Learning to Play Guitar
- 3
- Add a Comment
- No Related Post
I tried to learn how to play the guitar back when I was a kid. It was a miserable experience. My hands were far too small, I had no patience, and there was no Internet to help me find my way. Flash forward a few decades and I’m learning how to play the guitar, once again. Thank the stars my hands are large enough, that I’ve found the patience, and that I have a broadband connection.
So what got me started back on the guitar kick?
Blame it all on my son. He got a beginner’s Fender Stratocaster a couple years back for his birthday. It took a while to finally set him up with a guitar instructor, but he’s been improving ever since. After he belted out “Smoke on the Water” for the 1500th time, I finally picked up the guitar and set out to learn a few riffs of my own.
Now I still can’t read a conventional sheet of music to save my life, but I have no problem reading an enthusiast’s interpretive guitar tab. The music industry might not like guitar tabs, but they have been a boon for me. I need to see the chords in character form and the diagrams are a huge help.
Learning how to play the guitar is more than therapeutic. I’m trying to build my repertoire up so that when I’m cast out on the street, I’ll have learned enough songs on ye old axe to keep my tip cup filled up …
[tags]Learn to Play Guitar[/tags]
3 Comments
Lisa Miller
March 1st, 2007
at 12:31pm
I identify with your situation. I wanted and tried to learn to play the piano-twice. The teachers I had insisted that I had to learn to read music. I love music but it doesn’t quite make the trip from my head to my hands.
Now that I’m old ;-) and set in my ways I find I have the opportunity to learn keyboards and guitar. My husband plays both and he can teach music theory as well. The only problem now is packing a couple more hours into every day.
“Well, it just goes to show you, it’s always something.”
Lisa Miller
James
March 27th, 2007
at 9:29am
Hello,
I can sympathize with your situation. So which internet sites for the Tabs do you recommend? I have played drums and percussion for 30+ years. Over the years I have acquired a few guitars and basses. I really want to dedicate some time this year to learning to play them. Do you recommend to start with the bass or guitar.
Thanks,
James
jifester
October 16th, 2007
at 4:57am
Stick with it, i swear by sheet music. That may be because i have been playing classical for 11 or so years. I think tabs are great for beginners, as you said they lay it out in a much more easy to read manner. By the way, i just posted up how to tune your guitar with harmonics on my block, check it out it may come in handy!