What are some tips for learning to play guitar on your own?

[FNG]

Hi everyone,

any books to recommend?

Thanks in advance.

FNG

 

[JasonRox]

Is that even possible?

I thought about learning the violin myself, but it turns out there is no convenient place to teach me in my city. And none seem to rent them out because I don't really want to buy one before making my decision.

Anyways, it certainly doesn't sound like an easy instrument to learn.

 

[3trQN]

I think really learning an instrument is all down to the individual, i guess teaching can help but its practice and dedication that counts most in my opinion.

Ive been thinking about learning the violin also, i priced up one cheap for only 85 notes and am seriously thinking about it. I currently play the guitar but am inspired to learn the violin also.

I can't recommend any books though, I am looking myself. :D

 

[devoured_elysium]

well learning instruments by your own is not really a good idea..

learning violin by your own is even worse, as you have to train your ear because unlike guitar you don't have frets, so everything you do has to be by ear, and ear in most people has to be very very well trained for years until you start to get it right.

 

[K.J.Healey]

I'm lerning violin on my own right now using a cheap practice violin my girlfriend bought. If youve played any other instruments its fairly easy to learn. But like said above, you need to have a good ear. I've been playing guitar for 10+ years now and i had some trumpet experience too.

It really helps to have skinny fingers too, not fat ones like mine.

 

[devoured_elysium]

ah, but you have 10 yeras of music training. i don't think he has..does he?

 

[Chi Meson]

I think if you teach yourself, it's only a fiddle.

 

[FNG]

ah, but you have 10 yeras of music training. i don't think he has..does he?

Hi, I am so glad to see replies here.

Thanks all.

Hm, I don't know whether I have a good ear...but i do play the flute, piccolo, clarinet and guitar...if anyone of these helps in learning violin, that would be great.

I have heard someone mentioning that it's not easy to learn violin without prpoer instruction. But I would like to give it a try, provided i can find ANY book that teaches it.

So far I have yet to come across one...

So if anyone has an answer...please do share.

Greatly appreciate it

FNG

 

[turbo]

Hi, I am so glad to see replies here.

Thanks all.

Hm, I don't know whether I have a good ear...but i do play the flute, piccolo, clarinet and guitar...if anyone of these helps in learning violin, that would be great.

I have heard someone mentioning that it's not easy to learn violin without prpoer instruction. But I would like to give it a try, provided i can find ANY book that teaches it.

So far I have yet to come across one...

So if anyone has an answer...please do share.

Greatly appreciate it

FNG

FNG, I (and/or once could) play trumpet, baritone, French horn, flute, etc, and do a hell of a job at it. I taught myself to play guitar and I can play a hell of a lot better (blues, rock, freestyle) than most people that I know, although as you learn these crafts, you find a whole lot of people better than yourself. I once tried to learn to play fiddle on my own, having bought a very nice one from a friend who was an antiques dealer. It was rewarding, in that the entire pitch palette was available (freedom from frets), but I had so much fretted-instrument stuff ingrained me from decades of guitar that I passed it on to a nice young lady who wanted a fine European-made violin (and two bows that were probably worth more than that violin!) Anyway, good luck to you. Nothing is cast in stone, and your talents may guide you to places you do not anticipate. As a child, I had a near neighbor (about 3/4 mile) named T-Joe who was close to my parents' ages, though he acted child-like. He could play fiddle, mandolin, banjo, guitar, and rip it up, especially on traditional maritimes tunes. If it had strings, he could play it, though you could barely get a word out of him in a jam. A smile was about the best you could hope for, but it was a BIG smile.

 

[FNG]

FNG, I (and/or once could) play trumpet, baritone, French horn, flute, etc, and do a hell of a job at it. I taught myself to play guitar and I can play a hell of a lot better (blues, rock, freestyle) than most people that I know, although as you learn these crafts, you find a whole lot of people better than yourself. I once tried to learn to play fiddle on my own, having bought a very nice one from a friend who was an antiques dealer. It was rewarding, in that the entire pitch palette was available (freedom from frets), but I had so much fretted-instrument stuff ingrained me from decades of guitar that I passed it on to a nice young lady who wanted a fine European-made violin (and two bows that were probably worth more than that violin!) Anyway, good luck to you. Nothing is cast in stone, and your talents may guide you to places you do not anticipate. As a child, I had a near neighbor (about 3/4 mile) named T-Joe who was close to my parents' ages, though he acted child-like. He could play fiddle, mandolin, banjo, guitar, and rip it up, especially on traditional maritimes tunes. If it had strings, he could play it, though you could barely get a word out of him in a jam. A smile was about the best you could hope for, but it was a BIG smile.

