I would like to learn guitar this year, just a few questions though. Is it very hard to learn and is the equipment really expensive. also what the best way to learn from a teacher a book or a computer program?

You can probably pick up some decent stuff at a pawn shop or go to a local music store and see if they sell used instruments. No need to go dropping a lot of money when you are starting.
Can you read music?
It depends on your learning style but I learned from watching my friends and it was pretty easy for me to pick up on after a few months.

I used to play the flute about a year ago so yeah I can read music

You can probably pick up some decent stuff at a pawn shop or go to a local music store and see if they sell used instruments. No need to go dropping a lot of money when you are starting.
Can you read music?
It depends on your learning style but I learned from watching my friends and it was pretty easy for me to pick up on after a few months.

I agree with the answer above. You don't have to go spending major bucks in order to get started. You can even find decent instruments at yard and garage sales. Maybe someone might even be willing to loan you an instrument for nothing. When you get good at playing, then you might want to invest in some really nice equipment. If you want to play the electric guitar, then you will be looking at investing in an amplifier and speaker as well as just the guitar. If you are wanting to play the acoustic guitar, then you just need the guitar. Any maintenance things also need to be included with either electric or acoustic guitar.

From my many years as being an instrumental as well as vocal music teacher both privately as well as in schools, I would advise that the best thing to do as far as starting learning, is to get yourself a teacher to learn the basics, especially concerning technique. There are a lot of mistakes that you can make as far as technique that need the watchful eye of an expert so that you don't learn mistakes in your technique. If you do learn mistakes, then you have to unlearn them. This can take some time on your part.

Once you have most of the basic technique down, then you can do some things on your own. Videos and CD's can then be helpful.

You asked if it is hard to learn. If you are playing folk or rock style, then that is not as hard to learn as classical style guitar. But, how good you get at playing in any style depends on how good you want to get and how much you are willing to practice. One of the first things that I ask my private students is, "How good do you want to get?" Then I play some things for them. I then ask them, "Do you want to be able to play that?" If they say "Yes." Then I tell them about how they are going to have to practice and the time that it will take them to be able to play that.

One very important thing to remember when undertaking the learning of a musical instrument, is that it's not practice that makes perfect, but perfect practice that makes perfect. There are many ways to practice badly. That is one of the reasons that it is so very important for you to have a teacher to guide you in the very early stages of your starting.

What if I don't have enough money for a teacher, would the CD roms on the computer do just as good if I practiced everyday?

I used to play an acoustic guitar.
I just got a book on it.
How to play guitar for dummies.
It came with a Cd rom in it.
It was pretty cool.

what if i dont have enough money for a teacher, would the CD roms on the computer do just as good if i practiced everyday?

Like I said in my post to you, "There are many ways to practice badly." But, nonetheless, there are many guitarists as well as other types of musicians who have never had any formal training who do quite well. But, the styles in which they play tend to be in those that are the most popular, so the structure of the music is not very complicated.

I don't know what style it is that you want to play in. But, if it is in a folk or rock style, then you won't have as much trouble teaching yourself. I am only assuming things here, but If you do want to play in the classical style and haven't had all that much experience in music in general, then having a teacher really helps.

If you get a CD and/or a book from which to learn, I would advise getting those that have lots of pictures in them so that you can then imitate what you see. Also, if getting a CD or even a VHS video, please be sure to find out what the actual playing length is. The longer the better. You will get more information from which to learn that way. There are videos being sold in music stores that claim to teach the basics on certain instruments. The ones that I have seen aren't all that long. I'm talking about maybe twenty minutes to a half-hour in length. So, I would think that they would hardly be worth the purchase if you really want to get into playing.

Not all teachers charge a lot of money. I know that you live in CA and the prices for lessons out there are higher then around where I live. But, just as an example, in one of our local papers there is a person who charges only $5.00 for a half-hour guitar lesson. Maybe there is someone similar around where you live. Also, if money is a problem, and since private lessons are usually on a once-a-week basis with most teachers, maybe there is someone who will agree to you taking lessons once every two weeks or even once a month. Just for your information, lessons from people who teach out of music stores are usually less expensive than those who teach out of their homes. Also, in many places there are group guitar lessons available through community colleges, music stores and sometimes through park boards. The point that I am trying to make is that lessons don't have to be expensive and can be affordable if you shop around.

I wish you well in learning how to play the guitar!

A good thread here:

https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/music/palying-guitar-85343.html?highlight=learn+guitar

Hi, Thomas1970! Thank you for pointing out that thread!

I would like to learn guitar this year, just a few questions though. Is it very hard to learn and is the equipment really expensive. also what the best way to learn from a teacher a book or a computer program?

Do you by chance live in the U.S. If so go to craigslist: san francisco bay area classifieds for jobs, apartments, personals, for sale, services, community, and events (http://www.craigslist.com). Then go to your location and search for guitars. Its like eBay but you only see things up for sale in your city, so its hard to get scammed because you have to meet them and such,

The default is San Francisco, so you have to make sure you switch it to your area.

