Help with Guitar, Please?

Question

OK, I have an electric guitar that I got a few years ago. I wanted to teach myself, but got intimidated and only touched maybe once since then. I resolved to learn how to play (again), picked it up, and freaked out because I am an absolute imbecile when it comes to guitars. One thing I DO know is that it needs to be tuned (I have a very good musical ear and realized right away that it was not in good shape). I don't have time/can't pay for lessons right now, but maybe if there are some cheap ones around I could get one in every now and then. I really want to do this. I love making music, and when I pick up a guitar I just don't want to put it down - even though I can't do anything. FYI, I have a beginning Behringer guitar w/an amp. In the instructions, it says my amp has a tuning device but doesn't tell me how to use it. So, my questions: how can I tune the guitar? Are there any programs for learning guitar that you can recommend? How much do guitar lessons usually cost? I

Answer 1

I would recommend learning off the internet, through websites like cyberfret.com and ultimate-guitar.com.

start by learning basic chords, and then learn major and pentatonic scales. the most important part is PATIENCE. when i first started, i sucked. really bad. i was terrible for about 2 months after starting, and after about a year i began recieving compliments from my friends.

after you learn the basic chords, start to learn power chords. tehy sound really cool on electric guitar.

chords:

http://www.cyberfret.com/chords/beginnin...

scales:

http://www.cyberfret.com/scales/basic/in...

tuning:

http://www.cyberfret.com/first-fret/basi...

i have never taken formal lessons, so i dont know how much they cost. best of luck.

Answer 2

Ok first of all don''t stress it the guitar can come off as a very scary instrument to learn but all it takes is practice and determatation. NOw i'm going to suggest books by CVLS they have a pretty good guitar system.(there books are cheap only 15 bucks a book and they come with an audio cd so that you can hear if what you're playing is right there lessons are very complete and well definintely make you a solid guitars) I don't make a money by telling you about them they just have really good products they really worked for me. NOw if you need more stuff(while you wait for your books or if can't you afford to get them at the time) check out www.freeguitarvideos.com they have plenty of lessons on guitar from the basics to every genre of music and its all free the videos and the tabs.(these are also the good people from CVLS  so you know you're getting good stuff).Learn your basics get solid on the basics. ALso check out www.chordbook.com they have loads of scales and chords for you to learn. I recommened you learn your A,D,E chords first and then your G,D,C chords all in the open postion(don't worry if you can't form the chords right away they take time to master just cut your nails and use your fingertips) also learn there scales  i suggest you learn the minor and major pentatonic scale (preferably in the key of A) these scales will help your improvision also learn the tonic of these scales its should be the first note you play on the scale and since you know music you know your musical alphabet A,A#,B,C,#,D,Eb,E,F,F#,G,G# just move the tonic into one of these notes and your in that key. THen when your solid on the basics go to www.ultimate-guitar.com and get the tabs for your favorite songs(just stick to the easy ones shot for too much too soon and you might get discourged). Now don't worry and don't be discourged just keep practicing check out the books i told you about and look up all the resources i gave and ROCK ON.

Hope that helps if you need anymore advice feel free to contact me.

Answer 3

buy a quartz tuner so that you can get it tuned properly

you also may take a class in adult school to learn guitar

Answer 4

Cyberfret.com is the best online guitar lessons site.

Guitar lessons are not cheap: my previous teacher had a price of $85 a month, while the teacher I have now has a price of $95 (but my mom pays him $100).