Did anyone else who plays guitar find it took them a while to learn?

Question

I've been playing for two years and I'm struggling a bit. All my songs sound the same because of the limited selection of chords I know. I've tried chord cards but I just can't seem to get my fingers around them. Any suggestions?

Oh by the way I have a wonderful teacher whom I admire. He's teaching me classical so I can play a good bit of Mozart or Beethoven, just not much modern stuff.

Answer 1

It is hard to learn how to play the guitar well, but very easy to lean how to play it badly!

Just stick with it, and it will happen. I think you have the correct attitude.


I think quite a few of your answers so far are from the "rock school" type guys, the noodler types. Apologies if I got this wrong. And I will say that Mister Bowzer is exactly right in what he says so I hope you give him the 10 points. Where the "rock" style falls down of course, is that it's hard for them to find other musicians willing to be subservient to their excesses.. It's really just a "guy thing". And it really can't be learned, it is just the result of years of aimless twiddling coupled with a good sense of "what's cool".

The guitar is such a huge subject- and the instrument is so versatile- that you have to decide VERY early on which style you want to play, and stick to it at least for the first few years. Do you listen to any guitar music?

The guitar is really best when it accompanies something else- violin, banjo, human voice, harmonica, anything really. It sounds to me as if you are going about it the right way so just STICK WITH IT because you don't make steady progress with the guitar, rather it is a series of "breakthroughs".

You also have to remember that the guys who play electric lead guitar- all those millions of them- have highly specialised, limited styles and repertoires. You may think their riffs sound amazing but hand them an acoustic guitar and they'll be unlikely to hold your attention for more than 15-20 minutes. Don't put yourself down, I bet you sound good. And you will get better because you have an open mind.

Answer 2

Everyone goes through these phases.

It's true that a lot of chords are challenging to change from and to - but even F major wasn't easy for you at the beginning. The best advice is just to do things SLOW and PERFECT, then build speed - otherwise you're just being sloppy but fast.

And don't think 'chords...BORING!' Chords are essential. You need this basic vocabulary, before you move on. It's like learning a new language - you can't compose poetry unless you know 'the', 'and', 'with'. The more words you know, the more possibilities you have.

Next step is to learn how to add licks and riffs into the mix.

Learn the pentatonic scale first, then play with a few basic riffs in various genres - rock, blues, funk, even jazz (why not?). A good source is wholenote.com under Beginner's Lessons.

There are lots of good book & CD learning courses. The 'Start Playing' series by Amsco Publications isn't bad, and they have a variety of mini-courses. There are more options - check the net, check the bookshops, and practise like hell!

Best of all is a good, patient teacher, if you have the time and money. Still recommend lessons, but if not, then don't fear - lotsa folks (including me) did it the DIY way. Here's a few tips:

(a) Go to harmonycentral.com and from there, learn how to read TAB (simplified musical notation).

(b) Play along to the Intermediate or Beginners' lessons on wholenote.com (don't try the advanced stuff too early, medics will need to be called in to untangle your fingers! ; )

One final thought - if you think there are some guys who can do it 'effortlessly', think again. The reason people like Joe Satriani and Steve Vai can play like they do is that work hard at it. I read in a guitar mag recently that Vai, even now, still practises for 8 hours a day!

No pain, no gain - but if you enjoy listening to music, I can tell you that nothing's more fun than REALLY mastering your favourite songs - then doing your own customised versions of them.

Best of luck - and keep going!

Answer 3

yeah, I'm still learning too...I find it's easier to get chords down when you're actually learning a song. Have you learned how to read tabs? You can find tabs for just about any song you LOVE on the www.

Also maybe it's time to purchase a couple of months worth of lessons from a good teacher. When you "plateau" on your skills it's good to "shake" things up a bit. A teacher can get you over this hump and send you off in a new direction.

Maybe you need a 3/4 axe instead of a full size if your hands are too small. Also old country and Elvis songs are usually only 3 or 4 chords- if you don't despise this style it's good for learning's sake and more fun to practice. Practice different strum styles also to switch your "sound"

Good luck and KEEP PRACTICING!!!

Answer 4

Don't limit your playing ability to chords and modern guitar music. Go out and buy a good book, with scales, arpeggios, and other passages to work on your technique. I can guarantee you, many of the best guitar players didn't know just chords! Many players were trained classically, and once you've got that stuff down, the modern playing will be second-hand. Consider buying an actual classical guitar method or technique book. Don't get one that's too hard to begin with.

Please ignore the guy above me, what a joke. People like him make me sad...

Answer 5

I've been playing guitar since I was sixteen or so. I play acoustic guitar and electric bass and I find that it's a never ending learning experience. every time I jamb with a group or an individual I bring something away that I've just learned. Your in a rut witch happens to all of us get the beginners guitar method book by Gary Turner It will give you some in site in to chord progressing and notation. Good Luck and God bless Oh I'm forty this year :)

Answer 6

If you're finding a chord difficult to play then change the fingering or don't play or certain notes.

Another trick is to take your limited chords and move them up the guitar. If you just strum them then they may sound a bit horrible, but try playing the notes one after the other and you may be surprised.

Innovation has it's own rewards!

Answer 7

Yes it takes a while to be an average guitar player, it takes even longer, or maybe forever to be a good guitarist.. I've been playing for more than 10 year now, still not a master of the instrument... My advice is, if u really love guitar playing just keep on practising. Remember, practise make perfect, hardwork and dedication pays in the end. Trust me on that

Answer 8

Yeah, it was slow at first but I just kept practicing whenever I had the opportunity and was soon able to change chords quickly and play songs with bar chords too. I don't play very often now but I could if I wanted to pick the guitar up and play. It's all about practice.. keep going and you will get there!

Answer 9

Yep, it takes practise, really pressing hard on the strings so as not to make a bum note. I know just over ten chords and it's really satisfying when you can actually strum a song already and using a capo means you can do even more, although I can't get to grips with the theory of it just yet, how to work it out in your head so you can play by ear.

Answer 10

I've been playing a year and a half and only now am I starting to get any better. But don't give up. John Lennon almost gave up the guitar because he found it 'too hard,' and look how he turned out, writing some of the best guitar songs of all time.