NationStates Jolt Archive

I got an electric guitar for my birthday this year. I recieved it in April, didn't really start o play until May, and started lessons in June. I know notes on the first two strings. I can play power chords. I know about a dozen or so riffs, alot from Black Sabbath. I can play "Smells Like Teen Spirit" Almost in it's entirety, I have yet to try to solo. I am prepared to practice for as long as it takes to get good. My question is this: Am I getting better? I think I sound better, but that's just me. When I first started, I knew nothing. Be honest.

My question is this? Am I getting better?

Insufficient data.

Does not compute.

Well, when I was listening outside your window last night, I thought you were shit.

You had a nice shirt on tho.. :D

Smash your guitar after a performance. If a lot of people cheer, you're either really good, or really bad. :)

Well, when I was listening outside your window last night, I thought you were shit.

You had a nice shirt on tho.. :D

You liked the Back in Black shirt? That's good to know.:D

Lay off power chords, dont drop E->D, and youre on your way.

Quite frankly, you have absolutely loads to learn. At the moment i would consider you a novice. Advice, don't learn songs like teen spirit it will only make you play more "power chords" and take your attention away from real chords.

(I am a guitarist, i know).

I got an electric guitar for my birthday this year. I recieved it in April, didn't really start o play until May, and started lessons in June. I know notes on the first two strings. I can play power chords. I know about a dozen or so riffs, alot from Black Sabbath. I can play "Smells Like Teen Spirit" Almost in it's entirety, I have yet to try to solo. I am prepared to practice for as long as it takes to get good. My question is this: Am I getting better? I think I sound better, but that's just me. When I first started, I knew nothing. Be honest.

Just talk to me when you are able to manage the Aranjuez' Concerto

thanks for the advice everyone. And on a side note, I can play more than just power chords.

Ah, you will be able to play those F# Suspended 4th Add Flat 11th Add Flat 9th Add Flat 13th Add 13th chords in no time! ;)

are you getting better? how the hell are we suppose to know? it's not like we can compare how you were and how you are now...

i friggin hope you are... it stands to reason that anything somebody does in repetition will improve upon on.

That's like me telling everybody, hey i just started boxing... i can throw a 2 hit combo, before i couldn't throw a single punch... am i getting better??? tard...

learn the smoke on the water intro ;)

learn the smoke on the water intro ;)

already have, including Iron Man, NIB, SweetLeaf, Paranoid, Electric Funeral, Enter Sandman, Seek and Destroy, In the Flesh, Interstellar Overdrive, Brain Stew,I'm Eighteen, Sunshine of Your Love, 24 Or 6 To 4, Aqualung, The Rover, and Heartbreaker. All the riffs and easy parts, mind you.

already have, including Iron Man, NIB, SweetLeaf, Paranoid, Electric Funeral, Enter Sandman, Seek and Destroy, In the Flesh, Interstellar Overdrive, Brain Stew,I'm Eighteen, Sunshine of Your Love, 24 Or 6 To 4, Aqualung, The Rover, and Heartbreaker. All the riffs and easy parts, mind you.

your better then my sister then, when she fot her guitar it was awful SotW intros all bloody day.

when you become world famous in a band, get me free tickets ok? :p

your better then my sister then, when she fot her guitar it was awful SotW intros all bloody day.

when you become world famous in a band, get me free tickets ok? :p

no problem.

exellent, good luck with the guitaring

you should hang out with other guitar player, see what they know and make sure you learn every technique they use. if you can find a real teacher who knows rock guitar you should take lessons so you can learn proper techniques, a bit of music theory and how to read music.

knowing what you are doing is more valuable than just learning cool licks. its hard to make your own original music if you dont know much about music.

Lay off power chords, dont drop E->D, and youre on your way.

Real men play in open G.

It might well be a good idea to get lessons, assuming you don't already. Knowing your way around the fretboard to be able to construct scales, arpeggios, and modes from any open chord with your eyes closed is incredibly useful and not as difficult as it sounds. Once you have that down, you know the basics and can build on that, and having the muscle memory will help with more difficult songs, including solos.

