• Registered: 2007-05-14
  • Posts: 1

Topic: Hardcore NOOB!

hi,...i got a guitar about....3-4 months ago..and i haven't even touched it yet...i have bought books on how to play guitar...two whole issues....and just about eveything needed for someone just learning how to play guitar...anyway..my point is....i dont know where to start! im absolutely clueless! i pick the thing up.....and i just dont know what to satrt practicing first....my dad told me to start "practicing my fingers" ..he wahnts me to do some picking excersizes first...which i, personally think are pointless...hey, the first of the two books i have dont whant me to do so... and..i also have a little problem with tabs...(try not to laugh) sure, i understand it. each number represents a fret, and each horizontal line a string. the thing i dont get is: why are some numbers "0".....?  and, if someone can answer this question, TY!: which chord is "Radical Dreamers" played on? (the song from the video game "Chrono Cross")

  • From: Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 6,205

Re: Hardcore NOOB!

Hello Lidovic,

Welcome to Chordie. I will answer the easy question first. With tabs the '0' indicates that the string is played open i.e. without being pressed at any fret.

I would suggest that you start learning three chords, G, C and D. There are a multitude of songs that can be played with these chords and if you go to the Absolute Beginners songbooks you are bound to find some that you know.

It is hard work learning to play, do not expect it to come easy and do not think that you will be playing all your favourite songs in a couple of weeks. If you read through other threads concerning learning to play you will see the words, practice, practice and even more practice mentioned over and over. This is because it is the repetition that gets your fingers to lock in the right postion to play a chord without having to think about it.

Keep coming back here you will get all the help and encouragement you need. Different people will have different views on how things should be done and you will be able to pick and choose which way you want to go.

Roger

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

Roger Guppy's Website

  • From: Nottingham, UK
  • Registered: 2006-08-08
  • Posts: 690

Re: Hardcore NOOB!

Hi Vidovic, fingerpicking is far from pointless but it's not the best place to start. Start with straight strumming chords like G C D ('Hang On Sloopy' and many more) and E A D ('Jonnny B Goode' and many more).  Once you've got those chords nailed you can think about finger-picking. Picking opens up a world of folk and country but it's also used in pop and sometimes rock (the Clash's 'English Civil War' opens with a fast A pick and Dire Straits 'Sultans Of Swing' is all clever picking). But for now strum and pick up changes and songs.

'The sound of the city seems to disappear'
  • From: Murphysboro Il
  • Registered: 2007-02-10
  • Posts: 292

Re: Hardcore NOOB!

It really depends on what style of music you want to play. Different styles exploit different techniques. When I first started out I wanted to play rock and blues so I first learnned to play power chords, From there barre chords were easy because I was already making half the chord. Then I learnned the open chords and started learnning some scales. Before long I had all of those down pretty good and started learning some real voodoo. So what style do you want to play?

"Nobody paints by ear so why would I play guitar by sight?" hmm