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Learning the guitar
Mr Whippy - 27/12/20 at 10:32 AM

I spotted a slightly smaller than normal wooden guitar in a charity shop for just £20 and got it for my youngest as a stocking filler. Funnily enough despite all the other gifts it now seems to be her favourite, which she carries around strumming even as I write this.

We've tuned it perfectly using an easy app on my phone which was great. Only problem now is that neither one of us knows how to play it...although I fancy learning it too.

In this day of apps and vids, what's the best way for a 6 year old a a 47 year old to learn the basics. Given all the covid stuff going on.

Thanks


theconrodkid - 27/12/20 at 12:15 PM

finally a topic i know something about
i bought one over a year ago, did the usual you tube thing and got nowhere, just by chance whilst walking my dog i met someone who ran an amature music club, went along, had some private lessons but i am no better now than when i first started
find someone who knows how to play and more importantly how to teach you how to play.
my strat is just gathering dust at the mo .


steve m - 27/12/20 at 02:23 PM

I bought a strat copy and amp from argus, back in May this year, due to lockdown boredom, however, the second hand mint classic guitar is my preferred got to one now, and much easier to play than the electric

I can play various tracks, that sometimes resemble the real tunes, and sometimes not! and i am playing the right notes! but..............

All my stuff is from Tabs, and all online, one of the instructors i follow, is Andy Crowley
https://www.youtube.com/user/andycrowley

And i find his way, the easiest, as he starts everything with the basics

I know i should be learning chords, but i just end up in a finger mess,

steve


macc man - 27/12/20 at 04:19 PM

I have three guitars but mostly only use one, an Ovation semi acoustic. It is hard to learn on a cheap copy guitar as it never sounds anything like your favourite guitarist. Having small hands I found a narrow neck easier to master.
I found learning a few easy cords and finding a simple song to play along to best.
There are lots of books out there and u tube stuff.
Like most skills it takes a lot of time and practice but can be most rewarding.


Benzine - 27/12/20 at 10:52 PM

I'd say one of the most fun ways of learning the guitar is learning the blues scale. You can jam along with so many songs and blues backing tracks on YouTube etc


Mash - 28/12/20 at 09:20 AM

I've been playing for over 50 years now and when I started I bought chord books , "Bert Weedon's play in a day" Sorry Bert, it didn't really work, well not in a day anyway. I persevered though and after a few weeks I could master a tune, slowly. Interestingly, I learnt on a really cheap Spanish/classical type guitar, so it is possible.

I don't get so much opportunity to play now, but I did play quite seriously in covers bands for the best part of 30 years, guitar to start with and later bass when the bass player left and I got lumbered with the job as the other guitar player was better than me when I do pay now and want to learn something new, I go to YouTube, it's a great resource and had I had that 50 years ago I would have learnt a lot quicker.

something else I got from YouTube was setting/repairing guitars, and I'd say the best thing you can do to make your learning easier is to make sure the guitar is set up well, action(gap under the strings) and intonation being the most important.

So hang in there, you can do it and you'll find that if your 6 year old is strumming it all the time now, chances are she'll pick it up quicker than you!