(Part 3) Top products from r/Guitar

A few things that have helped me with my songwriting that might also help you:

• If you come up with something that even sounds vaguely mediocre, record it! You might come up with something that at the time doesn't sound special, only later to listen to your recording and really dig it. don't let good ideas get away.
  
  
• come up with 3-4 chords to write the rest of the song around. You can use more chords, but 4 chords is a good start. I'd highly suggest looking a a key chart (included in link below) to see what chords fit in the key of your song. With some creativity you can chords outside the key, but a key/chord chart is an excellent starting point for coming up with chord progressions.
  
  https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/5f/d3/ff/5fd3ffb8940285beca8a39c744fad7d4.jpg
  
  
  
• Learn to play some of your favorite songs so you can see the behind the scenes music structure. You can learn a lot about chord progressions, song structures, successful key changes, and use of riffs by learning from famous songs.
  
  
• I find it easier to write lyrics after you've already come up with a vocal melody. Just hum some gibberish until you have a melody that sounds good. Once you have a strong melody, just let it bounce around in your head and see if any words start to stick to it. Write down whatever comes to you, whether you think its good or not. I'd also say don't set out to write to write a song about a specific subject matter, let the song decide what its about.
  
  
• There is one songwriting book that I absolutely recommend, Rikky Rooksby's How to Write Songs on Guitar. I bought that book 9 years ago and to this day still refer to it from time to time. It is backed with incredibly helpful information. Rooksby's other books Songwriting Sourcebook, Chord Master (the absolute best chord book IMO) are also incredibly helpful for songwriting.
  
  https://www.amazon.com/How-Write-Songs-Guitar-Expanded/dp/0879309423/ref=la_B001K87RIO_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1502982573&sr=1-1
  
  
• If you want to improve your lyrics, listen to Bob Dylan. IMO he is the best lyricist in music and you will get better at writing lyrics just through osmosis.
  

The F310 plays perfectly well, but it definitely sounds like a student instrument. The big difference is the top - the FG800 has a solid spruce top and a sophisticated bracing system, while the F310 uses a laminate top with simpler bracing. The FG800 sounds richer, more balanced and has better sustain.

It's entirely your decision, but I think you'll be happy with the FG800 for longer, particularly if you get into fingerstyle playing. If you're on a tight budget, then there's absolutely nothing wrong with the F310 - it's a perfectly good guitar, you just might outgrow it sooner than the FG800.

If you're just starting out, the only accessories you really need are some picks and a good quality tuner. The tuner is optional, because there are lots of good smartphone apps. Avoid cheap unbranded tuners, because they're inaccurate and unreliable - stick with a Snark clip-on or a smartphone app to avoid frustration.

You'll want a case if you're taking your guitar to lessons or jam sessions, but I'd strongly recommend a hard case rather than a gig bag. Soft padded bags are fine for electrics, but they don't provide enough protection for acoustics. If you're just playing at home, a case is optional as long as you've got somewhere safe to keep your guitar - under the bed is a good choice.

Regarding learning material, everyone around here recommends JustinGuitar and for good reason. He's a fantastic teacher, he covers everything from total novice to expert and it's all completely free.

You can get a "bundle" that has everything you're describing (except pedals/effects-- but I'll get to that in a minute) for around your budget price. You just have to figure out which type of guitar to get. If you're into country, then you need a Telecaster type guitar. If you're into rock then you need a Les Paul type or Stratocaster type. If you're a metal guy... I can't help you because I don't know what's appropriate for that, other than it won't be a Telecaster.

Okay, so here's a Telecaster bundle on Amazon. It includes the guitar and a Fender Lunchbox containing a clip-on tuner, string winder, picks, strap, and strings:

https://www.amazon.com/Fender-Affinity-Telecaster-Beginner-Electric/dp/B07B53YQ3Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1537075140&sr=8-2&keywords=squier+affinity+telecaster+bundle

The cost is only $233.60. That doesn't include an amp, however. Here's a Frontman 10 watt amp for $60.00:

https://www.amazon.com/Fender-Frontman-Electric-Guitar-Amplifier/dp/B001L8PIFW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537075410&sr=8-1&keywords=fender+frontman+15g

Total cost is around $300.

Here's a Stratocaster style guitar bundle that includes Squier Guitar, 15 Watt Guitar amplifier, picks, Cable, and strap. All it's missing compared to the above is a clip on tuner. (They're cheap.)

This might be appropriate because this Strat has a "humbucking" pickup in the bridge. That means it has an aggressive rock sound like a Les Paul, but also has all the other sounds a Strat is famous for. It's appropriate for rock, blues, and some country. The amp is more powerful than the one listed above, and has better controls. Both amps have headphone jacks, though, so you can use it in your bedroom without disturbing the rest of the house or apartment.

This bundle is $300.00.

If your guitar hero play Les Pauls (e.g., Slash, etc.) here's an Epiphone bundle which includes a genuine Les Paul Special-II LTD guitar featuring two classic humbucker pickups and a 10-watt Electra guitar amp with a 10ft guitar cable, a clip-on headstock chromatic tuner, a guitar strap, medium picks, and an easy-to-carry gig bag. And best of all for new players, the Les Paul Player Pack comes with free downloadable guitar lessons from media.

Here it is in vintage sunburst:

https://www.amazon.com/Epiphone-PPEG-EGL1VSCH1-Electric-Package-Sunburst/dp/B00A6D50L0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537076037&sr=8-1&keywords=epiphone+les+paul+bundle

And here it is in bad-ass black:

https://www.amazon.com/Epiphone-Electric-Guitar-Player-Package/dp/B00AGJKKH8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1537076037&sr=8-3&keywords=epiphone+les+paul+bundle

Not only is this guitar bundle cheaper than the ones above (it's only $250) it also includes a padded "gig bag" case for the guitar, so it's a really good deal.

You asked about guitar pedals and effects. Buying a full complement of those would add up to a lot of money. Here's an alternative: the Zoom G1Xon and G1on. This is a single stomp box pedal that has basically every effect there is built-in. It can make whatever amp you get sound similar to famous expensive amps (within reason), plus it has all the effects like reverb, delay, compression, chorusing, flanging, etc, etc. Basically multiple models of every effect you could think of. The Zoom G1on is $60. The Zoom G1Xon is the same pedal, but attached to it is a foot pedal so it can sound like a "wah-wah", or be a volume pedal, as well as other effects. It costs $80.

Here's the G1on

https://www.amazon.com/Zoom-G1Xon-Guitar-Effects-Expression/dp/B00IOSJ68C/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1537076414&sr=8-2-fkmr2&keywords=g1%2Bon%2Bzoom%2Bpedal&th=1

And here's the G1Xon:

https://www.amazon.com/Zoom-G1Xon-Guitar-Effects-Expression/dp/B00IOSJ72M/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1537076414&sr=8-2-fkmr2&keywords=g1+on+zoom+pedal

I have a recording studio and a million stomp boxes and other effects pedals, but I bought a G1Xon just because it looked like fun-- and it was! I love it!

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Good luck with your purchase, my friend. I hope I have been of help to you with all this info!

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Ableton is a great DAW and is my preferred software choice for recording/editing.

You can use the TASCAM to capture your performances and transferring those .wav files into Ableton for editing but you'll have a much better experience recording directly into your computer.

You can go a few different routes here. You can pick up an audio interface that accepts an XLR connection for a proper microphone like a Presonus Audiobox and an SM57 which will allow you to capture as good a single channel signal as you can really get outside of a big recording studio.

OR you can go with something cheaper like a Blue Snowball USB microphone. These things actually sound surprisingly good and have multiple settings for directional and omni modes for different situations.

Once you have a way of capturing audio directly into Ableton you can start building up your songs layer by layer. Experiment with things like EQ and compression/delay/etc to make your guitar tracks sound nicer. There are built in patched in Ableton for EQ like "Acoustic Guitar" or "Electric Guitar" and just dragging one of those onto your channel will be a great place to start.

That's a skill in and of itself but you have to start somewhere so start experimenting.

