Chuck S Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 So I have had my LP 2014 Studio Deluxe II for near two months now and I can't put it down. The set up must be spot on because it is easy to play and makes any Amp sound great. What I'm wondering is what is the best advice or lesson you ever heard or was taught to help you become a good Guitar player. I'm sure there are other venues for this question, but there are some really knowledgeable players in this forum and was hoping for some good pointers. I am currently making my way through Gibson's Learn and Master Guitar and learning a lot, but would like your insights too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the dog Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 My best advise is to practice a lot and try and figure out the chords to a song...not by tab but by listening to the song...once you start to develop an ear for it will start to get easier. And go to shows and watch the guitar player.... hope that helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Pentatonic scales.... Really helps with solo playing.. It may look a tiny bit intimidating at first but seriously.. this is one of the best things I ever learned and it made the whole idea of scales click for me. http://www.theorylessons.com/pentatonic_scales.php http://www.guitarhabits.com/the-5-pentatonic-scale-shapes-you-must-know/ Listen to and watch as much as this man and his fellow master blues men as much as you can.. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Chuck there's a lot of angles in how to get this done these days. Youtube is loaded with stuff. And I'll be honest with you, as a person who's spent some years teaching all age groups, this is both good and bad. What you want to avoid is jumping around with too many differing distractions. I would advise hooking up with a GOOD teacher, for face to face, one on one lessons once a week, focus most of your time in between lessons on what they have given you to work on. (there is usually method to the madness with teachers). it's a lot easier to interact with a teacher, ask questions, let them see what / how you're doing things, than it is to try to sort it out with You-Tube. I think you need that two way dialogue. Some bad habits can be formed with out the feedback of a good teacher, and some of these tend to be very hard to break. you could try to go in 5 or 6 month worth of lessons, take a few months off, see where you've come, then go back for more. helps to keep one from "lesson burnout" just my 2cents.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.4knee Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Practice Practice Practice! A cautionary note on buying transcribed music scores....they are not always correct. Always compare to what you here in the song. Practice scales, modes, chording. Put it down if your fingers begin to hurt, don't develop bad compensating habits for sore fingers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old guy Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 best advise ever. My best advise is to practice a lot and try and figure out the chords to a song...not by tab but by listening to the song...once you start to develop an ear for it will start to get easier. And go to shows and watch the guitar player.... hope that helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
american cheez Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 a good right hand is just as valuable as a good left one. maybe more so Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. C.O. Jones Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 I can't add much those guy's said enough. But there are still a few things. A good strap with untreated leather on the insinde will make playing a lot easier while standing. If it's padded and soft even better. Speaking of straps put some locks on em, if you like your guitar. Don't listen to those who tell you to stop buying new guitar stuff, new toys will make you wanna play with em. And that is always good. Just my two cents.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Hello! I had my first lesson of musical theory last friday. We were discussing intervals, set the terms clean. Then, went on to learn the four kinds of triads: major, minor, augmented, diminished. The instructor taught me the notation: both treble and bass clef. We went through the key signatures along the circle of fifths. Wow! It was like a revelation. Whole lot of things that I knew but didn't understand, fell into place. I went home and wrote down a little blues song in notation, I came up with long time ago. Did it without the instrument around! :blink: Done all my homework, and looking forward to my second lesson tonight. It's just great. Worth learning theory, but find a teacher who is master of science. Cheers... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbrian66 Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Two things that are really helping me to get better are playing with other people and using a metronome or drum track when practicing. The playing with other people part is great. Just feeling the music come together with your guitar, drums, bass, and vocals will inspire you. I started playing with a praise team at my church about five years ago and have become a much better guitar player because of it. We play contemporary Christian music for 2 to 3 hundred people every Sunday morning. The metronome/drum track part will help both with timing and speed. Just recently I started playing scales and scale like guitar parts of songs to a drum track. I start off slow so I can play each note clean and on time. I keep increasing the tempo as long as I can still play it clean. You will be amazed at how fast you speed will increase. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny V Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Everyone has good ideas, but I believe kidblast gave you the best advice. Find yourself a good teacher and take lessons until you have a real grasp of how to improve on your own. Kenny V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanHenry Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Hi Chuck, Lots of good advice already given, but you could try Justin Guitar: http://www.justinguitar.com/ recommended by lots of top players including Brian May and it's free unless you can afford to pay. Lessons for every level from beginner to advanced. