Can anyone here play Acoustic? (Flat Top Steel string or Classical Nylon String?)

I'm using a classical guitar with nylon strings at the moment.

Wondering if anybody knows any good sites, or any EASY songs to learn with?
I can't read guitar tabs fast enough yet to have any flash type thing that scrolls along at full speed of the song, sheets would be ok though.
(plus would prefer something that just says "G chord, C Chord, E chord etc. etc" simple strumming to begin with while.)

Nothing I can find on the internet really suitable, or anything I do find comes up with "due to the riaa blah blah cannot show the tabs"...

I have a book here with the really really basic stuff (like how to play jingle bells with 1 - 2 strings but I'll drop the guitar and give up learning aweful sounding crap like this)

I've been trying to learn Dust in the Wind (picking style) as my first song and can play the intro up to about the 8th fret change so far (only picked up a guitar for the first time about 2 days ago) at a reasonable speed.

While it's keeping my interest and i'm making pretty good progression, I'd like something easier to practice as well.

Cheers.

Yeah I wouldn't mind something like that too, I could play many songs on the guitar back in high school... all I remember is two simple Beatles songs now which were the first ones I learned... oh and Wild Thing :/

noobs... I would skip Dust in the Wind because it's a trickier rythm and some funny chords. Early Beatles stuff would be ideal. 90% of tabs I look at on the net are totally bogus... often in the wrong key and wrong changes. I seriously don't know how retards can think they are right. It is still an advantage to learn how to read them asap though.

I just googled "beatles yesterday chords" and first hit was this.

Spend some money though and get a chord book. The kid I'm teaching at hte moment got "great australian songs" or something that was f***ing awesome. Had the lyrics to about 1000 Australian songs with the chords listed above, and then pictures of how to play each chord at the top of the song.

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/e/eric_clapton/classical_gas_tab.htm


http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/lessons/

Another good, however easier one is everlong by foo fighters

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/f/foo_fighters/everlong_acoustic_tab.htm



For the record though, most song books I've bought have been a complete waste of money and time. Either pay for lessons, or be prepared to spend a good ten minutes searching for the right online guitar tab (usually the most popular version on ultimite guitar.com) + youtube link.

last edited by Phooks at 19:22:57 20/Dec/07

I've been playing around with the guitar for a bit and learning chords mostly. I've got most the main ones down and able to change pretty well with them all now.

I found some decent sites that helped, http://www.cyberfret.com/chords/index.php

and also the about.com stuff was really helpful from a very noob starting point: http://guitar.about.com/library/blguitarlessonarchive.htm

and while we're at it I want to play the piano, how do I do that...

can't afford a piano, maybe I could download a piano simulator???

Another good, however easier one is everlong by foo fighters

Well... actually the pre-chorus has a bit of a trickier rhythm part that would be hard for noobs struggling to get the chords right as well.

and while we're at it I want to play the piano, how do I do that...

can't afford a piano, maybe I could download a piano simulator???

Piano I find is way easier than guitar, but each to their own. I think piano is especially easy if you're decent at guitar, and you know a bit of theory of how the chords are made. Piano is so well laid out it just makes sense after playing guitar for a few years. I got someone to show me the basic chord structures, then worked out the rest for myself. Now I rule at both guitar and piano.

Spend some money though and get a chord book.

For serious? I think it's a better to start off with a more music theory based approach and learn the core chord structures for standard tuning. Learn how chords are constructed so you can figure them out yourself rather than having a glance reference for every single one-fret-up implementation.

Learn whichever way that will keep you interested in playing the guitar. Too much learning and not enough smashing out a tune on a guitar is a sure killer for some people.

yeh second that one

What shad said is correct.

Have a fool around. What bands do you like?? I can probably recommend you some easy songs if I know your tastes.

Easiest one of all to start with is America - Horse with no name!

If you want to learn to finger pick, try Beatles - Blackbird. It sounds great but is surprisingly easy to pick up if you take it slow.

And if you're just playing to get laid, get tucked into the John Mayer numbers.

Also, this thread is lacking Stevie

http://www.guitarplayer.ru/srv/img/page5_002.jpg

Happy shreddin

and david gilmour
http://www.lavacable.com/10128473-10128475-large.jpg

touche jim!

Thread needs some Malmsteen to bring out the shred haters

For serious? I think it's a better to start off with a more music theory based approach and learn the core chord structures for standard tuning. Learn how chords are constructed so you can figure them out yourself rather than having a glance reference for every single one-fret-up implementation.

Heh that's what I meant by a chord book. There's a chord book that has every possible chord you can make in it. No songs, just chords. Very handy. Don't know about theory, but when you're looking at theory you gotta make sure you're being taught by some one/thing that has a clue so you don't end up being a retard.

i play a bit of classical and flamenco, prolly gonna get an electric again soon, kinda miss it, if your just starting, learn some music u like, when i started it i just learnt nirvana, metallica, pearl jam, offspring, they've got some pretty simple riffs u can teach yourself or just google the tabs, also i'd practice finger picking early its always handy to know. So if u wanna learn some classical http://www.classtab.org/ bs amount of tabs midi files aswell i think.

also anyone know gypsy jazz? :D Django Reinhart ftmfw! my old teacher had 2 of the guitars, the lead style and the rythem, f*** they're awsome fun.

Hey, cheers for the blackbird tip by beatles I'll give that a crack.

And Billy, what do you mean by dust in the wind having 'funny chords' ?
I can do pretty much the entire intro now probably -10% as fast as it needs to be for the right speed for the song (not bad for 2 days of playing guitar I spose), and thought it was pretty easy because the picking pattern remains the same until you hit the body of the song, at which point it still remains mostly the same.

