How hard is it to learn to play a Guitar?

[Alaskan Rover]

Whats cool about guitar is you can do it almost any time. No matter the weather, dont need a lift ticket, just as long as you have the guitar an at most 10 bucks for a pack of strings and a few pics youre fine.

Last winter when my house didnt have heat it was tough and depressing, but usually you can do it whenever you want.

i guess if you have roomates/apartment neighbors that dont like hearing music it could suck but thats not the case for me

Yes, exactly, Snowcat! I mean I love piano....but you can't just plop down on the sofa with one when the mood strikes.

I also have a Martin Backpacker, of which if one uses very light strings, the sound is actually quite good for such a small guitar. No dreadnaught, to be sure, but it has a subtle sound that is its own. I like taking it down a short trail and sitting under a pine to play it....seems that's its true environment. It's also a TRUE solid top, sides and back...with a well made rosewood fret board...and greta Martin tuners. Neat little pick-ups can also be ordered for them that fit out of the way. I love my Backpacker!! Paid $69 for it used on guitar center.com





No...I don't know WTF he said, either. I think he said: "Farfugnugen!!"'


Note: This last video shows the old-style Martin Backpacker, before they gave it the traditional Martin-style tuning head shape. The new ones look much better, I think. But this vid does show the great attention to detail that Martin puts into their guitars (except for their awful composite-laminated (plastic?0 Baby Martins...those seemed to miss out on that attention to detail, IMO)...the real wood Baby Martins aren't too bad...but why bother with one?

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[stfu&gbtw]

I have one of those "Mexartin" backpacker guitars. Worthless piece of shit. Sounds like crap, plays like crap, no matter what strings you put on it. Action is only adjustable by shaving the bridge. I got it as a gift. Wouldn't spend $5 on one.

[Flyoverland Captive]

Those backpacking guitars play and sound like crap, IMO.

I picked up a Fender TG-4 3/4 guitar for travel; much better playing/sounding.

[Alaskan Rover]

Those backpacking guitars play and sound like crap, IMO.

I picked up a Fender TG-4 3/4 guitar for travel; much better playing/sounding.

I used to have a 3/4 'parlour' sized guitar too....a little fuller sound, but still nothing like a full-size. And STILL too big for travel....won't fit in an overhead airplane bin. My point is with those, why bother??? they're too big for most travel, and sound totally inferior to a full-sized. Martin Backpackers sound totally inferior to a full-sized dreadnaught also, of course....but for their small, uniquely portable size, they actually sound not too bad, as some of the videos above illustrate. I estimate mine sounds, as a whole: 50% full guitar, 25% ukelele and 25% banjo....a unique sound.

Have you ACTUALLY played a well-tuned Backpacker? Very light strings make a huge difference, btw.

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[Flyoverland Captive]

^^^ I've only tried a couple in stores, probably strung with too-heavy strings. I did like the small size; very convenient.

[Alaskan Rover]

I have one of those "Mexartin" backpacker guitars. Worthless piece of shit. Sounds like crap, plays like crap, no matter what strings you put on it. Action is only adjustable by shaving the bridge. I got it as a gift. Wouldn't spend $5 on one.

That's only when comparing them to a full-sized dreadnaught. What do you expect? Try sticking your full-sized in a airline above-head compartment. And yes, light strings DO make a difference. Action IS a little high. Shaving the bridge and even nut is pretty easy on them. Just because they're made in Martin's former string-plant in Mexico doesn't mean they're crap. They are actually pretty well crafted there....better than some Chinese-made fullsize. If they crafted them in Pennsylvania at the main Martin factory, they'd have to charge at least $500 - 600 for one....just due to cost of labor.

Incidently, the materials and workmanship in the Martin Backpacker ( cedar solid top, mahogany solid sides, solid sides and solid neck.....high-quality Martin tuners...solid rosewood fretboard, is all FIRST-rate. For a SMALL travel guitar, you won't find one better. You can't expect them to sound like a full-size, of course! Would you expect a Fiat 500 to have the cargo capacity of a Chevy Suburban????

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[stfu&gbtw]

That's only when comparing them to a full-sized dreadnaught. What do you expect? Try sticking your full-sized in a airline above-head compartment. And yes, light strings DO make a difference. Action IS a little high. Shaving the bridge and even nut is pretty easy on them. Just because they're made in Martin's former string-plant in Mexico doesn't mean they're crap. They are actually pretty well crafted there....better than some Chinese-made fullsize. If they crafted them in Pennsylvania at the main Martin factory, they'd have to charge at least $500 - 600 for one....just due to cost of labor.

