I need structure

I have been playing for about 7 years. Not until the last year or so did I start to play whole songs. Too many riffs of the day... Now I can play along with some AC /DC, easier megadeth, metallica etc. I'm completely guessing as to the timing and sometimes I got it and sometimes I suck. I know the 5 pentatonic shapes but don't know how to use them. I just bought and acoustic and am really enjoying playing it and learning some strumming techniques as well as some acoustic songs.

I want to play songs and I want to play leads, I want to make up my own stuff and have it make sense. I want all of it and I want it now.HAHA I'm just confused as to what the best way to do it is. I also need discipline, but thats my issue.

Hey & welcome to GT!

Originally Posted by: Mygibby72
I want to play songs and I want to play leads, I want to make up my own stuff and have it make sense. I want all of it and I want it now.[/QUOTE]
Sounds like you've got the passion for it. :) You should work through the Fundamentals 2 for a refresher & review. Then work through the Rock 1 & 2 courses.

https://www.guitartricks.com/course.php?input=2
https://www.guitartricks.com/course.php?input=rock1
https://www.guitartricks.com/course.php?input=rock2

Those will teach you the skills & ideas you will need to play songs & write your own! And since they are structured, guided courses they will help you stay focused.

After that just ask & we can point you in the right direction!
[QUOTE=Mygibby72]
I know the 5 pentatonic shapes but don't know how to use them.

The rock courses will give you a basic idea. For more in depth on how to use pentatonic scales have a look at these.

https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=296
https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=185
https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=918
https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=170
https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=1614
https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=737
https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=843
https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=914

Hope this helps. Ask more if necessary & have fun!

I have been playing about 4 yrs. I was 53 yrs. old when I started, I'M A LEFTY!!! I bought an electric guitar and amp. I'm a production welder so my hands dont move at a super fast rate,but I do good and practice everyday. The first chord I learned was D chord, then G chord, seemed too struggle with C chord forever it seemed, so decided i wanted too play the blues, well anyway hopped around on Youtube, took some lesons, my instructor says learn songs with DCG which there are millions, ok what about rythm? I can play a few songs and they sound ok, mostly just fumble around playing riffs, 2 finger power chords minor A pentatonic box 1, 2 then I get too F chord !!!!! theres where I hit a brick wall, so I start over again. Am I missing something ? I tell myself. I seem too struggle the most with keeping time with the single note melodies, I can switch between chords at about 85bpm most of the time. Want too bee able too play songs so I joined Guitar tricks, like the struture so far and have set some goals. I got the cart in front of the horse and spent alot of money on buying eqipement, thinking this is the answer, which is alot of fun, not the answer. I have gotten over that. I have an American Proffessional Strat and Tele, A Fender Princeton Reverb and A Blackstar Studio 10 and a few pedals. I have too be able too play live by next june and have comitted to play in a small part in a music festival and play with my cousin at church.

Hey & welcome to GT!

Originally Posted by: mcchuck47

Am I missing something ? I tell myself. I seem too struggle the most with keeping time with the single note melodies, I can switch between chords at about 85bpm most of the time. Want too bee able too play songs so I joined Guitar tricks, like the struture so far and have set some goals, I have too be able too play live by next june and have comitted to play in a small part in a music festival and play with my cousin at church.

If you haven't already I encourage you to start working on the Fundamentals courses. They are a great place for beginners to start & get the most structure at GT.

Guitar Fundamentals 1

https://www.guitartricks.com/course.php?input=1

Guitar Fundamentals 2

https://www.guitartricks.com/course.php?input=2

The only way to succeed at learning & playing guitar is repetitious practice. It takes some people a shorter amount of time & others longer. But the same thing has to happen in both cases: the student has to put in enough time to make the physical process second nature.

Of course having a well designed curriculum that shows you what to do & how to do it can help you get there faster. So welcome to GT! I wish you the best of success with guitar.

Practice! A lot! Then practice more. :)

Thank you

So Chris, where would these lessons fall when starting from the beginning of the fundamentals course? I am starting from the very beginning.

George

Originally Posted by: CSchlegelHey & welcome to GT![br]

Originally Posted by: Mygibby72[br]I want to play songs and I want to play leads, I want to make up my own stuff and have it make sense. I want all of it and I want it now.[/QUOTE][br]Sounds like you've got the passion for it. :) You should work through the Fundamentals 2 for a refresher & review. Then work through the Rock 1 & 2 courses.[br][br]https://www.guitartricks.com/course.php?input=2[br]https://www.guitartricks.com/course.php?input=rock1[br]https://www.guitartricks.com/course.php?input=rock2[br][br]Those will teach you the skills & ideas you will need to play songs & write your own! And since they are structured, guided courses they will help you stay focused.[br][br]After that just ask & we can point you in the right direction![br][QUOTE=Mygibby72][br]I know the 5 pentatonic shapes but don't know how to use them.[br]

[br]The rock courses will give you a basic idea. For more in depth on how to use pentatonic scales have a look at these.[br][br]https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=296[br]https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=185[br]https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=918[br]https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=170[br]https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=1614[br]https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=737[br]https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=843[br]https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=914[br][br]Hope this helps. Ask more if necessary & have fun!

Originally Posted by: ussdfiant

So Chris, where would these lessons fall when starting from the beginning of the fundamentals course? I am starting from the very beginning.

[p]The Style courses I mentioned are after the Fundamentals.

https://www.guitartricks.com/beginner.php

The more in depth tutorials I mentioned are things you can do after the style courses, or along with them to dive deeper into those skills & ideas!

Hope that helps. Have fun!