Guitar for beginner.?

Julie

I love music and decide to learn guitar. Never play & read any instrument before.Age around 40.Ask my husband and he said just wasting the money. But i really want to learn.Do you think it is wasting time & money ? If not, can you tell me what the best guitar is for me. Price is Reasonable & good for beginner.Thanks

Answer
It's impossible to say what's "best" for you, it's a highly personal decision.

Go out to a wellstocked store and try different instruments, different styles, brands, models.

I would suggest you start with an acoustic guitar though. It's cheaper to get started with :)
For a decent yet cheap instrument, look at the Ibanez PF and V series. They're cheap yet good value for money. I'd not go with anything cheaper than that (and not with many that are even in that range).
A bit more money gets you an Ibanez AEL, Tanglewood 145 or 155 (hard to get in the US I heard), Seagull S6, etc.
Far better instruments, but they do cost 2-3 times as much. Maybe a good choice to defer that for a few months from now when you're certain you want to continue on what to me has been a very rewarding journey.

And get good instruction. It's far too easy to pick up bad habits when learning from some book or website.
Either personal instruction or a quality DVD based course like what you can get from http://www.learnandmasterguitar.com

Is it wasted money? Technically anything that doesn't bring a monetary return of investment is a waste of money.
That makes any hobby a waste of money.

Of course that hobby provides relief from stress, and in case of playing a musical instrument (and especially piano and guitar) is good for your hands as well (many people play as part of a treatment regimen for RSI and other muscular/nerve problems in the hands).

Where can i get a good acoustic guitar for beginners?

Q. Im 16 years old and i want to start playing the guitar. Where can i get a good acoustic guitar for someone who has never played. Thanks :D

Answer
Here's my criteria for buying a perfect beginner's guitar:

1) Your new guitar should be easy to play. Various things can go wrong with a guitar-- overly high action can make it hard to press the strings down, and poky frets can bite your fingers. Pain is not a big incentive to practice. To avoid a guitar that picks fights with you, I'd go to your local music store, where they can check your instrument's set-up before you take it home. Unless you have a shopping buddy who knows about guitars, I wouldn't go to a pawn shop. I definitely wouldn't go to wal-mart or order from a big box internet store. If youâd rather order by internet, try a place like Piccolo's Music (I work there), which was a real brick-and-mortar first and an online store second.

2) Your guitar should sound pretty good. Don't get a toy that sounds like a box with rubber bands on it. Ideally, try to get one with a solid-top. Their sound will sweeten with age the more you play them.

3) Your guitar shouldn't cost too much. You need a decent guitar to get started on ASAP, but there's no need to break the bank (yet). Once you've been playing awhile you'll know more about what you want in a guitar (electronics, body shape, nylon vs. steel string, etc.); then you can invest in a more expensive instrument.

Any of the following should do the job:

Yamaha FG700S Folk Acoustic Guitar ($199): A very decent guitar with a solid-spruce top. Yamaha makes good stuff, period. I think theyâre maybe a little cut above the Fenders at the same price range ( http://piccolosmusic.com/store/product/12561/Yamaha-FG700S-Folk-Acoustic-Guitar-/ )

Iâm also fond of the Fender FA-125S Acoustic Pack ($199) They have a solid-spruce top, and they're a little smaller in the body, which makes them cozy to play. They include a electronic tuner, gig bag, picks, string winder and instruction booklet. (http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0950870021)

The Fender DG-8S Acoustic Pack ($199) is similar, but with a larger dreadnought body that gives a little more projection. Also comes with accessories. ( http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0950801100 )

Crafter AG-D8 ($379): Looks and sounds like a much more expensive instrument. Great projection and sweet balanced tone. Crafter is Korean family-run company that doesnât get the attention it deserves. Solid-spruce top. ( http://piccolosmusic.com/store/product/11907/Crafter-AG-D8/ )

Big Baby Taylor ($449): Probably the ultimate beginnerâs guitar, although a little more pricey than the others. Taylor guitars are freakishly easy to play and sound great. When you upgrade youâll probably want to keep it around for an extra. Solid spruce top. Comes with a gig-bag. (http://www.taylorguitar.com/guitars/baby-taylor/ )

Fender also makes a variety of good starter instruments for around $200. The CD-60âs ($199, laminate top) come with a hard-shell case, which is a good value. ( http://piccolosmusic.com/store/advsearch.asp?submitted=1&hideoptions=1&product_departmentid=48&product_brandname=fender )

Good luck!

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

What is the actual size of a 3/4 acoustic guitar and a full size acoustic guitar?

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

help with finding acoustic guitars?

me

i want to get an acoustic guitar to so i can learn how to play. alot of people have been telling me that i should start off with a really cheap guitar and then once i get better and actually want to keep playing invest in a better guitar. any advice? anyone have any ideas of brands/types of guitars i should look into?

Answer
The acoustic guitars (either nylon strings or steel strings) are the recommended instrument for beginner guitar players to learn how to play.

The electric guitar is most often use to play chords exclusively and first-time players that start with an electric guitar seldom progress into learning the guitar musical staff or develope skills to play the melody line.

Most all good electric guitar players can do well when playing an acoustic guitar because they started to learn with that instrument.

As to price-be aware that regardless of labels most guitars in the "cheap" price range of Under
$200. are made overseas.

I learned from my son who travels often to China for his company manufacturing business that "brands" mean very little in the lower price range since the
same machinery made exactly the same instrument
with the only difference being the "label".

With that in mind your choice could be determined by the seller return warranty if you buy via internet and the "sound" of the guitars you have a chance to play at the local store. "Playability" and "sound" should be your criteria.Choose Sound over Looks

I have bought guitars via internet with good
results and excellent service.
In the "cheap" price range of Under $200.
I could recommend two web stores:
Rondo Music (www.rondomusic.com) and
West Music Co. (www.westmusic.com)

What Type: As a beginner I recommend a nylon string guitar (also called "classical guitar").
You can play any kind of music other guitars play.

Only difference is the sound is "mellower" than a steel-string instrument and less volume than an electric one.

Learning Acoustic Guitar.?

hEY

I wanna learn to play acoustic guitar. (:
Should I get a teacher/instructor, and what kind of acoustic should I buy?
I have no musical experience whatsoever and know nothing about acoustic guitars and stuff. D:
If I learned acoustic, would it be easier learning other instruments like piano?
Don't say start off with piano or any other instrument, because piano doesn't interest me as much, and I'd rather like to learn acoustic. :3

Answer
Nice one! Playing acoustic guitar is great. I would suggest getting a teacher even if it's online. My friend Antonio has a great Free Quick Start Guide for beginners along with 14 video lessons which you can get over here.

http://rhythmguitarzero2hero.com/free-quick-start-guide/

Here's a cool chord guide as well. http://rhythmguitarzero2hero.com/learn-guitar-chords

Learning to play acoustic will definitely help you to play other instruments because you'll be learning about, Rhythm, Harmony and Melody which forms the basis of all music. So if you have an understanding of these concepts it will surely help you when playing piano etc. Techniques will be different but the fundamentals are the same.

Playing acoustic is really great and I filmed a bunch of answers to common questions as well which you can have a look at here. http://rhythmguitarzero2hero.com/resources/frequently-asked-questions/

Feel free to get in touch if you have any more questions.

Cheers and Good Luck!

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

good dvd for acoustic guitar beginners?

Blink 182

ok so ive recently brought an acoustic guitar but ive never really playd 1 before is there any recomended dvd's to help me out?...thankyou! :D

Answer
The Acoustic Guitar Method is a very good DVD for beginners (http://www.homespuntapes.com/CatalogueRetrieve.aspx?ProductID=1015800&A=SearchResult&SearchID=304966&ObjectID=1015800&ObjectType=27). I'd recommend any of Homespun's DVDs. They've been doing acoustic guitar instruction for over 40 years, and their videos are outstanding. Great teachers, camera work, and and overall instruction. They've also got a new video for beginners with Steve Kaufman (http://www.homespuntapes.com/CatalogueRetrieve.aspx?ProductID=1679286&A=SearchResult&SearchID=282716&ObjectID=1679286&ObjectType=27), who is an incredible guitar player and a very popular and respected guitar teacher. So, this could be a good video, too, though his specialty is country and bluegrass guitar, and it looks like he does teach for the pure beginner in this video, but as it progresses it will focus on country and bluegrass playing.
They have several DVDs for beginners, so you should check those out and see what looks best to you.

There are also some great online guitar programs that are worth checking out, if you're considering going that route. Jamorama (http://6ebc8zrd8h8x2l6cigvblalq4a.hop.clickbank.net/) is a very good one.

Acoustic Guitar also has a downloadable video/pdf guide for beginners (http://www.stringletter.com/Shop/The-Beginner-s-Guide-to-Guitar-Complete-Edition) that is very good, too.

