First guitar, never played before and can't read notes. Want to play heavy metal. is that harder for a girl?

Question

Here is a pic of my guitar. http://www.harmony-central.com/Newp/2002/S-1-Hotrod-purple-large.jpg As I said, I've never played before and I can't read music notes. Is this a good guitar for beginner? What advice could you give to someone who wants to play heavy metal and just starting? Thanks

Oh yeah, and will I get callous, I don't want hard fingers and stuff, is there anything I can do any kind of oils so it doesn't happen?

Answer 1

My daughter has a pink electric guitar-took to it better than my son with his. Took a 6 week course to get started but does cheat by looking up the "tabs" to songs on the internet and memorizing those. Just an idea (as she loves it) try guitar hero-right kind 0of music and you'll have a blast plus I've heard the new one coming out will use a real guitar so you'll actually be learning the songs....ROCK ON GIRL! Its my music too and I'm 47-don't limit yourself!

Answer 2

Answering your questions in order:

1. As a new guitarist, you need to take lessons. Go to a local music store or find a college with a guitar department and advertise for a student. The reason is that you need to form the right habits as a beginner. If you learn to fret, pluck or hold the instrument wrong, you will (a) never get advanced on the instrument unless (b) you break the bad habits and re-learn with proper ones, which is much harder than learning right when you start, and (c) if you don't avoid certain errors, you could end up with carpal tunnel or other bone-and-nerve problems, which can REALLY bum up your playing!

You don't have to go broke--take about 6 or 8 lessons, maybe one every other week. After that you can use books and, even better, cd-roms to continue to improve.

2. No music is harder for a girl to play on any instrument. It's harder to play guitar if you have really small hands--male or female. Now, the old stupid rock-and-roll prejudices still hold, and it's harder for a girl to get accepted into a band in many cases. If you're thinking of this as a career, practice singing as well and then you can go for the Joan Jett type gigs where you front the group--I can't think of any famous bands that employed a woman solely as a lead guitar player.

3. I can't tell just by looking at the picture, but any guitar that's properly made and set up right is fine for a beginner. Even an acoustic guitar would do--technique is similar (and listen to what Ani DiFranco can do with an acoustic!). In the long run, if you want to shred with the best of 'em, you'll want a stratocaster or something similar. Your amps and speakers and pedals actually have more to do with your sound than the axe itself (which is more crucial for speed), so don't neglect them.

4. You are going to get callouses. Period. You can do nothing to prevent it, and until you develop callouses your fingertips will hurt after playing. If you don't want callouses but you want to be a heavy metal banger, take up keyboards (and follow the same advice about starting with lessons, etc.). Keys will have the added advantage of rarity--there are fewer keyboard players who want to play metal, and bands might accept having a female on that instrument (unlike the--ahem--phallic strutting that's expected from the guitarists).

Answer 3

U don't actually need to read music to play guitar well (Except classical). Hold the guitar so it's comfortable. Callouses on ur fingertips are unavoidable, and u can't have long, pretty nails on ur left hand either. Get urself a book of chords. Learn up 2 or 3 (A D E are good) and practise changing between them. Rock'n'roll is a good place to start (12 bar blues - think Johnny B Goode) then u can go on from there with chord patterns and riffs. When u are comfortable with some basic chord changing, and possibly a few riffs, then u can go for distortion pedals and the like. Hope this helps

Answer 4

First of all you need those callouses to play without pain, don't put oil on them, your defeating the purpose. I think your guitar is a Sears brand correct ? As for playing metal, learn the basics first, if you can get a teacher. If not a good method book with a Cd in the back so that you can follow your progress. The Guitar Center can recommend one, and get a chord book also. Check out these web sites and see all the work your going to have to do before you even consider playing metal, metal requires a lot of speed. Make sure that you hold that thumb on the left hand behind the neck of the guitar right from the beginning. That's the problem with self taught guitarist they form a lot of bad habits. Check out these sites and see what you think, I hope your going to learn to read music also, learn everything that you can to become a good guitarist, scales, know what key your playing in, learn how to make barre chords. Learn all the notes on the guitar, check out how many C's that are on the guitar and know where they all are, most people don't realize this, the notes, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, there are only seven but there all over the guitar. Here's those sites, check them out, good luck.
http://www.jamplay.com/
http://www.billbrutal.com/
http://www.learnhowtoplayguitar.com/
http://www.guitar.about.com/
http://www.guitarlessonworld.com/ (great site)
http://www.justinguitar.com/
http://www.chordfind.com/
http://www.masterclass.net
Try these out for a while put them in favorites so that you don't lose them, these should keep you busy for a while, I hope this will help you with what you want to learn, and don't forget a lot of these have menus and have tons of things to pick from, bye.

Answer 5

I suggest taking some classes. Heavy metal is not harder for a girl than a boy but if you cant read music then it will be very hard to do. You will need to play for quite a while to get up to the point where you can play heavy metal music and yes, you will get callous's or your fingers will bleed. Even taking some classes and getting a good book on reading music will help.

Also nice guitar!! perfect for you to learn on!

Answer 6

These days you can learn how to play guitar over the internet. Check out Mark McKenzie's guitar video lessons here: http://www.jamoramaguitar.com The videos are very easy to follow and to my surprise extremely helpful even for advanced guitar players. For beginners I would have to say this is a gold mine.

I was able to improve my skills in just under 4 weeks and I am an intermediate-to-advanced guitar player; I've been playing guitar for the past 6 years and I was on stage with my band a lot of times.

I live in New York City, I wanted to go to a pro guitar teacher but that would have cost me over $1400 per month. Good thing with this internet, $1400 it's a lot of money for me. Good luck!

Answer 7

Bill Oddie was taught by a very good lady guitarist, it's just a pity he didn't listen to her advice.
I have musicians in the family, and friends.They always say the same thing, practice, practice and more practice.
Invest in some guitar tuition too.
You will get sore fingers, but you'll get over it.
You might find some good teaching dvd's at your local music store too.

Answer 8

Cute guitar. No, its not harder for a girl. Buy yourself a beginners guitar book (preferably one that comes with a tab chart and cd), and get started. Lessons would be best, but if you cant afford them you can teach yourself... many of the greatest players are self taught. Rock on!

ps- callouses are essential for playing. Learn to love them or forget playing.

Answer 9

there's no problem if you can't read notes. i am olaso a guitarist but believe it or not i don't even know how to read notes. instead , i read guitar tabs. it's like a cheat code. try this website www.ultimate-guitar.com

Answer 10

I'm not really into heavy metal but I highly doubt you're the only girl who is.