Any experienced guitar players have advice on how to learn better?
I played very little in highschool and now, 15 years later, I have the urge to go back to it. I've been playing for an hour or so most days for the last month which I know isn't a lot but lets be honest, it's just for my own enjoyment, I have no illusions of being a middle aged rock star.
Anyway I was wondering if people had any advice, good resources, sheet music that isn't garbage?
In my position would you go the self taught route or is it really important to have a tutor? I'm particularly concerned about picking up bad technique and then practicing that, I feel like that was a big part of why I gave up in the first place - fucking up the same things no matter how many times I did them because I learned them wrong.
Thanks all.
Use light strings, you're not gonna get anything extra from heavier ones but arthritis.
I'm using lights at the moment, but apparently there are like 3 levels of extra, super lights too, is it worth going even lighter?
are you playing on an acoustic or an electric? sound-wise, on electrics, it doesn't matter a lot and most people tend to find lighter strings more comfortable. i would say 9's are a pretty standard light string. billy gibbons of zz top puts 7s on a les paul, and he still sounds like himself, so for electrics it just really doesn't matter as much as some people think. it's just what you prefer. disregard if you're playing an acoustic, for those i can just say that i tend to prefer light strings.
Mostly acoustic, I think I have 12s - which is a light gauge in D'Addario's line up. No idea how that compares to anything else though except that I do have an electric and the strings are dramatically lighter.
that's a pretty light string gauge for acoustics, as long as the action (string height above fretboard) on your instrument isn't too high, those should be fine. it's definitely something to play around with though. i have one electric strung with 11s for example because it works better with the bridge system on it.
Ok, cool. No I think it feels good. This is one of the things I'm pretty clueless about though.
As far as I know, the difference in strings is to produce tendencies towards different sounds, not specifically to make it easier or harder to play, although lighter strings will be easier. I think there are some guitars with super hard strings, because they want a certain sound. Lighter strings are generally better for sustained ringing, and for chords, while heavier strings are louder and also better (with a pick) for melodies because they transmit individual notes better, but can sound worse for chords - they don't ring as long, being heavier. For learning, its all a bit academic, medium is fine, light is fine, very light is also fine, heavy/very heavy will make it harder.
I wouldn't worry about going lighter, unless you want the particular sound (it won't make a huge difference though), but in terms of injuries, if something hurts don't do it, aside from the kind of 'pain' you get from building muscle or callous which is fine, but if it hurts on a tendon or bone level, stop or change your technique.
Thanks, I had seen elsewhere people saying "if you're a beginner don't use heavy strings or you'll be miserable" and I didn't really know how heavy is too heavy. I mean all acoustic strings feel pretty bloody heavy to me.
yes, they are all quite heavy!
Its two aspects, having to press on the fretboard (individual notes or chords like with 'bar chords'), and also strumming if not using a pick. Your hands will get used to them over time either way, but lighter is better to start because it takes time to build muscle and callous. But really even if you start with lighter, and later try heavier, you'll have built up the required hands to not find the heavier ones too difficult. But if starting with heavy, to the point where you can't even comfortably press hard enough for long enough to get a note to sound, then its too heavy and you should start lighter, if that makes sense. You'd get too frustrated if you had to put too much effort into pressing a string, it'd slow everything down.
edit: I should add, that for me my occupation helped a lot since I use my hands a lot, but from your other comment, I'd expect a computer based occupation would give the dexterity & speed, with some adaptation, but the muscle development required would possibly be different. There are finger strengthening exercices that would help (you can find online), or I'd expect another simultaenous hobby that requires you to use your hands would also build that. If the strings are difficult to press to the point of it getting in the way of learning either go lighter, do exercises, or (as elsewhere) nylon strings are easier.
Ah ok, while they're very heavy compared to my electric, it doesn't cause me discomfort (except due to lack of callous) I'm a pretty large guy with bigger hands, so that side of things tends to be less of a problem.
Well, you can also get a lot more acoustic volume out of heavier strings and high action. It doesn't matter how well you play if nobody can hear you ;)
But yeah, play whatever strings feel good to you. I'm not going to tell you you're wrong for liking the light ones.
my advice was admittedly electric-guitar centric