Things that new players shouldn't do?

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mutual_zombie
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mutual_zombie
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January 11th, 2006 at 02:44am
Hokay, I'm just wondering if some people agree with me that new guitar/bass/drum/other instrument players are diving in to things way beyond the basics and/or their abilities... I'm not saying that you are forbidden to do these things, but a few things that new players shouldn't do...

- If you're new to guitar (ie can't play basic chords yet), it's better to leave the electric for a later date and go with an acoustic...
- If you're new to bass, don't start off with picking... get used to the feel of the bass strings, it'll pay off later on
- It's good to set goals, but no use playing songs by your favourite band straight away if it's way out of your league... start with the basics and work your way up

Anyone else agree with me on these?
Jay Tee
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January 11th, 2006 at 07:35am
Yeah I agree on them, especially the first one. If you learn on acoustic, you can get a real feel for the guitar before you go on to create all these immense effects and sounds. Also, acoustic guitars generally have wider necks so will be much better for practising scales and things like that, making you extend your fingers far enough. Then, when you come to play electric, you'll be good enough to pass.

And try grabbing a guitar book when you start playing; I taught myself using Ultimate Guitar Songbook Volume I which had a load of information and really got me going. And yes, don't jump in at any old song, learn the basics first, even if you don't recognise the songs/tunes you're learning, just practise the chord changes over and over.
Norris
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January 11th, 2006 at 09:55am
I've been playing guitar for about 10 years. I've been playing electric for the last 3 or 4 of them. It pays off. It may sound really dull to anyone who hasnt experienced the joys of acoustic guitar, but it helps soooo much.

If nothing else, get a cheap STEEL-STRINGED acoustic guitar the same time you buy an electric. If you get used to playing an acoustic, it helps your electric playing out loads, if for no other reason than it builds up the strength in your hands (acoustic strings are much harder to press down than electric ones, for any guitar newbies reading). It makes everything so much easier to play.

Norris
x x x
Franny.
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January 11th, 2006 at 10:53am
Norris:
I've been playing guitar for about 10 years. I've been playing electric for the last 3 or 4 of them. It pays off. It may sound really dull to anyone who hasnt experienced the joys of acoustic guitar, but it helps soooo much.

If nothing else, get a cheap STEEL-STRINGED acoustic guitar the same time you buy an electric. If you get used to playing an acoustic, it helps your electric playing out loads, if for no other reason than it builds up the strength in your hands (acoustic strings are much harder to press down than electric ones, for any guitar newbies reading). It makes everything so much easier to play.

Norris
x x x


nylon stringed acoustics are awesome too! i started with classical and i definitely prefer that over the steel string since (to me) it's got a better sound.

and i agree with what you said, good 'not to do' list.

nowadays i'm always iffy when people here ask for sheet music for like a green day song so they can give it to their teacher and he/she will teacher him/her. i don't think guitar teachers should do that. they should have a list of songs already and just throw it out to the kids for them to learn.
Gustavatron.
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January 11th, 2006 at 01:45pm
Damn, I knew I should have ignored this thread, I started with acoustic shit though.

I would never let anyone tell me how to be good. xD I'm far too metalcore.
watermelon murderer
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January 12th, 2006 at 05:43pm
I started with accoustic guitar. helped alot!
i think it made me a better guitarist because of it. with accoustic, i find that it is a little harder to make some stuff sound really good really fast so if you start with accoustic, then you know if your heart is really into what you are doing. if you are not willing to take your time and put some effort into what you are going to do, you probably won't be as successful.
*meggy72*wants2bminority
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January 12th, 2006 at 05:50pm
yeah, i play a sort of nerdy instrument, i guess, piano and keyboard are my main instruments, but i agree with u guys.

i think that kids should start off with an acoustic guitar and WORK their way up, because if they start off with something too hard, they'll get frusterated and give up! Its how it works with ANY instrument if you start off with music thats TOO hard! You gotta learn the notes, chords, etc first, then after a year or more get more advanced stuff
The Fool On The Hill
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January 12th, 2006 at 06:48pm
electric is easier than acoustic. so its better to start on acousitc because then its easier to swithc from an acoustic to electric. If anyone gets what i mean.

I started acoustic in june and didn't play electric until december.
State Radio
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January 12th, 2006 at 08:17pm
I have something a new player shouldn't do...They Should NOT Smash Their Instrument Upon Thy Ground
(Sic)
Idiot
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January 12th, 2006 at 09:18pm
I agree with most of it. I got an acoustic first and absolutly hated it. I totally lost intrest in it, I couldn't add effects and distoration. Now I play electric, and I REGRET getting the acoustic, it made me loose intrest for almost a whole year. Acoustic is MUCH harder then electric, I say get a cheap electric first, and get a dang book. I learned all the e,f,g,b,c,d,eb,ab... etc. notes with it. Doing so I played some very easy songs, boring, but easy and it was a song and it is practise.

