point that I could play a few songs and riffs.

I bought a few pieces of nice gear, but stopped playing all together in college. Since then, everything has just been sitting in the closet collecting dust.

Lately I've been thinking about learning to play again, as I listen to a lot of guitar based instrumental music. I cracked open my guitar case, and I've apparently forgotten a lot over the last 20 years. (Not that I knew much to begin with) I would pretty much be starting over.

Anyone have suggestions on methods for learning to play the guitar? I'm not really into doing traditional lessons, so I've been looking around at instructional sites. (guitartricks.com mostly.) I think my problem originally was that I didn't really have a plan, and no source of instruction.

 

[ArchVV]

I'm a beginner but the Youtube page by JustinGuitar.com has taught me enough in the past 6 months that I can make up songs on the fly.

 

[Mitchell Knives]

Thanks for the link!

Looks like a great resource!

 

[jaseman]

I don't play, but my 9 y/o daughter starts lessons tomorrow morning.

She's been playing the viola in school for about a year now, and started playing a cheapie First Act she got for Christmas a few years ago. She's been transferring her Viola songs over to the guitar on her own, and doing pretty well. So, we decided to buy her a real Fender acoustic for her birthday a few weeks ago. What a difference a real guitar makes to how she plays! Now she picks it up almost daily, opens up the iPad, and finds tabs to learn for goofy little songs she likes. And at her age, she just absorbs it like a sponge.

Can't wait to her what she sounds like after a few months of lessons!

 

[Krav]

I'm a self taught musician. Theory was boring when I was a teenager, so I bought a book of tablature master of puppets Metallica. I'd play until my finger were sore after school everyday. Joined a band called Mortal Decay, we put out a demo and used to play at clubs. That band is still around, it's like death metal, lol. Tablature is simple to read, and now with the internet it's very easy to find music you dig. I always liked trying to play songs I liked, kept my interest up.

 

[James Y]

I've been thinking of learning an instrument for some time now. My older brother has been a guitarist since the late 1960s, and has played professional gigs with various local bands over the decades. I only recently learned from him that he never learned to read music, and could play anything by ear. That blew me away, because as a kid I always heard him practicing, and he always sounded amazing.

Back in the '70s in junior high I played violin in music class, and also never learned to read music. But back then I could also play anything on it by ear. In class we would play with the music sheets in front of us, but I just pretended to read them. I never liked the violin, though.

I've looked into in-person guitar lessons, and they are too expensive. I never thought about learning online. That sounds like the only option for me. For some reason, I don't want to ask my brother to teach me. I'd like to pick up a guitar one day and play good enough to surprise the heck out of him. I've always loved music and guitar in particular.

Jim