Help please?
Posted by Prince RedonOk, I know there are several Metalheads, and all on this site, and plenty who play, so I figured why not ask some people with experience. I just started to play the guitar. I have a Squier SE100 Strat Electric Guitar, (not the best I'm sure, but hey I'm just starting out..I've talked to a few people and they said Fender, and Squier are nice guitars...) and I've been practicing on it. So to the question...
What are some easy songs to play? Remember I only know what I've taught myself...So I don't know much, I can read tabs, and all, but like some instructions read something about "Play a powercord" I'm not sure what that is...
Yes laugh now, but we all started somewhere, weather you taught yourself or not...I may look stupid asking these questions, but I'm willing to pay that price to learn.
Posted by G-SidesIf you haven't even made it to power chords yet, try...
Come As You Are - Nirvana
Blister In The Sun - Violent Femmes
Never There - Cake
Going The Distance - Cake
Most Cake songs - Cake
Posted by sabreDream Theater - Ytse Jam
Posted by TheSecondComingI recommend getting lessons for a while until you learn the basics (ie: power chords and the like). After that it's far easier to teach yourself.
Posted by Richaod
Quoting Sabredog: Dream Theater - Ytse Jam
...I wouldn't recommend that to a beginner, not even the start of it.
Any Nirvana or The Darkness is really easy though. I'd suggest some of that, then eventually move on to something like the Smells Like Teen Spirit solo which is ridiculously easy and took me about a month (from when I started learning guitar) to be able to play.
Oh, then go on to School of Rock or Master Of Puppets. The rhythm guitar part of Master Of Puppets is especially useful.
Also, definitely learn how to read music, and some general, basic music theory or a lot of blind flailing will take place.
Posted by TheSecondComing
Quoting Richaod: ...I wouldn't recommend that to a beginner, not even the start of it.
Yeah, Sabredog was really being serious about that, wasn't he?
Quoted post: Also, definitely learn how to read music, and some general, basic music theory or a lot of blind flailing will take place.
Yeah, you wouldn't want to end up like Jimi Hendrix. That would be terrible.
Posted by Prince Redon
Quoting TheSecondComing: Yeah, Sabredog was really being serious about that, wasn't he?
Well actually Sabre was kind of right, parts of that song is something easy to start out on...I mean I'm sure I'm playing it way to slow, but hey, I'm practicing and speeding up little by little...Notice I said parts though, I can't play anything but the easy sections, other than that, the song gets a little...Yeah.
[quote]Yeah, you wouldn't want to end up like Jimi Hendrix. That would be terrible.
True, my father is a huge fan of classic rock, and he has told me the same thing, "It wouldn't hurt to learn music, but even some of the greats -----<(yeah he named off about 30 people so I don't know)< didn't know how to read music they just played it by ear."
Posted by MetalVox~55
Quoting Prince Redon: Ok, I know there are several Metalheads, and all on this site, and plenty who play, so I figured why not ask some people with experience. I just started to play the guitar. I have a Squier SE100 Strat Electric Guitar, (not the best I'm sure, but hey I'm just starting out..I've talked to a few people and they said Fender, and Squier are nice guitars...) and I've been practicing on it. So to the question...
Fenders are alright, Squiers are ****. Get a new guitar as soon as you feel you're good enough for something that has more worth than the ****ty Squier Strat.
Quoting Prince Redon: What are some easy songs to play? Remember I only know what I've taught myself...So I don't know much, I can read tabs, and all, but like some instructions read something about "Play a powercord" I'm not sure what that is...
Yes laugh now, but we all started somewhere, weather you taught yourself or not...I may look stupid asking these questions, but I'm willing to pay that price to learn.
One of the first things I tell my students is that reading from tabs will only hurt you in the long run if you're serious about music. If you're not, then go ahead and skip the rest of this paragraph. If you are, and want to be good, stop reading tabs and learn to sight read a.s.a.p. It'll help you beyond anything you could think of. Next thing would be to learn the names of the notes on your guitar inside and out, up and down the strings, and backwards. Power chords will only get you so far (Nirvana), and they sound hollow after you get some experience with other types of chords (YAY 7th CHORDS!). Learn your basic scales (Major, Minor, Pentatonic/Blues) and all the modes for each (Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian) and your base major and minor chords and their names (A, B, Am, Bm, etc). After that, it's technique focus and theory busting. The more theory you know, the easier it will be to play guitar. Learn stuff like intervals, how to put your Triads together from said intervals (Major triad is M3 and m3, with a P5 between the root and the 5th degree). From there, listen to anything and everything that sparks your interest. If NuMetal is your thing, then you'll be a Drop D player. If Jazz, Rock, Metal, or NeoClassical interests you, get as much of that stuff as you can and absorb it. The sky is the limit after that.
If you didn't read the above paragraph, Nirvana and Green Day covers await you.
Posted by Prince RedonThanks Scott (heh I remembered your name), from what I understood, it was good advice, but I have no way to learn some of those things...Hardly anyone around here plays to help me, and there are no classes or anything...Stupid hicktown.
Do you know of another way to help me learn? I'm very interested in learning.
Posted by MetalVox~55
Quoting Prince Redon: Thanks Scott (heh I remembered your name), from what I understood, it was good advice, but I have no way to learn some of those things...Hardly anyone around here plays to help me, and there are no classes or anything...Stupid hicktown.
Do you know of another way to help me learn? I'm very interested in learning.
[url]www.cyberfret.com[/url]
[url]www.ibreathemusic.com[/url]
[url]www.google.com[/url]
Posted by PitYes, cyberfret is excellent. I've been teaching myself for the most part, mainly playing a good minimum 6 hours (yes, MINIMUM) a day. Also getting help from my frind Angel and Metalvox to check up on me or just asking them advice on scales, music theory etc.
Cyberfret also has some excellent articles on theory.
Posted by Richaod
Quoting TheSecondComing: Yeah, you wouldn't want to end up like Jimi Hendrix. That would be terrible.
I'd rather end up like Tony Iommi. No, I don't want to have two of my fingers partially chopped off, but I think he's achieved more.
I'd also rather be like Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Petrucci, Malmsteen, Jason Becker, Marty Friedman... and the list goes on.