Learning Guitar

***CallumLaidlaw*** · 15-03-2011 10:37 AM

So I've finallt made the decision to buy an acoustic guitar and learn how to play it. It's something I've wanted to do for a long time but only just got round to doing so.

Anyone got any advise for me?

The guitar comes with a tuition DVD and a years free online lessons, so I am going to give that a go. The council also does weekly guitar lessons in groups of 4, so I have emailed away about doing that too.

Am I better to get tuition or will I find it easy enough to teach myself with online guides, etc?

**~~Peevemor~~** · 15-03-2011 10:58 AM

Tuition every time. It's important to learn properly from the outset instead of trying to sort out bad habits a couple of years down the line.

An experienced instructor will have loads of advice - daft wee hints and tips that will make learning a lot easier, everything from the theory side to things like posture (very important), tuning and maintenance of the instrument.

**CB_NO3** · 15-03-2011 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by CallumLaidlaw

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So I've finallt made the decision to buy an acoustic guitar and learn how to play it. It's something I've wanted to do for a long time but only just got round to doing so.

Anyone got any advise for me?

The guitar comes with a tuition DVD and a years free online lessons, so I am going to give that a go. The council also does weekly guitar lessons in groups of 4, so I have emailed away about doing that too.

Am I better to get tuition or will I find it easy enough to teach myself with online guides, etc?

How much are the council charging per lesson.

**Marabou Stork** · 15-03-2011 03:29 PM

You shouldn't really teach yourself. I taught myself how to play the bass, the guitar and the accordion. In the last 18 months I've taken a few lessons and the difference in the way i play is astronomical. You get into really bad habits that will hold you back and can be very, very hard to get out of.

***CallumLaidlaw*** · 15-03-2011 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by CB_NO3

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How much are the council charging per lesson.

£3.20 for 30 mins with 3 other people or £10 for 1hr one to one, so I reckon I will definitely give tuition a try

**CB_NO3** · 15-03-2011 04:05 PM

Is that Edinburgh council? If so can you pm me details.

***CallumLaidlaw*** · 15-03-2011 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by CB_NO3

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Is that Edinburgh council? If so can you pm me details.

Fife buddy

**~~Judas Iscariot~~** · 15-03-2011 04:34 PM

I taught myself..

Oasis "Whats the story morning glory" chord book and a acoustic guitar for Xmas when I was 14/15..

By boxing day it was back in it's box cos "it isn't working"..

I thought I'd be able to pick it up and play it

It's very hard at first but so worth it

Good luck

**CB_NO3** · 15-03-2011 04:35 PM

Pitty. Thats a great deal though. You should defo go for that. I had 10 lessons, was doing pretty good, but sort of gave up. I want to pick it up again. I dont really have £20 an hour though.

**~~Peevemor~~** · 15-03-2011 05:08 PM

If I was you I'd take mostly the group lessons, with an occassional 1-to-1 now and again.

You'll be learning techniques - finger positions and coordination that are totally alien to you, and you can only take in so much per session. A full hour is maybe a bit long for a beginner.

The most important thing is practice. You'll get out of it only what you put in.

Removed · 15-03-2011 05:27 PM

I use nextlevelguitar.com

Suits me to learn at own pace and plenty riffs to practice

***CallumLaidlaw*** · 15-03-2011 05:27 PM

Cheers guys.

I'm ready to put the time in. Really excited about learning.

Will give the DVD & online stuff a try until I can get my first lesson in a couple of weeks time, but I think I'll try the group tuition. Cant go wrong for £3.20 to start with.

**Number69** · 18-03-2011 12:52 PM

I taught myself, just wrote this song for the band I formed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PViXjM0C2Mw

No tutor will teach you how to play the way you want to play. Teach yourself.

My jap custom strat broke down that night oh how I wept :(

**fat freddy** · 18-03-2011 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by Number69

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I taught myself, just wrote this song for the band I formed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PViXjM0C2Mw

No tutor will teach you how to play the way you want to play. Teach yourself.

My jap custom strat broke down that night oh how I wept :(

i've got the same artic monkeys t shirt as the fat guitarist in that video...

**Number69** · 18-03-2011 01:55 PM

Originally Posted by fat freddy

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i've got the same artic monkeys t shirt as the fat guitarist in that video...

Fat guitarist - ****ing classic

**fat freddy** · 18-03-2011 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by Number69

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Fat guitarist - ****ing classic

theres nothing wrong with being a fat guitarist...some of my favourite fat people are guitarists...the fat one out of glasvegas springs to mind, i saw them recently and he was really good on the guitar whilst retaining his ability to be fat...another fatty that always impressed me with his skills on the fretboard using his wee fat chubby fingers was the fat one out of the magic numbers...he was phat!

**~~Peevemor~~** · 18-03-2011 04:29 PM

You could never accuse B.B. King of not being fat.

**CB_NO3** · 18-03-2011 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by fat freddy

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theres nothing wrong with being a fat guitarist...some of my favourite fat people are guitarists...the fat one out of glasvegas springs to mind, i saw them recently and he was really good on the guitar whilst retaining his ability to be fat...another fatty that always impressed me with his skills on the fretboard using his wee fat chubby fingers was the fat one out of the magic numbers...he was phat!

I seen Glasvegas a few weeks ago. Defo no fat people in that band. Infact they were all ripped.

**fat freddy** · 18-03-2011 05:20 PM

Originally Posted by CB_NO3

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I seen Glasvegas a few weeks ago. Defo no fat people in that band. Infact they were all ripped.

you must have been watching a tribute band...the glasvegas i saw in dunfermline had a big fat guy on guitar...his names rab allan and he looks like he probably bought a pie shop with the royalties from the first album.

**jabis** · 18-03-2011 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by fat freddy

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you must have been watching a tribute band...the glasvegas i saw in dunfermline had a big fat guy on guitar...his names rab allan and he looks like he probably bought a pie shop with the royalties from the first album.

define fat.

oh and Walter Trout can make a Strat look half size