# Tips for learning guitar?



## Bard_Daniel (Apr 16, 2014)

I'm a complete beginner. I want to serenade! 

Does anyone with more experience than me have any advice?

I have an acoustic for now...

I also need a romantic song to sing, which I can do fairly well. Any suggestions?


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## Bloggsworth (Apr 16, 2014)

To whom do you wish to sing, why the serenade? If you can sing, you can sing; learning to strum the guitar is relatively easy; it is marrying the two together which ties you in knots, as concentrating on the words messes up the guitar playing and vice versa. Practice, practice, practice; there is no getting round it, unless you are a gifted musician, there is no substitute for practice. Strum until you can do it in your sleep, strum until you can write a shopping list in your head while you are doing it, strum while you are doing your times tables, strum while having a conversation - When you can do that, add the words and practice that until it becomes second nature, so that when faced with the love of your life, you don't stumble...


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## Gyarachu (Apr 16, 2014)

The first song I ever learned was You and Me by Lifehouse, which is a great serenade song IMO. It's pretty easy, but also provides a newbie with a wide range of basic first position chords.

As for advice, I really have no idea. I just played constantly. For the first couple years I played probably 6-12 hours a day. I suppose YouTube would be helpful if you get stuck though.

Anyways, good luck!


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## Bishop (Apr 16, 2014)

I play electric guitar! Mostly heavy metal, but I also love playing jazz improv and some blues.

My advice is simple. Just practice. Unfortunately with any craft that's the only way to get good. By doing.


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## kilroy214 (Apr 16, 2014)

Practice your chords. Transtioning from one to another will be difficult at first but will eventually become second nature. Listen to the bass line on songs. The bass not is the chord that goes with it for the bar.

And tabs. Tabs are your friend. I would also suggest practicing scales.


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## Pidgeon84 (Apr 16, 2014)

The "Why you suck at guitar" video series is a great tool. Some of the stuff pertains specifically to heavy metal (don't know what you're looking to play) but they are great tips a plenty.


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## FleshEater (Apr 16, 2014)

Learn how to read tabs and start with simple songs.

As said above--PRACTICE.

My first song that I learned was, I believe, Brain Stew by Green Day. Once I learned to play that simple riff I moved onto more of their songs. Other earlier bands that I jammed on were The Offspring (Smash is a great album for beginners), AFI (early, early AFI...like early 90's), Social Distortion, Pennywise, the like.

After that, you might want to venture into classic rock. Black Sabbath riffs are fun as hell to learn and play. So are Led Zeppelin riffs, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Jethro Tull, etcetera. 

I've been playing since I was 15...so almost 15 years. Once you learn how to play well, it really never leaves. It just gets rusty.


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## Potty (Apr 16, 2014)

Find a simple song and learn it. Playing a song on guitar for the first time is a great experience. My first song was "Mad World" by Gary Jules (or something similar) it's 3 simple chords (G,D,A if memory serves) from start to finish and is just a cool song to play. 

Learning chords etc is boring really unless you can tie them into a song... even if you have to stop playing that song for a second to sort your fingers out. Don't bother with scales.... scales isn't playing the guitar. Closing your eyes, smiling and nodding your head to a well fingers G chord is playing the guitar.


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## Dave Watson (Apr 16, 2014)

For an easy to learn romantic tune to serenade your good lady, I'd recommend Whole Wide World by Wreckless Eric. 

E and A chords all the way through, and if you want proof of it's wooing potential, check out this scene from the film Stranger Than Fiction...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3Zdz61iSLo


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## Bishop (Apr 16, 2014)

FleshEater said:


> Black Sabbath riffs are fun as hell to learn and play.



For a short time in college I was Tony Iommi in a Sabbath cover band and it was some of the most fun musical moments ever. Sabbath is in my top 5 of bands, but when it comes to playing their stuff with a band, you feel SO in sync with one another because of the way Iommi and Butler matched one another.

So. Yes. Learn Sabbath.

Girls swoon when you play "Children of the Grave" at blistering volumes!


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## BobtailCon (Apr 16, 2014)

A lot of people say "Practice, practice, practice." doesn't actually help you, because you aren't learning from your mistakes, I disagree. With guitar, even if you are just plucking random strings or placing your fingers on frets, you are building up callouses, and hand-eye coordination. So don't blow off "practice,practice,practice," too many people do.


