Beginner guitar tips from an experienced guitarist?
Mel asked:
I have just recently started guitar……i need some tips on what to practice to become a better soloist and better guitarits……..i would also like to learn some awesome sounding chord transitions………many people say “get a teacher” but i cant afford the costly lessons so i have the desire to teach my self…….is music theory good to learn? do i practice scales?
Licks ( single note scale progressions)
Appregios
Hammer-ons ( hitting the string with your right index finger)
Harmonics ( what Eddie Van Halen does)
Pull-offs ( pull off from string with your left ringfinger)
Virbrato (Bending strings with one finger)
Pick slides ( scraping the strings with your pick)
Music theory is an excellent foundation, and there are many good books on it as well as sources on the web. Start with wikipedia, then use this link to understand all of the terminology:
Learn the open string chord patterns in the keys of C, D, E, G & A for starters, and the relative minor chords for each, which will include some barre chords. They are physically challenging at first, but well worth the effort because barre chords are movable — you can get 8 – 10 different chords from a single pattern played at various positions on the neck.
Scales are important if you want to play lead. Start with your middle finger on the second string at any fret, and learn to play 2 octaves without moving your hand up or down the neck. Each finger is responsible for fretting any string on its fret. For example, if your middle finger is at 3, then the index finger frets any string at 2, ring frets any string at 4, and the pinky frets any string at 5.
Since you just started, forget about playing anything awesome, start at the beginning. Condition your fingers a little at a time until you build up callouses. Start with basic chord patterns, and maybe a few short leads. Work on accuracy, and speed. You won’t learn over night. I’ve been playing since the 60s. Here’s a gift. Enjoy, and don’t give up.
To me the best way (I know you’ve heard this) is to have a teacher but when you can’t afford this try the sites on the Internet….these are free lessons, I’m not to crazy about the free sites but if you can’t afford the on line tutors or the DVDs, Cd’s, or videos, then check out the free sites, their not very complete but it may get you started, if that doesn’t work get back to us and I’ll give you great sites for learning, it may be less in expensive then you think. There are many sites where you can get free guitar chord charts, and places that show you where all the notes on the guitar are, just type this into google and it will give you lots of sites that will be helpful. Don’t forget in the beginning your fingers and hands are going to hurt so take it easy in the beginning, when your fingers or hands start to hurt quite for a while, you don’t want to strain you fingers or hands, I know, because I did this when I first started. Free Sites : (this site has some free lessons, and so does youtube, just type in youtube, free guitar lessons, hope this helps you to find something that will help you to get started, bye !!!!!!!!!
Tabs :
Since you just started I would make you to learn all the basic chords well. Once you have them down it doesn’t really matter what the chord progression is it won’t be very hard to learn. By the basic chords I mean the open ones, such as C, E minor, D, A, a minor, d minor, e, g, g7, d7, e7, etc. Then slightly harder chords like F and B minor come into play. There a number of websites easily found through google that have chord charts.
You should learn how to read music if you can’t, as well as the major scale, but for a while I wouldn’t go too in depth in that. Some people try to and get bored and quit thinking it isn’t any fun.
I would personally try to learn a few basic songs (or at least parts of them). Pick a few that you like to try to learn. If they are difficult, try something easier, or just practice more. A really easy to remember good beginner’s song is House of the Rising Sun, by the Animals.
I personally found it more fun to initially learn through songs, and then I went more in depth with scales and music theory after a number of months. By songs I don’t mean Ode to Joy either, I recall looking up tabs for Stairway (who doesn’t?).The problem with music theory is that if you’ll probably end up leaving it for tabs for a while anyways. When you start to understand guitar and music better and think it is time to start writing music, then music theory becomes far more important.
But in the beginning the number one thing to do is practice, and don’t just practice, practice effectively. Whenever you’re playing ask yourself if you’re getting better or just fooling around. After you do nothing but fool around it becomes a bad habit and you never get any better.
There are two posters that you can buy at wal mart. one is a chords chart. the other is a scales chart. I have them both and I still use them frequently. it will be the best ten dollars you will ever spend.
Mastering CHORDS and SCALES is the key to being a great guitar player. Learn as many chords as you can…start with simple chords (D, A, E, and their minors) and then work up to harder chords and Bar chords (F, B, Bminor, etc.) Also, know all the ways to play each chords…there are many ways to play each chord on the neck of the guitar…learn ‘em.
