I Am Brand New To Guitars, Advice??

[LP121]

Just thought I'd jump in and say don't worry about how long it takes to learn certain things. It's not a race, it takes as long as it takes and everyone's different. You're just starting out so it's going to take some time to get things down. We've all been there (seriously) and just keep pluggin' away and you'll get it.

[crust]

My advice. If you start playing, be serious. Get a properly set up guitar, one that doesn't have much string "buzz" or slap (against the frets and fret board) and that the strings aren't so high off the fret board it cannot be played without breaking your fingers...that is a major turn off to beginners that don't have a properly set up instrument. Also, make sure the guitar has good tuners. A guitar that will not stay in tune, buzzes and is a finger breaker, frankly speaking, sucks. A true beginner might think that the strings being a "mile high" off the fretboard is normal (well, maybe for some "slide guitar" playing it may be). Also, going out of tune after performing 1 song...not cool . Or, if 1 or 2 particular strings happen to break (at the same place...possibly the saddle, nut or one of the tuning pegs or tail piece). There are myriad other abnormalities, that a neophyte may not even realize that are faults/anomaly's ..lol. If the strings are too difficult to press down, break after a few songs, and the strings wont stay in tune.... well, I'd be turned off too. Practice every day, always. Try to play as many diverse things as possible, within your capabilities. Try to learn different "chord forms" Major, Minor, 5ths, 7ths, 9ths augmented, diminished and as many "barre chords" up and down the neck, and the "shape" or "form" of the most common chords. Know and learn what the chords are called, the names of the notes on the neck. The nice thing about music is (to me) that only the letters A-G and the numbers 5, 7, 9, 11, 13...lol, pretty simple (well not really) lol...Play some things (simple 3-4 chord tunes) in different keys. Try singing along too, diverse, but simple songs in different keys. Try learning the C major scale as your first practice scale, modes...at least familiarize your self with the "modes" and some of the major and minor scales in various keys. You'll be playing 100's if not thousands of tunes within a year

I do like FuzzFace2's comments about the Vox Amplug as I have one (among several other amps of varying sizes), and even the little speaker cabinet that is also available. Again, a great little "mini amp" for those times where something loud, even "bed room volume", may not be appropriate (use ear buds or a headphone). The little speaker is not too loud, but does "break up" and distort at the low volume it was made to be "played" at. If you ever get into home recording (something else to spend your $$$ on...lol), these little "mini amps" can be "miked" to record, and it has been my experience, that these little things, although they may sound under powered at normal room volume, when recorded and "tweaked", can sound like 10 full stacks at a stadium, if properly "tweaked" in your DAW recording software.

 

 

Do not stop playing, a little bit, every day.

 

 

 

 

Did I say, don't stop playing and practicing??

 

 

 

 

every day

 

 

Before you know it, you'll have 29 guitars, 14 amps, 43 effects pedals...and hopefully more "guitar friendly" friends than you can shake a stick at...lolx2

[crust]

that was quite a mouthful