Hope that helps. Good luck!

What is acoustic and Spanish guitar?

Vishal

I really don't know ,probably nothing bout it !!
But now I want to know wat is Spanish guitar and acoustic guitar with some examples(songs)??
I want a simple way to understand these !!
Thank you !!:|

Answer
An acoustic guitar is one that doesn't require electronic amplification. In other words, it's not an electric guitar. Many people incorrectly think it means a steel-string guitar. Actually, acoustic guitars come in several types, including some with nylon strings ("classical guitars").

A Spanish guitar is one that is made in Spain. It's sometimes sloppily used, especially by older people, to mean various other kinds of guitars (sometimes classical guitars, sometimes flat-tops as opposed to archtops, sometimes any acoustic! Talking to people of 80 or 90 or reading old books, you'll encounter all of 'em). It's really impossible to tell what anybody means by it unless you have some other clue. It's not a term used by people who know guitars, unless they're talking about one made in Spain.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Does this guitar have the sticky laminated crap on the neck that makes it feel unnatural?

Q. http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/GAD25/

I want to buy a nice guitar within 500- 750 that has a smooth wooden neck that feels real and natural, I hate it when they laminate it, does THAT guitar have it, if yes, then could you tell me where I COULD find wooden/smooth necked guitars...martins maybe?

Answer
Sweetwater does sell an 'unfinished neck' acoustic guitar in that price range. It's the (new for 2011) Martin DRS-1, for $699. -Similar is the D-1GT, but is $899.- These have a gloss finish top, satin finish back and sides, and an unfinished neck. This seems to be done as a cost-cutting measure for Martin guitars under $1000. The neck coatings aren't laminated. They're sprayed with thin coats of clear or tinted polyester, or polyurethane enamal in 'high-gloss' or 'satin'. This coating generally prevents 'stickiness' exept with extreme wear or humidity. I know guitarists who remove the neck finish. I've found this gives an uneven playing feel, detracts from the original tone, and the neck gets dirty./ I'd agree that it's better to compare many guitars for yourself, and consider buying a high-end or hand-made (lightly) used acoustic. The Guild GAD 25 -all mahogany body- ($600) that you noted has a 'high-gloss polyester neck finish'. It also has the other Guild goodies like Grover tuning machines, and a bone nut and saddle. I'm not a fan of the mahogany top though. They give sort of a wooly, almost too dark of a tone. (The cheapest mahogany top Martin OOO-15M is $1150). Optionally is the Guild GAD-50 with a solid Sitka spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides for $650; similarly is the GAD 30R -with ebony fretboard- $760 ($730 from MusiciansFriend dotcom). These guitars all have about a 25 1/2" scale length. I found that the Guild M20 ($600) with a 24 3/4" 'Gibson scale' played much better. Other Martins to check are the DX1E ($600), or the DCX1KE Cutaway with Koa back and sides, and Fishman pick-up system ($700)./ Other Sweetwater dreadnaught guitars I like are: Takamine EG450DLK ($600), Wechter Pathmaker double-cutaway ($580), Ovation Koa top cutaway with multi-wood epilets ($530), Epiphone EF-500M 'Masterbuilt' ($550), and Alvarez AD 511SB Artist ($560). Alvarez often gets voted 'best sounding for price' in guitar magazine comparisons./ Personally, I've always wanted a decent acoustic guitar. If I had that much money, I'd choose a Washburn R319SWKK Parlor ($550), R314 KK ($400), or a Loar LH-200 ($330 MusiciansFriend). Add a hard-case and sound-hole pick-up, and you're right on budget! Best wishes to you.

Tips of buying a drum kit? for a metal band?

Bob S

well i want to buy a drum kit, i have been using the schools drum kit and playing for a metal band. i need tips though on buying my own one. where can i buy a standard acoustic kit where my budget is under $1000. are there any specific websites i can have a look at? i also want to buy some cymbals for the kit, such as a china. i want to kow like what type of china to get and where is a good site to purchase them, etc.

Answer
One good website I'd look into would be Musician's Friend or Guitar Center. I'd recommend the Tama Imperialstar for a starter drum kit. It's a five piece Tama drum set with a snare, two toms, a floor tom, and a kick drum. Not only is it a good quality beginner kit, but it comes with name brand cymbals. They come with Meinl cymbals and I believe stands as well. I think it comes with a pair of hi-hats, a ride, a crash, and a free china. Definitely one of the better starter kits around. Most drum kits that come with cymbals are usually crappy with horrible generic cymbals. Check this kit out and good luck! I believe it's around $500-600. It's a fairly good deal.

http://www.tamadrum.co.jp/product/u_drum_data.php?year=2011&id=124

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Need names of acoustic guitar songs?

* Tinkerbe

can you please give me names of some really awesome songs that just have an acoustic guitar? they don't have to be in any specific genre, just something really cool to perform live.
thank you so much in advance! =] xxx

Answer
These are all great Acoustic Guitar Songs

900 MILES... Cisco Houston
A LETTER TO EMILY... Kennedys
A LONG MONDAY... Keity Sykes
ABSENCE... Carrie Rodriguez
ANGEL TO BE.. Subdudes
ANGELS CRY... Criss Hillman
BACK OF MY MIND.. John Aiaty\
BIG BAD AGENT MAN..
BLACK EYE... Uncle Tupelo
BLACKBERRY BLOSSOM... Michelle Shocked
BLUE... Beth and April Stevens
BLUE HOTEL.. Danko
BURN THE HONEYSUCKLE.. Gourds
CAREY.. Joni Mitchell
CATFISH BLUES.. Robert Petway
CEASE FIRE.. Sarah lee Guthrie
CHANGINE OF THE GUARD.. Patti Smith
CHELSEA MORNING.. Joni Mitchell
CHIMES OF FREEDOM.. Bob Dylan
CLAWHAMMER MEDLEY... Steve Martin
COLORADO GIRL.. Townes Van Zandt
COME A LONG WAY.. Michelle Shocked
CROOKED ROAD... Tim O'Brien
DESPERATE MAN BLUES.. John Fahey
DUSTY BOXCAR WALL.. Ellen Jewell
EIGHTH OF JANUARY... Rhonda Vincent
EMERALD STREET... Eliza Gilkyson
EVEN HERE WE ARE... Shawn Colvin
FARAWAY GIRL.. Subdudes
FEEL LIKE GOING HOME.. Notting Hillbillies
FEELIN' GOOD... Ry Cooder
FEELING GROOVY... Simon and Garfunkle
FOOL FOR A CIGARETTE.. Ry Cooder
GET TOGETHER... Hamilton Camp
GONE AGAIN.. Indigo Girls
GONE WOMAN BLUES.. Bory Block
GOT NO AUTOMOBILE.. John Sebastian
GRAMOPHONE.. Son Volt
GREEN BLANKET.. Peter CasE
HILL COUNTRY GIRL... Will Kimbrough
HIS HOMETOWN.. Donna the Buffalo
HITCHCOCK RAILWAY.. Charlie Lynch
HONKEY TONK DOWN... Brownie Ford
I AIN'T GOT NO HOME... Mary Gauthier
I CANNOT JUSTIVY... Adriene Young
I FEEL ALRIGHT... Steve Earle
IN MY TIME OF DYING.. Beth and April Stevens
INDIAN HEAD PENNY... Guy Clark
INTERSTATE.. Will Kimbrouogh
INTERSTATE RAG.. Doc Watson
IT'S HAPPENING TO YOU.. John Prine
I'LL BE HERE... Shaver
I'VE ENDURED... Tim O' Brien
JUST LOVING YOU... Doyle Lawson
LAKES OF PONCHARTRAIN... Peter Case
LEAVING IN THE MORNING... J J Cale
LEVEE SONG... Darden Smith
LIFE IS LIKE A MOUNTAIN RAILROAD..John Fahey
LIFE SONG .. Rory Block
LILACS.. David Mallett
LOCKET AND KEY.. Donna the Buffalo
LONESOME SIDE OF TOWN.. Green cards
LOOKING FOR A GOOD TIME.. Sunny Landreth
LYDIA... Slaid Cleaves
MAGGIE'S FARM... Bob Dylan
MARRIED FOR MONEY... Bill Morrissey
MAYBE NEXT TIME... Kieran Kane
MEANDERING... Gary Louis
MORNING TRAIN... Precious Bryant
MOVING DAY... Loudon Wainwright 3
NEW SLANG... Shins
NEXT DOOR DOWN.. Stace Earle
NO MORE BUFFALO... James McMurtry
NO ONE KNOWS MY NAME... Gillian Welch
NOBODY'S FAULT BUT MINE... Alvin Youngbood
OLD FRIEND... Laurie Lewis
ONE GOOD YEAR... Slaid Cleaves
ONE WAY GAL... Notting Hillbillies
OPEN DOORS... Josh Ritter
OUTSIDE TRACK.. Danko
PARADE.. Leo Kottke
PARIS, TEXAS.. Ry Cooder
PARKER'S MOOD.. Joe Henry
PATTERNS... Simon and Garfunkle
PISTOL PACKING MAMA.. John Prine
PORTLAND... Replacements
POOR BOY.. John Fahey
POOR OLD DIRT FARMER... Levon Helm
RAIN AND SNOW... Obray Ramsey
RED RIVER.. Guy Clark
REVOLT... Jack Rose
RELAX YOUR MIND... Happy Traum
RING THEM BELLS... Bob Dylan
ROAD SONG BLUES... Gary Jules
RUN PRECIOSA... Joe Ely
SAINT JAMES INFIRMARY.. Traditional
SNAKEBIT.... Mary Gauthier
SOME HAPPY DAY.. Jack Rose
SOMEONE ELSE'S SONG... Wilco
SONG FOR EARLY... Tony Furtado
SPORTIN' DAYS... David Mallett
STRAIGHT AS THE CROW FLIES.. Kim Richey
STRANGE BOATS.. Waterboys
STRANGERS... Golden Smog
SUGAR AND PIE... Abigail Washburn
SUNFLOWER... Alice Peacock
SUNSET SOON FORGOTTEN... Iron and Wine
SWEET SUNDOWN... Kelly Willis
TAKE âEM' AWAY... Old Crow Medicine Show
TENNESSEE DAWN.. Jim Lauderdale
TENNESSEE THUNDER... Michael Reno Harrell
THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE... Wilco
THE BIRD THAT I HOLD IN MY HAND. T.. Bone Burnett
THE BIG MISTAKE... Carrie Rodriguez
THE GREEN WILLOW... Pete Rowan
THE HOUSE THAT NEVER WAS.. Kasey Chambers
THE NEXT TIME I LEAVE HERE.. David Mallett
THE TROUBLE WITH SCIENTISTS.. Chip Taylor
THIS SIDE... Nickel Creek
THIS TRAIN.. Traditional
TIN MAN.. Avett Brothers
TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.. Alecia Nugent
TRAVELING years... Michael Reno Harrell
TUFF KID... Shawn Colvin
TURQUOISE HOUSE... Jim White
WAIT FOR THE LIGHT TO SHINE... Roy Acuff
WALTZ #2 ... Elliott Smith
WHO KNOWS Greencards
WORRIED MAN BLUES.. Charlie Louvin
YOURS TO DISCOVER.. Sadies

