Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?

Subject: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: Andy7
Date: 29 Oct 18 - 06:51 PM

Despite having played guitar for many years, I am very often the least talented guitarist at any folk singaround or open mic I go to.

So, where are you all, beginners and learners? In my experience, you'll nearly always find encouragement and a very warm welcome, and no one will mind that you only know a couple of chords, or play a song they already know well.

We all started learning once, and we all still mess up now and then; so, if it all goes wrong on your first try, it really doesn't matter to anyone except you! Just go back and try again, and again, and again!

Subject: RE: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 29 Oct 18 - 11:25 PM

Andy, a close frend and musician and teacher, plays live jazz and recording studios.

He began at age nine and is age 79.

He continues to take lessons from saxaphone artist Terry Harrington (the sound of Lisa's horn in the Simpsons).

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

We are always growing. it is time for me to get the discipline of a teacher again. Slaughter on 10th Avenue is above me at the moment and 2/3rds of my boggy beats I fake poorly.

Subject: RE: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: Will Fly
Date: 30 Oct 18 - 02:34 AM

Every musician I've played with over the last 50+ years has taught me something.

Subject: RE: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: BobL
Date: 30 Oct 18 - 02:36 AM

I started playing the box about 40 years ago… plateaued about 35 years ago…
More seriously, local musician Lester Bailey has been organising a series of "slow and steady" sessions, aimed specifically at beginners and improvers. They're well-attended.

Subject: RE: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: Jos
Date: 30 Oct 18 - 02:59 AM

BobL, Perhaps you should be more specific than 'local musician' for the benefit of those, like me, who don't know where you are.

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: GUEST,Jerry
Date: 30 Oct 18 - 03:17 AM

I think they’re all in ukelele bands theses days, which some might argue is a good thing.

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 30 Oct 18 - 05:20 AM

I'll be 70 in January. I got my first guitar when I was eleven. Took me four years (til I got the Bert Weedon book) to get the the three chord trick together. Must be the slowest start ever!

I gave up the guitar when I was 18 for three years - I couldn't afford a playable guitar (so I said, but I was doing 40 fags a day - and getting pissed regularly).

My wife bought me a guitar when we got our first jobs, and I've played every day since. As the late Derek Brimstone (my greatest mentor said) 'i'm not one of the greats, but I'm no slouch when it comes to the guitar'

I took a lesson last week from jazz guitarist Rob Koral last week. He had one or two things, I wouldn't mind adding. Stuff I think I could add to what I do.

To play the guitar well, you need humility. It will take everything you've got.

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: banjoman
Date: 30 Oct 18 - 06:27 AM

Been playing Guitar and Banjo now for over 60 years and still regard myself as always learning. Old age and arthritis is restricting my playing these days so I try and play songs or tunes which only need easy chords. The banjo is a great instrument for this as it is tuned in an open chord, though, I suppose you could do this with the guitar.
The important thing is to keep playing and to pass on what you can. I am fortunate to have 2 sons who are both fine musicians and often help me to transpose into easier keys.

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: BTMP
Date: 30 Oct 18 - 08:29 AM

I have playing guitar for 60 years and am a sometimes instructor, usually in an ad hoc manner at jams. I would be interested to know what topics of guitar instruction were of most value, or least value. Being pretty good at math, I always stressed things like learning scales, learning the fingerboard, transposing keys, etc. All learners tune in to something that grabs them, so I was curious what topics helped the most, least.

Btw, I play mostly acoustic folk, old time, and bluegrass, but also like to get into light jazz, big band, and light rock.

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: Cappuccino
Date: 30 Oct 18 - 09:34 AM

I quite agree that you're always learning, and this thread has just inspired me to start a new one : 'what was the last thing you learned?'

All the best
- Cap

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: SuperDave
Date: 30 Oct 18 - 12:44 PM

I started off playing banjo (inspired by a friend) but transitioned soon afterward to guitar. I basically learned by trying to **quietly** play along at folk clubs, hootenannies, etc. and picked up a few tips and tricks, along with many, many good songs. I did take some lessons, which taught me how to do Travis picking. Like most of us, I am still learning, although I have less and less trouble finding a C, F or G chord. I am 72, and started playing banjo at 13.

