<p>I'm thinking about teaching myself how to play..Any stories/learning experience, advice, and/or resources?</p>
<p>well, I bought the cheap guitar from the amazon, which was called "starter's kit" which came with everything you need to start (it was acoustic btw).</p>
<p>It came along pretty good although now I'm feeling that I need to take lessons to get better at it (it's been a year, and I can play fairly well).</p>
<p>I play guitar/bass...but not really too well, LOL!</p>
<p>I need to start practicing more.</p>
<p>I play guitar; mostly neo-classical and metal.</p>
<p>Yeah, I've had a guitar since 9th grade and I didn't take lessons. I can play fairly well, but that's where it stops. So, advice: if you're serious, get a teacher or go to a music school and learn properly. I learnt from the internet and picked up lots of bad habits which I later discovered.</p>
<p>I play at youth group in the praise band so mostly chords and basic melody lines (acoustic). Practice and when your calluses start to form don't pick at them! This is VERY important. They will bleed and it will hurt, but if you leave them alone it won't be painful after you get them.</p>
<p>I play guitar. You need lessons for a little while. Atleast I did. Once you get it down and you start to improve alot, you can stop the lessons and just play from tablature off the internet. Try mxtabs.net</p>
<p>That place has a #@$^ load of song tabs. </p>
<p>Hope that helped</p>
<p>There's a program, it costs $19, but it's well worth it, called TabIt (<a href="http://www.tabit.net%5B/url%5D">www.tabit.net</a>). I've been using it for about 5 years now and it's one of the best tab programs ever.
Plus, you get to see tabs that I write, and I'll go ahead and crown myself one of the most prolific tabbers on the Internet :D</p>
<p>You know Guitar Pro or Power Tab is better...and free.</p>
<p>Tips:</p>
<p>Practice everyday if you want to at all improve,</p>
<p>Alternate picking is necessary (for electric),</p>
<p>And make sure you have decent equipment...a Squier could really slow you down.</p>
<p>A lot of the stuff on Guitar Pro is stuff that I've already tabbed and sent to my buddies on there (i.e., most of the Sonata Arctica/Avantasia tabs) or stuff that's been stolen from me anyway (a Symphony X tab and a few Kalmah tabs :(). I don't know why I don't use Guitar Pro, I just don't like the feel of it, TabIt is a lot more user-friendly.</p>
<p>I started about a month ago, all I can really play is the Stairway intro, and it doesn't sound that great. I love it though, it's an awesome instrument. At some point in my life, I just want to be able to play Crossroads (Eric Clapton on guitar, by Cream, for the heathens that don't know their music). Most likely in about 20 years.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for the advice, do you know any good sites that would help me get started? I always like seeing how far I can get by learning on my own.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.cyberfret.com%5B/url%5D">www.cyberfret.com</a> isn't bad...Enjoy.</p>
<p>When i first started i used my aunt's old guitar, and taugh myself with a basic book (the idiots guide to guitar...hehe). I then started lessons, and when i decided to continue with them after a year or so i got a new guitar. I have been playing for three years, and I play a lot of rock/folk.</p>
<p>i only play because girls will like me. :D just kidding, ( but not really) i picked up the bass a couple of weeks ago and was surprised at its similarity with violin, so it was a relatively easy transition.</p>
<p>It's okay I like guys who play the guitar. I also have interest to buy a guitar and learn in the summer.</p>
<p>The only true way to learn to play guitar is to teach yourself by listening to music and trying to figure it out! Lessons/books are for posers!</p>
<p>Ecliptica, why don't you try Powertab a shot? I honestly think it is the best program/network for downloading and creating tablatures.</p>
<p>Go to
<a href="http://www.powertabs.net%5B/url%5D">www.powertabs.net</a>
they have tabs for most songs and tv and movie themes.</p>
<p>"teach yourself by listening to music and trying to figure it out"</p>
<p>That's going to take a long, long time.</p>
<p>"Lessons/books are for posers"</p>
<p>That's a funny one. If you want to have a life outside of guitar playing, and you want to excel quickly, these are a must.</p>