What are easy rock songs to play on acoustic guitar?

TheJessSet

I'm just learning guitar and I was wondering what songs are easy. (I already learned Wonderwall by Oasis)

The bands I like are:
The Beatles
U2
Fall Out Boy
My Chemical Romance
Green Day
Panic! At The Disco
Paramore
Go Radio
We Are The In Crowd
A Rocket To The Moon
The Summer Set
The Maine
Versaemerge
Cobra Starship
Good Charlotte
This Century

and bands like that :)
HELP? like give the link for the chords?

FOR BEGINNER PLEASE :3

Answer
Tom Petty - Free Fallin'
Coldplay - Yellow (acoustic), The Scientist (acoustic)
http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/c/coldplay/yellow_acoustic_crd.htm
http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/c/coldplay/the_scientist_acoustic_crd.htm

Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah
http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/j/jeff_buckley/hallelujah_ver2_crd.htm

Paramore - The Only Exception
http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/p/paramore/the_only_exception_crd.htm

The Eagles - Hotel California
http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/e/eagles/hotel_california_tab.htm

Jason Mraz - I'm Yours
http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/j/jason_mraz/im_yours_crd.htm

Plain White T's - Hey There Delilah
http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/p/plain_white_ts/hey_there_delilah_ver2_tab.htm

Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/p/pink_floyd/wish_you_were_here_ver5_tab.htm

Taylor Swift - Love Story
http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/t/taylor_swift/love_story_crd.htm

Lifehouse - You and Me
http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/l/lifehouse/you_and_me_ver2_crd.htm

Other songs you might like:
Backseat Goodbye - Hey
Nevershoutnever - Happy, HereGoesNothin'
Jack Johnson - Sitting Waiting Wishing
Kansas - Dust In the Wind
The Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Yesterday, Blackbird, Norwegian Wood, Here Comes the Sun, Across the Universe, You've Got To Hide You Love Away, And I Love Her, The Ballad of John and Yoko, Till There Was You,
Secondhand Serenade - Fall For You, Maybe, Stranger
Mumford and Sons - The Cave
Green Day - Warning, Waiting, Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)
Blink 182 - What Went Wrong
Angels and Airwaves - Everything's Magic (acoustic)
Avril Lavigne - Tomorrow (acoustic)
Sum 41 - Pieces
FM Static - Tonight

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Hi, can you help out a beginner here with guitar?

hey bab

Hi, I already have a book about guitars ... In russian which I don't understand/can't read at all honestly I don't know what a fret, fret board, Capo.. Well I saw images of capos and them placed on guitars but can somebody explain what their for please?, and all these other guitar terms :( and how do you 'tune' a guitar? Ahahha like do you twist on those knob things and tighten the strings? Loosen them? The tighter they are the higher they sound ahhH? and how do I read online guitar tabs ? ;( I don't understand at all like it says something like Bb on 5th fret or something like that and it's VERY confusing :(

Im a beginner in guitar and I would like somebody who knows alot about guitars to answer my question or give me a link to a site with guitar terms and everything about guitars :) I'd be very grateful thanks ahahha :)

Answer
Hey,

Do you have an electric or acoustic guitar? The techniques for electric and classical are a bit different. But, for right now, the basics apply to both.

www.guitarworld.com has some great lessons.

The important thing is to learn a bit of theory, to make it fun, you can learn a bit of theory and then learn a song that uses it. For example, one of the first songs I learnt to play was "Tears in Heaven" which uses mostly major and minor chords.

Do you speak Spanish, by any chance? I know of a great site in Spanish. If you don't know Spanish, no worries. They have loads of links to English speaking websites. "Enlaces en inglés, or something like that."

Total guitar is a good book for beginniners, I think it's available on Amazon right now! :) It's an old book and not too expensive.

http://www.amazon.com/Total-Guitar-Complete-Recording-Performing/dp/1402709803

A bit of introduction:

The frets are the little metal bars you see on the neck of the guitar. On a guitar, you create the notes by pressing your finger right above the fret. The fretboard is simply the piece of wood which covers the neck; frets go up and down the fretboard.


How to tune a guitar:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6UUqR-NIsk

A guitar has six strings, Low E, A, D, G, B, high E. You twist the knobs (gently) to raise or lower the pitch. Watch the online guitar tuner all the way through and then give it a try. For example, it starts with a low E. Strike your low E string and then twist the knobs until your low E string sounds like the low E on the tuner. Some guitarists use tuning forks, some guitarists have pocket guitar tuners, some tune it with a piano. I cheated and downloaded an online one and synched it to my iPod because I travel a lot. :)

To make the notes on the guitar you put your finger right above the frets. for example, find the low E string, and put your index finger on the fifth fret. Ok, hold it. Pick that string... There, you just played an A note.

Chords are easy, the two main kind of chords are major and minor. The "bs free approach" is the way to go. Learn the chords in "chunks." First, learn the major open chords- E major, A major, D major, G major, B major, E major. Then the minor chords... then move on to barre chords (a barre chord is where you cover all the strings of the same fret with your index finger). It takes awhile to get the notes clear. Then the "weird" chords... suspended and add9.



Guitar tablature... its a code that many guitarists use instead of reading notes on a staff.

A guitar has six strings. Well, tab is six lines, and each line represents a string on the guitar. Low E at the bottom, then A D G B E. The little numbers on those lines show which fret to play. For example:

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

__5___7___9______________________


You play the fifth fret on the low E string. Then you play the seventh fret on the low E string. Then you play the ninth fret on the low E string. It goes from left to right.

Don't despair or get frustrated, just start simple and take little baby steps. What is your goal musically? Whatever it is, every tiny step you take brings you a little bit closer. I'm a hypocrite to tell you this because I'm the queen of getting frustrated with the guitar!! But don't give up. It takes at least a year, for your playing to "come together." Focus on small steps each day. Guitar playing is a lot like horseback riding... no one ever REALLY knows everything there is to know about it, we're all still learning. Practice every day, an hour if you can. Review everything you have learnt on a regular basis but focus on the stuff that is new and difficult for you. All of the guitar players that are or were great... Jimi Hendrix, SRV, Satriani, Santana, Petrucci, etc., were once students themselves. Your goal may be just to play for fun, to be professional, I don't know... but everyone is a beginner at some point in their lives :)

For now, learn the chords and scales I gave you (You Tube, guitarworld.com, and books like Total Guitar are good), a fake book with chords is good for beginners, listen to records and see if you recognize what you've learnt.

guitar.....?

