just started to lean how to play guitar

[jaykobe]

Hello, eveyone! I am just starting out learning how to play. Does anyone have suggestions on how or where to begin leanrning? I tried you tube and various other sites. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
thanks
jaykobe

[Neil mcNasty]

I'm probably not the best guy to give advice on this subject, but one thing I regret not paying more attention to at the beginning, was Finger Picking and practising/learning more chords.
Since I skipped a lot of that, I've been kind of stuck in a riff/lead style of playing, not quite being able to play "normal" on a guitar like most others do.
This puts quite a big limit on what kind of stuff I can play, and it can sometimes be a bit frustrating not being able to get all the ideas out of my head...

- "The Circle of Fifths" is absolutely something to look up on youtube.
Very helpful knowledge about how chords are built up, and how to use them in a lead/solo situation.
Better than practising scales in my opinion! Practice chords instead!

- When I picked the guitar up again after 15 years of absence, I decided to learn the basic Blues stuff, going all the way back to the Delta Blues.
I find that very helpful, since it lays a great foundation for understanding all the stuff that was going on in Rock music in the 60's and up until today.

- Dont forget the hand that picks the strings! That is where a lot of the magic happens!

- Use an Acoustic Guitar so that you can not hide your mistakes in a wall of sound from a gigantic pedal board. The Acoustic is the best practising and song writing tool there is.
If it sounds good on an acoustic, it sounds good all over...!

- The most important of all is: keep it simple and play the guitar every day, no matter how you feel.
Even if it is just for 5-10 minutes, it will be extremely helpful in order to achieve progress.
1 hour every day brings great results!
More than 1 hour a day can make you a God!

If I remember more stuff that can be helpful, I'll pop by and post it.
Until then... Good luck with your practice and never give up, no matter how frustrated you (sometimes) get!

Cheers!

[Addy Bart]

I recently discovered Songsterr - great way to learn songs if you can read guitar tablature.

[Ravenswerld]

    Learn the scales, major, minor and the modes. know them in the open position, closed and long. Use a metronome everyday. If you do this and master the fretboard then chords are easy to understand. Also, the jaszz scales, gypsy scales, the natural and harmonic minor will not be a mytersy to you since they are all based on the major and minor. It's not that difficult just takes PRACTICE and DEDICATION! Have a good one and don't forget to enjoy it as your going on your musical journey:)

[BetterOffShred]

There's no one way to go about learning to play guitar.  And for that matter it's a journey, rather than a destination.   I started playing by picking out zeppelin tunes I liked and learning them by ear and to this day I learn most things I'm interested in by ear.  I think the best advice is be mindful of what works best for you be it learning songs or just practicing the fundamentals like chords and scales/modes as others have suggested.  You have to have lumber and nails and drywall and paint etc to build a house, and likewise you're much more likely to be successful playing what's in your head if you have the tools to let it out on a guitar neck.  Whatever you do, you have to really get a lot of time in with the guitar.  You're not going to shred over night, so as opened with, learn to enjoy the journey. Set achievable goals and record your progress.   guitar is the best thing I've stuck with in my life and it will always be a part of me.  Keep at it and you'll have something to be proud of.
-Brett