Topic: Hello everybody! I'm new here and I'm teaching myself acoustic guitar

And I'm wondering what are some of the easiest songs I can start with? I'm all ears...

Thanks!

Re: Hello everybody! I'm new here and I'm teaching myself acoustic guitar

Blue on Black

Ibanez ew20ase-nt
Martin D-18
Taylor GC-5

3 (edited by Buzzwagon 2011-02-10 08:42:01)

Re: Hello everybody! I'm new here and I'm teaching myself acoustic guitar

Hi DG and welcome to Chordie. If you go to the Public Books tab at the top of the page and click on Absolute Beginners you'll find hundreds to choose from.

Jerry

Live the life you love, love the life you live

Re: Hello everybody! I'm new here and I'm teaching myself acoustic guitar

Hello, DG. What kinda music do you like / wanna learn? I am assuming you are a beginning guitar player and just beginning your learning experience (correct me if I am wrong). If this is the case I would try to advise you to spend your time in practice, learning chords (open and barre), chord fingerings, chord progressions, and the all important scales prior to atempting songs. (your chord practice can be playing parts and pieces of songs) Once your finger tips have toughened up, your chord changing is smooth, your "feel" for the rythem of a song has grown, you understand chord progressions - you will find that the songs you wanna learn will become easier. Keep in mind that one of the most important parts of the learning progress learning to feel the rythem of the music. It doesn't matter what instrument you play - you gotta be able to keep time. In guitar playing the strum patterns are all connected to the timing of the music, as well as playing lead guitar solo licks / riffs. You have to learn how to listen to the music in order to feel the rythem. You can know all the scale patterns, all the chords, all the chord progressions there are but you gotta have the "rythem" to put it all together.

Nela

Re: Hello everybody! I'm new here and I'm teaching myself acoustic guitar

Hi  good advice above,some of the people you might try are creedence clearwater,neil diamond, bob dylan and there are alot of beatles songs that are easy.

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman

Re: Hello everybody! I'm new here and I'm teaching myself acoustic guitar

welcome,   chech this site out , lots of easy tunes,   have fun


http://www.classic-country-song-lyrics.com/index.html



badeye   cool

one caper after another

Re: Hello everybody! I'm new here and I'm teaching myself acoustic guitar

Welcome Dg.  As some have said, go for the style of music you like, country, rock, whatever, then search for some of the songs you know the melodies to and start from there.  Then look for songs in those categories with chords that are easiest for you.  Two or three chord songs perhaps.  Then slowly expand your chord knowledge, one additional chord at a time.  Before you know it, you will know enough chords to play many more songs.  And lots of practice is a good thing.

You can see all my video covers on [url]http://www.youtube.com/bensonp1000[/url]
I have finally found happiness in my life.  Guitars, singing, beer and camping.  And they all intertwine wonderfully.

Re: Hello everybody! I'm new here and I'm teaching myself acoustic guitar

Thx everybody for the replies!  smile

So to master chords and scales, I should just go to the Resources section and start practicing on the chords from the chart?

My nephew taught himself how to play just by using tabs, so that's kinda what I had started with, but are tabs a no no?

One more thing... I'm a lefty!

Re: Hello everybody! I'm new here and I'm teaching myself acoustic guitar

Tabs are fine. Being a lefty is fine if you are able to find a left-handed guitar or prefer to play right-handed on a standard guitar.
Good luck,
toots

We pronounce it "Guf Coast".
Ya'll wanna go down to the Guf?

Re: Hello everybody! I'm new here and I'm teaching myself acoustic guitar

Welcome yeti!!!

Have a go with Justin, he's awesome. Chords, theory, ear training, he covers it all.

www.justinguitar.com

Keep Rockin!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Hello everybody! I'm new here and I'm teaching myself acoustic guitar

All good advice above.  Simplest song ever to learn is Jambalaya by Hank Williams.  Welcome to Chordie.

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude

Re: Hello everybody! I'm new here and I'm teaching myself acoustic guitar

DG, which to learn - chords or tabs - doesn't matter. What you have to do is learn the chord fingerings and scale patterns. In learning the chords I'd concentrate on learning chords that go together for certain "keys".

Key of A - A...D...E
Key of C - C...F...G
Key of D - D...G...A
Key of E - E...A...B      (B is a hard one for beginners so I would learn the B7 chords
Key of G - G...C...D

The above chord progressions are your basic open chords which I would learn them 1st. (Barre chords can come later)
I intentionly left out the keys of B and F as these are harder and can be frustrating to someone just learning.

Once you have gotten comfortable with the open position chords and your fingertips have toughened up you will be ready to move forward.

Nela

Re: Hello everybody! I'm new here and I'm teaching myself acoustic guitar

DG, I am also self taught. You've already done the best thing you can do by signing on to Chordie! All good advice above. Play every chance you get. I was impatient and jumped to just chords and now I wish I spent more time on scales been playin 3 years now and am going back to get my scales down as you get better you'll want to know them. As for an easy song try just the begining of American Pie there are alot of chord changes but it's slow and simple (gets your fingers movin) and you'll recognize it right away helped me.

Re: Hello everybody! I'm new here and I'm teaching myself acoustic guitar

Eggbrt makes an important point.
As we progress as a player by any means we prefer, there comes a point where it becomes obvious to us the we need to catch up on music theory in order to understand and consolidate our recent advances.
This can be learned piecemeal as the need occurs rather than slug through a complete theory study course all at once.

We pronounce it "Guf Coast".
Ya'll wanna go down to the Guf?

Re: Hello everybody! I'm new here and I'm teaching myself acoustic guitar

+1 for Justin!

Recommend gathering with others when you are ready, i.e. you know a few chords and are vaguely familiar with the fretboard. A few minutes with someone (who has different skills, knowledge, and even likes/dislikes) can be helpful in lifting you to the next level.

Have fun. Heck I've been at this self-taught thing for over two years. I know about a dozen chords and progress between most reasonably well. I even have a few "default" rythyms I can play. My next step is trying to sing, hum, or mumble along with it.

I'm not at the point to be able to answer the question "Can you play the guitar?" with a resounding "yes" or without significant qualifiers but I do enjoy trying...and that's a big piece of it for me. I sometimes don't think I've progressed far enough given the time spent but there is hope, and it doesn't disappoint.