Layne x)

Hey there, i've just recently picked up my guitar after having abandoned it in a sad little corner for quite some time cuz i didn't have time for it. I'm really starting to enjoy playing and it's become sort of an addiction (in a good way). The thing is, i feel like i'm hitting a wall-i've learned to play many songs, and mastered many chord switches, etc, but i actually want to become good and don't think i'll get much help learning different techniques and how to be a good shredder from the internet- do you think it's necessary to have an instructor in able to become a decent guitar player? i have friends who play the guitar, but not really seriously and we just goof off when we play together, so i'm really not sure where to go from here. it's one of the few things that i REALLY enjoy and i don't want it just to go down the drain like other things i've tried-i want to join a band when i go to college next year and become the best player that i can be. do you have any suggestions for me??
thanx -Layne sorry i love smilies

 

Jowed

Acually my friend is a really good guitar player. He doesn't have an instructor. He just listens to the music and finds out which chords go where and everything. It takes time to master but you can learn quite a lot of songs doing that. Hope this helps.

Oh and Welcome!

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MusicMan

Welcome to KMA!

I would recommend you start to learn some scales and work on improvising, as well as making sure you know about music theory and some of the foundations of the language of music. Record yourself playing like 5 to 10 minutes of a chord progression and then play it back and practice improvising in different keys, using different scales and techniques like hammerons, pulloffs, trills, bends, etc... Hope that helps.

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Rules! A definite must-read

How to upload music to the Music Showcase. How to embed a YouTube video.

Send me a PM if you need any help with anything.

Aqualung

It really all depends on your style of learning. I personally find it helpful to pick a song just outside of my comfort and learn to play it. By doing this with progressively harder and harder songs, I will learn to play pretty well. Others, though, might find it more helpful to actually have somebody sit down and teach them the proper way to do a technique and may feel more confident about their ability if they have somebody more experienced making sure they're doing it correctly. Another thing about having an instructor is you're less likely to abandon the guitar again if you're paying somebody to help you out.

It's really important that you think critically about how you learn and what sort of support you need from other people in order to learn hard skills. It's definitely not something you should just decide based on what has worked for other people.

Anyway, Welcome to KMA, and thanks for posting your questions!

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Here we go. Mushu cereal for breakfast with duck sauce.

Cirrus_Minor

MusicMan provides some very good advice. That's really what got me where I am today; just improvising a lot. I've never had a music teacher of any sort really, but I think I'm making good progress.

Hero Of The Day

Find your sound, style, and influences.

BTW, i never learned theory or anything, but i suggest you do. I should too, but you don't need an instructor, just learn them yourself, if you do that, you'll memorize them better IMO.

Welcome to the Forums!!!