Hi. I think I want to learn guitar? I've been listening to a lot of post rock and other cool stuff in the last couple years, and more recently Animals as Leaders' guitarist Javier Reyes (who has a solo project under the name Mestis) is makin' me want to learn to play guitar.
I'm really interested in 8 string guitars, whether electric or acoustic.. I think if I do decide to learn guitar I would go acoustic because it'd be cheaper in the long run because it would kind of suck to quit half way through and have spent a ton of money on not only the guitar, but all the electrical shit that comes with it.
I've played piano for a few years so I'm not starting from scratch when it comes to music and I've got the dedication to actually learn and not just quit after 2 months, which a lot of people do. However, I still have that fear of being that friend you know who thinks he's special and hot shit because he can play a guitar haha. So if I learn guitar I want to be really good so I'll actually be special and hot shit hhhehehe.
Anyway, here are some songs from Javier Reyes and Tosin Abasi: + Show Spoiler +
I'd like it if you guys could give me some advice on learning/playing guitar, and if you have personal experiences with 8 strings, or opinions on them I'd like to hear.
And if you have music to share with me I'd like that too! Thanks!
when i get home i'm going to draw out a piano equivalent with the fret positioning so learning chords is a little easier than memorizing finger positions
8 strings are fun. The temptation to just hurr durr out some rifuckulously heavy grooves is terrible though. I would recommend splitting practice up into freestyle and specific non-heavy practice, at least for the first few weeks. It sounds silly, but it will help you get a good idea of the usage and the options available to you with the whole instrument, rather than just the stereotypical lowest common denominator Meshuggah cloning.
Once you've kind of worn off the "new drop-E smell" of the guitar, then practice some sections that get you used to the idea of using the lower strings as extensions of the chords you play, and of the bass portions of the riffs you write. This could be combined with the previous paragraph, but I felt that it helped to emphasize what is unique about the 8-string guitar.
As much as you might not want the negative associations with being known as "the guitar guy who thinks he's hot shit", having a group of friends who are aware of your hobbies provides you with a system of accountability. If they know when you're not making much progress, it acts as a bit of a stick to get you back on track. It's much better to be known as "the guitar guy who takes his passion seriously" than "the guy who might secretly play guitar, but no one knows for sure". Having it be a part of your identity among your social groups can also encourage you to take pride in your accomplishments, guitar-wise, and really connect the hard work you put into practicing guitar with your more tangible perception of self-improvement. Not that you should necessarily embrace being the "douchebag who always brings a guitar to parties" persona, just that you should accept the less disagreeable parts as part of your character, without letting it be the main part.
I took lessons from Sarah Longfield for a while last year. It was very helpful for me, although it was probably a bit of a waste of her time.
I play 3 instruments including piano and I picked them all up easily, but when I tried to learn guitar it was hell. So difficult to learn, not to mention it hurts like hell until your fingers get used to it. If you can do it, good luck.
Good luckkkkkk. I want to start learning guitar (acoustic) too, but I've been so slow on pulling the trigger on actually buying one. The entire "I don't want to invest in an instrument when I don't know how to play it, but how do I learn how to play it when I don't have one" is stalling me horribly. :<
On October 10 2013 08:40 babylon wrote: Good luckkkkkk. I want to start learning guitar (acoustic) too, but I've been so slow on pulling the trigger on actually buying one. The entire "I don't want to invest in an instrument when I don't know how to play it, but how do I learn how to play it when I don't have one" is stalling me horribly. :<
Are you still with a university? If so, contact your school's music department, I guarantee you could find a loaner in no time.
On October 10 2013 08:40 babylon wrote: Good luckkkkkk. I want to start learning guitar (acoustic) too, but I've been so slow on pulling the trigger on actually buying one. The entire "I don't want to invest in an instrument when I don't know how to play it, but how do I learn how to play it when I don't have one" is stalling me horribly. :<
Are you still with a university? If so, contact your school's music department, I guarantee you could find a loaner in no time.
They only have band/orchestra instruments out for loan to "highly qualified" ensemble performers.
My roommate actually has a guitar that she never plays, but she isn't letting me touch it. Far be it from me to tell people what they can do with their own (expensive) things, but it's all a little bit "whyyyyyy?!" D:
DO IT! I think guitar is one of the easiest instruments to pick up (once you get over the callousing process), but that finger-picking shit is REALLY HARD. However, you can learn some chords, some basic skills, and still be able to play most everything without too much effort.
