Any musicians out here? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Any musicians out here?

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mimico_polak

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Looking to get into something this winter while the bike sits in storage, the wall leaks, and the kids are asleep.

Have an older electric guitar that I kicked around here and there, but seems I hit a wall after a few months. Any recommendations / tips for learning to play? No one in our family is musically inclined but I’d like to give it a proper whirl.

Tried lessons years ago, and did a few online courses but still struggling.

Thanks in advance!
 
Fender Play?
But what do I know?
I've had guitars for the last 30+ years and know 3 chords.
I bought a "Chord Buddy" cheat thing. Allowed me to play 4 chords.
Then my son taught himself to play and took it of the guitar that he took from me.
@Boots plays, and does it well.
He may have some tips.

Now if you need a singer.....

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I played piano and taught it for years...bought myself an acoustic guitar years ago and tried to teach myself (took some books out at the library) but found it very difficult...try an electronic keyboard instead...they come programmed with a variety of sounds and songs that you can play around with...other than that, I have no suggestions...
 
Depends on what motivates you to play. For me, it's jamming with other people or performing live. May be difficult during this time we're in.

I've also been motivated by wanting to learn a certain song or lick that I've heard on the radio. Download some tabs/chordsheets, or pick it up by ear and play along with the song on the stereo.

As for the actual learning part, it's just sitting down and practicing. Also, having someone coach you along the process and point out tips and correcting you along the way helps. Whether it's a teacher, or just a buddy that sits down with you once in a while.

What are you having problems with? If you want a Zoom session, let me know.

Edit: You better not be F-n Hendrix and punkin' us.
 
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Haha thanks for the lark @Lightcycle … I guess I could be play like Hendrix…if someone broke all the fingers on both his hands 5min before the show.

As for motivation…just more of a ‘try something new and not suck at it’ more than anything. I had gran visions of playing for the family at Christmas each year as a surprise but that’s passed 5 years at least now.

My biggest hurdle is remembering the finger positions, and the transitions are very difficult. I’ve got short fingers…but I think that’s just an excuse.

@ifiddles thanks for the suggestion but not digging the keyboard. My dad has one and he started up playing at about 60 or so and enjoys it. Not great but enough for us to figure out what the song is. Plus it makes him happy so win-win.

Thanks @Joe Bass but I’m a long way from needing a singer.

@Hardwrkr13 interesting instruments. My dad picked up the harmonica one day and blew us all away. Like wtf…turns out he’s played for years when he was a younger man.
 
mimico_polak said:
My biggest hurdle is remembering the finger positions, and the transitions are very difficult. I’ve got short fingers…but I think that’s just an excuse.
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Definitely. Hand size is not an excuse, lots of virtuoso guitar players with small hands. I've had some people tell me they wish they had hands as small as mine, especially when playing the higher notes up on the fretboard. They complain their sausage-like fingers can't fret as well as my lady-fingers... :)

Then they hear me play and realize that having lady-fingers also doesn't help you to play well... :D

As for remembering the finger positions and transitioning, it's just practice. I'd pick a song that only has two chords and practice playing along with it. A lot of U2 songs are like that. Try playing along to "Running To Stand Still". Most of the song is just D and G. Then they throw in an A in the chorus. Super easy and slow.
 
mimico_polak said:
Any recommendations / tips for learning to play?
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Depends what you mean by tips
Are you looking for motivation? Tips on improving?

Motivation is a tricky one, one of the best things that I ever did for motivation was to start playing with others, friends, musicians etc
We would jam, feed off each others vibe, become competitive, etc etc(I hear racing is much the same)

This was back when I played drums and was actually good

As for tips for improving/learning? The best advice I can give is practice daily, even if your swamped and its only for 5 mins, get it done

Those small little sessions pay dividends down the line.

For material...well theres no shortage in the age of the internet...look up the songs you like, practice by ear, or just play random riffs
 
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If you decide to try lessons again, I kind of like the Main Street Music store in Streetsville. Nice guys seem to run it and everything they offer is affordable. Personally, I’m a big fan of lessons mixed between solo practice, because teachers can help to accelerate the learning of key skills.

