[Binder of Demons]

Hey there guys,

I've decided I want to finally learn to play the guitar (acoustic). So I've picked up the guitar i want (which has a surprisingly nice sound), and will be getting a few lessons shortly. But, since i know that practice is the only way i'll improve, i need a few songs which i might actually like to practice on. I can't imagine trying to practice songs i dislike.

So if anyone knows songs that are good for beginners to learn, but are actually decent, feel free to share.

[Bhurnae]

Binder of Demons, on Jan 15 2009, 12:42 PM, said:

Hey there guys,

I've decided I want to finally learn to play the guitar (acoustic). So I've picked up the guitar i want (which has a surprisingly nice sound), and will be getting a few lessons shortly. But, since i know that practice is the only way i'll improve, i need a few songs which i might actually like to practice on. I can't imagine trying to practice songs i dislike.

So if anyone knows songs that are good for beginners to learn, but are actually decent, feel free to share.

Practice will also help to grow callouses(sp) on your finger ends..........
you may be surprised what you end up enjoying playing.........myself...blues. Plenty of very good basic tutorials on Youtube to start you off. whoever is teaching you will probably have a bagful of songs and riffs.
Scales are boring but central to whatever style you end up playing. Use Scales to warm up and toughen up your finger pads and tendons on your fingers. Hope it all goes well.......it can get frustrating but keep at it.

Another site that has a lot of beginners styles is Wholenote.............try googling it

This post has been edited by Bhurnae: 15 January 2009 - 01:01 PM

[drinksinbars]

hurt by johnny cash is easy and good practice of finger picking.

wild wood by paul weller, another good one i find.

some eddie vedder is good on acoustic.

push by matchbox 20, quite simple but also good.

look on youtube and get lessons there. i bought a beginners guide that helped explain the theory behind styoles and boxes which helped alot back when i started.

its good fun jammin at parties and stuff, i was at a Halloween party last year and me and the gf brother were playing some tunes when a few ladies started chatting us up and asking us to start a band with her friend, was quite embarrassing when the missus walked in but i was a perfect gent and they were very drunk

oh aye songs

nothing else matters has an easy intro as does everybody hurts.

This post has been edited by drinksinbars: 15 January 2009 - 02:11 PM

[Slum]

first songs (well, riffs really) I learned were Iron Man, Smoke on the Water, and Smells Like Teen Spirit.

All very easy and fun for beginners.

[Binder of Demons]

Thanks guys, I'll check out the magic youtube for some lessons, and i've found a video-podcast which has all the chords and different styles as well. I'll still go to a teacher for the first few lessons though to get real time feedback, and stop any bad habits quickly.

@DiBs - That's a good list, i wouldn't mind trying some of those.

I really want to learn a cover version of "Up the Junction" by Squeeze which was done by an Irish singer called Albert Niland, but I can't get that album, and he plays it differently to the original, so i don't think i can use those tabs? Plus he's a ridiculously good guitar player so it's probably way out of my league, despite sounding quite simple?

I just want to get passably good in the short term to be able to pick up a guitar at a party and play a simple tune. For that reason i even bought a right handed guitar (despite being a lefty) because it's unlikely that the spare guitar at a party will be a lefty too. I'm reasonably ambidextrous too, so it isn't too big a deal, and actually feels easier to try and play right handed.

But we'll see how we go. Other suggestions are still welcome.

Cheers.

[Cougar]

The important things I find are learning the basic open chord shapes (not bar and power chords) so E, Em, A, Am, C,F, D, G. You'll be able to play half the songs ever written with these, the next thing is then to work on your stumming and picking, but most importantly changing between chords . Once you've got this straight everything else should flow pretty easily.

Song wise; anything off Nevermind is pretty easy, I'd have a go at some of the easier beatles stuff like Back in the USSR or Let it Be.

The only other thing is to practice like you have OCD or something, when I practice,( I'm principally) a bass player, I'll sit down to work out a bassline and next time I look up it'll be 4 or 5 hours later and time has gone by without me noticing. There is no substitute for mind numbing repetition I'm afraid.

[drinksinbars]

yeah sadly its all muscle memory, i still have problems getting my strumming right, as i either go too fast or too slow.

as far as chords go, try to learn them and dont worry about taking a moment to switch, just make sure not to strum as your switxching or it sounds naff after a while the switching chords just gets faster until it actually sounds right.

[Yellow]

Binder of Demons, on Jan 15 2009, 12:42 PM, said:

I've decided I want to finally learn to play the guitar (acoustic).

Get in!

What kind of stuff are you into? Cos that is definitely the best way to learn. If you love the song and want to play it, you'll have the motivation.

