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November 2005
Posts: 4827
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | ?????? :eek: :eek: ????
Beach Boys; Pet Sounds > headphones > evening sun on your face.
Good enough to spur Macca on to something better... :rolleyes: |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 4827
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | First guitar teacher, Dean Dixon. (He died in prison, I claim that for my blues bona fides) Showed me a bit. I was thirteen and he said I was starting too late to be great. Said I'd settle for being the second best guitar player in the world. Promptly wrote a song to that effect.
Second teacher, Johnny Johnson. Karl Hourigan (Helen Gone- google it) and I pooled our half hour lessons to share an hour together. Johnny, with his stubby cigar fingers, was an inspiration. Karl, with his focused attention to detail, was a prod. We skimmed 7 years of guitar theory in 18 months...naturally I have forgotten most of it.
But the bits of inspiration Johnny shared continues to inspire both of us over 35 years later.
And Johnny hired me to play bass in his danceband! My first paying gig at 15! |
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Joined:
February 2004
Posts: 171
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma | Borrowed an old Gibson guitar from my brother in law and bought a Peter, Paul and Mary book that had pictures of the chords... Figured out majors, minors, 7th's and 9th's. After Puff the Magic Dragon and others I moved on to John Denver and Jim Croce. Sat and figured out Jim Croce note for note. In college I played in an acoustic band and figured out I could transpose just about any song into just about any key. I'm lucky enough to be able to just about figure out a song before I ever grab a guitar or sit down at a piano. For some reason I'm a jack of all trades and a master of none.... |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 4827
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | I find that's easiest whe you accept the fact that ALL songs have only three chords...anything else is just for show! ;)
..............................................
Really, as far as I'm concerned, I haven't learned to play yet. In fact I refuse the term. I am a lifelong student, I'll never know it all.
(all evidence to the contrary should be ignored.) |
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Joined:
May 2004
Posts: 383
Location: Indiana | For me it was from a record......actually 2 of them. When I was 11, my brother bought a guitar.A friend of his gave him a record ("Play guitar with the Ventures, Vol 2").He never learned how to play, but I did (on his guitar). Bought Vol 1 later. It worked for me.Been doin it for 43 years now.
Bill |
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Joined:
July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | I used to sing in a school choir, and one of the songs that we sang was "Teach Your Children" by CSNY, while accompanied by two guitarists at that time. One year later, after hearing Jim Croce on the radio, I acquired a Gibson knockoff from my aunt. That was when I started teaching myself how to play.
With some help from my cousin, I managed to learn the basic major and minor chords. No barre chords, Bs and Fs at that time though... Trusting my ears, I picked up the chord pattern of D-G-D-A, and learned Teach Your Children, which I used to sing the year before. Played strumming mostly, until an acquaintance showed me the basics of fingerpicking. It was then that I got into Croce's music more... |
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December 2005
Posts: 117
| When I decided I wanted to learn, a friend of mine wanted to teach me what he had learned in lessons. He basically told me to learn an easy part from "Cant Stop" by Red Hot Chili Peppers, and showed me how to hold the guitar and a pick (I never liked the pick part."
After that I started learning songs by Coheed and Cambria, all on an acoustic because I had heard it helped build finger and arm strength. I originally planned to get an electric after I learned the basics, but I ended up getting my O instead, because I realized how awesome acoustics can be.
Once I had technique down, and got tired of the simple songs I was learning, I wanted to learn songs by the band 3 and their front man Joey Eppard. There are no tabs around for him, so I started learning his stuff by ear and tabbing some of it out (some is on paintbynumbers.mypunbb.com). Anyway, this is where I am now, trying to get some theory down, and training my ear.
I also never play with a pick. I found it way more comfortable to play with my fingers. |
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Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 616
Location: cincinnati, ohio | Originally quoted by nonis:
I also never play with a pick. I found it way more comfortable to play with my fingers.
Yeah-- I agree! I'm almost there; I fingerpick a lot, and most of the time I try to "fingerstrum" on strumming songs. The upside is you can pick the bass notes cleanly that way with your thumb or index finger.
However, there are some rhythm songs on 12-string -- most Eagles stuff and Lightfoot rhythm stuff -- that I still use a pick on. I have these Fred Kelly "speedpick" thumbpicks that I use; the band that goes on your thumb is like a standard thumbpick, but the pick part is just a thin, narrow tab that gives you a really light, fast touch. I've always had trouble hanging on to a conventional pick, and I can strum WAY faster this way. Check 'em out at http://www.fredkellypicks.com/ to get a look at them. I'm not quite clean enough yet to use just fingers for strumming on these songs (e.g., "Take It Easy;" "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald;" et.al.). |
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April 2006
Posts: 1138
Location: CT | I still haven't learned. I wanted H# to be my first chord, so after that, the sky's the limit. |
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December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | There were usually instruments around the house. My Sister's Guild D50 was the best. Dad, meaning well would bring home the occasional high actioned unit. We stayed up on our Tetanous shots.
Folksy rock was the medium being shared so CSN&Y, Cat Stephens and later John Denver easy books provided graphic instruction to chord patterns and such.
Listening to Albums or Cassettes over and over to pick out patterns.
