Any Self-taught Guitarists here?

[red dragon]

Do you still have the DM-6? Just try to practice for 30 minutes a day, no matter what.
Very few people can play both guitars and drums ( which you can)
I can suggest you one thing, download and install a free DAW ( Bandlab Sonar is a great, completely free DAW, it's basically Cakewalk's Sonar Platinum and comes with all necessary plugins) and record yourself everyday ( 5-10 minutes max)
In one month you will see the difference.
Regarding piano, if you're still interested, try the number method ( with your Google skill, you will find it in minutes)
It's really easy but music teachers usually don't teach it to students, but almost every professional keyboard players ( without formal training) I've come across started with it.
Reading sheet music is such a PITA!!

 

[NotMyRealName]

I moved house last year, and haven't really settled down yet. Was planning another move when the lockdowns happened. so the dm-6 is packed away very nicely and i don't really wanna unpack-pack it again. I do occasionally tap away at my practice pad though. It's very basic, but does the job. It's like this one: https://www.hartman.si/practic-pad-1dpp-t010-14

I've considered recording myself playing, because especially for drums it's supposed to be very helpful. But never got around to doing it. They say at least practice in front of a mirror. I already have a ton of software for edrums, but haven't got around to using it. I'll definitely make a proper setup with at least a webcam when i start playing the drums again. But it's not likely till the ear trouble sorts out.

Around 8-10 years ago, for reasons unrelated to music, i stopped playing guitar and gave my epiphone electric away, for free, to someone who didn't even really need it lol. Then a couple years later, bought a fender acoustic from dubai. But haven't really been playing it. Now, the last couple months, stuck in place here, decided to restart playing guitar, especially since i don't wanna unpack the drums. The guitar was really unplayable and not just because i haven't played for a while. Got callused fingertips and yet it was too hard and painful, for the whole fingers not just the tips. The intonation was way off too, especially the 5th and 6th strings. Well, last week i decided to take a scale and check and whaddya know, the neck was extremely bowed. The truss rod was just floppy loose! Tightened it up and it's now playing pretty good again. I had shaved the saddle down when i first got it so the action is a fine line between playability and string buzz, if not fretted properly. Playing all the oldies, and remembering the good ole days.

I've found that guitar tabs are good enough guidance for people who can basically play by ear, and it's the same with drum tabs. Learning sheet music is especially important when playing with a formal band, but i don't have that pressure yet lol.

Post automatically merged: Sep 15, 2020

..try some of Flea's bassline if possible.

For some very strange reason, i've never ever tried playing the bass of an RHCP song. When i think about why not, it baffles me !

Post automatically merged: Sep 15, 2020

Btw, these days i'm trying to get back to my fingerstyle roots, i rarely used a pick right from the start, even for rhythm. I check out candyrat and drool. Seems impossible to achieve though. Those guys are god level...

 

[red dragon]

Do you use a metronome during practice? I tried to learn basic finger drumming with the pads in an Arturia midi keyboard and failed miserably.
We have a decent Pearl drum kit with Zildjian A series cymbals at basement, but I'm so bad that my wife often plays it when Vlad doesn't show up for practice ( the laziest person I've ever come across, but he's a beast on his days)
Have you seen the demos of the Superior Drummer 3? I wasted a lot of money on Modo drums like an idiot. SD3 sounds incredible!!
Yes, you are absolutely on point about sheet music. It doesn't matter at all when you're playing with rock/ metal bands.
But nobody will take you seriously when you can't read them yet play the upright bass perfectly fine. It was so embarrassing, that I have completely stopped playing with Lenka's string quartet.

 

[NotMyRealName]

I use a metronome app on the phone sometimes. Depends on what kind of practice mood i'm in.

My left hand has a long way to go. Like i can do a barely adequate double-stroke with the right hand, but left hand it's almost impossible. I mean while playing normally. Just practicing, everything is doable. Your wife sounds incredibly talented, violin and drums. I tried the violin once and hated the ergonomics.

