Learning to play guitar?

[xcrunner]

I am a 17 year old rising senior in high school, and over the past year, I have fell in love with music and would love to learn how to play guitar and maybe during college start independently writing and recording my own songs. My problem is I have no idea where to start. My dad used to be a somewhat prominent drummer, and he also sort of plays guitar, but I was wondering if anyone has any tips outside of that as well. If not I'm perfectly fine just talking to him. Also, I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask, but does anyone have any advice for doing my own thing independently and building some popularity eventually? Any advice is well appreciated! Thanks!

[TheBig3]

Just look up some tab of your favorite song. Theres no better way to learn than by doing something you enjoy.

Someone somewhere will tell you scales. And that persons an idiot, because no one every enjoyed scales.

[Gavin B.]

I'm going to sound like a nagging schoolmaster, but learn to sight read music and study basic music theory. Nearly every great musician has done this, with the rare exception of a handful of musical savants like Coltrane. But you're probably not John Coltrane, no matter how many people tell you that you're a musical genius.

Seek out a musical mentor, even if you have to pay that person for lessons. I moved 900 miles away to a strange city at age 19 to take guitar lessons from a player I admired. I drove a cab & lived in a hovel for 2 years because I was spending half my income on guitar lessons.

I never became rich or famous but I learned everything I know about music over the course of 120 lessons from Eric Schoenberg. You never discover how ignorant you really are until you take lessons from a musical master.

[TheBig3]

Originally Posted by Gavin B.

I'm going to sound like a nagging schoolmaster, but learn to sight read music and study basic music theory. Nearly every great musician has done this, with the rare exception of a handful of musical savants like Coltrane. But you're probably not John Coltrane, no matter how many people tell you that you're a musical genius.

Seek out a musical mentor, even if you have to pay that person for lessons. I moved 900 miles away to a strange city at age 19 to take guitar lessons from a player I admired. I drove a cab & lived in a hovel for 2 years because I was spending half my income on guitar lessons.

I never became rich or famous but I learned everything I know about music over the course of 120 lessons from Eric Schoenberg. You never discover how ignorant you really are until you take lessons from a musical master.

You'd suggest, to someone who's new to an instrument, to learn the most boring and stuff portions of the art first?

Would you suggest someone learning to speak English start with grammar?

[Plankton]

Plenty of you tube vids out there for beginners. Start out with proper hand placement and techniqes, this will be the foundation on which you grow as a player.

...and welcome to the world of guitar playing.

[Gavin B.]

You'd suggest, to someone who's new to an instrument, to learn the most boring and stuff portions of the art first?

Yes.

[DriveYourCarDownToTheSea]

Originally Posted by xcrunner

I am a 17 year old rising senior in high school, and over the past year, I have fell in love with music and would love to learn how to play guitar and maybe during college start independently writing and recording my own songs. My problem is I have no idea where to start. My dad used to be a somewhat prominent drummer, and he also sort of plays guitar, but I was wondering if anyone has any tips outside of that as well. If not I'm perfectly fine just talking to him. Also, I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask, but does anyone have any advice for doing my own thing independently and building some popularity eventually? Any advice is well appreciated! Thanks!

When I was maybe 2 years younger than you I took about a dozen guitar lessons, then afterwards I taught myself gradually over the years. I was always into acoustic guitar stuff, like Crosby Stills & Nash, James Taylor and Simon & Garfunkel. There were songs I had always wanted to play, and my goal was to teach myself these songs. One of those songs was this, and by the time I was about 30 I could play it just like Paul Simon. Nowadays I can practically play it in my sleep, and can easily recover if I mess up somewhere and it's barely noticeable.

Pick something you *want* to play really bad, and make it your goal to play it as good as the artist you're trying to emulate.

[TheBig3]

Originally Posted by Gavin B.

Yes.

You'd make a hell of a teacher.

[Burning Down]

Originally Posted by TheBig3

You'd suggest, to someone who's new to an instrument, to learn the most boring and stuff portions of the art first?

I would. Actually I already do this. But picking up the instrument right away is equally important, mostly to gauge the student's interest.

[TheBig3]

Originally Posted by Burning Down

I would. Actually I already do this. But picking up the instrument right away is equally important, mostly to gauge the student's interest.

I assume both of you are coming at it from experience, but its not a good way to teach (imo). Sure, if a parent is forcing their child to learn it will work, but Rosetta Stone has taught more people to speak a language than traditional high school classes.

Done is better than perfect. Once a person enjoys doing something, they'll naturally want to improve. No one enjoys scale practice.