Wanting to learn guitar

Ive had a guitar for about 4 years, ive sat down for a collective 5 hours trying to learn it in that time and i get so damn frustrated and i cant find any websites or anything decent enough to help me out... so can anyone recommend me something and or help motivate me to learn because id love to

I've just tried learning songs I liked over the years. Using tabs mostly. I tried learning scales but it's just too complicated for me right now. If you have the will to sit down and learn chords and scales then Guitar World Magazine | Guitar, Tabs, Lessons, Gear & Video - Guitar World (http://www.guitarworld.com) is a good resource. I use ultimate-guitar.com for tabs, since MXtabs.net doesnt have shit anymore.

I agree with Swensonator on ultimate-guitar because they generally have the best tabs. Look into downloading the program Power Tab Editor because you can then download the power tabs from UG and the songs are written out in both music and tablature. Not only that but you can actually play the song (the editor builds a midi according to the notes on the fretboard) and that can help you if you're having trouble getting down a more difficult part of the song. Plus they have lessons on the website (lessons tab at the top of the main page) and there are some good speed/precision exercises in tat section.

All of that being said, I can't tell you how much it helps to have a personal guitar instructor. Usually they tailor their lessons to your interests, and they can assess your playing ability and give you advice and songs to play that are within your range and yet still challenging. Plus they can answer any questions you might have regarding technique, amps, guitars, and anything else that might be on your mind. I've noticed a tremendous improvement since I have had a guitar instructor and so I encourage everyone else to look into getting one as well.

Ask some of the guys around here for advice as well. What kind of music so you like? Perhaps if you give us some examples then we can name some easier songs that are fun to play and will get you working your way around the fretboard.

I have found this website to be quite useful.
Free guitar lessons - justinguitar.com (http://www.justinguitar.com/)

i started playing by learning songs i liked by using tabs

i'd suggest using guitar pro, but it's not freeware, you can find it on torrent sites to download, but this program is just as good: Power Tab .net (http://www.power-tab.net/)

and here's some tabs for it: Power Tabs Network (http://www.powertabs.net/artist.php?param=pattern, 6,100;page,0)

the great thing about this program is it's not just a tab, it's a midi program that you can play along with while learning.

for your first couple years i'd suggest just working on finger dexterity by learning songs you like and learning the basic chords and scales and how/why they work together (scale/chord mechanics i guess)

Find a local teacher that you enjoy.
It's hard to motivate yourself as you won't be able to judge your progress.

Find a local teacher that you enjoy.
It's hard to motivate yourself as you won't be able to judge your progress.

I pretty much agree, though I've run into students who were strictly empiricists about learning. With a few I told them they were wasting their money with me and should work on it in their own time whenever they felt like sparing it. Self motivation is the biggest piece of the puzzle indeed, teacher or no teacher.

And to Swensonator: I'm no guitarist, but scales shouldn't be so daunting to you. It ends up working out like this: You only really have to physically learn 12 seven-note sequences to get all the natural majors, minors, the 6 enharmonic keys, plus all the modes. C major and A natural minor use the same notes, just starting from C and A, respectively (A minor is in fact the aeolian mode of C). There are 6 "enharmonic keys" that can be thought of in terms of sharps or flats with 6 others (3 major, 3 minor), but are the same exact actual notes you're playing. It's a brain thing. B major (5 sharps) and Cb major (7 flats) are all the same notes, but are distinctly different keys, so your way of thinking of them is different. B major's major 3rd is D#, but Cb major's major 3rd is Eb, for instance.

Anyway, for your ease, here are all the natural major and minor scales and their relatives, grouped with their 12-note twins and enharmonics according to clockwise rotation through the circle of fifths:

C major: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C
A minor: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A

G major: G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G
E minor: E, F#, G, A, B, C, D, E

D major: D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D
B minor: B, C#, D, E, F#, G, A, B

A major: A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#, A
F# minor: F#, G#, A, B, C#, D, E, F#

E major: E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#, E
C# minor: C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A, B, C#

B major: B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A#, B
G# minor: G#, A#, B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#
(Enharmonic equivalents of above)
Cb major: Cb, Db, Eb, Fb, Gb, Ab, Bb, Cb
Ab minor: Ab, Bb, Cb, Db, Eb, Fb, Gb, Ab

F# major: F#, G#, A#, B, C#, D#, E#, F#
D# minor: D#, E#, F#, G#, A#, B, C#, D#
(Enharmonic equivalents of above)
Gb major: Gb, Ab, Bb, Cb, Db, Eb, F, Gb
Eb minor: Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, Cb, Db, Eb

C# major: C#, D#, E#, F#, G#, A#, B#, C#
A# minor: A#, B#, C#, D#, E#, F#, G#, A#
(Enharmonic equivalents of above)
Db major: Db, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, C, Db
Bb minor: Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb

Ab major: Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, G, Ab
F minor: F, G, Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F

Eb major: Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C, D, Eb
C minor: C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C

Bb major: Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G, A, Bb
G minor: G, A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G

F major: F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E, F
D minor: D, E, F, A, Bb, C, D


In your spare time, work on it, and work on understanding which keys have sharps and which have flats and how many and where.

Like Stilgar said: If you really want to learn how to play, find a good teacher and sign yourself up for at least a month or 2. You cant take just 1 or 2 lessons and say "fuck it, this wont work". You have to give it some time and put the effort in to learn what is being taught.

If you must go the web way, go to youtube and look at tons of instructional vids there. They are vastly better and will help you much more then plain old tabs or written lessons. Nothing helps a beginner more then actually seeing how something is done rather then just looking at some notes and numbers on a sheet of paper. And that Power Tab application is really good for when you do need tabs. If you stick around the instrument, get it.

stuff

my head just exploded thanks. :)

I have had 2 lessons so far, and for the 20 bucks a lesson, well worth it. And cheap, my instructor has a degree, and makes a living with his guitar doing instruction, weddings etc. I think it is like anything, if the guy sucks you will know it.

Another great post by Alekhine :)

On another note, I just consolidated all of my audio bookmarks alphabetically onto a web page for people's browsing pleasure - AudioEffect.com :: The Audiophile's Directory (http://www.audioeffect.com/)
I figured it might be useful to some, but man, half of the tab bookmarks I had were dead. I didn't know the NMPA were on such a rampage!

Anyways, give it a look and let me know of any good sites I'm missing! Thanks dudes.

Start with really easy songs. Try some old punk songs, or Nirvana or something.

Advanced Guitar Training | Free Online Guitar Lessons | Guitar Tutorials | Beginner Guitar Guide (http://www.totallyguitars.com) is actually a really good site for learning

Jazz Guitarist Clay Moore (http://www.claymoore.com/)

In case anyone still refers to this forum, the above is a friend's website. He's a really fine guitarist and musician and as you will see by his links page also a meticulous teacher and mentor.

People frequently repost the question of what essential albums to check out, or to ask about lessons or other materials. For those with the initiative to take advantage, don't miss this wealth of resources and advice. Clay Moore, Jazz Guitarist: Jazz Lines (http://claymoore.com/link.html)