It's a tough old thing learning guitar on your own

[baldbloke]

How many others play alone (I had to consider the wording of that question very carefully!)

 

Many years ago, when I was just a pup, me and a couple of mates started learning around the same time. We would meet up every week or so and show each other what we had learned since last meeting.

 

Now, memory can be misleading, but I think we learned faster/easier back then. Yes, there was plenty of "low hanging fruit" but no internet, no computers and tabs, in the seventies, were crude compared to todays tabs. They were really just pictorial chord diagrams. But we got the basics and barre chords pretty quickly. Of course, agile minds and nimble fingers helped too. We didn't realise we had the advantages of youth at the time. Ye gods!, At 17 years old we thought we would never really be any good because we thought we were too old to learn the guitar properly. 33 years later, it's Ad infinitum, I fear. .

 

 

Anyway, here I am now. Nearly 50 years young. Much less hair, wrinkly fingers, relatively slower brain. Lost touch with many old friends. Those guitar mates that I do keep in touch with are hundreds of miles away. So, no impromptu jam sessions. Still send each other the occasional new song to each other via email. But it ain't the same as a good ole laugh and shindig.

 

 

After many years of not picking up a guitar with any serious intent I suddenly find myself dead keen to improve. It started again for me about a year ago. It is a passion. Almost OCD. But learning alone is tough and very, very slow. It now takes me what seems like forever to learn a new tune. I have found this forum to be a great source of inspiration, knowledge and encouragement. Thank you folks. (But I don't thank you for causing me GAS!)

 

 

So, just wondering, how many others put the hard work in without a local peer group to encourage them?

[seagullplayer77]

When I first started playing, I tried to teach myself for . . . oh, a couple of months, perhaps. I picked up a few chords, but that was the extent of it. I probably would've hung it up not long after that if I hadn't started taking lessons. Every Monday (or maybe it was every other Monday? I can't remember anymore ), I got together with my grade school music teacher and got a good lesson. He moved to Oregon a few months after I started taking the lessons, though, and I was on my own after that.

 

Since then, I've just learned as I went. If a new song required a new chord or two, I learned a few new chords in the course of learning the song. I don't think I've ever gone for very long without having a group of musicians to play with, though. Not long after I started playing, I got plugged in the worship team at my church, and they were a big help. Looking back, it must've taken a lot of patience to put up with the hack of a musician I was, but I'm glad they did .

[gitnoob]

 

It started again for me about a year ago. It is a passion. Almost OCD. But learning alone is tough and very, very slow. It now takes me what seems like forever to learn a new tune.

 

 

Ditto.

 

And I honestly don't see the advantage of having somebody else to play with. I know a few others learning how to play, but they play different stuff than I do. I like fingerpicking. They like strumming or classical.

 

My kid plays piano, so I'll occasionally bug her for accompaniment just so I can practice keeping time with somebody else, but other than that, I'm happy to plug along on my own.

[bigald18]

I took a couple of lessons when I was sixteen and have never had a lesson since. I developed my own style of playing however good or bad I play. I am currently trying to learn classical on my own and have been thoroughly enjoying it and I'm 61 years old and did not play for many years, too. You've just got to keep plugging away. There are so many good methods out there today with DVD or CD illustration that it makes learning on our own much easier.

 

BigAl

[poppytater]

Solo here

[kujozilla]

I've only learned alone. Being around more experienced musicians used to actually frustrate me because they want to show you what they are learning not what you want (need) to learn.

[fastblueheeler]

Different things work for different people. I've learned more playing with others than I ever learned on my own. Mainly I learned what I'm calling musicianship although that's probably the wrong term. I learned how to support the other players and that the music was more important than any individual part. I also learned how to ignore distractions and it can be very distracting when the bass player decides the tempo you've chosen for your song should be faster or slower But just an amateur strummer here in it for fun.

 

Sure it's harder when you're older but so is everything else, well maybe not everything else

[larry50]

I am largely self-taught, played as a teenager, put the guitar down for nearly 35 years, got bit by the bug again about five years ago, and I usually play alone. However, I think there is great benefit to playing with others. It makes your playing more precise, you learn new things faster and tend to play well even beyond your level. I like learning and playing alone and at my age I am content with it, but when I play with other folks, I really miss doing it regularly.

[Stackabones]

I also learned how to ignore distractions and it can be very distracting when the bass player decides the tempo you've chosen for your song should be faster or slower

 

Hmmm ... ...

[fastblueheeler]

Hmmm ... ...

 

Whoops! not so anonymous here after all.

[Hudman]

It's easier to teach yourself to play guitar today thanks to the internet.

[SkippyX]

I play solo most of the time. It's pretty rare for me to sit down with other players - although I'd love to (time and scheduling can be tough).

 

I had a few lessons when I was a teen. Just picked it back up a couple of years ago. I spend quite a bit of time exploring the neck, playing scales, practicing short runs transitioning between chords (gotta fill all by yourself when you play solo).