Oh i really believe there are a hell lot of people better than me, like you for one.

I really doubt i have a good ear, but I am just cultivating another interest in life before i get too bored. NO need for the making of a Mozart lolx

 

[DaveC426913]

Huh. I wish to do this too (learn to play the violin - fiddle, actually). I can't seem to get my aws on one though. At moment I'm broke so I've got to beg borrow or steal one.

 

[Blahness]

Hey, music interests me as well!

I'm looking more towards Keyboard or Piano, myself. Hmm...

 

[JasonRox]

At moment I'm broke so I've got to beg borrow or steal one.

Too bad you can't just download a violin.

 

[K.J.Healey]

Lately I've actually slowed down on the violin after playing around with my friends concertina. Its absolutely amazing, i love it. And I plan on getting either a concertina or small accordian this winter.

Anyone who has musical interest should try playing around with one.

 

[Galileo]

You can learn to play many instruments on your own, but a violin... I don't recommend it.
First of all, it's incredibly difficult to learn.
Without someone to steer you into the right direction it could take you a really long time before you get the basics down. And there's the possibility you could learn it the wrong way, especially concerning good posture.

I'd be an astounding feat to learn it by yourself. If you can do it, more power to you!

 

[ptabor]

I would recommend against learning to play an instrument on one's own.

I started learning percussion on my own, and eventually moved on to lessons. After starting on lessons, my skill grew almost exponentially (for a while anyway, plateau is inevitable).

A teacher can provide insight, can listen to you play and spot your weaknesses, to name just a couple benefits. Beyond that, there is no way to learn proper intonation on one's own.

In short, yes you could learn the technique and to read the notes on the page, but you will not become a great performer on your own, most likely.

If you don't want to shell out the loot for the teacher (well, even if you do) I'd recommend joining a community ochestra. Check with your local university and/or community college.Generally, they'll take anyone with an interest. This will help you to become an ensemble player, learn intonation and proper form.

 

[turbo]

Hey, music interests me as well!

I'm looking more towards Keyboard or Piano, myself. Hmm...

If you can get a good deal on a used acoustic guitar that is set up well (relatively low string height, but the strings don't buzz when you strike them), get it. It's really easy to find people to play with, the instrument is portable, you can play multiple notes at one time, and best of all, once you learn how to play barre chords, you can transpose up and down the neck with no thought at all. That way if you learned a song in G and your buddy learned it in A, you can just play the same progression two frets further up and be in the same key he is in. I used to host open-mike blues jams in a local tavern, and I can't tell you how handy this instant transpostion is. You don't get this ease of transposition with a piano, unless you buy an electronic keyboard with built-in transposition (and then you're lugging an amplifier, etc so you can be heard). If you don't mind practicing and working on building calluses on the tips of your fretting fingers, you can progress faster on guitar than about any other instrument.

If you want to play in a band, you will be in high demand if you learn how to play bass guitar competently. That involves "locking in" with the drummer to drive the tempo, playing the root note on the beat (no arpeggios or grace notes, please!) and leaving space for the other instrumentalists to play in. Do not dominate the mid-range with Seinfeld-theme-song runs. Own the bottom. If you and the drummer are solid, the guitarist will have the freedom to play with timing to accent his runs. If you listen to BB King, you will notice that he jumps in on some notes just a bit ahead of the beat and let's the note "bloom". This is a part of his signature style, and he could not do this if the rhythm section was trying to "follow" him. Other blues-players hold back a bit, then "sting" a note just behind the beat for a similar emphasis. Listen to BB King, Albert King, and Albert Collins and you will find spare, simple, but extremely effect rhythm sections backing them and leaving them lots of space to do their stuff. There are plenty of guitar-slingers, but darn few good solid bassists and drummers. Since I am a guitar player and vocalist, you might think that I would pick Jimmy Page or Robert Plant as the most important member of Led Zeppelin - nope, it was the drummer, John Bonham.