Comments for Learning Guitar At Last http://www.learningguitaratlast.com It's never too late to learn (hopefully...)! Sat, 17 May 2008 03:05:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3 Comment on Annoying the neighbours by admin http://www.learningguitaratlast.com/2007/11/03/annoying-the-neighbours/#comment-23 admin Tue, 06 Nov 2007 18:03:15 +0000 http://www.learningguitaratlast.com/2007/11/03/annoying-the-neighbours/#comment-23 Gary - good idea, I already tried to write a song with garage band, but gave up as I couldn't change between chords quick enough yet and recording them one by one seemed silly. Jon - Yes, getting the guitar away from the computer is a good idea! I have a song book now and an working painfully on blowing in the wind :) Gary - good idea, I already tried to write a song with garage band, but gave up as I couldn’t change between chords quick enough yet and recording them one by one seemed silly.

Jon - Yes, getting the guitar away from the computer is a good idea! I have a song book now and an working painfully on blowing in the wind :)

]]> Comment on Annoying the neighbours by jon hundt http://www.learningguitaratlast.com/2007/11/03/annoying-the-neighbours/#comment-22 jon hundt Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:23:18 +0000 http://www.learningguitaratlast.com/2007/11/03/annoying-the-neighbours/#comment-22 about the electric guitar - if you can afford one, go for it! I prefer a Fender Telecaster, you can get decent imitations from Miziekhaus Thomann in Germany ( http://www.thomann.de/de/t-modelle.html ) for almost nothing. But - don't worry about the headphones and amps and computers. Just strum the unamplified electric. I have been doing that for 30+ years. You could always buy a hollow-body electric for a little more volume. about learning - YouTube has zillions of videos, there are innumerable learn-the-guitar websites. I think you could go crazy trying to sort through it all. I still recommend a simple song book or two from your favorite artists. I think it might help you focus on the guitar if you walk away from that computer every once in a while. You can lay the song book on the table and try some chords out while you have a cup of coffee... about the electric guitar - if you can afford one, go for it! I prefer a Fender Telecaster, you can get decent imitations from Miziekhaus Thomann in Germany ( http://www.thomann.de/de/t-modelle.html ) for almost nothing. But - don’t worry about the headphones and amps and computers. Just strum the unamplified electric. I have been doing that for 30+ years. You could always buy a hollow-body electric for a little more volume.

about learning - YouTube has zillions of videos, there are innumerable learn-the-guitar websites. I think you could go crazy trying to sort through it all. I still recommend a simple song book or two from your favorite artists. I think it might help you focus on the guitar if you walk away from that computer every once in a while. You can lay the song book on the table and try some chords out while you have a cup of coffee…

]]> Comment on Annoying the neighbours by Gary http://www.learningguitaratlast.com/2007/11/03/annoying-the-neighbours/#comment-21 Gary Mon, 05 Nov 2007 22:03:10 +0000 http://www.learningguitaratlast.com/2007/11/03/annoying-the-neighbours/#comment-21 Get the right cable (Griffin GarageBand Guitar Cable) and you can plug your guitar into your Mac Book and wear your iPod headphones. There are also a variety of synthesised amp/speaker combinations that you can select - cheaper than buying FX pedals Get the right cable (Griffin GarageBand Guitar Cable) and you can plug your guitar into your Mac Book and wear your iPod headphones. There are also a variety of synthesised amp/speaker combinations that you can select - cheaper than buying FX pedals

]]> Comment on Learning Guitar… first day’s practice… has to get better! by Gary http://www.learningguitaratlast.com/2007/10/25/learning-guitar%e2%80%a6-first-days-practice%e2%80%a6-has-to-get-better/#comment-20 Gary Mon, 05 Nov 2007 21:55:08 +0000 http://www.learningguitaratlast.com/2007/10/25/learning-guitar%e2%80%a6-first-days-practice%e2%80%a6-has-to-get-better/#comment-20 On the road for 20 years, man... we seen it all ... (Imagine this in a deep Johnnie Cash sort of voice) On the road for 20 years, man… we seen it all …
(Imagine this in a deep Johnnie Cash sort of voice)

]]> Comment on Learning Guitar… first day’s practice… has to get better! by Ben http://www.learningguitaratlast.com/2007/10/25/learning-guitar%e2%80%a6-first-days-practice%e2%80%a6-has-to-get-better/#comment-19 Ben Mon, 05 Nov 2007 06:56:59 +0000 http://www.learningguitaratlast.com/2007/10/25/learning-guitar%e2%80%a6-first-days-practice%e2%80%a6-has-to-get-better/#comment-19 Wow, Gary, I never knew you were such an expert! I think I've improved a bit since last week, another vid coming soon! Wow, Gary, I never knew you were such an expert! I think I’ve improved a bit since last week, another vid coming soon!

]]> Comment on Hey Teacher, my Guitar Desert Island Disks by Gary http://www.learningguitaratlast.com/2007/10/29/hey-teacher-my-guitar-desert-island-disks/#comment-18 Gary Mon, 05 Nov 2007 00:14:39 +0000 http://www.learningguitaratlast.com/2007/10/29/hey-teacher-my-guitar-desert-island-disks/#comment-18 I taught myself and when I finally went for lessons I was playing Angie and alices Restaurant, so got bored very quickly with he exercises, to be honest and with hindsight i wish Id stuck it out but I was 15 not 34. If you want to play a simple folk fingerstyle accompaniment and thats all then fine - but remember its accompanyment - ie someone should be singing. Enter Marina.... I taught myself and when I finally went for lessons I was playing Angie and alices Restaurant, so got bored very quickly with he exercises, to be honest and with hindsight i wish Id stuck it out but I was 15 not 34. If you want to play a simple folk fingerstyle accompaniment and thats all then fine - but remember its accompanyment - ie someone should be singing.

