Few questions about learning to play guitar?!
Question: as the title implies im looking to learn how to play guitar and have a few questions.
1. What is a good book or DVD or computer program etc , for learning how to play guitar for beginers ive never picked up a guitar in my life so will need to build from the basics up.
2. should I start with an electric or acoustic guitar while learning?
2 b. if I start with an electric guitar, what is a decent basic guitar / amp set up I can get for cheap, say 150 ish range ( less would be good ) I would upgrade this later if learning how to play actualy took.
3. Kinda unrelated but,,, is there any truth to what I keep hearing about it being much easier to lean to play bass then it is to play a regular 6 string guitar?
thanks in advance for any help !
Answers: as the title implies im looking to learn how to play guitar and have a few questions.
1. What is a good book or DVD or computer program etc , for learning how to play guitar for beginers ive never picked up a guitar in my life so will need to build from the basics up.
2. should I start with an electric or acoustic guitar while learning?
2 b. if I start with an electric guitar, what is a decent basic guitar / amp set up I can get for cheap, say 150 ish range ( less would be good ) I would upgrade this later if learning how to play actualy took.
3. Kinda unrelated but,,, is there any truth to what I keep hearing about it being much easier to lean to play bass then it is to play a regular 6 string guitar?
thanks in advance for any help !
1: A good DVD set is the Metal Method(1) set. It's not just another guitar instructional thing...it's been around since the early 80s and has been updated reguarly (in fact, it was updated earlier this year). It covers everything from very basic stuff like names of the notes and picking a string to chords to more advanced stuff like tapping and sweep picking. It has some theory stuff, too...different scales and modes and all that. He also gives advice on making the most of your practice time, setting goals and such. They have a message board where the people will help you out if you have problems or don't understand something or whatever. It goes so far beyond every other book/DVD it's ridiculous. Don't be mislead by the name of it - it'll work for any genre, not just metal. The website: http://www.metalmethod.com
2: They both offer their unique set of challenges. So I would say use whatever you're actually going to use and play however you're going to play. For example, if you plan on playing high gain (a lot of distortion), then do that, because otherwise you're probably going to have to relearn things so you can mute the strings properly and so on. It's a lot easier to learn stuff right the first time than it is to relearn it.
2b: Can't really help you much here. All I can really say is I've heard a lot of good things about the guitars at Rondo Music(2) and there's a large database of product reviews here: http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/#p... . Check out your local music store and see what they have. Musician's Friend(3) is a good place, too.
Well, I wasn't originally planning on it, but I took a look for you and found this guitar for $90 (+ shipping):
http://www.rondomusic.com/sst5734.html
or same model, different finish: http://www.rondomusic.com/product1316.ht...
It has an overall rating of 9.2/10 with 57 responses on http://reviews.harmony-central.com/revie...
And this amp for $40 http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/D...
(reviews: http://reviews.harmony-central.com/revie... )
Or this for $50
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/P...
With shipping, that'll come out to right around $150. Of course, you'll want a tuner, cable, strap, and some picks, too. That should add about $20 if you go with the cheapest of each (which will work just fine).
Or you could go with a package, which includes everything you'll need and start at $150:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/navigatio...
Personally, I would get, in this order:
The SX guitar, picks, tuner*, strap, & an extra set of strings or two
Stage 1 + 2 of the Metal Method lessons ( http://www.metalmethod.com/guitar-lesson... ) (as someone else said, you don't *need* the amp to practice)
Then later, as finances allow and if you still want to play, the Peavey amp and Metal Method stages 3, 4, 5 & 6.
*I suppose a tuner could be put off for later, because the Metal Method DVD will have you tune your guitar to his, so it's not really necessary...but it does make things easier.
3: I've never played bass so I couldn't tell you.
Good luck with your guitar playing.
Get lessons
1) Any book that has the basic open chords listed and afew barre chords listed will be fine to start off with. Also afew scales.
2) Ive only ever really played on an electric - Ive had afew acoustics in the past - I would opt for an electric - you dont need to play through an amplifer to pratice either.
3) yes, bass is easier - but still takes years to become really accomplished player.
(And get a tab book of a favourite band - much more fun to play something you know/like than practicing just random chrord progressions and scales !)
1. I really really think that you should get a teacher...it would be much easier for you to learn, but if don't want to do this, there are tons of sites with guitar lessons, videos and other stuff.
2. It depends on what kind of music you want to play. Theoretically speaking, you could as well start with an electric, because generally it's easier to play than an acoustic. But an acoustic is cheaper, if you decide you don't anymore want to play guitar you won't loose to much money, and it has the great advantage that you don't have to plug it in to play it. So, if I were you I would start with an acoustic, and then get an electric, after I've learned the basics. Playing the acoustic guitar will make it very easy for you to upgrade to an electric, though you will have to learn lots of new things, but you will already know the essentials of guitar playing. So I think it's the best to get first an acoustic guitar.
2b. Wrong approach. With this money you will only get a low qality guitar (at least I don't know any good guitars in this price range) and probably you won't enjoy much playing it, you will probably have to raise your budget. So, if you really want an electric guitar, get a good one. It doesn't have to be expensive, but you have to like it. I mean, how it sounds, how you can play it, how it feel etc(the same applies to the acoustic). Basically, you have to find the right guitar for you. If you will find it with these money, it will be perfect, if you do.
3. I don't know, but bass and guitar are 2 totally different instruments. So you can't actually compare how easy it's to learn to play them.