I'm learning how to play guitar. Tips? Tricks? Etc?
 

I'm learning how to play guitar. I know there's a lot of guitarists/other musicians on this board, so I figured I'd start a thread chronicling my experience as a new guitarist.

At my disposal I currently have:

Seven stringed ESP LTD SC-207 guitar
Rocksmith 2014 with the USB cable which allows me to connect my guitar directly to my PC
Orange Crush 35RT amp
Case of Snarling Dog 1.5mm picks
4 Pedals: Boss Chromatic Tuner TU-3, a DigiTech Obscura Altered Delay, a DOD Carcosa Fuzz, and a Boss Flanger BF-2

(any opinions on chain order? I'm actually really digging how the delay sounds leading into the fuzz. I wasn't expecting that)

I even have some DiMarzio Imperium 7 pickups for my bridge and neck ready for when I eventually feel the urge to "upgrade" my current rig.

Despite the gear, I'm an absolute beginner at guitar. Right now I'm currently working on mastering "My Own Summer" by the Deftones via Rocksmith as my 'first song'. I'm also practicing these chords, and transitioning between them with 'alternate picking' to the best of my ability:











It's an excessive amount of gear for a beginner, but it's more than enough to keep me busy for a long while. I probably shouldn't have started off with a 7 string, but it was the instrument which spoke to me, which is the most important part of learning something like this. I have no problem ignoring that low b for now.

What say you, SYG?

You have to make sure you learn how to play as fast as you can. If you can't shred then you'll get no respect ever.

Failing that don't skip the fundamentals of theory. It's boring but it'll make your life easier down the road for when you wanna write your own stuff.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=the+first+...i=5MgBikgcWnY#

make sure you watch the whole thing cuz it is hilarious

Will watch that video tonight, symbols. I don't have 20 min to spare rn


Is there a good YouTube channel to learn theory on?

you gonna need 20 hours + according to that guy

I think I've actually watched that before.

I enjoy playing guitar. I plan on putting well over 20 hours into this thing... and even 20 hours in, I don't expect to be all that good.

No idea sorry. I just got guitar lessons years back.

no, that's not the... never mind

too long to explain

Sit down with a guitar and “Come as You Are.” Figure out how to reproduce the main riff. It won’t take you all the way, but it’s a great way to get your fingers moving and other things will feel easier afterward.

Also, learn to sing *while playing that riff* and you’ll knock down another hurtle. Also, you’ll respect Kurt Cobain a little more.

Very simple riff, but it helps boost confidence and gets you going. It’s also easy to figure out by ear, so it’s free.

I’ve never formally taught anyone, but I’ve been in some bands with some new players, and this has worked every time.... at least in helping people get to the point where they’re comfortable with basic stuff.

It’s how I first started to learn to play, too.

For real. :)

If you had a six string I would say open tune it to DADGAD and go from there, because you can't really screw up as much in open tuning when you're a beginner.
Effects chain wise I would just say distortion before echo. Distortion and overdrive before everything else. Echo and reverb at the end. But that's just me.

This also works for "Eighties" by Killing Joke because it's basically the same song and they made far better music.

Okay hater.


(But yeah Nirvana ripper that shit off, for sure)

so funny story

the guy in the video i posted (it's a book really) basically hacks the skill acquisition mechanism

he does a pareto thing for your most significant 20 hours of learning to do something

he wants to play the ukelele and eventually sorts that with 4 chords he can play 50% of pop songs

and so he learns the fucking ukelele in 20 hours and does a demo to his public

haaa haaaa haaaaaaa

with 4 chords he decodes a large segment of shit

the rest is filler.

so, i do use his system quite a bit. it's worth looking into. FAST FEEDBACK is a crucial element in it that not many people mention. there are many other parts but only available to curious people.

and so, even if 20 hours just gets you to a basic level, you can scale that into 20 hour modules: "this is the next skill".

and you apply 20 hours at a time. like a long-scale pomodoro.

anyway that is my 0.2 pips of a microlot

suckaz

As far as the effect chain goes I'd switch the fuzz and the delay, but hey, if you like it how it is why change things up.

TRY TO "LEARN" DECENT HAND POSITIONING, especially for your fretting hand, especially for the thumb and wrist, it could avoid you picking up bad habits that could adversely affect your progression (or even your "health", in extreme cases).

You can totally play and sound cool withouth learning anything about hand positioning, but if I could go back in time that's definitely something i would look more into.

Train your pinky (mine bends in a weird way and makes it hard to push on the strings, especially on bass).

Don't fall in love with/try to replicate the sound of bands you like.

Don't believe everything you see on youtube (especially gear-wise).

Try to avoid using your PC (and software) for as long as you can, initially.

Go see people play live.

The technically better you become the worse the music will be. So, forget all convention and just ram a foken screwdriver in the cunt.

step 1 - get a better taste in music, you mook