Advice for a beginner .....

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samwheat

Member
Messages
231
I just recently decided to hang up my ballroom, swing and latin dancing that I did and performed for 12 years. It just wasn't any fun anymore. I start guitar lessons Saturday. I used to fiddle around with it in the past and played mostly Frehey licks and some other 70's rock. So I'm starting from scratch. I have 12 amps, 3 on the bench and 2 more coming, and 7 guitars that I built and bought several years ago. 4 Heritage Les Pauls and 2 Gibson Customs and an Ovation.

How much practice per day should I allow as a minimum?

What would you do over if you started from scratch on guitar?
 
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Luke

Senior Member
Messages
11,895
Getting good takes thousands of hours. The more time you dedicate per day the sooner you will progress towards 1000, 2000 or 5000 hours into it.

I use to practice at least 3 hours a day for a decade. Certainly if I had been more focused during that time I would be better than I am, so on that note I suggest trying to have an objective for each practice session instead of just goofing around.

Learn the note names and the major scale ASAP, you will refer to those the rest of your life and are the basis of all music.
 
6

6tringer

Member
Messages
385
samwheat said:
What would you do over if you started from scratch on guitar?
Click to expand...

The longer I've been at it the more I've learned what I've done to derail myself off the path to "mastery" of the instrument. Musical style preferences aside, here are some of the things I wished I had concentrated on early in the game:

1) Learn ALL the notes on the fretboard.

2) Pay real close attention to the physical aspect of playing and practice it very slowly from the beginning. Right hand & left hand feel, tension, comfort level etc. There is no right way or wrong way just what works best for you. This goes a long way in developing technique
which will allow you to play what you feel/hear.

3) Learn how chords are built and where to play them all over the neck. Not just bar chords & triads.

4) Same for the scales.

5) What separates the icons from the masses is that they have an ability to tune into things that they excel at and work them until it becomes their sound & signature. Not everyone has the speed of a Dimeola, vison of a Hendrix, taste of a Ford etc. Work at finding your signature.

6) It's not about gear. It's about music. Find a rig that you love to use and then learn to really use it. Gear is just a tool.

7) Learn songs. All kinds and styles, start to finish including the hard parts!

Most of all it's called 'playing' music for a reason. Have fun with it and enjoy yourself.

Best of luck on your journey.
 
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plexistack

Member
Messages
1,054
Identify your weaknesses & attack them one by one. Take what you learned from dancing and apply that to guitar. It's the same exact thing, only instead of dancing on your feet, your fingers are dancing on the fretboard.

Think of how you learned a difficult dance move... learn a guitar riff the same way.

How often did you practice dancing? Can you do guitar with that same level of commitment? That's a starting point.

Lessons are overrated. Take 5 or 10 from one instructor then practice for a few weeks with no lessons, then find a different instructor and do the same thing, you learn something different from each teacher.

It's really all about how much time & how hard you work during that time. Just like in dancing, if you spend less time goofing off and more time attacking weaknesses, you'll get results.

Good luck, and keep us posted!
 
5E3

5E3

Member
Messages
5,053
Take some lessons with an experienced instructor.

Practice at least 20 minutes a day.
 
Holliman

Holliman

Triad Abuser
Messages
2,344
6tringer said:
5) What separates the icons from the masses is that they have an ability to tune into things that they excel at and work them until it becomes their sound & signature. Not everyone has the speed of a Dimeola, vison of a Hendrix, taste of a Ford etc. Work at finding your signature.

6) It's not about gear. It's about music. Find a rig that you love to use and then learn to really use it. Gear is just a tool.
Click to expand...

Great advice. :AOK
 
GuiltySpark

GuiltySpark

Member
Messages
6,867
Guess we can skip that initial discussion of making sure you get a good enough beginner guitar to last for a couple of years.... :AOK
 
gixxerrock

gixxerrock

Member
Messages
4,019
Congratulations. About a week from now, your fingertips are going to hurt like hell, but don't worry, it will pass in 3 weeks.

The bare minimum to make any decent progress would be 20min 3x per week. 30 minutes 6x per week would be much better. You should be a passable campfire guitar player in 6 months. If you are really serious, you can get to a decent level 2 hours a day 5-10 years, but it is really a lifelong pursuit.

I firmly believe the first lesson a decent teacher should show you D-G-C chords and a basic song that uses them. Every lesson he should add a few new chords and a new song. Good luck.

Shawn.
 
Holliman

Holliman

Triad Abuser
Messages
2,344
Are yoy by chance a Pink Floyd fan? Learn "Wish You Were Here"...it's the perfect song to master for a beginner. It may seem simple (as most PF songs tend to) but it will teach you how to play with "feel". IMO too many beginners skip this crucial component.
 
Shiny McShine

Shiny McShine

Member
Messages
9,493
samwheat said:
I just recently decided to hang up my ballroom, swing and latin dancing that I did and performed for 12 years. It just wasn't any fun anymore. I start guitar lessons Saturday. I used to fiddle around with it in the past and played mostly Frehey licks and some other 70's rock. So I'm starting from scratch. I have 12 amps, 3 on the bench and 2 more coming, and 7 guitars that I built and bought several years ago. 4 Heritage Les Pauls and 2 Gibson Customs and an Ovation.

How much practice per day should I allow as a minimum?

What would you do over if you started from scratch on guitar?
Click to expand...

Find a gifted teacher and do what he says.
 
edwarddavis

edwarddavis

Gold Supporting Member
Messages
7,931
Play when you fell like playing , Lets put it this way , I may not play everyday but a few times a week I play a few hours at a time. Not because I am forced or make my self play I just like playing , thats not counting practice with a band .
If you enjoy it its not practice.
 
tone4days

tone4days

Member
Messages
6,715
if i knew then what i know now after ~30 yrs of playing, i'd probably take up ballroom dancing instead of guitar

i mean, we start playin guitar with the hopes that it gets us some hot girls ... with ballroom dancing, you are pretty much guaratneed to have your hands on a woman from the get go ... and they are usually reall good lookin and wearing slinky outfits and high heels

but thats just me
:D

good luck - have fun

t4d
 
GovernorSilver

GovernorSilver

Member
Messages
15,738
Swing dancing was a lot of fun. A dance with a high-level partner is such a pleasure - almost as good as a satisfying musical moment when jamming with people.

I quit the dancing when I decided I wanted to actually get good at something. I'm just happiest making music.
 
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samwheat

Member
Messages
231
tone4days said:
if i knew then what i know now after ~30 yrs of playing, i'd probably take up ballroom dancing instead of guitar

i mean, we start playin guitar with the hopes that it gets us some hot girls ... with ballroom dancing, you are pretty much guaratneed to have your hands on a woman from the get go ... and they are usually reall good lookin and wearing slinky outfits and high heels

but thats just me
:D

good luck - have fun

t4d
Click to expand...

The women around here who dance are not hot women. My instructor Edith was a ballarena in NY and Chicago and she is in her 70's now. But could she ever teach and follow! She moved on from the studio and the instructor's wife Paula is a great dancer but she is busy these days with her business. Other than them, there is no-one on my level and its not fun for me if I can't take them on an adventure.
 
MartinPiana

MartinPiana

Silver Supporting Member
Messages
4,599
Lots of great tips. Including the one about not getting distracted by gear - I can help you out there for free, by holding on to some of your stuff while you get your chops together. Just drop me a line. Boutique amps can particularly be a distraction....
 
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