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 30 Oct 18 - 06:08 PM

My primary training was keyboard (a few years of cello interveined) and all the classical "learning scales, learning the fingering, transposing keys, etc," as BTMP noted.

I two decades ago broke my right hand in a work related accident. Took a two night "ear training course". And I discovered the wonderful world of "slop," you know, the 1920's advertisements, "they could not believe when I sat down at the piano."

Before that course I was glued to a score...and memorization. I then became very lazy. Now, I am ready to return to "academic rigor"...even a "fake-book" is currently a challenge because it is confining.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

For "slop" I can dig out the mildew encrusted bellows of the accordian. However, while I still have a brain...it is time for lessons and academic rigor.

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: GUEST,akenaton
Date: 31 Oct 18 - 06:09 AM

There was an excellent and very helpful thread on here about a month ago, containing a large number of posts.
It helped me considerably in my rudimentary fingerpicking.
The thread name was "Playing the guitar"......I'm short of time, perhaps someone could do a link?

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: Stanron
Date: 31 Oct 18 - 10:22 AM

Was it this one


Playing The Guitar

The blued clicky isn't working. This is the URL

https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=164889#3951786

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: GUEST,akenaton
Date: 31 Oct 18 - 10:44 AM

Thank you Stanron.....that was the one, I hope the OP finds it helpful.

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: GUEST,Some bloke
Date: 31 Oct 18 - 03:31 PM

Still learning. Just like every guitarist there is. You only stop learning when you stop playing.

If that sounds a bit Yoda ish, I’m sorry. Interviewing Ralph McTell many moons ago I made the mistake of referring to natural talent. In a nod to a well worn phrase he pointed out that the more he practiced, the more naturally talented he got.

I’m with Al. The Bert Weedon Play with Yourself in a Day book saw me through my teens.

Pointers for learners? Humility rather than frustration. That quick run up the dusty end of the fretboard came from lots of practice not ease. Can’t do something? Those who can might not be able to do what you can, if you put yourself to it. There are more styles of guitar than there are classes of lifestyle choice but celebrating difference in guitar styles needs the same mindset as celebrating any other diverse group. Enjoy others rather than wish you could be them and your own style will come out.

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: Andy7
Date: 31 Oct 18 - 04:46 PM

Thanks Akenaton and Stanron, that's a very interesting thread.

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: Mooh
Date: 31 Oct 18 - 08:49 PM

Always learning. Lately I've been recording too many things as canons, so I've learned there are limits to even good ideas.

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 01 Nov 18 - 06:35 PM

Largely self-taught, with the help of a few books, but when I started learning in the 60s, seemed it was all based on either C/F/G or E/A/B7, so I learned all these chords, and later G/C/D, D/G/A and A/D/E series. And could just about do Am and Em and Dm. These days seems everyone new starts with the G series and just capos it up.
Never mastered anything that calls for a barre chord having short fingers: even the 4-string Bm, avoiding the dreaded barre defeats me: but I get by! Rarely manage a 4-string F#m- bottom string + top 3. Always down at what I heard Scottish guitarist Jack Evans call "the farmers' end" and never up at the dusty end unless on capo 7!
I did teach myself to fingerpick a bit though not to the extent of picking out whole tunes, but I do prefer it to wholesale strumming, unless its a mix of bass-strum-strum for 3/4 or Bass-strum-bass-strum for 4/4.
Never got to do DADGAD or other alternative tunings, tho been to workshops and got books on these subjects!
Oh, and that would be 50 years-worth of trying! I'm a failure really.

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: GUEST,Jerry
Date: 03 Nov 18 - 06:33 AM

That fear of barre chords reminds me of a parody of mine.