When starting out applying EQ to tracks I'd start this way :

• Solo the track so you're only listening to the single layer
  
  
• Create a single EQ filter with a high Q value so it creates a really sharp and thin "peak" and drag it upwards so it's amplifying a very narrow band of frequencies quite a bit.
  
  
• Drag that "peak" left and right while the audio is playing and listen for something that jumps out at you as unpleasant. Now drag the peak DOWN to bring those frequencies down in the mix to remove whatever harshness you discovered. Bring down the Q value to make that trough a bit wider and smoother.
  
  Do that 3 or 4 times on a channel and you'll have something that sounds a bit nicer. If you do too much it'll sound hollow and empty so make subtle adjustments as much as possible. Don't dump that "bad frequency" all the way to the bottom, just bring it down a little bit so it doesn't jump out at you.
  
  You won't be creating drastically new tones this way, just polishing them so they sound nicer.
  
  Having a good pair of headphones or even some inexpensive studio monitors will also be extremely helpful so you can accurately hear what you're producing.
  
  Use the built-in metronome and record with headphones (so the click doesn't get picked up by the microphone) to keep things tight.
  
  Once you've finished your audio and it's how you like it THEN film your video and just play along with the click. Don't use any audio from the video recording and just pair the two back up in editing.

You'll get a lot of recommendations for the free stuff for JustinGuitar, Andyguitar or https://syngates.com.

Supplement these theory lessons with Rocksmith 2014 (PC or gaming machine) which'll help you with mechanics in a FUN(!) way as you learn from famous licensed songs. They add songs every Tuesday (Shania Twain pack was released today for example). There's currently over 1000 songs. The software also has ways to slow down songs, play impromptu with a "band" and do mini-games to improve your muscle memory/technique/chord knowledge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NWZR3rh06c&list=PLkTijIFpb637_jSnwBpwghkRIQrNanu3t

You can also get a cheap but great sounding "bedroom amp" like the Blackstar Fly 3 Bluetooth for practice (you WON'T do better for the money). Btw, Bluetooth is great for passing thru backing tracks from your phone/computer.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=fly+3+bluetooth

Once you evolve to the point where you want to use different effects, you can get the much adored Zoom G1xon (again best in class) for less than $80 and mate it to the Fly 3 (it includes a Looper, Drum Machine, Metronome and Tuner to help with your practicing):

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=zoom+g1xon

Get a Dunlop sampler pick pack off Amazon to find the pick you like most for your fingers. Also stick with around 10-46 area for string gauges or something more unique like the GHS Gilmours which have purposely THINNER gauges in the middle for easier bending (the 10.5-50 set is specifically designed by Gilmour himself for Gibby guitars).

STRINGS:

https://www.amazon.com/GHS-Strings-GB-DGG-Signature-Nickel-Plated/dp/B001I51JNS/ref=sr_ph_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520372995&sr=sr-1&keywords=ghs+gilmour

PICKS:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0055VBYWC/ref=twister_B00IPH8MD2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

TUNER (this is best in class, VERY responsive chip):

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UniTuneClip--tc-electronic-unitune-clip-clip-on-chromatic-tuner

work through the original Aaron Shearer books (I linked book 1, there are 3, you should at least go through the first two and maybe some of the supplemental ones) . If your classical technique is decent then you will breeze through them pretty quickly but you might pick up a few subtle things like playing rest-stroke with your thumb at the same time as free-stroke with your fingers and vice-versa. Once you are good there there are two books you should buy: Pumping Nylon for the various exercises it has. They are very good if you play them regularly. Then buy The Library of Guitar Classics. It is a big spiral bound book of repertoire that looks like a lot of those piano-rep books. It has music ranging from easy to very hard and from the renaissance period all the way through the romantic era with pieces by Tarrega and Albeniz. There is a lot of really good rep in there. There is also a second volume of the book that is almost as good. When it comes to more modern music buy the Villa-Lobos book and work through some of that stuff. It is a great book that was edited by - if I remember correctly - Frederick Noad. There are also some really good books with the complete Bach cello/lute suites (although some of that can be found in the books I already mentioned).

If you REALLY want to kick your ass, see if you can dig up a copy of the Abel Carlevaro right hand book. It is like the Giuliani 120 studies on steroids. I have never struggled that hard to play an arpeggio in my life! I think it is this book but I am not sure. I had a really old photo-copy of it and I don't know where it came from.

a lot of those bands use guitars like Les Pauls and SGs with a HH pick up configuration. i personally would point you toward the epiphone Les Paul or SG. They are made from mahogany which will give you a darker sound for heaver stuff. http://amzn.com/B007AGR6KE this is an epiphone SG that would kick ass for your first guitar or a cheaper one here http://amzn.com/B0002D01IG that would work alright, on the les paul side here is a great one http://amzn.com/B0002CZURO
but for a cheaper one i would recommend this one http://amzn.com/B0002CZUV0 . however, the same guitar comes with a bundle with an amp and everything to get you started for 200$ here http://amzn.com/B00A6D50L0 . also because your going to be getting into guitars im going to point you to some places for you to learn how to to play and reliable places to buy stuff from

for lessons http://www.justinguitar.com/

for guitar tabs http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/

to learn how to read a tab http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/lessons/for_beginners/how_to_read_tabs.html?no_takeover

places to buy stuff

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/

http://www.zzounds.com/

http://amazon.com/ <it works but i would not use it as my primary for guitar stuff

also try to stay away from guitar center until you have a good knowledge base or they might just rip you off. Sam ash is a good store and any localy owned shop will probably do you good. if you live in the Atlanta GA area i highly recommend Ken Stanton Music but they only have 5 stores :(

oh yeah also your going to need to replace guitar strings when you do buy one (well you don't need to but i would do it) so here is a video on how to do that http://youtu.be/DrLKlJS1wEo . now your going to have to buy new strings at some point. The 2 brands i highly recommend is daddario and erine ball (i personally like daddario) a pack of string from them is like 5-6$. now strings come in different sizes for beginners i would recommend a set of 9s like these http://amzn.com/B0002H0A7E or these http://amzn.com/B0002M6CW6 . just follow the video on how to replace strings and you will be good.

you will need a tuner also. for a beginner i would get on that clips on the head stock like this one http://amzn.com/B005MR6IHK also with that you need to learn what notes to tune a guitar to E standard tuning is EADGBE (Eddie Ate Dynamite Good Bye Eddie) but with your music taste you are going to need to learn E flat and Drop D aswell. E flat is (Eb,Ab,Db,Gb,Bb,Eb) and drop D is just E standard with the 6th string tuned down to D (DADGBE). any way that should be enough to push you in the right direction for learning guitar. hope it works out for you. if you have questions you can just PM me or something.

You can't buy a factory made classical guitar that is truly high quality. Yamaha makes great beginning classical guitars. I wouldn't pay over $500 for anything with a "brand name," if you're looking for a nice classical then start looking for luthiers or a dealer in your area that sells luthier guitars(either should let you try their guitars before you buy).


D'addario Pro-Arte strings are generally regarded as the all-around best classical guitar strings, and fortunately they're also the cheapest. Go with normal or hard tension if you like more resistance.


The book Pumping Nylon is a great technical resource for classical guitarists at any level.
http://www.amazon.com/Pumping-Nylon-Scott-Tennant/dp/088284721X

http://www.amazon.com/Library-Guitar-Classics-willard-Series/dp/0825614759/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y

^ Volume 1 and 2 of that guitar classics book are great for finding rep out of, they have great music from different eras, composers, and difficulties.


More specifically, studies by Sor, Carcassi, or Brouwer are great for beginning pieces. You can move from there to pieces by Tarrega, Villalobos, possibly some easier Bach like BWV999 or Cello Suite#1. Really anything you want. For best results, seek our recordings and videos of well-renowned(not just some shmuck on youtube) guitarists. Use these to make sure you're not playing wrong notes, inspire your own interpretation, and possibly steal their fingerings if it's a video.

