Learning To Play/General Guitar Help

[Chaos_Theory!]

Ive decided to start a new hobby and id really like to learn how. If anyone has any advice on the best ways to learn please post up.

I also need suggestions on some good guitars (accoustic or electric) to start on. Something not extremly expensive yet not a piece of crap. lol

Thanks guys

BTW - I avoided posting this on PBN because of flaming. Since AO usually tends to be a more mature crowd i hope the same goes for this thread.

[Pneumagger]

learn to read/use Tabs.

checkout tab sites like www.tabcrawler.com

Learn to play with simple songs you like so you don't loose interest.

/what kind of music do you listen to?
//What kind do you want to play?

[Chaos_Theory!]

Thanks for the tip, i appreciate it.

I LOVE hard rock and would love to learn to play stuff from bands like Thornley, Lo-Pro, Memento, Skillet, Element Eighty, 32 Leaves, Audiovent, and the list goes on. lol

Although its a totally different style i also love how Carlos Santana plays, it sounds amazing.

I know i have to start simple so im not getting my hopes up to early (ive seen a lot of people quit because they cant pull off difficult stuff with little practice).

[Altimas]

The best way for me to learn was to get lessons, and to switch instructors about once every year to two years. Each person has a unique playing style and you can learn so much more this way. Also another thing that helped me tremendously is to try applying things you learn on the guitar to different instruments. After I had played the guitar for 3-4 Years my grandfather built me a Steel guitar and I have thoroughly enjoyed it, although I am more of a Blues/Jazz guy than twangy Country...

Another tip is to learn the mechanics of playing the guitar and go to Tablature for learning how to do different things with those mechanics. For example you can play any guitar lick with just about any song you just change the key to match the song.

[Chaos_Theory!]

About how much does the average teacher/lesson cost? Im just curious, the numbers dont have to be exact.

Thanks

[turbo chicken]

try the local community college ... they have classes ... and you just might learn how to read music ... the classes are pretty inexpensive ... the trade off is that they aren't personal lessons ...

Yes and learn easy songs or small parts of songs ...

[AlphaPaintballRef2]

I ended up teaching myself through tabs (www.tabrobot.com is like a google of guitar tabs). I really wouldn't learn to read music unless you're really serious. I know how to read music (been playing saxophone for about 11 years) but tabs have done me just fine for about 5 years (plus I find them easier in general, especially for someone first starting out). I play guitar more as a hobby and the occasional jam/gig with a bunch of friends.

As for wha guitar to get, it kind of depends on what you like to play I guess. When I frist started I picked up a Fender strat and a used amp (I think I got it all for less than 200). Electrics are generally easier on the fingers so you won't kill your fingers trying to play some chords. By the style of music you like, it seems that you would be looking for an electric anyway.

Start out by learning some easy songs and some of the basic major chords, like G A C D F. A chord book will help a lot in this respect. THIS (http://www.a1books.com/cgi-bin/mktSearch?act=showDesc&code=gbase&rel=1&ITEM_CODE=0871660903) is the book I bought when I was first learning. Its really nice due to the fact that it has the tabs as well as a picture of finger positioning. It helped me a TON when I started and I still use it if I have to look up some wierd chord I don't know. Definately worth the $3.

Hope this helps!

[gridley]

another good tab site is www.ultimate-guitar.com (http://)
i would suggest learnin some scales too

[Altimas]

Lessons Depends...I've Seen them at 50$ a month to 25$ a week...But this gives you a couple of hours of one on one instruction and nothing is better, imo.