Easy finger-picking stuff: hmm, well I started with this book, which had some oooold folk songs and stuff. It starts with showing you how to position your hands/fingers, begins you on the easy chords, a few songs, some more chords, new finger-picking techniques, etc.

But I'd start with "House of the Rising Sun" by the Animals. Simple chords, easily picked. Simon and Garfunkel are good for finger-picking practice, but you have to be FAST, so probably not the best place to start.

Easy strumming stuff: The slower stereophonics songs are generally pretty easy. Try "Billy Davies' Daughter", that was one of the first songs I learned.

Once you get a little better, go with stuff you like, I suppose.

I recommend Damien Rice songs if you're into him - many of his are easily played solo on the guitar, so they sound good without the bass or drums etc and they're a decent mix of strumming and picking.

I always found that I didn't like to play songs that were just a catchy riff, or had a great solo, cos you can't really play them that well on your own. I like stuff that's interesting all the way through, and still catches all the main parts of the song.

[Yellow]

drinksinbars, on Jan 15 2009, 05:18 PM, said:

yeah sadly its all muscle memory, i still have problems getting my strumming right, as i either go too fast or too slow.

Aye, strumming is not my best bit. I tend to go too hard, so can't bring any feeling/subtlety to the song.

[Stalker]

I'm still a guitar noob- but I found that starting with Behind Blue Eyes- Limp Biskit version, or Wonderwall- Oasis, are two good choices that I've learned. My friend recommended them to start with so I did.

[Slum]

hah, I didn't realize you were using an acoustic. I should read more carefully...

Bob Dylan and Neil Young both have tons of easy strumming/open chord songs that aren't too tough for beginners. Learn to read tab (it's VERY easy) - you can find pretty much any song you want from these two and many many others posted on tab sites.

[Yellow]

I remember when I started (which was about 7 years ago, which makes me ashamed at how little I've progressed ), it was because of this version of "Something":

http://uk.youtube.co...h?v=ID-1IoLMoeM

None of my mates played, so I didn't think it was worth it because there was nothing worth playing on its own. But I heard this version and decided to go for it.

Definitely worth it, Binder.

PS - still can't play that song, but it's ok

This post has been edited by Yellow: 15 January 2009 - 07:24 PM

[Grief]

Depends what you're into:

A few songs that are fairly easy, or that have nice easy bits that are good to learn:

Zombie by the cranberries, easy song for chords.
Come as you are, Nirvana.
Nantucket Sleighride, Mountain(just the chords and stuff and twiddly bits)
Sunshine of your love, cream.
Stairway to heaven, Zeppelin, is fairly nice for helping your finger picking, though you may want to wait a bit first.
Black Dog, again, Zeppelin.
Hotel California, the eagles, is nice for practising chords etc, though you'll need barre chords.
Iron man as pointed out is a good choice.

That you're playing accoustic isn't reallt important to song choice, just dont play stuff thats high up, most things you play will still help you develop.

Learning barre chords is a challenge to set yourself at some point, after you've got the open chords mastered, as they're massively handy.

However, if you're looking for a nice song to start with, the first song i'd advise you to learn would probably have to be:

Wish you were here, by pink floyd.

It has a minor solo, which isn't too hard if you set your mind to it, but it is fine with just playing the rthym bit through that.

[cerveza_fiesta]

If you've no musical training then take the lessons. Just make sure the instructor knows what you want to do with it and what you want to get out of it or you'll waste a lot of time on nothing. If you want to be able to pick up songs by ear (for instance), its a completely different type of training and practise than if you want to become proficient in fingerpicking or what have you. The basic skills like chording, strumming, scales and counting cross over of course but the way you practise and the types of songs you learn and the method with which you learn songs are completely different.

This is what I usually get people started on when they want to learn a few things. I've taught a few friends now with mixed success. Previous music training makes a big difference of course.

Bob dylan bob dylan bob dylan

Pretty much all his early songs are good learners for chording and strumming on acoustic. Very easy on beginners.

The Eagles

If you're in the "enjoy the eagles" club then they've got a bunch of good basic 3 chorders, usually a bit more upbeat

Ben Harper

Most of his popular songs are insanely easy to figure out and play. "burn one down" comes to mind. A bit of picking, a bit of strumming, and chicks dig his songs for the most part.

Niel Young

Real good for when you master the basic chords and want to play something with a little more depth and complicated chord patterns, but without getting insanely hard. Especially his earlier songs.

Paul Simon

One of my all time favourites for acoustic guitar stuff. He's of the same calibre as niel young in terms of difficulty. Figure out your basic chords first, but after that he's a good one for learning songs with nicer chord patterns and some mild fingerpicking. The Simon and Garfunkel stuff is among the easier-to-learn stuff he plays.