Hey man, would like to chime in as a broke student who likes to record his own music too :)

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All you need is a DAW, an interface, a computer and a mic (if you wanna record vocals):

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DAW: for this, I would fully fully recommend trying out Reaper. It's free to download. There is a 60-day trial period for the software but even if you don't wanna buy it (or can't), they don't stop you from using the software (fully functional without save and export limitations like other trials). Do support them once you are financially capable tho, a license costs only $60! They also have regular updates to fix any bugs and it is simple to use IMO

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Interface: Here is where you would want to spend a bit more. I recommend investing in a decent interface like a Focusrite Scarlett or Audient iD4. Your interface makes a world of difference and it's better to invest in something better now that lasts than having to buy multiple over a long period. Try to get something with at least 2 channels and decent I/O conncetivity (e.g. MIDI if you plan to venture into that)

​

Computer: Any computer will work as long as it's not too old. Unless you run a lot of plugins that are taxing on your system, you should generally be fine. Reaper also happens to consume very little processing power so that helps too.

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Microphone: This only applies if you plan to record vocals or mic your amplifier. If you do get a mic, go for an SM57. They are affordable, readily available and used in big budget studios around the world and are incredibly versatile. Just remember you will have to get a mic stand as well. Decent ones cost around $20-30.

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I hope this helps and do feel free to ask me anything you're not sure about! I know it can be financially daunting and technically confusing; I've been there myself

Okay then what I would do is buy a guitar headphone amp they are cheap like less then $20 USD, and plug it into the out for the fx loop, and your headphones into that. This only utilizes the preamp portion of you amp but it is probably the most cost effective. If you do this and the guitar headphone amp has a gain option turn that all the way down. A similar option to this would be to plug your fx out into a DAW or some kind of audio mixer this would also give you the option to record yourself on a computer without being effected by room acoustics. If you want to you can use the other output but that will damage your headphones unless you buy a line level converter. Then the analog from the converter to a headphone amp, and from there to your headphones. This would require you to do some simple wireing, but hey if your up for it why not try.
I also want you to make sure you know the people on this thread including me are NOT professionals and you should do you own research and only do what you feel comfortable doing with your money and equipment.
If you would like to do more research here is a good place to start.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_level
Also here are links to example of the things I mentioned
Guitar headphone amp - Monoprice 611500 Mini Headphone Amplifier for Guitar, Clean https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AJHE5E6/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_95ZExbPNDRWFP
Electro-Harmonix Headphone Amp Portable Practice Amp https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003UIBQEI/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_E6ZExb9S9N2V7
DAW - Focusrite Scarlett Solo (2nd Gen) USB Audio Interface with Pro Tools | First https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E6T56CM/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_N7ZExbDTYTZC7
Mixer - Behringer Xenyx 302USB Mixer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005EHILV4/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_58ZExb4RMVW9V
Line level converter - PAC SNI-35 Variable LOC Line Out Converter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EAWS3W/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_O9ZExbPEZPHXN
Hope I helped in some way and hope you find your solution!

i actually think you should buy a cheap, but solid acoustic.

all electric music can be played on acoustic, the acoustic guitar is just clearer, you can hear each pitch sounding easier, which is amazing for your ear.

further, there are plenty of cheap acoustics, that sound great.

i have an entry level yamaha acoustic. i've had it for over a decade. great guitar.

here's one on amazon for $200:

https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-FG700S-Acoustic-Guitar-Natural/dp/B000FIZISQ/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

not saying this is the model for you, do your research. i haven't bought a guitar in over a decade, and don't know the best deals today.

edit:

you should go on youtube, and watch some accoustic covers of some electric songs you like. see if an acoustic's sound is acceptable for you. i don't know you. maybe you want to turn of the gain on an electric and wail. (nothing wrong with that)

It's always a good idea to try them out in person to see how they sit with you as if it's uncomfortable you won't want to practice with it. Since you said you can't, the MS model you're looking at looks like a good option. From what I can tell, the only difference is that it's matte finished which shouldn't be much of a difference at all compared to the S model. Yamaha makes some great instruments so I think you're safe with whichever you choose.

A tuner and picks are a must (in my opinion) but it's also nice to have a strap so you can practice standing up. A good beginners book that teaches you chords and some basic notation is also good to have around when starting out. This is a good one that will give you some structure when you practice.

Good luck!

Learning to read music is probably most important. While there is more and more classical repertoire available in tab, the tendency is to get stuck in someone else's fingerings. People talk about classical as being very rigid and set in its ways but the freedom to play a note wherever it works best for you is one of the great strengths of the guitar. This is something that tab can take away from you. The "correct" position that is variously so lauded and derided is - at least today - a compromise of ergonomics and technical requirements. The guitar is not a very ergonomic instrument so apparatus usually needs to be brought in to play in order to get it in the right position but this position varies considerably from player to player. The main concern is that the music is playable; much of it would not be without full control of technique. "Proper" position is something that takes years, even decades, to figure out, I know players in their 60's who will tell me "I found this new support that works with my footstool, now my height is nearly perfect!"

Resist the temptation to attempt pieces that are too advanced too soon. You're going to do it, every player is, but the frustration of moving so slowly with little to no results is dangerous. I've heard so many students come in and play Asturias or Bouree (or any of the other "standards") without any concept of the pieces in a musical sense. They play the right notes mostly but there is no division of melody and harmony, no concept of counterpoint, dynamics or anything else that makes this music brilliant. These students often become completely dejected when they are told by a teacher, jury or audition panel that they are not nearly as good as think they are, in so many words. The problem usually comes from a poorly structured education, either from themselves or teacher(s), and jumping into material they don't yet understand.

I would strongly recommend finding a good teacher because any one book is not enough (there are a few good ones like Aaron Shearer's Learning the Classic Guitar and Pumping Nylon) but none of them cover everything you need and there will be some contradictions. In order to learn most effectively, you must do so without confusion and error. If you learn a mistake or bad habit, it will be more difficult to fix later on than if you never learned it wrong in the first place. If you don't understand what you're doing or why, you won't get very far with it. In the absence of a good teacher, I would get as many reputable instruction/method books as you can and read them all thoroughly.

I recently setup my daughter with a budget recording rig. Here's kind of the basics:

Budget HP Laptop. Basically all you want is as much RAM as you can get (at least over 4GB). There's some good models to compare against yours here:
http://mscgr.com/best-budget-windows-laptop-for-recording-251711287

Instead of spending a bunch of money on an Audio Interface, I bought her a little Behringer Xenyx 302USB mixer that is also a USB interface. It gives her a few more options. I got her this one, which is under $50:
http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-302USB-BEHRINGER-XENYX/dp/B005EHILV4/

I gave her one of my favorite budget mics ($100). It is also a Behringer, known for shitty gear. But, surprisingly, this mic is pretty much one of the best pieces of gear Behringer made in the last 10 years, and sounds better than many mics 8x the price:
http://mscgr.com/best-budget-large-diaphragm-condenser-mic-211238444

For a DAW, I got her a copy of Reaper. Tip: It has a trial period, but the trial NEVER expires and you only have to deal with a nag screen that last a few seconds. It's VST, VSTi, SFZ, compatible. It's super intuitive and GREAT!
http://www.reaper.fm/

Hope that helps!

Ok so by the looks of it he's got the effects pedals covered, I would go for something else and let him get anther pedal on his own. These are my recommendations that will benefit his current setup.
This is a nice expensive version of this and this is a midway between the other two. These are power conditioners they will help his equipment operate more efficiently and quieter and will last decades(you can use them for home theatre use as well)
I would also recommend nice cables like these they are lifetime warranty. Here's another very useful maintenance kit that will last a very long time. If you pick the 110$ furman you can get all three.

I have a bottle of Dunlop Formula No. 65 Polish and Cleaner, it does a fantastic job. My guitar has a similar finish to yours and after wiping and buffing it for a couple of minutes it looks like it just came out from the store. I usually do it when I change the strings.

