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Computer-based Guitar Training?

Posted by Cliff on from the power-chords-by-PC dept.

rfischer asks: "I am hoping that Santa brings me a guitar for Christmas this year. I know there are a lot of computer- and web-based tools for teaching yourself guitar, but I'm having a hard time figuring out what's best, and if any of these computer-based methods have any advantage over the classic training courses. Anyone been down this road before?"

16 of 57 comments (clear)

  1. Don't. Not as the only source. by JabberWokky · · Score: 3, Insightful
    I would highly recommend using anything non-real world strictly as a supplement to real world teaching. You have to learn how to hold your body, how to express notes...

    It's a bit like learning acting over the net. Not useless, but insufficent to teach what is necessary.

    Unless you just want to "fake" some songs - then you can likely just buy a couple fakebooks (check your local music store for fakebooks), some of which come with DVDs. Learning a song or two is very different than learning to play the guitar.

    --
    Evan

    --
    "$30 for the One True Ring. $10 each additional ring!" -- JRR "Bob" Tolkien
  2. GuitarPort Online by gwynnebaer · · Score: 3, Informative

    Shameless plug: http://guitarport.com
    Don't take my word for it. Take a look.

  3. Online Guitar Instruction by two_socks · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The only one I'm familiar with that is related to an actually well-known guitar player is http://www.zagerguitar.com/. Zager is half of Zager and Evans, a group that had an international hit ("In the Year 2525") a long time ago.

    I especially like the fact that he refers to himself as the "world's greatest one hit wonder". There are plenty of videos on the website for you to decide what you think.

    --
    I can't help it - I'm a 19D.
  4. As a bassist... by Pugflop · · Score: 2, Insightful

    ...and musician, please get thee to a true real-life human teacher. There are so many asshat guitarists who don't jack, yet think they are top shit because they are "self taught".

    Me: "Hey, can you play that Asus7 again, I think I got something here."

    Guitarist: "Dude, I just sounded like Ozzie! OMFG I AM TEH R0X0RZ D00D1!!!"

  5. Chord finders by barrettlight50 · · Score: 2, Informative

    I use this one. There are some other tools at their site. This one has more of a guitary look.

  6. Lessons by DaveS002 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Try any of the following: www.bsla-series.com, www.12bar.de/index.htm, www.cyberfret.com. They all have various things to offer depending on what you are trying to accomplish.

    There are many guitar sites online and I'm sure you'll find something you like.

    Play on!

  7. Basics by idolcrash · · Score: 2, Informative

    I'd get the basics down first (reading tab notation at least, posture, holding the pick, etc.), and then get GuitarPro*, where you can download tabs and as it goes through, the MIDI sequence is played based on the tablature. It is also quite good for writing music.

    *This is the most popular place for getting GP files, however there is a link to get GP

  8. try "real-world" tools first :) by Vadim+Grinshpun · · Score: 2, Informative

    If you're just starting, most web/computer tools won't be of too much help for a while (IMHO). Instead, try to get a friend to show you some chords/tunes, as well as the basic layout of the guitar. If you are even moderately serious about learning, getting a good teacher will help a lot too. I'd also suggest hanging out in alt.guitar.beginner, it's a pretty nice newsgroup where lots of questions can be answered. Also, from what I've seen, the "guitar for dummies" book is actually quite good and will get you through the basics in a sane order.

    After you get acquainted with the instrument a bit, check out www.olga.net, a sizeable archive of guitar tablatures (assuming you don't mind learning to read tab -- it's easy, though it's not a substitute for real music notation in the long run).

    One program I'd suggest (non-free, unfortunately) is Guitar Pro. It's a tablature editor that can play the tablature, and there are quite a few tunes available in its format--so you can see the tab and hear the tune played. Pretty nice if you use tabs.

    HTH :)

  9. I learned from OLGA by teknikl · · Score: 2, Informative
    ... but that was a ways back - can you still get it... why yes you can Notice there are no lyics now... just fragments of the beginnings of lines.

    I guess a bunch of old text files from thousands of guitar players doesn't work out to be training. Still it helped me quite a lot in figuring out popular riffs and breaks.

  10. I'm self-taught by Prien715 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I happen to think I'm not that great, but hey, I never played guitar to be good. I learned to play becuase I wanted to be able to play certain songs.

    This site has some stuff I found really good including mp3s to play along with to get trickier rythyms or strumming techniques.

    If you want to play in a band type setting, I suggest you find like-minded people with similar skills or lack thereof.

    Needing a professional tutor or some crap seems a popular thing in this thread, which I don't quite understand. I played clarinet for 10 years (including 4 in university ensembles) before I started guitar and I don't understand what the point of lessons is. What I learned from both instruments is that practice is the most important. Not legnth, but frequency. I think I've progressed more on my second instrument faster because I'd just pick it up and do a few chord shapes for a few seconds.

    Professional teachers are only a recent phenomenon and I don't see why they're being embraced with such enthusiasm by practioners of an instrument that has has become a popular symbol of rebellion and freedom.

