Best way to learn guitar (without lessons)

[Dean]

Just wondering if any muso's (Cameron, Nick, Jowe etc) on the forum had any suggestions for me to learn guitar without having lessons or anything.. Like online sites that help you teach yourself or something?

Links, audio, video etc anything like that is appreciated..
I also got my mates copy of the latest Guitar Pro, so if that can help me, i have that lol!

[Ty-Land]

Buy a chord book, then just look up some favourite songs and just start playing. You can pick up technique by watching other musicians. Just got to keep playing, it takes time and thats all. Ive been playing for 2 years and have had no lessons. Spend most my time writing my own songs these days rather than playing covers.

[Dean]

Sounds good! I forgot to mention (mainly because i forgot) but i have a Learn Guitar book or something that came with dvd and stuff.. I think that teaches you the chords and stuff (or hope it does)

Keep in mind ive never played an instrument..

[Gedas]

http://www.nbaliveforums.com/ftopic41424.php&highlight=guitar

You're welcome.

[Nick]

Oh go fuck yourself Gedas, it's not like this question has been asked before.

Anyways, learning songs is the best way. I stopped having lessons years ago, but now i just learn all the songs i like and continue to improve.

[Gedas]

Oh go fuck yourself Gedas, it's not like this question has been asked before.

Anyways, learning songs is the best way. I stopped having lessons years ago, but now i just learn all the songs i like and continue to improve.

Thank you for offending me for no particular reason I just gave him a link where he could get info.

[BigKaboom2]

There's really no info in that thread. Most of it is you flaming people and mods threatening to ban you. I don't know why you'd want to remind anyone of that. What stopped you from throwing in another gem like "BTW, you OBVIOUSLY no nothing about music or atleast playing"?

[Gedas]

There's really no info in that thread. Most of it is you flaming people and mods threatening to ban you. I don't know why you'd want to remind anyone of that. What stopped you from throwing in another gem like "BTW, you OBVIOUSLY no nothing about music or atleast playing"?

Perhaps my mood. If you would look into the thread, you would see, that besides things you mentioned there is some information about actually learning to play. And since he got only one useful reply in this thread, I thought it might help anyway.

[ixcuincle]

Guitar Hero 1/2 for PS2

[Sparks]

I've been playing for 4 years now. I think it would be hard to get really good without a teacher, but I guess it can be done, lol.

I suggest one of the first things to do is learn the notes along the E and A strings (the 1st and 2nd strings closest to you when you play). Then you can play power chords or bar chords on any note you want, wherever you want, when you learn them.

Learn some beginner songs you like from tabs from the 'net (www.911tabs.com is a pretty good one) or transcription books from a music store. This will improve your overall playing, and when you get to learn intervals, different chord voicings, scales, modes and such, you will know how people made the song.

I'm no expert but hey, I know some stuff.

[Ty-Land]

I've been playing for 4 years now. I think it would be hard to get really good without a teacher, but I guess it can be done, lol.

I don't think John Lennon, Noel Gallagher and Kurt Cobain would agree with you

I mean lessons obviously have there advantage, but it depends what kind of guitarist/musician you wish to be. If you want to play rock n roll, then I don't think it's a necessity. But if you want to play classical or be a guitar great then I would agree it is required.

Basically, look at the style of music you wish to play and the musicians themselves. how did they get to where they are. I want to be a songwriter like Lennon, Gallagher, Ryan Adams etc. so I don't want/need guitar lessons. Just hours of practice, a bit of passion and some luck.

[Jowe]

Ah definetely Guitar Pro has made me grow in my playing exponentially when I got it.

I've never had any lessons , totally self taught. I guess you gotta learn the basics first, as stupid as it sounds how to pick/strum the strings properly.

Then learn the basic and most common chords , Am, G, C, Em , D. Since those are used so often in songs.

After you've got the basics, just try to learn songs. Start with simple songs like "Iron Man" - Black Sabbath which uses the good ol power chords.. that and it sounds totally awesome.

then work your way up with more technical and depending on the music you like speed based ie. shredding..

After all that perhaps you can give "Eruption" - Van Halen a go.


I've got a chord book, I've used it no more then 10 times.

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com Thats the site I use to get tabs for songs.

There are quite alot of guitar lesson videos on good ol youtube as well, so that might be worth a look.

I'm assuming you've got an acoustic? Thats only good for building up the callous' in your finger tips and toughen them up. Bleeding is perfectly normal at the start.
After a few weeks on acoustic you'll find that its for pussies.
Give up that shit, and get an electric. hahaha

Some songs I'd suggest you try learning when starting out.
Smells like teen spirit
Cocaine - Eric Clapton
Disarm - Smashing pumpkins
Knocking on heaven's door - GNR
Enter Sandman - Metallica

[Dean]

Thanks guys! Ill check out all your info when i get home from work tomorrow!
Thanks for the link to the other thread Gedas, but you really know how to send a guitar thread offtopic haha..

