Best book for beginners for learning how to play acoustic guitar?

Zenith12 · 02-28-2013, 08:51 PM

Well I'm in the market for a new hobby and acoustic guitar greatly peaks my interest, I just want to play to myself for fun and serenade some girls seems like a great way to unwind.

Anyways.

I just want to learn how to play acoustic guitar on my own, I don't want to commit to any classroom lessons. I've never even held a guitar before and I don't know the first thing about them, I don't own a guitar yet but once I find a suitable book I'll buy one, I am greenhorn NEW. What is the best book for beginners? One that'll teach me how to play.

Please recommend me a book that'll get me playing my first song, I'd appreciate any help and recommendations.

Afro Blue · 03-18-2013, 01:48 AM

well, it would be good to learn how to read TAB, that way you can easily play songs that you like,.

I dont know about begginer books, i guess anything you can get your hands on will be a good place to start.
THe guitar is a shape oriented instrument, so you learn to make shapes with your fingers to get chords.
One hand does the chord the other strums. Very basic, learn as much chords as you can, learn how to strum the guitar in tempo ( get a metronome). Anyone can learn anytime, if theres interest you can do it.

Best of luck on your musical travels. And lucky you that you have internet access to yo talk to other people about it.

Hope you find in music what you are looking for.

thedon89 · 03-20-2013, 10:25 PM

I am in a similar situation as you here. I want my next instrument to be the guitar, nothing major, just enough to pick it up and be good enough to play songs and not be embarrassed about it. I can read tab and have picked up my partners guitar in the past but never got any further than learning a couple of chords.

Good luck!!

D x

duga · 03-20-2013, 10:43 PM

There are plenty of resources online these days for free. No need to buy a book at all. Back in the day I bought "Guitar for Dummies" and it actually helped quite a bit. It taught me all the basic chords...but honestly you don't need that. Just go look up a few beginner's tutorials and learn all the key open chords. Once you can go from G to D or any other chord without any huge issues, you can probably move on to learning some actual songs.

First song I learned was kumbaya. Seriously. Now I can play most things I put my mind to. Just stick with it.

thedon89 · 03-20-2013, 11:06 PM

I'll try and find out what the site was the my partner learned to play from and I'll let you know!

Wolfi65 · 04-20-2013, 05:43 AM

Ernie Ball's Phase I is pretty good, as well as suitably cheap. Plus, it starts you off on the right foot since it's in standard musical notation. Tab is VERY limited and limiting.

LoathsomePete · 04-22-2013, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolfi65

Ernie Ball's Phase I is pretty good, as well as suitably cheap. Plus, it starts you off on the right foot since it's in standard musical notation. Tab is VERY limited and limiting.

That's what I started off on and I absolutely loved it. There was a lot of information in it and it stresses proper notation so you can actually learn what the notes are and how they look on sheet music. Tab will help you learn how to play some songs, but unless you take the time to learn the notes, it will only teach you how to mimic.

So yeah, Ernie Ball's Phase I & II all the way.

FRED HALE SR. · 04-24-2013, 10:29 AM

Mel Bay mastering the guitar 1-A was what I used. I guess it really depends on what techniques you're looking to develop or learn.

kelley8 · 05-20-2013, 02:05 AM

Hello, for guitar lessons you can take help from good quality method books. I learnt the piano from method books which I found on musicforte.com. It has great books for beginners and professionals guitarist. Here I also found a great collection of music sheets for the piano, guitar etc. They offer a low price guarantee and a 30 day refund policy.

MgudFrn · 06-01-2013, 10:59 PM

You can use a software called 'Guitar Pro' to learn guitars. But first you have to learn how to read the tabs. You may do it simply with google!!

02-28-2013, 08:51 PM	#1 (permalink)
Zenith12 Groupie Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Daytona Beach, Florida Posts: 19	Best book for beginners for learning how to play acoustic guitar? Well I'm in the market for a new hobby and acoustic guitar greatly peaks my interest, I just want to play to myself for fun and serenade some girls seems like a great way to unwind. Anyways. I just want to learn how to play acoustic guitar on my own, I don't want to commit to any classroom lessons. I've never even held a guitar before and I don't know the first thing about them, I don't own a guitar yet but once I find a suitable book I'll buy one, I am greenhorn NEW. What is the best book for beginners? One that'll teach me how to play. Please recommend me a book that'll get me playing my first song, I'd appreciate any help and recommendations.

03-20-2013, 10:43 PM	#4 (permalink)
duga MB quadrant's JM Vincent Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 3,762	There are plenty of resources online these days for free. No need to buy a book at all. Back in the day I bought "Guitar for Dummies" and it actually helped quite a bit. It taught me all the basic chords...but honestly you don't need that. Just go look up a few beginner's tutorials and learn all the key open chords. Once you can go from G to D or any other chord without any huge issues, you can probably move on to learning some actual songs. First song I learned was kumbaya. Seriously. Now I can play most things I put my mind to. Just stick with it. __________________ Confusion will be my epitaph...

05-20-2013, 02:05 AM	#9 (permalink)
kelley8 Groupie Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 4	Hello, for guitar lessons you can take help from good quality method books. I learnt the piano from method books which I found on musicforte.com. It has great books for beginners and professionals guitarist. Here I also found a great collection of music sheets for the piano, guitar etc. They offer a low price guarantee and a 30 day refund policy. __________________ sheet music

03-18-2013, 01:48 AM	#2 (permalink)
Afro Blue Music Addict Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: in a wave Posts: 54	well, it would be good to learn how to read TAB, that way you can easily play songs that you like,. I dont know about begginer books, i guess anything you can get your hands on will be a good place to start. THe guitar is a shape oriented instrument, so you learn to make shapes with your fingers to get chords. One hand does the chord the other strums. Very basic, learn as much chords as you can, learn how to strum the guitar in tempo ( get a metronome). Anyone can learn anytime, if theres interest you can do it. Best of luck on your musical travels. And lucky you that you have internet access to yo talk to other people about it. Hope you find in music what you are looking for.

03-20-2013, 10:25 PM	#3 (permalink)
thedon89 Groupie Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Yorkshire, England Posts: 14	I am in a similar situation as you here. I want my next instrument to be the guitar, nothing major, just enough to pick it up and be good enough to play songs and not be embarrassed about it. I can read tab and have picked up my partners guitar in the past but never got any further than learning a couple of chords. Good luck!! D x

03-20-2013, 11:06 PM	#5 (permalink)
thedon89 Groupie Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Yorkshire, England Posts: 14	I'll try and find out what the site was the my partner learned to play from and I'll let you know!

04-20-2013, 05:43 AM	#6 (permalink)
Wolfi65 Groupie Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 35	Ernie Ball's Phase I is pretty good, as well as suitably cheap. Plus, it starts you off on the right foot since it's in standard musical notation. Tab is VERY limited and limiting.

04-24-2013, 10:29 AM	#8 (permalink)
FRED HALE SR. Neo-Maxi-Zoom-Dweebie Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: So-Cal Posts: 3,752	Mel Bay mastering the guitar 1-A was what I used. I guess it really depends on what techniques you're looking to develop or learn.

06-01-2013, 10:59 PM	#10 (permalink)
MgudFrn Groupie Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1	You can use a software called 'Guitar Pro' to learn guitars. But first you have to learn how to read the tabs. You may do it simply with google!!