OK, I know a teacher would be faster and easier but… I don’t live near any good teachers.
Can you recomend a book or website for 2 beginners. I’ve always wanted to learn and so does my 12 yo son so we will learn it together. We got him a Squire Bullet for christmas (neon orange!) and I have an old Kay.
any recomendations welcome. Thanks,
[quote]danmaftei wrote:
Then it’s time to move into Frank Zappa, Tom Waits, Mr. Bungle, and all their bastard indie offspring. :-D[/quote]
Some Zappa I can do. Mr. Bungle I don’t really care for. Their singer is better in Faith no More.
You could always just teach yourself like Tom Morello (formely of Rage Against the Machine and currently of Audioslave) did… Just get a shitty guitar and fuck around with it for 3 hours a day every day while you are in college.
Please note the sarcasm, I don’t think anybody could really imitate his method or his style
Nice thread.
I’ll give my input since I’ve recently been through what you’re doing.
First off, I can’t believe that nobody has mentioned the coolest guitars ever–Gretsch!! But I wouldn’t get one of those first. I paid $299 for an Ibanez Artcore semi hollow guitar that is really good. The Artcores have gotten good reviews and I agree. It has humbuckers so it’s good for any kind of classic rock and some blues or jazz stuff. Definitely get something less expensive while you figure out what direction you really want to go. I thought it was all about Zeppelin when I started, but now I’m branching out.
As far as structured practice, I could use more. Guitar is a hobby I like to have fun with. An approach I like is to dedicate the first part of practice to drills–scales, exercises, whatever. Then, for the remainder of practice I like to practice songs or noodle around or whatever is fun.
About instructors; I find my lessons are often invaluable. You get feedback about stuff when you need it instead of wondering about it. But I would agree a good teacher is hard to find.
Now onto the B.S. about Hendrix being self taught. Yes, he was self taught, but that doesn’t tell much of the story. He practiced ALL DAY, EVERY DAY. He would play in gigs and even practice during the breaks. He would sleep with his guitar. I only added this because some people like to justify not having a teacher because Hendrix didn’t have a teacher (though he had access to good players.) Many people may not need a teacher, but most don’t practice like the good, self-taught people.
I can’t add much about theory 'cause I’m just starting on that voyage myself. All I know is I really want to learn the stuff 'cause I feel held back without it. But I’m still such a beginer that I need lots of things…
Anyway, I hope I didn’t come off too conceited. Guitar and music are awesome and I hope you have lots of fun with them!!
(btw, I got my dream Gretsch for Christmas! I was a VERY good boy!)
Nice to see a music thread. I play classical piano and compose.
Wife plays the flute and I accompany her pretty often.
I realize you want to learn more rock guitar but here
are some opinions regarding music study as a whole
(1) Consider taking theory/harmony class. Sightsinging may
help also. If someone is squatting and they don’t know it’s
for their legs then they’re pretty uninformed, right?
If you’re playing a song in D minor and you don’t know
it’s in D minor you’re pretty uninformed too. This is your base
if you’re a musician. Almost ALL Western music (barring classical
= Schoenberg) is based on basic I-V theory and chords–
especially pop music. Learn the rules.
(2) Hendrix and Page were great. No question. So is Andre Segovia
Listen to different types of music. Sitar is pretty cool sounding too,
think the Stones used it in ‘Paint it Black’.
Also Naxos (CD Company) has a bunch of discount Guitar recital CDs
The cuban music one is pretty good. Listen to Villa-Lobos’ guitar
works. Also, Rodrigo’s ‘Concierto de Aranjuez’ 2nd movement is
well known.
Wanna twist your ears?
virtually anything by Penderecki (especially ‘Threnody for Survivors
of Hiroshima’) Wanna hear what heaven sounds like? Listen to
‘Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun’ by Debussy.
[quote]heron wrote:
OK, I know a teacher would be faster and easier but… I don’t live near any good teachers.
Can you recomend a book or website for 2 beginners. I’ve always wanted to learn and so does my 12 yo son so we will learn it together. We got him a Squire Bullet for christmas (neon orange!) and I have an old Kay.
any recomendations welcome. Thanks,[/quote]
cyberfret.com and guitarnoise.com Check my first post on the first page since I go into more detail about them, it’ll help navigate through them easier. Books? Meh. I’m sure there are some good ones out there, but I haven’t found any, and if you’re self-taught, those two sites are more than enough as a beginner, and once you get better, if you’re really serious about learning you’ll pick it up somehow, through a friend, a show, a teacher, your band, etc.
