self-learning guitar, seeking advice and suggestions

[love_replicate]

I bought my equips yesterday: Ltd by ESP F-50 and Marshall MG 30FX, no pedals

I didn't know where to start learning to play. I picked GNR's Knocking On Heaven's door, I chose this tab here
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/g/guns_n_roses/knockin_on_heavens_door_ver2_tab.htm
'Cos I saw some thread asking about songs that are easy to play and this song was mentioned. And I like GNR.

~~~~~

What I did was like this:
The first chord says G5 and the second chord says D
I put the metronome around 84bpm. Then I strummed G5 four times. I switched to D and strummed four times, then I go to G5 again. I kept doing this till it was smooth, then I'd strum 3 times instead, then two, then I'll up the tempo and strum four times(I just can't do one strum switching! >.<). I do that till I feel I should move on to the next two chords (that's D to Am) where I do the same thing.

So my first big question is:
Is what I'm doing so far ok? Because...idk if it is. *sweatdrop*
And is there something else I can do to make practising more effective?

~~~~~

Ok here's my second question..there are some parts of the tabs I don't get

B: --*10b-/-8*--
and
B: --14~~--16hb~~--

I also found this http://noknifetabs.assassinatecaesar.com/legend.html so I still don't know what's with the "~~" but I get that h is a hammer-on and b is a...bend.