And talking of solos, try playing them. Obviously don't start off with shredding, try simple things first, like (for example) Don't Look Back in Anger by Oasis. Not only does it give you some practice with cool techniques like string bending and vibrato, soloing will improve your control and let you see all that theory I told you to learn in action.

Finally, a question. Are you using alternate picking? A lot of self-taught people don't, but not using it really limits your playing. If you aren't, get into the habit of doing it.

Good luck!

here's some more good advice


if you wonder how good you are now, record yourself playing. its like looking in a mirror, if you are honest, you will see exactly where you are and what you need to work on. dont let it discourage you, youve just started.

you need to start hanging out with other musicians. music is collaborative art. its not enough to be able to play the intro to smoke on the water, you have to be able to play it with other people and make it the whole song.

everyone had to start somewhere. lots of musicians are willing to put up with a guy who isnt as good as they are if he is trying hard to improve. they remember the days when they were in your position. there will come a day when its your turn to help the next guy learn to play well. its a "pay it forward" kind of deal.

dont drop E->D
Instead, drop E->C#.

I got an electric guitar for my birthday this year. I recieved it in April, didn't really start o play until May, and started lessons in June. I know notes on the first two strings. I can play power chords. I know about a dozen or so riffs, alot from Black Sabbath. I can play "Smells Like Teen Spirit" Almost in it's entirety, I have yet to try to solo. I am prepared to practice for as long as it takes to get good. My question is this: Am I getting better? I think I sound better, but that's just me. When I first started, I knew nothing. Be honest.
Cool! What is it?

Instead, drop E->C#.

Or go sludge crazy and hit CFCGAD.

certain songs are excellent for improving guitar playing ability. Although they may not be songs you like. Nonetheless I learned songs I didnt like and they improved my technique. Songs I would recommend right now would be whiskey in the jar including the solo by thin lizzy and purple haze by jimmy hendrix, also fade out by radiohead to improve string picking. Eventually, after a few years, you may want to try black dog by led zep and comfortably numb by pink floyd. After that, disciples of hell by malmsteen and some paul gilbert stuff.

After that, disciples of hell by malmsteen and some paul gilbert stuff.

No! No Malmsteen, ever! If you want to play some virtuouso stuff in a few years time, try some Steve Vai or Joe Satriani (or, moving away from rock, Stevie Ray Vaughan). They actually have fun things like, you know, a melody in between the bursts of speed.

There's nothing wrong with playing power chords or composing simple songs based on them for fun. When I was first learning, I bashed my way through most of Nirvana's songs.

Anyway, if you're taking lessons, don't worry about it. If your teacher is any good, he'll forcefeed you different stuff to diversify your playing in time, like mine did. Just remember that skill won't come overnight. If you've only been playing for a couple of months you sound like you're at an appropriate stage, and ignore anyone who says otherwise.

Or go sludge crazy and hit CFCGAD.

CFA#D#GC > all.

Real men play in open G.

Or open F. :p

here's some more good advice


if you wonder how good you are now, record yourself playing. its like looking in a mirror, if you are honest, you will see exactly where you are and what you need to work on. dont let it discourage you, youve just started.

Not really. Unless you spend around $1000 on a proper recording setup, it sounds like shit anyway.

you need to start hanging out with other musicians. music is collaborative art. its not enough to be able to play the intro to smoke on the water, you have to be able to play it with other people and make it the whole song.

True, but...

lots of musicians are willing to put up with a guy who isnt as good as they are if he is trying hard to improve. they remember the days when they were in your position. there will come a day when its your turn to help the next guy learn to play well. its a "pay it forward" kind of deal.

Not so true; many musicians treat their instruments as extensions of their penises, and delight in comparing sizes. :p

Not really. Unless you spend around $1000 on a proper recording setup, it sounds like shit anyway.


Even a pretty rubbish recording (within limits) would be sufficient to allow one to tell the difference between quality of playing and quality of recording.

Even a pretty rubbish recording (within limits) would be sufficient to allow one to tell the difference between quality of playing and quality of recording.
Meh.

