Learning to play the guitar

[The Leper Fairy]

Can anyone point me in the right direction for starting the guitar? Which guitar to buy, what books are the most helpful and such? I'm totally lost...

[Worm of Despite]

Keyboards rule! Oh, sorry.

[The Leper Fairy]

I used to play piano. I did it for about 5 years but I hated every minute of it so I quit.

[aTOMiC]

I can tell you from my experiences that whatever you have in mind to learn on guitar should reflect the music you enjoy or it will be hard to endure the learning process. If you enjoy rock you may be better off starting on an inexpensive electric guitar. Accoustic guitars with steel strings can be difficult to learn on and are rough on your finger tips in the beginning however an accoustic with nylon strings may be even easier than the electric. Finding instruction books is easy and choosing one again depends on what music you'd like to learn. I'd pick up a beginners book that features fairly simple songs you'd genuinely like to learn. I hope that helps a bit.

[CovenantJr]

I tried to learn guitar once. Eventually, I was able to play two chords, but not successively.

[The Leper Fairy]

I tried to learn guitar once. Eventually, I was able to play two chords, but not successively.

I can only hope to attain such greatness

[CovenantJr]

Cheeky wench!

[The Leper Fairy]

[Theo]

What do you want to play? Basic rock electric guitar is very different from, say, folk acoustic guitar, not to mention classical. Try to get as directly as possible to what you actually want to be able to play, that'll save a lot of time and frustration. (Of course, there aren't shortcuts to all places or even most. But, for example, you don't need to be able to play complex chords to play Ramones songs. )

[Earthblood]

Going cheap is one route, but I found that a middle of the road guitar (I love my Alvarez 6 string acoustic) really made my learning easier. Also, I agree that you should start by playing the type of music you like. You can spend a lot of money on a sweet Gibson or a nice Stratocaster, but you may find you don't like it. Luckily, there is usually a fairly good resale market for guitars (like anything, you don't get back what you paid for it tho)

As Theo said, many of your favorite tunes are probably fairly simple chords & progressions. Once you get down your basics, you can learn more from there.

Any way you go, keep practicing and play what you like. I have been playing for nearly 20 years. I'm not really good, but I can play a lot of my favorite tunes & it is very relaxing to sit & strum away for a few hours.....

[Revan]

Can anyone point me in the right direction for starting the guitar?

*Points to guiter shop*

[The Leper Fairy]

Thanks guys! I think I'm going to get a cheap Washburn dreadnought acoustic. I still have to bring myself to order everything. I'm sure I'll be glad once I do though.

[CovenantJr]

Ooh, so talented! Is there anything you can't do?

[Lord Mhoram]

Can anyone point me in the right direction for starting the guitar?

*Points to guiter shop*

[The Leper Fairy]

Ooh, so talented! Is there anything you can't do?

I can't turn left.

[Revan]

Ooh, so talented! Is there anything you can't do?

I can't turn left.

I can think of a list... but I;m not that mean.

[CovenantJr]

And Darth's so talented too! Is there any list you can't think of?

[Revan]

And Darth's so talented too! Is there any list you can't think of?

No.

[The Leper Fairy]

I bet you can't think of a list of things you can think of!

[CovenantJr]

Haha, how cunning!