What are the best things to learn when you first start playing guitar?

Question

I got a guitar recently and have been learning how to play

The only thing I can play on guitar is the main riff from Sweet Child O' Mine

what are some things that I should learn that I would be able to pick up quickly and help me out a lot

actually I don't care I don't pick up quickly I just want to know some useful stuff to learn

Answer 1

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 guitaris)t 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 2

depending on what u wanna learn to play, i would suggest staying away from complex cords. For now at least. Learn your power chords and most main cords. but dont kill urself on learning them. Focus more on lead techniques, such as Tremelo Picking (used in solos and fast riffs) alternate picking (used in riffs) and arpagios (<spelling?)  if ur just starting, dont try sweep picking just yet. Everything in due time. but i would start with that. Learn songs by Metallica (at least the riffs and choruses) and Trivium (everything exept the solos) Practice those things and in time u'll be pretty good man. just takes time and patience

Answer 3

1.  Learn the names of the strings--E A D G B E

2.  Learn the Chromatic scale--C, C# D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B, C

3.  Learn the basic chords and their transitions, in example:

C, C7, F, G, G7, C

4.  Learn basic music theory for the guitar.

Answer 4

Scales in the first position, and use the correct fingers.....make sure that your fingers are perpendicular to the fingerboard.....and that your thumb is in the middle of the back of the neck. Then take three chords that you don't know and practice them until you can change them smoothly and without trouble, then do another three. My advise to all new students is to have a guitar teacher, this will get you started correctly without bad habits, but if this is impossible get a beginners book, one that has a Cd in the back of it this way you can hear if your doing things correctly. Go to this site and check out the books that they have, http://www.halleonard.com/..... there's new books out everyday, but make sure about the Cd. Or you can call Sam Ash, they have a lot more books in store then the Guitar Center does, see what they recommend for beginners for your style of playing. Did you realize that there are lots of links that teach guitar on line ??? There are tutors, Cd's, videos, and DVDs. Good luck to you !!!!!!!!! Anything that you want to learn can be found on line......try this site, you name the chord and they show you how to make it, plus they have a free electronic tuner on their homepage, and lots of other information for beginners !!!!!!!!!!

http://www.8notes.com/           (click on the guitar)

Answer 5

try buying a guitar book like a beginners one and try playing iron man

Answer 6

Greenday - Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)

Deep Purple - Smoke on the Water

Eric Clapton - Layla

Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven