How to learn guitar
Here is my collection of advice on how to learn to play guitar. it is not ai made. it is my learning process. i started learning in nov 22 at age 70+. i am fast-tracking it. if i can do it, so can you. this post is deleted and re-posted for maximum visibility every few weeks, so copy/paste it somewhere. make some music
1 PRACTICE & PLAY at least an hour every day, in 2 or more sessions. Take breaks. First, practice chords, scales, fingerstyle, and online lessons. Then play your songs every night. Play, sing and sound likeYOU,not them! Wash your hands. Squeeze tennis balls to strengthen hands. Trim fingernails. Play some with others. Practice hard parts of your songs. Take lots of breaks.
2 It takes time. You can't climb a mountain in one step. You can't climb to the penthouse of a tall building with one step on the stairs. There is no elevator. There are no shortcuts. It takes years. Keep it fun! Talent = practice x time
3 Slow down in your practice! You are not a train speeding down the tracks. You are laying the tracks. You are building the neural pathways your brain uses to do the job. Make sure your brain has the right path to the note, chord, and song! Practicing too fast creates the wrong neural pathway. Play/practice a minute or two, then stop and let your brain save it. You learn faster. It is far better to practice it right slowly than practice it wrong fast. Speed will come.
4 Learn the notes of the 6 strings E A D G B E "Elvis And Dolly Got Blue Eyes"
5 Learn the notes and intervals - here they are: A BC D EF G < notice there is no note between B and C, and E and F. see that on a piano keyboard also. Remember it this way: "Big Cats Eat FIsh"
6 Open string note scale: String 6 Frets# 0 1 3 = EFG / String 5 Frets # 0 2 3 = ABC / String 4 Frets # 0 2 3 = DEF / String 3 Frets # 0 2 = GA / String 2 Frets # 0 1 3 = BCD / String 1 Frets # 0 1 3 = EFG
7 There are only 12 notes in music: every note (A-G) has a sharp and a flat between them, except B and C and E and F. Big Cats Eat Fish.
8 Chords are made up of 3 or more notes. Learn chords in these orders:
a E A D hundreds of songs use only these 3
b G C D hundreds more songs use only these 3 chords
c the rest – only 21 chords in all to start: A-G minor, major, and 7ths
.Starting strum: \/ \/ \/ /\ \/ /\ or \/ \/ /\ /\ \/ /\ Learn other new chords from songs. Start learning barre chords early. Start with the easy/cheat versions of F & B.
9 Practice making chords by making the chord, strum it, and lift your fingers just off the strings, and lay them back down and repeat. Over and over.
10 Practice changing chords by going thru A-G major, minor, and 7^(th) while strumming and keeping rhythm going. Keep rhythm going by strumming an all open chord between each chord while you change to the next chord. Aim to grow both muscles and “brains” in your hands & fingers.
11 Pentatonic scale is a 5-note scale that lets you play single notes in the same key. The notes are 3 frets apart on strings 6 2 1 and 2 frets apart on strings 543. Learn notes on all 6 strings. String 6 = EF G A BC D E
12 Best free lesson sites: Justin Guitar, Lauren Bateman, Andy Guitar, Guitar Lessons .com, Marty Music , Fret Science, National Guitar Academy / Best paid: Guitar Tricks, Truefire, Pickup MusicLearn Practice Play On Youtube only: Redlight Blue, Kevin Nickens, Musician Fitness, Play in the Zone, Justin Johnson, Jo Bywater, Rick Beato. Also search YouTube for “learn guitar”, “play guitar”, and “guitar lessons” and let your computer refer videos to you. Watch!
13 Find songs you like on either ultimate-guitar.com or songbookpro.com and print them out or not. Lyrics are on Azlyrics.com. Then simplify the chords, Practice standing up some. And sing! Strum once per chord first time thru a song, then strum with pattern and sing. Slow it way down to get it right.
14 Good starter guitars: Taylor 114ce or GS mini, Emerald Black Opus (X7 X20), Martin Dreadnought Junior, Yamaha FS830 or CSF1M, Alvarez AF30, AP66 or ALJ2 / No pickup needed. Feel, comfort & playability are most important.
15 Do deliberate practice. See Youtube videos on it. Deliberate practice is (1) practice what is hard (2) get outside your comfort zone and (3) push the envelope. Practice songs, scales, and chords that are just outside your current ability. Move the “meter” from impossible to difficult to easy. Deliberate practice x time = success! All great musicians, athletes, chessmasters, and others got great by deliberate practice. Deliberate practice is purposeful practice that knows where it is going and how to get there. Good books are “Country and Blues Guitar for the Musically Hopeless” by Carol McComb, “Zen Guitar” by Philip Toshio Sudo, and “Peak” by Anders Erikssen. Read Wikipedia articles about famous guitarists. Yes you can. Mix practice and play. Keep it fun. GO!
