OT: Guitar help!

[Greg]

Hey guys! I'm teaching myself to play the guitar. Well, here's my story. I decided about 4 years ago to learn to play the guitar, and I took lessons for awhile. I am left handed, but I learned to play right handed. I did practice religiously for a little while, but some trouble with strumming. I don't know why, but it seemed awkard strumming with my non-dominate hand! Anyways, I kind of gave up on guitar playing, up until recently. I decided, since I'm a lefty, that I would buy a left handed guitar and learn to play again. I am basically having to learn all over again, as everything seems backwards! However, it does seem like it's alot easier for me strumming the guitar than what it was, so I guess that's a good sign.

Anyways, my question is, if I practice, let's say three times a week, about an hour each time...how long do you think it would take - on average - to become decent at playing? I've always been able to sight read music (to a certain extent at least) so I don't believe I'd have a hard time with the music reading part, but just getting the mechanics down. I really want to try to stick with the guitar this time! I've always been able to pick up playing musical instruments quickly, but I never follow through and master anything. I was the beast sax player in our middle school band, but I gave up the sax! Then, I tried learning the piano, but that got too tedious! So, I am really counting on sticking with the guitar, but don't want to stay in beginner mode forever! I can play "When the Saints Go Marching In" okay!

I know each person has different skill levels, but normally, how fast does it take for someone to learn to play the guitar and to play it well (not professionally, but well?)

[conversationpc]

Hey guys! I'm teaching myself to play the guitar. Well, here's my story. I decided about 4 years ago to learn to play the guitar, and I took lessons for awhile. I am left handed, but I learned to play right handed. I did practice religiously for a little while, but some trouble with strumming. I don't know why, but it seemed awkard strumming with my non-dominate hand! Anyways, I kind of gave up on guitar playing, up until recently. I decided, since I'm a lefty, that I would buy a left handed guitar and learn to play again. I am basically having to learn all over again, as everything seems backwards! However, it does seem like it's alot easier for me strumming the guitar than what it was, so I guess that's a good sign.

Anyways, my question is, if I practice, let's say three times a week, about an hour each time...how long do you think it would take - on average - to become decent at playing? I've always been able to sight read music (to a certain extent at least) so I don't believe I'd have a hard time with the music reading part, but just getting the mechanics down. I really want to try to stick with the guitar this time! I've always been able to pick up playing musical instruments quickly, but I never follow through and master anything. I was the beast sax player in our middle school band, but I gave up the sax! Then, I tried learning the piano, but that got too tedious! So, I am really counting on sticking with the guitar, but don't want to stay in beginner mode forever! I can play "When the Saints Go Marching In" okay!

I know each person has different skill levels, but normally, how fast does it take for someone to learn to play the guitar and to play it well (not professionally, but well?)

Well, I'm no expert player but I've heard it said that guitar is an easier instrument to begin learning but more difficult to master just because there are so many ways to play almost everything. That being said, I can't tell you how long it would take to learn to play it well. It would certainly depend on your skill and how much you put into it.

That being said, instead of practicing for an hour once every other day, I would recommend playing for a shorter period of time every day. You could end up playing the same amount of time but I think your mental retention and muscle memory would be slightly better if you played more often.

Also, make sure your instrument is as comfortable as possible. You get better tone if your action is set higher but it's more difficult to play, so you need to balance that. A narrow neck may make it easier to play some chords, but I'm more comfortable with a wider neck. Of course, not everyone has the money to just go out and find a guitar that they are totally comfortable with, so you may just have to work with what you have.

The most important thing, in my opinion, is to keep it interesting. Don't just play rote scales and chords every time you play. I think it's important to have some rote, repetitive playing like that because that's how you build muscle memory but you'll get bored with it if that's all you do. Try to learning something different, whether it's a new chord, lick, riff, etc.

Another thing someone taught me is to keep your fingers as close to the fretboard as possible when they aren't fretting a string. Economy of movement is important. For that matter, don't neglect the pinky, either. The less you use it at the beginning, the harder it will be to incorporate it into your playing later on. I have this problem because my pinky finger kinda points in towards the palm of my hand so it makes it difficult to play some chords or licks.

[Rick]

Hey guys! I'm teaching myself to play the guitar. Well, here's my story. I decided about 4 years ago to learn to play the guitar, and I took lessons for awhile. I am left handed, but I learned to play right handed. I did practice religiously for a little while, but some trouble with strumming. I don't know why, but it seemed awkard strumming with my non-dominate hand! Anyways, I kind of gave up on guitar playing, up until recently. I decided, since I'm a lefty, that I would buy a left handed guitar and learn to play again. I am basically having to learn all over again, as everything seems backwards! However, it does seem like it's alot easier for me strumming the guitar than what it was, so I guess that's a good sign.

Anyways, my question is, if I practice, let's say three times a week, about an hour each time...how long do you think it would take - on average - to become decent at playing? I've always been able to sight read music (to a certain extent at least) so I don't believe I'd have a hard time with the music reading part, but just getting the mechanics down. I really want to try to stick with the guitar this time! I've always been able to pick up playing musical instruments quickly, but I never follow through and master anything. I was the beast sax player in our middle school band, but I gave up the sax! Then, I tried learning the piano, but that got too tedious! So, I am really counting on sticking with the guitar, but don't want to stay in beginner mode forever! I can play "When the Saints Go Marching In" okay!

I know each person has different skill levels, but normally, how fast does it take for someone to learn to play the guitar and to play it well (not professionally, but well?)

I've had a guitar in my closet for a long time, and I guess I don't have the patience to ever just get into it enough to do what you're trying to do. I did however find a site that was more help to me than anything else I've tried.
http://www.actiontab.com/
This may be beneath your skill level, but it was just right for me. Even if you already have the ability that this site can teach, it is still fun to do the songs on the site.

