FAO : Anybody that plays Guitar

[VariKusBrainZ]

I would suggest you practice at least an hour a dayin the beginning.
It will be tough to start with but once you get going youll be suprised at how fast you pick things up.

Muscles have memory so the more you practice the more automatic your fingers will do things. I usually find after practicing something for a length of time the next day I can actually perform it a lot better.

Dont use hand lotion, you want those callouses to build up.
If you get blisters and want to keep on playing then try some micropore tape (medical tape used to stick down bandages and stuff) Its brilliant and doesnt come off like electrical tape

You might end up getting a bass too, perfect for electonic music

[nix808]

IMO electric is easier to play,
I like it myself coz I like to be able to
play quietly and have the amp make it loud.
The reason I think electric easier is that
typically electric's have the strings closer
to the fretboard(low action).
Apart from this they play the same to me.
Perhaps you could pick the sound u like best.
hmm-
another advantage of electric is that for recording
u don't have to mic it.
I hope u love guitar,
it is a really great music machine.
Cheers 8D
I have played for 11 years,
and picking up a guitar and playing freely
(comparitive to all other instruments)is there.
It takes a while,if u want to do it, just persevere,
and it will come.
Bass got a mention,
and that's a real bonus to translate the fretboard
straight across. Just thinking of putting down some bass
now to the guitar jam I have recorded today.

[Compyfox]

I know I'll probably burned for this, but...

If your Acoustic has a piezo PU, or you get a cheap electric, ever thought of getting Ubisoft's Rocksmith? It will be shipped international in October, comes with Guitar and Bass play and can help in terms of learning.


Granted, it won't make a teacher obsolete, but for training it could be fun.



I tried playing guitar. But I lack some motorics in terms of pressing down strings, so half of the strings are muted while playing. I'm rather an engineer, though I think of getting Rocksmith regardless.

[Mike20]

Thanks very much for the suggestions!

After some research today and a long think most of the day i have decided to go for electric,

Does anybody know of any good starter ones, say around £100 GBP?

Also will i need to buy anything else, I'm guessing an amp? Or can i run it through something like a software emulation.. Guitar amp pro or something comes to mind? I have an apogee duet 2, using 1 input for my microphone and have 1 input spare

Thank you very much!

Mike

[RunBeerRun]

If you don't have a knowledgeable friend to tag along, best bet is brand name. Fender squire, Epiphone(Gibson), Ibanez. Feel the neck, know that you can lower the action easily and it will be easy on the fingers.

The only drawback on those is basic sounding pickups, that's what I use though, they sound good, just basic, not screaming in any way.

[nix808]

You don't really need an amp,
especially since you are going to run through
the computer.
I still have an amp though,
it's more immediate if you just want to play,
to plug into the amp rather than setting it up through
the computer.
You'll prolly want a spare set of strings,
and spare b & e2 strings also.
Maybe try 3 different hardness picks.
I had a quick look at prices-
I'd reccomend a Fender Squire(strat or tele),
but they are not within the budget.
hmm
There are bargains to be had on ebay I'm sure.
I guess you'll need a tuner too.
Cheers mate, hope u can find an instrument you are happy with.

edit- 2 cheaper makes I have that have been fine are
Samick and Washburn

oh- u need a lead too

[zerocrossing]

I know I'll probably burned for this, but...

If your Acoustic has a piezo PU, or you get a cheap electric, ever thought of getting Ubisoft's Rocksmith? It will be shipped international in October, comes with Guitar and Bass play and can help in terms of learning.


Granted, it won't make a teacher obsolete, but for training it could be fun.



I tried playing guitar. But I lack some motorics in terms of pressing down strings, so half of the strings are muted while playing. I'm rather an engineer, though I think of getting Rocksmith regardless.

I've got Rocksmith and it's actually fairly good, but not perfect in terms of it guessing if you played something correctly. What's best about it is you're instantly "playing" which can be really inspiring to a beginner. I remember my dad signing me up for group lessons where we learned the notes in the first position and the grand finish was I plucked out "Oh When The Saints." Not very interesting so when the class ended I dropped the guitar...

...and then discovered music I enjoyed. Mostly 60s British Invasion and psychedelic/glam rock stuff. I dug out the no-name (literally, it did not have a label of any kind) crap guitar and amp and started to teach myself how to play chords with the help of http://www.amazon.com/Times-Great-Lenno ... B0013G53F2

It had little diagrams of the chords so I could instantly "play" the songs I liked and since the Beatles were over by the time I picked up the guitar, all the recordings were available on round plastic disks called "Record albums." That got me a little ways, but a friend showed me how to actually listen to the music and figure out what chord position was really being used. This was pretty helpful. I found after a while that I could "play by ear" better than by reading music so I kind of dropped the reading.