Ms. Witake

I bought a guitar because I've always wanted to learn and very dedicated to following this through. I can't seem to understand the finger positioning or exactly how it all comes together. I have a book "idiots guide to playing guitar" but I'm wondering if i should take a couple "in person" lessons with a teacher. Has anyone actually learned on their own? How long until you got the hang of it? I'm not expecting a fast transition into being amazing, just some helpful thoughts. Is it too hard once you get the hang of it? Lessons?

Answer
Hi there,

I started learning guitar in Feburary 2006 and I started with an acoustic. I was self taught pretty much until I started taking lessons in May. First, I learned the basic chords (can be found at http://www.learnguitarmusic.com/images/g... ) Then I found this great website, www.nextlevelguitar.com , They taught me popular songs but they got shut down from teaching people songs due to copyright reasons. They have a youtube page too where they teach songs inspired by popular artists. That page is http://youtube.com/rockongoodpeople...... .

A site that I use ALL the time is www.ultimate-guitar.com , this is a website that provides tabulatures (tabs ) and chords for popular songs ABSOLUTELY free. I got a lot better once I started playing popular songs.

At first my fingers hurt SO BAD but once you play for a month or too, you will start to notice that you're developing callouses on your fingers (hard patches of skin) you won't feel it at all. If you don't practice for a week or so the callouses will go away then you're back to square one.

Once I started playing, I thought it was really hard. As

what kind of strings should I buy for my acoustic guitar?

hierarchy

I have an Indiana Scout acoustic guitar > http://www.instrumentalley.com/v/vspfiles/photos/Scout-2.jpg

and I'm want to buy new strings... the other day I went to the store and they sold me all 6 strings for 25 dollars I thought it was to much and now I want to buy them online.

I'm not sure which ones I should buy. I am a beginner and would like some feedback.

thanks!

Answer
Acoustic Guitar

"Acoustic guitar" refers to hollow-bodied guitars without electric amplification. They may have nylon or steel strings. The strings of a six-string guitar are tuned to E, A, D, G, B, E, a fourth apart except for the major third interval between B and G. Frets are placed by the fret rule "one-eighteenth the remaining length of the string". This makes them a semitone apart.

Top plate made of spruce or cedar. Spruce more prevalent in steel string "folk" acoustics while cedars are more prevalent in classical guitars. Williams, Jim, A Guitar Makers Manual. Brazilian rosewood is favored for making the backs and sides of a guitar because it is very hard and tends to contribute to a brighter sound.

A round hole 3 1/4" to 3 1/2" in diameter in the top plate creates a cavity resonance which strengthens the sound produced.


Just like brake pads on a car, guitar strings wear out with use. Old guitar strings often behave badly - they'll lose tuning more quickly, sound less "bright", and give you problems with intonation. Old guitar strings also break, often during the most inopportune moment. Be sure to head into any live playing situation with new strings on your guitar, and several more sets of strings packed in your case, should you break a string during performance.

When I'm playing my acoustic guitar a lot, I'll change the strings at least every two weeks (more than that if I'm using it for gigs). It's probably not necessary for beginners to be quite as diligent with keeping new strings on their guitar, but changing strings a minimum of every couple months is a very good idea.

What Sort of Guitar Strings Should I Buy?

Everyone has an opinion on which strings are best, but let's put aside the discussion of guitar string manufacturers for a moment, and discuss the type of strings needed for your guitar. If you own an acoustic guitar, you need "acoustic guitar strings". If you own a classical guitar, you need "classical guitar strings" or "nylon strings". An electric guitar needs "electric guitar strings". And a bass guitar needs... wait for it... "bass guitar strings".

You also need to consider the gauge (thickness) of strings you'd like. This is where personal preference comes into play, but for beginners, I recommend starting with "medium" gauge strings, and varying from that as you develop a personal preference. An oversimplified rule of thumb is thicker strings provide better tone, but are harder to play.

If you're intimidated by the thought of buying a set of strings from a guitar store, don't be. Simply march in, and say "I'd like a set of XXXXX (brand name - eg. D'Addario, Fender, Dean Markley) medium gauge acoustic guitar strings please." Prices vary from store to store, but a set of acoustic strings shouldn't set you back more than $8 (several brands, like the excellent Elixir strings, cost more, but the merits of these products belongs in another article).

what kind of strings should I buy for my acoustic guitar?

capitman

I have an Indiana Scout acoustic guitar > http://www.instrumentalley.com/v/vspfiles/photos/Scout-2.jpg

and I'm want to buy new strings... the other day I went to the store and they sold me all 6 strings for 25 dollars I thought it was to much and now I want to buy them online.

I'm not sure which ones I should buy. I am a beginner and would like some feedback.

thanks!

Answer
Acoustic Guitar

"Acoustic guitar" refers to hollow-bodied guitars without electric amplification. They may have nylon or steel strings. The strings of a six-string guitar are tuned to E, A, D, G, B, E, a fourth apart except for the major third interval between B and G. Frets are placed by the fret rule "one-eighteenth the remaining length of the string". This makes them a semitone apart.

Top plate made of spruce or cedar. Spruce more prevalent in steel string "folk" acoustics while cedars are more prevalent in classical guitars. Williams, Jim, A Guitar Makers Manual. Brazilian rosewood is favored for making the backs and sides of a guitar because it is very hard and tends to contribute to a brighter sound.

A round hole 3 1/4" to 3 1/2" in diameter in the top plate creates a cavity resonance which strengthens the sound produced.


Just like brake pads on a car, guitar strings wear out with use. Old guitar strings often behave badly - they'll lose tuning more quickly, sound less "bright", and give you problems with intonation. Old guitar strings also break, often during the most inopportune moment. Be sure to head into any live playing situation with new strings on your guitar, and several more sets of strings packed in your case, should you break a string during performance.

When I'm playing my acoustic guitar a lot, I'll change the strings at least every two weeks (more than that if I'm using it for gigs). It's probably not necessary for beginners to be quite as diligent with keeping new strings on their guitar, but changing strings a minimum of every couple months is a very good idea.

What Sort of Guitar Strings Should I Buy?

Everyone has an opinion on which strings are best, but let's put aside the discussion of guitar string manufacturers for a moment, and discuss the type of strings needed for your guitar. If you own an acoustic guitar, you need "acoustic guitar strings". If you own a classical guitar, you need "classical guitar strings" or "nylon strings". An electric guitar needs "electric guitar strings". And a bass guitar needs... wait for it... "bass guitar strings".

You also need to consider the gauge (thickness) of strings you'd like. This is where personal preference comes into play, but for beginners, I recommend starting with "medium" gauge strings, and varying from that as you develop a personal preference. An oversimplified rule of thumb is thicker strings provide better tone, but are harder to play.

If you're intimidated by the thought of buying a set of strings from a guitar store, don't be. Simply march in, and say "I'd like a set of XXXXX (brand name - eg. D'Addario, Fender, Dean Markley) medium gauge acoustic guitar strings please." Prices vary from store to store, but a set of acoustic strings shouldn't set you back more than $8 (several brands, like the excellent Elixir strings, cost more, but the merits of these products belongs in another article).

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Are electric guitar strings different than acoustic?

gromedrade

My friend let me borrow his electric guitar so i can practice on it because i play acoustic guitar. He is missing a string and im just curious if i ca put my spare acoustic string on it? i dunno just a thought

Answer
Yes, you can put an acoustic guitar string on an electric guitar, but you cannot put an electric guitar string on an acoustic guitar. However, acoustic guitar strings start on the high E at about .13 in guage, and electrics normally start around .09 or .10. While that may not sound like a big difference, it will feel different. Also, acoustic strings are meant for a shorter scale than electrics.

You can go pick up guitar strings for around $5-$7 in most music stores. I would suggest getting whatever their cheapest brand of strings are, I'd guess you wouldn't know the difference. And get yourself either .09 or .10 guage strings for an electric guitar.

can i put nylon strings on an acoustic guitar?

da man

i got a new guitar and i was wondering if i could go buy some nylon strings and put them on my old guitar. Would this sound the same as having a nylon string guitar?

Answer
A nylon string guitar (called some times a classical guitar) *is* an acoustic guitar ... and so is a steel string guitar.

Both require individual types of strings though. Steel strings have higher tension (as pointed out correctly by someone else) and they are meant for steel string guitars only - they will totally break a nylon string guitar.

