The Pinky

So the first date didn't happen as I checked the advert only to find that the price of the guitar i was looking at had jumped up considerably and being as it is not a short distance away from me I decided that this particular example is now beyond what I want to spend when I consider the pride now and travelling costs. This has now given me a bit of a dilemma as there are several places which appear to have good reviews fairly local to me, however how do I decide where to go? Is it in appropriate to ask for recommendations here? I have seen several guitars that I like the look of but obviously I assume that I really need to try them before buying. Being a novice I am obviously more reliant than somebody with more experience than I, on good advice from sales staff etc.

I am considering upgrading my present Hohner acoustic guitar as my skills and abilities are on the up and have been looking around (virtually anyway) at electro-acoustics from Yamaha, Fender (I had loan of one from my son a while ago and loved it) and Tanglewood. The problem is I have fallen in love (at first sight) with one Tanglewood in particular and I may have to visit the emporium where it is for sale, it is over my budget so could be an expensive weekend! Obviously being as I haven't even touched it yet, I'll have to give it a test drive first - after all its not just looks and the first date maybe disappointing and its not a match made in heaven!

Watched the latest video and a lot of what you say is so true! How do stop reaching that having done so twice before? I have an answer thar works for me! Every so often I take a break from the routine of lessons and formal practice and just noodle around for 20 minutes or so and if I find something that I am learning a little difficult then I go back to something that I have already happy with to give me a boost and also remind me of my progress. Don't forget it needs to be fun and as long as you keep enjoying it then learning is a whole lot easier. Well done with your progress so far and I have to say that I am impressed with how you're doing, keep up the good work.

While I was strumming away thus morning, I had one of those light bulb moments where something clicked, which happens every so often. This made me think about how I am discovering things almost daily, things just become clearer and my understanding better, add to that I sit there noodling and suddenly hear a phrase or series of notes that form a song or riff - sometimes it just appears to be coming automatic and my fingers know where to go! I also find myself putting little fills in every so often too. Although all this is far from polished and much more work is needed.

I used to "play" years ago, I started in school and then on through college until my mid 20s. I didn't have any formal lessons, I was taught by mates etc. And was never any good and didn't really study too much to learn properly. I picked the guitar up again back in February buying a steel strung acoustic, I then picked up an electric guitar a short while after and recently was given a nylon strung acoustic which was going in the bin. I have joined a programme on line (which I guess may be similar to what you are doing?) Which is paying dividends and thanks to the guidance of the teacher I am probably better than I was years ago although my technique still needs a lot of improvement. Do I consider myself as playing, well i guess in a fashion although i don't think i am that great i rely on others such as my wife either saying that sounds good or "I recognise that!" As a gauge I can just about play recognisable versions of lying eyes by the Eagles and Wish you were here byPink Floyd. I am still practicing and taking every opportunity even if for only 10 minutes, and probably don't really practice as much as I should. How much practice are you doing? I do enjoy playing a spot of blues and am playing/practicing blues as well as practising scales and various strumming/finger picking techniques. I don't rely on YouTube but I have a few books and I have been listening to a podcast to support my other lessons. Two things I have learnt is that we all progress at different rates and we all have different abilities so comparing myself with others is done with those caveats. I an lucky because my son plays guitar and he is very supportive and next week I am actually meeting up with some guys locally who jam together, which is a little daunting as they have all been playing for years so hopefully I won't embarrass myself too much!

My son has given me a Boss RC30 pedal to play with, been doing a little reading up about this, could be fun. I am looking to power up the amp this weekend and have a play. I know absolutely nothing about pedals so I welcome any tips, advice and observations.

Hello and welcome!

I'm impresse! It's good to see others progress and how I compare. It's also interesting to see different learning techniques.

Welcome and if I may add my thoughts as a returnee to playing the guitar. I last played properly (not very well) 30 odd years ago so consider my self to be a newbie. For me the guitar is not the easiest instrument to play and it's not a quick process to learn, it is not possible to learn in a day, week or month. My tips would be to keep the guitar in view for you to pick up even if only for a few minutes, in between more focused sessions, focus on specific areas and tunes and don't try to run before you can walk, if you can find somebody to offer onto one advice or sessions then that is a great help. This has helped me immensely as has learning a little bit of music theory and of course scales! Finally enjoy it! I don't use apps and am very selective of resources such as YouTube etc.

