Guitar without a teacher

Re: Guitar without a teacher

I only had a dozen of lessons when I was 13-14 and then I continued on my own.

A bit of advise:

1) Be patient
2) Love what you're doing
3) Listen to what you're doing

...and things will come on their own. :)

Marin
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

PennyroyalTea said:
Well I have a question. For solos, do most people learn all 7 of those modes? The common ones (ionian, dorian, phrygian, lydian, mixolydian, aeolian, and locrian).

Then once you have learned them, you play the notes in one of the modes, then switch to another?

ex.. I learn the major scale and the modes, then I play in ionian for a while, and goto dorian to switch things up?
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yup, make sure your in the right key too, constant mode changes keep the music/solos interesting
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

Well, before the drinking age was raised, a great place for 18 year olds to frequent would be a local rock club where you could study some good player in action-- just watching can really open up some doors. Early on I was fortunate to hang out with an older fellow who studied classical guitar and was more than happy to offer knowledge at no cost-- it essentially embellished what I had learned on my own. And you have GOT to jam with people! It seems to be a thing of the past. I played out in Florida for years professionally and still found something to learn from others while on the road.

Books and the internet are fine, but I learned from my years in art school and playing in a band that interaction stimulates the creative process. You are exposed to new possibilities. :)
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

PennyroyalTea said:
Well I have a question. For solos, do most people learn all 7 of those modes? The common ones (ionian, dorian, phrygian, lydian, mixolydian, aeolian, and locrian).

Then once you have learned them, you play the notes in one of the modes, then switch to another?

ex.. I learn the major scale and the modes, then I play in ionian for a while, and goto dorian to switch things up?
Click to expand...


If you are sitting listenning to a piece of music and start whistling a solo - do you think about switching modes? Or whistle what you hear in your head?

Guitar solos should be just the same. You should play what you hear in your head. Modes are for non-musical guitar players (who are boring).



Lee
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

Mate, Get a Teacher. I went for a couple of years without a teacher
In that time i developed bad techniques and lacked major basics.
Since I have had a teacher ive have done much better
Trust me, it's worth it
Good Luck
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

Lee said:
A teacher simply makes you practice by setting you tasks. No-one but you can make you good. There is all the info you need on the Internet - just stick at it.
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Yeh Lee thats pretty much what i believe too but the fact is that now not only do i not really know of many good places on the net but i dont no exactly what "tasks" i should set for myself..But if i got a teacher i wouldnt have to worry about that and the guy i know of has years and years of experience , from high speed shredding to Jazz..
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

What you have to realise is that if you want to play like Hendix, Clapton, Van Halen and the likes - then a teacher is no use to you. These guys are self taught and sound the way they do because they play differently from a 'taught' player. Just take a look at their techniques. Have you EVER seen Clapton use his lil' pinky?



Lee
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

What you might consider is checking out some of the jam-along CD/book packs that are out there. There's a wealth of stuff in differant styles out there. Those CD's are my "teacher". I tried to take lessons but because I work nights it proved to be rather difficult to try and schedule time with one. You'd be surprised with what you can start coming up with on your own while jamming along with those CD's.
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

That's a very good idea, Mike. You get tuition AND your own creativity.



Lee
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

I would also recommend Artists instructional videos/DVDs. I think that they are great for inspiration. I wish I had that stuff when I was a kid.
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

So you are saying Hendrix, clapton etc. dont play in modes? Or use scales? They must use some sort musically defined rule, even if they use it vaguely. I thought I remember reading Hendrix used some exotic scale/mode for one of his well known songs... cant remember which one.
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

Lee said:
That's a very good idea, Mike. You get tuition AND your own creativity.



Lee
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Thanks, Lee. For me, those CD/book packs have been ideal. The "Jam Trax" series are great and I've just ordered 3 from Alfred publishing: rock, blues and a rockabilly one. The "Jam With.." series are also very good. I've got the jam with the Beatles, Eagles, Van Halen, Deep Purple.....Yeah, there's some great stuff out there now.
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

make sure you get a good teacher because I had a teacher for a couple months and I wanted to learn to play lead and have scale knowledge but all he would teach me was the main box of the Am pentatonic and gave me no knowledge of what to do so I had to teach myself by buying a scale book and getting frustrated out of my mind trying to figure it out and finally did. I might get another teacher because theres still alot I wanna learn.
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

ArtieToo said:
I'm 50 years old, I've been playing for 35 years, I've never had lessons, and the average 14-year-old in this forum will play me into the ground.

Get a teacher . . . :laugh2:
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After 35 years, Im sure your alot better than you make yourself sound man. I have been playing without lessons for 6 months, practice several hours a day, and Already Im better than a couple guys who have been playing 3-4 years. Its all in the person. But like I said, after 35 years, you have got to be good.
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

Lee said:
What you have to realise is that if you want to play like Hendix, Clapton, Van Halen and the likes - then a teacher is no use to you. These guys are self taught and sound the way they do because they play differently from a 'taught' player. Just take a look at their techniques. Have you EVER seen Clapton use his lil' pinky?
Click to expand...

Clapton also uses his thumb on the low E. I have adopted his style when I play his songs, although I use my pinky at times. Everyone else playing his songs are like "WTF are you using your thumb for?" its great. But yeah, All the great guitarists are great partially due to the fact that they have their own styles.
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

correct me if I'm wrong but guys like clapton and slash use mainly scales like the blues scale minor and major pentatonic scales and the major scale. i read an interveiw with slash that he taught himself the major and minor pentatonic scales (same thing just moved around a bit, cost me countless stressfull hours trying to figure that one out without a teacher. haha) and thats about all he uses. but don't even worry about hendrix he was a total genius not even from the same planet as us. the scales don't matter its the amount of soul you put into it.
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

Yeah, youll notice alot of Claptons stuff is based on blues scales. But Clapton has some heavy blues influence in his music, Even his rock stuff has blues based soloing. Thats one reason why I love his stuff so much.
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

nuntius said:
find other guys to play with , people who are better than you, so that you can learn from them, and learn playing in a band in general
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That's the way!

I'm 17 years old and I've been playing for about 3 years. I've never had a lesson in my life. My uncle (who is pretty much a guitar GOD, seriously) over the years has shown me stuff and whatnot, though. I wouldn't consider it "lessons" - a more appropriate term would be "inspiration". He showed me little things - guitar riffs, scales, etc. here and there that have inspired me but it's been entirely up to me to raise my ability level and learn things.

People think I'm pretty good for a 17 year old dude, I guess that's all that matters! :wink:
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

PennyroyalTea said:
So you are saying Hendrix, clapton etc. dont play in modes? Or use scales? They must use some sort musically defined rule, even if they use it vaguely. I thought I remember reading Hendrix used some exotic scale/mode for one of his well known songs... cant remember which one.
Click to expand...

all of those guys use modes and scales its just that they didnt know the theory behind it....they would just play something that felt right ....they never actually learned to understand modes they just played them without knowing it.
 
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