Cheers whoever recommended blackbird I'll give that a go.

As for style, classical rock I guess for guitar.
I don't really mind what song it is right now, I just wouldn't mind being able to learn something with easy chords and easy chord progression..

Reason being is that it'll teach me the chords and muscle memory of where each chords are etc. while also producing something that sounds decent (i.e. I won't get bored and i'll take more in)

If I sit around and go through books of just picking different strings on different frets I'll get bored very quickly, and won't learn anyway.

This is probably why I've learnt the intro to dust in the wind relatively quickly, because I can see the progression of getting better (i.e. it sounding more like the song and less dead notes/buzzing each time etc. etc.).
I still need to tune my guitar properly, its alot more in tune that it was since I touched it, but I didnt' have a reference note for the low E, so while they're in tune with each other it's still out a bit overall I think.

Not really out to write my own music or listen to a commercial on TV and be able to play the guitar to it just yet or even play in a band..
Just want to sit down and be able to play some cover songs.

Well with Dust in the Wind, like Dan said, it's better to know WHAT you're playing in terms of theory, and I think Dust in the Wind is probably running before you can walk. Obviously the intro is based around two chords, C and Am, but then all the little changes actually make the chord different. Eg, the first change is from a C to a C7, which means that the chord has C E G (the components of a natural C) AND then you're adding the dominant 7th note, in this case a B. Then it's good to know that that dominant 7 chord C7 sounds very mellow and relaxed. Translate that into something useful, and you'll find most of Coldplay's earlier music is full of dominant 7th chords which is why it's so mellow and laid back.

Speaking of Blackbird, that is one of the first songs I learned to play on guitar and it's actually the song that got me absolutely obsessed with the Beatles. However, as I've got better and better at guitar I realise the way I play it isn't 100% correct and I'm starting to get the feeling that he actually plays it with some open tuning or something? I can't find tabs that do it justice. Furthermore, the version on I Am Sam sounds perfect (albeit in a different key) and it sounds different to how I play it.

I'm just listening to Damien Rice, and he would actually be great to learn guitar from. He has very typical chord progressions but throws in something different now and then or a variation or something. Quite easy to learn for beginners, and if you get some of the easier stuff you can try his harder picking style, which is still easy chords with some insane picking. I've seen him live and he has this weird style where he will strum with a pick, then hold that just with his index finger curled over and then pick with his thumb and middle finger.

Eg of easier song (just found this then and unfortunately it doesn't have much footage of him actually playing the song, but it sounds like it's some pretty simple chords):


Eg of something harder with picking and insane harmonics (this sounds different to the album version where you can hear more insane picking):


I personally don't get too caught up in accurate picking of songs like that though, generally near enough is good enough when you're playing for people and it's more the feel you put into than the accuracy of picking.

PS Learn bar chords ASAP. The sooner you get over the pain the better. Bar chords are awesome.

Also use all your fingers, make sure to get your pinky working or its a pain later on. I remember so many cramped hands from bar chords but they do build up your finger strength.

Should learn some arrangements by Andy Mckee



Damn he's good.

Tommy Emmanuel for the win!

i was crap at the piano
so i decided i'd learn the keyboard instead
http://www.dansdata.com/images/a4input/keyboard500.jpg

ah SRV!
Wouldnt be playing guitar if it wasn't for him!!!

Course, you need a nice strat to get his tone..
lucky i picked up one of these babies :
http://www.haworthguitars.com.au/control/product/~category_id=500/~product_id=011-6000-700;jsessionid=nhkuq4ouub5

Back on track, I agree with what was said earlier, dont dive deep into theory because you will most likely get bored and give it away, learn what keeps you motivated, then start tackling the harder stuff.

Also, this thread needs some zakk
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0b/Zakk_Wylde_-_Summer_Bologna_2005_-_Gods_Of_Metal.jpg/800px-Zakk_Wylde_-_Summer_Bologna_2005_-_Gods_Of_Metal.jpg

Now to try and find a lefty les paul....

That was bloody insane BH!

That's my favourite beatles song, never seen that clip before... just way too f***ing awesome.

Yeh dude check out some other Tommy youtubes, he is fkn great.

Jesus:

The thing I like about Tommy Emmanuel, is that when he plays a really hard song like that, he sort of looks really happy that he finished it without stuffing it up at all (he's always note perfect though). Like, he's very modest about his ability. There's a couple of tut vids of his on youtube teaching how to play some of his Beatles compositions and he talks about how hard it was for him to learn different parts and to just start really slowly and play it over and over, when I actually get the impression he would pick stuff up pretty quickly.

<3 Guitar boogie, had to do that piece for a AMEB exam.

I haven't learnt as much Tommy E as I would like... recently I learnt "Angelina", before that it tooks me months to learn his version of "Somewhere over the rainbow" (minus the skizto harmonics).

I would really love to learn his version of "Classical Gas" one day, definetely a good goal for any acoustic guitarist.

I learnt day tripper/lady madonna... got started on borsalino but need to spend some time with it!

If you ever get the chance to see tommy live make sure you get a ticket because its an awesome show. There is no better rhythm player in the world imo.

http://www.rockdetector.com/assets/resized/img/artists/4691-0-220-0-300.jpg

Satriani should be back to tour next summer. If you wanna learn guitar, this is your man. He taught a few of the 'greats' eg, Kirk Hammet, Steve Vai, Dave Mustaine, Charlie Hunter. Try leeching some vids of his.