Six months ago I bought my Hohner acoustic guitar when I decided it was about time I started to play again, I then purchased an Epiphone Gibson Les Paul Studio 2. This week my wife brought home an acoustic classical guitar that was going to be sent to the tip. I soon realised that it's previous owner had restrung it incorrectly with the strings fitted in the wrong order, there is also a little damage to it but I figured for the price of a set of strings it was worth messing about with. Three days on and aside from the new strings taking a while to stretch its not a bad little thing to mess about with, and I have been trying a few of the easy classical pieces that I used to play. All very basic stuff ( probably aimed at primary school leve) but I am enjoying it!

@Dad3353 and @randythoades thanks for you thoughts etc, however based on what I have heard so far it sounds far more effort that I am prepared to undertake for what I envisage I will get out of. Thanks again and this sort of information is exactly the sort of thing that forums like this are good for amongst other things. On a slight OT note I am a member of a couple of other (non-music) forums which to be absolutely honest are a waste of time and I seldom go there, this forum for me and the conversations hereon however is just about right. Thanks again, Alan

Sorry perhaps I should have been more specific, I've just re-read my post and seen the error of my ways! What I am after is apparently it is possible to plug an electric guitar directly into a iPador similar and lay down a track, with the option to record further tracks over the top.

Chatting to a neighbour who said that he records tracks to an iPad, apparently there is an app and various devices that can enable this. I've had a quick Google and after working through the plethora of adverts I still don't really know if and how I can achieve this with a Samsung tablet, and of course I dare say there are a whole variety of options, apps and gizmos to choose from, I would welcome any thoughts, observations and advice please to help with how I go about this. This is purely for my personal use and I have dreams of produce the next biggest hit to distribute to millions, so it needs to be on a minimal budget. TIA Alan

Not had a chance to check this out yet, but thanks again for sharing. Sometimes I think that I am not making much progress, however when I consider that a few months ago I was having the sa,e struggles as you, I can see that I have made progress. However I think you maybe progressing at a faster rate the I did (and still am). I was thinking about what you aboutall the youtube videos and also the claims that others make about YouTube being too overwhelming. As discussed previously like you I have found one channel that I feel is the best method for me to learn using a structured format and the services of one tutor, however I am now finding other youtube videos an excellent reference. Sometimes with me things just don't sink in or I can't grasp a concept, however by looking at how others approach it can produce a light bulb moment that I can take back to my learnings/lessons. I always go back to the structured course that I am following. I guess this illustrates that there are variations in the way that we are taught and learn and it is all about different methods, although of course I am sure there are some teachers and thier methods that are not correct. For me personally I need some structure and to understand at least some of the principles and theory. Thanks again Alan

I've been looking at that one, at the moment I am still on The Twang Dynasty as I keep getting sidetracked by listening to some of the tracks and artists he discusses in there. I just love his Jimi Hendrix story - not the usual sort of thing you hear when talking boutJH, especially the last sentence!

Played my son's very nice new Fender Telecaster today, it is absolutely beautiful to play in comparison to my guitars, neither of which I am unpleased with! I appreciate that it is more than just strings and there are other factors that influence "playability", however I have decided to try a set of 10-46 strings which have suggested here. I will let you know how I get on.

As a returnee to playing guitar, I was (and still am) blown away by the apparently immense range of affordable and playable guitars that are available these days. My first electric which I purchased back in the late 70s was a telecaster copy that quite frankly had not had the easiest life and was not that easy to play. Fast forward 45 plus years and I now own a second hand epiphone which is far better to play and in much nicer condition even though it was used by a gigging musician who obviously looked after and loved it. The price I paid for the telecaster was £21 which I reckon is comparable to the £100 ish I paid for the Epiphone taking into account inflation etc. I would like another telecaster (probably for nostalgic reasons rather than anything else) but I very much doubt I would pay top whack for a real one as I doubt if I would notice the difference, so would probably go for the more mid-range priced models. I also seem to remember that the Gibson Les Paul was a really expensive guitar in the late 70s closely followed by the SG and then the Fender models, whereas now they appear to me to be far more affordable. Please note that I don't speak with any authority or great knowledge on this subject and this is purely based on my observations and experiences, I leave the expert opinion to you more suitably knowledgeable and experienced guys and girls, all I know is that I have the nicest guitars I have ever owned for what appears to be similar prices taking into account the passage of time and inflation etc.

