Electric Guitar??
I want to play the electric guitar, and I need to BUY a guitar first. I want to buy a package. I’m not trying to be cheap or anything, but I can’t afford a whole lot, and if I end up not liking it, I don’t want to be out a lot of money. About $250 is my maximum on an ELECTRIC GUITAR PACKAGE. Also, for people who play now, is it enjoyable? Is it hard to learn? Are lessons a must or did you teach yourself? Please answer. All help is appreciated.
I love playing guitar! I’ve technically been playing for about four years, but I never really got into it until about six months ago. I now play on average about two hours a day. It’s quite enjoyable.
I don’t think it’s really *hard* to learn, per se. It’s going to take a lot of effort and practise to get good. But for me, the practise is alright because it’s a lot of fun.
I’ve found that I’ve never really appreciated some songs until I’ve learned how to play them (”The World at Large”; Modest Mouse). Sometimes if you don’t like the song before, and then you learn how to play it, you realize that it’s fun to play and not so much a bad song.
I’ve taken a few lessons. I think I took about five this year from a senior at my high school. One of my best friends, however, is completely self-taught, and he’s really good. He’s been playing for about a year and a half, and he can play almost anything.
It really helps if you have friends who play guitar. That way, if you need help on something, you can ask one of them. Chances are, they’ll be able to help you out.
Until you’re sure that you’re going to stick with guitar (you never know— you might not like it once you get started), you may want to find one from a family friend or someone of the sort who could loan you a guitar. If this isn’t an option, I’d say go to your local music shop and find a really cheap one. Until you get good, it doesn’t really matter how good your guitar is, and you don’t want to spend a lot of money on something that you may give up on later.
You can find a lot of what you need to know on the Internet. I’m trying to learn music theory now, and I’ve found a few really good sites. You might want to try http://guitarsecrets.com . It’s pretty helpful.
Good luck, and most importantly— have fun!
Comment by Travel:: — October 9, 2009 @ 4:02 pm
i can see you hav a budget to follow, but first of all you get what you pay for.
also, you HAVE to stay commited otherwise its a waste.
i know you think you wanna play, but its gonna take LOTS of practice and time and you’ll have to be really patient.
also your fingers will have to get used to the strings, they will hurt at first but you’ll get calluses.
are you going to be in a band or just like to learn to play?
if you get lessons, you will be more motivated to learn than if you learn yourself, but then again it might ruin your style if you learn from a teacher and you are assigned music you hate.
do you get what im saying?
Comment by Alyssa — October 9, 2009 @ 4:11 pm
Yea- for just starting out, a package is a great idea!!! You will probably want to get something more customized later, if you decide to stick with guitar.
I play guitar and I find it very enjoyable, but it definitely took awhile to get where I am at now. It was definitely a lot more helpful with lessons.
For the guitar package deal, try going on guitar center’s website. They usually have some pretty good deals there.
Comment by writer_2 — October 9, 2009 @ 4:27 pm
If you’re expecting a nice, non-buzzing sound from the guitar, then you’re gonna need more than $250…but for you, a starter pack sounds okay.
It’s fun, yet hard to learn. You have to practice quite a bit. I taught myself a few things at first, but then started going to lessons. Get a teacher that you’re comfortable with. Because if you don’t, you’re stuck with him/her for a while. I don’t like my guitar teacher, but he’s the only one around.
Try going to a local Guitar Center and asking a guy at the guitar counter about rates for starter packs.
Comment by notxsoxe — October 9, 2009 @ 4:32 pm
Check out musiciansfriend.com they have a great selection and you can narrow down your search to packages if you’d like.
As for playing, it will take time. Don’t expect to pick it up and start playing Hotel California right away. I’ve been playing for some time now. I love it. Learning on my own was more beneficial for me because it was cheaper and I could go at my own pace.
Good luck and have fun!
Comment by RawkFist — October 9, 2009 @ 4:52 pm
I think playing the guitar is a lot of fun. Its a little hard at first, but it gets easier. You can play just as well if you teach yourself, use books, videos, or youtube.
Comment by Sean O — October 9, 2009 @ 5:04 pm
Have you ever thought of learning bass?
Comment by ernie_ca — October 9, 2009 @ 6:04 pm