Get a cheap electric first, cheap amp.
Get a God darn book.
Franny.
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January 12th, 2006 at 09:25pm
you don't necessarily need a book. the internet has a wide range of sources that can help you if you're a beginner.
in_paradise_with_st_jimmy
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January 12th, 2006 at 10:09pm
If you're just starting out on the bass, you can try and hold down the string with your thumb until you get a feel for what the notes sound like and you can pick up speed. Then ease into holding down the strings with your fingers. Just don't get into a habit of using your thumb, you won't be able to move as fast. That's what I started out doing and now it's a lot easier to hold down the strings with my fingers.
Ten Years Gone
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January 13th, 2006 at 05:01am
~I Am Canadian~:
I agree with most of it. I got an acoustic first and absolutly hated it. I totally lost intrest in it, I couldn't add effects and distoration. Now I play electric, and I REGRET getting the acoustic, it made me loose intrest for almost a whole year. Acoustic is MUCH harder then electric, I say get a cheap electric first, and get a dang book. I learned all the e,f,g,b,c,d,eb,ab... etc. notes with it. Doing so I played some very easy songs, boring, but easy and it was a song and it is practise.

Get a cheap electric first, cheap amp.
Get a God darn book.


Yeah, same. Electric is easier to stick with, but when I wanted to go back to acoustic, it was really hard and took a while to get used to. So it can really go both ways.
Norris
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January 13th, 2006 at 05:12am
The ideal situation, if you have the money, would be to do both. Playing the acoustic helps train you to play 'musically' and strengthen your hands and stuff, and playing the elctric helps you to do all the elctric stuff.

Personally, I didn't have any money - I learnt on my dad's 20 year old beat-up acoustic (now pushing 30), and when he got his electric a few years ago, he let me play that. Couple of years ago saved up enough to buy my own electric, and I got an acoustic of my own for christmas just before that.

None of it was planned, but looking back, learning on acoustic was the best thing I could have done.

Quote
nylon stringed acoustics are awesome too! i started with classical and i definitely prefer that over the steel string since (to me) it's got a better sound.


yes they are awesome, but if you learn on a steel-strung one, it strengthens your hand, and if you can get soft but confident tones out of a steel-strung guitar, you know you're doing well Very Happy

Norris
x x x
newagecarny
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Mibba
January 13th, 2006 at 09:39am
Gustav! At The Disco.:
Damn, I knew I should have ignored this thread, I started with acoustic shit though.

I would never let anyone tell me how to be good. xD I'm far too metalcore.

lmfao

word. Cool
platypus30
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January 13th, 2006 at 11:45pm
i have been playing for only a little while and i got a good book and i have both kinds of guitars, ones really old and ones really cheep, i get stuff off of the internet too, you gotta just play as much as you want and not play untill you hate it (if that is possible)
Dom
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January 14th, 2006 at 11:53am
I don't see why you should start with acoustic, yeah so theres a thicker string gauge. I actually started with classical guitar for two years. Then bought an electric guitar, but i don't think it would have made much of a difference to my playing if i had done it the other way around. Classical guitar is easier to play than a steel strung, however playing rock on it could be quite difficult as the neck joins the body at the 12th fret.
nasse_noff
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January 14th, 2006 at 06:21pm
I think newbies should try to learn songs that they like, I think it's wrong to start with lame songs that you don't want to play, but you play it because somebody tells you to. Play what you want, but don't search for songs that is way more difficult than your skills can handle.
Franny.
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January 14th, 2006 at 08:01pm
Dom:
I don't see why you should start with acoustic, yeah so theres a thicker string gauge. I actually started with classical guitar for two years. Then bought an electric guitar, but i don't think it would have made much of a difference to my playing if i had done it the other way around. Classical guitar is easier to play than a steel strung, however playing rock on it could be quite difficult as the neck joins the body at the 12th fret.


classical buddies woo!! attempting to play power chords on it was my biggest mistake whilst having only the classical to play.
mutual_zombie
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January 14th, 2006 at 10:30pm
I can understand that people want to start off with an electric because it seems easier to them, but I have a friend who wants to learn guitar, and is trying to start off by playing like her favourite (hardcore) guitarist, when she doesn't know what "G" actually means... Maybe it's just me, but I'm not all that great at guitar and I find it easier to play an acoustic because the strumming just sounds better for practising...
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