As far as strings go, you really don't need anything more than a 6-string to be honest. The temptation is that a 7th string (or an 8th string) would somehow make playing harder and give you more options for playing, but the fact of the matter is that it just makes learning really technical things harder (mostly because the neck is wide as fuck). Either way, an acoustic works well or just a fairly cheap electric with a cheap amp. I learned almost everything on a Martin knockoff and a (weird, very nice) Squier electric with a $30 VOX amp.
Don't worry about getting the nicest equipment. If you can learn how to adjust your guitar and take care of it, you can make almost any guitar playable .
On October 10 2013 15:45 Shebuha wrote: Thanks for the tips John, and
OMFG AIKE I WANT TO TAKE LESSONS FROM HIM SO BAD BUT IM FROM CANADA FUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
Teachers on bandhappy either teach over skype (well not skype but their own video thing) or they teach at live shows (earlier in the day) ... I'm not sure if he teaches live or not though. I know all the guys from periphery do, as well as a few other bands. But yeah if you want to do some live 1on1 lessons with him via the magical interwebs, send him a message on bandhappy ;D
Actually he posted this a few weeks ago...
"Offering lessons online or in the LA area. Contact Javier at javierguitarlessons@gmail.com"
I did start with the guitar on tuesday. I got myself a Yamaha Pacifica 112 BL and a Peavey Vypyr VIP 1 as AMP. Lots of people actually recommend starting with an acoustic guitar because the chords are easier to play (barré is harder though) but when you actually want to play rock/metal etc in the end, you might as well start with an electric guitar. As for the money, its not really expensive. My guitar was 220€ and you could go cheaper with for example a guitar set from Harley Benton (own trademark of musicstore Thomann). Ofcourse its still up to you to decide.
Since I am only two days into it... here's my experience. First day trying it out, working on chords I can tell you or I personally felt very sad and disappointed. Ofcourse I have high expactations, but I've never felt so fat (about my fingers lol) and unflexible. Very simple chords are at least to me very hard to grip on the fretboard, but thats how every beginner will feel. So, if you get a guitar, don't be disappointed if you cannot work out the chords on the first day. Second day was better, but still terrible but I tried a few other things and tried power chords (which are way easier). I will take a lot of time and while I wanted to learn on my own, I am pretty sure I will go visit a music school at least a few month to not get bad habits , learn how to grip and hold it perfectly fine etc.
so :3 yeah, if you want to talk / write in skype about this journey, I will happily take it with you
I second John's advice wholeheartedly. While I too love me some AaL and other brutally technical 8-String wizardry, it is NOT a good place to start learning, or even a good beginning goal. The likelihood that you start there and maintain interest in the instrument is abysmal. You will go so discouraged trying to take after Abasi and Reyes' music so early. What you SHOULD, i repeat SHOULD be emulating from them is their practice habits and their dedication to technique and perfection.
This is one of my favorite interviews with Abasi. He goes over a lot of little things here, and stuff about his band/plans, and is just really cool overall. THAT STYLE! + Show Spoiler +
On the flip side, there are "sloppy" players that get the job done famously (i.e. Jimmy Page) without god-like technique. And while I DO highly recommend learning a few Zeppelin licks to start off (especially because LADIES), starting out emulating Page's (and other "sloppy" player's) playing style is a BAD idea. His technique is derived from years of following strict guidelines, then breaking out into epic laid back blues territory with a little bit of boldness, and a whole lot of drugs/alcohol. Have you ever seen Jimmy play? If Abasi's types are the concert violinists who perfectly execute every line rhythmically and tonally, Page's types are the fiddle shredders of old, who know all the rules and use them only as a structure to burn down and mess with to get new sounds. I've met too many players who start out wanting that perfect Page/Zeppelin tone and they pick up Jimmy's practiced and precise "coloring outside the lines" technique and then proceed to struggle massively when they start to try and play more technically demanding things.
TL;DR Practice TECHNIQUE. Practice with a metronome. Practice perfect practice. Start with easy stuff, not the good stuff. When I first was learning I slowed myself down by YEARS by trying to learn music that wasn't suited to my acoustic, or my rudimentary skills. Don't make the same mistake!