I tried to look at those bending tutorials but I still don't get it. You..put your finger on the fret? Then you just push the string at that fret upwards with that finger? Is that right? Because I can't hear the same thing as sounds the youtube tutorials make. :/
I tried to mimick what the videos do...this vibrating my finger thing (idk what you call it, 's like pushing the string on the fret up and down a little) and it sounded really, really, really horrendous when I did it. Youtube made very sexy sounds doing that though.

~~~~~

Sorry for sounding dumb. :/
When I youtube/google "beginner electric guitar tutorial" I get so many results. I had no idea where to start so I crapped a way out myself. /swt

so

Is what I'm doing now okay?
What kinda adjustments should I make to my method of practising?
and what is with that ~~ and that bending?

and *doesn't wana sound demanding but still* please don't send me a link to those WoT tutorials, I just can't absorb those. >.<;;

(TLDR: please comment on how I practise, and I'm asking what is ~ (tab) and how to bend.)

 

[Unwanted]

maybe should practice some scales =]

 

[Jeff_SSG]

hey hi.. im also a self taught guitarist..

here's a legend with stuffs i also dun understand..

Tablature Legend
----------------
h - hammer-on
p - pull-off
b - bend
pb - pre-bend
r - bend release (if no number after the r, then release immediately)
/\ - slide into or out of (from/to "nowhere")
s - legato slide
S - shift slide
- natural harmonic
[n] - artificial harmonic
n - tapped harmonic
~ - vibrato
tr - trill
T - tap
TP - trem. picking
PM - palm muting
<> - volume swell (louder/softer)
x - on rhythm slash represents muted slash
o - on rhythm slash represents single note slash

-------

>>B: --*10b-/-8*--<<

this is kinda weird.. coz bending shud be getting up a note (usually) by one step.. but this is like 10b-- (to nowhere) and u gotta slide down to 8 on the b-string??..

>>B: --14~~--16hb~~--<<

this is just simply sustain with vibrato.. and THE MOST IMPORTANT technique.. (at least for me)

but then again 16hb?? 16 hammer-on to wat note??

anyway.. never follow a tab 100%... its just a rough guide...

btw... youtube is your best friend...

 

[fyan]

awesome! another self taught guitarist. hahaha. yeah. i agree! need practice and WATCH YOUTUBE! ahahahh. dont worry. big things starts small. lol. good luck dude..

 

[Jeff_SSG]

maybe should practice some scales =]

actually.. this is what the most common thing to do.. but i didnt start off with scales.. instead i started with basic open chords and getting it right first...

once u get the open chords right... then u shud be able to have callous on the finger and finger strength..
i think u know music knowledge.. so cover the basic major and minor chords..

then after u master the open chords, then move to bar chords, power chords..

then alternate picking.. (VERY IMPORTANT)

then u can work on scales.. with alternate picking..

then sweep picking.. triplets.. i dun recommend tapping..

 

[Jeff_SSG]

sorry.. strayed out from the main question..

the guitar bend..
its easy..
just press on the note that u wanna bend,
pluck the string and move ur finger up to bend it.. dun worry.. the string wont snap..
and after the bend, it should sound the same as the note 2 frets up..

the~~ is sustain with vibrato..
hard to explain by words.. but u shud see it thru youtube by searchin guitar vibrato..

 

[bf0502tr]

B: --14~~--16hb~~--

the 16hb just means 16 half bend, so u bend 1 note up instead of the usual 2. it's abit hard to tell what is 1 note up or what is 2 notes up sometimes when u play, so for bends like these, i just go by ear

anyway, as for ts, just go straight to 1 chord then change, or at least follow the song. if u can't follow the tempo, it's perfectly fine considering u just started. slow down the tempo by abt say 50% till its basically crawling. then slowly increase the speed as u get used to it.

as for vibrato, well try this: hold down the note then bend the string up and down just abit. do it very slowly. u will hear that "sexy sound" those youtube videos make

 

[xfigox]

Jeff_SSG , just curious, why don't you recommend tapping??

Anyway for the TS questions;
Learning songs is a good way to practice, you get to know some new chords from songs and it also teaches you to play in time.

However I'd also recommend that you learn up the basic CAGED system, its a system that teaches you some of the major/minor chords across the fretboard, this will help alot as you will realize that learning chords isn't so tough after all.

However before you even start on the CAGED system, you've got to know some basic music theory, don't know if you've had prior music training before the guitar, but do read up on stuff like the intervals, finding notes on the fretboard, the guitar tuning, whole and half steps too.

What you're doing now is training up on your switching of chords, which is of course very important. Do practice switching open chord positions too, those chords that kinda look like they span across the 6 strings other than just the usual power chords (the ones with the 5 suffix G5,D5 etc..)

Of course if you do not want to go into theory now is fine too, I started out just strumming chords alone and I was happy with that for awhile.

"don't know what's with the '~~' "
That is probably a vibrato, where you alter the pitch of the note slightly by either moving your fretting finger up and down the same fret (headstock towards bridge) or across the fretboard (High E to low E) like a bend but not too much. Try to do a search on it.

bending
I started out with problems at this technique too, I was too afraid to push the string, in fear that it would actually break. You will actually have to push the string while the note is STILL fretted.

The string will slide on the metal fretwire and will raise in pitch depending on how far you push or pull down.

Either way the pitch will rise. You might want to try using more than one finger to bend the note, it gives you more control and power as your fingers might not be that strong yet.

PS: I just realized this is kinda WoT-ish :mrgreen:

 

[Jeff_SSG]

@xfigox

better to start of with the picking techniques (sweeping and arpeggios) first then comes with the legatos and tapping..

then u can mix and match between the picking and tapping/legato if u want to..

but i prefer to pick out arpeggios rather then tapping it out.. sounds more firm.. and tapping is like... cheating.. haaha..

 

[love_replicate]

ok thanks guys

*saved the tablature legend* thanks!

i understand now, ~ is vibrato, and bending must push the string very very lot. (lol) will try again tmr, quite late now dowana wake neighbours up >.<

and all those techniques, i doing bit by bit first uh, learning to play this one song first. i'm going really slowly haha, don't know all that open chord close chord power chord powerless chord - but i know what is barre chord. hehe.

anyway thanks just wanted to clarify all that for now so...yah thanks!!! ^_^

PS: I just realized this is kinda WoT-ish

no uh, i was actually referring to when people link you out to websites with chunks and chunks of textual information...not WoT replies. my first post quite WoT too haha.

 

[c.adl]

im self taught as well, find sources like guitar instructional dvds. ive been playing for about 3 months now.

if you like metal i would recommend "metal method" search it up on torrents, its a 6 stage course. with about 4 lessons each stage covering most of the basic stuff on the first two stages. and moving on to harmonics trempicking etc etc.

besides that let google and YOUTUBE be your best friend.

the most important thing is to PRACTICE HARD. if u have any doubts google it, if you cant seem to find the answer post your doubts on soft, im sure fellow experienced softies will help.

have fun, and again, practice hard and dont give up!

 

[bf0502tr]

ok thanks guys

*saved the tablature legend* thanks!

i understand now, ~ is vibrato, and bending must push the string very very lot. (lol) will try again tmr, quite late now dowana wake neighbours up >.<

and all those techniques, i doing bit by bit first uh, learning to play this one song first. i'm going really slowly haha, don't know all that open chord close chord power chord powerless chord - but i know what is barre chord. hehe.

anyway thanks just wanted to clarify all that for now so...yah thanks!!! ^_^


no uh, i was actually referring to when people link you out to websites with chunks and chunks of textual information...not WoT replies. my first post quite WoT too haha.

an open chord is a chord shape in the caged system, and a power chord, also known as a 5th chord, like ur D5, is a note and a major 5th (down one string and 2 frets away)added together.

 

[fezz]

hi i'm a self taught guitarist too..

the first thing i learnt as tuning the guitar. XD
next i learnt how to play open chords and do some exercises to strengthen my fingers. i believe there are lots of lessons on youtube. maybe u can try searching "rockongoodpeople" on youtube and suscribe to their videos. the lessons provided by the guy in the video really helped.

another thing i did was to meet up with friends who play guitar as well for a so-called "sharing session" where we share ideas or ways to play and improve, or to have a bedroom jam session. heh.

all the best! =D

 

[fezz]

hi i'm a self taught guitarist too..

the first thing i learnt as tuning the guitar. XD
next i learnt how to play open chords and do some exercises to strengthen my fingers. i believe there are lots of lessons on youtube. maybe u can try searching "rockongoodpeople" on youtube and suscribe to their videos. the lessons provided by the guy in the video really helped.

another thing i did was to meet up with friends for a so-called "sharing session" where we share ideas or ways to play and improve, or to have a bedroom jam session. heh.

all the best! =D

 

[jop]

http://www.justinguitar.com/

go to this if u are freaking confuse or donno what to do.
best site ever!:twisted:

 

[koji93]

Yeah, i agree with jop.Youtube and Justinguitar are ur best frenz. U might also wan to use wikipedia for fast info. Watch a lot of guitarist videos and try to imitate their actions, eg bending, vibrato. But if u're a beginner just learn songs to get the rhythm right 1st. Do it step by step, rhythm, then mix in lead.