Advice on starting out on guitar

[Artie_Fufkin]

theres a nice exercise you can do that helps the independent use of all 4 of your fingers. starting on the lowest string, place your index finger on the first fret and strum down, middle finger 2nd fret-strum up, ring finger 3rd fret and strum down, pinky on the 4th fret and strum up. repeat the exact same thing on the next string down. go all the way to the highest string then repeat the whole exercise backwards. this is gonna be kind of boring and possibly tedious, but one of the hardest things to learn on guitar in the beginning in my opinion, is how to use your fingers independently and it also helps sync your timing between your 2 hands with strumming and fret changes. good luck!

+1 I took lessons for a bit and my teacher had me do this. You can also do variations on it like playing with only certain fingers(ring finger and pinky is tricky!), playing with 1 or more frets in between(good for practicing things that stretch your fingers), doing hammer on's and pull off's, skipping over strings, etc. Exercises may not be fun, but they will help your chops so much. They're also good for warming up.

[Maxxan]

^

About the finger exercise, I always prefered the order 1 3 2 4, otherwise after a while and your fingers are a bit better you kinda just roll your hand over the strings, which doesn't really help develop your muscles that much.

Although if you're going to be doing finger exercises I recommend playing scales instead, that way you learn both proper fingering and memorize the scales and their patterns on the neck as well.

[JFK]

This thread has inspired me to play more guitar..... Ive been neglecting the old girl for a while. Im going to jam stairway to heaven right now

[Maxxan]

This thread has inspired me to play more guitar..... Ive been neglecting the old girl for a while. Im going to jam stairway to heaven right now

Yeah, same man. Was thinking of tuning mine down to Drop B to play some architects, anyone know any good bands that play in Drop B? Preferably like new school metal/hardcore, Architects, Through The Eyes of a Traitor and the likes (as opposed to all the country you play in Drop B...............)?

[Augment]

Lol, gonna have to play some more too after reading this thread. Gonna terrorize my parents with my loud covers of blink-182/billy talent songs

[bassinine]

play major and minor scales up and down the fretboard to a metronome, like everyone else.

[bassinine]

Lol, gonna have to play some more too after reading this thread. Gonna terrorize my parents with my loud covers of blink-182/billy talent songs

haha, that sounds exactly like what i was doing like 13 years ago when enema of the state came out.

[Turnipish_Thoughts]

pluck the strings

[skerrick]

get one of these if you have an iphone. youll learn guitar in no time.

[ill mindset]

Some of this advice is good. Some is overly ambitious and just guys trying to prove they are real guitarists. Tablature is a very helpful way to learn songs you didn't write yourself. Look online for guitar tabs and take your time. I have played for going on 20 years and the best advice I can give you is to try and have the guitar in your hands as often and for as long as possible. Even if your just working on your pick attack and getting used to the way it feels to pluck a string.

Its not a computer program so no one piece of advice will help you overnight. Your muscle memory needs to develop through repetition. Practice Practice Practice

My band used to sit in front of the TV, each of us with our instrument in our laps, just plucking away unplugged working on technique and pick attack. good luck

[skerrick]

^ agree on that, i was lolling at this cos its about basic guitar tips and people are giving hell advanced advice etc. i suggested tabs also. tabs make you better at maths too (hidden double meaning!!) hahahah

[skerrick]

ill mindset you have a fucking sick siggy!!

[D3ATHSTEP]

I'm going to go against the grain here and say DON'T learn chords first. Play one string at a time; get a feel for the notes. Then learn what a power chord is; and "enhance" each note you're used to being played on one string by playing the same note using a power chord across 2-3 strings.

That sounds more confusing than it is but I stand by my philosophy. Learn to play Blink-182 and Green Day riffs, because they do that a lot. Even if you don't like them.

[bassinine]

really confused by some of this advice?

learn the basic scales and their different forms as well as learn chords... and play to a god damn METRONOME.

that's really all you need. just watching tv and playing scales to a click becomes second nature after a while, and it won't feel like "practice" time when you do it.

[ill mindset]

ill mindset you have a fucking sick siggy!!

Thank you.


OP,
An advantage you have as a producer is that you can program beats to practice to. Fuck a metronome. Put together a killer beat and shred to it. Makes practice WAY more fun.

I always found it kinda boring to practice guitar on my own without a drummer or bassist but I did it anyway.

Nirvava's "Come As You Are" is a great first song to learn. It has a very simple pattern on 2 strings. Practice up and down strokes. get to it!