GL HF. Let us know how it all goes with future blogs! Also, I have helped a lot of people shop for guitars in the past, let me know if you have any questions there. There's a lot of traps to fall into when buying your first guitar!
1. If you get buzzes when you play a string, that typically means it is vibrating against a fret. This is something you don't want and it tends to sound really bad. 2. I like having the action set as close as possible to the frets as I can get before getting string buzz. This makes fretting a lot easier and it doesn't wear out your hand as much.
I've never played an 8-string but it looks like fun! Go for it! It can be quite difficult when you're just starting out, a bit like starcraft, you feel like you'll never be able to do it fast enough. Like anything, it takes time. So have fun while you're at it and don't focus only on harder stuff. Learn some easy songs too even if you don't like them, because if you can play something it will motivate you to push further into the difficult ones.
second John's advice wholeheartedly. While I too love me some AaL and other brutally technical 8-String wizardry, it is NOT a good place to start learning, or even a good beginning goal. The likelihood that you start there and maintain interest in the instrument is abysmal. You will go so discouraged trying to take after Abasi and Reyes' music so early. What you SHOULD, i repeat SHOULD be emulating from them is their practice habits and their dedication to technique and perfection.
This is one of my favorite interviews with Abasi. He goes over a lot of little things here, and stuff about his band/plans, and is just really cool overall. THAT STYLE! + Show Spoiler +
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp2VFGA4o84
On the flip side, there are "sloppy" players that get the job done famously (i.e. Jimmy Page) without god-like technique. And while I DO highly recommend learning a few Zeppelin licks to start off (especially because LADIES), starting out emulating Page's (and other "sloppy" player's) playing style is a BAD idea. His technique is derived from years of following strict guidelines, then breaking out into epic laid back blues territory with a little bit of boldness, and a whole lot of drugs/alcohol. Have you ever seen Jimmy play? If Abasi's types are the concert violinists who perfectly execute every line rhythmically and tonally, Page's types are the fiddle shredders of old, who know all the rules and use them only as a structure to burn down and mess with to get new sounds. I've met too many players who start out wanting that perfect Page/Zeppelin tone and they pick up Jimmy's practiced and precise "coloring outside the lines" technique and then proceed to struggle massively when they start to try and play more technically demanding things.
TL;DR Practice TECHNIQUE. Practice with a metronome. Practice perfect practice. Start with easy stuff, not the good stuff. When I first was learning I slowed myself down by YEARS by trying to learn music that wasn't suited to my acoustic, or my rudimentary skills. Don't make the same mistake!
GL HF. Let us know how it all goes with future blogs! Also, I have helped a lot of people shop for guitars in the past, let me know if you have any questions there. There's a lot of traps to fall into when buying your first guitar!
Thanks again everyone for the replies, and WOAH this interview is 23 minutes long! Sweet!
Yeah I'm gonna have to learn how to practice properly... I was always shit at practicing piano and wanted to just KNOW how to play instantly and my play today suffers a lot as a result. That being said, the very first song I played on the piano (like before I learned Mary had a Little Lamb from practice books and whatnot) was the FFX Besaid Island piano collections haha. But doing that ain't gonna cut it I don't think.
Also @ the guy who said I may as well start off with an electric I'd like to... but you can't really lug an electric around if you wanted to play at a lake or something. I really like Bass fishing and stuff, so It'd be kind of cool to go out fishing and bring my geetar, and also to go to public lakes and impress bitches hhhehehe. I DUNNO ITS SO HARD TO DECIDE.
Anyway, I'm heading out to a couple stores in like 15 mins to check out some guitars and I'll talk it out with an employee who knows what they're talking about. I'll definitely make blogs in the future about my progress, even though it will be slow slow slow haha. <3
Yamaha and Washburn are the best acoustic starters IMO. I've had my first Washburn (a $225 guitar) for 9 years and I fucking love it. I still play it a ton despite owning guitars worth 3-5x as much. Don't spend more than $250 on your first guitar. On the other side of that coin, dont spend LESS than $150. There will always be hidden gems in any guitar brand's catalog, just like there will always be lemons, but i recommend washburn and yamaha as they have the highest number of gems, and lowest number of lemons in my experience. I don't know any truly competent, well rounded players who started on electrics, so definitely go for an acoustic.
EPT
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