You can get the whole set for $20 on Amazon. You might as well get a bottle of lemon oil for your fretboard, it makes it a lot smoother and nicer to play. The Dunlop one is the cheapest last time I checked, but you might get a better deal by getting a bigger bottle of mineral oil which is pretty much the same thing.

Also read the instructions on the bottles, you don't want to damage the finish of your beautiful guitar.

It may sound cheesy but I couldn't do without [Rikky Rooksby's How to Write Music on Guitar] (http://www.amazon.com/How-To-Write-Songs-Guitar/dp/0879309423). He deconstructs 1000's of songs and groups them together. Then with the use of his charts you can easily find what you're trying to do. For instance, the other day I was working on a riff/chord structure that went from D to G. I thought, man I could use some sort of chorus-y bridge thing to break it up. I looked in the book, according to the chart, thats a I to IV. So I found other songs that go from I - IV and then I skim through turnarounds using I-IV reading the song titles. I found a section that said Boston More than a Feeling, Tracy Chapman Talking about a Revolution, Foo Fighters Never Forget, Libertines Cant Stand You Now, and I thought, yeah, kinda what I'm going for, so they used I-IV-VI-V, so my bridge now (going back to the chart) D-Bm-A, since that lands on the V it's strong, and conjures up some nice emotion.

That's an instance where I already had an idea. He also has great starting points, for instance, he notes that in his chart, chords from columns 7-9 combined with 1-6 have a harder edge. It's a formula, when used generically make a Rolling Stones/Bad Company/Black Crowes sound, when re-arranged form White Stripes sound (I-IV-V with these 3 flattened chords) - i.e. Broken Boy Soldier E-G-D-E (I-bIII-bVII-I) plus C-B-A-G (bVI-V-IV-bIII).

I copied the charts and the pages that list bands versus popular turnarounds and have it in my music book for quick reference. It's completely invaluable.

In terms of strength and flexibility - you have several options:

- use certain hand exercisers like this ( https://www.amazon.com/DAddario-Varigrip-Adjustable-Hand-Exerciser/dp/B001OCGGEM ) or smth similar, it really helps to get a grip.

- play and play rhythm guitar songs over and over, and over time it will become easier

- try to learn chord based songs on acoustic guitar, with hard and nasty chords (after acoustic switching to electric guitar is live going to Bahamas for vacation)

For me a good inspiration is Django Reinhardt ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQhTpgicdx4 ), he only had two fingers working properly due to fire accident, and still he had became a well-known guitarist in blues / jazz scene. When i fail in guitar i take inspiration from his courage and continue trying.

I started back up after a ~10 year hiatus and I went back to the book my old teacher had me working out of - William Leavitt's "A Modern Method for Guitar".

I'm putting more time in that when I was taking lessons, also I am being much more attentive to playing exactly what is written (letting notes ring out to their full value, not hitting other strings by accident, etc). It was slow going in the beginning, but I am making way better progress.

I did have a setback because when I got the DVD I was introduced to the "rest stroke" and decided to use it. I had to go back to the beginning and work on my technique because the picking style felt so different and I was so slow with it. Now I'm happy I did it because I feel like I have much better pick control than before.

This Yamaha gets amazing reviews and is $199. It's as good as it gets in the $200 range.

You'll want steel strings for most music, nylon for classical.

You're going to want to get picks and practice with them to get good. Picks are cheap so experiment with thickness to find one that is good for you. Justin Guitar from the sidebar has a great section on using a pick so I'd recommend watching that video.

You can go in a Guitar Center and play some of the guitars there but it might do you some good to find someone that already plays to go with you. Have that person play the various guitars in your price range so you can hear what each one sounds like. Ask for their feedback on what they like/don't like about each one.

If you can work it into you budget, I bought a Blackstar Fly3 recently and have been pretty happy with it. Not only will it work fine for quiet dorm room playing, it's a little nicer than an AmPlug and has more usability (road trip, camping, 2 person jam session with a ukulele, etc.). It has a headphone jack you can plug into, runs on batteries (or wall adapter), is the size of a lunchbox, and can be quiet enough to not disturb people if you don't want headphones in. I got the more expensive combo pack that comes with a second "cabinet" to plug in for stereo but have just been using the standalone for the most part. Pair that with your favorite budget guitar (like Squier CV or VM series, MexiFender, etc.) and you have a respectable one man jam unit.

I also brought a guitar to college and was terrible, though mine was a POS acoustic. If you don't want to show off, keep it out of sight and no one will ask you to. Actually, if you don't want any of your gear stolen, best to keep it out of sight anyway. People will steal things to sell for beer money.

As far as being that guy, as long as you don't pick up somebody else's guitar at a party and try to show off, you have nothing to worry about. Rule of thumb for the socially inept: if the party you're attending isn't a jam session and you aren't headlining as the evening's entertainment, don't turn it into a performance. If you ask yourself: "Does everyone want to hear me play a) a shitty version of Wonderwall or b) my entire catalog of 10 second long riffs from songs they might know?" The answer is neither. Always.

However, if you hit it off with a fellow guitarist and they offer to let you try out their rig, you can certainly play (quietly, respectfully). It's all about those social cues.

I suggest you take a look at "The Art of Contemporary Travis Picking: How to Play the Alternating Bass Fingerpicking Style" and consider picking up "Beginning Fingerstyle Blues Guitar" if that's what you're interested in. I have both of them and they helped me get a footing in the style - The former has a lot of great songs for you to learn that you can spin your own variations on and play around with, and there's a followup to it for when you get more advanced. Good luck!

>s there a point when a guitar gets too badly damaged that it can't be repaired in terms of humidity?

Yes, but it doesn't look like you're at that point. Stuff like that happens to old guitars that got left in a basement or an attic for years.

>should I leave it alone with a humidifier in my case?

Yes. Here's what the system looks like: https://www.amazon.com/DAddario-PW-HPK-01-Two-Way-Humidification-System/dp/B000OMG0KI It comes with a pouch to put in between the strings and a separate pouch to go under the headstock. The system uses gel packs that humidify the guitar. They last for a few months and then start to crystallize. You can buy replacement packs once they get dried up. You can still play the guitar but just make sure you leave those packs in the guitar in the closed case when you're not playing it. This will save your guitar from further damage and keep the setup good.

You're going into the winter months, so humidity is going to be crucial. The air gets very dry and can make things bad for your guitar if you don't stay on top of it. Here's what those hygrometers look like: pic. You can find these pretty much anywhere, a garden store, pet store, even Walmart. I prefer the analogue ones but you can find small digital ones that show temp as well.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

Looks like a presale leading up to black friday. I would assume that you'll probably find better deals closer too or on black friday.

However while taking a quick glance I did come across some Joyo Pedals that are a pretty good price right now; most of them are under $30.

These 2 stuck out in particular, as I've owned them in the past and they're pretty good quality pedals. Especially when considering the price point, they're well worth it.


Joyo Vintage Overdrive


Joyo Ultimate Drive

I mean, you can always buy one of the many many instructional books that are out there. Hal Leonard is a pretty well-known company, and it's probably good to have some kind of reference or learning books around for looking things up.

The other thing I'd suggest is basing it around the types of music or songs you want to learn. There's some super basic stuff that you should learn like keeping in tune, knowing the strings, basic open chords, etc; but beyond that it might be worth making a list of decently easy songs you want to learn and what techniques or concepts you'd need to learn to be able to play them.

When I started out (back in 2003 or so) I found a website that had a bunch of beatles tabs, and I learned chords and various types of playing styles to go with the songs I wanted to learn.

You would try taking some online courses from Berklee.

I'd also recommend getting Guitar Pro and dloading plenty of tabs from Ultimate-Guitar.com, since it's much easier than looking for old copies of Guitar for the Practicing Musician and such.

Lessons are good, but beware that you'll be made to concentrate on the fundamentals of music, which many pupils think is not related to playing guitar.

