New Player struggling

Zachary Carter · Sep 3, 2019

I have only been playing for around 4 months but I have been putting a lot of time in. I have been practicing quite a bit, but still cant really play an songs or solos or anything. My fingers still feel derpy and I feel like I learn things really slow. I feel like I am in a slump. Any tips or advice???

Yosi Yamin · Sep 3, 2019

Hey Zachary! I remember the time when I just started to play – I couldn’t play a chord correctly without blocking all the other strings for about 5 months! It always takes time, but if you’re gonna put in the time and the effort, and practice efficiently you’ll get used to the guitar and be able to play more and more stuff really quickly. I would highly suggest for you to check the first lessons here in the school, and play close attention to all those little details in them (For example, if you’ll hold the pick the way Papa Gates explains and get used to it right from the start, it would save you a lot of hassle later in case you’d try to change the way you hold it after a few years of playing.) If you’ll create great habits now, you won’t have to deal with fixing bad habits later!, when you’ll feel comfortable with the first lessons, move on to the next ones. While that should be your main focus so you can advance your theory knowledge and overall playing, you can also check guitar tabs for some of your favorite songs, and slowly learn how to play those for the fun of it, Hope you’ll have an amazing guitar journey!!

idssdi · Sep 3, 2019

Hey, Awesome that you started playing guitar! Trust me you won’t regret it!
First things first, you realize time wasn’t build in a day right? Playing whole songs took me a while too! Just keep at it and you’ll succeed!
Secondly, could you please tell us which songs you’re trying to play? Maybe it’s just a matter of picking the right songs for your to play. Picking the right songs is incredibly important since jamming to songs is kinda the fun time in playing guitar so please learn some but tell is what you’re able to do know so we can help you with that!
Thirdly, feeling like you learn slow at the beginning happened to all of us! Basically, learning theory and gaining some player experience(ear training) can help a great deal with it. Why does the Fermi Paradox intro take me about 2 hours to learn? The answer is because I’ve been playing for about 9.5 years(and messed up school work time and time again to play guitar). You’re fingers feeling derpy will be resolved over time(when you gain more muscle memory). At the moment just try to have fun and learn some beginner but still challenging songs!

Zachary Carter · Sep 3, 2019

Thank you for the replies I will definitely go back through the beginner lessons and just keep practicing!

Calvin Phillips · Sep 3, 2019

It took me about 3 years to get down chords. And not just chords on their own. But changing chords.. picking them. And moving them. I was terrible at it.. so bad I just didnt bother to do them and played lead/power chords.
Maybe focus on power chords for now. Work up the finger strength.. slide them. Move them up and down the strings. Feel confident and comfortable. Then go back to the open chords. I doubt itll take too long. Here you have tons of tips. As pg always says. Clunkers are fully ok as long as you remember the finger positions. The strength will improve.

Rute Rodrigues · Sep 4, 2019

Hey dude, please dont give up! It can be kinda frustrating when you are trying to learn songs when you are a beginner, I know, but hey, it happened to all of us! Even to syn, right? All you need to do is to find your passion for guitar and want to play it! Id say, go to the firts lessons here, practise the exercices that papa gates gives, with a slow tempo. If you put really time and effort in it, you’ll grow. Believe me! Dont worry, it takes time, but dont give up, and some time from now, you’ll be able to play those songs you cant now! If you have any problem im always here to help you, is just send me a message!! I hope to see your videos some day dude! Good work

Firsty Lasty · Sep 4, 2019

Here’s a few key things to know-
#1 a lot of songs are super difficult to play because music is, at the professional level, a competition. Four months isn’t enough time to get even 1% as good as someone who has been playing guitar full-time “sink or swim” for multiple decades.
#2 it’s normal to develop very slowly in the beginning of learning guitar, but that doesn’t last forever. If you stay focused and don’t let yourself get distracted by less valuable pastimes then your body and mind will change. You’ll start learning faster and faster. This will be especially true if you develop good practice habits.
#3 guitar is more fun and potentially rewarding the better you get. In other words, the longer you stick with it the more it will be worth the effort.
#4 expert guidance, either from a local instructor or through the internet, can be immeasurably valuable. There’s a lot of great free information about how to play guitar out there, but none of it is a substitute for someone actually helping you find your way forward.
#5 more fun is more better, have more fun with music at every opportunity. If you can find other musicians to try learning songs with, that might multiply your motivation 100x. Lean hard into doing the things you enjoy the most.