    How many of you people would argue that you need professional classes to use a computer? How many of you are mostly self-taught?

    --
    -- Political fascism requires a Fuhrer.
    1. Re:I'm self-taught by damiam · · Score: 3, Insightful
      I played clarinet for 10 years (including 4 in university ensembles) before I started guitar and I don't understand what the point of lessons is.

      I've played violin for 13 years, and I think you're either a dumbass, a crappy clarinetist, or you had a crappy teacher. Extensive practice alone is next to useless if you're not focusing on the right aspects of your playing, or if you're just playing the same thing over and over and reinforcing mistakes. A good teacher will draw your attention to things that you'd never have noticed, and they'll show you techniques for practicing effectively.

      For whatever reason, teachers don't seem to be as common or necessary in guitar playing as in most symphonic instruments; many guitar masters were/are self-taught. However, it's almost impossible to become skilled with most wind/brass/string instruments without a good teachers. As evidence, go to your local symphony and ask everyone who has gotten there without a teacher to raise their hand. I guarentee you no one will. I don't know if a professional teacher is the best approach for a beginning guitar player, but lessons definitely do have a lot of value.

      How many of you people would argue that you need professional classes to use a computer?

      Last time I checked, many computer professionals spend at least four years learning pretty much full-time how to "use" a computer.

      --
      It's hard to be religious when certain people are never incinerated by bolts of lightning.
  11. Re:Don't. Not as the only source. by sgant · · Score: 2, Informative

    Exactly, don't use "one place" to try to learn this unless you're just trying to learn a few songs to impress. If you're really serious about learning the instrument, get your hands on anything and everything.

    I've no experience with the computer programs per-se, but there are a ton of links to web sites that can help you along.

    Guitar Noise is a great site that teaches you certain songs and why your doing what your doing within each song as you go. Check it out.

    Slowhand Blues Guitar for a good intro into Blues playing.

    Chordbook.com for an interactive chord generator. Very helpful.

    Hope this helps and good luck!

    --

    "Leo Fender was in a 'state of grace' when he designed the Stratocaster." -- Paul Reed Smith
  12. Power Tab Archive by istomisgood · · Score: 2, Informative

    http://www.powertabs.net/pta.php/ Simply the best online resource I have seen. My playing has improved immensely since finding this website and the program associated with it.

    --
    Always remember, that way you will never forget.
  13. A good resource once you know a bit by njriley · · Score: 3, Informative

    I fmay be somewhat qualified to answer, as I'm largely self-taught, and I have used a lot of online sources. If, as it sounds like, you're starting from the very beginning, it's true that you really need someone to show you the basics. Once you have that down, though, you can learn a lot by downloading the tabs to songs you like. I don't know what you're interested in, but I use these:

    http://dsrmusic.com/
    http://www.singularitymetaltab.net/
    http://www.deathwarp.com/DeathWarp/tabs/tabs.htm

    Those are mostly for rock and metal, but you can find similar sites for whatever style you're into. As you'd expect, start with simpler songs and work your way up - you can learn a lot of technique this way, as well as forms and applications of the theory you'll also want to be studying. For some basic chord and scale patterns, check out:

    http://www.guitar-dreams.com/

    Another good site for a lot of exercises as well as some theory is:

    http://ibreathemusic.com/

    This is really one of the best guitar sites I've seen; I can't recommend it enough. Along with the above, it forms a very good reference for patterns and exercises, but you're still missing some structure. This is a major problem with online materials - there's so much of it it's hard to sort out. As such, I'd recommend using all of this as source material, but have a friend who plays give you some guidance as to what to practice, even if you don't take lessons per se. If that's totally impossible, buy a method book or two - the Troy Stetina ones are excellent for rock and metal, but they're available for all styles. That will give you some idea of the order in which to practice the various subjects.

    Hope this helps,

    Nathan

  14. Re:Don't. Not as the only source. by Eideewt · · Score: 3, Insightful

    That's just right. Nothing can replace a teacher who is there with you and able to correct posture and technique and give you a little experience playing with others. You can learn theory from the web well enough, and you can get a lot of great information on all aspects of the instrument, but you need a teacher to at least get you off on the right foot. It's true that many great guitarists are self taught, but that doesn't mean the rest of us can just pick up and figure it out all on our own.

    You should visit Guitarnoise.com (See the post above if you really need a clickable link); it's a great community.

  15. community college by undef24 · · Score: 2, Informative

    I don't know many online resources, so I can comment on another approach.

    My advice is to enroll in a classical guitar night class at a city college. You will learn good fundamentals for whatever style music you like to play, plus all the classical guitar songs are impressive to play--and you will pick up note reading in the process. I learned around 10 or so warm up excercises that you can use for the rest of your life to speed up finger strength and agility.

    Most guitar teachers can also point you to hourly rate tutors. Just show up the first day and talk to the teacher after class and ask for a referral if you don't want the class doesn't fit your schedule.