How do I teach myself to play guitar without taking lessons?

Question

I'm really good with music. I've been singing since I could talk and played piano for 6 and a half years. I can read music and remember things easily. Now, I want to teach myself to play guitar. I want to play acoustic guitar without taking lessons. I know there are books but I dont no where to get it or which one to get.

Also, is it hard to play? My sis has 2 electric guitars and I have a warped acoustic. I'd like to know if it takes a long time to learn. Thanks for the help.

-Courtney

Answer 1

you should try to learn off of tabs. I'm trying to learn off of tabs, with difficulty, but my friends who are talented in other areas of music had much success with tabs.

here's a site with tabs: http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/

Answer 2

No, playing guitar is rather easy.  I played piano for 25 years and in the midst of that, picked up the guitar in less than 6 months.  Of course I'm no Slash or Eddie Van Halen, but that's not the point.  I'm a pretty solid rhythm player I would say.  Here's some things you may want to keep in mind.  

I would practice on an electric guitar first only because the strings are less resistent and easier on your fingers.  Once you get really used to that, switch to acoustic when you feel comfortable.  You're going to need to build calluses eventually to play the acoustic fluently.  

Also, just dive in and play if you don't want to take lessons.  That's what I did, and I'm happier for not having anyone show me anything.  You'll start to figure out how all the chord patterns work on your own, and then coordination on changing chords, which will be frustrating at first, but just take it slowly and you'll do ok.  

Best of luck to you,

- Stallion

Answer 3

Motivation is the most important thing if you want to teach yourself to play guitar.

Then it is finding out what you need to learn.

Go to your local guitar store. By a chord book

Scale Book. And a chord progression book.

Answer 4

No, it isn't hard to learn guitar, but a warped acoustic will drive you nuts because it won't stay in tune. You're much better off to start with a guitar that has a decent tone and a straight fingerboard and neck.

As to where to get the instruction books - your local library probably has some that you can use for free, or you can go to any music store and buy one. Any store that handles sheet music has instruction books for guitars, ukeleles, banjos etc.

Have fun, Courtney. Learning the guitar will give you a lifetime of pleasure.  

Answer 5

This won't get any votes, but get it out of your head that you will teach yourself.  You must have instruction even if it is free or from a book. Someone is going to help and teach you. The person who wrote the book etc.

Compare it to learning to read without instruction.

I would prefer you find a live person paid or free to keep you from developing bad habits that will be difficult to correct later.

Answer 6

It's not hard, especially if you have that much musical experience. You just need to practice a lot. Maybe these sites can help you:

www.justinguitar.com (for theory)

or

www.ultimate-guitar.com (for songs)

Try you tube too. Good luck.

Answer 7

Welcome. You're the first one whom I'm gonna tell yes you can teach yourself and don't need a teacher. Why? Because you can read music and probably know the basic theory. Most of the 'I wanna play guitar in three weeks' types don't know what you do, so you've got a great advantage.

Whether it's hard?? It depends. If you just wanna mess around with a few chords and fingerstyle progressions, no, it's not hard at all. If you want some serious playing (acoutic or electric), then yes it is hard and it takes years to become good at. You'll have to understand one thing, which you maybe already understand: you're never gonna 'learn it' as such. You can become better and better but as you probably know from your piano lessons, music is not something that can be 'completed'.

I can give you one site which deals with theory and I found it comprehensible and great:

http://www.smu.edu/totw/toc.htm

Just in case you need some additional theory.

As for tabs...they're useless. You already can read notes so there's no reason to waste your time with something that completely forgets to give you any information on the rhythm.

Make sure you download the Guitar Pro 5 software:

http://www.forumwz.org/guest-section/863...

Check ultimate-guitar.com for lessons and GP tabs (they include the regular staff as well). Unfortunately, some copyright-illegal retards have banned mysongbook.com, and gratz guys you've reduced the chances of young musicians to learn and gave more room to Disney retards like Jonas Brothers....really...excellent job, I'm amazed!!!

The technique used for acoustic is not as varied as that for electric, so I think I'll leave it at that. Just learn to hold a pick correctly:

http://guitar.about.com/library/weekly/a...

Not really the best way, but probably better for your chord strumming since you'll need to hold it with greater strength.

And one more thing: acoustic teachers seem to be obsessed with saying everyone that they have to keep their left thumb behind the neck opposite to the rest of the fingers all the time. I don't know why they're so exited about this discovery, but they often forget to say that it doesn't apply to electric guitar all the time at all (in fact, in blues soloing, almost never). So keep in mind, as long as you play acoustic, listen to what they say, as soon as you switch to electric, they already teach a different instrument! I'm saying that because some don't realise it and think it applies to both. Poor victim Emppu Vuorinen...

Good luck. Any questions, feel free to ask: [e-mail]