Hi all... I'm having a go at learning to play the guitar. I picked up a cheap PRS-style electric guitar with amp etc. a few days back in the hope of learning some slow blues, perhaps jazz blues, and licks.

I'm learning scales right now... the A minor pentatonic scale and the Blues version (this one) and the extended A minor pentatonic (this one)

Any tips for a complete newbie are appreciated. Thanks.

So are you just learning and starting out? well you are in luck, I used to play in my schools jazz band.

what you are gonna need to start out basic stuff is: 1. Essential Elements for jazz ensemble: Guitar
2. the fender chord finder (you could have any chord finder but this one is so convienent, you will thank me later)
3. The chord wheel (that is if you want to start writing)
4. The big gag book of scales for all guitarists (it seems like you already have a scale book, but this one is really good.)

just know that just learning to play guitar takes a while... I was the main soloist in my jazz band, and not only does it take knowing the scales, but it also takes guts to stand in front of the crowd and not freeze up your fingers, it has to sound like you applied a tub of butter to your fingers before hand.(lol, hopefully you get what that means... smooooth)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z54uEVSgFv8
Here is my solo from a concert last year, (it is my first solo so it's kind of bad but just ignore that, and also if it seems like the two people on the right of me weren't playing, it's cause they weren't and they suck at guitar lol. no offense)

anyways hope that helps and remember, get down the basic chords, cause the majority of the time you will be playing them.

When I first began learning the guitar, like you I probably learned some simple blues riffs/scales first. Then I used to put on an album called 'It serves you right to suffer' by John Lee Hooker, its simple expressive raw blues with a lot of space in it. Ideal for jamming with, and easy to follow.

I would simply try and play along with JLH, this helped me to get some feel and rhythm into my playing. Hammer ons and little bends are fun too.

The value of playing with others, even a recording, is huge.

Corona.

I've started playing guitar on my violin I was having problems with the bow so I found it makes a better uke or guitar.

Learn the blues scale all over the fret board. There are a few different positions.

Listen to lots of old records. Copy the licks, learn the chords, learn the keys they are in and have fun.

Find people to jam with.

Thanks, guys for all the help so far. Much appreciated.

Ray_Mago, nice video... thanks for sharing it. Also, when you say "get down the basic chords", if I stick to learning the A-F major and minor chords, is that sufficient?

Harry, thanks... I'm thinking of starting next with these A blues scales (here) and the extended form (here).

It's perhaps a little premature at the moment to ask, but once I've familiarised myself with one or more of these Blues scales can you then simply experiment with making licks using any of the notes (and combination of notes) in that scale in any order? Is that how it works?

Hi I've been playing guitar for almost three years now and my best advice that I can give and that has been the best help to my with my guitar paying (and magic) is to take it slow and not to rush your playing. Let your muscles get used to the lick/scale/run or watever you are trying to learn. A site that has some good lessons and clumns is http://www.ultimate-guitar.com.

If you are in to blues then listen to some B.B. king, Freddie king, Albert king (alot of kings ), Elmore James (the best bottleneck player if you ask me), Muddy waters is good and of course Eric Clapton.

Good luck with your playing it's really fun to jam with friends and band.

Eric

If you can afford it, get a teacher. I was self taught and developed some bad habits, including left-hand positions that caused excruciating tendinitis. My teacher and I are working on rehabilitating my wrist and improving my playing at the same time.

John

Neo,
Below is a link to 130 incredible FREE lessons! The teacher "Blindboy" is self taught and has quite a reputation around the UK! Give it a go and just as is with magic, PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE!
Mick
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=deltabluestips

I've been at it regularly for about 3 years; and like 20 hacking away periodically before that. Some real-world advice....

0) Get a good teacher who teaches to your style. I went through a few (3-4) before I found the "right" one. Figure out *what* you wanna play. Songs like folk or coffee house stuff (Simon/Garfunkel) etc? Blues? Improvise over stuff or just jam? Let the teacher guide you from there. After that...

1) Learn the pentatonics on the 6th and then the 5th strings. Learn the root names on both strings. This will help you in a lot of areas such as your bar chords (for the songs) and also soloing over stuff (for the blues).

2) Learn some theory basics like how to figure out what scales are relative over which chords which again, will help you with songs as well as bluesy stuff.

And and you do this, learn the fretboard, and how to find things based on the dots, anchor points, where the octaves are if you're on who spot, where the octave is, the 4th, the 5th; this will all help you with the above.

Don't try to go too fast. Take your time and enjoy the process; it seems like you can cram it, but there's a LOT there, so soak it in slowly and don't rush it...

The first line in this post holds the key. Learn the blues scale all over the fretboard. That really is the essence of solo playing.
Pick a few songs you like and play along. You will find with blues that if you are playing in the right key you can basically play licks and riffs on your own and it will still go with the song. That way you can practice over and over with "backing" and get used to Phrasing your playing correctly. Do learn the solo's and riffs from the original songs also. Very often you can find them on the internet if you search for tab or tablature of the songs.
Build your chord "database" and learn to play different chords on different positions on the fretboard (power chords are an example but there are many more).
Play as often as possible.

I taught myself so I really don't have that much advice to give except stick with it. Get some tabs to your favourite songs off the net and start learning some basic chords.

Scales are also very important...

Mitchell