Damnit, I've sat around enough! Time to learn how to play a musical instrument..

[Reznik Akime]

For ages I've been wanting to learn how to play some sort of musical instrument. I used to beg my parents for piano and guitar lessons, but they would never force me though them! How I wish they would have!

So now that I actually have the money, I'm gonna learn. Firstly, guitar. Whats some good brands to start on at a reasonable price? Keyboards as well.. I like all the stuff you can do with them. I would personally die to have that keyboard thing Jordan Rudess has that its touch sensitive, but thats about $7k so when I'm rich.

Well, any suggestions? How about some learning material as well?

[G H Z]

Just get a cheap guitar, see if you can play anything and if you like playing it. If all that goes well then I'm sure you will figure the rest out in time.

[Holst]

Any cheap ish guitar will be good to begin with.
I started learning and after a couple of months of practice I could play a few simple songs easily.

I would try and play music you lenjoy, there are loads of websites where you can DL tab music for almost any song for the guitar.

Definately get some lessons as well. I just has one a week with a good friend of mine, but practiced a little every day.

Ive recently bought a ukalale as guitar was too bit go carry on my trip, and im just learning that from the internet. Its 90% practice time that makes you get good.

Many Beatles songs are very easy on the guitar so the first few things I learnt were those and a few oasis and nirvana tracks.

[K404]

Yea..buy something cheap to see if you like it. More expensive gear will not make you a better player ;) When I first started..I was really scared to make a noise with it (bass guitar) coz I didnt know what I was doing...just go for it :)

[thunderstruck!]

Sounds like me..

[Thrilla]

I play classcial guitar myself, started off with a tutor (for classical you gotta have a solid foundation). Had a cheap $120 Yamaha for a year, then I leared all that tutor can teach me in a year, my parents got impressed and bought me a handmade concert guitar, and I'm learning by myself now.

It's great if you start off with a good tutor who knows what's important. LoL the first week all I did was to play a single empty string with the beat thing, but it paid off lol, I have a solid right hand, especially the rest stroke and free stroke combination.

[syne_24]

Is it really that hard? Like can you teach yourself kind of thing? I've been wanting to learn how to play guitar as well. Probably from watching too many old school rock videos.

[thunderstruck!]

I play the guitar. You can teach yourself how to play, but you need to learn from an instructor, class, reading on how to read, write music, different notes, and basic nomenclature.

[Thrilla]

You can play chords on you own lol, they're easy compared to classical, but I'd say start off with classical to build a solid foundation then move onto other styles, then you'll find everything is so easy.

[Reznik Akime]

You can play chords on you own lol, they're easy compared to classical, but I'd say start off with classical to build a solid foundation then move onto other styles, then you'll find everything is so easy.

I've heard that from a few people, actually. I kinda like classical personally.

I may take a trip to I suppose Walmart and get one of their cheap guitars to start out, then see if I can't pick up some books somewhere. I wouldn't mind having a tutor but given my odd work schedule, nobody else would want to fit it.

Speaking of, I must leave for work or I may be late. >>;

[Zardokk]

I wouldn't recommend a cheap Walmart guitar. You don't wanna start off with like a custom $5000 guitar or anything, but you want something DECENT to start off with. You can get a halfway decent Gibson accoustic or Fender electric for under $300.

[Shpoon]

Buy a cheap one. And I mean cheap....it's pretty much just to see if you're going to want to keep it or not...I mean, so many people (including myself) try to pick it up, then just drop it, so what's the point?

[Zardokk]

You get a really bad sound from a cheap Walmart guitar. I'm not much of an audiophile and I could really care less about sound quality for most things, but super cheap guitars sound awful. And there's no reason to get one when you could get a cheap Fender strat (electric) for about $150-200 or a cheap accoustic Gibson for about $150 or so (they sell them at my local target). Those will give you MUCH nicer sound than what you can get at Walmart.

[Carlz0r]

Take a look for a decent used guitar, or see if you can find a cheap B-stock one at www.music123.com. Can get a decent guitar for a great price. BTW, string bass ftw!!!

[Thrilla]

Since you're sorta into classical, here's my advice.
Get a new Yamaha classical guitar, they cost <150 and sound good, buy an used one only if you know how to pick them. (Accessory: guitar tuner, foot stool, the beat thing that ticks, and a music stand.)
I have yet to find a good place online for start off a classical guitar, and a tutor can tell you the details, etc. Most private tutors ($20/h) offer very flexible scheduals)
And no, walmart sucks, find a music store, and don't buy online, you gotta inspect the quality.
I started off with $230, and that Yamaha lasted me 2 years till I sold it. And unless you know a lot about other brands, stick with Yamaha.

[Holst]

I bought the cheapest Yamaha acoustic, which was about $150 i think

But my friend bought an acoustic for $15 on ebay and collected it. His guitar isnt quite as nice a sound, and it has some scratches and stuff. But I wouldnt have been upset with it for $15.

I took lessons just so I could learn how to read tab, and to get a little confidence. After my first lesson I could play a "song" or at least the intro and it sounded ok.
I think its important to jump right into trying to play the things you want to play. I know people who took lessons with other people and just learnt technique and chords and hated the lessons.

I didnt havea propper tutor, I just went round to my friends house and she showed me what to do and helped me to get the very basics down. Once I was past that initial ... "ok, ive got the guitar but what the hell do i do" stage I was ok teaching myself.

[illmatik]

In my experiences, I've found that buying a cheap instrument can turn you off. If you have the determination in you, and are the type of person who will go back to it after getting frustrated or lack of time, etc, it might be worth it to buy something a little nicer, especially in guitars.. A guitar with good action and a more playable neck will make playing and learning more pleasurable, as well as a better sound, not to mention locking tuners or tremolo that will stay in tune longer. In the electric world, pickups can always be upgraded, so if you find something that feels good go with it. Of course bad action and tuning will make your hands and ear stronger, you're more likely to get turned off. Plus, if you do excel, you're only increasing the price when going to a better model having bought a crap electric and amp.

Now I'm not saying go out and buy that les paul studio custom for 3 grand, but buy something that's good enough to play out/record. It'll also help to have something that has a resale value if/when you do upgrade (although many times its hard to part with your first axe that emmanated tolerable tunes ;)

For a first axe, I'd say check out Ibanez. They tend to have narrower necks and good action and their quality control is superb across their whole line.

If you decide 6 strings are too many and you'd prefer bass, then I would definately recommend buying a nicer model. You get what you pay for, and a cheap bass sounds exactly that. and in most cases, bad enough to turn you off of the instrument. Ernie Ball/Musicman make some of the nicest instruments around (guitar and bass), and have come out with the S.U.B series, an entry level-ish line based on their high end models and american made not to mention an instrument you'd probably never need to replace.

I'm sure many will disagree, this is just my .02 after having bought and bought again in the full spectrum of music from guitars to studio monitors to compressors and mixers.

[Reznik Akime]

I was considering looking into the Ibanez brand, actually. It's really the only brand I know cause my friend's dad uses em. Hes pretty good too. Were I still living in Texas, I would ask him for a few lessons.

[KoHaN69]

Electric piano with a midi output is the way to go!

[illmatik]

Electric piano with a midi output is the way to go!

Novation X-Station!

Keyboard, MIDI Controller with plenty of knobs, faders, etc, Sound Card, 2 Mic Pres/Line Inputs, and Effects unit. Can't beat it!

[Zardokk]

Ibanez guitars are usually fairly expensive. If you're looking into a cheap guitar to start with, something under $200 will suit you just fine. An Ibanez has a very nice sound, but typically a very nice price tag, too. I'd recommend waiting until you learn to play before getting a really good guitar.

[biohead]

I'm about to buy a Korg K49, MIDI keyboard. I already do drums for a few years but I want to play the piano as well and I think MIDI is the smartest move as I produce music on my PC, check http://www.soundclick.com/saaaimen (songs > play HiFi).

As for the guitar, get a relatively cheap one at first, it's just not a smart move to get an expensive guitar, you will need to get hold of the basics first before you can perform any cool tunes.

[Reznik Akime]

Well, good news. I got myself a guitar on loan from my Girlfriend's sister. Its not all that hard to understand the tabs at all.

It is hard to actually get my fingers on the right places without the fatness of them muting another string. Kinda hurts too. o_o

Ah well, It's fun enough to where I don't care. Lets see where im at in a month.

By the way, Her guitar is a Mark II. From what I heard good to learn on. >>

[trance565]

*looks at the bass guitar siting in the closet with the broken string* /cry

[biohead]

*looks at the bass guitar siting in the closet with the broken string* /cry
get a new string, they're not that expensive.

[jellybeard999]

I too am looking at learning guitar, and have been debating whether something like this is a good start

http://www.thinkmusic.co.uk/product.asp?numRecordPosition=26&P_ID=9046&strPageHistory=&strKeywords=&SearchFor=&PT_ID=208