Nylon strings will not produce enough tension on a guitar braced for steel strings. Furthermore, the strings are fastened differently. You'll use bridge pins to fasten steel strings with a ball end - nylon strings are usually looped and tied to the end of the bridge. You may find nylon strings with ball ends, but these are still meant for nylon string guitars.

Just for the records: The three wound strings in a nylon set have a nylon thread core - they are not steel...

You do have a type of string which is called silk and steel. These are meant for steel string guitars and are softer than regular steel strings.

You might also want to have your guitar looked at and possibly set up properly, if it is hard to play (and that is the reason why you'd want to try out nylon strings).

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Acoustic Guitar for Beginners?

EVOLVING

I really want to learn how to play the acoustic guitar
can someone tell me the answer to these things:

-How much should a quality acoustic guitar cost
-How big should it be in inches (im 5'3")
-What is a good book to learn on my own from
-Anything else i need to know

thanks in advance
-PeAcEâ¥

Answer
I'm actually looking to learn acoustic guitar myself. I'm really considering getting a Yamaha. From what I've heard, they are very good guitars for beginners, as well as being not too expensive. Most of the guitars I've looked at from them are in the $100-$200 price range.

The Yamaha guitar that really caught my eye is this one (the Yamaha F335 Acoustic): http://www.music123.com/Yamaha-F335-Acoustic-Guitar-512940-i1166366.Music123

I've seen positive reviews about it (here: http://www.guitarcenter.com/Yamaha-F335-Acoustic-Guitar-100593623-i1166366.gc?source=4WWRWXYB but that's not the lowest price). It's gotten a lot of five star ratings, and the sound was compared to that of a more expensive guitar. Actually, if you look at the price cut, the suggested retail value was actually pretty high. But look how much you are saving! Over 60%!

As for books, I'm not sure that they would be as valuable as software for the computer. As was mentioned above, Guitar for Dummies would be a good choice, however, I also reccommend Guitar Method (http://www.emediamusic.com/gm1.html). It'll put you down $60, but from what I heard, it's worth it.

I hear that teachers are priceless, but if you can't afford it, try to go with that.

Make sure you also have picks, a tuner, and a metronome. Those will help out a lot.

Good luck, and happy playing! I personally, can't wait to start playing my guitar!

EDIT: Apologizes. Guitar Center now does have the lowest price. You might also want to check out this one if you are looking for a solid wood top: http://www.guitarcenter.com/Yamaha-FG700S-Folk-Acoustic-Guitar-103114252-i1149962.gc

Best Gibson Acoustic Guitars For Beginners?

Avery

Okay, no experience with guitars at all, but I have a huge interest. Though interest gives me no knowledge of what kind of guitar to get. Please, please, PLEASE give me any, and i do mean ANY, advice with purchasing one or guitars in general.

P.S. I say Gibson because my dad works there making guitars and he could possibly get me a discount of some sort.

Answer
Well for a beginner, I wouldn't recommend a Gibson unless it's a really big discount. I would suggest something used and with a low action (easier to play), just to ease you in before you get into the big brand names. I've been playing for a few years with an off brand guitar, but it doesn't really matter since I don't preform publicly or anything.

Start cheap, make sure you really love playing, move up from there.

EDIT: Sorry I didn't recommend any starting brands, just go into a guitar center, the used guitar rooms, see what sounds nice. Talk to the people there (workers or otherwise), they will probably help you.

If your dad can get you an Epiphone (a lower quaility branch of Gibson), then you should probably go with that. You would get a good deal and they are certain to be good quality. Again, go into Guitar Center and play around with models or read reviews on musiciansfriend.com to see what guitars fit your style.

Since it isn't technically "Gibson" I sort of disassociated Epiphone in my mind. haha.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

What's the best acoustic guitar song EVER?

ContrastXD

I'm taking a guitar class this semester, and our teacher told us to choose a song that we'd like to be able to play by the end of the year. I CANNOT decide. Asking me what my favorite song is is like asking me which arm I'd rather lose. What are some of your favorite songs that have a good acoustic guitar part? Anything but country, please.

Answer
Acoustic versions of these songs:

Stellar - Incubus
Leader Of Man - Nickel back
Everlong - Foo Fighters

Ideas on classic acoustic guitar songs?

George C

preferably rock.
Like There She Goes by the La's
or Babe I'm Gonna Leave You by Led Zep.

Answer
The best acoustic song I ever heard was actually first recorded as an electric song, and became a big hit for John Mellencamp called "Small Town". I always liked that song, but when I heard the acoustic version I thought it was far better than the original. It has a real longing-for-home feel to it that the original electric version doesn't.

Other favorite acoustic songs (or versions of electric songs) include:

"Going to California" by Led Zeppelin
"Would" by Alice In Chains
"No Excuses" by Alice In Chains
"Lunatic Fringe" (acoustic) by Tom Cochrane
"Sour Girl" (live acoustic ver.) by Stone Temple Pilots
"Life By the Drop" by Stevie Ray Vaughan
"Devil In the Bottle" by Lynyrd Skynyrd
"Blackbird" by The Beatles
"Every Night" by Paul Mc.Cartney
"Polly" by Nirvana

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Good beginner acoustic guitar?

Chica P

I'm looking to find an affordable acoustic guitar that has a decent sound. (This is what I found on craigs list in my price range.)
Fender Concord, Fender DG-6, Takamine Jasmine, The Applause AE128 (acoustic-electric), Johnson JG-620, OE-60 Ocsar Schmidt, Eleca DAG-5-TP, and the Alvarez RD-8.

Which of these would be the best pick?

I would be playing it just as a hobby, nothing big. It would be great to get some suggestions; as I am new to this instrument. I've been playing the viola all my life but I'm looking for something a little more solo.
Also, if anyone knows which characteristics I should be looking for the most and which questions to ask people please let me know.

Answer
I'm not familiar with the guitars you listed, but I did want to tell you that in my experience, Ibanez makes the absolute best beginner guitars. They have a lot of models that are under $400.

If you aren't going to be performing a whole lot, I've found that non-electric acoustics are usually a better value. Dreadnought wood has been good to me...you want something relatively flexible and durable. I'd advise against anything that feels too light, though some people love those kinda guitars. Besides that, go with what sounds good to you, trust your intuitions.

I've had the AW30NT ARTWOOD SERIES for four years now, and it has been good to me.

I wouldn't recommend a nylon-strings for a casual player.

And I agree with Paul, it is generally worth it to pay a little extra and get a new guitar. There are a lot of things that can go wrong with acoustics, and the cheap ones aren't built to last forever.

Good luck!

Acoustic guitar question: If you were an absolute beginner, would you start out with a crappy but cheap guitar?

I lie a lo

that was playable but crappy and then upgrade if you decided to stick to it, or would you invest some more money into a better guitar that you could play for a longer time?
One more question: Before you develop callouses, how badly does pressing the chords hurt?
I think I want to buy myself a guitar and try to play but I'm not sure :x

Answer
Depends on your definitions, and your budget. About $100 is the cutoff point between guitars that a beginner could learn on and those that aren't worth considering. $150-300 is a better range for a decent beginner instrument, and includes some that are very decent indeed, like the Yamaha FG-700S at about $200. I wouldn't suggest that a complete beginner spend more than $300 personally, since their tastes (and their ability to recognize a good guitar when they see one) are bound to develop and change.

It's best to play for shorter periods at a stretch until calluses develop. If it hurts a lot, you're either overdoing it to the point where you risk getting blisters, or your guitar isn't properly adjusted (which can be avoided by only buying from a music store after trying the guitar out. Do not buy online or from nonmusic stores. Don't buy used if you don't know how to recognize potential repair issues).

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Difference between electric, acoustic, and electric-acoustic guitars? Best for a beginner?

Bubbles123

^says it all.

Answer
An acoustic guitar makes sound when the vibrating strings set of sympathetic vibrations in the body of the guitar; the vibrating body moves air and that's what people hear. Some are nylon-string guitars, softer sounding and easier on the fingers, others are steel-string, brighter sounding.

An acoustic-electric guitar is an acoustic with a piezo pickup installed; this is a kind of microphone that picks up the vibration of the body and can send the signal down a cable to an amplifier. This is valuable if you're going to play in a band and need to be heard over a drummer, etc., or if you want to amplify your guitar for an audience and don't want to have to stand right in front of a microphone pointed at the guitar.

An electric guitar works differently; it always uses steel strings, which vibrate over magnetic pickups. Oscillating metal over a magnet creates a small electromagnetic pulse, which is then carried down the cable to an amplifier.

Advantages of an acoustic guitar; it's self-contained, just buy the guitar and you're pretty much ready to play. Many people say that acoustics have higher "action" (how hard you need to press the strings down to make a note), so they're better to train your fingers on. Personally, I don't think that finger strength is really as important as accuracy.