In terms of chord progressions…my favorite is the “4-5-minor 6″. In terms of chords, that would be F-G-Aminor (in the key of C), C-D-Em (in the key of G) and Bflat-C-Dminor (in dropped-D) just to name a few keys. Songs that use this are of coarse Stairway to Heaven (during the heavy part), Until the Day I Die (SOTY), Pachuca Sunrise (Minus the Bear) and a million other songs. It’s just cool I think.
IF SOLOS are what you want to focus on…I would recommend you work on a few key points:
1) SCALES – for the actual notes you what to play
2) FINGER EXERCISES – for strength and independence
3) ADVANCED PICKING (up/down picking, pinch harmonics, etc) – for versatility
So first, find some scales online look at the tablature of different scales, major, minor, pentatonic, etc…and learn them, memorize them…and be able to play them across a wide range of keys (A major scale, A minor scale, G major, C major, F#, you get it). Be able to play them with your eyes closed! If someone says “play a solo in G major” you want to be able to get to that G major scale “shape” right away.
Here are some exercises I do to warm up. Starting with my index finger on the first fret of the low E string, I go up four frets on each string, picking each individual note. BUT I use all fours fingers for its respective fret (index finger on 1st fret, middle finger on 2nd, ring finger on 3rd, pinky on 4th)
I do this for each of the six strings, then I move the whole shape up one fret and do the whole exercise again, and again until I reach the 12th fret. I also incorporate variations of this exercise, like starting on the Hi E string…then I will go in reverse, starting with the pinky first (pinky on 4th fret, ring on 3rd, middle on 2nd, index on 1st) picking each note. Between this exercise and running up and down your scales, you will become a lot better and stronger as a soloist.
Once you feel comfortable with your scales and finger exercises, do them again but pick each note with an alternating up and down picking pattern. So, on the first note, pick down like normal and then on the second note, pick up (from the bottom of the string to the top) do this alternating pattern throughout your scales and exercises and it will improve your speed.
You can easily find videos on how to do pinch harmonics, flat picking, finger picking, tapping etc. Learning how to do some of these advanced techniques will give your solos some more personality. Check out Eric Johnson, he’s got it down.
These exercises are not very fun, but trust me, if you do these for 30 minutes a day you will see results within a couple of months.
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Tags: Beginner Guitar Tips, Costly Lessons, Desire, Guitarist, Music Theory, Practice Scales, Soloist, Transitions
Comments: 7 comments
All the fields that are marked with REQ must be filled
warriorheartdrummer
July 3rd, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Solisist stuff….
learn how to do
Techniques like
Licks ( single note scale progressions)
Appregios
Hammer-ons ( hitting the string with your right index finger)
Harmonics ( what Eddie Van Halen does)
Pull-offs ( pull off from string with your left ringfinger)
Virbrato (Bending strings with one finger)
Pick slides ( scraping the strings with your pick)
Chuck
July 5th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Music theory is an excellent foundation, and there are many good books on it as well as sources on the web. Start with wikipedia, then use this link to understand all of the terminology:
Learn the open string chord patterns in the keys of C, D, E, G & A for starters, and the relative minor chords for each, which will include some barre chords. They are physically challenging at first, but well worth the effort because barre chords are movable — you can get 8 – 10 different chords from a single pattern played at various positions on the neck.
Scales are important if you want to play lead. Start with your middle finger on the second string at any fret, and learn to play 2 octaves without moving your hand up or down the neck. Each finger is responsible for fretting any string on its fret. For example, if your middle finger is at 3, then the index finger frets any string at 2, ring frets any string at 4, and the pinky frets any string at 5.
Good luck, and practice lots.
CGIV76
July 8th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Since you just started, forget about playing anything awesome, start at the beginning. Condition your fingers a little at a time until you build up callouses. Start with basic chord patterns, and maybe a few short leads. Work on accuracy, and speed. You won’t learn over night. I’ve been playing since the 60s. Here’s a gift. Enjoy, and don’t give up.
chessmaster1018
July 12th, 2008 at 4:54 am
To me the best way (I know you’ve heard this) is to have a teacher but when you can’t afford this try the sites on the Internet….these are free lessons, I’m not to crazy about the free sites but if you can’t afford the on line tutors or the DVDs, Cd’s, or videos, then check out the free sites, their not very complete but it may get you started, if that doesn’t work get back to us and I’ll give you great sites for learning, it may be less in expensive then you think. There are many sites where you can get free guitar chord charts, and places that show you where all the notes on the guitar are, just type this into google and it will give you lots of sites that will be helpful. Don’t forget in the beginning your fingers and hands are going to hurt so take it easy in the beginning, when your fingers or hands start to hurt quite for a while, you don’t want to strain you fingers or hands, I know, because I did this when I first started. Free Sites : (this site has some free lessons, and so does youtube, just type in youtube, free guitar lessons, hope this helps you to find something that will help you to get started, bye !!!!!!!!!
