Anyone play guitar?

texstyle

Just curious if anyone here on YLF plays guitar by chance - I'm trying to teach myself and using online resources and such. I can only play a few chords right now and my hand and wrist do get tired. I'm determined to at least be able to play a few songs so we can sing with some friends who enjoy that kind of thing (usually after some wine lol).

7 years ago

Off Topic

8 replies

Latest reply was from Chris987

JAileen

Veteran

My husband gave me a guitar about 20 years ago. I’ve taken several classes over the years. I have learned chords, but I never could change them fast enough. I could also play notes (I played piano for years). My guitar has metal strings. So if I don’t play for awhile, I lose my callouses, and developing them again is painful. My son is very musical, and he taught himself to play my guitar. He had a rock band for awhile when he was in high school (don’t all boys?) but played the bass.

My husband gave me a ukulele for my birthday last year. I haven’t given it enough attention, but at least it has nylon strings so it doesn’t hurt so much.

This is the book we used in my classes.

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

7 years ago

Anonymous

Guitar is hard on the hands, wrists and fingers- and takes quite awhile to be able to play for periods of time. Practice,practice, practice!

7 years ago

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

JAileen - my mom used to play the
ukulele

Yes, the challenge is not playing too much to make yourself hurt. I do read some music and play piano a bit. But I like the portability of the guitar. And I live in a very music-oriented area so lots of get-togethers involve guitar playing people. There are lots of string options - but I do have metal strings now because they sound the best.

I'm only practicing about 20 mins a day at this point. We'll see how it goes.

7 years ago

L'Abeille

Veteran

Oh, me me me! I have played since I was 14 and love it. You can take it anywhere and do as little or as much with it as you want. You can enjoy it alone or with or for other people, you can play alone or accompany yourself or other people singing or play with a band. All fun.

The fingertips of my left hand are always a little longer because of the years of calluses, even if I don't pick one up for a few months.

Apparently there is a trick now used by beginners to harden the calluses quicker--putting rubbing alcohol on them or something?

Last year I was invited to a kitchen party/jam session. The musicians that showed up included me, an Acadian fiddler who also played guitar, and a schoolteacher who had taught herself jazz ukulele off the Internet and was quite good. We had a lot of fun!

7 years ago

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

L'Abeille - that's great and you listed the many reasons I want to play. Jazz ukulele? I'll have to look that up!

7 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Greg has seven guitars. He plays guitar daily. Goes to lessons. Has a music room - we converted the guest room so no more guests.

7 years ago

Style Fan

Veteran

My brother plays the guitar and the pedal steel guitar. He has a lot of guitars (I have no idea how many). He buys and sells them. He has played in many bands.
I was going to learn to play the guitar but decide to go with the piano because of my hands. I love listening to music. Practice, Practice, Practice.

7 years ago

Chris987

Veteran

I played a little guitar in high school and college but not since then. The flute is my major instrument, and it has it's challenges but does not require the hand and finger strength required for playing guitar. Arms and shoulders instead

I would highly recommend you take a lesson or two here and there even if you don't want to commit to a more formal/regular schedule. You will get such great tips and avoid unknowingly developing bad habits, especially when you are teaching yourself to play an instrument. A teacher can spot things in an instant that you would never figure out on your own. And as others have said...practice a lot, it's the only way to go. Even the pros practice for many hours a day. Start off in small amounts of time, that will help you build up stamina, endurance, and those oh-so necessary calluses. Be very very patient with yourself and have as much fun along the way as you can.

It's also possible to switch some guitars from metal to nylon strings, which are easier on the fingers, but it may not work on all guitars because the amount of tension is very different between nylon and metal strings so the strength and stiffness of the neck is a factor. The sound is obviously very different too.

7 years ago

Category