I just turned 18 and I really want to learn Guitar as quickly as possible. What's the best advice you can give me?

Much appreciated!

rainman1985 said:

Find like-minded souls and form a band. You'll learn more by jamming and playing live than anyone could teach you.

BUT - I recommend also having lessons (preferably from a guitarist who has recorded on sessions) so that you learn those bits and pieces that come in useful from time to time.

I definetly reccomend finding a guitar teacher who seriously knows what he's doing and having he/she teach you. Personally, I taught myself how to play about 6 years ago (I'm 17 now) and I kind of have a problem with people giving me instruction just because I guess it's my personality, so I taught myself to play guitar and just started aquiring new instruments after that. If you do good with instruction, then definetly go to a guitar teacher, but if you're like me, then I guess you just gotta feel the music and learn as much first hand as you can.

My advice:

1)Check the site in my signature, it's got lots of info for (starting) funk guitarists
2)Buy a metronome and use it a lot.
3) Don't just concentrate on soloing, learn to play rhythm!
4) I learned most from figuring out classic songs, often helped by tablature from guitar magazines or books from the library. I.e. Led Zep, Pink Floyd, Cream, Hendrix...
5) Don't let guitar magazines or teachers tell you what's good guitar music. Always respect the music that made you want to play guitar.
6) Get a Squire guitar, they're cheap, look cool and sound and play well enough to do your first gigs with.
7) Have fun!!!

try play by ear too, never forget this, tonedefs guitarrists sucks big time.

a) Let everything and anything inspire you. 2 notes, 2 songs, the dryer's sound, whatever.

b) metronome

c) discipline yourself to play everyday for at least an hour.

d) chromatic scales will help your fingers get use to the fretboard.

e) Books, magazines, The Org, the websites mentioned here, the world is a wealth of information. Especially if you want to learn quick.

f) Rhythm is difficult for some people. Figure out the open chords (A, D, E, F, G) and get use to strumming different rhythms

A teacher is one way to go, but if you want to play in a band, I think you'll do best to start playing with other people NOW when you know almost nothing.

I played by myself for two years (self-taught) and barely got past "Dream On" and "Stairway to Heaven" intros. I started playing with some kids at high school who knew almost as little as I did - a drummer and another guitarist who WAS pretty good - and we just made noise for 2-3 hours.

My playing improved because I was learning to play with other folks, and driven to come up with solos and chords and stuff to jam on.

Yes, I'm still struggling to learn what exactly is a 6th/diminished chord, 20 years later, but I learned to play by ear and could play along with songs, and therefore was in bands pretty early on - mind you, I didn't kickass, but I sure had a great time and wanted to play constantly.

The second thing that REALLY improved my playing was to start recording/writing on a 4-track. By writing songs, you force yourself to move beyond the three chords you already know... and you're free to experiment with anything you want.

It all depends on how you think you'll learn best. Do you learn stuff by DOING, or by READING, or by INSTRUCTION?

Personally, if I don't actually do it, I won't learn it. I have 17 guitar books and two guitar videos and I've learned very little from them. I've learned a TON playing in bands with other guitar players who were willing to point out just how bad I was messing up their songs.
[This message was edited Tue Jan 6 18:49:55 PST 2004 by otan]