Lessons?

matdvd · Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2002 2:51 pm Post subject: Lessons?

Hey gang,

I really need some advice. I'm having a problem making any progress with my guitar playing skills. I basically cannot do much at all as it stands.

As an average 33 year old guy, (shut up Harry, I am not that old yet), I am having trouble finding the time, but mostly the direction, for increasing my knowledge. I probably would find the time if I only knew what to do next. I basically am piddling around, and not having any progress made.

I guess it all came to a head on Monday when the wife and I went to our Pastor's house to take him some stew (he had knee operation), and Les mentioned I had a guitar. He asked if I played, and basically she just about laughed. Yeah, I know--totally uncool. I about came home and put my 'ole Squier in the curb...

Anyway, with that basic humiliating night, I have got to find a way to really get serious about learning to play this thing. I totally feel it was God who sparked this interest in the first place, and want to make the best of it.

So, after that long introduction, I am asking each and everyone who reads this to respond by telling me how they learned, and then how I should. Experience is the best teacher, so if you learned the hard way, I want to avoid that. I really am considering doing some OT and finding a way to afford some lessons, maybe one-on-one....but got to do something. I don't want to feel like I did on Monday, ever again...

Let's hear it. That's what we're here for. Encouragement and Instruction is what I need!

[This message has been edited by matdvd (edited February 06, 2002).]

Dually Showman · Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2002 4:14 pm Post subject: Lessons?

I had guitar on my mind long before i ever had one.I found someone to teach a basic boogie woogie in the e a b and i started there.I have learned more from watching other people.I would learn from people who knew less than me.You can always learn something from someone else no matter how skilled they are.I am totally illiterate when it comes to guitar.I'm 37 and started at 12 years old.I never realized until about 8 years ago i could turn on the radio and play along with quite a few songs.I didnt give myself enough credit and you probably arent either.Go one chord at a time one song at a time and it will come to you.Learn one song a play it again and again.Then play it in the dark or with your eyes shut.I think the main thing is chord changes.Pick 3 and go back and forth between them you'll become faster at it all the time.
I dont know if i should give any advise on this matter as i only play by ear.But i do know my chords.

Dually Showman · Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2002 4:17 pm Post subject: Lessons?

Oh yea,dont let other peoples opinions bother you.When i get annoyed i just hand them the guitar and say you do it better.If they can watch what they do and learn.Use there negativaty to push you ahead.Sucess is the best revenge.

Michael D · Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2002 6:04 pm Post subject: Lessons?

Matt, I don't think I'm too much farther along than you. I was blessed with a friend from church who originally offered to teach me the basics, so I had weekly lessons for 6 months or so. I've been on my own for about the past 6 months. If you can find anyone who'd be willing to meet with you periodically (regularly?) to play guitar together, you'll learn a lot. I also really like the Riffinteractive.com site. Their lesson CDs are under $15 and are outstanding - and fun. Try a couple of the "beginner" CDs and you'll make progress. I especially like their "Blues 101" CD. I also picked up a "Teach Me Guitar" (by Voyetra) package on sale at my local computer store and have gotten some good from that. Once you have the basic open chords down (like Dually suggests), get a songbook (like the one I recommended elsewhere on this site) and practice strumming your way through anything you recognize. You'll get smoother each time. Wish you were closer, 'cause I love pickin 'n grinnin with buddies - even though I'm a long way from prime time still. I'll pray that you connect with someone who'll invest a little time in you to "jump start" you - like my friend did with me.

Mike

Michael D · Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2002 6:11 pm Post subject: Lessons?

Matt, Refresh my memory (no cracks, Harry!

). Where do you live?

jamesron41 · Lion Joined: 16 Dec 2001 Posts: 945 Location: Waco,TX

Matt, you will get better. We will help you learn if you can't afford lessons. What do you know so far, do you know alot of basic Chords? Any songs you know?

BTW, I have learned the hard way, mainly by ear. I had a few lessons about 2 years ago and they really helped. If you can get lessons, I think they will help, but that isn't the only way to learn. Practice is the key.

Sixstring · Kitten Joined: 28 Dec 2001 Posts: 140

Sounds like pretty good advice so far but I'll throw in my thoughts.

