i have a question

[Blayd3r]

ive been trying to learn guitar for awhile but ive been wondering

what is the beggining?
what is lesson 1?
were should i start to learn?
what should i learn 1st?
practice 1st?

[gitnoob]

You need to train the muscle memory in both hands. In the fretting hand, that means chord shapes and fast chord transitions. In the other hand, picking patterns and strumming patterns, and keeping an even tempo.

You can start with either. Finger some simple folk melodies and work on picking patterns, or strum some simple 3-chord songs and work on smooth chord changes.

[martind gibsona]

My opinion and only my opinion ... learn to change easily and (nearly) seamlessly amongst the G, C, D and Em chords. Once you can do that, buy yourself a capo and you'll be able to play at least 80% of the songs you want to play, using the capo to get the guitar in a range that fits your voice for each song. Once you've got those chord changes down, add in A, E, F, Am and Dm. With those on top of the others, you'll be up to 90%. There's plenty of time to learn scales later, but the idea is to MAKE MUSIC!

Don Smith
Raleigh

[cotten]

This little Youtube clip will take you even further back to the beginning, in case you missed anything. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dXUW...eature=related

cotten

[60's guy]

Originally Posted by Blayd3r

ive been trying to learn guitar for awhile but ive been wondering

what is the beggining?
what is lesson 1?
were should i start to learn?
what should i learn 1st?
practice 1st?

Those are great questions that are difficult for anyone else to give you definitive answers to.

I can only relate when and how my playing guitar evolved.

what is the beggining?

The beginning for me was at the exact moment I decided that I wanted to learn how to play guitar. That moment was in 1963 when I was 14 years old. I had already been playing drums since the age of 8, being tutored by drummer Ronnie Gardener who was considered to be amongst the top 15 drummers in the U.S., but I still had the sound of guitars ringing in my head. It's more than likely that The Beatles had something to do with that and because my dad was a really really good guitar player from the southern Virginia and he played a "Chet Atkins" style of guitar, banjo, mandolin and any other instrument that had strings on it.

One day I asked him if he could teach me how to play guitar and he said, "No".

I couldn't believe that my dad (someone who good enough a player to be playing bluegrass on live radio programs when he was only 15 years) wasn't interested in helping me begin learning.

When I asked, "Why not?", his answer was that no one had taught him and he didn't see any reason why he should teach me.

I was pissed off at him for years after that, but I was determined that with or with his help I would learn something about guitar playing (on my own).

My dad suffered a stroke in 1968 and was never able to play guitar again. The tables had suddenly turned and it was now my turn to play for him. He listened, never said much, but he gave me affirmative nods of approval until he passed away in 1981.

what is lesson 1?
^See above^
Lesson 1 is taking your desire to learn into your own hands.

were should i start to learn?
With a teacher (if you can afford the cost of private lessons).

what should i learn 1st?
Everything and anything about the individual parts that make a guitar what it is and how all those parts relate to each other. In other words, get to know your instrument.

practice 1st?[/QUOTE]
Learning string identification, standard tuning, basic chords, and learning how to play the first of your favorite songs on a guitar.

Sorry for the long winded post.

Good luck and don't give up!

[Misifus]

I began to learn with the help of a friend who showed me three chords (G, C, D7) and taught me to play one simple song. Then others showed me more.

I gather that isn't a practical approach for you. In that case, I would take lessons.

-Raf

[mmmaak]

what is the beggining?
http://tinyurl.com/lwc5lo

what is lesson 1?
http://tinyurl.com/lfrtrs

were should i start to learn?
http://tinyurl.com/ncrsxp

what should i learn 1st?
http://tinyurl.com/mt46j3

practice 1st?
http://tinyurl.com/lad93r

[Sordello]

This really IS such a wonderful Forum.

And especially when I read such thoughtful posts as 60's Guy and think what nice and helpful people there are here on the AGF.

I wonder what pleasure it is that you get, Blayd3r, from abusing the generosity of the people here by posting your 'troll' questions then vanishing until you come back with another 'troll' question?

(Did we hurt your feelings that badly?)

[60's guy]

Originally Posted by Sordello

This really IS such a wonderful Forum.

I wonder what pleasure it is that you get, Blayd3r, from abusing the generosity of the people here by posting your 'troll' questions then vanishing until you come back with another 'troll' question?

(Did we hurt your feelings that badly?)

I had no reason to suspect that Blayd3r is an internet troll until I read your post and searched Blad3rs posts.

Obviously AGF isn't the only site that has to put up with that friggin' crap.

Thanks for the heads up and future warning.

[mmmaak]

Originally Posted by 60's guy

I had no reason to suspect that Blayd3r is an internet troll until I read your post and searched Blad3rs posts.

Obviously AGF isn't the only site that has to put up with that friggin' crap.

Thanks for the heads up and future warning.

The "warnings" have been going around for some time now. Unfortunately, too many posters simply skim past all the other comments and reply to the original post.

[60's guy]

Originally Posted by mmmaak

The "warnings" have been going around for some time now. Unfortunately, too many posters simply skim past all the other comments and reply to the original post.

Forgive my not having seen or read the afformentioned warnings.

To be honest with you, though, this thread is HARDLY representative of any thread at AGF that I thought I would encounter here.

All the more reason to simply post music and avoid discussion even at the risk of being accused of only ever saying, "Hey! Listen to me!"

Getting my drift, mmmaak?

Personally, I don't care all that much. Guitar and recording websites are pretty much a dime a dozen.

I had hoped that AGF was a place that I could hang my hat and not to put up with any bull****.

[66strummer]

Originally Posted by 60's guy

Forgive my not having seen or read the afformentioned warnings.

To be honest with you, though, this thread is HARDLY representative of any thread at AGF that I thought I would encounter here.

All the more reason to simply post music and avoid discussion even at the risk of being accused of only ever saying, "Hey! Listen to me!"

Getting my drift, mmmaak?

Personally, I don't care all that much. Guitar and recording websites are pretty much a dime a dozen.

I had hoped that AGF was a place that I could hang my hat and not to put up with any bull****.

It's honestly not worth getting upset about. For the few "Trolls" there are around here there are plenty of other people who are sincere and very grateful for the help, when they ask for it. Some of these troll threads can become pretty comical actually, once everyone is on to the OP...... .

[60's guy]

Originally Posted by 66strummer

It's honestly not worth getting upset about.

I'm not upset about anything. It was an observation.

[mmmaak]

Originally Posted by 60's guy

I had hoped that AGF was a place that I could hang my hat and not to put up with any bull****.

For the most part, I think it is, and most of the 30+ (40+, 50+?) thousand members would probably agree. Like all forums, we get the occasional troll, but as Ryan said, it usually makes for pretty good entertainment in the end.

A belated welcome to the forum, by the way

[martind gibsona]

I'm confused ...

Don Smith
Raleigh, NC