Help??????????

Question:I REALLY want to learn how to play guitar but its so confusing! Do any of you guys have any tips on how I can learn in less than a year or at least cover the basics? It would really be helpful if you gave me sites or books that would teach me something but I dont want to hire a guitar instructor.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I REALLY want to learn how to play guitar but its so confusing! Do any of you guys have any tips on how I can learn in less than a year or at least cover the basics? It would really be helpful if you gave me sites or books that would teach me something but I dont want to hire a guitar instructor.

Well, go to your local music store and ask about their acoustic guitar starter kits. I know Epiphone and Ibanez have nice acoustic starters. I have a First Act acoustic, and suprisingly it sounds good. Here's how I started:
1) Went to Wal-mart and bought the First Act starter acoustic set and got a couple instruction books (The First Act book and a Mel Bay book).
2) I went to my local music store (Portmans' music of Augusta) and asked the guy to help me tune it, and he showed me how to tune it. He tuned it for me by ear. After that, I'll go to hotfrets.com to use their free tuner and either tune it online, or tune it using my keyboard.
3) I would just sit down and try different combinations, and chords from out of my chord book.

That's kind of how I started, and I've gotten good considering how long I've been playing. But here are a few tips:
- don't get mad if it takes you a while to learn how to tune it, it takes time.
-Also, if you use steel strings, your finger tips may hurt for a while (playing an electric doesn't hurt as much b/c you don't have to press down as hard
- To do some of the chords, your fingers have to get used to being flexible and moving around if you have small fingers (at the music store, ask for them to help you find a guitar that best suits you).
- Don't feel stupid if you drop you pick into the guitar, it happens. What I do is I just get a straw and attach duck/electrical tape to the end, and carefully stick it in there once I shake it and see the pick lol.

As far as changing strings, I don't really know much about it, b/c this week I'm taking it to the music store to get help about that. I wish you the best of luck getting started. Oh, and some easy songs are Hey There Delilah and Bubbly by Colbie Caillat. Check out www.ultimate-guitar.com and 911tabs.com as far as free tabs and as far as looking for good starter packs, go to these websites:
www.musiciansfriend.com
www.guitarcenter.com

I wish you well and Happy Holidays?

try lessons for about a month & u'll get the hang of it!

take lessons
learn the chords and scales

teach yourself these chords: A, D, C, G and E
go to chordie.com & learn some simple Johnny Cash songs or whatever.

i learned to play a couple of songs in three days, even though it killed my fingers at first. but as soon as you can play a song (even if badly) it is really encouraging!

Moran's Illustrated Guide to Guitar is a great book that has everything you need.

I taught myself with an old "Mel Bay" guitar chord book and the radio. That taught me the basics. I didnt really learn anything until I started playing with other people.

i can teach it from here. u may better go and get a lesson from a Guitar instructor

Do not go with a website or book. Look into getting a guitar instuctor. Even though you may not want one (for whatever reason) it is the most reliable method to learn because there is actually someone there to answer your qestions and actually show you what to do, and you might also make a good friend