Tips for a begginer? (Page 1 of 2)

I'm no expert, but I'll give it a try.

Power chords: learn the two finger versions first, then the three finger. (two finger is 57xxxx, three finger 577xxx, for example)

Major chords: try the twelve-bar blues progression. There'll be a copy of it here somewhere. It's basically three chords for the entire song. Sounds like the early Elvis songs.

As for whether to learn tabs or chords...that depends on which kind of music you want to play. If it's Punk-Rock or similar you should be able to get away with knowing only power chords, for a while. Once you can play almost all of the American Idiot album, you get bored of power chords.

Good luck.

(there's always someone who can type faster than me )

Ok, i think that this is one i can actually answer and hopefully help. For me the best thing was to learn the majors and a few minors, A and E mostly, and you can play some great stuff. Also practice barre chords and power chords, they help alot and are pretty easy to learn because its a lot of fun to play those. I can give you links to some really helpful videos also if you want to learn some songs, just tell me or post back here if you want to know. And try not to listen to the whole practice all day, You dont have to be so dedicated that you spend all day, or force yourself to do it. Have fun, dont force your self to play when its not fun. Look on youtube for videos, they help a hell of a lot.

Could somebody email me a chart or something of the major, minor, barre, and power chords???? It would really be helpful because at my church, I am in two bands, and I wanna be able to play my guitar for both of them, instead of just playing the bass. If somebody could do that, it'd be great. If you can only email me a couple charts, that'd be fine, or if you could send me a  link as of where I should get these, that'd be fine too. I'm really glad that I decided to join such a nice community. Thanks for all your help you guys!

If you want another set of chord charts, try the book "Guitar for Dummies". It has a list of 96 chords, along with how to play them.

Because most people don't practice.  That's how.

"Is there an easy way to play just like Edie Van Halen?"

The answer is no, there isn't.  All there is is practice.   There is nothing else, especially in the beginning.   If you aren't willing to dedicate yourself to that, then you may as well take up air guitar.

To disagree with SGinCYQX one of the joys of guitar is you can get a long way without theory. Many of the great American blues, folk and country players learnt it all from observation and experimentation. However there is a time for theory since the rest of us don't want to spend years hopping trains or selling our souls at crossroads!

Once you've been around here a little longer, you'll understand why what you're telling me is nothing short of laughable.

Advice to you.  As a new guy, you should rearrange your cotton for the first little while.   That is, take it out of your ears, and stick it in your mouth.

Which fact might that be, sweetie?

Go ahead and read a bit.  Then get back to me. 

But really, your cotton is really discombobulated.  You aught to fix it.

Well, your first entry into this thread was

"That helps how? Practice is the obvious answer but it's worth nothing if you don't say what to practice."

Which was directed not at the OP, but me.  So you're not gonna get a whole lot of sympathy about that "insult me" whine.    There's a really simple rule about not starting fires if you can't take the heat.  And clearly, you can't.

I haven't said a thing about your musical knowledge.   If you had a clue, you'd know why.    You're completely ignorant in a whole lot of other ways, mostly having to do with me, and this board.  And if you'd shut your pie hole and read a bit, you could cure that.  But I'm gonna guess you won't.

But please do show me that "fact."

I'll wait patently for you to point it out.

Welcome Epi and congrats on your new guitar. Lots of info and opinions on this forum and you'll find a lot of valuable stuff. Let me try a little different direction while agreeing with some of the previous posts. First have your new guitar checked out by someone a bit more experienced or preferably a luthier. Make sure your guitar is set up properly so that it in itself doesn't handicap your abilities. Learn a few scales and chord sequences and practice-practice-practice-and more practice. If you start with a simple chord progression and just play it over and over you'll soon start modifying and developing your own sounds and styles...same thing with scales. Stuff will just start popping out as you learn the fret board and get your fingers used to moving around creating sounds. If you consider that the vast body of work done by Bob Dylan or Johnny Cash and the blues players are typically just 3, maybe 4 chords. Let someone like Jimmy Hendrix play a Bob Dylan song and it will blow you away with all the complex things he does with those 3 or 4 simple chords.

Learning to read music and understanding Theory will help you learn and give you direction and discipline, but it's not for everyone. Some very fine musicians are musically illiterate!

The fact is that theory is essential to understanding music.

Where, exactly, should I look?

Obviously we have quite different views on learning and playing music. That's why music sites like this are cool. What I consider the first thing a beginner should learn can be done for the most part without actually having a guitar in hand, for the most part. I learned this way too late and it was difficult to pick up because it forced me to think differently about the guitar. Unfortunately, it's also not much fun for a beginner. Probably the best bet is to find an even balance, one where you're understanding what you do but it's exciting at the same time.