Advantages of an electric guitar: There are sounds you can get out of an electric guitar amp that you just can't get out of an acoustic (even an acoustic/electric), and a wider variety of them. Also, the action on an electric guitar is much easier to adjust, just a few turns of some screws; if you WANT an electric with high action, you can have the shop set it that way. However, it also means investing in an amp (and cord), so when you go to play somewhere you have to lug the amp along. You can't play electric guitar around a campfire or anything.

You can get a reasonably decent starter name-brand acoustic guitar for around $150. You can't get an equally decent electric guitar AND AMP for that price - not name-brand anyway, but the starter kits at www.rondomusic.com would probably be OK (I wouldn't get the acoustics sold at rondo). It depends on what you want to play. If you want to play rock music, get an electric. If you want to play folksy stuff, get an acoustic. Other styles - jazz, blues - get played on either, so up to you. If you don't know, I'd probably start with acoustic, just because it's simpler (no amp etc.).

easy beginner songs for acoustic guitar?

leannetots

I recently just started playing the acoustic guitar, but I don't know WHAT to play. The songs that people have said are easy aren't really what I'd like to play, so anyone know any easy songs that I'd like?
I'd go for anything R&B, Soul, or Reggae.
Or something by an artist like Jason Mraz :)
Thanks!

Answer
i don't know if u would like these songs but they are easy.
twinkle twinkle little star, ode to joy, smoke on the water, adams family, tetris, jingle bells, x files, flinstones, zebra by john buttler, blister in the sun, one by mettalica, mexican hat dance, blues bros. theme, funeral march, harry potter, stairway to heaven, sweet home alabama, come as u are, yankie doodle, mission impposible and mary had a little lamb. hope u like them.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Where can i find some acoustic guitar tabs for free?

Awesome

Im a beginner and i can kinda play some tabs but not very good and i want to get better. Please can someone tell me where i an get some and please dont make them too hard.

Answer
Songsterr.com(having a membership on it allows more features but the basic tabs are free), Ultimate-guitar.com, and 911tabs.com are all the sites I use.

what would be the best acoustic guitar to get for a beginner??

lkasjdflsa

i want to buy a new guitar, and learn how to play.. but im not sure whats good and whats not... i need help ! (:

Answer
For my first acoustic I bought a cheap 100.00 fender. It was hard to play becasue the strings were higher on the fret board. But it also helped me build dexterity in my fingers and it bought the strength my fingers. Once I got used to that I would play to get faster so I could do the solos and chords easier. If he likes it after that he can get a 300.00 guitar. After playing a harder acoustic a more expensive one would be easier to play. On the more excpensive ones the strings sit closer to the fret board, and they also have a better sound. After I played on a good guitar it made me more interested to play. I went from a 100.00 fender, to a 300.00 ovation up to a 800.00 Takamine. Heres a great link with tons of differant guitars. Also if they learn how to play on the acoustic the electric will be very easy to learn. The strongs on an electric are thinner and much much easier to play.

The ultimate guitar link is a site where you can get free tabs,chords,video lessons,etc. They also have a very good forum

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Acoustic guitar tips. Who has some good tips?

Public Dis

ok so i am going to learn to play the guitar(acoustic) i have never even held one before but i am determined to learn. But before i take lessons i would like some idea of how to play, does anyone have any good tips. eg. where i can find a diagram of all the notes, how to pick out a guitar, where is a good place to buy one (i live in the Edmonton area), where i can find good sheet music, stuff like that. thanx

Answer
1. Find a qualified guitar instructor and buy a beginner's guitar chord book having basic music theory.

2. Have your instructor show the good habits to form in building chords and playing them, how to string a guitar, how to take care of your instrument, and how to tune it.

3. As you learn and practice forming various chords ask your instructor to teach you the basics of music theory.

4. As you progress, ask the instructor to help you in:

a. Chord progression
b. Key transposition
c. How to determine the key signatures in music.
d. Writing basic music notation.
e. Playing rhythm as he plays melodies and vice versa.
f. Learning the Chromatic Scale with chords and notes.

5. Practice rhythm and strumming techniques--both striking the fundamental bass tone and strumming down and then back up. Practice fingerstyle methods of right picking different strings in chord backup.

6. Keep your instrument clean and in good shape. Treat it better than you would your own body. Keep your hands clean and dry while playing. That cuts back on oily residues.

7. Watch other guitarists and their technique or style. Copy their methods up to the point of forming your own style.
And finally, your fingertips will hurt terribly until you can build the calluses on them. Until then, you must endure hours of practice. If you don't have the motivation and strong will to work past the problem of sore fingertips you will never be a guitarist.

Under the Milky Way sheet music for beginner guitar?

Katie Muir

I am just learning how to play the acoustic guitar. I really like the song Under the Milky Way by the Church and I would love to learn it. It is such a beautiful song and I think I will really enjoy learning how to play it. But I can't find easy to follow and understand sheet music for the guitar. Does anyone know the cords or a website that I can find the sheet music on for free?

Answer
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/
tabs/c/church/under
_the_milky_way_tab.htm

Cut and paste ALL of that into the searchbar

Am Em7+ Fmaj7 G ( Em7+-
G Fmaj7
G (Em7, Am7, Fmaj7)

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

What type of Acoustic guitar to play for beginner?

epiphone acoustic guitars for beginners image

Z

I am going to start going to a guitar class every Saturday. I was wondering what type of Acoustic guitar would be good for a beginner? I am planning to play in a talent show when time comes, and I want to possibly be decent at that time. So, which kind will be good for a beginner like me?

Answer
Firstly, whatever type of guitar you get do not get a "cheap" guitar. A cheap guitar will be impossible to tune, impossible to play and will sound terrible. All it will do is put ypu off learning.

You need to decide whether you want nylon or steel strings. If you have no preference I would go for a steel string guitar. You do not need an expensive guitar made from solid timbers and with lots of decoration but you need a reasonable instrument suitable for a beginner. Buy from a music store, not on-line and not from a department store. Do not buy anything in a sealed box. You need to try the actual guitar you are going to buy, not just one like it. If possible take someone with you who plays, to advise you, or at least get the salesman/woman to play it for you. Get a spare set of strings and a tuner at the same time (you might get a better deal) and a strap and picks if you want them. Get them to show you how to use the tuner. There are lots of reasonable guitar brands for beginners but you might want to look at Yamaha, Jasmine or Epiphone. Good luck and have fun.

What is a cheap acoustic guitar that sounds good?

raymond

I'm looking to spend around 50 to 65 dollars what is a good acoustic guitar for a beginner? Thanks.

Answer
Ahh, man. I would recommend two starter guitars but they are out of your price range. So I'll recommend them anyway :D

For ~$100, I recommend the Epiphone DR-100. I had the step up, the one for around ~$180, and it was such a nice guitar. Sounded beautiful, with a beautiful sunburst finish (then it fell over, landed on the neck and broke D: such a sad day! It just tipped forward off the stand!!!!!!! arg).

Epiphone acoustics are great! And 100$ is pretty cheap. I recommend splurging an extra $35

Look at my source. It's a little out of your price range, but if you shop around, I'm sure you could find this for under $100

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

hey, i wanna start playing the guitar please help?

acoustic guitar lessons for beginners uk image

JadeeTaylo

so i was gunna ask for one for christmas, but ive already got some stuff from my parents so it cant be to expensive haha, could anyone recomend a good acoustic guitar for beginers? :) thanks also a rough guide to starting playing the guitar would be nice (i live in uk so it has to be a uk shop haha)
thanks

Answer
Great guitar and a free beginner lesson site.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/yamaha-fs700s-solid-top-concert-acoustic-guitar

http://justinguitar.com/en/BC-000-BeginnersCourse.php

Is this a good beginner acoustic guitar?

J

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dreadnought-Steel-String-Acoustic-Guitar/dp/B00328BMHC/ref=sr_1_27?ie=UTF8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1282487980&sr=8-27


Down from 85£ and it's in my price range.
Is it good?
The last time i have played the guitar was when i had lesson in primary school so i'm basically starting from scratch

Answer
It should be.

I'd go for it.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

What is the best beginner acoustic guitar?

acoustic guitar for beginners lesson 1 image

JoanneMz

I'm going to be taking guitar lessons pretty soon and I need an acoustic guitar, but I would like to buy one that is going to last me a while and isn't going to empty out my savings account. I heard that the Epiphone DR-100 is a pretty good 1st guitar (and it's withing my budget), is there any truth to that?

Answer
If that is all your budget can stand it will be fine. No matter what you get now, you will want something better down the road. I do agree that you will get much more bang for your buck if you can spend a bit more and get a real solid top guitar. The Yamaha FG730S is a good choice. If that doesn't work into your budget, no big deal. Get the Epi now and move to a Taylor, Martin, etc. down the road. The main thing is just sticking with it no matter what you're playing.