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James ODonnell Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 Music theory is always a great tool. Playing diatonically is nice, but most of the fun in music is a deviation in one way or another, recognizing these and using them for key changes and alternate progressions is one of the more powerful tools a musician can pocess. Learn the theory, learn the non-diatonic. Skills can be secondary to a brilliant mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck S Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 Lots of great advice for the aspiring guitarist. Appreciate all the replies, insight and direction. Good stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Lots of great advice for the aspiring guitarist. Appreciate all the replies, insight and direction. Good stuff By the way... this is a great video for learning.. it talks about improvisational techniques and is one of the best descriptions of the thought process ive heard if you only watch a bit if this vid watch from about 1:18.. really cool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaygl Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 When learning and practicing scales make sure to play as slow as it takes to get every note to sound strong and true. Build speed from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 When learning and practicing scales make sure to play as slow as it takes to get every note to sound strong and true. Build speed from there. If I don't mind, I'd add: don't get locked into scale patterns. Think in notes, rather than in shapes when playing scales. Of course, You can learn the patterns, but learn to connect them horizontally too. Also, learn to play the very same modes at different locations on the fretboard. Cheers... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajay Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Go to Youtube. If there's a cool song that You like, chances are that JustinGuitar had a lesson for it. He has a great ear for the cool songs that people want to learn. Or You can just type in JustinGuitar, and pick one. He is very talented guitarist, and his lessons are fun. I highly recommend him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexoz Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 My best advise is practice, practice and... more practice. Don´t give up, at first is frustrating but in the end it´s totally worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apothecarius Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Hi there, lots of good advice here. If I can add my 2 cents: try to find fellow musicians to practice with. There's no better way to progress when playing and interacting in a band with "real" people. By this means, you will also learn to "listen". I agree that you can't do that after 2 months of playing guitar, but try to start as soon as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brantobrien Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 I only have one thing to add, listen to great music. Everyone has given fantastic advice, and it is all valid, but just listening to great music also helps you to feel how to fit your playing within the context of various songs. For some songs speed could be important, but for others a single note played expressively in the right place can elevate a song from ok to amazing. It's about message, feel, and artistic expression that is unique to you as a musician. Enjoy the process! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajay Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 1434382403[/url]' post='1667230']Hi there, lots of good advice here. If I can add my 2 cents: try to find fellow musicians to practice with. There's no better way to progress when playing and interacting in a band with "real" people. By this means, you will also learn to "listen". I agree that you can't do that after 2 months of playing guitar, but try to start as soon as possible. This is great advice. Not only do You share and learn each other's best songs, You also get used to playing in front of other people. Also, this "networking" is the absolute best way to get into Your first band. The Grateful Dead started out as a jug band. I think that they made just about as much money playing as anyone else. They got to live their dream, and started out just jamming together. Neil ZYoung was stumbling around until he met Steven Stills. Playing partners are just an awesome way to start out in music, and guitar. I would try to learn a new song every day or two, and TAKE NOTES. I have played a LOT of songs by ear, and failed to write down the chords to each song. Now I not only don't remember the songs, but ZI would have to relearn the chord patterns, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eracer_Team Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 I am a big fan of this series: http://www.learnandmaster.com/guitar/ takes you from humble beginnings to a strong intermittent. learning notes reading and theory as well. and you can start/stop the dvd set and get back to it anytime without paying extra the instructor is an amazing humble guy in Nashville that has live feed lessons most Tuesday night too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James ODonnell Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 I was impressed with the British series 'How Music Works' as it aired on BBC. The series eventually made it to YouTube where viewers can hopefully see it today. There are no tests or quizzes, so its not a collegiate level of academia, but a wonderful recap for anybody into music. Further research 'How Pop Music Works' for insight into creating the legendary songs that continue to stand the tests of time. I think I'll follow my own advice... spend a couple hours this Sunday morning watching them again. The level of talent, vocal talents, inspires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajay Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Mark Knopfler always talks about his lust for a Red Fender Strat in a music store window on the way to and from school. His Dad couldn't afford the Fender, but he bought him a Bright Red Strat copy, and this started one of the World's greatest guitarists on his way. He said that He used to fall asleep while He was practicing. He would wake up under the weight of His beloved "Strat".So it appears that the way to guitar greatness, and even "goodness" is practice, practice, practice. Find a good teacher that You like, online if necessary, and practice every chance that You get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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