Very few people can play both guitars and drums ( which you can)

I'm not sure that this is an exceptional talent. I do have a very good ear for pitch and timing. But playing i think i'm just average. Above average at best. Maybe i'm also too easily distracted and lazy and don't practice enough. But some people are naturally talented. My best friend in school (chinese but born in bombay) is a lefty. We tried buying him a lefty guitar and the lady at furtados said they don't have any and most lefties are able to play the wrong way around. She said they can learn ambidexterity rather easily. You won't believe it but this guy learnt the solo in don't speak within the second week. I mean he was just copying from the tab but he played it better than i could. Then he just up and quit because he couldn't do rthythm. I cant even dream of playing three notes on a guitar with my wrong hand. Dude is now an advanced dentist in the US and has a guitar packed away in his basement. Doesn't play. There's so much talent unused because people just don't have the exposure to music.

I can't believe a "proper" band would shun you for not being able to read if you can play along well. They definitely don't demand it from drummers.

This is all the drum s/w i have:

Haven't used it much at all though.

 

[red dragon]

Wow!! That`s a lot of drum vsti, you don`t need anything more except may be some EZX expansions. I still use addictive drums from time to time (specially while replacing drum hits with samples with XLN`s trigger) In fact you have Cubase Elements too, more than sufficient DAW for practice.
Lenka does not play much, but she can keep the rhythm better than me. If our kid shows some interest in drums, we can form a family band after 7/8 years!!
My wife plays with a string quartet,they are all trained in classical music, typical privileged class mentality people. Unfortunately she is married to a long haired, tattooed guy who plays bass in some of those "tasteless, loud, obnoxious metal bands", that`s what they think of me!! I have stopped attending their practice sessions. Thankfully, my wife`s mentality has changed completely and we often incorporate her violin solos in our loud, obnoxious music.

 

[Rezep]

Reviving this thread after almost a year lol. Just bought a yamaha f280 today, and I'm slowly practicing with it first. Just searched up chords on guitar and played like three or four of them before my fingetips told me to stop haha.
I'm not too sure who I should look at for online guides, there's justin guitar which I have only heard of due to a video of a person recording his progression using only his classes for an entire year. I might do the same thing as well(that being taking the classes not recording myself ). Any other tips?

 

[red dragon]

F280? Is it similar to F310? If so, you're a lucky guy to start with a very nice acoustic guitar.
I'm not a regular guitar player ( I'm the idiot bass player) but have been forced to play rhythm at times.
Though don't remember how I started (close to 3 decades now!!)
But don't try to remember all the chords all at once.
G ( both the easy and full G), D and C ( it can be played in 3 ways, please learn them all) are usually the most used chords.
Once you are comfortable with them, practice switching them in any random order ( trust me on this any permutation/ combination will sound nice)
Once familiar with these learn the other "money chords" those will take you forward much faster ( whenever you feel stuck, try to play songs only with the chord progressions you have learned earlier, this thing helped me immensely with bass during the first 5 years or so..and I was a VERY SLOW learner for years)
But I'm very poor at playing melodies or lead, there must be much more experienced lead players here, who can help you better.
All the best!!

 

[codelad]

Reviving this thread after almost a year lol. Just bought a yamaha f280 today, and I'm slowly practicing with it first. ...

If bought online, may I know where you sourced it from? Have been looking for a decent affordable acoustic, but am unable to travel to the city to sample and buy something from a brick and mortar store, given the times. Which means buying online is my only option, even if I don't quite prefer it this way.

Would appreciate suggestions. Have been practising only for a couple of years, so am still a super-beginner and not too fussy about specific brands/models.