I started by learning church choruses. In fact, the first song I ever played was Great is the Lord in the key of G. I was about 11 or so and the pastor of our church showed me a handful of chords. From there it was just me and the ol' Mel Bay chord book and eventually my albums. Other than those first chords, I am self-taught. Along the way I got pointers from others, but mainly just observed and listened and tried to find the sounds on the fretboard. While that makes for some great discoveries and feeling of accomplishment, lessons from a good teacher are priceless. I had to go back and correct a lot of self-taught bad habits, which you definitely want to avoid.

My advice to you is this:

1. Get copies of someof your favorite church songs with the chords and start playing them. That will nourish your playing as well as your soul.

2. If you play acoustic, use steel strings unless you are aiming to play classical. Grin and bear it until your callouses build up. Love the burn, baby!

3. Practice, practice, practice! There are no shortcuts. If you want to be able to play, you have to keep your hands on it. You'll do better to practice 10 minutes every day rather than an hour long session on the weekend. So when you sit down to relax, pick it up and play. You simply must put in the time.

Now I'm no marriage counselor, but I'm very happily married for just over 16 years and the key is honesty. If you haven't, perhaps you can tell your wife (gently, not spitefully) that you felt humiliated and ask for her support. Pick some easy songs you can start with and have her sing along with you. Hopefully this will inspire you both to see the potential of being able to play, as it will give you one more way to worship God together.

(And I hope that last part doesn't come across as an intrusion. If so, you have my sincere apologies.)

And once you've got a song down, ask if you can perform it in church or play along during worship. I started playing drums in church when I was a teenager and been playing in church since. It's a great way to cut your teeth with a supportive audience.

After you've got the chords of a song down, try finding the melody on a single string and start practicing scales. And when you get stuck, ask for help! We're all here to help and encourage.

Finally, play because you love it, not for any other reason. All the motivation you'll ever need is already at your disposal.

Good luck.

Did I mention practice?

ACfixer · Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2002 6:56 pm Post subject: Lessons?

Matt, if you e-mail me your mailing address I will send you some great learning tools. To me, the key is discipline. I learn the most when I find something challenging but not impossible. Alot of those hair-bands you like have screaming fast guitar solos that are way out of reach for you at this point, but if I had you here I could get you playing chords along with them real quick. Since we live quite the distance from one another I want to send you some books and CD's that will get you pointed the right way by teaching you songs that are easy and fun to play like EC's wonderful tonight. I agree it is discouraging when you hit dry spells. Gotta be careful with lessons, alot of teachers want to start having you read all those little dots on the music sheets. That's great if that's what you want but I doubt it seriously. I took a couple lessons from CT about a year and a half ago and that helped me alot but most teachers aren't like him. Let me put together a "care package" for you that will kick it into gear. In the meantime tell us what you know so we don't waste time on what you do know. A few quick questions that will tell me alot, forgive me if any of them seem silly but I have no clue what you do or don't know. No embarrassment or anything here, lay it out so we can get you strummin' for Jesus

1. Can you play the open chords C, G, D, A, and E? The minor chords Em or Am?
2. What about B and F? Bm?

3. The three most common praise and worship chords are in the key of G, and include G,C, and D for starters, can you play them and change smoothly between them? Without looking? If so how many others can you do this with?

4. Can you strum and change chords without breaking the strum? Know any strumming patterns?

5. Do you know any scales? Particularly the minor pentatonic scale? Can you play it at a tempo and improvise to a slow blues song for instance?

a couple years ago I was wearing your shoes. I was still married and had just started playing seriously when we went to my father in law's house. The guy that was going to be marrying my sis in law also came.... word had got out that I was learning guitar and so this guy brought his along so we could play some praise songs. This guyt turns out to bea youth worship leader and I sat around with my guitar on my knee trying to catch up enough to play even a single chord on time while he just blew me into the weeds. Humiliating is not a strong enough word for it, I know exactly how you feel.

Spell it out man, exactly what you know and don't know. If you want to talk on the phone and let me hear you play we can do it on my dime. Regardless, e-mail me an address I can send this stuff too

ac_fixer@hotmail.com

matdvd · Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2002 6:00 am Post subject: Lessons?

Wow! What a response so far. Keep it coming!

I won't have a lot of time to respond much here at work, but will give a few basics.