Finally, if you're learning to sight-read, probably good to start at the beginning, such as with the Hal Leonard Guitar Method set of books. If you're interested, I wrote a small python app that writes randomized music based on which notes you choose, so that you can get around the problem of having memorized the notes on the exercises (so that you are actually forced to sight-read). It works quite well, since it creates notation for only the notes you want, and coupled with the method books, is very useful for getting a good sense of sight-reading.

>I am aware that there is a difference between the two but I am not sure which one fits me.

On one had the difference between overdrive / distortion / fuzz / dirt / etc... is kind of meaningless. They all cause clipping / distortion to your signal. They all may do so a little differently.

My personal category is as follows.

Overdrive - Low to medium gain. Softer clipping. Often used for boosting and shaping EQ in desirable ways. Can add a little grit to a clean tone. Also popular to boost a dirty tone and send it over the edge. Examples are the Tubescreamer, Klon, Bluesbreaker, and Timmy.

Distortion - Medium to higher gain. More of a harder clipping. Most often used to provide its own distortion. More often used with a clean amp and significantly transforms the base tone. Sometimes has a wider range of tone shaping. Examples are the Boss DS-1, Fulltone OCD, JHS Angry Charlie, Suhr Riot.

>Any ideas of what brand I should look for or what pedal I should get?

Be aware that there are like 1.5 bazillion pedals out there. It also can be a heck of a rabbit hole. If you're just dipping your toes in, my personal recommendation would be to buy a Joyo Vintage Overdrive and a Joyo Ultimate Drive. That will cover your Tubescreamer overdrive style and an OCD distortion style. $60 for both. Build quality is decent. Sound quality is on par with any other clone.

I've been playing for 10 years, bought hundreds of pedals all across the price spectrum, and have built my own. At your level these two will serve you perfectly well.

ohh I see, but having a tuner would really help too (since I suck at tuning anything else besides standard tuning). Yep, shapes, sizes, and thickness. I usually get these so I could get all the picks (since I switch picks depending on what genre I play and how comfortable I am while using it.). I'm not really a good guitar player since I also just recently started (I used to play the bass though), so I'm just sharing whatever I've learned from every guitarist I know.

You don't need to know theory to write music. It's certainly useful, but it is by no means a necessity. You probably know more theory than you realize. There are likely various patterns and things that you recognize as common, you just don't have a name for it. A lot of music theory is just giving names to those things.

If you're looking for a good resource to get you going, I recommend Tom Kolb's Music Theory for Guitarists book. It's basically a crash course on A LOT of theory subjects. It's far from the most in depth look at any of the topics involved, but it does a great job of immediately relating everything to the guitar.

I also recommend Rikky Rooksby's How to Write Songs On Guitar. This book is a flat out classic of guitar and songwriting instruction.

Not a fake book but in my opinion one of the best song book purchases I've ever made: http://www.amazon.com/Beatles-Complete-Scores/dp/0793518326

It's pricey but it has the score for every Beatles song. It's not 100% accurate but it's pretty good a lot of the time.

I would write down ur different modes and scales and then buy the D’addario hand exerciser to improve your hand strength and use ur fingers the same way you would with ur scales, so it will help u memorize all them.

Here’s an Amazon link to the product: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001OCGGEM/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1527557035&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=guitar+finger+strengthener&dpPl=1&dpID=31TKcbhXr5L&ref=plSrch

Came here to talk about Joyo Pedals. I purchased the Ultimate Drive in June and have been really happy with it. They're currently going for $29.99 new.

These pedals have a bit of controversy around them, when a company passed them off as $170 boutique pedals.

Either way, its basically a Fulltone OCD clone, which is a nice sounding overdrive pedal.


Also, if this pedal is truly being used for science, you may also want to consider the technical differences between distortion and overdrive pedals. Again, I don't know if this is relevant to you or not. Joyo makes distortion pedals too. Some consider the differences negligible.

As a guitar enthusiast and musician, I like the idea of having a fulltone OCD clone, into what some consider to be Fender American clone. There's a bit of a poetic irony there. A chinese manufactured duplicate installed into a chinese manufactured duplicate. Also, I'm not knocking chinese made guitar equipment, if anything I'm a fan.

edit:format, sp, add context

Save some money and buy a Yamaha, I love mine. It easily stands with more expensive guitars, I wouldn't really be able to upgrade unless I went above $700 or so. Spend what you save on some good lesson books.

Thanks! The most robust book I can think of off the top of my head is Pumping Nylon. It's a great publication with loads of exercises.

Having said that, if you have the patience the most enjoyable way is to learn classical pieces. I understand that sheet music is hurdle (or deterrent) for lots of folks. I used to sit down with a legend for standard notation and mostly rely on the ear!

Not lame at all. When I was in high school I was obsessed with The Pillows. Probably because of FLCL. Learned pretty much that whole score. If you're a new player, though, you might want to consider getting something like a $100 usb audio interface that you can plug your guitar into and use your computer to model an amp. Unless you plan on playing with a band - then you'd need a real amp.

Example of Audio Interface for under $100

AmpliTube Free for making your guitar sound awesome through your computer

Get a Yamaha-FG700S for around $200, and have it professionally setup by a technician for around $50-75. Pretty much tried and true, has the best reviews, and is the perfect entry level guitar.

The Yamaha F310 is one of the better beginner acoustics; it's a really solid instrument for £100 but it is the kind of guitar you 'grow out of'. You will want to upgrade at some point, so it might make sense to skip this level entirely.

At the lower end, every little extra you can spend will make a huge difference to the quality of the instrument you get. If you can step up to £250, the Yamaha FG700s is pretty much the undisputed king of this price range. It's awesome for the money. Demo here. It's about the leasto amount of money you can spend and still get a 'proper' acoustic; the kind that won't hold you back.

£400 goes to the Seagull s6, which punches way above it's price range. Made in Canada too.

Above that is lower end Martin/Taylor/Gibson territory - the Taylor Big Baby is a favourite of mine if you ever get a chance to check one out.

A Yamaha FG700S will probably do the trick for you. At $200 it leaves you with an extra hundred dollars to buy strings/straps etc. It was my first acoustic guitar and sounds really good for the price. Another option would be a Takamine G Series G340. I personally do not own this guitar but have played many of them at guitar center and seem to be a decent guitar for beginners. They sit at $250 so they will be a little more expensive than the yamaha. I hope this helps and have fun getting into guitar!
Yamaha-http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-FG700S-Acoustic-Guitar/dp/B000FIZISQ
Takamine-http://www.amazon.com/Takamine-G340-Dreadnought-Acoustic-Natural/dp/B000EENFD6

Here, use this. There is NO reason you should be going into the line in on your pc for Christ's sake. It's got such low headroom you'll clip almost always. This setup doesn't come with a mic, but you can plug your guitar into it and get a cheap condenser mic on craigslist. If you're playing acoustic guitar and singing, then just buy this usb mic. Good luck!

Edit:The term you were looking for was "interface", not "preamp", which is why you got solutions that aren't going to work well.

I am going to go against the grain here and suggest the Blackstar Fly 3

It's a battery-powered 3 watt mini amp that actually sounds really good for what it is. The overdrive might not get you all the way to full metal sound, and it's only a 3 inch speaker, but i think it would be a good choice in your price range until you can save up for a real amp. Check out some demos of it on youtube and see if it interests you.

I'd recommend picking up a humidity meter and one of these. 45-55% is the right spot for a guitar if I remember right - the D'addario system maintains quite well right around 50% anytime I check the case.

When you aren't playing it keep the guitar in the case with the packets. You can probably find ways to do it for cheaper but this is a super easy way. I'm still on my first set of those humidity packets and I got them in December. Keep the case closed when the guitar is out so they'll last longer.

For acoustic guitars especially keeping proper humidity is a big deal. I neglected this for a while and just happen to be lucky to live in a place where the humidity is mostly in the right range. However if we have an extra dry/rainy few days the ambient humidity can swing from 30-80% and I definitely notice the effect on the guitars if I leave them out. An old roommate of mine had a guitar that was totally f'ed up from not being humidified properly.

