How to play the guitar

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Mick.
You need to burn your fingers's tips and 3 hours a day of "hard work"!

Mick,

Gianluigi is correct...it's bloody hard work.
My fingertips are as soft as a baby's arse and after playing for a while they turned into the little hammers they need to be to play properly. This takes time and unfortunately it is something I don't have much of...good luck to you. Like anything a great tutor is valuable but a total waste of money if you don't put the fingering in.
It is a beautiful instrument especially a Fender strat or an ESP amped appropriately.

Dave

Mick
Any of the Bert Weedon books will be right up your street.

Mike

I bought an accoustic, a Lowden F32c. Spruce front and Indian Rosewood back and sides. It sounds good and is probably far to good for me.

Dave

I certainly cannot do 3 hours daily so I will try 30 minutes and see how O got on.

Bob

I am presuming that as usual you are being sarcastic but as it so happens I bought the Bert Weedon book on Ebay.

Regards

Mick

Make sure you learn basic scales and all the common open chords right from the start; I still play them every day, even after 20 years of it!

So, get a chord book (there're loads, just go to Amazon and take your pick) and a scales manual - there's one called Incredible Scales Finder buy Hal - not expensive, change out of a fiver, and the scales are shown as patterns too so if you can't read music, no probs...

I've just bought one called Scales, Modes and Patterns for Jazz Guitar, but you need to be able to read music and it's not really for beginners; nonetheless, it's quality stuff and quite comprehensive, so provided you can read music, or if you're willing to learn, go for that one.

EW

Mick,

I know what you mean about finding the time for lessons. I've been learning for about three years and have a lesson every Thursday at 7.45am. Still gives me time to get to the office for nine. Not easy if you're doing the London commute as I used to though.

The Registry of Guitar Tutors might be a good place for info - I've read they have just brought out a range of DVD/Books for every ability.

There is a also really good book about acoustic by Dave Hunter published by BackBeat books (the title of which escapes me, sorry).

Nice guitar by the way! Enjoy.

Regards

Dave.

I got a nice Fender strat copy for Xmas a couple of years ago. It looks great in the corner of the room. It has seen very little action. Can anyone recommend a good cloth and polish as its getting rather dusty.

quote:

Originally posted by Diccus62:
I got a nice Fender strat copy for Xmas a couple of years ago. It looks great in the corner of the room. It has seen very little action. Can anyone recommend a good cloth and polish as its getting rather dusty.

I use Mr Sheen on my PRS...

........I used to use Pledge but now i've moved up a league...................


You know it makes sense

Congratulations to you, Mick! I hope it brings you joy to make music.
Have you any experience on other musical instruments? This will go a long way in helping you understand what is going on with the guitar but is not necessary, of course.
Get yourself a good teacher, this is a MUST. You will benefit in several ways:
1) Avoiding bad habits inevitable for a beginner
2) Learning from an interactive person rather than a video or book (those are helpful but should be secondary sources of information, especially to a beginner on the instrument)
3) You will find yourself practicing more to please the instructor in addition to making progress on your own
4) You will develop a camaraderie with another guitar player and perhaps other musicians.
Enjoy!!!
David

Great video, I wonder if he ever gets out of the bedroom for gigs...
That has "guitar wanker" all over it though parts of it are musical.
David

David

I think I agree that a good instructor is a must and there lies the root of my problem. I often work in London which means getting up at 5.30am and returning home around 8.00pm and at 57 I am not as resiliant as I once was.

Possibly I may be better off just leaving it until I retire or just toughen my fingers up in preperation.

Regards

Mick

Hi Mick

I have been playing for about 12 years and have been teaching for four.

You have an excellent guitar - that's a good start, as you need one that will stay in tune. This is so fundamentally important is you will develop your ear correctly from the get-go.

Three hours a day? I reckon that shredder is on more like 6 hours. He is an encyclopedia of neoclassical chops (yawn) and is proof that the ability to play lots of cool stuff and being a good musician have absolutely nothing in common.
Listening to him is like watching paint dry. When he grows up he might make a good musician - at thhe moment he's just a very good mimic.

My point is: don't be discouraged by other guitarists. I know guys that could play what he's playing double time. Worry aboout what you want to play.

Yes technique is essential, but it's not the end in itself.

It's a pity you can't make it to lessons - a teacher you can RELATE to and acts like a drill sergeant is a HUGE help.
However, you can't get there so try wholenote.com. Go through the basic lessons, at about one a week if 1/2 an hour a day is do-able.

Also load up your itunes with songs you'd like to play, find the tabs on olga.com (via wholenote if you notice) and play, play, play.

Put your head down and tail up for aboout 6 months of hard graft. Learn your chords - don't skimp on this! Learn some theory as well - wholenote is good for this too.

Then we'll talk some more.

Good luck - work hard, even if it's only for fun, cause you'll have more fun if you work hard.

BTW forget toughening up your fingers. You do that by playing...

Only here could you find some Wanker (joe 90) who would knock a young kid who has worked his arse off,i hate you all,including the arrogant self important pompous wanker who moderates.

Fuck off and die.
Steph.