Incidently, the materials and workmanship in the Martin Backpacker ( cedar solid top, mahogany solid sides, solid sides and solid neck.....high-quality Martin tuners...solid rosewood fretboard, is all FIRST-rate. For a SMALL travel guitar, you won't find one better. You can't expect them to sound like a full-size, of course! Would you expect a Fiat 500 to have the cargo capacity of a Chevy Suburban????

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I didn't say they were crap because they are made in Mexico. However, they are made in Mexico and they are crap. Correlation, not causation. I agree that it does not look or feel poorly made - decent materials and so forth... It all amounts to putting a silk hat on a pig. It just sounds and plays like absolute unadulterated shit. I've shaved the bridge and cut the nut. Tried extra light to medium strings.

Besides which, it doesn't matter if your guitar fits in the overhead bin - the airlines will generally put it in the captains closet for you. I have one location I travel to frequently, so I have a LP studio and a highwatt practice amp there all the time. Otherwise, if I really have to have a guitar with me, I bring my 335 and a pignose amp. My 4 year old has free reign over the backpacker. She can feed it to the neighbors dog for all I care.

[GetAmped]

My Vagabond Travel Guitar is sweet. Full scale fretboard, excellent construction (handmade in Upstate NY), incredibly full tone for a guitar with such a small sound chamber.

http://www.stringsmith.com/zencart/

I tried the Martin Backpacker, the Washburn offering, the mini Taylor and was not impressed by the sound of any of them. Then I saw Neil Young play this on the Colbert Report and tracked it down. Picked one up from e-bay for little $$. Perfect for being on the road (or in the air or woods) when a full-size guitar is just not an option.

[carvedog]

....... I realized I would never be as good as either one of them and was pretty frustrated I had spent so much time at something and sucked that bad. I never played after that year. I'd like to again, but time is something I don't have too much of.

Duuuuuuude. You will never be as good at riding powder as I am, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be out there trying to rip it up....

I like playing...even though I still pretty much suck. I should become a dentist.

Didn't know this was going to turn into a Whose dick is biggest kind of thing.
Nice quiver.

To the OP: Get the best guitar you can afford and have a ball. The nice thing about a great instrument is that it can sound good even when you don't, which is more motivation to pick it up. Low action, nice strings will help too.

I inherited a nice Alvarez a while back, that has continually amazed my guitar buddies with it's tone. They pick it up, play a little and love it. Could have sold many times, but not for sale. I have played 'nicer', but this one is the bomb. Mostly just noodle around with the blues and make up my own lyric. It's fun and makes me feel better. Always.

Do it.

[axebiker]

Didn't know this was going to turn into a Whose dick is biggest kind of thing.
Nice quiver.

Thanks. Don't hate me cuz I'm beautiful.

And man...I hate those Martin backpacker-things. It's where tone goes to die.

[skiballs]

I like playing...even though I still pretty much suck. I should become a dentist.

The seventies bastard child of axebikers outstanding collection .

[axebiker]

Ibanez lawsuit axes are the real deal - nice! I've had a Burny or Greco along the way, and I think they may have all been made at the Fuji-Gen factory if I remember right. Good stuff.

[rideit]

I still think my Westbury Custom kicks Most Gibsons up and down the block.
Too bad I don't.

[stfu&gbtw]

Yeah! Those Ibanez fakie LP's are awesome. Never owned one but payed a couple. One of the best inexpensive guitars ever made IMO.

[skiballs]

Yeah! Those Ibanez fakie LP's are awesome. Never owned one but payed a couple. One of the best inexpensive guitars ever made IMO.

I got the factory amp , hard case and cable .
Sometime back in the late eighties , for a gram of blow .

[hafilax]

Ibanez lawsuit axes are the real deal - nice! I've had a Burny or Greco along the way, and I think they may have all been made at the Fuji-Gen factory if I remember right. Good stuff.

I've got a 1980ish Greco SG copy with '78 T-tops that plays as well or better than any new Gibson I've picked up. Too bad the headstock snapped off when I flew to Switzerland to play a few gigs. I also have a Japanese Fender Jazzmaster which plays nice. Guess I like Japanese guitars.

[axebiker]

Japanese built guitars are some of the best out there.

[Poop~Ghost]

I'm not sure if this has been discussed yet but I'm going to toss this out there:

Playing a guitar is relatively easy... learning to think in music is relatively hard. Once you've got basic chords and a few scales down - spend some time with a good guitar teacher and learn about music.

I took lessons from a jazz guy back in college and it blew my mind. DOORS OFF THE HINGES. You learn to communicate through music in that you know what keys the other guy is playing in - and your hands just know that what to do. It's silly and awesome and once you are past a certain level you just start creating magic.

