So, what if I actually wanted to REALLY learn how to play this here guitar?

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TheCampNinja	So, what if I actually wanted to REALLY learn how to play this here guitar?	Lead	[-]
(04/25/09 3:54 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Tags : None I've become, well, somewhat "good" at open notes, light picking, and faking my way through things. But, I know no tab or music, nor do i have even the faintest clue about any actual musical theory. I'd like to know these things, because I want to be better. Is there a "best" course that I may purchase? I do NOT learn well from others, so class is out of the question. I have heard mention of a somewhat pricey course on this board before, but I cannot recall the name. Can anybody recommend me something? Thanks!
jscio		#1	[-]
(04/25/09 4:51 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I taught myself by ear and using a Mel Bay chord wheel some forty-seven years ago. I'm only now learning TAB. Slow learner I guess.
ozmartin		#2	[-]
(04/25/09 5:23 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I'd take a look at the Happy Traum/ Homespun Tapes site http://www.homespuntapes.com or Stephan Grossman's Guitar workshop www.guitarvideos.com/ and go from there. There's bound to be some things there that will assist. The beginning fingerstyle guitar and blues guitar series by Happy Traum is a good place to start learning some nice basic arrangements and using TAB. good luck with it IAN OM35 2004 OM18GE 2005 Last Edited By: ozmartin 04/25/09 5:43 PM. Edited 2 times.
TChristianHD28		#3	[-]
(04/25/09 8:35 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	You'd have to stop logging on here. Kidding. I play mostly by ear, and don't have the patience for tab. For me, it was a few Beatles songbooks to start, and then all watching and listening. Patience and practice. Chris "Fear The Dreads!" HD-28, D-18, LX-175, LXM, Tele, Dano, Alvarez
IainDearg		#4	[-]
(04/26/09 10:41 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I do NOT learn well from others, so class is out of the question. Me neither, truth be told. I always was a bit of a loner, cooped up in my bedroom as a kid strumming away and making up stuff. It was a friend later though who showed me how to fingerpick. But I learned all fingerstyle tunes from records and books (I learned to read notation before the days of tab.) Honestly, there a gazillions of teaching aids on the web. What will work best for you will only be found out by trying. How old are you? What do you want to play - or who do you want to play like? Dave OM-18V & OM-28V www.dave-keir.com
teherie		#5	[-]
(04/26/09 4:31 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Seems like I have posted this same answer several times but I am in the group as most of the other posters here. A porch picker with little formal training. Check out the CAGED System. There are three DVDS $22.95 apiece of $58 for the set of three. Everything makes sense after watching this. http://www.erniehawkins.com/cagedreviews.htm
TheCampNinja		#6	[-]
(04/26/09 7:35 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	How old are you? What do you want to play - or who do you want to play like? I am 39, so it's too late to ever be "great", but not too late to be good. I pattern my chords after Bob Weir, but structure my playing like Phil Lesh rides a bass line, slippery and all over the beat, not at all "on top" of it. I need a program that assumes complete ignorance of "music", but accepts a mediocre level of playing ability, if there is such a thing. Then again, maybe I don't. I seem to hear from a few of you, and others I know, that I am not all that unique in my position. but I really would like to know "what" I am doing, as I feel that will help me do it better. I will look into that CAGED system thingy-do.
Ozark1951		#7	[-]
(04/28/09 6:38 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	You really should consider getting an instructor. It will save you loads of time. I started when I was in my early fifties. It has taken some time to get anywhere but it was two good teachers who helped me along the way. When I was not getting lessons I spun my wheels. Fortunately, I am up an running after the last one so I am able to move forward without one for a while but I still plan on getting lessons in the future when I regain employment. I'm just a rolling stone, down the lost highway. Martin D18VS, Recording King RD 227 Frodo lives!
blind owl 00		#8	[-]
(04/29/09 11:03 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I've actually seen some great instructional stuff on you tube. Might take some dancing around within the site to fine some stuff that works for you, but you'll be surprised. Might want to give that a look see, good luck.