HTH

[Greg]

Well, I'm no expert player but I've heard it said that guitar is an easier instrument to begin learning but more difficult to master just because there are so many ways to play almost everything. That being said, I can't tell you how long it would take to learn to play it well. It would certainly depend on your skill and how much you put into it.

That being said, instead of practicing for an hour once every other day, I would recommend playing for a shorter period of time every day. You could end up playing the same amount of time but I think your mental retention and muscle memory would be slightly better if you played more often.

Also, make sure your instrument is as comfortable as possible. You get better tone if your action is set higher but it's more difficult to play, so you need to balance that. A narrow neck may make it easier to play some chords, but I'm more comfortable with a wider neck. Of course, not everyone has the money to just go out and find a guitar that they are totally comfortable with, so you may just have to work with what you have.

The most important thing, in my opinion, is to keep it interesting. Don't just play rote scales and chords every time you play. I think it's important to have some rote, repetitive playing like that because that's how you build muscle memory but you'll get bored with it if that's all you do. Try to learning something different, whether it's a new chord, lick, riff, etc.

Another thing someone taught me is to keep your fingers as close to the fretboard as possible when they aren't fretting a string. Economy of movement is important. For that matter, don't neglect the pinky, either. The less you use it at the beginning, the harder it will be to incorporate it into your playing later on. I have this problem because my pinky finger kinda points in towards the palm of my hand so it makes it difficult to play some chords or licks.

Those sound like really good points! I do like the idea of practicing shorter lengths, but practicing everyday. That does make sense as far as my fingers "remembering" muscle movements and "remembering" how much pressure to fret strings and so forth. I don't know anything about having a shorter or longer neck on a guitar...I just have the "standard size" neck on mine I guess.

So, should I pick a song, something that I want to be able to play, maybe nothing like Van Halen, but a goal that I should work toward? Maybe when I learn more notes, I play another part of the song until I know how to play the whole song? Would that be a good idea? I must say, "This Old Man" is good for initally learning where all the notes can be played at on a guitar, but do you think it would be wise to pick one complexed song to learn bit by bit?

[conversationpc]

So, should I pick a song, something that I want to be able to play, maybe nothing like Van Halen, but a goal that I should work toward? Maybe when I learn more notes, I play another part of the song until I know how to play the whole song? Would that be a good idea? I must say, "This Old Man" is good for initally learning where all the notes can be played at on a guitar, but do you think it would be wise to pick one complexed song to learn bit by bit?

Well, there are some rather easy ones that you could probably learn pretty quickly. "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple or "Rock You Like a Hurricane", for instance, are rather easy but also fun.

As far as learning a song bit by bit, that is a good idea, but don't make it too complex at first but it is a good idea to break it down into sections, mastering each section before progressing to the next. Of course, if the section you're working on is rather fast, you may also need to play it really slow at first and gradually work up the speed. If you try to play too fast too soon, you'll end up getting sloppy.

One technique you might want to start practicing right away if you haven't already is your vibrato. It's easy to do really but difficult to do right, if that makes sense. The hard part is to make your vibrato even. Some players have a really slow wide vibrato. Others have a narrow, fast vibrato.

[Greg]

So, should I pick a song, something that I want to be able to play, maybe nothing like Van Halen, but a goal that I should work toward? Maybe when I learn more notes, I play another part of the song until I know how to play the whole song? Would that be a good idea? I must say, "This Old Man" is good for initally learning where all the notes can be played at on a guitar, but do you think it would be wise to pick one complexed song to learn bit by bit?

Well, there are some rather easy ones that you could probably learn pretty quickly. "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple or "Rock You Like a Hurricane", for instance, are rather easy but also fun.

As far as learning a song bit by bit, that is a good idea, but don't make it too complex at first but it is a good idea to break it down into sections, mastering each section before progressing to the next. Of course, if the section you're working on is rather fast, you may also need to play it really slow at first and gradually work up the speed. If you try to play too fast too soon, you'll end up getting sloppy.

One technique you might want to start practicing right away if you haven't already is your vibrato. It's easy to do really but difficult to do right, if that makes sense. The hard part is to make your vibrato even. Some players have a really slow wide vibrato. Others have a narrow, fast vibrato.

Well, one thing I did learn when playing before (when I was playing right handed) is that some rock songs..at least their rhythm guitar riffs were pretty easy to learn. I did learn how to play Rock You Like A Hurricane. As matter of fact, I believe that was one of the first rock songs I learned how to play. Another one was "Dream Warriors" by Dokken. I feel this time around, I need to learn more acoustic type of songs first. Actually, once I did master enough of my technique to be considered more than a novice, I would like to learn classical guitar.

[conversationpc]

Well, one thing I did learn when playing before (when I was playing right handed) is that some rock songs..at least their rhythm guitar riffs were pretty easy to learn. I did learn how to play Rock You Like A Hurricane. As matter of fact, I believe that was one of the first rock songs I learned how to play. Another one was "Dream Warriors" by Dokken. I feel this time around, I need to learn more acoustic type of songs first. Actually, once I did master enough of my technique to be considered more than a novice, I would like to learn classical guitar.

Don't underestimate the importance of your rhythm playing. Rhythm playing may not always be as flashy as a good solo but it's more important, in my opinion.

[gtrplr1960]

The question is how good do you want to be? Answer that and you will understand the dedication required. Neal Schon did not practice in small increments. I used to practice six to eight hours a day. If you practice 20-30 minutes a day you will be able to play three blind mice, the theme to Hawaii 5 0, etc. Make the commitment and you wil play the lead to Edge of the Blade, Be Good to Yourself, etc. It's up to you.

[T-Bone]

I would have stuck to playing right handed, because finding guitars is ALOT easier for righty's