How I Wish I Had Learned How To Play Guitar

[Hydroman52]

Those with short attention spans, read only stuff in bold.

Does this ever happen to you? People ask "What is the most important thing you've learned about playing guitar?", and I am at a loss. This kind of stuff tends to bother me, so, below are some milestones that I have encountered. I have listed in the order that I think would have been most beneficial for me to learn. This is not the actual order that I learned about these things. Consequently, I believe that I spent a lot of time spinning my wheels on tasks that I either didn't have enough knowledge or skill set at the time to accomplish.

I began playing guitar in the early 1970s when learning opportunities were much more limited than today (no Internet, no video recording, etc.). This is applicable to my life timeframe and the technology and resources available. It's also listed in a way that would have held my interest. It probably would have been best to learn a bunch of theory, scales, and mode concepts early on, but I needed that time to chase other things that seemed to be more important at the time. I might change the listing order a little if my guitar life had begun within the last couple of years.


1. Get a good guitar - this includes a set-up and learning to take care of it (tuning to standard EADGBE, basic cleaning, install new strings, humidify, etc.) My first year or so was spent playing on some borrowed guitars that were very difficult and painful to play. Much more progress would have been made on a better quality guitar.
2. Get out amongst other people that already know how to play - get over the phobia of embarrassing yourself right away and the inspiration and learning increases exponentially. From day one.....don't isolate yourself.
3. Learn to read guitar tabulature
4. Learn open chords - C, A, G, E, & D
5. Learn a few simple songs - this would probably happen while learning guitar tabulature and open chords.
6. Learn to play with a pick - picking bass notes and strumming. This could very well be learning to finger pick, but I have nails that rip apart when playing that way.
7. Learn expanded open chords - mostly 7th chords but also sus2, sus4, maj7, etc. This wouldn't include the theory behind how they are constructed, because that would have gone over my head at this point in the learning process and I would have gotten bored (discouraged) and lost interest.
8. Learn about embellishments - hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, bends, grace notes, harmonics, etc.
9. Learn barre chords - first the A and E shapes and, later, the C, D, and G shapes.
10. Learn the concept of movable chord shapes.
11. Learn the notes on the fretboard - first the notes on the sixth string (root notes of the E & G shaped barre chords), then notes on the 5th string (root notes of the A, C, & D shaped barre chords), then shortcuts or patterns to figure out notes on other strings until totally memorized.
12. Learn about alternate tunings - start with Dropped D and Double Dropped D (Neil Young and Carly Simon "ah-ha" moment), then Open G (Rolling Stones "ah-ha" moment). Just knowing that an artist uses alternate tunings instills confidence in me that I haven't reached a dead end if I can't get the same sound as them.
13. Learn the concept that songs can be played in different Keys and use a capo.
14. Learn theory behind Major/Ionian and Minor/Aeolian modes and scales (including pentatonic scales and patterns).
15. Learn the concept of chord numbering - Major I ii iii IV V vi vii(dim) and Minor i ii(dim) III iv v VI VII.
16. Learn about chord construction - how do I make a D6 or Dmaj7 from a D chord at different locations on the fretboard?
17. Learn about other modes - Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolidian, and Locrian.

Before I picked up the guitar, I had basic knowledge of music that was generally taught in our school system. So, I already knew about basics like reading music, note types, sharps, flats, etc. and didn't have to learn completely from scratch about music.

Just some of my rambling thoughts. Of course, your mileage may vary according to your experience. Feel free to chime in with your thoughts. Have you ever thought of these things?

Hydroman52

[daryl]

Great list. I'll add.... learn to feel the music you are playing.

[tovo]

Agree that's a great list and I got a lot from reading it.

I guess I would add...Understand that initially, improvement will come quickly but will then slow down and it takes commitment and patience for improvement to continue

[Music Junkie]

Great list Hydro. I would completely agree with the one about getting out and playing with others. That is something that I have yet to do, and I can tell that it has held me back. I am hoping to change that soon, as I have met another beginner through the flag football league my sons play in. We exchanged numbers and are going to try and get together this weekend to hang out and play. He is just learning, so I am less embarrassed about my lack of skills. We are both hoping to expand our playing and have some fun. Also, one of the other dads from the team recently picked his music back up (he is a drummer) and wanted us to come hang out and jam a bit. Maybe it could turn into a regular get together. Who knows. I am eagerly looking forward to it.

I also wish I knew more about alternate tunings.... B)

I get the theory about the scales and modes, I just don't grasp it well enough to put any of it to use... I just need to dive in a bit more and get to it. Another thing that I have heard gets better while playing with others.

J

[michelew]

Great list Hydro. I like The other guy's additions too.

I'd suggest,

"Experiment and don't be afraid to try other instruments too, especially strings ones, chances are you'll learn things you can apply back to the guitar".

[willem]

I wish too that I had learn the guitar the right way when I was young,,now it seems I have not the time left to add all this things..

Important I find: sustain while fingerpickin(alltough you can cut it sometimes),,playing in time,,and find some good styles (like James Taylor) to go on with..

Willem

[thereshopeyet]

Thanks.

[neverfoundthetime]

I like the way that list starts off Hydro..... at some point I'd add:

Keep at it!

It is so fulfilling when it comes together at some point.

[suziko]

Great list, Hydro. It took me a LOOOONG time to get over my fear of playing in front of people but I'm finally starting to do it. Yesterday the father of one of my daughter's friends stopped by to pick up his kid, saw my guitar sitting out and said "Play me something." I knew he played guitar, though I didn't know how well, and in the past I would have been too shy to play and would have somehow gotten out of it, but yesterday I said, "Ok, what do you want me to play?" Of course he said, "Anything." So I sat down and ran through a verse of the fingerpicking version of Here Comes the Sun. Did I play it perfectly? No. But I just played it and kept going. It felt good to just play and not worry too much about whatever impression I'm making on the person.

One other thing- along with what Chris is saying- is that I'd encourage people to practice regularly, even if it's just for 15 minutes a day. Keep playing regularly and plan to play for a few years. You will get better. Somehow, just by playing regularly and sticking to it, I have improved. Anybody can.

Suzi

[michelew]

That's so true Suzi. Playing everyday is really important and it all helps.

There are definitely days when I wonder why I'm bothering because I don't think I'm improving in the way I'd like to. That's especially true when I pick up a song that i worked hard on, to the point of recording and uploading, which I'm having difficulty remembering or just playing because I haven't played for a while. Yet I know I've improved a lot when I go back and watch early videos. (Which I now find...ahhh!).

So perhaps add "record yourself often, even if you're the only one that even sees it, so you can look back and see your progress"