Best guitar learning method?

[schmalts]

For some reason I have a itch to learn a new thing (like i don't have enough crap to do) so I want to learn to play guitar. Not looking to shred... not looking to ever play gigs or join a band, I want to just get good enough to play along with songs on the web and plink or strum around a campfire. If you recently learned, what app, online training, youtube vids did you find useful? I have access to a couple guitars (electric) and already ordered a modeling amp that seems like it has some of the newest tech to help learn or stay interested because it is interesting in itself.
( Positive grid spark)

 

[Treeshark]

Tabs are a good place to start if you’re not interested in formal lessons, they’re available for almost every song imaginable for free online. Basically use numbers instead of notes for where you should put your fingers.

 

[geetar]

YouTube is pretty full of lessons these days. Some good some bad I’m sure but it’s free content. If I had it to do now instead of almost 20 years ago when I started that’s what I’d do.

 

[noharleyyet]

 

[Steelsearchin]

Can’t help at all with guitar instructions, but I can tell you that my son’s guitar teacher told us he should learn the basics on an acoustic and switch to electric once he gets the basics down. Apparently learning on an electric first can inadvertently make your picking/strumming technique “lazy.” I don’t have a clue if there’s any truth to it, but friends and family members (some are quite good), seemed to echo those sentiments.

Good luck with your adventure!

 

[CUElk]

My son is currently learning. He's using an app called- ultimate guitar chords and tabs.

He seems to be doing good. The advice he received from friends that play, while you are learning try to play a little every day. Good luck.

 

[BlakeA]

I would start out with an acoustic. Ultimate guitar chords and tabs app is great. You tube as well. Start with the basic chords (G, C, D, A, etc) and learn those real well. Set aside a half hour a day to practice those chords and build up the callus's on each finger over time. Getting the form down may take some time but it will come. Once you have gotten the basic chords down along with strumming, you will be able to play quite a few songs. It's one of those things that you really do need to practice each day or fairly often getting started in order to get going with it. Have fun with it! One of my favorite things in this life

 

[JFish]

You can start with either guitar it doesn’t matter if it’s electric or acoustic, they both have a neck and strings. I like to use books for basics so you can refer back to them with sticky notes. Get one with basic chords and one for beginner finger exercises. Amazon has tons. It’s not a lot of fun to do finger excercises and practice awkward chords, but set a timer for 2 mins or so and force yourself to do them. Supplement with YouTube, lots of instructions to show you how to play your favorite song. Eventually you will learn the muscle memory and be able to play most things.

 

[Jason73]

Buy a reasonably decent guitar. Stays in tune, intonation won't go out as often and just plays easier. Go to a store and play different guitars with different neck widths. See what feels comfortable fingerings chords. String spacing is important. Good luck!! Playing music is good for the soul!!

 

[Hawk Tuah]

If you learn G, C, D and E minor (to start) you can do a lot. Once you get those down, strumming is next step. Usually the difference in people who make it over the "hump" and become proficient are able to feel the rhythm of a song and strum it. If you find yourself asking, "how many times do I strum the G before going to C," then back up and try to feel the music. I taught myself senior year of high school. I am a proficient guitar player and still mess around most days of the week to relax, but I am not a musician like my friends who actually learned music on a piano.

 

[schmalts]

Buy a reasonably decent guitar. Stays in tune, intonation won't go out as often and just plays easier. Go to a store and play different guitars with different neck widths. See what feels comfortable fingerings chords. String spacing is important. Good luck!! Playing music is good for the soul!!

I Have a Squire Strat that a friend loaned me that his wife got from work for free.... Neither play so it was sitting around. I also have a LP type as well so I can see what one feels better to me. I have medium to large hands. Not what guitar has the wider neck.

 

[Otto Matic]

Never picked up a guitar until I was 60yo...10 years ago!
Guy where I bought my guitar has an acoustic "jam session", gave me a "Guitar for Beginners" and wrote in the book which chords go with which key. (Guitar players never play songs in the key of F)
Don't know what music you're into, but I live for:

Classic Country Music Lyrics | Guitar Chords with Lyrics

A great selection of classic country music lyrics with chords. Old country favorites as well as a great selection of country gospel song lyrics with chords.

www.classic-country-song-lyrics.com

As long as there are not a bunch of chords, I do okay. Some country songs can be played with only 2 chords.
"I'll Break Out Again Tonight" can be played with A and E. There's a D chord in the chorus, but that's easy.


If you can find a jam session, especially acoustic, go. Sit where you can watch others play.

I won't touch a gig though I do play and sing at church occasionally.

I make me happy.

I started with a little Kona. Upgraded to a Fender.
Played an Epiphone for a while.
Now I have a Martin.
The Martin is by far the easiest to play.
IdahoNick is pretty on target.
Don't expect to be playing Beethoven in a month. LOL!

 

[noharleyyet]

Pat a serviceable acoustic that can be set up and stay in tune is what I suggest. The better it sounds and easier the action plays the more you’ll wanna play and hear it. I’ve tried and failed multiple times sticking with one ion one lessons. They aren’t cheap and I tire quickly of theory, hate it. But some one to show you the basic chords and strumming patterns is indispensable. Tons of free YouTube content. Don’t worry about the modeling amp rabbit hole yet, it’ll still be there. A good acoustic is a lifetime friend.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

I would suggest checking out guitargate.com, run by a guy named Michael Palmisano. I am not a guitar player but I watch a lot of his videos and he knows his stuff. Makes me want to learn myself.

