guitar (acoustic)

Just bought my first guitar and a book "Guitar For Dummies". Know absolutely nothing about guitar plating. Any advise would be appreciated. But remember, I know absolutely nothing. Thanks for any help

start with basic rythym execises in 4/4 timing. Learn the notes along the top sring,from the open 'E' all the way upto the twelth fret (usually marked with a double dot ) which is another 'E' an octave higher.
(e,f,fsharp,g,gsharp,a,asharp,b,c,csharp,d,dsharp,e)
then learn 'bar-chords' and use them for your starting rythym exercises.
eg. A 'G' barchord is played by placing your fore finger in the top(thickest!) string on the third fret and placing your ring (third) finger on the A-string(the second thickest) on the fifth fret. play the top two strings in a general downward manner of your choosing and you have a 'G' bar-chord!
To change notes simply hold the same shape with your fingers and slide them up or down to change chords. If you slide it up two frets you have an 'A' instaed of a 'G'.
if you have any other specific questions dont hesitate to ask.

Originally posted by Evil Pawn 666
Just bought my first guitar and a book "Guitar For Dummies". Know absolutely nothing about guitar plating. Any advise would be appreciated. But remember, I know absolutely nothing. Thanks for any help

Don't start with Joni Mitchell tunings.

Originally posted by Evil Pawn 666
Just bought my first guitar and a book "Guitar For Dummies". Know absolutely nothing about guitar plating. Any advise would be appreciated. But remember, I know absolutely nothing. Thanks for any help

Work those fingers until they bleed.

Originally posted by Evil Pawn 666
Just bought my first guitar and a book "Guitar For Dummies". Know absolutely nothing about guitar plating. Any advise would be appreciated. But remember, I know absolutely nothing. Thanks for any help

There's only one way to get better, and that's to put time in on your instrument. Play it everywhere! Carry it around the house with you on weekends. Play along to whatever you hear on the radio, play along to whatever you hear on TV, heck, take in into the bathroom and check the acoustics while you sit!

I also recommend buying a few guitar magazines with transcriptions so you can learn actual songs. Memorize at least one transcription, play along with the CD or mp3, make sure you get it bang on. Play the song without the CD or mp3, make sure it still sounds good without the backing band. Read the magazines too, get EXCITED about guitars in general! It's amazing how things change from work to play when you're excited about them.

Make sure you spend some time on the fundamentals, too. Find all the notes on the guitar, see where the redundancies lie, learn to name notes by working from groupings (i.e. all the notes with dots on the 5th, 7th, 9th and 12th frets, all the A's or C's, all the white notes on the piano, etc...), learn open chords with white piano-note roots and see what notes make them up, which notes are on the bottom, which notes are on the top, learn your major, minor, dominant 7th and minor 7th barre chords, write out random chords from time to time (like E, G7, Abm7, Dm...) and try to play through them. Work your fingers out with some chromatic exercises, use a metronome and start slow, make sure you go all the way up the neck and all the way back down, learn your major scales in all positions, practice pentatonic scales in different patterns (i.e. R, b3, 4, 5, b7, R, then R, 4, b3, 5, 4, b7, 5, R, etc...), and PLAY PLAY PLAY along with any music you hear. Start making connections!

Good luck! 🙂

Originally posted by karoly aczel
start with basic rythym execises in 4/4 timing. Learn the notes along the top sring,from the open 'E' all the way upto the twelth fret (usually marked with a double dot ) which is another 'E' an octave higher.
(e,f,fsharp,g,gsharp,a,asharp,b,c,csharp,d,dsharp,e)
then learn 'bar-chords' and use them for your starting rythym exercises.
eg. A 'G' barc ...[text shortened]... instaed of a 'G'.
if you have any other specific questions dont hesitate to ask.

note:the chords I was actually describing are called 'power-chords' and not barre-chords

I want to thank everyone for your input and taking the time to offer your advise. I am sure it is all good and it is my intent to try to follow as much as possible. I know thats a big order, but I am going to make a sincere effort. Thanks again and the best to all of you.