BIGRAGOO, frankly, I’m surprised you actually heard of Mr. Bungle =P Yeah, their stuff is hard to get into. And hell, I’m an indie kid, despite all my rock background, so I just fall for that shit. Likewise, Faith No More doesn’t do much for me. =P Mike Patton IS a genius though.
Check out Rain Dogs by Tom Waits, and We’re Only In It for the Money by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention–the melodies are about as catchy as those of the Beatles. And if you don’t have it yet, Mr. Bungle’s last CD California is their most accessible, and some of the music is really quite breath-taking. The last part of Pink Cigarette can be enjoyed by absolutely anyone, it’s one of the most genius works of art I have ever heard.
[quote]danmaftei wrote:
BIGRAGOO, frankly, I’m surprised you actually heard of Mr. Bungle =P Yeah, their stuff is hard to get into. And hell, I’m an indie kid, despite all my rock background, so I just fall for that shit. Likewise, Faith No More doesn’t do much for me. =P Mike Patton IS a genius though.
Check out Rain Dogs by Tom Waits, and We’re Only In It for the Money by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention–the melodies are about as catchy as those of the Beatles. And if you don’t have it yet, Mr. Bungle’s last CD California is their most accessible, and some of the music is really quite breath-taking. The last part of Pink Cigarette can be enjoyed by absolutely anyone, it’s one of the most genius works of art I have ever heard.[/quote]
You’d be surprised at who I’ve heard of. I can’t say I have delved really deep into Zappa. I have heard a bit from We’re Only In It For the Money and a few other bits. For me he’s a bit hard to get. I guess it would have been better to go through your teens and twenties listen to him, rather than hear him a decade or so after he faded away. I know of Tom Waits and if were to hear one his songs I’d probably recognize it.
The latest Mr. Bungle I may check out though. But I must confess my ears are geared around Page, Satriani, Hammett, Hendrix, Clapton, Gilmore, Schon,and bands like Yes, Allman Bros., The Guess Who, Deep Purple, Jethro Tull, and of course the Beatles.
[quote]danmaftei wrote:
cyberfret.com and guitarnoise.com Check my first post on the first page since I go into more detail about them, it’ll help navigate through them easier. Books? Meh. I’m sure there are some good ones out there, but I haven’t found any, and if you’re self-taught, those two sites are more than enough as a beginner, and once you get better, if you’re really serious about learning you’ll pick it up somehow, through a friend, a show, a teacher, your band, etc.
[/quote]
got both sites bookmarked now. Thanks.
No problem heron. 
BIGRAGOO, maybe we should take this to PMs, but then again, I’ve seen worse hijacks… anyways, I got into Zappa last year, just about when I turned 17. I mean, sure, I feel like I was born in the wrong decade (being in my late teens during the mid-late 60’s would’ve been my dream) but I definitely can still get into that music decades after it.
Anyways, you do listen to great music–the Floyd and Zep are beyond astound, and I can’t believe I forgot to mention Gilmour: the man knew how to craft a solo, jesus christ. I listen to a lot more now though. I’m still a classic rock fan, but I’ve gotten equally into many styles, even non-rock related ones like hip-hop and jazz. I go through phases, either all underground hip-hop, golden age rap, indie, jazz, back to classic rock, metal. It’s all good. 
By the way, you say you like Yes, and Tull too, are you into more prog rock? I used to love ELP, I realize now they’re real fucking pretentious, but they are an excellent band.
[quote]danmaftei wrote:
No problem heron.
BIGRAGOO, maybe we should take this to PMs, but then again, I’ve seen worse hijacks… anyways, I got into Zappa last year, just about when I turned 17. I mean, sure, I feel like I was born in the wrong decade (being in my late teens during the mid-late 60’s would’ve been my dream) but I definitely can still get into that music decades after it.
Anyways, you do listen to great music–the Floyd and Zep are beyond astound, and I can’t believe I forgot to mention Gilmour: the man knew how to craft a solo, jesus christ. I listen to a lot more now though. I’m still a classic rock fan, but I’ve gotten equally into many styles, even non-rock related ones like hip-hop and jazz. I go through phases, either all underground hip-hop, golden age rap, indie, jazz, back to classic rock, metal. It’s all good.
By the way, you say you like Yes, and Tull too, are you into more prog rock? I used to love ELP, I realize now they’re real fucking pretentious, but they are an excellent band.[/quote]
Yep, I like a lot of Emerson Lake and Palmer. I’ll admit to Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young too. If it centers around well played guitar melodies, I’m on it.
swivel’s three ideas:
-understand the difference between playing and practicing.
-practice with a metronome. always.
-much more valuable than using the metronome to go faster, is using the metronome to go slower. and slower. and slower.