Cheers!

[debiler]

Guitar Hero 1/2 for PS2

LOL! Seriously, don't get it! It'll fuck with your mechanics and you'll never be able to play a real guitar.

One decision you'll have to make is whether you want to play by notes or by tabs. I learned to read tabs about 12 years ago and I just can't figure out those notes... But I really don't need them anymore.

[shadowgrin]

The Fonz!
Ey!

[Dean]

Ok, so ive been playin a little bit this week, just learning some techniques..
Ultimate Guitar has been very helpful, picked up a nice "How To Read Tabs" tutorial from that, and after reading that can now do slides, and hammer ons..
I've also picked up a few songs off there which ill have a go at later, and the forums on there are pretty helpful as well - theres a whole 30 something page thread on beginner tabs .

On Sunday i picked up a Total Guitar magazine (i was lured by the Alternative and Indie essentials on the cover ), and thats got like 6 learn to play things for a few songs.. It tells you tips for playing them too, and came with a CD so you know what you're looking at.. Few of the songs i can remember off it are:
Pixies - Here Comes Your Man (which i wanna learn soon)
Wolfmother - Love Train (which wasnt on the Australian release of there CD, and has a fucking awesome Riff throughout the song, and i wanna learn )
Trivium - Anthem (We are the Fire) (Sounds pretty gun, out of my league at the moment though haha)
Theres also an Avenged Sevenfold song on there to, some BB King, Def Leppard and some other stuff on there, so its pretty varied.. Also in the Alt/Indie essentials i mentioned earlier its got about 6-7 popular indie/alt riffs which is nice too..
I also picked up and know how to use Tapped Harmonics from reading it, so i think ill pick it up reguarly now..

Anyways, after about 2 or so days of playing, i can play:
Smoke on the Water (easy i know, but good song to start with)
Opening Riff of a Linkin Park song (forget the name at the moment)
Opening 10 notes of Come as You Are by Nirvana (which im using to get used to changing strings between notes)

Ive got tabs for a few more songs which i picked up from the Beginner Tabs thread on Ultimate Guitar which ill have a look at after i've mastered Come as You Are.. Off the top of my head, they were Californication (Chili Peppers), Smells Like Team Spirit (Nirvana), If You Tolerate This [Your Children Will Be Next] (Manic Street Preachers) and some others..

Well thats my update, off to watch Dangerous and Nirvana it up in the adds
Peace!

[Sparks]

Yeah I was gonna say maybe get a TG mag. They have some good tips and tabs in there.
What A7x song do they have? Bat Country? I can play all of that Lol.

But yeah what you're doing sounds good
What type of music or what guitarists do you want to play like?

[Dean]

Im big on Alternative and Indie style music at the moment..
I cant think of any guitarists off the top of my head that i wanna play like, but i like Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys.. Ill have to look into guitarists more to find a playing style i guess.. I wouldnt mind playing a bit like Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day.. I even like his signature guitar (it was in my TG mag ) but yeah, i dunno at the moment..

Also, soon, when i get a bit better, im gonna have a crack at Killing In The Name by Rage Against The Machine

[debiler]

I wouldnt mind playing a bit like Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day..

You mean, you'd like to play from your shoulder without moving your wrist whatsoever?

[Cameron]

Ok, randomly browsing the forum for the first time in a hwile (family guy anyone?). And I see this thread and think "who bumped that thread where we all had a fight with that guy's name who starts with G?" and then I start reading, it was kind of surreal. Anyways, I don't have time for a good answer now but I have a question of my own: Dean (did you used to be named something else?) how did I get the reputation of being musical or whatever? Not that I'm complaining, just curious, I think it's cool

[Cable]

Maybe your custom title?

Good stuff Dean, it sounds like you're pretty much set. You should learn some of the songs from Cameron's sig when you get better.

[Dean]

Cameron, honestly i have no idea, the best answer i could give you is like Cable said - your custom title.. Other than that, maybe i just picked it up from posts you've made in the past haha..

And i used to be named [MVP].. and maybe something before that, i cant remember.. Good to see im being remembered

Also Sparks, the A7x song in the Total Guitar mag is Seize The Day.

[Sparks]

Ah yep good song that.
So you wanna play more power-chordy stuff?
You'll probably get bored after a few months, hehe.
Some great guitarists you should probably listen to;
Joe Satriani
Steve Vai
Herman Li from DragonForce
Eddie Van Halen
Slash
Yngwie Malmsteen

and the Pioneers like Jimmy Page, Angus Young, etc.

[Dean]

Angus Young, god yes! I try and mimic his infamous walk thingy when im drunk apparently haha..

Theres an interview with Herman Li in my TG mag, him and DragonForce's other guitarist one the reader award for Best Solo..

[Sparks]

Yeah in Metal Hammer they got solo of the Year for Through The Fire and Flames.
Un-naturally fast they are.