Some encouragement for beginners
I'm a beginner too -- going on my second month learning how to fingerpick my first song. At first, it was hard (and too slow) trying to remember where the chords were, reaching for them correctly, and having to constantly refer to the tab arrangement. It took me about 45 minutes just to get the song out -- and it sounded terrible and a lot of mistakes and buzzes. Now, after 2 months I'm playing it so much faster and find that my fingers already know where to go next, without me having to look and check if it's right. I can now get the song out in 4 minutes. Progress seemed so slow, at times I felt I would never be any better than I was. It's like.... one day you wake up and it has all come together behind your back because of faithful practice, even if it's only 20 minutes a day. You find yourself playing faster with more confidence and less mistakes. I'm so happy and just wanted to share that with anyone else who might be struggling a little bit. Hang in there, it will pay off.
# 1
If i can add something to this...
Please learn your music theory!!! Its so important to learn at least the basic diatonic theory and, believe me, it'll lessen the amount of frustration you have to go through when learning the guitar.
What i noticed, esp here in college, is that many people who want to learn guitar just cram a bunch of chords and scales an have absolutely no idea why they are playing what they are playing. They fell into the "i want to be good overnight" trap. On the other hand if you learnt your theory, took time to study scale and chord construction and basic harmony, you'll be playing much better than someone who just crams chord-shapes.
Also it'll reduce time-wasting questions like "what scale do i play over this" and stuff like that. If you take the time to learn theory you could hear a chord progression and know (or at least have an idea) of what scale to use over what.
Not only that but learnng your theory along with learning scales and chords goes a long way in helping you form your own chord and scale fingerings. Theory helps you be aware of what is going on around you on the freatboard. Cramming chord-shapes and scales just means you have to be jumping up and down the fretboard unnecessarily when you could stay within a range of a few frets.
Just my 2 cents :).
Please learn your music theory!!! Its so important to learn at least the basic diatonic theory and, believe me, it'll lessen the amount of frustration you have to go through when learning the guitar.
What i noticed, esp here in college, is that many people who want to learn guitar just cram a bunch of chords and scales an have absolutely no idea why they are playing what they are playing. They fell into the "i want to be good overnight" trap. On the other hand if you learnt your theory, took time to study scale and chord construction and basic harmony, you'll be playing much better than someone who just crams chord-shapes.
Also it'll reduce time-wasting questions like "what scale do i play over this" and stuff like that. If you take the time to learn theory you could hear a chord progression and know (or at least have an idea) of what scale to use over what.
Not only that but learnng your theory along with learning scales and chords goes a long way in helping you form your own chord and scale fingerings. Theory helps you be aware of what is going on around you on the freatboard. Cramming chord-shapes and scales just means you have to be jumping up and down the fretboard unnecessarily when you could stay within a range of a few frets.
Just my 2 cents :).
# 2
Thanks for putting this post up it's really good to hear from someone who is also a beginner!
I have started learning the guitar, had it for 3 weeks now, I have a DVD which I am learning from before going for my first lesson in the next few weeks when my local guitar scholl re-opens.
Having been on a few guitar forums looking for guidance and advice I found that there were very few beginners on there and found it really daunting reading a lot of the posts as they were talking about stuff I didn't have a clue about.
I am really at the beginning at the moment, just learning a few chords, getting my finger strength up and waiting for my fingers to harden so it doesn't hurt so much after 10 minutes of practice!
I realise it isn't going to be a fast process, far from it, and having read through this post and a few others I now have a better understanding of what to do and when to do it.
Hopefully when I go for my first lesson it will be even more structured and I will have things to aim for rather than just learning in my own way which I fear could end up with a lot of wasted time or me trying to progress too fast.
I have started learning the guitar, had it for 3 weeks now, I have a DVD which I am learning from before going for my first lesson in the next few weeks when my local guitar scholl re-opens.
Having been on a few guitar forums looking for guidance and advice I found that there were very few beginners on there and found it really daunting reading a lot of the posts as they were talking about stuff I didn't have a clue about.
I am really at the beginning at the moment, just learning a few chords, getting my finger strength up and waiting for my fingers to harden so it doesn't hurt so much after 10 minutes of practice!
I realise it isn't going to be a fast process, far from it, and having read through this post and a few others I now have a better understanding of what to do and when to do it.
Hopefully when I go for my first lesson it will be even more structured and I will have things to aim for rather than just learning in my own way which I fear could end up with a lot of wasted time or me trying to progress too fast.
# 3