You learnt something’s called sequence chords
You burnt the strings and you squeezed the board
But it never really soared like music to you
Now the C’s a piss, but the F’s a shit
A minor’s fine but that F’s a bitch
But here’s E which won’t really screw you

Really screw you, really screw you
Always F shapes really screw you

Well you made up chords and you faked the game
You gave then all your made up names
Even though they sounded lame you thought they’d do you
You thought sod C suspended, F augumented
A modal third and F demented
Coc th

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: GUEST,Jerry
Date: 03 Nov 18 - 06:43 AM

Cos those that you invented won’t really screw you...

To tell the truth there’s worse than that
In Hell they use the cursed B flat
Where that Devil’s chord E flat really threw you
Plus C thirteenth, F dim seventh
A minor ninth, F major eleventh
But ‘J sharp twelve of never won't’ really screw you...

Now you raised the pitch to a better key
Youve made the switch with no F in C
Even though that little B once nearly skew you
But here’s the hitch, G fourth, A fifth
B minor, then you start to twitch
Here comes an F sharp bitch to really screw you...

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: GUEST,Jerry
Date: 03 Nov 18 - 06:55 AM

Sorry missed a bit

....though G’s a stretch, here’s E which won’t really screw you...

Yes, it’s worrying that learners seem to rely heavily on capos theses days, even though I’d be lost without mine a lot of the time, but a lot seem to rely on those invented chords by shifting common shapes up and down the neck, which this song also parodies,

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: Will Fly
Date: 03 Nov 18 - 07:56 AM

There are several people on this forum who have said, in previous threads, that they don't care for jazz - a fair comment. I would say, having played jazz in various forms for many, many years, that being part of a jazz outfit - duo, trio or full band - is excellent training for the guitar.

For years I rarely played an "open" chord, with main keys being Bb, Eb, F, etc. - a good discipline. And learned to transpose instantly, i.e. play in any key. In sessions, when joining in with other people who use capos, I try and avoid the capo, and play in their key on the open fretboard - or shut up if too difficult!

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: Donuel
Date: 03 Nov 18 - 08:20 AM

3 week beginner; Some Chords, stretch, purity of tone and melodic riffs are no big problem. What is new is still the right hand learning new patterns, picking and rolls. Although all instruments tuned in fifths are well understood, the unique tuning of a guitar feels convenient, comfortable and not that weird. At this stage I can already do new age crap but I am aiming at doing traditional stuff. As a first attempt I am starting with dust in the wind. I am hoping old timey and blues will feel easier.

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 03 Nov 18 - 11:20 AM

Good song and summary of the hellish bits of playing guitar, Jerry! I've never managed a good clean F!

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: GUEST,Jerry
Date: 03 Nov 18 - 02:16 PM

Sometimes a D shape at the fifth fret works week enough (X07565) and gives you the high A note needed in that particular song.
Forgot to say, the last verse goes up a tone to D major to make any sense. Plus should be ‘slew’ not ‘skew’.

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: The Sandman
Date: 04 Nov 18 - 03:26 AM

in my opinion understanding what you are doing musically can help, for example, when i am finger picking melody either thumb style or piedmont, using ninths and sixths as passing fill out notes takes you a step further, howwever nobody likes to get stuck in a rut, sousing you tube or discussing and listening generally means you can learn something new

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 04 Nov 18 - 10:05 AM

I've been playing since 1969 and am self taught. I still feel like I'm learning and figuring new things.

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: Mooh
Date: 06 Nov 18 - 07:04 AM

Human nature being what it is, I catch myself doing things I know better than to do. Sometimes the learning is as much psychological as theoretical.

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: GUEST,Stinky Pete
Date: 06 Nov 18 - 01:03 PM

Bought a guitar when I was 16 but didnt really go anywhere with it till now Im 56 and decided to dive in, have had weekly lessons for two months now and really starting to have fun with it. Played a duet with my instructor that sounded beautiful, to my ears anyways.

Subject: RE: Guitar: where are you, beginners and learners?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 06 Nov 18 - 01:46 PM

I once heard Jorma Kaukonen say that he didn't consider himself to be an advanced guitarist, just an intermediate level guitarist with a lot of experience.

I guess that means I'm a beginner with a lot of experience.