Phil		#9	[-]
(05/03/09 10:44 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I understand the desire to improve. I' m an amateur, mostly self-taught. Worked hard to become half-decent at this infernal instrument. I started reading tab in various fingerpicking folk books many years ago, especially Happy Traum's first fingerpicking book, and later Stefan Grossman's publications and associated records. I've forgotten most of it by now 30-some-odd years later. I also learned by ear and watching other players, without any understanding of theory at that time. I'm a better player than I ever expected to be when I started. Over the years years I've tried to get better, (it's always a struggle), took an occasional guitar lesson. Then in my late 20s I gave it a serious try, took six months of professional lessons. From that I learned the basics of reading. Single lines I can read, sort of, but reading for guitar makes my eyes fog over ;>). I also took a music theory course. For me, music theory helps to understand what's going on, (but that doesn't mean you can play something without working at it). All of this was before the explosion of instructional tapes, CDs, and DVDs. It helps if one has talent, which I always envy. I don't have any particular recommendations, but I think that there are some things that one only gets from a professional teacher, especially for reading and timing. Even some little exposure to a teacher can go a long way. There are things you just can't get from a book. And I'm relearning all of this while trying to teach myself how to play the mandolin, and not taking my own advice ;>). Zen mind, beginner's mind. One is always beginning to learn. Good luck! Phil 1975 Martin 000-28 Sunburst
Petespix		#10	[-]
(05/05/09 7:14 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	>>>I am 39, so it's too late to ever be "great", but not too late to be good. You can still be great. 39 is still young with a lot of years left to work at being great if that is what you want. Peter Last Edited By: Petespix 05/05/09 7:21 AM. Edited 1 times.
outfidel		#11	[-]
(05/05/09 10:26 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Ernie Hawkins -- The C-A-G-E-D Guitar System Made Easy Support musicians in need -- join the Music Maker Relief Foundation
RDM		#12	[-]
(05/07/09 10:33 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I'm not sure there's any one "right" course, since the courses tend to teach one thing, like fingerstyle blues, soloing, etc. "Mastering the Guitar" which I own and kind of like, covers everyting, but it's really broard, and most of the lectures really just get you started on some element of guitar playing. After doing the fingerstyle lesson, for instance, I went on the internet to look for other learning material, which I found and have been working on ever since. (In fact, I think that internet search led me to this site.) I think you have to figure out what you want to play and find instructional material that covers that style of play or music. There's a mountain of instructional material available. Stefan Grossman's company sells an instructional DVD on Greatful Dead songs, for example, which is probably pretty good, but you probably need to be able to fingerpick fairly well. You can learn theory and practice the guitar at the same time with books like "Chord Soloing" book by the Muscians Institute. The instructor not only shows you how to do scales, but gives you a learning schedule. I kind of combined that book with a book on theory from the Muscians Institute. I worked on that for about five or six months and was pretty stunned with what I could do at the end. For theory, I really liked a DVD course sold by the Teaching Company (teach12.com). It's a 15 lecture course by a terrific instructor for about $70 bucks. I'm addicted to Teaching Company courses, which I watch during my commutes. You might be able to borrow it from your library. The CAGE system was fairly useful, but it didn't change my life like it seems to do for some people. The CAGE system books are fairly old and can probably be found at your library as well. The intermediate level is a plateau/rut that traps most guitarists. If you really want to get beyond it, which I haven't yet, you need to recognize that you need a study plan and a commitment of time. It would also be useful to have a goal in mind, like a style or type of music, such as fingerstyle blues, soloing like Jerry Garcia. Most of the books and courses I've used require a minimum of three to six months to somewhat master the topic. I spent about a year meandering a bit before I figured out that I needed to focus on one goal. I'm in my mid-40s, so I'm kind of in a hurry to get beyond the noodling stage.
keggers		#13	[-]
(05/07/09 11:36 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I would recommend finding the best teacher in your area and taking lessons. Videos are cool and all, but having someone sitting right there to say "hey, you should do it like this instead." or "you know, keep your mouth closed when you play, it takes energy away from your picking hand" () is invaluable. I think the key is you need to WANT to be better and WANT to work to get better. If you keep that hunger you'll get better no matter what. Eyes to the horizon!