Enter Marina….

]]> Comment on Learning Guitar… first day’s practice… has to get better! by Gary http://www.learningguitaratlast.com/2007/10/25/learning-guitar%e2%80%a6-first-days-practice%e2%80%a6-has-to-get-better/#comment-17 Gary Mon, 05 Nov 2007 00:09:43 +0000 http://www.learningguitaratlast.com/2007/10/25/learning-guitar%e2%80%a6-first-days-practice%e2%80%a6-has-to-get-better/#comment-17 Get your elbow off your knee and get the ball of your thumb round on to the centre of the kneck - you can hook it over the top when you can platy a bit!! C is hard cos youll need to learn the chord of F which is a B****rd when you are beginning. Learn A (you already have but thought it was D) the two chords that go with it (in a major key) are D an E7. Pluck the 6th string with your thumb and brush your fingers over 1-5 when you play E7,(sounds like "dum-ching, dum-ching") pluck the 5th and brush when you play A and pluck the 4th and pluck when you play D. Armed with these 3 chords and that basic technique you can play "Blowin in the Wind", "Tambourine Man" "Knocking on heavens Door" and most of Dylans Early stuff. If its waltz tempo ( 3/4 time) do dum-ching-ching.... Get your elbow off your knee and get the ball of your thumb round on to the centre of the kneck - you can hook it over the top when you can platy a bit!!

C is hard cos youll need to learn the chord of F which is a B****rd when you are beginning. Learn A (you already have but thought it was D) the two chords that go with it (in a major key) are D an E7. Pluck the 6th string with your thumb and brush your fingers over 1-5 when you play E7,(sounds like “dum-ching, dum-ching”) pluck the 5th and brush when you play A and pluck the 4th and pluck when you play D. Armed with these 3 chords and that basic technique you can play “Blowin in the Wind”, “Tambourine Man” “Knocking on heavens Door” and most of Dylans Early stuff. If its waltz tempo ( 3/4 time) do dum-ching-ching….

]]> Comment on Learning Guitar… first day’s practice… has to get better! by Gary http://www.learningguitaratlast.com/2007/10/25/learning-guitar%e2%80%a6-first-days-practice%e2%80%a6-has-to-get-better/#comment-16 Gary Sun, 04 Nov 2007 23:51:51 +0000 http://www.learningguitaratlast.com/2007/10/25/learning-guitar%e2%80%a6-first-days-practice%e2%80%a6-has-to-get-better/#comment-16 That D was an A That D was an A

]]> Comment on Hey Teacher, my Guitar Desert Island Disks by Ben http://www.learningguitaratlast.com/2007/10/29/hey-teacher-my-guitar-desert-island-disks/#comment-15 Ben Mon, 29 Oct 2007 19:05:59 +0000 http://www.learningguitaratlast.com/2007/10/29/hey-teacher-my-guitar-desert-island-disks/#comment-15 Thanks Jon, I have actually found some really good stuff on youtube to keep me going for now. I need to get those chord changes going first, then find a nice song to get going on - actually right now I have option paralysis - see the next post! Thanks Jon, I have actually found some really good stuff on youtube to keep me going for now. I need to get those chord changes going first, then find a nice song to get going on - actually right now I have option paralysis - see the next post!

]]> Comment on Hey Teacher, my Guitar Desert Island Disks by jon hundt http://www.learningguitaratlast.com/2007/10/29/hey-teacher-my-guitar-desert-island-disks/#comment-14 jon hundt Mon, 29 Oct 2007 17:34:36 +0000 http://www.learningguitaratlast.com/2007/10/29/hey-teacher-my-guitar-desert-island-disks/#comment-14 good, Ben. I'm glad you're looking at it this way. I really think you should look at some simple chord books. Here in the small town of Bussum, Holland our public library has 1000 or more music books, with artists from Louis Armstrong to the Foo Fighters. Some of them are especially designed for beginning guitar players. Once you understand the chord diagrams a little you can just take off. I imagine you can find books like this locally in Madrid. I learned this way, plonking my way through Bob Dylan, the Byrds, etc. The important thing is that you have a quick reward for your trouble - you are playing songs that you know. After a while you can take lessons from someone who understands your needs. BTW - I'm a big fan of lessons, though I never took any. One lesson with a good (and well-matched) teacher can jump you ahead by weeks or even months. But good teachers will be even happier when you show up with a few basic chords and songs figured out. There are also numerous video DVD lessons available. I'm sure some are very good, and useful. But I am not familiar enough to recommend any. Jon good, Ben. I’m glad you’re looking at it this way.

I really think you should look at some simple chord books. Here in the small town of Bussum, Holland our public library has 1000 or more music books, with artists from Louis Armstrong to the Foo Fighters. Some of them are especially designed for beginning guitar players. Once you understand the chord diagrams a little you can just take off. I imagine you can find books like this locally in Madrid.

I learned this way, plonking my way through Bob Dylan, the Byrds, etc. The important thing is that you have a quick reward for your trouble - you are playing songs that you know. After a while you can take lessons from someone who understands your needs.

BTW - I’m a big fan of lessons, though I never took any. One lesson with a good (and well-matched) teacher can jump you ahead by weeks or even months. But good teachers will be even happier when you show up with a few basic chords and songs figured out.

There are also numerous video DVD lessons available. I’m sure some are very good, and useful. But I am not familiar enough to recommend any.

Jon

]]>