Here's my question of the day!

[wizpup]

Maybe I should have said questions.

How long have you been playing?
Are you self taught, or did you take lessons?

I'm just a curious person, and find other peoples stories interesting. As for me, I've only been playing for about a year and a half. I know that's not a long time, but it's never too late to start. I'M HOOKED!! Everything I've learned has been from the internet, although, I'm thinking about taking some lessons, because you need someone elses perspective to let you know what you are doing right, or wrong.

Does any of this make sense? Anyhow, take a minute and let me hear from you.

Later

[shrekfingers]

Year and a half, trying self taught stuff , videos, youtube ect really looking for a good instructor. Really though, think I am on the right track for my time at it, can play some ACDC, beatles ect. Better or as good as than Clapton? Nope ,but better than any guy with no hands (lol). I compete with myself and see how much better I can improve, not comparing me to others. There is always someone better.

Always wanted to play guitar but to busy, now that I am older, don't want to die with regrets so... here I am jammin

[motoman45]

bought my first guitar when i was 12 with paper route money at the local 5 and dime for 20.00..took lessons for a year and was in a band at 13.. then kinda got bored, through out the years ive always had a acoustic but finally got back to electric about 3 yrs ago.. so i have the formal lesson structure and with all the resources online today it makes pretty easy to get more knowledge that im always looking for....

[wizpup]

I'm with you Shrek, looking for a good instructor. Any clue as to what to look for?

[edandis]

I started to play in 1975 with a Yamaha acoustic that I received as a Xmas gift and mostly taught myself with the help of a Beatles chord book. I had a teacher briefly but I lacked the dexterity being that I'm a lefty playing righty.

I stopped playing in 1980 when I joined the Army and picked it back about two years ago when my wife bought me a Gibson Maestro acoustic as a birthday gift. I enjoyed it but found out that playing an electric would help as it's gentler on your fingers.

Last year I purchased a Squier CSB strat and the rest is current history.

[gouacats]

I picked up my bullet in September of last year. I'm kinda using www.justinguitar.com for lessons, but I'm not real disciplined and spend too much time surfing around here instead of practicing!

[adamjn]

Originally Posted by wizpup

I'm with you Shrek, looking for a good instructor. Any clue as to what to look for?

Look for someone with an open mind and listens to your needs as an adult learner. Some teachers have what I call a "program" they put everyone through, which doesn't work when you're a grown-up person with real life responsibilities and can't sit and practice two to four hours daily.

When I get adult students, I spend most of the first lesson trying to get at why they're there. New to guitar, picking up after a long layoff, etc. Then I try to find out what kind of music they like, what their playing aspirations are, and so forth. Most folks want to be able to either play their favorite music, or to be able to jam with friends. So look for someone who suits your needs, but to do so, spend a little time asking yourself what you'd like to accomplish, at least initially.

I don't get down on adults who don't practice as much as they need to, because their plates are full. Bust on them in a friendly way sure, but when you're dealing with work, family, bills, etc, the last thing you want is some 20-something guitar ace riding you because you didn't learn your diminished scales in all 12 keys this week!!

[adamjn]

Oh yeah--been playing 31 years, a few years lessons and a summer course at Berklee, but most of what I've learned I feel I've taught myself. I was the kid who practiced what my teacher gave me 15 minutes before my lesson. The rest of the week I was trying to learn Led Zep and Rush tunes!!

[wizpup]

Thanks for the advice Adam, I'll do my homework before I choose an instructor.

Gouacats, I've learned most of what I know using www.justinguitar.com also. The man is amazing, and his lessons are well explained and easy to understand. Did I mention that his site is absolutely FREE! (Although, he does take contributions)

[pictoratus]

I started playing when I was about 13 or so on a cheap electric.

I had taken a lesson or two before I got the electric on an old Dreadnought belonging to a friend of my fathers who played in a local Country band. The lessons didn't last long. I was interested in learning to play the stuff I listened to on the radio and he wanted to teach me major chords and progressions, etc. I probably could have learned quite a bit from the guy if I'd have tried; he was pretty good.

Anyway, I switched to bass several years later and played that up until about 25 years ago and gradually picked it up less and less. After a long hiatus, I bought an electric about 3 months ago and began to learn on my own. Oddly enough I still remembered some basic scales so it has been more a matter of retraining my fingers to do the right thing and redeveloping my sense of rhythm as far as picking, strumming, etc.

[shrekfingers]

Originally Posted by wizpup

I'm with you Shrek, looking for a good instructor. Any clue as to what to look for?

No ..if I did I would have one by now , I don't want to go to the local music store as I don't want in with a bunch of kids hell bent on shreddin, I love Van Halen but it can only go so fast before i sounds like garbage (IMO). I hate going in to GC on a Saturday, or in the summer.


but I guess the local music store would be the place to look and ask questions. Its just a matter of finding the time, for me.. guess if I wasn't on these forums so much, I would already have an instructor

[shrekfingers]

Oh BTW, I did try the online sites like jam play and guitar tricks, cool sites but no personal inter action except on the forums. Was cool though on the videos, you could keep repeating the same lesson at your own pace. Again, it all fell back on time for me...just didn't think the money was being well used.

[motoman45]

justin rocks !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[aritoner]

hope its not to late to enter my 2 cents i enjoyed everyone else's...
so i started playing music in 5th grade trumpet played that through freshmen year...then stopped in 12th grade decided to take it up again and since i had too slots open i decided to take guitar too...i was the second trumpet in jazz and the worst of the guitar players in beginning...then started practicing guitar more and more till i got offered a solo at one of the shows...and then i put my trumpet away and bought my first squier...now i practice 4 hours a day on my guitar cant afford any more i make my money as an artist i have to paint the rest of the day...so a year and a half later ive read about guitars trying to learn everything and anything about guitars found these forums and just enjoy reading everything...started picking up interest in effects pedals a lot of good stuff on these sites...also putting together a band...so life is good but i learn from friends that beast on me so hard...when i get to their level i will consider an instructor...sorry if it was to late for this again..

[wizpup]

Thanks for your input everyone!!

[YeahDoIt]

I learn from everybody that I jam with. Hire a teacher if you like, but I learned a lot by jamming with people. I was at a music store, there was a guy trying out a guitar and I was watching him, asked him to show me stuff. I went home and reproduced some of it. You Tube videos are great, it's free lessons and I can return to them months later to refresh. Internet has music theory web sites, theory is useful sometimes. If there is no one around then I play along with the radio or mp3 player. Open mic places are good for meeting musicians and finding people to jam with. Some tabs are published on the web and are pretty good - I'm learning how to play Chuck Berry stuff and that Rainbow In The Dark guitar solo from tabs now.

[wizpup]

Thanks Yeah. Rainbow in the dark--RIP Ronnie James Dio!!