Just bought a new guitar...now what?

Must be a mid-life crisis. After Shenanigins started that guitar thread, I got to thinking. So as of yesterday, I'm the guy at the track with a brand-new 1098, matching Dainese leathers, new warmers, three Gopros, and not a friggin' clue.

Tried learning back when I was a kid, but it was a righty guitar, I'm lefty, and it just didn't go far. But always wanted to pick it back up. So a Yamaha FG720 came home last night.

There's an amazing amount of info on the net, matter of fact about.com had a very encouraging how-to guide. After trying a few things, my fret hand actually felt like it wanted more. Cool.

Anyway, looking for ideas to keep motivated and not get discouraged. Being a bit ADD, it can be hard to keep from dropping something if I don't get results.
Thanks in advance.

 

Start growing your hair...

 

Buy the book "The Heavy Guitar Bible" by Richard Daniels and play it like you stole it!

 

Practice everyday!

I'm a newby to it as well and after months of pacticing I can sit down with the guitar now and the dog no longer howls!

Patience and practice. repeat.

 

Get a 12 string then get back to us.

 

WERA Classifieds: Twelve string guitar for sale. Barely used. Cheap.

What's a good balance of practice time at first? Just keep working on chords? Guess it kinda differs for the individual. Hmm.

 

I got some beginner books on Amazon and found a million threads online. I've had some formal lessons also. But the most important part is to play everyday. That's what I've found hardest to do and my progress shows it.

First song: "Blister in the Sun"

 

Dude, start with "Smoke on the Water" and work your way up from there

 

Mine was Jingle Bells... WTF am I doing wrong?!

I keep saying I need to pick up and play... I was playing every day for a while, but its slacked off since the move... I need to pick it back up...

 

I play every day and still suck. I have decided I will never be good. Then again trying to play guitar when you wear a size 3XL glove is a little tough. I should have taken up bass guitar instead.

 

I'm considering the bass also. My hands shouldn't have a problem but my dexterity sucks and improvements are slow coming. I've also realized that alot of my favorite music is bass driven. Since I just want to jam out to my favorite songs anyway it makes sense to try the bass.

 

http://www.guitargrimoire.com/index.htm
i use the grimoire exercise book.
practice can be as short as 10-15 minutes or as long as you have time for. i've locked myself away for hours on end to come to the realization that it's four in the morning. holy shit, i've been here since seven last night!

 

First thing I want to say is return it and get your money back. If you've already decided to not be commited, you're doomed.

Otherwise, start with the basic's. First and foremost for xmas sake, learn how to tune!!!

Learn ALL first position major and minor open chords (or aka cowboy chords). These chords show you shapes of bar type chords to come. Learn basic major and minor bar chords rooted from the low E and the low A. If you can, also learn maj7, min7 dom7 bar chords as well.

Pick a tune or two you want to learn and don't pick hard ones. Find the tab for them on the internet and work through them.

I played for MANY years hours a day before I was really confident in my playing and there were many many times I would rather be doing something else. But then the next thing you know, you're playing 32nd notes at 120 using modal voicings in melodic minor and you'll listen to yourself and say 'hey, that wasn't half bad!".

 

I once played a fish for money.

It wasn't a lot of money and I wasn't very good.

 

How do you feel about the electronic tuners? Help or hurt? (they threw one in)

It's all very foreign to me right now so a little daunting, but definitely something I've been wanting to do for years. I usually have at least an hour or so per night before my wife and daughter get home, no reason that can't be practice time.

It's funny, I make up little songs for my daughter all the time, be pretty cool to be able to play along as well.

Thanks again for the advice everybody.

 

I usually use the electric tuner to tune one of the strings then use my ear to tune the rest. IMO training your ear is more important that rout memorization of notes and chords. Although that may only be true after you have some experience under your belt.

Learn the blues scale and warmup by playing them in different keys. It's an easy scale to learn and it'll get your hands warmed up while training your ear to what the different keys sound like.

 

Callin bullshit on this advice.

Learn Iron Man, crank the amp to 11 and rock out.

 

Electric tuners are fine. My point is start listening and KNOW when you're not in tune. If you have half an ear it won't take long for you to start knowing the chords being played in a tune on the radio. Learn to tune with open and fretted strings and also using harmonics. Guitar is NOT a perfect instrument, proper tuning can be more difficult that it might seem sometimes.

It should be foreign, you're just starting. Also, it WILL hurt. You'll be asking your fingers to do things they haven't trained for. You'll develop calluses and get used to the shapes your hand will have to form. The key is practice and consistantly doing so. An hour a day is good. Just stick to it! The vast majority of people can't commit to doing the work and quit, it's as simple as that. :up:

 

"RUN TO THE HILLLLLLLSS!, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!!!!"

Yeah, that's what I did, WHEN I was 11.

 

Good stuff. Thanks.


The opening guitar on Hallowed Be Thy Name should be nominated for Best of the Eighties....:up: