Have you looked into online lessons? One I can think of is www.guitartricks.com. There are others, I don't endorse one or the other, but it's something you may want to look at. Good luck.

Thanks Fred. I've looked into various online teaching sites but haven't founds more than just info on what to learn. I'll check out the one you mentioned though!

I'm kinda in the same boat, only I'm usually only home around 4 days a month ( Over the road truck driver) so I don't want to pay a monthly fee, anyone know of any online sites that would alllow pay per lesson?

@Dano: Learning the notes on the tfretboard is quite a fast task (there's an article in my blog with a link to a very handy program). It takes about 1 hour or two to learn the notes and then it takes 10mins of repetition for the following few days and then again whenever you feel you're starting to forget.

I also have an article on chords. It is not the best out there, but I think it's organized in a way that you can work progressively on learning them.


@Ninja: Maybe you should try a lesson book that you can take with you on the road.

No i don't know what you mean. sry.

That program that ibzRG turned me on to is excellent, "FretPro." If you want fretboard memorization, that's an excellent program.

I actually have frtepro. Though I haven't used it like I should :(

Danno, do you play in a band? Other musicians will help you to learn much faster. It's amazing what you pick up in a short period of time.

Nope. I was in a band years ago. I played drums then. I'm just trying to learn for myself now. I'd love to eventually be able to rip out some cool shit! :)

Just bumpin in case anyone missed it over the weekend...

Obviously -- scales, chords and arpeggios.

It seems people learn-stuff differently. Visually, aurally .... whatever. Start easy ... and have fun!

I remember hearing a story about Mario Puzo, the guy who wrote the novel 'The Godfather'. When they decided to make a movie about it (best Mafia-movie ever) Mario Puzo was asked to write the screenplay. He had never written a screenplay before --- but decided to give it a try.

Of course, he did pretty well with it.

After 'Godfather II' did really well, Mr. Puzo decided that maybe he should buy a book about writing screenplays -- and get serious about it. So, he bought a book about screen writing .... and in the first chapter of the book it told him to use 'The Godfather' as a model of how to write a good screenplay from a novel.

Of course, even HE could not return the book to Barnes and Noble.

Now, I'm NOT saying to NOT use learning-aids. Just don't forget that you are answering a call to express the music that is inside of you. Don't get caught up playing nothing-but scales.

Go slowly. Learn a couple of songs you REALLY like (in a couple of different keys). Find a buddy who is better than you ..... DO NOT get high when you are studying ......

Enjoy ..

Thanks for the encouraging words Desmond. That's a pretty funny story about Mr. Puzo!
I don't drink or get high or anything like that (anymore). I gave that stuff up 10+ years ago.

I've been trying to learn things here and there but I'm having a hard time getting past intros. I'm having a hard time getting the chord changes and I still can't play anything with a G chord. I can't get my finger correctly on the high e. Either my fingers are too flat on the E and A strings or my pinky curls over to far on the high e. :(