Learning to play the guitar?

[wombleh]

I picked up a mustang micro recently, handy bit of kit, probably most used amp at the moment! I was after a headphone amp with a metronome, couldn't find one but the bluetooth connectivity gets the same job sorted. There's some surprisingly good heavy amp sounds for something with Fender on the label with 5150 & uberschall sims on there.

[benjipeg]

after reading this thread earlier and thinking about doing it for a while, i am picking up a Tanglewood union series tomorrow morning like this - should be plenty to get me started - any links or tips on what accesories ill need to get? before i start on the youtube tutorials - gonna start with justinguitar i think
https://www.wembleymusiccentre.com/tanglewood-unio...

[wombleh]

Few different types of plectrum. Doing think you’d need much else!

I tend to have a bag or case for every guitar. Possibly a stand, cheap A frame one be fine. Those would be optional though.

[benjipeg]

wombleh said:

Few different types of plectrum. Doing think you’d need much else!

I tend to have a bag or case for every guitar. Possibly a stand, cheap A frame one be fine. Those would be optional though.

thanks and im sure the videos will tell me all i need but was thinking, stand, bag, plectrums, spare strings (but no idea on type/gauge etc yet) and clip on tuner if anyone has any cheap recommendations from amazon as there are no music shops near me

[wombleh]

benjipeg said:

thanks and im sure the videos will tell me all i need but was thinking, stand, bag, plectrums, spare strings (but no idea on type/gauge etc yet) and clip on tuner if anyone has any cheap recommendations from amazon as there are no music shops near me

You could use a tuner app on your phone, good for getting your ear in. I have a D'addario eclipse clip on tuner, was about £12 I think, suspect a cheap ebay one would work just as well. According to the spec on that link, the strings are Phosphor bronze 12-53 gauge so you could grab a pack for spares incase one breaks. If getting from a shop then they should have some. I'd be wary of buying strings on ebay as apparently there are fakes knocking around, one of the good online places like andertons, gak, guitarguitar, thomann, etc.

You don't really need any of it, just the guitar being strummed with fingers would get you started out just fine. I am hardly one to talk about not buying gear though !

[SWoll]

benjipeg said:

after reading this thread earlier and thinking about doing it for a while, i am picking up a Tanglewood union series tomorrow morning like this - should be plenty to get me started - any links or tips on what accesories ill need to get? before i start on the youtube tutorials - gonna start with justinguitar i think
https://www.wembleymusiccentre.com/tanglewood-unio...

Pay for a few proper lessons would be my suggestion. Plenty of teachers doing online 1-2-1 via webcam/videocall and will also come to you, all for a reasonable price (£15-30ph), and unlike YT videos the live feedback you'll receive in the early days will be priceless as easy to get into bad habits.

https://www.superprof.co.uk/

ETA - If you've got a local guitar shop/tech I'd also consider investing in getting the guitar properly setup. Could be perfect out of the box, but unlikely.

Edited by SWoll on Friday 3rd February 09:24

[otolith]

SWoll said:

Pay for a few proper lessons would be my suggestion.

I improved more in 6 months of lessons than I did in the previous decade of trying to teach myself.

[Upinflames]

Anyone using any kind of interface to a laptop? If so what software do you have on the laptop?

There's so much info online I'm swamped!

[wombleh]

What operating system do you use and what sort of music/tones would you like to play.

I use Guitarrix and Tonelib on Linux, would probably use Neural DSP if I was on Windows/Mac, metal focus sound.

Rocksmith USB interface is about £20, handy to test the water with but quality is not great, easy to sell on. I went with an Audient ID4 as it had good reputation. Scarlett Focusright also very popular. Universal Audio seems to be the gold standard.

[Yahonza]

Upinflames said:

Anyone using any kind of interface to a laptop? If so what software do you have on the laptop?

There's so much info online I'm swamped!

Steinberg UR22 and Cubase.
Cubase is pricey but well worth it, and is industry standard.
Needs a PhD to use it!

[benjipeg]

picked up my new guitar this morning, its like new, 3yr old with new strings, installed fender tune app on my phone, and did my first justinguitar lesson - i rock! feel cooler already.

[gregch]

Upinflames said:

F.

Bloody F

That's where I'm up to

Ah, the impossible chord.

I feel your (probably literal) pain!

[cherryowen]

benjipeg said:

picked up my new guitar this morning, its like new, 3yr old with new strings, installed fender tune app on my phone, and did my first justinguitar lesson - i rock! feel cooler already.

I wish you well, and never forget that no matter what style of music you want to play the learning never stops (which is a good thing)

[Yahonza]

gregch said:

Upinflames said:

F.

Bloody F

That's where I'm up to

Ah, the impossible chord.

I feel your (probably literal) pain!

As a bar chord on an acoustic or an electric with high action, F isn't easy and TBH a bit pointless playing all 6 notes in the 1st position.
It's hard on the hands and will sound a bit out of tune if the action / intonation isn't spot on.

Instead improvise F in a number of ways by breaking up the chord:
1. By playing the first three notes (F,C,F) - this is what I would call a power chord (although technically the power chord if the first 2 notes F and C).
Most rock guitar riffs use this chord shape.
Then practice playing that chord shape all over the neck - F, F#, G etc.

2. Play the middle part of the chord (C,F,A,C), or the last four notes (F,A,C,F) and move these around the neck to get the different keys.

3. Without barring the chord over all 6 strings using the index finger, F can be played using the thumb to cover the low E string on the first fret and combine with the chord shapes from 2.

A lot a guitarists play using this shape as it is a bit easier than the complete bar chord.

I quite like the bar chord though....
...and completely agree with the comment above about getting some lessons if possible.

Edited by Yahonza on Saturday 4th February 22:46

[Skyedriver]

When I was getting lessons I sometimes tried to play with a finger/thumb nail but the instructor kept saying "use a plectrum".
Now I watched the Jeff Beck concert on TV the other night and he never picked up a plectrum through the whole concert. Billy F gibbons on the other hand did.

[Stan the Bat]

Skyedriver said:

When I was getting lessons I sometimes tried to play with a finger/thumb nail but the instructor kept saying "use a plectrum".
Now I watched the Jeff Beck concert on TV the other night and he never picked up a plectrum through the whole concert. Billy F gibbons on the other hand did.

Which concert was that ?

[Yahonza]

Skyedriver said:

When I was getting lessons I sometimes tried to play with a finger/thumb nail but the instructor kept saying "use a plectrum".
Now I watched the Jeff Beck concert on TV the other night and he never picked up a plectrum through the whole concert. Billy F gibbons on the other hand did.

Learn both finger style and plectrum if you can. Both have their advantages. If you watch Billy Gibbons guitar playing closely he cross-picks/hybrid picking - not something I've ever got the hang of. Jeff Beck was on a different level to everyone else.

Edited by Yahonza on Sunday 5th February 19:44

[otolith]

Waiting for the people struggling with F to emerge into the sunlit uplands and then run into Bm

[President Merkin]

otolith said:

Waiting for the people struggling with F to emerge into the sunlit uplands and then run into Bm

Like moving house only to realise it's worse than the old one.

[cherryowen]

otolith said:

Waiting for the people struggling with F to emerge into the sunlit uplands and then run into Bm

Which, let's be honest, is no more difficult than fretting F once you've managed a clean F at fret 1. A Bm7 is even easier, and a Bmaj7 is little more effort than that.