Getting back to playing guitar

[dieselfuel79]

I’m no musician. I used to enjoy playing the acoustic now and then. I cannot read music and I learn by ear. I had been using a $99 no name black guitar, swapped out the strings with some Fender’s, bought a clip on kapo and some picks.

Fast forward, 8 years and after having 2 children, I had lost the urge to play as much as I had been. I recently dusted off my $99 special and started to get the itch... so much so that I went and upgraded to a new Epiphone Hummingbird Pro Acoustic / Electric as of today. Not the most expensive guitar, but for me- it’s a massive upgrade. Scooped up a few Dunlop Tortex medium picks and plugged it into my basic amp as soon as I got home. Sounds amazing. Now to try and teach myself all over again.

Guitar players... where do I go from here? Favourite apps? Advice? I may look into music lessons in the fall, but until then... I’m open to any pointers or stories you might have from playing. Here’s a pic of my new Hummingbird.

 

[mio_cuggino]

Nice!
I did something very similar, but instead of going back to the guitar I picked up the ukulele.
I found that YouTube was an excellent resource, including dexterity exercises, arpeggios, strumming, and various songs.
I bet the same can be said of the guitar.
Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

 

[Basil]

Awesome! I play occasionally too. I used a couple apps on my iPhone.

First fender has a tuner app, perfect for keeping you in tune and it also shows you basic scales and chords.

Next app I use is called yousician. They have a free version that gives you mini lessons to help you progress.

Last one I use is an app called tabs. Basically has any song you can ever think of written down so you can play with either tabs or chords. I use it a lot and it’s awesome.


I haven’t been playing for long but I also get distracted by the kids so I don’t play as much as I’d like.

 

[Macfrommichigan]

Early Beatle's tunes. Three cord stuff. 60s folk songs.

 

[Blackland Razors]

Justinguitar is the way to go. Dozens of lessons and hundreds of videos for free. He's a great teacher.

I once heard that if you play guitar every day for a year that you'll play for the rest of your life. That was true for me. So put your guitar somewhere that you sit every day and pick it up as often as possible. Eventually you'll feel naked sitting there without a guitar in your lap.

 

[Lightcs1776]

I am a horrible guitar player, but enjoy strumming a few chords from time to time. Even if you don't play often or particularly well, keep at it and enjoy the moments.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[Joshua223]

Tabs are great. Really easy to read.
Its best to get official tabs (transcribed from sheet music) or written by someone that knows what they are doing. Anybody can publish tabs so there is a lot of bad stuff out there.

 

[dieselfuel79]

Tabs are great. Really easy to read.
Its best to get official tabs (transcribed from sheet music) or written by someone that knows what they are doing. Anybody can publish tabs so there is a lot of bad stuff out there.

I’ve noticed this. I was trying to find some tabs for a few songs, and one in particular sounded nothing like the song at all. Oh well.


Thanks for the advice by the way folks. Keep it coming.

 

[Joshua223]

I really want to start playing again eventually, but I want to do something about my carpal tunnel first. Use good posture and at the computer! Long periods at the coffee table with my laptop messed my wrists up.

You can buy official tabs for specific albums and artists like you would sheet music.

Watching people play helped me learn. Instead of figuring out the best way to position your fingers you can see how a professional does it.

I have OCD and ADD so I end up learning some sections and scales really well, but couldn't get myself to finish learning the entire songs.

Play with others. Rhythm for a lot of songs consist of three or four chords. Wish I had jammed with other guys when I was learning.

Plan your practice to get the most out of the time.

 

[drummer_boy]

Find a local bluegrass jam session to attend. It’s a great no-pressure experience for newbies. Most songs are basic 3-cord progressions. Keys of G, D and A are the most common.

I’m a bass player, but recently started learning banjo. Great fun!

 

[Joshua223]

@drummer_boy
World needs more banjo and mandolin players!

 

[Basil]

Id love a nice little mandolin

 

[shrews824]

Play a little bit everyday. Even if it's just 5 minutes. Eventually, 5 minutes will turn into 15 minutes, then into hours.

Run through chords everyday as well.

Bottom line, play with people. The more you play with people the more pointers and shortcuts and advice you can pick up on. Plus.... timing.

Have fun.

 

[Old-Fashioned Coughy Pot]

l've been thinking about picking up the ol' 'Phoenix Phantom Series' bass l got in Vancouver 36 years ago (dang....!) l used to play and jam abit in my old home town, but since l have moved l have had little opportunity to play. l haven't picked up my bass with purpose for about 6 years now. Soft finger tips now big-time. l have a 2X15 CARVIN bass amp with a 100w head the same vintage as my bass gathering dust as well. Not a music reader either. l got 'thirsty ears' and learned to play that way, eh?

 

[John Rose]

I've had a Yamaha FG-160 since the '70s, and then a Classical guitar, but a few years ago the fit came upon me to go electric, mostly inspired by Surf music. Also Spy, Spaghetti Western, Space, and Rautalanka. Nothing with vocals.
Now I've got a Standard Stratocaster, an Epiphone Les Paul Studio, a Squier VM Jaguar, a Squier Short-Scale Jaguar Bass, and now a Washburn X10 (HSS pickups) that I found discarded by the side of the road and fixed up.
I never play electric guitar in public though. I mostly use headphones on a Fender Mustang I amp, with lot's of on-board digital modelling and effects.
[edit - Almost forgot the SX Lap Steel.]

Apps...
I've got an older version of "Anytune Pro" for my vintage iPod touch, for figuring out riffs.
It does a great job of slowing down any of the tunes on your device, without changing the pitch. Even at 30% speed it's fairly clear without many artifacts.
It will also loop selected passages, and it can transpose an octave up or down in 1/10th semitone increments. Great for those slightly detuned recordings (e.g. "High School Confidential" by Rough Trade) because then you don't have to retune your instrument.

 

[John Rose]

Decided to give myself a treat and swapped the strings on the Jaguar.
Less thud, more twang.
Almost like getting a new guitar.

 

[Basil]

Decided to give myself a treat and swapped the strings on the Jaguar.
Less thud, more twang.
Almost like getting a new guitar.

nice what strings?

 

[Cash_Stronomer]

Glad to see you're getting back into it! Hummingbird is a very nice guitar indeed, I had one in a natural finish. Recently I just picked up the matching Ukulele version of the Hummingbird. Neat lil' bugger. I don't know what your style ultimately is, but I highly recommend Ernie Ball Aluminum Bronze strings. Great clarity and projection, and they seem a little easier on the old fingers.

Here's my matching Uke:

I heard someone mention Surf, here's my take on Wipeout:

 

[John Rose]

nice what strings?

D'Addario EXL115 nickel round-wound

The previous set had a wound .021 for the G but I decided I don't like it, so I was glad to get rid of it.
And the set before those were Roto Reds. They were okay.
Some time ago I was using much heavier strings (D'Addario EJ22), which sounded nice, but they pushed it beyond the range of adjustment for decent intonation.

 

[Basil]

Nice. The xl strings are great. I’ve switched to the Ernie ball strings. They are just easier to find locally for me lol