My Bloody Valentine - Soon

I cant believe I bought these tickets seven months ago. So much has happened in that time: Ive moved house, Ive acquired a cat, the cat has gone feral, the cat has trashed the houseIm pretty sure… (in post My Bloody Valentine at the Roundhouse, 21/06/08 from mapsadaisical. Download this at Amazon iTunes)

It's not something you can learn in an afternoon and it will take hard work and above all, practice, but boy is it worth it.

Have you ever wondered why you want to play guitar? This isn't just an of the cuff question because the answer to this will give you a starting point to learning and that is so important.

What sound makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and sends a little shiver down your spine? Is it a searing riff played by Hendrix, a soulful lead played by Gary Moore or maybe the "acoustic sound " does it for you? Whatever it is I'd bet money that this will be the kind of sound you want to make.

But first things first.

If you want to sound like your favorite electric guitarist, then buy and choose to learn the Electric Guitar. You can't sound like Hendrix, Moore, Van Halen or whoever your "guitar hero" is by starting with an Acoustic Guitar. I don't mean that you shouldn't learn to play acoustic guitar, only that you wont get the kind of sounds that you want. If, on the other hand the intricate acoustic guitar work of Nuno Bettencourt from the band Extreme on "More Than Words" is what "floats your boat", you would be better of learning to play Acoustic Guitar.

So where do you start.

Whichever style of guitar you choose you will start at the same place. In the early learning stages there's not much difference whether you play Electric or Acoustic because you will probably be starting out at the same place.

If you want to download free chord diagrams and tabulature from the internet then go ahead. This is a great way to start and you will find more information than you can throw a stick at on Google Search. Personally, I advise that you borrow or purchase a book of guitar chords and or tabulature and there are two reasons why I advise this.

1# I find it much easier to pick up a book of chords and practice than I do to sit in front of a PC or Laptop. I can take my guitar and chord book with me if I want to no matter where I may go.

2# The second reason tie's in with another piece of advice that I offer and that is to learn with an experienced guitarist should you be fortunate enough to know one. It's easy to take along your chord book etc if your visiting him or her.

I can't stress the previous point enough. learning with an experienced guitarist will not only prevent you from forming bad playing habits but can save you literally months of heartache and frustration. This doesn't have to be a guitar teacher, just someone that can guide you on your way and give you some encouragement when it's needed. If you don't have an experienced guitarist as a friend then I would recommend seeking out a good guitar teacher.

Remember that I said learning to play guitar wont be easy to begin with even when you're using guitar chords specially laid out for beginners.

At first you may well find difficulty and awkwardness with the fingers that are used to play chords, but if you think about it, isn't this always the case with anything that requires manual dexterity? But quite quickly, with repetition and practice you will know exactly where to place your fingers on the fretboard and be changing between chords quickly and smoothly. In fact the more you practice the less you will even think about finger positioning.

When the going gets tough, the tough listen to there favorite guitarist, at least that what I do and I suggest you do the same. After all isn't that what got you started in the first place?. Doing this will give you the motivation to keep going, to keep learning and to keep improving.

In learning to play guitar, you are at the beginning of wonderful experience. I wish I could be there with you.

Here's my last piece of advice for now. Practice, Practice, Practice.

Play On.

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