Main Street Music Shop located in Streetsville, Mississauga offers instruments, retail sales, lessons and repairs

Main Street Music Shop located in Streetsville, Mississauga offers instruments, retail sales, music lessons and repairs. It brings you the best in musical instruments from guitars and drums to violins and music production.
mainstmusic.ca mainstmusic.ca

Sometimes having a little puff will help you to hear things differently and it might help grasp certain techniques you were struggling with previously. I know it helps me hear music and put sounds together in a much more intuitive way.
 
^will also add based on this, formalized learning from a teacher is also good, I also initially started out taking lessons from a good teacher, afterwards the learning became more informal, I was able to pick up stuff by ear, or I had friends who were really good and I would watch them or ask them to show me certain moves etc

Eventually I would just youtube or hear something dope on soundcloud and be able to learn it in a day or 2 of constant practicing
 
Perishable skills….I regret not keeping up with practice for the piano. I gave little concerts when I was a kid….can hardly play anything now. I do remember having a sadist as a piano teacher though and that didn’t help. I have a Casio keyboard lying around that I should play with.
 
My grandfather had a dance band and played every saturday night somewhere ( years ago when that was a thing) , dad could play 6-7 instruments , hand him something and in about 20mins he would paly you a song. Apparently it skips a generation. I cant play a note. 6 yrs of guitar lessons and the teacher told me to save my money and just buy records .
 
jc100 said:
Perishable skills….I regret not keeping up with practice for the piano. I gave little concerts when I was a kid….can hardly play anything now. I do remember having a sadist as a piano teacher though and that didn’t help. I have a Casio keyboard lying around that I should play with.
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I will see your sadistic piano teacher and raise you father.
 
I have one of Gordon Lightfoots bandmates living on my street. Grumpy mofo and each time I’ve tried to say hello he’s been in a bad mood so I stopped trying.

I’ve done the lesson thing before and while the guy was good and patient….just didn’t click. Mind you I was 15 years younger.
 
Tiktok has a few content providers that show some engaging methods to learn some songs or scales or progressions that I found helpful.

Ive picked up some music books with tab to learn along with an artists album.

And lastly, YouTube has been helpful and discouraging at the same time. You see the talent of some folks and you think why bother. Lol.

John5, PhilX, Tim Pearce vids have been very informative.


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By 17 (began at 8y/o) I'd finished RCOM grade 10 piano and grade 2 theory, due to a very persistent and extremely annoying mother. I hated every second of it, but she wouldn't let me quit, no matter how many times I told her she didn't love me.
Being tone deaf doesn't help. I was always in awe when someone with no training could sit at a piano, listen to a song on the radio, and play it. Something I couldn't and still can't do. I could read sheet music, and play anything. I taught myself how to play every brass instrument in high school, and usually sat in on tuba, in the HS band.
Piano and typing go hand in hand. Gr12, I took typing for a credit. Record setting wpm. Teacher insisted I had taken typing lessons before, (which I had not) and gave me a 50% grade......f 'n *****....lol.
I bought a Yamaha DGX 620 about 10yrs ago. My right hand seems to remember, but my left hand is confused. The bass clef has escaped my memory. I know with a little practice it'll come back to me. It's been 50 years.
 
@Gary you just described me to a tee! LOL...my musical doppelganger... I always wanted to learn the drums (when I was born, my brother was 20 and he played drums in a band that toured around Ontario), then guitar...nope, had to be piano...lessons every Saturday morning and practicing fo an hour every night took the joy out of it...in high school, wanted to play trombone, but didn't have the lung capacity to do so, so I went with the clarinet...same thing for me in typing...had top speed in WPM, yet teacher thought for sure, I had taken it before...I should go pull out the acoustic and strum a few strings :D 🎼🎹🥁🎷🎺🎻
 
me, another wannabe guitarist with absolutely zero musical sense (I got booted out of the school choir for destroying the chorus accompaniment), may be this LED thingy from Samsung will bring a fresh lease to my musical ambition.
www.engadget.com

Samsung's latest C-Lab projects include a smart guitar with LED guides

As it does every year around this time, Samsung has unveiled its C-Lab incubator projects for CES 2022.
www.engadget.com www.engadget.com
 
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