If you have any issues with your guitar, give it a week or so in an environment w/ the proper humidity. That may resolve the issues without you taking an unnecessary trip to a repair shop.

I'm lucky enough to keep my guitar in my office so I get about 45 minutes of practice each day on my lunch break.

There's a great app called Functional Ear Trainer that is really helpful for training your ear to better identify intervals. I highly recommend it.

You could try one of those finger exercisers (like this one). I'm not certain how well they actually work, but I've seen a decent amount of people who like them.

It's already been said, but you can never go wrong with listening to music. Try exploring bands and genres you don't normally listen to.

Lots of other ideas here.

I use this book to teach all of my students how to read. Then I supplement with some basic sheet music I create of a popular song that they like that they use to help them sightread the melody. :)

If just want to play into you computer, the quarter to eighth inch jack will certainly work. However, if you want improved audio quality you can purchase, as mentioned by the guy above me, and audio converter that plugs in via USB to you computer. The two leading units are probably the scarlet 2i2 or the audiobox usb. They both pretty much do the same thing.

Can I make my setup sound more like The Offspring?

I have a Les Paul Special-II with a generic 10W amped along with a Rat2 Distortion Pedal.

The sound I'm after is kind of like the intro of this song

Can someone recommend me settings or new equipment? Thank you!

DUDE! I HAVE THE PERFECT SOLUTION. GHS make this product called "fast-fret". I clean my strings before I play with this and they feel really new always, if you keep it up. Sound diminishes over time; but at least I get more time to play.

http://www.amazon.com/GHS-A87-Fast-Fret-String-Cleaner/dp/B0002D0CQC

If you can, order both of these packs and play all of them, then just pick the ones you like the most and stick with them.

I found that for picking, the usual jazz III is very good, although I also liked the Ultex picks. I preferred very light picks for strumming since they don't make as much clacking sound when hitting the strings.

If you're looking for help writing songs and coming up with riffs, I would highly recommend How to Write Songs on Guitar by Rikky Rooksby. It covers so much more than other songwriting books, and I haven't been able to find anything that even comes close to it.

http://www.amazon.com/How-To-Write-Songs-Guitar/dp/0879309423

Also, take a look at the musician's institute books. IMO, they have been consistently putting out the best books.

http://www.halleonard.com/promo/promo.do?promotion=230001&subsiteid=7

http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Contemporary-Travis-Picking/dp/0936799005/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395775616&sr=8-1&keywords=mark+hanson

Best beginning book I found when starting out and encourages use of the ring finger like you described. With practice it will get you going.

A basic USB mixer like this Behringer (with external power supply) should handle the monitor switching. Mackie (not USB until it's around $300) and Alesis are higher end (better featured, sounding, durable) and will cost around 3x as much. Plug the computer via USB (the mixer is now your new soundcard), and the POD through the line-ins. I recommend getting active monitors, ideally used to maximize your budget. Get cables from monoprice.

There are huge variety of picks that have an effect on sound and playing. Do yourself a favor and get these to start with. They are missing a Jazz pick, which is essential, but the medium/heavy pack includes it. It will really help you to find a pick that suits you, which I think a lot of players overlook for a long time like 10 years. cough

I would like to direct you to “Songwriting Secrets of the Beatles” for a lot of really good info on various tricks and techniques employed by the Fab 4 in building fresh sounds. “[Beatles Complete]()http://www.amazon.com/The-Beatles-Complete-Scores/dp/0793518326” is a more or less obligatory companion volume.

There are a lot of ideas to try out with various Beatles songs cited as examples.

Lots of great books out there. I don't see anything for classical guitar on your list, but I highly recommend The Christpher Parkening Guitar Method Volume 1, and Volume 2, as well as [Pumping Nylon: The Classical Guitarist's Technique Handbook] (http://www.amazon.com/Pumping-Nylon-Classical-Guitarists-Technique/dp/088284721X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1416410512&sr=1-1&keywords=pumping+nylon+by+scott+tennant) by Scott Tennant.

If I may suggest a book along these lines, I have gotten way more use from this book than I ever expected to. It's not really about how to write songs (or even on guitar), it's more about how all these notes and chords fit together, and work together. Goes over dozens of different chord progressions (and lists popular songs so you can easily identify it in your head), chord substitutions, that kind of thing. Highly, highly recommended.

This book: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Contemporary-Travis-Picking/dp/0936799005/

It's fantastic. I've purchased it three times, I keep giving my copy away to friends who ask about getting started with Fingerstyle.

As everybody has said so far — practice will resolve this. It took me a couple months to get G & E chords down ever time.

Also, get a finger specific hand exerciser to build up you’re grip. I use this one:

D'Addario Varigrip Adjustable Hand Exerciser https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001OCGGEM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_rEn0AbWZ69SVJ

You'll want to start by learning the Travis picking patterns, and once you have all those patterns comfortably memorized, you'll start to naturally break out of them as you seek memorable melodies that harmonize your favorite chords.

You can use grade 0000 very light steel wool to clean your fretboard. I personally use GHS Fast Fret to finish cleaning the fretboard and give it a nice shine and smooth feeling.

Edit: downvotes? Classic /r/guitar lol.

Interesting. Personally, I don't have a problem with any regular bends on my 17w G string (except on frets 1, 2, and 3) and I play on a 28.6" neck, so the tension is higher. I just went to my guitar and tried just to double check that I wasn't talking out of my ass. If you really want to get into playing with a wound third string, perhaps pick up a finger strengthener like this. If not, then don't sweat it

I think the Hal Leonard Guitar Method book is really good. I was in the same boat... took several years off and wanted to pick it up again. I thought the book was great for helping me get back into sight-reading and remembering my notes/frets/scales. Definitely simple at the beginning if you've played before, but it's a solid review.

Accessories are always good. Strings, picks, maybe a strap or a stand if he doesn't have those already.

I'm not familiar with the Esteban DVD set aside from his commercials back in the day. There's a lot of good videos on Youtube for a beginner so I don't think that would be necessary regardless.

edit: Since he's new you can get him a variety pack of picks so he can see what he likes: http://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-PVP102-Variety-Assorted-Players/dp/B0055VBYWC

I got this Joyo Ultimate Drive for $30. You don't need much else, if it's really just low volume bedroom practice. For awhile I was using it as a boost for whatever distorted amp sound I had dialed in, and it fattened up the tone. But now I crank up the gain and put it on the clean channel and prefer it to any of the amp's drivers or amp channels, sounds more natural, less digital, a lot warmer.

Get this. It turned my rosewood fret board back to brown. It was white with dust. This kit is pretty awesome.


http://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-System-Guitar-Maintenance-Kit/dp/B0002E1H9W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368930336&sr=8-1&keywords=dunlop+cleaning+kit

> I think you're thinking of this book http://www.amazon.com/dp/0793518326

Nice. I really think that sheds light on the subject.

Reddit is lucky to have a user like you.

Here is a starter pack with everything you'll need with a pretty decent guitar for $200 ok Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00A6D50L0/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1458050918&sr=8-3&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=electric+guitar&dpPl=1&dpID=51EEYHOFNVL&ref=plSrch.

If you want to buy things separately here's a decent practice amp for around $40. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00FBRUSAE/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?qid=1458050801&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=electric+guitar+practice+amps&dpPl=1&dpID=61sCjxQ3zmL&ref=plSrch

Edit: Also it's whatever you choose. I can't make the choice for you. My first guitar was a starter pack just because it had everything already.

http://www.amazon.com/GHS-A87-Fast-Fret-String-Cleaner/dp/B0002D0CQC

This stuff is amazing and makes the fretboard feel soooo good.

Lines are: EGBDF

Spaces are: FACE

BOOM!

Something like Hal Leonard Guitar method may be useful because even though it is their beginning guitar book, everything is in standard notation. No tab to fall back on. So even if you've been playing a while, you'll start right off with this dot on the staff = this string/fret. I have the epub version that has the audio embedded in the file, so I can click on the staff on my ipad and it will play. The printed version I think all the audio tracks are online.