Tabs :
V4zCeNt
July 15th, 2008 at 2:53 am
Since you just started I would make you to learn all the basic chords well. Once you have them down it doesn’t really matter what the chord progression is it won’t be very hard to learn. By the basic chords I mean the open ones, such as C, E minor, D, A, a minor, d minor, e, g, g7, d7, e7, etc. Then slightly harder chords like F and B minor come into play. There a number of websites easily found through google that have chord charts.
You should learn how to read music if you can’t, as well as the major scale, but for a while I wouldn’t go too in depth in that. Some people try to and get bored and quit thinking it isn’t any fun.
I would personally try to learn a few basic songs (or at least parts of them). Pick a few that you like to try to learn. If they are difficult, try something easier, or just practice more. A really easy to remember good beginner’s song is House of the Rising Sun, by the Animals.
I personally found it more fun to initially learn through songs, and then I went more in depth with scales and music theory after a number of months. By songs I don’t mean Ode to Joy either, I recall looking up tabs for Stairway (who doesn’t?).The problem with music theory is that if you’ll probably end up leaving it for tabs for a while anyways. When you start to understand guitar and music better and think it is time to start writing music, then music theory becomes far more important.
But in the beginning the number one thing to do is practice, and don’t just practice, practice effectively. Whenever you’re playing ask yourself if you’re getting better or just fooling around. After you do nothing but fool around it becomes a bad habit and you never get any better.
jeremy k
July 16th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
There are two posters that you can buy at wal mart. one is a chords chart. the other is a scales chart. I have them both and I still use them frequently. it will be the best ten dollars you will ever spend.
heart_haircut
July 17th, 2008 at 5:39 am
Mastering CHORDS and SCALES is the key to being a great guitar player. Learn as many chords as you can…start with simple chords (D, A, E, and their minors) and then work up to harder chords and Bar chords (F, B, Bminor, etc.) Also, know all the ways to play each chords…there are many ways to play each chord on the neck of the guitar…learn ‘em.
In terms of chord progressions…my favorite is the “4-5-minor 6″. In terms of chords, that would be F-G-Aminor (in the key of C), C-D-Em (in the key of G) and Bflat-C-Dminor (in dropped-D) just to name a few keys. Songs that use this are of coarse Stairway to Heaven (during the heavy part), Until the Day I Die (SOTY), Pachuca Sunrise (Minus the Bear) and a million other songs. It’s just cool I think.
IF SOLOS are what you want to focus on…I would recommend you work on a few key points:
1) SCALES – for the actual notes you what to play
2) FINGER EXERCISES – for strength and independence
3) ADVANCED PICKING (up/down picking, pinch harmonics, etc) – for versatility
So first, find some scales online look at the tablature of different scales, major, minor, pentatonic, etc…and learn them, memorize them…and be able to play them across a wide range of keys (A major scale, A minor scale, G major, C major, F#, you get it). Be able to play them with your eyes closed! If someone says “play a solo in G major” you want to be able to get to that G major scale “shape” right away.
Here are some exercises I do to warm up. Starting with my index finger on the first fret of the low E string, I go up four frets on each string, picking each individual note. BUT I use all fours fingers for its respective fret (index finger on 1st fret, middle finger on 2nd, ring finger on 3rd, pinky on 4th)
I do this for each of the six strings, then I move the whole shape up one fret and do the whole exercise again, and again until I reach the 12th fret. I also incorporate variations of this exercise, like starting on the Hi E string…then I will go in reverse, starting with the pinky first (pinky on 4th fret, ring on 3rd, middle on 2nd, index on 1st) picking each note. Between this exercise and running up and down your scales, you will become a lot better and stronger as a soloist.
Once you feel comfortable with your scales and finger exercises, do them again but pick each note with an alternating up and down picking pattern. So, on the first note, pick down like normal and then on the second note, pick up (from the bottom of the string to the top) do this alternating pattern throughout your scales and exercises and it will improve your speed.
You can easily find videos on how to do pinch harmonics, flat picking, finger picking, tapping etc. Learning how to do some of these advanced techniques will give your solos some more personality. Check out Eric Johnson, he’s got it down.
These exercises are not very fun, but trust me, if you do these for 30 minutes a day you will see results within a couple of months.
Good Luck.
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