 

Youtube is my best friend when it comes to lessons.

[kiiaz]

Fully self-taught

 

found it to be fairly easy. When I started out I would play everyday 5+ hours for months straight.

 

With a bit of dedication and determination you will see massive improvements. Not everyone picks up things at the same rate so w/e works for you. I was too cheap to get lessons, taught myself, went well so I stuck with it

[masterbuilt]

I grew up surrounded by professional musicians and songwriters, but I have never had a lesson. I watched and listened a lot and would catch simple tricks easily enough. I could pull harmonies out of thin air, so, I always had a welcome seat and that put me in the thick of things.

[Hoddy]

I was just me...a cheap Silvertone guitar and a Mel Bay book of chords.

[OldGuitarPlayer]

I've been playing since I was 13 years old (1975). The only "lessons" I ever had were not formal. When I was younger I hung out with a couple of good guitar players and they showed me some stuff. I basically learned how to play from figuring out licks by ear off of recordings. By the time I was 18 I was playing in a gigging rock band in bars and clubs.

[LiFeStArTs@40]

Well, I suck at guitar because I didn't take advantage of opportunities when I was young. I had no interest in guitar back then... None. I got the bug about 3 years ago when a friend of mine started playing. I knew a few barre chords at the time and decided to to get my own guitar. I didn't do anything with it until about a year ago when I REALLY got the bug.

 

I've been learning on my own and it's been slow. One of the best things (for me, not the listeners) was do participate in the VOM's here. People here are awe inspiring and make me want to learn.

[JasmineTea]

Once you learn how to read the map you can find your way to wherever you want to go.

[andy thompson]

Only had a few lessons, but they helped. Would have more but feel selfish doing so when money is tight.

 

I would be m,uch better if I could afford a Guild F40

[gitnoob]

 

One of the best things (for me, not the listeners) was do participate in the VOM's here.

 

 

Yeah, I've been consider doing the VOM. It would help me to have a performance goal, but it would be cruel to the listeners.

 

Do you think a noob-only version of the VOM would get more noobs to participate?

[poppytater]

Yeah, I've been consider doing the VOM. It would help me to have a performance goal, but it would be cruel to the listeners. Do you think a noob-only version of the VOM would get more noobs to participate?

Nope, a noob only VOM would be like playing for your grandmother, wonderful feedback but of questionable value. I posted some gosh awful stuff in 2 VOMs that were met with kindness and helpful tips, even a few private messages encouraging me. Like you say, the VOM will give you a goal to shoot for. I'm 100% certain you're a far better player than me,let your guard down, no one cares if you're the next Chet Atkins or not. It's all about sharing a common love... music. So reach down, grab a pair and post in the next VOM. I will too.

[baldbloke]

I had a tutor for a few months. Expected tuition to help me learn quicker than previously when on my own. I didn't. That surprised me.

 

I had hoped that tuition would make it easier to improve. It didn't.

 

What I did find was there are no shortcuts. It's all practice and determination... and that is what I really learned from him.

 

Sure, he gave me a few very, very useful finger exercises to practice. These made a tremendous difference to my right hand accuracy but overall it was all down to me to put in the time and effort. Damn that reality! I want a shortcut! It ain't gonna happen though.

 

But I surely do get a buzz from noticing myself slowly improve. Spent two hours earlier this evening practicing the first few bars of Ed Gerhards version of Wild Mountain Thyme. Well, more accurately, my version of his version, if you know what I mean:).The mechanics are fine, it's the phrasing that captures me. Found some lovely phrasings. Then lost them again. Damn. That was an oh so enjoyable practice session. Zoned. Maybe 3 months from now I'll work up the courage to VOM it.

 

Thanks for the replies, folks. It's nice to know I'm note alone. (Pun intended)

 

 

And it's also very, very nice to see this forum activity increase again.

[gitnoob]

Maybe 3 months from now I'll work up the courage to VOM it.

 

You both talk about "courage," and I think that's the problem with noobs performing in the VOM. I know my chops aren't ready for prime time. I'm not ashamed of that, but it just wouldn't be very entertaining for others to listen to me perform.

 

It seems the current VOM should be for people who have the chops to play in a real open mic.

 

But the goal of producing a video of an entire piece once a month (or even more often) would be valuable to me. Maybe I'll shoot for producing a noob-only VOM this month. Does May 23 work for you guys?

[baldbloke]

a "NOOBit"?

 

I like the idea. I'd like to see it happen. but how would you define "noob"? After 33 years but little practice, would that make me a noob?

 

I know what you mean about "courage". Scared to make a tit of myself. Such is life. Hells, bells, it's not like anyone is gonna pin a note on my front door saying "crap guitarist lives here". If I qualify, I'm in. I'll post some {censored}e that I played all those years ago.

[poppytater]

I'm in, I definitely qualify as a noob. 10 months in.