Learning to play....
Posted by: Exiled Highlander on 10 August 2008
After many, many years thinking about it I finally took the plunge yesterday and bought this...
It's an Alvarez AD80SSB for those who know anything about guitars, although they are not that well known. I have no clue how to play (any instrument) but I'm determined to give it a go and even got some sounds out of it last night that didn't make the dog run into the backyard...oh wait the door was closed she couldn't!
Buying it was interesting too. I first went to the Guitar Center (big US chain) which turned out to be like going to a mass market High St Hi-Fi retailer as the spotty faced "sales" guy was utterly useless, I mean absolutely and utterly pathetic. So, I went outside, surfed the web on my Blackberry, found a local specialist dealer (Naperville Music) and spent around 1.5 hours with a really patient and enthusiastic salesman (and the bugger couldn't half play!!) - now I am the proud owner of this sunburst dreadnought and my fingers are already sore after one nights practice!
This will be fun.
Cheers
Jim
Posted on: 15 August 2008 by Exiled Highlander
I bought a Korg tuner yesterday....and my daughter can use it for her viola as well. Of course, she hasn't picked it up all summer and school starts in another week or so here so she had better get practicing as well.
Jim
Posted on: 15 August 2008 by Chris Kelly
Maybe she's planning to astound the school on guitar instead!
Posted on: 15 August 2008 by andy c
Guitars are easy to tune!
Only jesting, but I sat and watched my tuner sort my piano out last week - and it took him 45 mins of prodding and poking to declare that my z1 was in fine condition and living well in its new home!
Andy c - sightreading practice in e flat maj! Ouch!
Posted on: 16 August 2008 by Exiled Highlander
Andy
quote:
Guitars are easy to tune!
At least I don't have to call some to my house to tune mine!
Nice set of ivories!
Cheers
Jim
Posted on: 18 August 2008 by NaimDropper
Congrats and enjoy the sounds you make.
Like learning a language, you'll soon be able to sound out words and phrases.
The hifi benefit is that you'll find you appreciate music more (or at least differently) when you can make some of your own.
My 11-y-o started playing gtr so I got him a very cool Flying Vee style with a great sounding practice amp. Told him his assignment was to make as many different sounds as he could with it. I wanted him to fall in love with the sounds of the thing. You've got to love how it sounds or you'll get tired of it too soon.
Now he's been taking some lessons (better someone else than the old man) and he's able to make it talk a bit. He can pick out licks I show him and his teacher is always amused by what I've shown him.
David
Posted on: 18 August 2008 by winkyincanada
If your 11 year-old really wants to hear what a guitar can do; have him listen to Tom Morello. IMO the best guitarist (in his genre) of the last 15 years. If you've seen "Iron Man" you've heard some of his latest work.
Posted on: 28 August 2008 by Exiled Highlander
NaimDropper
quote:
The hifi benefit is that you'll find you appreciate music more (or at least differently) when you can make some of your own.
After two weeks I can't claim that any of the noise I make resembles music (well not as humans know it anyway although there are now whales gathering in Lake Michigan apparently.....)
However, I now find myself listening to guitar stuff and trying to figure out how they created the sounds and I find myself visualizing the chord changes so although I don't appreciate the music anymore than before I am listening a little differently.
Off to practice my major scales again!
Cheers
Jim
Posted on: 30 August 2008 by NaimDropper
quote:
After two weeks
You are learning to hear and speak a language. You're gaining some context now, listening differently IS appreciating it more in my opinion. Any time I have a new way to listen to something I'm learning it in a new way.
Hope it is all still going well, the whales are having a great time. Attracted a few in my time as well. Enjoy!
Posted on: 31 August 2008 by BigH47
quote:
However, I now find myself listening to guitar stuff and trying to figure out how they created the sounds
There the path to madness lies.
You have the same paper,same pen and same ink as Hendrix,Clapton or Williams but you keep writing gibberish.
I know my guitar knows loads of tunes because my mate gets them out,but when I try they stay firmly within it's body.
Howard
Posted on: 31 August 2008 by KeanoKing
Hi Jim,
From my experience the only way to learn is practice practice practice. A friend taught me on Sunday afternoons while playing along to the CD's with the Chord books. Each week a new song. The early beatles stuff as most can be played with 3 chords. The first 2 Oasis albums, again mostly 3 chords with subtle changes. Then i 'mastered' the dreaded Bar chords. After about 1 year i had one lesson a week where lead guitar was taught, in fact the BLUES but i didn't know it. Yes Led Zeppelin.
The most difficult time is the first 3 months where nothing sounds right. Get through that and you'll be ok.
Try this site. I think he is superb!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpnsmzgGkEwATB
KK
Posted on: 31 August 2008 by NaimDropper
quote:
You have the same paper,same pen and same ink as Hendrix,Clapton or Williams but you keep writing gibberish.
But not the same life experiences...
Another way to learn is to play with others. And others that are far more accomplished.
Think about the toddler that is learning to speak. Do we put him/her in with a group of other toddlers that are just learning or with accomplished adult speakers?
Trading "licks" and phrases with others, finding ways to support the music that is being played are high forms of communication and will help you grow quickly.
Mostly you just have to love the sound of the thing and want to pick it up and play.
David
