stuck on learning to play... help...

[grazetreat]

Hey, I've been playing (or you could say messing around) for about a year now and I've got some questions. All the stuff I can play I'm pretty sure is almost all finger memory. I can play One Sweet World intro (not saying they are hard, just an example) over and over without thinking about it, but I have no idea what I'm actually doing when it comes to notes. I'm pretty deaf when it comes to trying to figure out parts of a song, but I really want to get better at guitar. I started out trying to learn mainly Dave stuff (i was on a huge dave kick), which may or may not have helped. My fingers can stretch and I can play some of Dave's weird chords but that's about all I've gained from that I think. I'm think the only way for that to happen is to actually start learning theory. I've jammed with my roommate (who is absolutely amazing, can't wait to get back to college to have someone to play with), but whenever I jam its pretty much repeating chords over and over; no improv or changing chord patterns or rhytms or anything. Any tips on where to start? Thanks

[Ando]

You can start my learning all of the notes on the fretboard. I've tried...

http://www.zentao.com/guitar/guitar-lessons.html

is a great site.. lots of theory, There's a great section for learning notes.

Good Luck

[Granny33]

also if you haven't already, read the dave style lessons from this site. can you read tab? oh and welcome to the boards.

[thejoe]

take lessons if at all possible... like in the summer

they really help

oh yea and PRACTICE!!!!

[grazetreat]

also if you haven't already, read the dave style lessons from this site. can you read tab? oh and welcome to the boards.

Yeah, I've checked out teh dave style lessons, and I am able to read tab. Thanks for the welcome, seems like a great board here, really postive .

[Ando]

also if you haven't already, read the dave style lessons from this site. can you read tab? oh and welcome to the boards.

Yeah, I've checked out teh dave style lessons, and I am able to read tab. Thanks for the welcome, seems like a great board here, really postive .[/quote

This is a great board, Plenty of people here to help ya out..

[isaac]

yes. like me and andy! but i usually get there first.

but welcome, grazetreat! hope ya enjoy your stay here.

[grazetreat]

on the third theory lesson on the zentao site. I've heard about root notes, but never really understood what they really did. Just started messing around with that midi and playing notes on the high e string and it finally clicked. so cool! its amazing how you can play all those notes in the cmajor scale and end up on C and it "finishes" everything off. i really should've started learning theory earlier. back to playing

[isaac]

lol...yeah, theory is great stuff just to have mulling around in your head. keep at it.

[Ando]

Don't get discouraged.. it's easy.. but don't

[grazetreat]

right now i'm so excited that something finally made sense that i'll probably end up playing all night heh.

[Granny33]

right now i'm so excited that something finally made sense that i'll probably end up playing all night heh.

haha(overly friendly good-natured laugh) physco(suddenly turns around and starts running) lol jk.

[grazetreat]

might be a stupid question, but (i'm planning on first learning the 12 major scales because I don't really know where else to go) how do I know what key a song is in? And do songs often switch key?

[DreaminBassMunky]

Well figuring out the key of song, I guess I always just try soloing, or playing the scales through. Songs sometimes change keys if they go to a bridge or something, not all do though.