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## A_Jones (Apr 16, 2014)

Many people make the mistake of not learning properly because they are to busy learning one or two songs.  I would suggest you learn how to finger and practice the different strumming styles.  Over and over again.  When your watching tv practice transitioning from chords.  You can also practice strumming in the air.  

Just do it over and over again until it is natural.  That way when you are ready to play a song, you can play the whole thing straight through, with no practice.  Because it is like speaking. Once you know the words and how to shape them, you can say anything.


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## Pluralized (Apr 16, 2014)

Yep, couldn't agree more. Learn those basic chord shapes, jam a few tunes, and drill the muscles in your hand and callouses on your fingertips until they are strong. In 22 years of playing, I've never forgotten some of the earliest tunes I learned (Hotel California, Sundown, Metallica's 'One', Boureé in E Minor, Layla, Gimme Three Steps, on and on and on). Good luck, and make sure to play with music or a metronome and establish a good meter right out of the gate. One of the things I wish I'd done better was to establish rhythm. Nothing is a mood-killer like a serenader with crappy rhythm.


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## kilroy214 (Apr 16, 2014)

First song I learned to play was The House of the Rising Sun. Proud Mary and Over the Hills and Far Away were a close second and third.


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## Bard_Daniel (Apr 17, 2014)

How about I sing this?

[video=youtube;U1BYV_NWFW0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1BYV_NWFW0[/video]

Too creepy for a modern woman?


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## Dave Watson (Apr 17, 2014)

Bishop said:


> For a short time in college I was Tony Iommi in a Sabbath cover band and it was some of the most fun musical moments ever. Sabbath is in my top 5 of bands, but when it comes to playing their stuff with a band, you feel SO in sync with one another because of the way Iommi and Butler matched one another.
> 
> So. Yes. Learn Sabbath.
> 
> Girls swoon when you play "Children of the Grave" at blistering volumes!



A man of taste. One of my favourite bands as well, though as a guitar teacher, I'd probably start a beginner off with some easier stuff as Iommi riffs take a bit of skill to do properly. There are one or two that are a bit simpler right enough. Electric Funeral for instance, though if your ultimate goal is sexy time, you could probably pick a tune a little less doomy! Lyrics like "Buildings crashing down to Earth's cracking ground, Rivers turn to wood, ice melts into blood" tend not to be great for the purposes of underwear removal.


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## Bard_Daniel (Apr 17, 2014)

Dave Watson said:


> A man of taste. One of my favourite bands as well, though as a guitar teacher, I'd probably start a beginner off with some easier stuff as Iommi riffs take a bit of skill to do properly. There are one or two that are a bit simpler right enough. Electric Funeral for instance, though if your ultimate goal is sexy time, you could probably pick a tune a little less doomy! Lyrics like "Buildings crashing down to Earth's cracking ground, Rivers turn to wood, ice melts into blood" tend not to be great for the purposes of underwear removal.



I don't want to "get into her pants". I like her.


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## Dave Watson (Apr 17, 2014)

Relax dude. I'm not in any way questioning your honourable intentions. Just pointing out that Sabbath riffs may not be the ticket if what you're looking for is a tune to inspire feelings of tenderness like you asked for.


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## Bard_Daniel (Apr 17, 2014)

Ok, now I hear you.

Noted.


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## Bloggsworth (Apr 17, 2014)

Change it to "You're the best of me" - They don't write 'em like that any more..."


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## FleshEater (Apr 17, 2014)

Dave Watson said:


> A man of taste. One of my favourite bands as well, though as a guitar teacher, I'd probably start a beginner off with some easier stuff as Iommi riffs take a bit of skill to do properly. There are one or two that are a bit simpler right enough. Electric Funeral for instance, though if your ultimate goal is sexy time, you could probably pick a tune a little less doomy! Lyrics like "Buildings crashing down to Earth's cracking ground, Rivers turn to wood, ice melts into blood" tend not to be great for the purposes of underwear removal.




You might be surprised. Horror films always worked for me. Can't see why doom wouldn't work. Haha!


