[Tenshi]

So come to find out, turning your amp up to volume 10, same on the guitar, setting the amp to the lead drive setting, and dropping your knuckle down all six strings?

Yeah... Ow.

Oh, but learning to play guitar without any instruction, help, or (most annoyingly) a guitar pick is going fairly well otherwise. Does anyone here play guitar/bass?
_________________
. Dubbed "Usagi" by AsA .
Keeper of the Siderean Swords

"If by chance some day you're not feeling well, and you should remember some silly thing I've said or done, and it brings back a smile to your face or a chuckle to your heart, then my purpose as your clown has been fulfilled."
Red Skelton

[Allicat]

I have a guitar but am badly, and I mean awfully out of practise! I'm hoping to re-learn over summer by teaching myself (my old teacher was useless!) but it's my brother who's really the guitar nut. He got his own back on a noisy flatmate at 3am by borrowing a friend's concert amp and blasting his way through the noisiest of his repertiore!
_________________
He who does not eat cheese will go mad. ~ French proverb.

Keeper of the fallen leaves. 'Cos they're still pretty.

[YatesOfYore]

I play and I taught myself - best way to do it is just learn how to play songs that you like rather than just learning random chords. There are plenty of free sites online that have many popular songs all tabbed out for you.

I am, however, dreadfully out of practice. And my tuner went missing and I SUCK at tuning on my own so both my guitars are way off. Maybe I'll ask for a tuner for my birthday...
_________________
Keeper of Nanashi's Vambraces and the Amethyst Trees.

PS: Don't panic! I changed my username - I'm not an impostor!

[Nem]

I keep meaning to learn. Got my dad's old guitar at home and god only knows I've got enough time with my boring uni lectures that I don't go to these days I just have no concept of what the tabs translate to as to where my fingers should be so it's a bit difficult
I swear they should make a book that just has the different notes written out on a musical scale and a picture underneath showing you where your fingers should actually go for it.
_________________
Never forget,
We stroll along the roof of hell
Gazing at flowers.
- Issa

[Asa]

Guess what, Nem - they do! It's called instruction books for children, and my brother had a stack of them when he was taking guitar lessons years ago. Unfortunately, he's not really that musical, so he gave it up after a year or so, but we kept the books. We always keep books, they might be useful at some later date. Kept my old piano books, for instance, and last year a friend wanted to learn piano, so we gave them to her. And my old flute books, with the same result.

Anyway, my mother used to play guitar, and she's got a beautiful one we store down in the basement. Last year I decided I wanted to learn to play something that I could sing with (it's a bit difficult on the flute), so I sat down to teach myself. That lasted two days. I guess I'm just not that interested in guitar, flute really is my first love. Though I neglect it awfully...
_________________
Self-styled Forum Grandmother, because I hand out nicknames and hugs whether you want them or not. ^_^

Keeper of the Library and the Gateway to Haven

Nem: "It's the sort of face you just know is getting ready to poke you with something sharp."
BS: "...then insist you eat a brownie."
__________________
If we shadows have offended,
Think but this and all is mended...
Give me your hands if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.

[Tenshi]

@LadyYates: I have a similar problem, in that I have a tuner but can't make the strings go where I want on the scale. Some of the songs I'm trying to learn may be the problem, though... I guess Chevelle isn't a good place to start? lol

@Nem: I use a site called "ultimate guitar" (www.ultimate-guitar.com) which gives, to me, pretty easy to read guitar tabs. From what I understand, when you're holding the guitar and the neck is facing to your left, you count from the first fret (little place between metal bars on the neck) down, for the finger positions. Example!

[Tenshi]

Sorry for the double post, poodle me if it is in order!

You know how there's a section for art, and a section for writing? Maybe we should do a section for "artists and writers learning to play guitar" ? Eh? Eh?! Eh... yeah, lol, maybe nobody wants to hear my wild flailing on an otherwise nice electric guitar... lol

But hey, it is an idea. I dunno of any sites that let people upload audio clips, other than a file sharing site. Then there's the problem of actually capturing the audio! On the other hand, it really would be cool to hear some of the instruments that we're all playing on. Each instrument has it's own personality, even identical brands and models seem so different from one another, after many years of use.

Right now I'm using a Washburn Shadow series, with a Fender amp. I have an alternate Peavey amp, but my Fender amp has a bit more built-in distortion effects, and I don't have any extra gear to do that. The guitar sounds awesome, which was proved to me today when I came home from shopping to find my dad jamming out on my guitar (I left it hooked up, but powered off).

Yep, when he can sound like the local rock station, and I'm struggling to pull of a few notes, it's kind of disheartening... Anyhow! What are you all playing?
_________________
. Dubbed "Usagi" by AsA .
Keeper of the Siderean Swords

"If by chance some day you're not feeling well, and you should remember some silly thing I've said or done, and it brings back a smile to your face or a chuckle to your heart, then my purpose as your clown has been fulfilled."
Red Skelton

[Asa]

Mostly I play my vocal chords, but I also play flute. Currently, my voice is in much better practice than my flute. >.<
_________________
Self-styled Forum Grandmother, because I hand out nicknames and hugs whether you want them or not. ^_^

Keeper of the Library and the Gateway to Haven

Nem: "It's the sort of face you just know is getting ready to poke you with something sharp."
BS: "...then insist you eat a brownie."
__________________
If we shadows have offended,
Think but this and all is mended...
Give me your hands if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.

[Allicat]

I'm making it my project over the summer to learn a song for all my friends and play them as birthday presents. Either that or I may pluck up the courage to do a teensy open night ... can't see that happening though 0_0
_________________
He who does not eat cheese will go mad. ~ French proverb.

Keeper of the fallen leaves. 'Cos they're still pretty.

[Asenath83]

*dies laughing* You guys are creepy. Many years ago I wanted to learn to play but things like life and death (literally) got in the way and I had an electric guitar waiting in the attic for several years before a friend's little brother started his guitar lesson. When it was clear he would stick with it and wanted to go electric (he started on an acoustic) I let him use mine till he could afford his own.

So the boy is 15 now and founded a metal band, first album is finished, just needs a clean recording. Sadly the guitar has a warped neck now and due to its quality there isn't much that could be done. Ah well.

Anyway, about 10 years after my first attempt I have made a lot of friends who can play, and I thought "*** it, I can do this!" Aforementioned not-so-little boy recently made me aware of the existance of semi-acoustic guitars and my very own one is due to arrive at some point between tomorrow an next week.
_________________
Dubbed Yosef by Asa.
Because Asenath was Yosef's wife.

Keeper of Zaebos' glasses.