One of my New Year's resolutions this year was to actually put that guitar that has been collecting dust in the corner of my room to use. I've only owned it for about 5 years and I can probably count the number of times I've picked it up on one hand. Actually, I've probably dusted it more times than I've actually tried to play it. That's all going to stop this year. This year I'm going to follow through with my resolutions but I didn't want to actually take lessons from someone. I think I've found the next best thing.
I didn't want to just buy a book. I've tried that. Most of the books have you strumming a few chords and then playing these ridiculous songs like Kumbaya or some other camp fire song that no one actually wants to hear. They seem to be really geared towards kids. Or at least they are written with that intent. I can't say that I'd have been any more interested in them when I was 10 than I am now.
I also tried going the route of just learning some popular songs. After all it'd be pretty cool to be able to play some songs that everyone knows at a party or something. There are hundreds of sites on the web with guitar tabs and there are a bunch of books that will show you how to play the songs. My friend taught me the awesome "Power Chord". It sounds pretty cool especially if you have an electric guitar with distortion turned on. It may have worked for Kurt Cobain on several of his songs but the difference is that Kurt had a band supporting him. One acoustic guitar and some power chords isn't nearly as impressive. Needless to say I lost interest with learning how to play the songs on the radio. Most of the tabs will show you exactly how to play the lead guitar part but without some other instruments playing along it just doesn't sound the same. I wouldn't recommend taking this path.
You may be thinking but I know a guy that plays all of those songs by himself and they sound great. What happens there is that someone with a little experience figures out how to combine a few of the different parts together so it is recognizable but can still be played alone. It takes some practice and a little knowledge to be able to make that work. When I realized this I wasn't sure where to start and eventually I just left my guitar in the corner and haven't thought much about it until I need to clean the cobwebs off.
Well I think I found the answer to my guitar learning dilemma. I bought the Jamorama course. I know, it's a silly name but after reading through their website I think it's what I was looking for. You get written materials and also videos to show you what to do. I'm only a few lessons in and they haven't had me play Kumbaya yet, but I did get to play a Jam track with the Jamorama band. It's surprising how much just a couple of chords can add to an arrangement. If nothing else it's peaked my interest and I'm going back for more. If all goes well in six months I'll be bragging about how great I can play the guitar.
If you are looking to learn how to play the guitar I recommend getting something with video tutorials. It makes a huge difference. The books alone might work for some but they certainly didn't hold my attention. Sometimes the diagrams didn't make much sense. Video makes it easier. I hope this helps you get on your way to learning the guitar online too!
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