 

[Jason73]

I Have a Squire Strat that a friend loaned me that his wife got from work for free.... Neither play so it was sitting around. I also have a LP type as well so I can see what one feels better to me. I have medium to large hands. Not what guitar has the wider neck.

I play an ESP LTD and its got a nice wide neck, easier for me to chord with my fat ass fingers, lol. Thinner necks and I have a hard time not accidentally muting strings. Necks all have different curvature and that can affect playing also. I also play bass and most basses afford plenty of string spacing. Too much for some with smaller hands. I hope you enjoy the challenge! Been playing 35 years and miss those days on stage!

 

[Pucky Freak]

As a kid I learned classic violin, and in my late teens I taught myself vocals, keys, and acoustic guitar, which is my favorite.

To learn guitar I took songs I already know and googled “chords for [song]”, and sifted through what popped up until I found one with some pretty easy chords. Then close my eyes and hum or sing a few lines of the tune and match it with playing one of those chords until they sound good together, and eventually add a couple more chords. Sometimes a capo can put you right where you want to. With a capo and just chords A, E, B7, G, C, D you can play a TON of songs.

It’s slow to learn at first, but eventually singing and playing becomes intuitive, and you don’t think about what you’re doing, you just compliment your voice with the strings. Personally I try to stay away from visual cues as I tend to get distracted and lose engagement from the audio part of my brain. I do study more advanced chords and have an image of the finger fret pattern in my head with my eyes closed, but try not to get in the habit of looking at a screen, a piece of paper, your hands, or any part of the instrument.

Another fun activity is print a whole pile of lyrics to songs you’ve never heard before and then make up how to sing them, adding in a basic chord progression. The beauty here is there’s no “right” way to do it, and there’s already a built-in structure with the verses. If you want a good laugh, listen to the original song after you’ve made up you’re own and the original sounds really goofy.

 

[jlong17]

As a kid I learned classic violin, and in my late teens I taught myself vocals, keys, and acoustic guitar, which is my favorite.

To learn guitar I took songs I already know and googled “chords for [song]”, and sifted through what popped up until I found one with some pretty easy chords. Then close my eyes and hum or sing a few lines of the tune and match it with playing one of those chords until they sound good together, and eventually add a couple more chords. Sometimes a capo can put you right where you want to. With a capo and just chords A, E, B7, G, C, D you can play a TON of songs.

It’s slow to learn at first, but eventually singing and playing becomes intuitive, and you don’t think about what you’re doing, you just compliment your voice with the strings. Personally I try to stay away from visual cues as I tend to get distracted and lose engagement from the audio part of my brain. I do study more advanced chords and have an image of the finger fret pattern in my head with my eyes closed, but try not to get in the habit of looking at a screen, a piece of paper, your hands, or any part of the instrument.

Another fun activity is print a whole pile of lyrics to songs you’ve never heard before and then make up how to sing them, adding in a basic chord progression. The beauty here is there’s no “right” way to do it, and there’s already a built-in structure with the verses. If you want a good laugh, listen to the original song after you’ve made up you’re own and the original sounds really goofy.

Man, it’d be fun to share elk camp with you! Haha. I taught myself acoustic guitar back in middle school, but I’ve always wanted to learn the fiddle... not sure what’s holding me back

 

[schmalts]

Well I learned to do fret job on this squire Strat. The thing was unplayable with the 2, 5 6 and 8 frets either high all the way across or tilted high on one end. The thing was a display prop, probably why it was such a mess. The neck is also not able to get proper adjustment with the truss screw. I loosened it until it's not even doing anything and about all I can get is a straight neck.i wonder if it was from sitting for years with a truss screw tight and strings loose and it took a set. The mister fixit in me watched a few videos and got the frets in real good shape. It was kind of fun. I'm hoping to leave the truss screw loose and give the string more tension to see if it will get the recommended slight relief bend in time. But it is actually playable now! From practicing the A and E chords I already know I like the way the Strat feels over the LP I have here. I'll see if I find an acoustic to try too. Cool thing is my son is very interested too now.

 

[Otto Matic]

I always wanted to learn to play. DID NOT like music in junior high.
No music, just notes, clefts, etc. What you see on a sheet of music.
Loved country music and dancing and singing along with friends.
CHRISTmas of 2010, wife bought me a guitar.
Me and that thing went round and round!
I struggled, tried, failed.
Started over by attending an acoustic jam session. Soon, just kicked the dang thing over in a corner and quit! Frustrated and angry!
Spring of 2011 produced one single turkey, a few crappie, drouth and record setting heat!
89 total days of 100°F plus temps
49 straight days of 100°F plus temps
13 days of 110°F plus temps
117°F* record high for southern Oklahoma.
Several days, Grandfield, Ok was the hottest spot in the nation!
Garden dried up.
With nothing to do but sit under the A/C, I picked the little Kona out of the corner and tried again. Out of sheer boredom, I finally got to where I could actually put a couple of notes together.
Ten years later, I still can't read music, play breaks or play by ear!
...but give me lyrica and chords (and a capo) and I can do pretty good. No Chet Atkins by any means.
Music theory is all Greek to me!

*that's when I learned that standard house A/C, at best, can reduce interior temps only about 20° below exterior temps!
When it's 117°F outside, inside was having a hard time maintaining 97°F! Yikes!

 

[ignorethefringes]

Honestly, buy "Guitar for dummies" and work through it at least for learning chords and strumming techniques. That will give you a decent foundation through the boring stuff that can get you to playing songs.