I’m pretty sure this is been asked a million times but still I’ll give it a go.
I have been playing for a few years on and off and want to take it seriously now. I know my basic chords and have learned a few songs. I want to restart so I’ve started the justinguitar program at the beginner level.
I am also interested in being being able to learn music theory and apply it to the guitar. I would like to be able to play over a progression in “e” for example and know what I’m doing. Be able to Id notes on the neck and play around that. I’m more of a blues and metal guy so if there are better methods to get there I’d super appreciate it.
goosejuggler: Justin Guitar’s pretty good at the beginner level, but if you’re looking for a more thorough theory instruction the best thing you can do (short of taking theory classes or guitar lessons) is to buy a guitar theory book. E.g., Berklee’s [Modern Method for Guitar](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CO4CVM0/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1) series is something standard that starts you off with diatonic scales, positions, and chord forms. Its examples are all in classical music, but something like Berklee Vol. 1 is so fundamental that I’d assume it’s also super useful for blues and metal. Maybe someone else can chime in and recommend something more rock-oriented to study.
bears3234: Just start learning songs. Look up some beginner songs, some tabs and chord sheets, and start playing along. You will learn on the job.
Very important is to start training your ear. When you learn a song, listen to it over and over again before even touching the guitar. Use tabs/sheet as a reference only, and see how what your fingers are doing corresponds to what your ear is hearing. Eventually, start learning songs purely by ear. This is the number one best thing for your musicality, and being able to translate songs from your head to your hands.
Once you have mastered a few songs, you can relate them to music theory.
Musictheory . net is a great resource for learning intervals, chords and scales.
First thing is to learn the major and minor scales. Practice these around the neck; you can think of them as shapes that work anywhere.
Listen to the melodies of your songs and match them to the notes of the scale. Most songs stick to a single scale pretty strictly, but take notice of the songs that break away from the scale, and what effect that has.
Learn each chord of the major scale. Roman numeral I being the root or tonic, so the C chord in the key of C major. The next is the ii (D minor in C major) Learn all of these, I through vii, which are major and which are minor. Most importantly how each “sounds” in relation to the root. Learn what dominant, subdominant and tonic mean and how to apply that. This will cover nearly all chord progressions in basic songs.
However, also take note of songs that break these rules, and analyze what effect that had on the sound of the music.
Then learn some other scales. For guitar, minor pentatonic is the most prominent. Harmonic minor is useful, too. And it’s good to have basic knowldge of all the modes of the major scale. All of these scales have chords associated with them as well, but learning all of them is a LOT of memorization.
Most importantly, though, just start playing and don’t stop. Good luck!
Murloh: I’ve been playing guitar on and off again for a couple of decades, and started banjo about 5 years ago.
I’ve done books, videos, but I would always get hung up on one thing or another. I wasn’t sure if I was doing something right or wrong.
Last year, I finally started with banjo lessons, and OMFG, huge difference. I made more progress in the past year, than I have in all the time I’ve been playing! I feel like I wasted a couple of decades.
Everyone learns differently and I know some folks progress wonderfully via self study. For me, actual physical lessons made everything click.
BowmanSX: Christopher Parkening’s $10 book is focused on classical but does such a great job of teaching you to read music, history of guitar and music, how to play dynamically, playing in keys, etc.
From there I would learn about how chords are constructed and how they are relevant in keys.
Then start learning some songs and study what kind of chord progression/phrasings they are using and build up that experience.
This will all be relevant to any style of music, good luck.
I strongly recommend consistency. 15 minutes a day is better than 3 hours one day a week.