Calvin Phillips · Sep 5, 2019

My biggest issue starting in the beginning was playing Impossible songs.
Anything a7x. If you were gonna learn any song.. I suggest leaning chapter 4. Or darkness surrounding. Both songs are rhythm based. And chapter 4 minus the solo is pretty simple.
When I left a7x songs and focused more motley crue and Alice in chains (one guitarist in both bands so more rhythm based til solos). My rhythm Improved drastically and my little things (bends vibratos etc) also got better. I didnt know my theory back then tho so it took so much longer to learn. I cheated with tabs most of the time.
But yeah.. point is once I got better rhythm through power chords it was easier to get the rhythm down playing lead. Jak pushes hard for new comers to learn the rhythm. I also have to agree and say dont make the same mistakes I did. Because once your rhythm is down you literally just go with the flow. I personally feel my rhythm have dramatically taken strides. The meternome is also a huge assistance there.

Riku Lainpelto · Sep 6, 2019

Welcome to the world of guitars!
Start with the simpliest techniques and chords. When I started to play guitar I always wanted to learn the nothing else matters and I remember watching tutorials at YouTube and getting frustrated again and again.. Took me probably 5-6 months to somewhat play something. And that’s because I didn’t actually try to learn any techniques. Don’t make the same mistake!
My co-worker actually told me a while back that he once tried to play guitar but he actually quit because he couldn’t learn the nothing else matters which sucks to hear.
We’ve all been there. The first six months are brutal, or at least it was for me without any professional help. I didn’t even know about this place back then. It’s so awesome that a place like this exists. Just don’t quit. Trust me, you’ll get there eventually!
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. I’ve asked so many “stupid” questions here and always people are willing to help.

Jak Angelescu · Sep 7, 2019

These are all such incredible responses. I even found help In them! I would also like to congratulate you on starting to play guitar. It is such a wonderful and rewarding thing.I would like to say though, is that we should make sure that you are not doing something that is inhibiting your growth such as poor picking technique. Sometimes when people start out, there are minor things that you can do that will make things like changing chords easier for you. And some people miss out on these things. Because 4 months Is plenty of time for you to see some sort of an improvement. That is, unless you are spreading yourself too thin across-the-board. I couldn’t advance even after years of practicing sweep picking. I just couldn’t do it. I also couldn’t improve my speed. And then papa gates really encouraged me to change the way I held my pick. After I did that everything else was almost 2nd nature and I advanced at a rate that I didn’t think would ever be possible. Is there a way that you could upload a video of yourself playing so we could see what you’re doing? Or even if you would like to set up a Skype session with me so I can watch you and give feedback. This school is great, but the real growth comes from posting your stuff so people can help correct your mistakes and techniques.

Jak Angelescu · Sep 7, 2019

I just checked your account and you are not verified yet so you won’t be able to post a riff. Let me get to my computer today and I will log in and verify you. It’s really difficult to do on a mobile phone for some reason

Calvin Phillips · Sep 7, 2019

Yeah I’ve been working off my phone for a month is a pain. I think theres a lot of mobile glitches. Like in my messages I cant close my chats. I have to back the page and start over. The messages still send when backing out though. Just an annoying tactic.

Jak Angelescu · Sep 7, 2019

@calvin yeah working the site through mobile is really difficult. But it’s getting there!
@ZacharyCarter you’re verified now, so you can go ahead and upload some stuff for us

Brian Haner Sr. · Sep 8, 2019

Hey Zachary! Welcome. As you can tell – there are lots of people here willing to help. Some great advice has already been given. All I would add is this – Playing guitar is like a 26 mile marathon and you have run 10 yards. I knew 3 chords after 4 months. lol. Be easy on yourself and just have fun. If you play a little everyday – you will get results.
Good luck!
PG

Hector Trejo · Sep 8, 2019

Zachary, these are all amazing responses. The number 1 important thing is to just enjoy the process of playing. Sure, you’ll hit milestones as you go but there isn’t a finish line. Every guitarist in the world is constantly learning new things. We’re all in the same boat here and happy to help each other! But once you get in that mindset, the feeling of “being in a slump” will diminish greatly! Best of luck and let us know if there is anything else we can do to help!

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