I am new to Music AND the guitar...

Ok basically i just got into music this summer. I joined my school marching band. This iant any old school band we are serious and don't "suck" like most school band lol... we model ourselves after the HBCU's like FAMU, Southern, UAPB, Jackson St., etc. But anyway I've started my career on the tuba/sousaphone I've had not previous musical expirience but my music program is helping me learn very quickly.

Now my problem is i cannot take a "guitar" course at my school. However i am trying to learn it. and seeing as i am ALSO learning the TUBA i cant get 1 on 1 expirience with my BD (band director).

What i want to know is how do you all recommend i go about teaching myself the guitatr... I've only had it for about a month and all i can do is read tabs right now... Ive tried learning chords but
A) the whole Logic of the chord escapes me in reference to notes (theory) I'm not even sure what makes a chord...

B) i cant seem to make my fingers work to get into the positions with out sitting ther for 5 mins trying to push down the right strings...

Basically its really frustrating but i dont want to give up...


oh ad PS... i cant seem to figure out how to use the hammer correctly

to start i wouldnt get bogged down in theory yet, try learning the open major chords, and just practice moving your fingers from chord shape to chord shape, then make sure each string rings out without any buzzes or anything, then move on to the power chord, bar chords and try learning a few easy songs, if you practice every day, you'll get it real quick,
the hammer? i guess thats the hammer on technique? thats where you'll play one note, with say your index finger, then literally hit the next fret up or 2nd fret up from that note with the corresponding finger, to get a second note, but without having to pick that second note, the reverse of that is the pull off,
i hope that helps man?

when you say open what do you mean?...

and my hand seems to get really ....uhhh... unresposive when it comes to my pinky and ring fingers

open chords are chords with open strings ( an open string is a string played without touching a fret (a 0 in tablature) like for example open G chord is
3
0
0
0
2
3

you have to train your fingers to coordinate well with eachother you should do some guitar exercises to train it , it will become better , don't worry
if anymore questions, ask!

what do you all think is the best exercise to increase finger coodination? so basicall with open chord you just finger every single(G)note in the 1-5 frets but leave all other strings open

and i wanna say this website is great... Being in a marching band i know the differnce between playing a song and being a Musician... those tab website i have been looking at are 4 people who arent serious... this if for bloomin musicians :D

Open chords are chords that have at least one open string(that means it is not fretted). A good finger exercise is the.. 1-2-3-4 exercise as they call it.

e|------------------------------------1-2-3-4-

b|-----------------------------1-2-3-4--------

g|----------------------1-2-3-4---------------

d|---------------1-2-3-4----------------------

a|--------1-2-3-4-----------------------------

e|-1-2-3-4------------------------------------

   d u d u etc..



d=downstroke/u=upstroke (with pick)



This will be really hard at first, but after some months go by of trying it, you'll be a lot better.

what are you alls opinion on finger picking?

It is personal preference. What kinds of music you like might help you to decide which to start with. You can do both though. Neither is superior to the other.

do you play any other instruments and do u feel it helped at all?

Yeah, Piano. It is easier to understand parts of music theory in relation to a piano in my opinion.

have you ever thought about playing a brass instru?

Yeah, maybe someday. Not now though. Two instruments takes plenty of time already.

I've played french horn, flute and guitar. I've also twiddled with tons of other instruments. Once you learn a particular group you can easily learn another so I'm pretty safe with anything musical unless it's a drum :)

I think it's great that you are giving a serious effort to learn the guitar. And learning music theory in general will help you tons. However, at the very begining you just have to memorize and practice those open chords. You have to train those fingers to do anything before you can really take a stab at anything.

Open chords are generally any chord that contains some open strings and is not barred. I would learn and memorize:

A Am C D Dm E Em G

All of these can be played easily in the first position which should pop up by default in the chord finder.

The idea is at first to get all the strings to sound right. Then work on getting between two chords. You might try something like Am - C - Em which is used fairly often in songs. With a couple days of hard practice you should be able to stab away at them.

Once you can play the open chords and get between them work on an F bar chord.

If you nail that the skies the limit.

Llynix - One man, one guitar, one website, one ditty a day.

to improve fonger co-ordination, i would just recommend practicing switching between all the chords you know, and as for other instruments, i'd love to be able to play the sitar, violin or the shamisen, which is a kind of fretless japanese lute, but im jus too in love with my geetar to put it down.

The finger exercise is a very good way to get your fingers working together. If your going to use your fingers instead of a pick you will get a different feel and sound. I used a pick for years and my hand got broken and I could not hold a pick for a while and I learned the finger style and I enjoy useing both. I think you should pick one of them first though and learn that way and then learn the other one if you want. They are not that hard but they are different. Just make sure you pactice and stay on it and it will come to you in time.

you should try to use all four of your fingers because it is MUCH easier

i am from mexico and i need how to play solos ( nice solos) what can i do?

and i need licks of slash because he is my idol

StillAWarrior, It's awesome that you are so active with music. Since you've had a little experience you should begin seeing that practice makes almost perfect. Just keep playing and everything will flow like butter once you reach the next level. The less you do, the slower it will, take. It is a fact, and there are no shortcuts. None.
I'd suggest you work with the open chords, try this lesson out,
http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/lesson.php?id=25
The longer you stay holding a chord, the more strength you'll build and muscle memory so don't think that taking time to change chords is bad at first. Tackle memorizing the shape the fingering, then learn another and begin to switch between the two, then add another. Sooner then later, your speed will increase, yet you'll have greater accuracy.
As with theory, it's good to take really slow, it's very hard to conquer quickly with not much background on it.

Scales... Learn them and practice them. Major and blues are very important. But depends on your music. go to the GUITAR SCALES section on this site and you can find them

Make Sure you aren't pressing to hard on the fretboard (try placing your hand on the string and press lightly until you can here the note clearly, do this with all your fingers and do it constantly so you memorize it and then you should have a little more coordination.)