Trying to learn how to play but i don\'t know where to start.

Need help getting started

1) learn all the notes on the fret board (practice finger works!!!)
2) learn the major scale (practice finger workouts!!!)
3) learn all the modes in a major key (practice finger workouts!!!)
4) learn some basic chord structure i.e. all the major chords (practice!)
5) learn some simple chord progressions (practice!!)
6) learn some minor chords & progressions (practice!!!)

that should be enough to get you started...try to practice an hour day....you can find all the things i listed above on this site....and most importantly...practice! practice! practice!

It is highly important for the beginning guitarist to do at least the first exercise;

http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/lesson.php?id=21

Copy and paste that ^^
I think GS124 basically covered it all.

Man this is the best site. I bought an Epiphone Les Paul guitar to learn to play but I didn't know what to practice to get better.

Yeah I'd say it is the best site. For tabbing needs: www.ultimate-guitar.com is your answer, it's got like everything (and some lessons, etc.)
By the way welcome to the site.
What kind of Les Paul?
Mine is a black Special II

It's a les paul standard with sunburst color. It was more than I wanted to pay for a starter guitar but it cought my eye at the guitar shop and I had to have it.

Nice. My first one is a piece of crap ION Strat Copy thing but it souds nothing like a strat lol

my first one was kinda crappy too... it looked much like a strat. but sounded nothing compared to a real strat.. lyon, washburn. the money was worthit anyway, 90 bucks (dlls) with a lil amp

Nice, I paid... or.. My parents paid... 180 something for mine. It came with a little amp too. But it broke this summer (i didn't use it anyways)
Anybody have any ideas where to find a good used electric guitar? Probably like, the Merchant (it is a flier around here that has wanted/for sale stuff in it from the locals around the Municipality.

|------3--1--0---------------------------------------------
|---------------3--1---------------------------------------
|---------------------4--2--0------------------------------
|------------------------------3--2--0---------------------
|---------------------------------------3--2--0------------
|------------------------------------------------3--1------

|---------------------------------------------0--1--3------
|---------------------------------------1--3---------------
|------------------------------0--2--4---------------------
|---------------------0--2--3------------------------------
|------------0--2--3---------------------------------------
|------1--3------------------------------------------------

Just tring to understand what I am looking at. Is this tab for the C Major scale? And there are 13 different patterns for this scale. Are these just different positions for the C Major scale?

that could either be C major or A minor....depends on how you want to use it. this is why i said you should learn the major scale and all its modes before anything else (obviously after you've learned the notes on the fretboard). C major has no sharps or flats, thus the notes in the C major scale are: C D E F G A B C. ....A minor is the relative minor to C major, and therefore has the same notes- only difference is, instead of starting from C, you start from A : A B C D E F G A. What you have there looks like F Lydian i believe, which would be the fourth mode in the C major scale. Also, there are only 7 different patterns for each major scale and they are each given names...you're getting a bit ahead of yourself here...but ill list them anyway... Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian.

I'd just like to say that GS knows his shit about the theory tab ect.I dont know much about tabs,notes I strickly play by ear,but if i can help with anything feel free to P.M. me.

still say one of the best ways to get hooked is find chords/tabs for a fav song. Practice your chord progressions and scales as well but if you can get a song under your belt that you enjoy playing the rest will come.

k err get a teacher...if not heres some stuff 2 do: i personally have gr8 musical ears (i can hear it and play w/o knowing tabs nd such) but i still use tabs for the perfect notes. theres a warm up lesson by guitar slinger and i play with tht in the morning wen my fingers r tired, try doing ur own variations to tht. id start easy songs so its fun. try rock u like a hurricane by scorpians, just do the beggining and get it good. its just power chords which is a note on one of the lower strings (root note) and then the note 2 frets higher on the string higher thn tht 1. also try the beatles day tripper intro its easy and every 1 knows it. every 1 says do scales memorize notes nd stuff....u do need tht stuff but its boring as hell. try the solo and intro to californication, rhcp (very easy. get ur fingers nimble and working. then rythm...rythm is basicly strumming chords with a rythm...the hardest part is to keep ur hand moving up and down, dont stop! try diff rythms like: down (strum down)up (strum up)miss (miss the down strumm)up down and stuff like tht.i think i gona do a lesson on this...any questions just ask.(i hope its not 2 confuzeling but i think it is lol)

I would get a teacher or some personal lessons if you can afford it. I would also get an instructional book, maybe one from the Mel Bay series.

Thanks. I have been playing my electric for about a month and a half now. I spend a lot of time playing (sometimes 6 or 8 hours a day) I have learned to play several different songs but I really don't understand music any more now than I did when I started playing, so I'm looking into lessons. I want to be able to play but I also want to understand how music works. I'm going to start next week.

I took lessons for 3 or 4 years when I was younger, and they really helped. I didn't get much instruction in the way of how to solo, but I learned enough to be able to teach myself.

The only place I have found that gives lessons charges $15 for a 30 min lesson once a week. I just wonder if 30 min. a week will be enough, but they said an hour a week wasn't necessary. Should I go with 30 min. a week or find someone that give longer lessons? I guess what I am asking is if 30 min. a week is enough.

err im doing 45 mins for $40 and its not enough, id like to have a lesson a day lol id go for 30 mins and see if u think its too little or not

I've been having a look at this site recently, He's a pro session guitarist who has a real gift for explaining things in an understandable way. He uses u tube a lot to show you how to accomplish complex maneuvers as easily as possible, and he only asks for contributions if you can afford it. See what you think!

http://www.justinguitar.com/

Yea I have been using that site also, but I think I could learn more with someone face to face. It is a really good site.

Yes I know what you mean, I wouldn't mind a bit of 'one to one' myself, just to iron out a few bad habits and get a bit of direction, but I've neither the time or money at the moment so 'site' learning is the next best thing for me. The best thing I find about it is that you can work at your own pace.

I think that music should be accepted as a school and be able to get grant and assistist like other online schools do.

Remember to practice playing the first 4 frets on each string over & over. It helps with dexderity, and helps strengthen your fingers. Generally, your ring and pinky fingers will be your weakest.