Although if you take a rubbish recording and send it to someone else who says "wow, who's that playing?", then you have cause to let your head swell, I guess.

Not really. Unless you spend around $1000 on a proper recording setup, it sounds like shit anyway.

at his stage he doesnt need to hear it on expensive equipment. he needs to hear that he isnt really staying with the beat and that he makes constant mistakes. recording it on his computer using the crappy mike he has at home is good enough to show him his problems. if he doesnt know that he cant keep a beat (for example) he wont start working on it.


True, but...

Not so true; many musicians treat their instruments as extensions of their penises, and delight in comparing sizes. :p

its good to avoid assholes but if you cant deal with the inflated egos of other musicians, you cant be a musician. ego is part of the territory and the sooner you learn how to get along with other musicians the better off youll be.

if the best rockers in his town are assholes, or too high/hungover in their non stage time to deal with newbies, he can always start with people who are only twice as good as he is and work his way up.

Although if you take a rubbish recording and send it to someone else who says "wow, who's that playing?", then you have cause to let your head swell, I guess.

Shall we take Django Reinhardt as a case in point here?

Not so true; many musicians treat their instruments as extensions of their penises, and delight in comparing sizes. :p


I always wondered if you had ever been in a band.

You have.

To the OP:

Screw most of the advice you have gotten thus far.

Play whatever you enjoy playing, wether its crude power chord riffs, or intricate arpeggios in some kooky mode.

Its important to have FUN when youre playing.
If you dont enjoy it, you wont keep doing it.
If you want to get "good", take lessons.

You wil soon discover the varying types of guitar players.

"The Music Snob": the guy who plays only jazz, or classical, and considers anything else "beneath thier musical wizardry".

"The Slouch" This is the guy in your band who never practices, or takes the time to change his strings so his instrument stays in tune through entire songs. However, "The Slouch" usually has weed, or beer, or both, so he is allowed to stay in the band.

"The Rocker".
This is the guy who plays nothing but heavy driven metal riffs, and secretly wants to give Dimebag Darrel a blowjob.

"The Acoustic Wanker":

This guys doesnt even own an amp, and loves anything that James Taylor wrote. The A.W owns several acoustic guitars, and probably an acoustic 12 string, and likely wants to give John Denver a blowjob.

"The Genius".
This is the guy we all know, who could play the very first time he picked up a guitar. The Genius has natural ability, and can play any style, any speed, and always plays WAY better than YOU.
No one likes the Genius.

"The 40-Ounce Showman" :
This can be any of the above, but always plays very well during practice, but..when performance time comes....has to get sloshed to play.
and nobody plays better when sloshed, unless its punk.

"My Bass-Player is Hitler"
This is the Leader of The Band, the Dictator..and the final arbitrator on what you will, and will not play..he calls every shot, and as long as you practice in HIS garage, with the drums that HE paid his brother for...you'll do as HE says dammit!

I always wondered if you had ever been in a band.

You have.

Hahaha, not a band as such, but I have jammed with quite a few people.

Screw most of the advice you have gotten thus far.

Play whatever you enjoy playing, wether its crude power chord riffs, or intricate arpeggios in some kooky mode.

Its important to have FUN when youre playing.
If you dont enjoy it, you wont keep doing it.
If you want to get "good", take lessons.

Exactly right.

You wil soon discover the varying types of guitar players.

Oooh, I have played with:

"The Music Snob": the guy who plays only jazz, or classical, and considers anything else "beneath thier musical wizardry".

Yep, yep. Very common actually.

"The Slouch" This is the guy in your band who never practices, or takes the time to change his strings so his instrument stays in tune through entire songs. However, "The Slouch" usually has weed, or beer, or both, so he is allowed to stay in the band.

Yeah, one of my best friends is one of those, and I probably am too. Our practices lasted about 10 minutes and then we hit the booze/weed.

:/

"The Rocker".
This is the guy who plays nothing but heavy driven metal riffs, and secretly wants to give Dimebag Darrel a blowjob.

Yep. They're like zombies, they're everywhere.

