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#16
08-18-2023, 01:47 PM
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Hi Mia! Welcome to the Wonderful World of the Guitar!!!
I started with a cheap, nearly unplayable Sears Silvertone acoustic in the late 50's... don't know if I could play that guitar today, even after all these years of playing professionally! But, somehow, that guitar got under my skin, and I've been in love with the instrument ever since... Here are some things that helped me... -Ask people you know who can play a little (at this stage, most EVERYONE can play better than you!) to "show you something" - not full on lessons, just... something you don't know how to do. Watch them, find out how to do it yourself, and then practise that until you're ready for something else! When I was a kid and learning, other players were my main resource, and were almost always gracious to offer me a tip or two. Just 'cause you don't have the dough for lessons doesn't mean there aren't folks who won't show you things for free! Heck, if you were near me? I'd show you whatever you could handle! -Don't get sucked in to keeping score of how you're doing with your playing... just keep playing and having as much fun with it as you can. It is a long road and one to which there is no end, so you'll never "get there", and you may as well relax and enjoy the ride! -feeling stuck and frustrated is just something that happens to all of us... there were times when I was in my late teens where I had to restrain myself from throwing my beloved Guild against a wall and smashing it to pieces!!! If something's giving you trouble, keep working at it, worrying at it... and stay relaxed. You will find that, all of a sudden, you CAN do it! Of course, then there's "the next thing" to learn... sigh... like I said, it is a journey without an ending! Having a guitar that is set up properly will certainly give you the most enjoyment and ease of learning possible. Setups cost money, though, so save your shekels! Haing your guitar "dialed in" is a great thing - BUT, you can play when it's a bit out of whack. I believe I had played for well over 10 years before I even knew there was such a thing as having my guitar "setup" properly! Keeps us informed of how you're doing, and KEEP HAVING FUN! Welcome to the Forum! play on..........................> John Seth Sherman
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"Home is where I hang my hat, but home is so much more than that. Home is where the ones and the things I hold dear are near... And I always find my way back home." "Home" (working title) J.S, Sherman 
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#17
08-18-2023, 05:17 PM
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67 years old, and I'm just a little more than 3 years in.
My advice: Slow down in practice and make everything perfect. It will seem like progress is slower, but in the long run, it will be much faster. When playing songs, let it go and be musical. This one took me a long time to learn. Playing a song technically perfect with no musicality sound robotic. Feel it and let it flow. Justin is a great resource. But whoever you pick, just pick one and stick with it. And the most important thing. Have fun.
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#18
08-19-2023, 08:18 AM
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I started playing acoustic guitar at 13 in the mid-70's. My main musical influences were Neil Young, Gram Parsons, the Eagles, Bob Dylan, The Grateful Dead and John Prine.
I bought song books for some of these artists which showed the treble and bass clef notation with the lyrics between them and guitar chord diagram (not just the letter) above the treble clef, above the note/lyric where the chord changes belong. These were great for me since I already knew how the songs were supposed to sound. Having the chord diagram there for every chord change meant I didn't have to keep flipping from the lyric sheet to a chord chart. Just a couple months with these gave me a solid foundation of all the basic chords (first position major, minor, 7th's). I don't remember any significant problems learning - but I already had a solid background in music (violin), I was young and motivated.
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#19
08-19-2023, 07:54 PM
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Quote:
After you have a few chords and a strumming pattern or two under your belt you'll want to practice on some actual songs. You're probably not there yet but when you are you're welcome to my songbook which has over a thousand songs, keyed and capo'd so the easiest chords can be played while still matching an original recording of the song. And for each one I've included a link to a YouTube video of the song so you can try playing along (YT will let you slow the song down to a level you're comfortable with). There's an index to all the songs and I've included the chord boxes right there with the titles so you can see which chords will appear in each song so you can pick and choose which ones to try (e.g. only songs with A, E, and D). There's two versions and you'll want the "Lite" Version. No agenda - completely free to anyone who wants it - just my way of giving back. We were all beginners at one time. There's a link below or you can find it via the contact info on my profile. Keep at it; keep with it. Years from now you'll be so glad you did.  Best, Al https://songbook19.my-free.website/
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