overthehill
August 7th, 2006, 02:03 PM
So you just got your first guitar,well go download some tabs and start playing, by this time next week you'll be as good as EVH or Clapton, right?
WRONG!!! the guitar may look like a simple instrument but it"s one the most complicated instruments in the world.
Here are a few tips to get you started.:The Four P's Practice, Pain,Patience and Pride
First let's take a look at practice,your gonna have to practice no one is born knowing how to play some people are more naturally inclined than others but it still takes practice to develop your skills whether natural or learned, practice,practice,practice and more practice! Pain is part of the game, your fingers are gonna hurt when you first start out it doesn't matter how low your setup is your fingers are gonna hurt until they get used to fretting the strings it usually takes about 4 weeks.Don't get overly enthusiastic and play until your fingers bleed,this only complicates things.When your fingers start to hurt or you become frustrated take a break and let things settle down,remember this is gonna take some time your not gonna solo like Clapton,Hendrix or Page by this time tomorrow or next week or next month it takes time,practice and patience.
Now let's talk about pride.You just got your brand new $99 Squier Bullet and you can't wait to show it off,so off you go to your best friends house with your brand new axe and the first thing he says "I had one of those when I was a kid too" [he's 3 months older than you but has been learning for about a year now] In walks Johnny Whizzbang from across town and proudly announces that he just ordered a custom made GibsonFenderSchecterPRS special.It was hand made by special robots on Mars and will be sent to a private shop on the sun to heat treat the titanium wound atomic core strings.It cost 3 million dollars plus another 1 mil for special setup.You look down at your once shiny new bullet and start to feel dissappointed.WRONG!! again look down at your new shiny blue bullet and feel confident that at this time next year you will be here again playing the solos from Freebird and Stairway To Heaven while Johnny Whizzbang watches in awe still waiting for his "special" to escape the sun's orbit.
I wrote this because I have been trying to help someone get started and I see some of the same problems I had when I started and quit and started again.I hope you can get a good laugh at the part about pride.
WRONG!!! the guitar may look like a simple instrument but it"s one the most complicated instruments in the world.
Here are a few tips to get you started.:The Four P's Practice, Pain,Patience and Pride
First let's take a look at practice,your gonna have to practice no one is born knowing how to play some people are more naturally inclined than others but it still takes practice to develop your skills whether natural or learned, practice,practice,practice and more practice! Pain is part of the game, your fingers are gonna hurt when you first start out it doesn't matter how low your setup is your fingers are gonna hurt until they get used to fretting the strings it usually takes about 4 weeks.Don't get overly enthusiastic and play until your fingers bleed,this only complicates things.When your fingers start to hurt or you become frustrated take a break and let things settle down,remember this is gonna take some time your not gonna solo like Clapton,Hendrix or Page by this time tomorrow or next week or next month it takes time,practice and patience.
Now let's talk about pride.You just got your brand new $99 Squier Bullet and you can't wait to show it off,so off you go to your best friends house with your brand new axe and the first thing he says "I had one of those when I was a kid too" [he's 3 months older than you but has been learning for about a year now] In walks Johnny Whizzbang from across town and proudly announces that he just ordered a custom made GibsonFenderSchecterPRS special.It was hand made by special robots on Mars and will be sent to a private shop on the sun to heat treat the titanium wound atomic core strings.It cost 3 million dollars plus another 1 mil for special setup.You look down at your once shiny new bullet and start to feel dissappointed.WRONG!! again look down at your new shiny blue bullet and feel confident that at this time next year you will be here again playing the solos from Freebird and Stairway To Heaven while Johnny Whizzbang watches in awe still waiting for his "special" to escape the sun's orbit.
I wrote this because I have been trying to help someone get started and I see some of the same problems I had when I started and quit and started again.I hope you can get a good laugh at the part about pride.