New to this community...

Hello everyone this topic has nothing to do with needing help but rather introducing myself to you all. Im a begginer, been playing for about 7 months and barely found this guitarist community. I so hope i learn all that i need from here. Thanks all before hand!!

You've come to the right place. Between us regulars here you're sure to get an answer for questions you might have. Hope you come back often and hope we help you get better.

Welcome, this is a great place with alot of great players with all kinds of exp. in different styles of music...again welcome.

Welcome HDsilence, My name is Kodi.
I am semi-new to the community here, I just made my account a few days ago but may I say, you have come to the right place to learn about guitars, this site has all kinds of stuff on how to better yourself. The forum is helpful too, you can come to the forums to either learn stuff, or just talk amongst the community. I have been playing for 2 years, I am actually very good, but I just don't know what some of the things are... I guess even the best are still learning things...
Anyways, have a good day and keep up with us here in the community. Good luck with your guitar playing !

Hi,
Also a new member. I'm an odler guy (a product of the 60's) who always wanted to learn guitar when i was younger and i'm just now getting around to it. I've been learning for the last two months and to quote a hero of mine "I've got blisters on my fingers"! I've been reading some of the posts before joining and i haven't seen too many old farts here. Mind if i ask a question from time to time?

Go for it - that's the point.

I know I'm happy to help, and I'm sure everyone else is.

I as well am happy to help you out if I know the answer :)
Everyone on here is really nice unlike on UG everyone like flames you for everything : /

You know why everyone respects each other? Because we remember how we felt when we were begginers.

Lol, actually... I never got help. I did it all myself... but it took me a lot of time to get this far so I feel that I'd like to help people get there quicker now, to save so much effort.

I wish I had found this site and the forums like 2 years ago when i started aha then I coulda been better - faster. I hadda teach myself for the first 9 months.

I am fairly new here also but have been playing for a long time and I do enjoy the talk and infomation I recieve from here. so welcome and enjoy and dont be affaid to ask any question like a smart man once wrote the only dump question is the one you dont ask.

the forums here are much better then the UG ones aha there is like no flaming :) so then you know you can definitely ask w.e you want

Yeah totally agree with what Doz said - if you have any questions, ask away! I personally enjoy being able to talk about music and help others out, mainly because it enforces my own understandng of what I'm going on about, and addresses any gaps in my own knowledge! Welcome to the forum!

Afro

Definitely, Afro !

I didnt know Afroraven had only 160 posts.You're the super veteran

Lol, you say only... but 160 isn't really a small number in these forums. I think it's only me with more - and that's probably because I have nothing better to do than lurk about online. :D

Lol yeah Doz, lurkin round on the little child porn isn't that right ? Lmfao

Lol.I didnt notice you had so many posts.When did you start posting? I can't be on the computer too long or else my dad starts having suspicions about the content I'm viewing. :D

GuitarBoy666 - why the hell would thoughts like that come into yoir head?

Erm...I fail to see why that's funny?

Afro

Hello..
I am here because of being brand spanking new..I am less than 3 mins old on this forum but much older in being. I am a 54 year old left handed woman. I too have always wanted to play guitar but never did until one day I realized the guitar i bought for my husband would never be played so I picked it up and havent looked back. I was reading alot of the beginner questions and post and thought Id add my two cents in also.
I am a year playing guitar, actually consider myself still very much practicing..I am self taught and will be looking for an instructor to take me further. I have alot of questions and one concern...I will address my concern this evening.
Like I said I am left handed. I have an Ibanez acoustic, right handed and thats how Ive played it from day one. To this day I pick it up and automatically put it left handed. Im getting better, but I really feel that I should have started left handed from the beginning. My right hand really doesnt feel natural playing. I flipped the guitar one night and strummed and my left hand felt very much natural. When I find my guitar instructor, I will be telling him/her that I want to play left handed. If he/she is a go with it, I will go to my local music store and purchase a left handed fender which is what they have in stock.
Am I way off base here? I know i will have to go through the finger pain again but I am a total left handed person unless I am forced to do otherwise!!
What Ive seen of this forum is fantastic!! All the responses have been soooo sincere and thoughtful and very willing to help..
Thank you so much

Marci

Like you, I am left-handed, but play righty. I went through a similar thing where I wanted to strum with my left hand. I thought about going lefty when I bought my first guitar, but I'm glad I didn't for the following reasons:
1. You're using both hands anyway
2. On some chords where you have to stretch your fingers, I think it's beneficial for me to pick them up cleanly b/c my left hand is stronger (although when I began it still took me time to build that hand strength up).
3. The guitar world is geared for the right-handed, and by playing that way you keep more options open to you.

By the way, left-handed guitars are completely foreign to me now. If you're uncomfortable playing righty, make the switch; however, I think you'll be Ok. Keep at it!

@Hoooked,
Welcome!
It says in your profile that you played some violin. I would imagine that there is a Lefty/Righty issue with violin also. How did you play that instrument? (just curious).
Seems to me you should make a decision soon, not that you can't change at any time. If after a year you still feel uncomfortable as a righty then buy some new strings and switch the guitar you have to lefty for a few weeks and see what happens before you make a purchase.

@CTown, that's an interesting point about the "natural" hand being a bit stronger.
Phip

Welcome from me too, I only popped up here about I think might be just thee days or so ago, but I can hoonsestly tell you I've got the best guitarist in the Notheast of England teaching me and I've learned more and faster here!

I'll help out when I can...only I'm still a young beginner! Errrm, for the six strings go Elephants And Donkeys Grow Big Ears...that's the best I've so far memorized other than like one song!

...I could teach you Spanish? I'm better at that then about anything

Hi Hooked. My wife's also a 'south-paw' but plays right handed (on my guitar damn it!). Looking back to when I started playing (way back in the dark ages) she seems to be making pretty good progress, so I'd just carry on the way you've begun.

Well thank you all for your time and your opinions. Everyone that Ive talked to, that knows anything about guitar and learning, seems to think I should stick it out right handed, including the people at the music store ive talked to and that means losing a sale!!
When I played the violin, Phip I probably didnt know the difference between a right and a left handed instrument!! I was a child in grammar/junior high school. They plopped it in my hands and said, "here play this", so I did!! Back in my day they forced right handedness on people, but it didnt work for me..;o), other than violin I guess. I dont recall if I had a problem with it!!The only thing I recall is hating to carry it to school. I was a bit of a tomboy and wanted to join in snowball fights more than carry my violin..;o(
As far as the flute, I did that as a young adult (before kids) and loved it. When the kids came along, the flute was packed up and thats where it stays!!
I think the comment that really struck me most was, "you have to use both hands anyways".
Well I believe I will stick it out till I find my instructor and see what they think of my progress!!!
Im only a day old on this site (at least the forum) and im totally loving it..
Thank you all
Marci

Learning right handed and being left handed is ok. Just think of it this way: You can use your left hand (strong hand) to fret notes, and you'll probably be able to fret the notes more cleanly and accurately since you're using your best hand. The right hand technique will come with time.