Hopefully, some advice...

Phil_aka_Pip

You could try a friendly book such as Ralph Denyer's "The Guitar Handbook" (pub. PAN, IIRC available on Amazon) and dip into that for when you feel the need to know stuff or find out about something. While I think there's a lot to be said for a structured course of instruction, if you want to go about it in an ad-hoc way and learn the bits that grab your attention first, the aforementioned book will help you quite a lot.

BilliBob

If it sounds good, play it again.........if it don't then don't.

DJW

I learned to play back in the sixties. There was no internet, no guitar teachers that my family could afford, no tab so it came down to this. I used to put records on my Dad's old Dansette that I wanted to learn and listen to them. I tried to play the guitar along to them; sometimes it was all shit but sometimes I hit the right notes. Eventually I got used to the sound of the right notes and chord sounds and I could tell what the right notes and chords would be on a new record. I learned a long time later that I had learned to play chords and scales but I didn't know it at the time.

The thing that playing along to records gave me was rhythm and an ability to play by ear. I could play in time and I could pick up a new tune and riff almost instantly by the time I was about fifteen. I learned all of the theory stuff later but it was just putting a framework and names to what I could already do and play.

The other overiding and essential factor was that I wanted to be good at guitar so badly that I used to practise along to those records for four-five hours a night. You can't help but get good ears if you do that.

All of the technical stuff on forums like this is all good, but the first thing you need is an ear and rhythm and a real burning desire. If you ain't got those then it's going to be a long road.

I'll edit that: It's going to be a longer road than if you have a good ear and rhythm and the desire. It's still a bloody long road anyway. After 47 years and 20 of those as a professional guitarist/teacher I'm still learning new stuff virtually every day. However, playing the guitar is the best thing in the world and if I can pass that feeling on then I've done my job and earned my loot.

cacophony

a good post, thanks. i think that the old "best advice anyone can give to someone who wants to learn to play guitar is `start ten years earlier`," is true!.

thomasross20

One of the best threads I've read!

andyoz

Just from my experience, I spent years on and off learning.  I finally got serious within the last year with a dedicated music area, proper seat, etc... away from the TV.

The big change for me was finding a good teacher.  If you have slogged away for a while and then go to a teacher they will pick up on your bad points and correct them quickly enough.  I had a couple and they were seriously holding me back.  They will also enforce your good points.  Teachers are good at getting learners to loosen up and enjoy playing.

Having to face up to someone every week focuses your practice. I'd even recommend it for a few months and then take a break and come back.

Some people are natural mimics of other players and can pick up the little things that make guitar paying look easy.  If you're not like that, a teacher really speeds things up.