Oh and guitar hero never hurt anyone :)

Well, it hurt people who think it's anything like playing a guitar :p

Please excuse my naiveté. But, what is Guitar Hero? I have heard it mentioned previously on another thread.

A game for consoles where you are a guitarist. You have to buy a guitar controller and its fun. I use it to get me in the mood for learning the guitar, I suck, so when I play the game I feel like a champion. Lol

a game for consoles where you are a guitarist. You have to buy a guitar controller and its fun. I use it to get me in the mood for learning the guitar, i suck, so when i play the game i feel like a champion. lol

Thank you for your explanation. Now I see Capuchin's rationale for the answer that he gave.

It's 5 buttons on the neck and you have a strummer type thing at the base and there's a whammy bar too, but it's more about rhythm than any kind of technique or musicianship.

http://www.beststuff.com/images/articles/092006a.jpg

That's the guitar hero 2 controller.

First learning from friends and yourself, it's free. Second, practicing on some books and music-sheet (just a few bucks). Finally, Learning from 3 of them: yours, books - computer stuffs, and a good teacher. Good luck.
Tan Chu

This is what I did... buy an acoustic guitar for like 200 bucks.. gets rid of amp fees... and acoustic is better to start with because once you have learned acoustic electrick is no problem... and to answer your question.. you can sometimes find people showing how to play songs on YouTube. If not learn tabs and play along with a song.. hope that helps please rate

Honestly brother I think guitar is the easiest instrument there is to learn, I tought myself with no instruction at all it's that simple (well to learn the basics anyway) I just sat there one day staring at a tab I found on the net, figured it out and went from there, and no for a beginner its not too expensive at all you can get a deacent starter guitar for like $100 in stores, its obviously not going to be greatest guitar on the market but more than suitable to learn on and tips on ways to learn ummm dvd's seem to work really good, its defitally a lot eaiser than reading a book or something on computer because somebodys acctually showing you what to do, can pause, stop and rewind anything and you can buy the dvds at any music store for maybe around $15

Good luck

Rather then start my own "I am learning this instrument" thread I'll just post here lol. (Oh and I love me some Guitar Hero lol)

I bought a keyboard, and also a guitar giving by my brother. I want to learn them both. My biggest problem is reading sheet music. I unfortunately never had good music classes in school lol so I never learned. Due to my work schedule I think it would be hard to find someone to teach me. I am a pretty quick learner, but it's hard not understanding what the different notes mean.

I know what the symbols on the sheet music stand for, it's the place on the staff in relation to the instrument that gets me, and also the crazy advanced notes. I want to learn the piano, but I love classical music (I have come to realize is extremely hard).

Any good tips to help myself learn to read music better? I have been using YouTube videos and looking up as much as I can. And I can play My Immortal on the keyboard, but I don't 'know' what I'm playing if you understand. I know where my fingers go, but if you showed me the sheet music, I wouldn't be able to play from it. Its frustrating.

Thanks in advance

One of the best things you can do is buy a stater pack that comes with a guitar, practice amp, strap, picks, cable, tuner, and a book. This only cost around $200 that's what I started with.

When I started learning guitar, I went to Meijer's, a local retail store, and purchased a starter pack for $80 on clearance. I taught myself how to play, reading tablature (which I was later told was the worst thing to do), and then upgraded my guitar, amp, and cables. I also learned that you get what you pay for, so I was happy to get a Squier Stratocaster the following Christmas. All in all, a guitar is a cheap instrument to learn to play, and you will soon find out if it is the right instrument for you.

What I did about two years ago was get a starter guitar pack (a fender squire, amp, picks, cable) and then my mom bought me a few books about it (before this I knew NOTHING about music) a excellent book to use is K.I.S.S (keep it simple series) it comes with a cd and backing tracks, it'l teach you a lot of things like techniques and such. But the thing that probably helped me the most is NOT USING TAB. Play things by ear, it may be hard at first but its probably the BEST skill to have. And no, guitar isn't hard to learn, its actually pretty easy after the first couple months. Practice practice practice, try to get in 3 hours a day

I would like to learn guitar this year, just a few questions though. Is it very hard to learn and is the equipment really expensive. also what the best way to learn from a teacher a book or a computer program?

To be honest, I would recommend a teacher and learn the basics. Then the best way to learn is to practice on your own (I have found).

But learn what the basic chords are; Am, C, G, F, B, Em, E , Bm, D .

Learn what hammer on's and pull offs are and how to hold/ strum the guitar. After that.. you are home free to a beautiful new world of creating music! :) Good luck amigo! :p

Guitar Tips | Guitar Learning Blog (http://www.guitarlessonstips.com/guitar-lessons/guitar-tips/)

For those of you who keep posting on this thread, please realize that it's a really old thread that is now archived and not generally visible, unless someone happens to visit the forum topic area where it's located.

If you have a new question that's not in some way, an answer to the very first question at the top of the page, I would strongly suggest that you start a new thread with your new question.

Thanks!