Well how's that for an understanding and loving wife who knows me? Look what I got for my burfday a couple of days ago!

Just watched you most recent video, well done you are doing great - probably better than the progress I had made after 1 week. Keep up the good work and I am waiting to see what comes next. Thanks again for sharing. Alan

I am about 6 months in to this most recent escapade of playing the guitar and already I feel that some of my skills have surpassed where I was all those years ago. I may not be a really accomplished player in any way shape or form but I am progressing, and I am practicing in a similar manner I.e. shorter regular sessions often picking the guitar up for a few minutes while I am waiting for the kettle to boil etc. For my more "structured" sessions I tend to use scales practice to warm my fingers up and practise strumming with muted strings, before getting on to real practice. I am now starting to feel that I am playing some music and not just practising.

I don't know I you're a Man fan or not, I assume you are. I was lucky to see them a couple of times and the most surreal was to see them headlining at a far from full Royal Albert Hall.

I am a huge fan of those Welsh rockers Man, as well as having a liking for Deke Leonard and his story telling. I have been reading the Twand Dynasty, I love the content and his writing style. It is so refreshing to hear somebody talk about guitarists who are perhaps not the normal ones to be hailed as the best thing since sliced bread, I also like his personal experiences and observations included in the book. Anybody else read it? Deke's books are probably not of the highest profile! One day I'd like to read of his experiences in Man, but there is no way at present that I can justify the outrageous price of his book Rhinos,Winos and lunatics. Alan

Hi Shawn, Thanks for posting on YouTube, I am now following you on there to watch how you progress. I totally agree with everything you say about painful fingers etc, I have recently returned to playing guitar after far too many years away, so I am in essence a beginner. I was impressed with the sounds you are making and look forward to seeing your progress. I will record myself every so often to look back on my progress but unlike you I am not brave enough to put it out in the public domain. I have learnt a lot since I picked the guitar up February and I realise that when I played all those years ago my technique was dreadful, for example there is more to placing your fingers on strings to make chords and you have to consider the position of your whole hand and even your left arm. IMO there are 3 tips I have been given that have helped no end, firstly practice - keep the guitar out where you can see it and pick it up when you get a chance. I will often have a quick session while waiting for the kettle to boil or similar, that way before you know it you've done an hours practice over a day without realising. Little and often is my mantra. Secondly talk to other guitarists and don't be afraid to ask questions - all the teachers and more established and proficient guitarists have slightly different way of seeing things and learning techniques and what may work for one may not work for another. I am learning using an on line programme and sometimes when I can't grasp something a slight change of perspective will help. Finally and most importantly keep I fun and enjoyable - nuff said on that final point I think. Good luck and keep it up, I am looking to you for inspiration (no pressure) and seeing your progress. Alan

My son-in-law,who is an accomplished guitarist came to stay with us recently and he couldn't resist picking my the electric guitar up as soon as he saw it. He said it was beautifully set up and suggested it was probably technique that was at issue and made a few suggestions for improvements for both my left and right hands, and even after a few minutes of playing after following his advice I was much happier with the sound from the acoustic and the electric. I still need plenty of practice but at least it is another step and I suddenly feel like I am improving.

Thanks to very body for your advice and thoughts. If I were to hazard a guess, I would say that the strings that are currently fitted are probably among the lightest if not the lightest. I think that the combination of my poor technique and light weight strings give rise to my issues, therefore I have decided that I will probably replace the strings with a set of 10-46, as per the concensus of opinion here, and of course I need to practice a whole lot more. I do have somebody who has offered to look at my technique and posture etc, all I need to do is contact him.