Learning to Play Guitar

www.jamplay.com

I highly recommend them. I was asked to be a part of their upcoming bass lessons launch but I just don't have the time. Wish I did.

Be forewarned, if you have steel strings your finger tips will hurt at the start.  It's kind of like getting used to the saddle on your bike at first.  If you can push through the initial pain, it is a wonderful friend for the rest of your life. 

I still have my 12 string acoustic from college from 197......(muffled date).  It has been all around the country with me, on canoes and even in the mountains. 

I am saddened that schools don't push learning to play instruments as they did in my day.  Maybe if they did, more youngersters would be comfortable within their own skins instead of always having to be bouncing off of someone else.  But then what do I know.

Learn more than just chords.  Learn scales and learn how those scales work with the chords you are playing.  It can get boring to learn scales, but you also start to understand how to use different notes depending upon if you are playing and E or and Em chord.  Learn the circle of 5ths and how that relates to music.

Learn different fingering and learn to use your pinky and get the strength and movement out of it.  I only play bass now, and mostly only the double bass, but do pick up my acoustic from time to time to just mess around.  I have broken my left pinky a few times playing basketball in the last 40 years so the range of motion is not very good and it really shows when playing different songs.

Go online and print out a fingering sheet on how to play the chords.  I can jam with different musicians as a bass player, because I was a guitar player for many years growing up so I know what chords they are playing, and learn what keys songs are in with the chords being played.

MOST OF ALL -- - -- --  ENJOY!!!!!!!

We're getting my son a guitar as well, and one of the reasons I'm doing this is to kind of help make sure it doesn't just become a toy.  We'll see how it goes.  He's 5, so there is a solid chance this won't work.  We'll see.

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Thanks for all the replies.  Sounds like youtube is my best bet, and I'll check out the others as well.  One thing that stinks is that I can't open it until Christmas.  I'm actually kinda excited to start now.

Lots of good comments.  Be sure you take care of your fine musical instrument by picking up a humidifier -- it will really make a big difference in the sound (replace the pack when it becomes brittle).

http://www.planetwaves.com/PWHumidity.Page

After you can play a few chords and get some nice sound coming out of it, take it to a reputable guitar shop for an adjustment.  You'll be amazed at how much better it will sound.

Regarding learning to play, I'll only add that if you want to progress at a faster pace, look for something more structured, like jamplay.com (mentioned above), guitarlessons.com, or truefire.com

Learn the circle of fifths until you can recite it from memory in both directions.  Chord progressions will make so much more sense.

Most important, play EVERY DAY, even if it's just 10-15 minutes.  You'll be amazed at how fast you progress.