I use fast fret for string cleaning and its great. i have four acoustics and sometimes won't play my 12 string for a month at a time, this stuff takes the rust right off and they'll sound bright and new again.

There are a bunch to use. I use Dunlop System 65 and a clean cotton cloth. It hasn't failed me yet. The cleaning spray will help with the back of the neck, and use the lemon oil on fretboard (note: DO NOT USE LEMON OIL ON THE TELE's MAPLE FRETBOARD) and wipe off the excess. If the fretboard is really cruddy, use a clean, damp cotton cloth and a bit of water to loosen up the grime, then let it dry and apply the oil.

Yay on the mic, nay on the interface. I suggest the Lexicon Alpha. It includes Cubase LE. It got me started years ago :)

It's a great book. Here's the amazon version, it's updated, but essentially it's the same thing. Once you learn keys/modes it's like a language that unfolds. You won't be "memorizing" anymore, as much as learning how the language is constructed.

Have you considered buying a book? When I was taking guitar lessons I used this to learn and it helped quite a bit. I've since stopped but I'm thinking of going through the books again to improve my playing.

I use this GHS string cleaner I love it

http://www.amazon.com/GHS-A87-Fast-Fret-String-Cleaner/dp/B0002D0CQC

You can probably get a used Presonus Audiobox USB within your budget:

http://www.amazon.com/PreSonus-AudioBox-USB-Audio-Interface/dp/B00154KSA2

I have one and it's been solid. The most budget friendly option would be that or something similar and headphones. The computer will not handle the amplification. If you try to output through your pc sound card, there will be a slight delay. If you plug pc multimedia speakers into the interface, it's not going to sound good. You'll either need studio monitors or headphones.

Well pretty much every AI made since the PC recording boom has one. You can get them for as little as $35. The most common one is the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 which is only $150.

In addition to a tuner get "A Modern Method For Guitar Volume 1" by William Leavitt. Its written by the guy who founded the guitar department in Berklee College of Music. The book teaches you all of the basics of guitar in volume 1 and moves at a fast, yet manageable pace.

Here's a link to the combined 3 volumes for $22 http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Method-Guitar-Volumes-Complete/dp/0876390114

But you get a DVD if you just buy Vol 1 that has a guitar professer at Berklee (the current head of the department) teaching the book to you. http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Method-Guitar-DVD-ROM-Berklee/dp/0876390696/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1370752061&sr=1-2&keywords=a+modern+method+for+guitar

The book gives you an amazing foundation for playing guitar.

I bought a beginner guitar starter pack someone recommened me rocksmith 2014 cause im into computer games

this is the guitar I got on sale Epiphone Les Paul Special II Players Pack with Guitar and Amplifier-Ebony

https://www.amazon.com/Epiphone-Electric-Package-Vintage-Sunburst/dp/B00A6D50L0/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467725104&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=Epiphone+Les+Paul+Special+II+Players+Pack+with+Guitar+and+Amplifier-Ebony

here is a link from amazon for reference

paid 150 dollars for it

wanted to start out cheap if everything goes well I will buy a decent guitar down the road

First I would suggest getting this book , its a great reference for maintaining and doing a setup on the guitar .
http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Player-Repair-Guide-3rd/dp/0879309210/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1372530336&sr=1-1&keywords=guitar+repair

And maybe this to clean the guitars
http://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-System-Guitar-Maintenance-Kit/dp/B0002E1H9W/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372530451&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=dadario+guitar+cleaning

I highly recommend this Mel Bay's book to begin with. Once you get a fair way into that book, begin to look at A Modern Method of Guitar and the Carcassi book if you can find it. If you get through these books, you will be a monster at sightreading guitar sheet music!

http://www.amazon.com/How-To-Write-Songs-Guitar/dp/0879309423


I think this may be what you are looking for. Just started going through it myself but it already has all the different kind of chords and small examples of songs and artists that use each chord type and the type of mood for each chord chord type. Also has a progression chord chart as well.

Edit: I would check out the reviews for his other books about songwriting as well and determine from there which one is most suited for what you are looking for.

Shredneck, possibly may work for you.

Maybe one of these as well: www.amazon.com/DAddario-Varigrip-Adjustable-Hand-Exerciser/dp/B001OCGGEM - D'Addario Varigrip Adjustable Hand Exerciser

Multi gauge. http://www.amazon.com/Estone-String-Action-Measuring-Luthier/dp/B00HTUAX1K

Pick punch, make picks out of credit cards and such.

http://www.amazon.com/Pick-Punch-The-Original-Guitar/dp/B005FIFM14/ref=zg_bs_11967641_68

Maintenance kit http://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-System-Guitar-Maintenance-Kit/dp/B0002E1H9W/ref=zg_bs_11967641_80

iRig http://www.amazon.com/IK-Multimedia-Studio-Quality-Guitar-Interface/dp/B00BIRR1TC/ref=zg_bs_11967641_85

Or

Cheap or used interface like a Line 6 GuitarPort, UX1, Behringer U-Phoria UM2, ETC

You can do what I did and get something like this it's $3.99 for 12 different picks so I could try them out to find out what works best for me.

I use the green turtle for 90% of playing, and the blue alligator when I'm playing something that requires less strumming and more individual string picking.

//i just looked again and apparently amazon made it an "add-on" item that means you have to order other shit before they'll ship it. You can find cheap variety packs all over the place though, and every music store I've been to has a "loose picks" section that you can pick up 10 or so different ones from.

>don't see a guitar input


There's a 1/4" mono input in the centre of the XLR.


That behringer unit is prettly limited, especially getting the audio back out of the PC to your monitors. Line OR USB, instead of line and USB.


In your price range, better choices would be M-Audio MTrack Plus, or MTrack 2, Focusrite Scarlett or Presonus Audiobox


They all come with some form of 'Lite' DAW software as well.

My favourite pickups in a fat Strat are the Seymour Duncan JB and two Lace Sensor Gold. The JB is great for any style and the Lace give you close to a regular single coil tone while remaining totally noiseless.

Lately my go-to amp has been a Vox AC15. I have a few amps to choose from but the Vox stands out for me.

For dirt I like the Joyo Ultimate Drive or Fulltone OCD. I also use a tc electronic Spark Booster to push the amp a little harder. I use a tc electronic PolyTune 2 tuner. I rotate the rest of the pedals on my board somewhat frequently.

I love this amp and i use it all the time. I also had this tele and really liked it. I know the vintage modified stuff is less expensive but I haven't tried any.

If you're into sort of low budget for a decent sound, I'd recommend a Lexicon Alpha Audio Interface.. Cheap, easy and gets the job done, because the USB to 1/4's don't really work well. They're very delayed.. This a USB device that takes XLR or 1/4 inch(to mic an amp or plug straight in). I recorded this plugged straight in. It has a few slight cut outs here and there but that's because mine has been banged around a bit.. I use mine for primarily Garageband, but another upside is that you can use it for Skype and other things like that.

Find a tech who will do a setup with your pops there.

As far as strings go, 9's will be easier for him to play as he learns. Manufacturer won't matter much right now. Cheap is fine. If he sticks with it, look at coated strings.

Get him a multi-gauge pack of picks. Oh and a thumbpick. No rules.

This is what you're looking for. It's perfect for your needs. And you can add another speaker for a little more kick and still be right around your budget.

I recently picked up this book and agree it's an excellent resource for learning theory.

I also picked up Berklee Modern Method for Guitar which I'd also recommend - or a method book of some sort. Be forewarned, however, these method books are not easy to digest, but you'll learn your guitar and how to read music.

I'm pretty sure that it's this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Beatles-Complete-Scores/dp/0793518326/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1381061668&sr=1-1&keywords=the+beatles+complete+scores

It has guitar and bass tabs as well as piano and vocal in traditional musical notation. It has more errors than it should and the font is fucking terribly hard to read, but it is a useful tool if you are into the Beatles.

This technique might work for "this" guy, but don't play like him if you want proper right hand technique. I would try Pumping Nylon for classical songs and exercises.