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Yamaha-FG730S-Solid-Top-Acoustic-Guitar?sku=519049

I am 21 and want to learn how to play electric guitar. How to start (equipment, lessons, etc)?

Grygera

When i was 18 i wanted to play the guitar. I somehow managed to get a very cheap acoustic guitar (gift) for like 50 bucks form Lidl (crappy quality). After 1 year i got the time to get busy with it, but like learning songs from youtube tutorials, nothing like theory or basic notes, just copy what i saw. A friend of mine in my hometown( i study away of home now) learn to play with a teacher and within 2 years he can play some songs by ear. I tried to get some lessons from a friend of mine but it was a dissapointment for a lot of reasons. So now I am about to earn 1000 bucks and i really want to invest them in electric guitar lessons because i am really into metal and the acoustic gutiar just doesn't fit me( that's one reason why i abbandon it, except maybe the crappy quality, dont know a lot about quality guitars either so i couldnt tell the difference ). So with 1000 euros in my pocket i want to go serious because air guitar isnt enough. I want to get a teacher and some equipment but i dont know how much of those money should i spend, as i dont want to spend all of them because i have some rent to pay. So what i am asking is what kind of guitar should i buy (price variety 200-300) and amps and how much the teacher would cost me( i have heard even one day a week is enough). I want personal teacher not music school as i am a little old to go to that kind of school. It is certain that i will practice hard if i get into it, the difficult thing for me is the begging and the investment of the money. I want a decent guitar( so i want buy another one later) and also amps for which i dont know nothing :) I want to hear your recommendations. I have a decent metal voice so with the guitar i would be the most happy person in the world as music is my entirely life (by ear):D

Answer
start off with the beginner guitar so you can work your way up with the tones. fiddle around with the knobs see which sound you like

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

I want to learn how to play the acoustic guitar - any help and tips?

acoustic guitar for beginners online free image

Q. I have an acoustic guitar, and really want to learn how to play it. Does anybody know of any good beginners guides on the net which will help me get the guitar and tune and help me to teach myself?

Answer
Yes I do, and a lot of these sites have free electronic tuners on them, so see if you find something that you like on one of these sites :
http://www.guitarchordsmagic.com
http://www.billbrutal.com
http://www.justinguitar.com/
http://www.learn-to-play-guitar-online.info
http://www.guitarforbeginners.com/
http://www.8notes.com/
http://www.worldguitar.com
http://www.fretplay.com/
Hope these give you something that you like, bye and good luck !!!!!

What is a good web to learn playing acoustic guitar?

John De Le

I bought a new acoustic guitar , and i would like to take some online tutorials or something so what web has good ones??, i would like to find a site where i could learn to play blues too...

Answer
http://www.justinguitar.com/

Everything on his site is free and covers a wide range from beginners, to advanced playing, jazz, rock, blues, acoustic, everything. It's very cool that he has taken the time to give all of this information for free!

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Could you give me a recommendation for my first electric guitar?

best acoustic guitars small hands image

hmm

I'm an intermediate player, but on acoustic only. I want a guitar for blues/rock, no heavy metal for me :-) I have very small hands and would like a guitar that's fairly light and with a smallish neck? My price range is about $1200 or under. Thanks for any help. I really like the sound of semi-acoustic guitars but strictly electric would be fine as well.

Answer
Nice!!! getting a guitar for blues and rock should not be any trouble because both styles use similar techniques. You can actually choose from a Fender to something that looks awesome and at the same time delivers clean sounds as an Ibanez guitar. The brand of a guitar does not really matter...what it really matters is how comfortable you feel with one while playing. You have to go on hunting your guitar LoL...test the sounds, check if it is to heavy or light all that staff is very important...sit down and play it...stand up and play some more...feel it which one is very playable and then take a decision. Here is a link to look for a guitar once you take that next step of buying one. Good Luck!!!

Why do people think the classical guitar's neck is bigger than a acoustic guitar's neck?

Malikah Si

I play both and it is true that the classical guitar's neck is wider than a acoustic one. Because it is but that doesn't make it bigger. Yes the acoustic guitar neck is more flat but im a girl with very small hands and I mean baby hands and I tried to play a Taylor 814ce and I couldn't even do a bar chord.because my index finger couldn't even fit halfway across the fretboard. Lol no joke but it can fit on the classical. Also why do people think the classical guitar is harder to play? I think its based on opinion because to me its not. It's easier because the strings are nylon and not hard to press Down on ..no they don't have low action but still. And its fingerstyle so that means no playing with a pick which is easy because playing with a pick for me is harder cause u basically have one finger picking the string instead of 4 fingers to work with. I'm a fingerstyle player even on the acoustic so its easier for me to not use a pick. But the only problem I have with acoustics are to big.

Answer
I think you are merely arguing semantics at this point. Many of the people who say the neck is "bigger" MEAN that it is wider. Some people do say the correct word "wider" . You should realize by now that the English language is not something widely studied and/or adhered to in this forum.

I do not however, understand how you cannot barre on a steel string acoustic but can on a classical guitar.
Unless the classical guitar was a small scale guitar similar to the one I used as a pre-teen and teen.
It had a neck similar in width to an steel string or electric guitar.

Here is a page that illustrates this, comparing necks widths.
http://www.vbguitar.com/reference-neck-width-for-acoustic-guitars/

I looked up the specs for the Taylor 814CE,and indeed, it has a neck width of 1 3/4"
There is also a Taylor 814CE-N which is a nylon stringed version with a nut width of 1 7/8"
Classical guitars have a nut width from 1 3/4 -2 inches.


So the classical guitar you play HAS to be a short scale 3/4 or 1/2 size guitar. Since small scale classical guitars have a nut width of 1.75 inches ( I looked some up and both 1/2 and 3/4 sized ones have 1.75 nuts.)

So I'm very curious as to why you found that much difference.

It's also possible that the ones who say a classical guitar is harder to play is in reference to the style and complexity of music played on it. It is "harder" to play....not strength wise, but knowledge and skill wise.

Anyway....everything is based on opinion concerning the difficulty of playing an instrument.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Buying a new acoustic guitar and need advice?

cheap quality acoustic guitars image

jamestar89

I got a 3/4 size guitar at a yard sale real cheap about a year ago, but I've been practicing and would like to get a better quality acoustic guitar now, but I have no clue what type I should get. If anyone is into guitars and knows anything about them, can you give me any good make/models of guitars and basic price ranges for them? Thank you!

Answer
It kinda depends on how much you wanna spend and how much stuff you want with it. I would look on the musicians friend or guitar center. I got one from Costco actually. It was a Yamaha FD01 and I really like it. You can browse through stuff by price range on websites to look for yourself, but on Musicans Friend they have a yamaha EDF01 for 200, an Ibanez SGT120NT for 180. When you get in the more expensive price ranges, an Taylor is gonna be nice, Martins are nice, Alvarez, Ibanez, Fender, Epiphone. Really it's a preference of sound and feel. The best thing to do would be to go to a local music store and see what feels and sounds best to you. If you have a guitar center nearby go there. You can wheel and deal the workers like at a yard sale, compare prices and what not. When I was shopping for an acoustic I told them about the one at Costco and the sales rep said she'd throw in a gig bag, strings, pics, and a tuner for free. It might be a little awkward doing it but the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Also, if you're looking to go Acoustic Electric look at the same brands.

How big should a guitar be for an adult?

Q. I'm buying a cheap acoustic guitar for my boyfriend and I've looked online and all the ones that are 36 inches say they are "Children's" guitars. How big should a guitar for an adult be?
I know nothing about guitars so any help is welcome.

Answer
I don't know what stores you are looking at, but real guitars for adults are never sold in "inches".

They are sold with no labeling at all referring to size OR they may be "3/4 size" for children.

Do NOT buy a cheap guitar from a place like Wal-Mart or Target for like, $100. They will be awful to play. They are hard to play because of the cheap construction of the neck and bridge, and they cannot be tuned.
I'm not joking. They are made so imprecisely (the location and spacing of the frets on the neck), that they will always sound out of tune.

Having played guitar as a serious hobby and in a few bands for the past 30 years, let me give you some honest advice. Expect to pay about $300, for an acoustic guitar that is at least playable, meaning the strings won't be absolute agony to hold down, it will stay in tune, and will have a pleasant sound. Anything cheaper is total frustration.

If you are looking on-line, you can look at Musicians Friend or American Musical Supply (google them, they are easy to find), and look for something in the $250to $350 price range.
I have bought from both of those on-line places before, and they have always been reliable, even buying instruments through the mail. If he is serious about playing, it is much MUCH better to go to a local music store where you can try out the guitars, because there is a lot of variation in what you'll get for your 300 bucks.

