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Getting back into Guitar

RecklessReckless Registered User regular
edited July 2007 in Help / Advice Forum
Hey All.

I put down the guitar about 10 months ago because school and work needed to come first for a while. Now that summer break is here, and college is coming up, I'd like to get some of my skills back. Problem is...they're gone.

I've never been into learning music or too much theory - I know a few chords, the pentatonic scale, and I knew a good amount of songs and I was pretty happy that way. However, now that I totally suck again, every time I go to learn a new song I just get really discouraged.

How should I pick myself up out of this slump and get back on track with the instrument?

Reckless on

Posts

  • gobassgogobassgo Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    If you have any friends that are great players, ask them for some advice. Hands on learning is always the best for instruments. Also guitar tabs are always an option but I discourage them as they don't really teach you to use your ears, but hey if you're happy with it go ahead.

    gobassgo on
  • CptKemzikCptKemzik Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    Depending on how much more involved you want to get into the instrument, I recommend getting into the theory and being able to learn sheet music. Knowing your theory and being able to read actual notes goes a long way to improving your playing, much moreso than just looking at tabs (I discourage them too unless there's that one song you HAVE to learn).

    It may not be the most exciting thing to do (personally I always hated basic theory and scale stuff with the clarinet but I love learning it on electric bass), and is rather slow initially but eventually you start to pick up on things faster than you'll have noticed before.

    Also re-learning the instrument with either experienced friends/ a teacher (as gobassgo pointed out) is a great way too.

    CptKemzik on
  • romanqwertyromanqwerty Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    1) what type of guitar do you play/learn? If it seems boring can you try and learn something like classical or spanish etc? Mix up what style you feel like playing.

    2) Buy something new for your guitar? Even if its just something like new strings, having something new does wonders for motivation.

    3)Find a friend or so who you can play with. They dont have to play guitar, practically any instrument including vocals go well with it.

    romanqwerty on
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