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## kilroy214 (Apr 19, 2014)

Dave Watson said:


> Relax dude. I'm not in any way questioning your honourable intentions. Just pointing out that Sabbath riffs may not be the ticket if what you're looking for is a tune to inspire feelings of tenderness like you asked for.



If you can't get a girl turned on when you hit the power chord to Paranoid on a Strat through a dirty channeled Marshal stack, you're doing it wrong.


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## Bishop (Apr 19, 2014)

kilroy214 said:


> If you can't get a girl turned on when you hit the power chord to Paranoid on a _*Strat *_through a dirty channeled Marshal stack, you're doing it wrong.



A strat?! Iommi must be played on humbuckers. Big, badass humbuckers!

I play my Iommi on a Gibson Flying V with three humbuckers through a _nasty _powerful Marshall JCM900.


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## FleshEater (Apr 19, 2014)

I jam Black Sabbath on an original 72' Les Paul Standard through a Marshall JCM2000 half stack.


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## kilroy214 (Apr 19, 2014)

Sorry guys, I'm a Fender man til the day I die.


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## FleshEater (Apr 19, 2014)

kilroy214 said:


> Sorry guys, I'm a Fender man til the day I die.



I can't blame you. They feel like a touch of heaven in your hands.

I had a guy offer me his brand new PRS one time for my Gibson...should've traded.


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## Bard_Daniel (Apr 19, 2014)

You guys REALLY like guitars.

What's a good electric guitar for a beginner if I wanted to get into that too?


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## FleshEater (Apr 19, 2014)

Probably a Mexican Fender Stratocaster, or a Squire Stratocaster if funds are limited.

E.S.P. makes decent guitars at an affordable price.


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## Bishop (Apr 19, 2014)

FleshEater said:


> I jam Black Sabbath on an original 72' Les Paul Standard through a Marshall JCM2000 half stack.



I love my LP. Though I am jealous of the JCM2K, that's kickass. I'm hoping to one day convince Bishopette that we need a JVM410H... so far no luck -_-


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## kilroy214 (Apr 19, 2014)

All kidding aside, I think a Fender Stratocaster or Telecaster are pretty good starter guitars, and they make an assortment of them for every price range. Whatever you buy, new or used, just make sure the neck is not warped and the pick ups and amp plug all work and aren't loose. 
If it feels comfortable and the action of your hand on the neck feels good, it's the one for you.In the end, it's whatever feels right for you.

Just don't buy a First Act from Walmart. Just don't. Have some dignity.


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## Kyle R (Apr 19, 2014)

I'm a Telecaster lover myself. Everyone and their uncle owns a Strat. 

And Les Pauls are _beautiful_. Heavy as crap, though, but that's just to remind you of how darned expensive they are.


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## Bishop (Apr 19, 2014)

Oh, don't get me wrong, gents. A strat and a tele have their places, and make for really good (and easy to play) guitars. In fact, my favorite band (IRON MAIDEN!!!!) plays mostly strats or super-strats. They are, without a doubt, one of the most comfortable and iconic guitars in history.

That being said, when it comes down to it, I'm a Gibson man. I've got a silverburst Les Paul and the white three pickup flying V. I also built my own guitar from scratch that's a silverburst flying V with active pickups. I own no Fenders myself, but I plan to get a strat... shortly after I finish my "Perfect Three" and get a Gibson Explorer.


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## Bard_Daniel (Apr 19, 2014)

Nice.


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## Gyarachu (Apr 19, 2014)

FleshEater said:


> I can't blame you. They feel like a touch of heaven in your hands.
> 
> I had a guy offer me his brand new PRS one time for my Gibson...should've traded.



I'm a PRS guy myself, such _beautiful_ guitars. Unfortunately, I sold mine this year as I've been playing exclusively acoustic (have a cedar-top Breedlove that I love to death) for the last couple years, not exactly sure why. I have always wanted a Jazzmaster, though.


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## Pluralized (Apr 19, 2014)

I traded a Les Paul Studio last year for a Fender Musicmaster. Should have my ass kicked - that Studio had the best neck I've ever felt. My Taylor acoustic is no slouch, though - love the tone. I've had probably forty guitars since I started playing, and at least that many mandolins. Something about horse trading...