(Of course, if your budget is bigger, you'll get a BIG jump in quality if you can get into the $700 guitars, and still other big jumps at the $1200, $1600, and so on, level. Yes, good guitars really do cost that much, and with good reason).

If you have a choice, TRY to get ones with a SOLID top (not laminated). Unless the description SAYS it has a solid top, it doesn't, believe me. Next up, you want solid back and sides (again, it will say if it has this). But now you are getting up into the $700 and up range.

Brands in $300 price range that make decent instruments, that I have actually tested out, are Guild, Yamaha, Ibanez, Takamine, and Epiphone (there are others). I have NOT been pleased with Fender's acoustic guitars, so I'd stay away from them, despite their well-respected name in amplifiers and electric guitars.

The really good stuff, like Martin, Taylor, Seagull (cheaper than the other two!) are $800 - $3000.

Oh, and for historical information, my first guitar was an Ovation (I don't care for them anymore, but they do still make fine guitars). It cost $200 in 1978, so today, it would be
$750. Next was a Seagull around year 2000 that cost $600, and just recently, a BEAUTIFUL Taylor that cost about $1700.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

How much should I pay for a decent acoustic guitar?

good acoustic guitar for beginners uk image

Eduardo V

I am a beginner. I've got almost no experience. I would like to learn chords and pretty much cover songs. Mostly Foo fighters and other rock songs, until I eventually learn chords and write my own songs. But for now I want a decent acoustic guitar. If you could give me the price and a link or tell me where can I buy it that would be great.

Answer
If your looking just for a decent one, but nothing special (reliable, durable, ok sounding) then I'd go for a Tanglewood. http://www.tanglewoodguitars.co.uk/products/acoustic/evo_exotic/evolution/TW28.html It's just short of £200 but you could probably get it cheaper in a store like Thomann.
If you don't want to spend that much money, then take a look at this one. http://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_squier_sa105_bk.htm
I can't guarantee that the sound is that good (Fenders are only really good when they're over £/$/⬠700..

How do you read notes for playing guitar for beginners?

bb910

I have an acoustic guitar that has been sitting in my room for a while now and I thought I would try to teach myself to play it. I'm trying to start out with the basics and learn to read notes, then go on from there. If anyone knows a website or has helpful information for me, I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks so much!

Answer
£1 bargain , check it out, will progress you nicely
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150824618047?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_877wt_1187

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Could I still learn how to play the guitar?

acoustic guitar lessons for beginners on youtube image

dancer4lif

I play the clarinet & some piano, but recently I started taking an interest in the guitar. I'm 15 & i feel I'm already too old to learn how to play because I won't be really good at it until I'm about 17-18. I have an electric guitar at home that my dad got for xmas but he never got the chance to learn it, so now I might use that? But don't I have to start with the acoustic guitar? After all I think that's the one I want to learn but aren't they both the same notes/technique anyway?

Is the guitar hard? When I tried to play on the electric, I found it hard for my fingers to reach all the notes! I don't have enough money for lessons so are there any good websites/YouTube channels that have guitar tutorials for beginners?

How long do you think it will take me to be good at the guitar (good as in able to play songs, etc) if I practice a good amount each week? Any tips on anything with the guitar would be helpful! Thanks!:)

Answer
Well, since you have a background in playing music, you're already off to a huge headstart. Not knowing theory behind playing hinders a lot of guitar players, especially when it comes to writing songs. And regarding your age, 15 is a great place to begin, because your fingers are now long enough to reach full chords properly, plus you're mature enough now to know that it takes solid dedication to get good at an instrument.

Depending on what style songs you want to play, i would say choose either. Acoustic is more challenging at first because the notes are harder to fret, and your fingers will initially hurt more than they would on an electric. Having said that, they are largely speaking identical (note positions etc.), and you can easily switch instruments with no ramifications.

"Difficulty" is relative to what you want to play
-if you want to learn, say, Holy Wars by Megadeth, then yes, it will be very difficult
-if you want to learn some Taylor Swift songs, it should be very very easy (few months at most)
If you practise for a few hours every week, you'll easily be a competent player within a year.

I hope this helped, and here is the greatest guy for beginning guitarists on the net, he does acoustic and electric vids check it out ^_^

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G51a26ySi9E

Anyway, good luck, it's such an amazing instrument and you'll be playing for life if you begin :)

What are some easy, but fun, guitar tabs for the acoustic guitar?

Q. I'm a beginner at the guitar, but I know how to read tabs. Do you know any easy tabs I can play on the acoustic guitar?

Thanks!

Answer
Hey There!
Well to begin with you want to be learning to play small riffs, or the basic chords to a song so you can play along with it.

For example when I began playing I learnt to read tab and then searched all the basic guitar chords (A,B,C,D,E,F,G & Am,Bm,Cm,Dm,Em,Fm,Gm) "m means minor". Once I had learnt these I began playing small songs such as the "james bond" riff.. Or something like (Smoke on the water - deep purple)

All of these tabs can be easily found on the following websites:
www.ultimate-guitar.com
www.guitaretab.com/
www.guitarzone.com/
www.911tabs.com/

PS you may also want to watch some video lessons on YouTube.com.

Hope this helps yah!
Daniel,

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

whats the difference between guitar riffs and shuffles?

best acoustic guitar licks image

mattybock

what is the primary difference between guitar riffs and shuffles in real world use. i am using a hohner half size (parlor size) acoustic guitar to learn some early rock numbers (chuck berry <3 and ricky nelson) and to make a few up myself. so far i recognize i need 2 guitar sections; the rhythms and the riffs/ shuffles. can i interchange the 2 terms in real world usage?
thank you.

Answer
A riff is the same as a lick, a short melodic phrase or lead line. Usually a catchy series of notes that make people want to play "air" guitar.

Shuffle is a type of rhythm, or a way to play a rhythm. Similar to "swing" in jazz.

Each quarter note ( 1 beat ) usually breaks down into 2 eighth notes, counted : 1+ 2+ 3+ 4+

In a shuffle, each beat is treated as a triplet, counted 1+a 2+a 3+a 4+a. It will often be written as a straight 4/4, but the eighth notes will be played as a triplet with the first note lasting for 2 counts of the triplet, and the second on the last 1 count.

So the first will last for 1+, and the second will be on "a". (pronounced, "uh").Simply put, the first eighth will be long, and the second will be short.

When the actual rhythm is written precisely, it is written as being in 12/8 time. Most don't bother, and just write in 4/4 and tell you to play as a shuffle.

The words "shuffle" and "riff" are not related. They deal with completely different aspects of music. You cannot use them interchangeably and still make any sense at all.

When they group the two ideas in the book, it is because the style of music may be played as a shuffle, and certain riffs may be expected to work in that idiom.

what is the best acoustic guitar for begginers?

lil twiggy

im really lost hahaha i would love to learn how to play the acoustic guitar however i have no idea what to buy for my first one?
any ideas? (uk based )

Answer
Well, Twig, I'm going to repeat a few things that others have already said and expand and and simplify just a little.

You'll probably want a steel-string acoustic (western acoustic) over a nylon string (classical acoustic) guitar, as this is likely the type of sound you are looking for. However, the classical guitar (often called Spanish guitar) makes that very mellow, soft acoustic tone. You probably have heard examples of both. Myself, I wanted my acoustic to be classical, since that WAS the sound I wanted. In my opinion, it is moodier and more expressive, but that is my own thought and what I wanted in an acoustic guitar. Yes, steel strings will hurt the heck out of your fingers initially (playing until you fingers bleed is not just an expression!) The good side is that you'll develop tough fingertip calluses that will eliminate the pain and soreness that you'll certainly feel. Don't sweat it... every string player goes through it.

UK, eh? Don't spend more than 300 pounds, or less than 100. THAT, my little English friend, is the financial sweet-spot for a starter guitar. Now this is a general rule that gets around 'brand identity' because for a starter, that isn't very important. A novice violinist doesn't profit from playing a Stradivarius. But go TOO cheap, and you have a piece of crap that will likely discourage you and begin to fail in places where things wear on each other.

Many fine guitar makers have mass-produced lines of models that sell for hundreds or thousands less than their top-of-the-line models. These are what you are looking for. Well-cared for, they will serve you well for many, may years. Baby them, and they will last forever.

*Personal tip* If you can play any old thing at all, try out a Western acoustic vs a classical acoustic. I decided THAT sound was what I wanted for acoustic playing. You might too. It is the difference between 'twang' and 'hum.'

EDIT: Oooo. SK up there (who usually has very well-informed answers) mentions BRINGING A FRIEND who can play so you can HEAR the guitars actually being played. If you can't play a lick yet, this is a GREAT idea.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers