ok heres the deal - im thinking of buying a guitar but if i did i wouldnt have a teacher but would try and learn from books and stuff. is this recommended? and how long would it take for me to become any good at playing - like how long would it be before i could play anything by coldplay

any help would be much appreciated

well you could get one if you wish...i got a guitar before i found a teacher and i turned out fine

if i didnt get a teacher at all though would i still be able to learn well?

yes you would, my sister thaught herself and she's really good now, she's always looking for songs on internet and then she's trying to play them...

Do it! You won't regret it! With a combination of some Songbooks and the internet you can get fairly good pretty quickly! Best of luck pal! :D

In my opinion, people who teach themeselves always seem better than people who get lessons. It sounds kinda odd but when you teach yourself you can go at your own speed and you can choose completly what to do

I say do try books, it won't be long before you can play a couple of Coldplay licks (the In My Place intro for example, is very easy)

do you have any musical experience?

ye i play the piano to a pretty high level - grade 7 - but i think that the way you read guitar music is different isnt it?

Dreadful plug here but I am selling two guitars and an amp on ebay at the moment...free advertising on here...hehe...have a look! :D

 

Strat Copy

Fender Tele

Amp

man i tought my self everything i know and i started off with coldplay music .. it's been a year n a half and its been pretty good the whole time..no teacher at all just sum books.

i learned faster on my own than i did while i had a teacher [he sucked] but do you know how to read music? woops yeah you do. i can but i find it easier to play from tabs oh and i would get an acoustic at first not electric :P

i learned faster on my own than i did while i had a teacher [he sucked] but do you know how to read music? woops yeah you do. i can but i find it easier to play from tabs oh and i would get an acoustic at first not electric :P

 

is there an advantage of learning on an acoustic rather than electric then?

get a classic guitar

well it is cheaper for one thing which is best when starting out

and i find you dont have to use as much finger pressure when playing acoustic and if your like me that may be an issue [meaning i'm lazy] and its not as loud and sounds better when you dont really know what you're doing yet

just my personal opinion tho

if i learned to play either acoustic or electric guitar- would i automaticaly be able to play the other type of guitar?

yeah but you usually dont play the same songs it all depends but its playing the same way... that is, unless you're playing classical guitar of course. and you might be more inclined to play with your fingers on acoustic and want to use a pick on an electric. well thats how it is from my experience.

hmm maybe i should do the same.

what about buying an electroacoustic guitar would that be better or worse?

id say better...the best of both worlds! :D

are they more expensive? and can you recommend any good beginner guitars?

well a little esp since you have to get an amp as well...even a small one can cost yah $100 um dunno what that is in pounds unless you get it used. id go for a good old fender if i was you, its usually pretty reasonable.

i would suggest a plain acoustic to start with, although electric guitars are easier to play.

But if u started with an electric it would be hard to play acoustic.

start on an acoustic like a yamaha for £100. itll be good and not too extravagant. dont get a classical cos you cant play coldplay properly with one. definately learn yourself cos then you can create your own style and save money. learn on an acoustic and then when you get good you'll be amazing on electric cos theyre much easier to play!

I'd never played guitar before in my life until last summer. I had a friend who showed me some basics, but otherwise I'm completly self-taught.

 

I got a used acoustic yamaha for not too much and it sounds really nice. An electric guitar is more like a distant dream I use as bait to practice- I might not practice enough otherwise.

 

I think I'm doing quite well, I think... i can play songs all the way through, and I'm teaching myself to read music, but I still have a long long way to go.

 

So basically my point is, I guess, sure it works.