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## Cran (Apr 19, 2014)

Back to topic - you have an acoustic; are we talking steel string folk (= sore fingertips for a few weeks at least, how sore depends on the action), or nylon string classical (wide neck, lots of finger stretching to go with sore fingertips but not as sore as the steel)?

Do you know what sort of music/songs/singers/bands the lady likes?


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## Morkonan (Apr 19, 2014)

danielstj said:


> I'm a complete beginner. I want to serenade!
> 
> Does anyone with more experience than me have any advice?
> 
> ...



First off - Learn to play the guitar. Singing while playing is much more difficult than it looks. One thing to remember is that a guitar master makes everything look easy... 

Many recommend the "Hal Leonard" series of Guitar Method books. I can't remember which series of instructional books I learned from, way back when, but I suppose Leonard is as good as any. (Mine had orangish-yellow block on white background sort of covers.) But, if I were you, I would take a trip down to a local musical instrument store and talk to an instructor or experienced guitarist there. They will point you in the right direction. I would also recommend taking a few basic skills lessons - The return for your money is worth it. Do not rely on a buddy to give you basic skills lessons - You won't know if they're wrong or not.

In picking your "song" to serenade with, go with something you can duplicate with a few chord changes and an easy rhythm. Most rock songs can be reduced to easy three-chord tablature. So, pick one of those and practice it. Record yourself, no matter how embarrassing, and listen to your playback for faults. Correct those.

Pro-Tip: Always learn at least three songs. Your audience is going to demand another song if you're successful with your first one, no exception. So, learn at least two others. Then, play the second-song, by request, and the third one, if necessary. I'm very serious about this - You will regret only being a one-hit wonder during your serenade session. You need at least fifteen minutes worth of material to pull it off and that must not include Freebird, Stairway to Heaven, Hotel California or House of the Rising Sun!  You have been warned...

On choice of guitar, acoustic vs electric - Go acoustic, always. It demands more from you and will give your fingers the necessary workout. Go with classic metal wound strings, switch to classical composites only when necessary and only when you're going to pare them with appropriate tunings. Once you've got your callouses and can finger with the best of them without twanging and buzzing all over the place, pick up a lead electric and play around with it. A cheap Fender Strat lead (Often found paired with a decent monitor amp as part of a sale deal) is your best bet for a starter electric and I wouldn't recommend anything other than a Gibson or a Epiphone for your acoustic.


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## Gyarachu (Apr 19, 2014)

Morkonan said:


> I wouldn't recommend anything other than a Gibson or a Epiphone for your acoustic.



I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with this part, but of course it's all personal opinion anyways. For a long time my dream acoustic was the Gibson Dove, but when I finally tried one out, along with a few other Gibsons, I was sorely disappointed, and found them outshined by Martins (my personal favorites) and Breedloves (my no. 2). I have not come across an Epiphone that really worked for me either. I owned one for a bit but traded it quickly for my current Breedlove.

I'm also not so sure about the Fender Strat thing (I'm assuming you mean the Squire starter kits, if not then ignore the rest of this paragraph). My experience talking with other players has poignantly taught me that it is worth it to spend the extra $200 to get something of decent quality that you're going to like playing. Epiphone would probably be your best bet here, or yes, a cheaper, non-Squire Fender Strat.

But my guess is the OP already has a guitar, so the point is probably moot. There should be a separate guitar-talk thread. I would participate.


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## Pluralized (Apr 19, 2014)

> There should be a separate guitar-talk thread. I would participate.



Yes! I'm-a go start it.

Edit: Done did 'er. http://www.writingforums.com/threads/146739-Guitar-Talk-Thread


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## kilroy214 (Apr 19, 2014)

Agree with Gyarachu, my first rig was a cheap Takamine and I thought it had a more vibrant tone than most of the high priced acoustics in the store, including Gibsons and Rickenbackers.


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## Bard_Daniel (May 11, 2014)

Cran said:


> Back to topic - you have an acoustic; are we talking steel string folk (= sore fingertips for a few weeks at least, how sore depends on the action), or nylon string classical (wide neck, lots of finger stretching to go with sore fingertips but not as sore as the steel)?
> 
> Do you know what sort of music/songs/singers/bands the lady likes?



I have some ideas, but I don't want to scare her off by being too forward.


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