Learning the guitar, can't read music.

[cobra kid]

I'm looking to learn the guitar as it's something I always wanted to do, and now I'm 40, the midlife crisis has kicked in.

Problem is, I cannot read music to save my life.

I have looked into learning by tabs which looks a winner to me. What would be anyone's recommendations for a first guitar? A nice wide necked acoustic?

Any recommended books to kick off with?

cheers.

[nick s]

definitely chords! By far the easiest way. Have a look at Justin Guitar. Completely free online course. That's how I learnt.

[Turn7]

Tab is your friend.....

Check YouTube for tab lessons on your favourite songs.

[Stu R]

I'd venture most amateur guitarists can't read music.

I can but it's been a lot of years since I tried. Guitar I always stuck with tab.

As for what guitar, depends what you like and want to play really. I always preferred electric, started on a fender squire and Yamaha Pacifica. Both excellent beginner choices but obviously comes with the added cost for amp, lead etc.

[Mr Kitten]

I've played guitar for years and have never 'needed' to be able to read music.

To be honest, it's years since I last tried, and I was always pretty slow so stuck with tabs.

What sort of music do you like? That'll probably dictate what guitar you want to get and how quickly you'll get along with it.
When I started learning I had some awful acoustic thing with awful action and I really struggled... then I got a cheapy strat and I suddenly came on leaps and bounds.

[6th Gear]

http://www.jamplay.com

[ehasler]

Must be a turning 40 thing I'm looking at buying a new guitar so I can learn to play again, having not picked up my previous guitar since I left school many years ago.

I used to read music back then (got up to grade 5 piano), but I can't now - hopefully it'll come back to me with a bit of work, but if not I'll be interested to try some of the methods suggested here.

[GetCarter]

Wide neck nylon strung guitars are much easier to play that narrow/steel.

Tabs are good, but learn a few chords first and strum... then you'll get something behind you. I worked with a very famous guitarist that can't read, and he makes a shed load. However, I employ only readers... it's a lot quicker!

[mike80]

I can read music (play piano), but always use tab for guitars. I think I would struggle if you just but a sheet of standard music in front of me and asked me to play it on guitar!

As long as you know what the various note lengths are you should be OK with tab.

[framerateuk]

You don't really need to be able to read music. I can read music but I've only ever read music for guitar when practicing reading music .

Learning the music theory as you go long is good though. Scales/modes and various arpeggio patterns.

Best off starting with some basic chords though, and just use tabs.

[Car Diff]

Use your ears

[speedysoprano]

Tabs are a much better way to get started on the guitar. I'd still say give reading music a go, though. It's not something you'll regret learning, and once it clicks, it's so much simpler than it first seems.

Good luck!

[Turn7]

Car Diff said:

Use your ears

Doesnt help if you have no idea what note is where on the neck does it ?

[singlecoil]

Notation isn't suitable for guitars anyway, as there is more than one place on the guitar neck where any particular note can be played. That said a reading guitarist can usually figure out which position to play notes in for the easiest fingering.

Chords are the way to go for a beginner, that way you can strum and sing and produce a recognisable song. Playing melodies is fine too, but works best with backing tracks, and if you are a beginner, you will need a way of slowing those down (midi files are good for this).

[maniac886]

I've been learning for around a year now but have been learning reading music as well as reading tabs. When I first started trying to read music I found it quite intimidating but it's got a lot easier now. The books that I am using at the moment have both music and tabs and I actually prefer reading music , no idea why!

[cobra kid]

Thank you one and all. Just need to find a cheap guitar in Sheffield now.

[IainT]

Turn7 said:

Tab is your friend.....

Check YouTube for tab lessons on your favourite songs.

Some of the Youtube vis are great helps.

Songsterr is really useful for his - midi tab tracks you can play along to. Usually fairly accurate but you have to pay to do more than the basics on there (e.g. shift tempo, mute/solo midi tracks).

[untruth]

This book is outstanding, I've learned most of my theory from this book (still reading it).
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0634049011/ref=...

You just have to keep reading it over and over, and do the writing exercises over and over, to absorb all of it.

My scale knowledge has improved a lot just by reading this book.

I couldn't play guitar at all 3 months or so ago, and hadn't played a chord for 12 years.

[Nimbus]

cobra kid said:

Any recommended books to kick off with?

cheers.

I'd head over here http://www.justinguitar.com/en/BC-000-BeginnersCou...

and do the beginners course, everything you need, and totally free

[cobra kid]

A friend is lending me her Spanish acoustic this week so am ready to get going. Wish me luck chaps.