I have one of these. The Blackstar Fly 3. It sounds amazing. Can't recommend it enough.
http://www.amazon.com/Blackstar-FLY3-Battery-Powered-Amplifier/dp/B00PDJXGIG

I have a big humidifier and a big dehumidifier. Usually I use them during oposite seasons. The dehumidifier has a sensor and shuts off when it gets in the range I like.

My humidifier hasn't been enough this winter so I called gibson (I have a 78 les paul and a 1959 VOS 175) who recommended this: http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Humidipak-Automatic-Humidity-Control/dp/B000OMG0KI. I bought two and we'll see how it goes. So far so good.

Have you tried using grip picks before? I use a Dava control pick. It's got grip and you can make it flexible or stiff. There's some grip picks in this Dunlop variety pack idk the models of but they're alright.

There is any better alternatives to this?
(Possibly with a similar price)

My aim is to use the guitar along with the PC + some software to simulate an amplifier and hear it with headphones

(And maybe to record something)

D'Addario Varigrip Adjustable Hand Exerciser https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001OCGGEM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_npQszb34KPQ3R

Dunlop has a light-medium variety pack. Different materials have different sounds, so experiment.

There's also nothing wrong with learning to play with your fingers. It works for Mark Knopfler, Andy from Pro Guitar Shop, and others.

Have you checked out this book? It has some good stuff in it.

https://www.amazon.ca/Pumping-Nylon-Classical-Guitarists-Technique/dp/088284721X

I got this Blackstar Fly 3 a while back and the sound is great for such a small practice amp. There are many youtube videos comparing small amps, but this one helped me the most.

It seems that your comment contains 1 or more links that are hard to tap for mobile users.
I will extend those so they're easier for our sausage fingers to click!


Here is link number 1 - Previous text "2i2"



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^Please ^PM ^/u/eganwall ^with ^issues ^or ^feedback! ^| ^Delete

For a complete beginner I recommend Hal Leonard Guitar Method, Complete Edition: Books & CD's 1, 2 and 3 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0634047019/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_pmbkub0RHR583

Have you thought about micing your amp? I much prefer this method over using "line outputs". You can pick up an SM57 and an audio interface for a decent price off Amazon. This way you can setup your computer to play audio through the interface (and into headphones) when recording.


As far as the delay in Audacity, you can set up "Latency correction" in "Edit -> Preferences -> Audio I/O".

Thanks, This is what I currently have. It isn't quite what you described as a typical guitar teaching book but it also doesn't have a lot of music theory. Would this work?

Of course, although I don't claim to be any expert in microphones or anything. I just have an [AT3035] condenser mic with a Presonus firestudio project as an interface plugged into my iMac via Firewire. I like to have lots of inputs, which is why I got one with 8, but you'd probably only need one. I'd check out the presonus audiobox as its cheap and simple, and uses USB.

If you guys are looking for an OCD overdrive pedal, also check out the JOYO clone "Ultimate Overdrive." You can find it on amazon, or ebay for less than 30 bucks.

So something like this maybe?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000HVXMNE?pc_redir=1409926637&robot_redir=1

Edit: Sorry, missed your recommendation of the scarlett...

here you go

I'd get one of the light-medium and one of the medium-heavy so that you can try as much as you want.

I also use the dunlop kit listed here - http://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-System-Guitar-Maintenance-Kit/dp/B0002E1H9W. Haven't felt the need for anything else, after cleaning they're shiny and feel great. The fretboard cleaner isn't meant for maple fretboards, but other than that no issues.

I think you're thinking of this book http://www.amazon.com/dp/0793518326

How about this: The Beatles - Complete Scores: "over 1100 pages with full scores and lyrics to all 210 titles recorded by The Beatles"?

This should do it.

http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Method-Guitar-DVD-ROM-Berklee/dp/0876390696/

Is this the one you're referring to?

http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Method-Guitar-DVD-ROM-Berklee/dp/0876390696

Fast Fret works for me...


http://www.amazon.com/Fast-Fret-String-Neck-Lubricant/dp/B0002D0CQC

http://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-6500-System-Guitar-Maintenance/dp/B0002E1H9W

Actually here is the one I have

D'Addario makes a product called Humidipak that can add or remove humidity to keep the levels consistent.

I think this pack is what he was referring to. It offers a decent range of thicknesses/textures. There's light/medium packs and medium/heavy packs I think.

You could put together a restringing kit, with the following things.

1. http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-String-Acoustic-Electric-Guitars/dp/B008XAXQAK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1450285020&sr=8-4&keywords=tuning+peg+winder
   
   
2. http://www.amazon.com/Martin-M140-Bronze-Acoustic-Strings/dp/B0002M6B2M/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1450285048&sr=8-6&keywords=acoustic+strings
   
   
3. http://www.amazon.com/Korg-GA1-Guitar-Bass-Tuner/dp/B002HPMTZU/ref=sr_1_8?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1450285069&sr=1-8&keywords=guitar+tuner
   
   
4. http://www.amazon.com/Gibson-Gear-AIGG-950-Polish-Standard/dp/B0002D0MFI/ref=sr_1_4?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1450285093&sr=1-4&keywords=guitar+polish
   
   
   OPTIONAL
   
   
5. http://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-PVP101-Variety-Assorted-Players/dp/B0055V7UR0/ref=sr_1_9?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1450285131&sr=1-9&keywords=guitar+picks
   
   
6. http://www.amazon.com/Jim-Dunlop-35005002001-Scottys-Pickholder/dp/B0002OOMU8/ref=sr_1_6?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1450285131&sr=1-6&keywords=guitar+picks
   
   This is about $50 and will last a lifetime (except the strings).
   

Maybe this? Behringer Xenyx 302USB Mixer

an audio interface (for example: https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-302USB-BEHRINGER-XENYX/dp/B005EHILV4), a preamp/multieffect unit (for example https://www.amazon.com/DigiTech-RP55-Guitar-Multi-Effects-Processor/dp/B0025V1REU/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1523478914&sr=1-1&keywords=rp55), audacity (downloadable here: https://www.audacityteam.org/ ) a guitar and two guitarcables

Joyo Overdrive, just read the reviews - for $28 it compares to or beats $100+ pedals http://www.amazon.com/Joyo-JF-02-Overdrive-featuring-components/dp/B005M0CK9M/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1457709908&sr=8-2&keywords=joyo+overdrive

https://www.amazon.ca/Epiphone-Guitar-Electric-Vintage-Sunburst/dp/B00A6D50L0/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=electric+guitar&qid=1564093217&s=gateway&sr=8-6

This is Canada... so if you search in your country should come up in your currency

planning on getting this starter pack

I considered that one but instead got the Blackstar Fly 3.

Amazon link for details and reviews
-
My Fly 3 pics with size comparisons to my Note 3 phone

> 2i2

https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56EA/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1484276768&sr=1-1&keywords=2i2+2nd

from what i can tell this doesnt have a 1/4" jack for your guitar?

For those who may be reading this that play Fingerstyle or Classical, I can't recommend Scott Tennant's book Pumping Nylon enough.

I'm assuming this is an acoustic guitar. If it's electric don't worry about the humidifier. With acoustics you need to put it up in the case and put a guitar humidifier in with it. During the winter when you are heating your house is when your acoustic guitars are most vulnerable to drying out.

Humidifiers are not expensive though they require some attention (refilling).

Here is a cheap one that will work fine.

These require less attention. I use these with my Martin. These are pretty simple and don't require you to mess with refilling.

The damage you describe is probably beyond getting the moisture right in your wood and like I said before get it to a guitar tech soon.

If your guitar was exposed all winter and never had a humidifier the wood could have dried out and the tension from the strings could have caused problems. I did see someone mention that maybe your guitar was designed for nylon strings, if that is the case using metal strings could easily be the cause.

From the sound of it your looking at some repairs that could either be major or very simple; but, a skilled guitar technician needs to look at this thing. This sort of thing will likely get worse and the amount of repair and money needed to fix it will significantly increase the longer you wait.