Mike, I am in Virgina Beach/Chesapeake VA. Langley AFB brought me out here to the waters edge, and my wife is from here....so I am stuck for the time being...

On that note, no offense taken by anyone wanting to stone my wife to death.

I talked to her about it last night and knew well before she told me, that she meant no harm in it at all, and was upset that it hurt me. She's a wonderful gal! I can't get her interested yet in pursuing this hobby with me, but I am still praying...

Sixstring, I haven't a clue why you don't remember that I have a Squier Strat, no acoustic. I figured you fellas were sick of me talking about how nice it would be to know what a "real" guitar was like. Obsessive at times, I am.

As far as my abilities, and I use that term loosely, I can play the basic chords such as A, C, D, E, G, Em, Am, and am starting to get that 'ole F down pretty good, but I am a perfectionist... B or Bm--not a clue yet.

Honestly, I can't transition between them worth a flip yet, but that is coming along slowly with practice. I probably just need something to play along with to keep my interest, because just playing those chords to nothing can get old fast.

Other than that, it's really next to non-existant. I am getting a little dexterity with my left hand by playing around with some downloaded tabs from the old songs I used to love from the 80's. Nothing like EVH's eruption, but simple things like the solo off "Whose Crying Now" by Neal Schon, that is highlighted on the Marc Seal website. Even though it sounds rough, it keeps it fun to hear those sounds come out of my hands...fascinating!

About the only song I play all the way thru is that irritating song, "Stand by Me", that, uh, what's his name did, (something) Little. I am glad that VCR tape was stolen...hehehe

I have a bunch of scales copied, but really haven't been able to practice them much yet.

So there ya have it fellas. Pretty basic.
What's the diagnosis. Should I start looking for OT possibilities to pay for lessons, or just stop whining and get practicing more?

Nothing like being a 33 young man and feeling like a todler again in relation to knowledge level.

I do appreciate the replies, believe me!

Lance, that email will have to come from home. Can't email from here....but will be on it's way soon...

Until next post,
Matt

ACfixer · Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2002 6:32 am Post subject: Lessons?

Great Matt! In the meantime don't get discouraged and practice changing chords G to C to D to C to G to D etc.... I even have a song or two I'll send you that use two chords. Once you get comfortable strumming along with them adding another will be no big deal and you'll wonder why it ever seemed so hard. Remember, just relax and make it fun. Get your boys to sing the words while you play, even if it's realy slow. Once you have a good rhythm going start joining in on a few words in between chord changes. That very thing helped my playing AND my singing so much I can't even say. Doing them together makes your timing sharper, and your voice (if it isn't good already) will improve my matching the tone of your guitar.

jamesron41 · Lion Joined: 16 Dec 2001 Posts: 945 Location: Waco,TX

Yeah, you need to practice interchanging chords. Take your guitar unplugged to the couch with you and strum along and interchange chords while watching TV. That is what I used to do.

ACfixer · Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2002 6:50 am Post subject: Lessons?

Me too Harry, still do....

jamesron41 · Lion Joined: 16 Dec 2001 Posts: 945 Location: Waco,TX

Yeah I still do in my chair here at the computer. I have a TV card so my TV is through my computer.

matdvd · Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2002 3:35 pm Post subject: Lessons?

Opps, I guess I forgot to mention that between the ex-wife and the state of ohio, they made sure that I am no longer the awesome daddy that I once was. Being a single dad for those years was the hardest, and best times of my entire life. I gave up my career in the Air Force to be with them. I guess she and ohio didn't get the memo...

The pix you saw with us dressed up like penguins, was for Dad's wedding in Ohio.

And you can only imagine how well I sing if I like Metal Music.

Harry, you need to get out more man...hahaha

ACfixer · Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2002 4:13 pm Post subject: Lessons?

I am sure you are still an awesome dad Matt. Sometimes God allows us to experience less pleasant times in order to work something out in our lives. Not much comfort to us at the time I know...

So you have kids with your current wife Matt? Step kids? I love my ex-step son, that boy and I were tight. I miss him more than my ex. although I still miss her dearly. I don't know why because she was not very nice to me ever, I think most of it is sorrow over the breaking of a covenant with God. It wasn't my doing, but in California all it takes is for one person to want a divorce for any old reason they choose.