Tried the Mel Bay stuff but couldn't sit through it. |
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Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 863
Location: Central Florida | Although I did take formal lessons for about a year, most of what I know about chord voicing and strumming/picking tecnique I learned from watching Glen Campbell on TV in the late 60s and early 70s. |
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November 2004
Posts: 1330
Location: ms | I started at about 19 after finding out i had lost 40 percent hearing in my left ear and some in my right from playing drums since i was 5. It was a blessing in the long run, i always loved guitar but was way too lasy to learn. And i learned to take better care of my hearing (ear plugs). I picked up an acoustic because it was not too loud, and it gave me an outlet for music.Around 1979 i had moved to Baton Rouge La. A friend of mine who i had played drums for years started an acoustic thing after i left Ms. I started booking them places to play in La so i could set in with them.The next year i moved back to Ms and started collage and spent most nites playing 5-6 hours,all nite on weekends and learning really bad habbits. Its been downhill since.I never really learned many cover songs, most of the people i played with wrote their own stuff and i just started writing my own. I could never do cover songs well anyway. |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Problems with plectra :confused: could it be,is it really so, that little humble I ,can "teach" the¨= Master of SUPAGLOOH =to use that magic blop on a plecter,my oh my ,I feel 10 feet tall, :p and that U can n`t play guitar ?next U re going to tell us that U breath like a steam engine and sing like a crow kidding aside Rick my man,I allways look forward to read a thread by You,and I wish that there was n`t a ocean between us,for I would like to do a gig together with U,and as for the music...do n`t fret about it,I can n`t play either ;)
Vic |
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August 2005
Posts: 616
Location: cincinnati, ohio | Original quote by Al Pep:
....took lessons on and off all through grade school with the mel bay method. (AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH)
Original quote by M. Woody:
Tried the Mel Bay stuff but couldn't sit through it.
I had the Mel Bay Primer. All the pictures in it were from the 1930's. Actually learned quite a few chords, though. Still, when I think back on it....AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!
Original quote by V-elite:
next U re going to tell us that U breath like a steam engine and sing like a crow.
Nahhhhh.... I just LOOK like a crow that's been run over by a steam engine. Comes from all those superglue fumes. |
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Joined:
May 2004
Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | Originally posted by brainslag:
I still haven't learned. I wanted H# to be my first chord, so after that, the sky's the limit. My first was Am, but so was I at the time, so it's all cool. ;) |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | In 1975, some one gave me an old Guild, with signatures of everyone who previously learned to play on it (about a dozen names). My first song was Leaving on a Jet Plane. My next was House of the Rising Sun. As a Travelling Hippie, I knew the prerequisite seven chords. Still do.
Last year, for my birthday, I bought myself a Beginners Electric Combo for $97.(Lyon, by Washburn) Now, as I am approaching Fifty, I bought my Balladeer. I actually know barre chords now. Still can't quite do a Bm with my eyes closed (don't know why, I can do all the others), but I still got 40 days till I'm 50! And I have faith. |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Yeah,those are real nice songs,and a nice instrument to play them on,sure U can play with closed eyes ,hard to see with long hair dangling in front of your nose ,I guess that U learned Bm after U got that haircut ;) kidding aside That GUILD was allready old when it was given to U,so how old do U think it is ? Still got it ? and what model is it,and how would U rate it compared to that Balladeer :confused: :cool:
Vic |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | V-- No, I was given that Guild, which I passed-on to another Freak who could play for spare-change with it. Time check-- That was 31 years ago. Until I got that Pseudo-Strat, I just played with other people stuff. Y'know, sitting in a circle in the park, passing things around. I have only been seriously practicing since 11/28/06. I'll be practicing for the rest of my life.
I just seem to have trouble with fifth-sting minor barre chords. Sixth strings barre chords are OK. Fifth string Majors, OK.
Anyway, I still have long-hair. But it has gotten thin enough on top that it don't hang in my eyes anymore. |
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August 2006
Posts: 122
Location: Tucson, AZ | ...a buddy showed me the E-shape chord (and nothing else)...played EVERY chord that way up & down the neck for about 4 years before I was shown the "error of my ways" while trying to replicate the descending chord line in ONE NOTE SAMBA (ha,ha)
...then a guy handed me a 1943-copy of MEL BAY's "Orchestra Chords" book (red/white/black cover) and I taught myself everything since then...including sight reading notation and music theory (lots of reading).
...so, I'm 100% self-taught, so I can't blame ANY of my mistakes on OTHERS! (ha,ha). |
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August 2005
Posts: 616
Location: cincinnati, ohio | Originally quoted by cruster:
My first was Am, but so was I at the time, so it's all cool.
Huh? Oh, I get it. (groan!) I'm not as quick on the uptake as I used to be.
Originally quoted by Old Tele Man: |
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August 2005
Posts: 616
Location: cincinnati, ohio | Oops!
Originally quoted by Old Tele man:
...then a guy handed me a 1943-copy of MEL BAY's "Orchestra Chords" book (red/white/black cover) and I taught myself everything since then...including sight reading notation and music theory (lots of reading).
Finally, a vote for Mel Bay. Mel just passed away about a year(?) or so ago. I think he was around 120 years old. |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | I`m not gonna make a remark about soopagooh,after all,a couple o`Am`s can be a sticky business ass is :eek: at least TeleMan can be cheerfull about his mistakes,He must be takin`a distant approach to it all ;) :)
Vic |
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August 2006
Posts: 122
Location: Tucson, AZ | ...what was it that Lurch of the Addams Family on "The Munsters?" used to say: "...I used to be BAD, but I'm MUCH better now?"
...when I play my wife comments: "Hey, you're not half bad...but, that also means you're only HALF good too!"
...nothing like "knowing" you place! |
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Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | TELE my Friend, at least your "place" is not a lonely one,whenever I pick up my guitar,everyone else put down theirs :( seems as if they`re jealous.. :rolleyes: but then again,I can play that G pefedtly back to fro ;) |
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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by Old Tele man:
...what was it that Lurch of the Addams Family on "The Munsters?" used to say: "...I used to be BAD, but I'm MUCH better now?" It was John Astin (Gomez Addams) but it was on "Night Court". ;) |
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How Did You Learn To Play Guitar?