"The Acoustic Wanker":

This guys doesnt even own an amp, and loves anything that James Taylor wrote. The A.W owns several acoustic guitars, and probably an acoustic 12 string, and likely wants to give John Denver a blowjob.

I've suceeded at avoiding ths type so far.

"The Genius".
This is the guy we all know, who could play the very first time he picked up a guitar. The Genius has natural ability, and can play any style, any speed, and always plays WAY better than YOU.
No one likes the Genius.

Yes. *mutters*

"The 40-Ounce Showman" :
This can be any of the above, but always plays very well during practice, but..when performance time comes....has to get sloshed to play.
and nobody plays better when sloshed, unless its punk.

Possibly. I never performed. :p

"My Bass-Player is Hitler"
This is the Leader of The Band, the Dictator..and the final arbitrator on what you will, and will not play..he calls every shot, and as long as you practice in HIS garage, with the drums that HE paid his brother for...you'll do as HE says dammit!

Yes. *shudders*

And one further type:

"The Black Hole Generator"

"STOP! - DID YOU HEAR THAT?" "Yeah man, I fucking heard it, why did you stop?" "DID YOU HEAR IT? IT WAS GREAT!" "OK, lets do it again" "fuck, I forgot....shit"

1 minute later:

"STOP! - DID YOU...."

"Black Hole Generator".

Ohhh..I hate those ones....
Especially if they cant remember what they JUST played..Grrr!


yet another type..

"The Iconoclast"

This is the guy who just HAS to be different, no matter what.
Say you are in a doom metal band...this is the guy who suggests you play a Simon and Garfunkel cover.

"The Iconoclast"

This is the guy who just HAS to be different, no matter what.
Say you are in a doom metal band...this is the guy who suggests you play a Simon and Garfunkel cover.

LOL. I played with one guy who wanted us to go on stage wearing cereal boxes on our heads, does that count? He was a good bass player though.

LOL. I played with one guy who wanted us to go on stage wearing cereal boxes on our heads, does that count? He was a good bass player though.


Yep.
Thats the one.

This guy isnt always a problem though, sometimes the Iconoclast can keep things interesting, while playing the same songs over and over.

Hey, you're missing one very important archetype.

"The Optimism Vacuum." Constantly whines about how much the band and all its members suck, and how they can never have any kind of audience ever for fear of piss bottles and/or petrol bombs.

The worst band experience I've ever had was playing with two of these. I was the only other member, and they eventually managed to turn me to the dark side with them. Worse still, we took it in turns to be the Optimism Vacuum, while the other two would bitch about a lack of optimism and how the negative attitude was dragging the whole band down.

And yeah, I recognise the other types. Especially the Rockers who think they're Geniuses. I'm borderline Iconoclast, myself. ;)

heh,heh, guess id definately be the iconoclast, music snob and genius (although the last one is due to the fact that nobody has been as good as me for the past 5 years in any band Ive been in, except maybe for one talented bassist, although I was slightly faster). A mate in my band would probably be the slouch and the black hole.

Been playin' guitar since I was 8 (I'm 34 now) and I can tell you this:

Throw a rock in a crowd and you will hit a guitar player. Take up drums or flute or something instead.

I got an electric guitar for my birthday this year. I recieved it in April, didn't really start o play until May, and started lessons in June. I know notes on the first two strings. I can play power chords. I know about a dozen or so riffs, alot from Black Sabbath. I can play "Smells Like Teen Spirit" Almost in it's entirety, I have yet to try to solo. I am prepared to practice for as long as it takes to get good. My question is this: Am I getting better? I think I sound better, but that's just me. When I first started, I knew nothing. Be honest.

Post a sound file:

www.putfile.com

heh,heh, guess id definately be the iconoclast, music snob and genius (although the last one is due to the fact that nobody has been as good as me for the past 5 years in any band Ive been in, except maybe for one talented bassist, although I was slightly faster). A mate in my band would probably be the slouch and the black hole.


I just found it really ironic that you claim nobody has been as good as you, and the name of your nation is "Pompous World".

You play a Strat, btw?

Throw a rock in a crowd and you will hit a guitar player.

Speaking as a sound engineer I just take this as an incitement to throw more rocks.