 

[Rezep]

F280? Is it similar to F310? If so, you're a lucky guy to start with a very nice acoustic guitar.
I'm not a regular guitar player ( I'm the idiot bass player) but have been forced to play rhythm at times.
Though don't remember how I started (close to 3 decades now!!)
But don't try to remember all the chords all at once.
G ( both the easy and full G), D and C ( it can be played in 3 ways, please learn them all) are usually the most used chords.
Once you are comfortable with them, practice switching them in any random order ( trust me on this any permutation/ combination will sound nice)
Once familiar with these learn the other "money chords" those will take you forward much faster ( whenever you feel stuck, try to play songs only with the chord progressions you have learned earlier, this thing helped me immensely with bass during the first 5 years or so..and I was a VERY SLOW learner for years)
But I'm very poor at playing melodies or lead, there must be much more experienced lead players here, who can help you better.
All the best!!

Right now at the moment, I'm just following this really simple chord image i just googled lol

I've done close to all of them, but I wouldn't say I've memorised them yet at all. Like if you ask me to do an A7, I'll still be wondering where it is first Plus I'm still waiting for the calluses to come on my left fingers before I start those justinguitar classes I heard which seem to be really highly rated for beginners. I've definitely came much farther than I did 4-5 years back (I was far too young back then tho).
Right now I was trying to play a horse with no name by america. Chords are really dead key simple, It's just the strumming and the rhytm that is hard to get down for me rn.

If bought online, may I know where you sourced it from? Have been looking for a decent affordable acoustic, but am unable to travel to the city to sample and buy something from a brick and mortar store, given the times. Which means buying online is my only option, even if I don't quite prefer it this way.

Would appreciate suggestions. Have been practising only for a couple of years, so am still a super-beginner and not too fussy about specific brands/models.

I bought mine from furtados in koramangala since they were the closest to my house. I would say they're really one of the top retailers for musical instruments in India. I've known many people who've bought countless number of instruments from them over the years. They do also have a website as well and although I never did buy from them online, they're a good retailer to buy from. Got it cheaper than amazon too since I bought it with a bag and it came to around 7280. But buying from the real store itself is honestly more convenient and since you said you practiced for a few years, you should know what's comfortable for you and what sounds right. Me, I just walked into the store, asked for the model, made the sales guy play for a minute and then bought it off

 

[red dragon]

Never buy guitars online even from reputed online stores. Yes, heard of Furtados before, they have solid reputation in India.
In Kolkata back in late 80s early 90s Reynolds was the only store. Bought my first bass set up from there ( a cheap Yamaha and some no name small amp and cab together...sounded horrible, but loved the setup and kept on using it for years as never managed to save up for upgrade...after MANY years, a locally famous guitar player Amyt Datta gifted an used but very nice and easy to play Fender Jazz bass..he basically took pity on me/ my gear, as the band I was in at that time was decent, but except the drummer, everyone had crappy stuff) But bad stuff often helps, since the Yamaha had abnormally high action, with a normal jazz bass, could play much much faster.
Now I have a Music Man StingRay, Ibanez SR1340B and ESP B-1005. All top notch stuff, but that thrill is long gone...no more jumping around on stage, doing all kind of weird things ( copied from real Rockstars)

 

[codelad]

... Plus I'm still waiting for the calluses to come on my left fingers before I start those justinguitar classes I heard which seem to be really highly rated for beginners. I've definitely came much farther than I did 4-5 years back (I was far too young back then tho). ...

As a beginner, I find JustinGuitar and YT in general to be a godsend. A lot of times, I would pick whatever song that comes to mind and scour YT for lessons. It is chancy and I tend to often give up on harder songs, once I realise they are beyond my level. But have also learnt a lot and on many occassions found some lesser known/watched channels quite useful.

I bought mine from furtados in koramangala since they were the closest to my house. I ...

Never buy guitars online even from reputed online stores. Yes, heard of Furtados before, they have solid reputation in India. ...

Would really rather buy from a real store. But getting impatient and tired of waiting it out. Don't want to chance a trip to the city yet - not for a guitar.