Good advice from joe90.
With the little time you'll have for this at the moment, an on-line study or book might fit. Get started while you have the interest, don't put if off.
Another place to look is Music Dojo and try one of their free introduction classes. I know several of the instructors and they are very good.
The lessons are "canned" in that they are multi-media presentation but you have access to the instructor and other students for questions, etc. Worth a look.
And don't worry about toughening your fingertips, that's a load of bullocks. Practice will bring you the calluses and flexibility you'll need for the acoustic guitar.
There are a number of hand "exercisers" out there, but you're far better off playing the instrument rather than squeezing a grip, etc.
Get yourself an electronic tuner and metronome. Tune the thing up and just enjoy the sounds you can get from various strumming, plucking, etc. Try a pick (plectrum), your fingers both on the fleshy part and your fingernails, tap on the neck, body, strings, etc. etc. Just enjoy all the sounds you can make with this nice instrument, they can all be music in the right context. You’ll find it will soothe you after a long commute.
I once sold some Linn kit and bought a new bass guitar with the proceeds. It was an “upgrade” far better than another box, cable, stand, etc.
David

quote:

and at 57 I am not as resiliant as I once was.

Mick - wake up - you only pass this way once.

Royal Mail gave you a gift of life unfettered by people demanding you do things when they let you go with a pile of money.

Use the time that you have left while you are fit and mobile and able to do the things that you want to do not the things that you know you can do (ie "persuade" some supplier to provide the goods at half the price in half the time). No one knows what time bombs are ticking away inside them, so do not squander you time driving yourself into the ground while collecting Railtrack frequent user points.

Now back to learning the guitar - hopefully with a bit more time to do it.

quote:

Only here could you find some Wanker (joe 90) who would knock a young kid who has worked his arse off,i hate you all,including the arrogant self important pompous wanker who moderates.

I'm a little disappointed I wasn't named in this as well.
That aside, no one was "knocking" him as such.
The kid has some "chops" but, at least in this video, no direction on how to put them to good use.
Would you buy a collection of CDs that had hour after hour of this kind of thing going on? (His mother would!)
If you were his band mates, would you let him carry on like that for every song?
Anyway, I'm far more interested in how Mick is enjoying his new and beautiful guitar.
David

What is a 'chop' I am not trying to be a troll. I just am interested. It sounds like a technical trick or shortcut, and there are a few of those in the world of classical string playing to cover bits that are impossible, so would be more than grateful to know.

A friend I used to know actually had a band, and even mamnaged to pursuade me to bring my normal five string double bass to practice a few times. The trouble was I could not hear myself play, and was miserable as I was certain (and I must have been) that I was ut of tune, though I could not tell. He refered to chops, and I never had the heart to ask what on earth he was talking about!

All the best from Fredrik

quote:

Originally posted by Mick Parry:
I think I agree that a good instructor is a must and there lies the root of my problem. I often work in London which means getting up at 5.30am and returning home around 8.00pm and at 57 I am not as resiliant as I once was.

Mick.
I played guitar for 16 years and started when i was 13.
Of course 3 hours a day was good for a student, but be sure i did it as a kind of game.
No dictations then, but only pleasure.
I think that the best thing that you could do is to start approaching your guitar keyboard little by little and try the sound.
Your finger tips will become harder and you'll not find out till the moment you'll see no more fingerprints lines under your nails.

My advise is to take it easy and let yourself go.
Playin' an instrument needs intimacy with it.
Most of all don't be afraid of the first "stupid" sounds you'll have in the beginning and don't mind about other people's comments.
Just do it again and again and enjoy it.
In few months you can start some lessons to learn music and you'll find it easier.
I guess you don't need to become a new Segovia so don't let it become something like a job or you'll leave it.
Enjoy yourself!

quote:

Originally posted by KRO:
Only here could you find some Wanker (joe 90) who would knock a young kid who has worked his arse off,i hate you all,including the arrogant self important pompous wanker who moderates.

Fuck off and die.
Steph.

Wot?

Derek

I must admit the thought of chucking it all in is tempting but another two years of raking in the cash will guarantee me a luxurious retirement and that is what is driving me on. I have however promised Mrs Mick that we both retire without fail within 2 years at the longest. You have to guage a line between working to live and living to work.

Chaps

I have just returned from Oxford with the guitar and I just need to sit down and read all the books I have got (including Bert Weedons play the guitar in one day) and just get clued up.

I take it that the fluctuating humidity is nothing to worry about in the UK ?

I will buy myself an elctronic tuner tomorrow and take it from there. Is there anything else I need to buy ?

Is it necessary to slacken the strings when the guitar is not in use ?

I must admit I am looking forward to this.

Regards

Mick

Mick,

Leave the guitar in tune, then you can pick it up and play even if it is for 5 minutes. Try a variety of picks to see which you like. I, like you, have just started and am finding it difficult to make time to practice. Good luck with the guitar and the retirement plans!

Milan

quote:

Originally posted by Mick Parry:
I take it that the fluctuating humidity is nothing to worry about in the UK ?

Nah, not really. There's damn all you can do about it anyway. (I've heard of Stradivarius owners leaving the shower on in hotel rooms to keep them "moist"; Menuhin used to put soggy strings in his!)

Make sure you use light gauge (12s) strings to start with or you'll just suffer. A big fat pick is useful too - go for a nylon type, you'll get less pick noise. I like Jim Dunlop Jazztones.

Don't forget to learn your scales, and good luck!

EW