4Real Forums: Guitar Help

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The Arts in the Everyday
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Topic: Guitar Help

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marihalojen
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Joined: Feb 12 2006
Location: Florida
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Posts: 1883

Posted: Feb 23 2006 at 11:38am \| IP Logged

Wow! The things people throw away!!
We found a Three Quarter Size Santa Rosa Folk Guitar in the dumpster last week so of course we pulled it out, dusted it a bit (with a Pledge Wipe - is that good?? bad??) and as all the strings were still there I put it prominently in dd's cabin with a book from the library - Segovia, My Book of the Guitar thinking, self-paced instruction, we'll see if there is any interest...
Well, after a bit of plinking around she told me she wants to master her recorder before moving to guitar.
Okay.
That means it is mine!

I have always wanted to try the guitar and now, at last, I can!
But I am absolutely clueless regarding stringed instruments. I have had years of instruction in piano and clarinet but this is so different. Any advice on a recommended book or CD or DVD that would work for both of us as I hope she decides guitar is pretty cool after hearing me would be most helpful. I like the Segovia book (classical style) but dh inquired how we'd ever sing under the stars to that (and I don't think he appreciated my caterwauling reply either

)
So, enough rambling already. What has worked for you?

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~Jennifer
Mother to Mariannna, age 13
The Mari Hal-O-Jen
SSR = Sailing, Snorkling, Reading

JennGM
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Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
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Posts: 17702

Posted: Feb 23 2006 at 1:21pm \| IP Logged

Jennifer,

Years ago when I was little (in the early 70s!), my mother taught herself guitar from a TV show on PBS. I'll have to dig up who that teacher was, but it was helpful to her to watch something being demonstrated, rather than just diagrams in books. This was before DVD and VHS, so there must be loads out there!

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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to

& ds1

'03 & ds2

'07
Family in Feast and Feria

guitarnan
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Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Maryland
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Posts: 10883

Posted: Feb 23 2006 at 2:10pm \| IP Logged

Classical guitar is hard to learn on your own (esp. if you haven't studied guitar before); you might want to find some book/CD that emphasizes chords and basic strums. I taught myself several chords and a simple down-beat strum on my own, but then moved on to some lessons (and classical, which I studied for a year).

It does help to be able to see someone else do the strum and finger picking patterns.

Practice daily, but for a fairly short time each day, until your left hand fingers can build up some calluses. It will hurt to play, at first, but if you don't overdo it and keep going, the calluses will absorb almost all the pain. Squeezing a tennis ball a few times a day with your left hand will help strengthen the hand.

Never put steel strings on a classical guitar... you can tell which kind of strings to use by looking at the head of the guitar, where the strings wrap around. A classical guitar has holes cut into the head, and the tuning machine has horizontal rods for the strings. A folk/acoustic guitar (steel stringed) has pegs that stick up from the head (at a 90-degree angle) that the strings wrap around.

If you like the instrument, investing in an electronic tuner that clamps on to the head of the guitar and tells you if each string is sharp or flat will be a good idea.

Light gauge strings (if you use steel) are easiest on beginners' fingers.

Happy strumming!

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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.

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