From: holtslander@skyfox.usask.ca
Subject: RE: Absolute beginner needing a few pointers
Organization: University of Saskatchewan
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 18:27:01 GMT


d89marho@ide24.curofix (Martin V. Howard)writes" I have decided that
>I want to start playing the electrical guitar.  I
>have played the recorder, flute and keyboard instruments about 8-10
>years ago, so I have some basic knowledge about music, but none about
>the guitar.  I need to learn the anatomy of the guitar, how to read
>tabs, music notation for the guitar, where the notes are, everything.

>From reading this newsgroup for the past three days, I understand that
>I should try and get my hands on a copy of The Guitar Handbook (please
>supply the authors name), but I would like to know what else I should
>do to get started.  I want to play fingerpicking style and I am
>primarily interested in the blues.

I'm a self taught player, I would suggest going to your public library and
seeing what they have for instructional books.  I live in a small city but 
our library has a lots of good books of different levels and styles.  You 
could even see if the library has some records in the style you want to play.
If you have success with books buy some.  Oak PUblications has a big series on
Folk and Blues guitar in various styles. 

Find a book that has the tab for some easy songs that you are familiar with.
Our library has an index of all the songs in all the books in our library, yours
should have the same, so you should be able to find something.
From my expereince it is nearly impossible to learn a song from tab without
already knowing what the song is supposed to sound like, so make sure you know
the song before you try to learn i, tab only shows you where to put your fingers
, it doesn't give you a good indication of the rythmn or timing so you need
to know what that is before you start to play.  Tab is fairly easy to read, most
books have a guide to it.

I reccomend that you start on easy songs and build up tp harder stuff, rather 
than trying to learn a reaaly hard song at once.  It will take you much longer
to learn hard stuff from scratch, rather than building up slowly.

Learn one thing at a time and build on what you have learned.  It is far more
satisfying to master a simple lick than to drive yourself crazy trying to
do some hot picking right away.  

YOU HAVE TO TEACH YOUR FINGERS WHAT TO DO SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT
WHAT YOU ARE DOING, that is the secret to playing the guitar - you con only
do this with practice. Again start on easy stuff so that you enjoy practicing
(at least half an hour per day, and you will be flying in a couple months) 

>What kind of guitar is suitable to buy as a first guitar?  I can get
>hold of a cheep Epiphone T-310 Telecaster copy by Gibson, or the
>Stratocaster copy in the same series.  I don't want to pay all that
>much money for my first guitar, but I don't want rubbish either.  I
>intend to practice alone, without teacher (I can't afford tutoring),
>connecting the guitar to a Sony PRS-2121 stereo with mixer and listen
>through earphones.  I live in a student flat and I don't want to bore
>the others in the building with scale practice.

I reccomend getting a good sounding guitar and amp, you pay a lot of money
for a good name, but you don't have to get a big name guitar to get a good
sound.  If you are confident about what you want you might consider buying
used at a music shop - It will save you a bundle - but you have to know what
you are doing.  I have a really nice Gibson I bought second hand for an
incredibly cheap price.

>The main problem I have is that I am 24, so it feels as though I am
>starting very late, and I'm not quite sure of where to start.  It
>feels like a very large undertaking and a long time of boring practice
>before I can start enjoying my new skill.  I want to get off to a good
>start so that I can keep my interest alive and make progress.  If you
>can help me, I will be very thankful.

With age comes discipline.  I started when I was 21, ancient in the guitar
world.  I've taught a few young beginners they didn't practice, they didn't 
learn anything.  If you practice wtih disciple ie everyday for at least half
an hour you will learn very quickly.  The more you practice the faster you 
learrn, the more you know the faster you learn.  

It is impportant to practice daily just to keep your hands limber.  YOU have 
to build up strength and coordination in your hands.  YOu can only do this with
practice.  The more limber your hands are the faster you learn.  If you do
not practice regularly you quickly lose all your strength and coordination
and have to start over again.  	SO IF YOU WANT TO LEARN QUICKLY PRACTICE
REGULARLY

GOOD LUCK