Trying to teach myself guitar...

[InfinatyBPS]

Well lately I have been trying to learn to play the guitar by reading online manuals and trying to use tabs and stuff, and its hard as hell lol, I don't know how people can just play things and make it look easy, and I don't know if its just my fingers being kinda stubby but its hard as hell to get my hand in the weird positions im supposed to get it into. And even if I play something right it comes out sounding all crappy, anyone have any tips for me?

This is one song I've been trying to play and I can actualy play it for like 3 crappy secs...

http://www.weezer.net/info/tabs/butterfly.txt

[paint_munkey]

i take it that you're playing electric, right?
anyway, it looks like mostly chords in the song.
so, the best you can do for now is to make sure you get the chords down perfectly. just try fingering out the chords wo/ playing. that's how i learned most of the major chords.
good luck

[tranman]

Don't sweat it, just keep trying it and you'll get it eventually...then you'll learn to switch chords without looking at your fretting hand...it gets easier.

[InfinatyBPS]

I have a poster with all the chords on it but, I don't understand how to read them. It has like 6 lines going vertical and 6 horizontal and it has like little circles with numbers on them on different lines, wtf does all that crap stand for?

[tranman]

The numbers would be which fret to put a finger one....

like a G chord, would be (from low e to high E) 320033, 3-meaning 3rd fret, 2-2nd fret, 0-no fingers on frets, etc. Shouldn't be too hard to learn once you get it the hang of it.

[paint_munkey]

try to do a google search on reading tabs.
it will help.

[paint_munkey]

here ya go:

http://www.taborama.com/display_lesson.php?lesson_id=19

they also have some stuff on bending, hammer-ons, slides, etc.
have fun

[gimp]

As far as the poster, it might be like transman said, but the numbers also might be what fingers to use. 1 being your index finger, 2 your middle finger, etc. If there is a little tiny number next to the thing, that would be the fret to start on.

|------|
|111111|5
|------|
||||||2|
|------|
||||34||
|------|


So, that for example would mean that on the 5th fret(the 5th space), you put your index finger(1) over all the strings, then on the next fret, you use your middle finger(2) on the bottom, most high pitch string. Then, on the next fret you use your pinky(4), and ring finger(3). If there is an x on a spot, instead of a number, it means that you don't play that string, or is damped or something. That chord might be tricky, it's a bar chord. When I first started playing, I couldn't hold my index finger across the whole neck and make it sound good. Just keep playing, and remember, all you need to know are a few chords, and you can use your guitar to get chicks.

[lack of grace]

guitar is fun!

The best things you can do are:

- Play as much as you can (At least 45-60 minutes a day)
- Don't be discouraged if you sound bad
- Get a finger excersizer (Really good idea. Will make pain in finger more barible, which will allow for more practice)
- Take any advice you can get.
- Try to jam with someone(s) waaaay better than you. ( I have played guitar for ten years and I learned alot and became fairly good. I played with a group of people for 3 months and learned more about playing than i did in 10 years of practicing by myself....Playing with other people will help your playing in so many ways)
- Never give up...

[paint_munkey]

just out of curiosity, what kind of guitar are you playing?

[DaveDog]

Chords and scales. Learn those and then start applying some arrangement and theory to it. Build those calluses up.

[-J�ker-]

ive been doing the same thing as infinity with no luck... i have just one question...

where exactly do the frets start?

[gimp]

well, the first fret is the first little metal thing on the neck, starting up by the top. To play a note on this fret you would hold right above it, in the space between the actual fret and the headstock.

[InfinatyBPS]

Originally posted by paint_munkey
just out of curiosity, what kind of guitar are you playing?

Electric, if u mean what kind, it says Memphis on it if that helps...

[FalconGuy016]

This is scary, I was just about to post on AO on how to get started playing the guitar (I have it right here in my hand, and im clueless) although its acoustic

Thank you AO!