Geetar lessons

[noob3]

Bass, actually. I've had a bass for awhile now, like 9 months but I've decided to get serious. I didn't even know what a scale was until about a week ago, heh. I've never had any music lessons before, are they creepy? I guess all teachers are diffirent, but does anyone have good/bad experience with lessons?

[Generator86]

I took bass lessons for about two months when I was 12. I never learned a scale or how to play with my fingers. All he wanted me to do was bring in tapes of songs I wanted to learn how to play. So I guess he taught me how to play by ear or something, so it wasn't a complete waste of time.

[slavemason]

Take a look at a book called the Bass Grimoire by Carl Fischer (there are Grimoires for guitar, keyboard, and others). It's a little mind boggling at first so take it in small dosages. It's good about illustrating the difference in all the scales and modes. Some of I still don't understand. It's also good about showing all the positions you can play a scale on the neck. It's up to you to find where and what's comfortable.
As far as lessons go, I wouldn't take any longer than a month or two. They should teach you some good habits as far as right and left hand techniques. They'll also show you some exercises that will get your hands moving. Outside of that, it's up to you to practice.
Are you going to play with a pick or your fingers? I recommend the fingers, while some prefer the tone of a pick.
This post was much more interesting than some of you tummy rubs I've seen in the past. :/

[Helm]

If you go to a teacher, and he's a jackass, and you see him for a jackass, don't bother about how fast his fingers go on the fretboard. Tell him to go to hell. He'll see you as an apportunity to suck some money and at the same time belittle you. I had a teacher that told me I could never do anything over play chords on a guitar and he was wrong. I suggest http://www.activebass.com and lots of patience. If you really want it, you'll get there. Oh, and compose, compose, compose. Even if they're just small ideas you discard afterwards. The process of composition is what matures into creation that will be fulfulling.

[Skulhedface]

Or if all else fails try teaching yourself. It takes a LOT longer but it works out better. You can try with tabs, anyone would agree that tabs are easy to figure out and you can amaze yourself from there. It doesn't hurt if you learn to play by ear either. I did it the hard way... I think I got one lesson, and all I learned was how to play an A chord.

[Helm]

Whereas the only thing you needed to start out was the diphonic with a fifth(powerchord). Practically 80% of popular guitar music revolves around it's usage.

[iron mitchell]

or if you've got real balls, don't learn scales, how to read tab, or even any chords. just tune the guitar how you think it sounds neat and fuck around. i'll take a sloppy, but unique guitarist over another fucking hendrix/malmsteen/cobain/whoever clone any day.

[Royal Tenenbaum]

"i'll take a sloppy, but unique guitarist over another fucking hendrix/malmsteen/cobain/whoever clone any day."

Yes, because sucking and not understanding your instrument is way better than being good at it.

[Spectre X]

I play guitar. nothing super-good, but I can play some tunes.




SolidSnakeAss, you eat liposuctionfat.

[Helm]

hendrix/malmsteen/cobain/

One is not like the others.

[iron mitchell]

reply #1:
to royal...
who said anything about sucking? if you actually enjoy music and not professionalism you could surely find plenty of stuff you dig that isn't technically impressive, or is impressive in a way that avoids traditional playing methods. simple as that... one of my favorite local drummers doesn't even know how to do a drumroll, but he has a very unique style and an ear for how to avoid sounding ordinary and boring.

reply #2:
to helm,
they are all musicians who are constantly (r)aped.

[Helm]

Agree to that. But nobody said cobain was technical in any way.

[Hobo Renee]

Something that I wanted to say since it hasn't been said already is that knowing scales on bass or guitar can make composing a lot easier. Another thing that I think is really important to learn are
I, IV, V, progressions, because the blues kick ass.

[Helm]

Tonic, Subdominant, Dominant progressions and general chord theory is the same for all western music, not just blues.

[slavemason]

You all have offered some pretty good advice, with the exception of Spectre. Though it appears that Goob3 has abandoned his thread. I'm guessing he had to sell his bass to buy his pillhead gilfriend some dope.