I'm trying to teach myself to play guitar?

Question

I've been bored this summer and my brother has a guitar (but doesn't know how to play it) and I'm trying to teach myself to play. I printed out the preview to a Switchfoot song which can be found here: http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product_slideshow?sku=907674&actual_sku=907674&slide=2

I play the piano now, so I already know how to read music. I just have about three questions.

1. On the 1st line tabs, what do I do at those little swoopy things?

2. What are those little square things at the top? Are they finger positions?

3. Also on the tabs, what are the numbers on the lines?

If someone would answer these I would be eternally greatful. If you need more info, I'll be happy to put more up. Thanks SOOO much!

Answer 1

well youre wayy off but dont worry its really simple

the lines are the strings, the bottom line is the lowest sounding string, the 1st line is the highest sounding string, the numbers are the frets

i dont know what you mean by swoopy things but the tab in the link looks really complicated

learning to play guitar by yourself can take a really long time

i suggest you get a teacher you will learn fast if you can already read music

oh and the box things are the finger positions for the chords. like a tab but sideways the lowest sounding string is on the left

start of with some simpler tabs and soon youll be playing like the one in your link

Answer 2

if ur bad then dont do it, theres better things to do :[:] like cheerleading and dancing, who needs strings on a guitar!

Answer 3

This is such a funny question, it reminds me of the terrorist who went to a flight school in Florida and said he wanted to take flight lessons for a Boeing 747, but he only needed to learn how to fly it, not how to land it.  That is true, I did not make it up!

In order to learn how to play a guitar without an instructor, you need to find a book or booklet that shows how all of the notes are made by finger positioning, and what the notes look like on the printed page (called the "chart").  That is the ONLY way you will ever properly learn how to play the guitar without an instructor or a video.

If you go by the sound, you can learn the wrong notes, because several strings being held in different positions can create the same note!  You need to learn the proper finger position on the proper string to get the proper note, not an alternative same note that accomplished guitar players can resort to because they fully understand their instrument.

Answer 4

First and foremost, I would post another music sheet. You have to realize that this sheet music indicates that you have to tune your guitar to drop D.

This is a bad way to start learning guitar with an improper tuning. Learn with the correct tuning or you will have issues.

Answer 5

The swoopy things are possibly bending strings? I'm not sure, I've never seen that in TAB before.

The squares at the top are chord positions, for the chords you see above the regular written (not TAB) music

And the numbers on the lines are the fret to play: For example, a '7' on the first (top) line would mean you play the 7th fret on the 'e' string (Not 'E', the lowest string, but 'e', the highest string

Sorry I couldn't really help with the first one

Answer 6

okay well i am teaching myselfe to play guitar but my friend is helping me and she knows how to play. Try learning the main cords on the guitar im going to tell you this the cords in that song are hard B cords and F cords are hard  cords to play at the top it shows like the cords on the strings and the X's meen you dont play thoughs strings and next to the cords it tells you what fret to play in but if i where you i would try to pick an easyer song  or learn and eayser verson of the song try going to http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/