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New at Guitar

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(@antinomy)
Posts: 2
New Member
Topic starter
 

Hello, I am a rank beginner at guitar. I am middle aged, male, USA, Michigan, never married, no kids. I've been teaching myself guitar for somewhat less than two months. I made one attempt previously that lasted about a month. I've at least reached the point that other parts of my body/mind give out before my finger tips do.

The resources I've been using are Justin Sandercoe's site, YouTube videos (including those put out by the folks at Next Level Guitar), Wikipedia, Guitar Noise, Cyberfret, The Guitar Hankbook by Ralph Denyer, Fretboard Logic by Bill Edwards, How to Read Music by Roger Evans, and Google searches. I've also read, so far, the first two chapters of The Principles of Correct Practice for Guitar by Jamie Andreas and own, but have not yet used, Hal Leonard Guitar Method: Complete Edition. I'm of nerdish disposition, so I don't mind studying books.

My current equipment includes a Michael Kelly Hourglass T guitar and an Peavey Rage 158 amplifier. My strings are light.

My dream guitar, subject to change, currently is a Telecaster-style body with a maple neck and ebony fingerboard, TV Jones Classic Filtertrons in the neck and bridge positions, with locking tuners and a varitone knob. My naive thought, also subject to change, is that the Filtertrons in combination with the bright tone woods will create a high resonant peak that can then be adjusted as desired with the varitone knob. I don't claim to know what I'm talking about.

My goal for guitar, besides being able to play the thing, is to better understand music. I occasionally get songs in my head that I would one day like to transcribe. So far, I can make the A, E, D, C, G, Am, Em, and Dm open chords ring out (most of the time), but I can't yet switch between them fast enough to play anything. On the other hand, I have been making progress, no matter how slow it is. I've also been learning more about music theory--how various chords are made and the relationship between chords and scales, basic stuff like that.

If anyone wants to know more about me--although I can't imagine why they would--this site has links to most of my Web presence. One of the links is a (very) amateur fantasy novel that I wrote. I hope to write another one some day, but it takes a great deal of mental effort that I haven't managed to harness the last couple years. Life and health have been getting in the way.

 
Posted : 28/02/2011 7:57 pm
 KR2
(@kr2)
Posts: 2717
Famed Member
 

Welcome to GN, Antimony.
Sounds like you're off to a good start.
The Hal Leonard Guitar Method: Complete Edition was very helpful to me . . . the one with the DVDs.

It's the rock that gives the stream its music . . . and the stream that gives the rock its roll.

 
Posted : 01/03/2011 1:39 pm
(@sean0913)
Posts: 65
Trusted Member
 

You certainly have come a long ways, and welcome. If I see any questions that you post along the way, I'll do my best to help. I tend to gravitate more towards the theory side of things and helping others with their questions. It's what I love to do.

Sean

Guitar Instructor/Mentor
Online Guitar School for Advanced Players
http://rnbacademy.com

 
Posted : 03/03/2011 11:19 am
(@jimdunk)
Posts: 24
Eminent Member
 

Welcome. There's nothing wrong with being middle-aged -- I should know. I've been playing for a pretty long time -- you think I'd be better than I am, by now. But no matter, I can't think of a better way to occupy my time as life goes on. Hopefully I can keep up the playing for about as long as I last.

I too started out as primarily self taught. I made some decent progress, but when I hooked up with an excellent guitar teacher for private lessons, I really started to take off. Granted, for me it's no race, but it feels good to see improvements. Keep at it, it sure beats watching tv.

Jim

Make Guitar Music

 
Posted : 06/03/2011 6:12 pm