Later I picked up a book called "The Heavy Guitar Bible." It was really well laid out and it explained the basics of theory. It was all tab so it was very easy to read. If you can find that one I'd pick it up. Most of the theory and scales I know came from that book.

[Compyfox]

Does anybody know of any good starter ones, say around £100 GBP?

Good lies within the eye of the beholder. The prices dropped drastically over the years and you can get decent start keits from 80-150GBP in different flavours.

In case of your price limit (I upped to 120bucks), I found these two sets off of Thomann:
http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_gitarren_set_g13.htm (Strat)
http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_hbsset_5.htm (Humbucker)

But as earlier mentioned, don't expect too much - they're starter kits. Though for this price, fair (I've got a Fender copy by Johnson, sunburst design, for 150EUR back in 2002, sans bag - starter HB's cost between 130-190EUR nowadays). You can drop another buck or two if you drop on the amp and the bag.

Also will i need to buy anything else, I'm guessing an amp? Or can i run it through something like a software emulation.. Guitar amp pro or something comes to mind? I have an apogee duet 2, using 1 input for my microphone and have 1 input spare

If the Apogee Duet 2 has a high impedance (hi-Z) input for guitars, then simply plug it in. If not, get a DI of your choice on top of the pack (since the Apogee doesn't offer phantom power, I think you need an active DI).

Guitar wise you can use ton of stuff that's out there: Guitar Rig Player, AT3 Custom Shop, IgniteAmps, Line6 PodFarm Free (needs an iLok) - if you're on Windows even lePou, T.S.E. and SimulAnalog (just to name a few). Way more stuff than you might probably ever need.

So for starters, you can clearly be spoiled. But you're not locked out and don't need ultra-expensive equipment anymore either. So I'd count that as good thing.

I've got Rocksmith and it's actually fairly good, but not perfect in terms of it guessing if you played something correctly. What's best about it is you're instantly "playing" which can be really inspiring to a beginner. I remember my dad signing me up for group lessons where we learned the notes in the first position and the grand finish was I plucked out "Oh When The Saints." Not very interesting so when the class ended I dropped the guitar...

I can definitely relate to the "classes" thing. Tried several free lessons, even paid for one or two. But it was either rudimental "boring" stuff, or like you said "classical tunes". Books didn't help me either, and bundled CDs were crap. This is why I see so much potential in RockSmith.

Though yes, I agree that the learning factor in terms of "how to play properly" is missing. Then again, it makes ton more fun. Same happened with GuitarHero and RockBand, which spawned more enhanced guitar controllers like the "YouRock" guitar after all.

Again, I'd get it regardless.
It's just a bit expensive since it comes bundled with a cable (that's worth 30-40bucks if sold alone). But if you have an old guitar standing around already, it's still a fair bundle compared to what we throw out on money now and then on KVR with deals and stuff.

[strangedogs]

start with the best electric you can afford. My first electric was a 68 les paul (in layaway for 6 months)... it was worth the wait

[ObiWonder]

Justin Guitar


Legend.

YES. Justin Guitar is easily one of the best for any new guitarist.

[Dean Aka Nekro]

Thanks very much for the suggestions!

After some research today and a long think most of the day i have decided to go for electric,

Does anybody know of any good starter ones, say around £100 GBP?

Also will i need to buy anything else, I'm guessing an amp? Or can i run it through something like a software emulation.. Guitar amp pro or something comes to mind? I have an apogee duet 2, using 1 input for my microphone and have 1 input spare

Thank you very much!

Mike

Mike if you are able to up your budget just abit then this is by far the best playing and sounding 'cheapo' guitar I have ever come across, I do not say it lightly:

http://www.andertons.co.uk/solid-body-e ... -black.asp

It won't be one that ends up as a piece of firewood after you have advanced and stick for example (I'm being conservative in choice here) a Seymour Duncan JB at the bridge and a 59 at the neck and it will sound as well as play as well as guitars costing four times the money.

Just my 2 Pence FWIW and my final suggestion for extreme VFM balanced with actual quality. You could look second-hand but unless you know what you want then it is not what I'd recommend (Still you could go into a instrument shop near to you, Try all that you can and then look for used examples of whatever clicked/suited you)

Dean