Jazz, Rock, Country - all the same scales - just different ways to play it. One of the best guitarist's I've ever met was a friend of mine in college who played drums in our band for fun. He would tear out these smoking riffs and I'd go "How in the fuck do you come up with these?" He'd basically take country licks from old songs and start twisting them around. Rock and Roll.

[jongman]

General Rule:

If you play an hour or two a day for about a year, you will likely be able to play 90% of the top 40 radio stuff fairly well, and even with a bit of emotion. You'll impress the ladys around the campfire with your sensitive, slightly clumsy, playing. They'll figure that a guy who unabashedly plays, mistakes and all, must have something to deeper to offer, because guitar playing obviously ain't it.

If you want to be an average guitar player, start playing asap (because its already too late), and keep playing 2 to 3 hours a day for about 5 or so years. You will likely be able to play most of what you want, and will be proficient at writing and creating music if you choose. You will genuinely impress the ladies around the campfire. If you play coffee-house gigs, and the odd open mic night, you'll have a few groupies who think you're the best and wan't to get with you before you make it famous. But the joke is on them, you're never gonna be famous, let alone get out of the coffee-house.

If you want to be a stellar guitar player. Its already too late. 6 to 8 hours a day from when you are 16 years old, for 6 or 7 years will get you into a position to be a musician who can make a living touring in a band etc... if you're one of the lucky ones. Ladies will come to your gigs, buy you drinks, hit on you shamelessly, and want to sleep with you. At this point, many of them don't even care about the music anymore, and just want to fuck a guy in a semi-popular band. The ladies that do care about the music, will do so because the songs you've written are about them, you've dated them and thought there was a future, but when it all comes apart, like it always does, you'll take consolation in the fact that you will at least get a few good lyrics from the pain and wrenching heartbreak. They love the songs but don't want anything to do with you anymore, because you are a boy chasing a rock dream, and they want a man to settle down with.


Again, general rules (of course there are notable exceptions; however, these should be seen for what they are: anomalies of ridiculously talented people that have put in a lot of hard work and have a little luck on their side) that I've learned from a lifetime of music, several bands, lots of musician friends some of whom made it and a lot that didn't, and about 20 years of playing guitar, singing, and writing music.

YMMV.

Well played sir.

[Powow]

I started playing guitar (bought a shitty one from a friend for dirt cheap ~1 year ago) and I watched some youtube videos and learned to play a little bit, played off and on, blah blah. Bought it when I was unemployed so I'd have something to do. Didn't really make any progress, didn't play it consistently enough.

A few months ago I bought Rocksmith (Xbox game), I've learned 10x as much in the last 2 months than I did in the year before that. I can actually play some songs pretty much all the way through with only a few missed notes. I'm not going to claim it doesn't sound like shit yet, but the game is great for getting you over that hump of struggling just to connect a few notes together. Just make sure to watch some youtube videos on the basics before you get really into it.

[stfu&gbtw]

I'm not sure if this has been discussed yet but I'm going to toss this out there:

Playing a guitar is relatively easy... learning to think in music is relatively hard. Once you've got basic chords and a few scales down - spend some time with a good guitar teacher and learn about music.

I took lessons from a jazz guy back in college and it blew my mind. DOORS OFF THE HINGES. You learn to communicate through music in that you know what keys the other guy is playing in - and your hands just know that what to do. It's silly and awesome and once you are past a certain level you just start creating magic.

Jazz, Rock, Country - all the same scales - just different ways to play it. One of the best guitarist's I've ever met was a friend of mine in college who played drums in our band for fun. He would tear out these smoking riffs and I'd go "How in the fuck do you come up with these?" He'd basically take country licks from old songs and start twisting them around. Rock and Roll.

That's John 5's whole schtick right there.

[krp8128]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I'm not looking to be the next Hendrix, or to have a gimmick to get chicks in bed. I just want to pick up something when the mood strikes and get creative...

I'm leaning towards electric. I'm right handed, but (as dumb as this sounds), when i catch my self air guitaring i am strumming with the left.

What should I be on the lookout for in the sub $200 used market?

[Ted Striker]

^^^ stick with righty.

[Flyoverland Captive]

Electric and acoustic are very different beasts. Learn on an acoustic, they're much more forgiving of sloppy technique.

[leroy jenkins]

COmpletly random threadjack question, how hard is it to learn to play fiddle/violin?

I can play guitar somewhat, I've dicked around on bass and mandolin.

I'd like to buy a cheap fiddle/violin and dick around with it. I don't have an amazing ear for music, is the no frets thing going to make it really hard for me to pick up on my ow? Also, are there any differences between fiddle and violin?