Who wants to start from the beginning?

BrianH · #1 05-01-2002, 08:06 PM

Alright Jemsters.. I'm willing todo a weekly(you do need time to practice in between, trust me) guitar lesson starting from the beginning. A program that will get you from Point A to Point B, not just scattered thoughts or a cool tutorial on the latest technique, but a real program.

You will learn everything you need to know about how to write songs and solo effectively. I can give you the tools and knowledge necessary, but only you can put the work, and sometimes hard work into it. You will get what you put into it. These lessons will usually be comprised of three parts. One is a weekly talk about techniques such as

- alternate picking, is it really the only way to have speed?
- chords, don't just strum them...
- melodies and the hum...

another will be the lesson itself, with enough material to practice for that week.

and the answers to your questions.

I WON'T do this unless there is enough interest in it. It WILL start from the beginning, so don't start asking questions about which mode should I use to solo over a m7b5 chord the first day. All questions should be relevant to the current lesson. Lessons will be posted on Sunday.

yurich · #2 05-01-2002, 09:03 PM

YES!!YES!!YES!!!

Build my chops!! I might actually do my homework for once

question: what will the format be? video, text, audio?

BrianH · #3 05-01-2002, 09:07 PM

Mainly text, pictures and audio. there probably won't ever be any video since I don't have that equipment. Eh, you don't want to see me anyway

Given to Fly · #4 05-01-2002, 10:29 PM

I would really like that!! I've wanted to take electric guitar lessons but I play classical guitar as well and that is the only lesson I can take so these would be awesome. I think the system you plan on using sounds excellent. Please do that I would really benefit and I'm sure other people here would want the lessons too.

Sorry this guy looked really funny so I added him in.

7 Dying Trees · #5 05-09-2002, 10:26 AM

I'd be interested in this as well. How big will the files be? I have to take them home as I have no internet connection in my house. But that would be cool, I need some lesson type things I can work through. How long a day do you recommend spending on them?

jem7vwh · #6 05-09-2002, 10:37 AM

personally, I'd rather see more people add to what's been posted here. There's quite a bit of beginning theory from scales to triads and arpeggios. Instead of repeating what's been said, I'd rather see more people give lessons on advanced topics.

BrianH · #7 05-09-2002, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jem7vwh

personally, I'd rather see more people add to what's been posted here. There's quite a bit of beginning theory from scales to triads and arpeggios. Instead of repeating what's been said, I'd rather see more people give lessons on advanced topics.

I can see your point, but I think if you'd give it a chance you'd see that this wouldn't be like all the other stuff thats out there. Alot of people know scales, but can't write one solo? why, well they've learned the patterns maybe, but don't have the technical ability? or maybe they just don't know how to apply any scale or arppegio to create music. This would be a very practicle approach to learning the guitar. One that should, with practice make anyone a decent guitar player.

BrianH · #8 05-09-2002, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 7 Dying Trees

I'd be interested in this as well. How big will the files be? I have to take them home as I have no internet connection in my house. But that would be cool, I need some lesson type things I can work through. How long a day do you recommend spending on them?

I've thought about making a master word document file for each lesson. How do you guys think this would go over? Isn't there a free Word Document viewer? I know everyone doesn't have Word, but I bet most do. I'm not sure how big the file(s) could be. I'll know more about this once I decide there is enough interrest and make the first lesson in .doc format.

7 Dying Trees · #9 05-09-2002, 12:27 PM

Cool. Are you planning on using power tab as well? THose files are quite small as well. Word docs shouldn't get too large as long as you don't overdo it on the inserted large objects front...(ooer missus!)

Two hands31 · #10 05-10-2002, 09:56 PM

Microsoft Windows has "Word Pad" under Accessories. That works.

Triangle2 · #11 05-15-2002, 03:21 PM

Count me in.

BrianH · #12 05-15-2002, 05:23 PM

I'm going watch this topic for another week or two and then make a decision.

I haven't ever used powertab, however I'll check it out. Get back to you on it, probably alot better than using Word.

Mr Orange · #13 05-30-2002, 06:52 AM

Pretty neat idea to cover the very basics.
Just remember to stay away from foxholes like 'hold your pick like this', 'hold your guitar like this' and such... Everyone's body is unique! For example, check out how Vai, Petrucci, Benson, Metheny, Fiuczynski, Fripp, Abercrombie and De Lucia hold their pick and get the idea.

IMHO, all you need to learn how to play is to listen, transcribe and play (with people, too!). Of course having more than a Naked City -type attention span helps... (I wish I had one!)
The stuff/style you want to play is all over your cd shelf. So why bother doing the innumerable 12341234's? Play that MUSIC! Who cares how long it takes to get it down? Keneally learned that way. Vai learned that way (he kept flunking his proficiency exams at Berklee because he just played & transcribed). Wes learned that way.
Accompany that method with Jon Damian's book The Guitarist's Guide to Improvising and Composing and you have more than a lifetime full of stuff to work on...

Of course in the long run the freshest method would be to ditch all the cd's and lessons and figure out your own music & way how to play the guitar... but it's a crusade for only the brave (I wish I was).

jkeithc82 · #14 06-01-2002, 10:22 PM

I think this would be a great idea and I would participate. A fellow member of this site has recently told me that when I begun playing I started from the middle instead of the beginning. So there's so much I have not learned that are just basics. I fully support this.

BrianH · #15 06-01-2002, 11:53 PM

checked out powertab... pretty cool..think I'll use it! I also think I'll do the lessons!!! And don't get me wrong, in no way am I saying I'm the best guitar player here, or anywhere for that matter, or the best teacher, however... I do teach and everyone says I'm the best they've had as a guitar teacher, so I think maybe I must do something worth while or I'd have no students. I also approach the guitar from a unique standpoint than from any method book I've read that really gets you no where.

I'll post the first lesson, these will be beefy lessons, you won't be able to get it all in one day, but they are meant to be lessons that get you somewhere with practice. Infact some of the lessons I may either break them up over several posts, or have them all in one and give several weeks to work through them. If, after the first lesson, you don't think they are that good, then let me know...