Jan 10
21

Can you actually learn how to play guitar from a video and instructional book?

7 Comments

Or is it better to pay for guitar lessons? Or both? I just bought a guitar and really want to learn.

If you start out by teaching yourself with videos and books, you’ll learn some useful stuff like where some notes are and how to play a few chords. What will also almost definitely happen is that your technique will be garbage while you learn, and that can take a long time to fix as old habits die hard. Get some lessons from a good teacher before you do anything, then you can go on to learn from other materials afterward.

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Posted in guitar lessons video by Brian Nisbet 7 Comments

7 Responses to "Can you actually learn how to play guitar from a video and instructional book?"

  • Teen life 529 says:
    January 21, 2010 at 6:39 am

    both

    u can start to learn the baiscs from a guitar teacher and then learn the rest alone
    References :

  • fat man goes to jail again says:
    January 21, 2010 at 7:20 am

    of course.
    Go as far as you can alone, on the basics, but then at some point, be honest and get an instructor.
    References :

  • PhilsFan says:
    January 21, 2010 at 8:07 am

    If you start out by teaching yourself with videos and books, you’ll learn some useful stuff like where some notes are and how to play a few chords. What will also almost definitely happen is that your technique will be garbage while you learn, and that can take a long time to fix as old habits die hard. Get some lessons from a good teacher before you do anything, then you can go on to learn from other materials afterward.
    References :
    Teaching 8 years
    http://toptierguitarstudio.com

  • baxterville says:
    January 21, 2010 at 8:25 am

    You can definitely take advantage of today’s technology and save a fortune learning to play, since DVDs contain the same information teachers have. I’d been playing more than 20 years when I decided to buy a DVD set to improve. I was absolutely floored by how much I learned in a short period of time. The set contains three DVDs (beginner, intermediate, advanced) and three accompanying books. The teacher is amazing (I’ve had some really bad guitar teachers — frustrated guitarists who resented having to teach to support themselves) and explains everything very clearly. If you had a private teacher and had problems with something you’d learned, you’d have to wait until the next lesson to resolve them. Likewise, if you mastered the assigned material early, you’d be ready to advance but forced to wait. But with DVDs, you can learn at your own pace and review anything you’ve learned whenever you feel the need.

    Best of all, the complete set costs less than $40, but contains everything you’d learn in years of lessons. And if your guitar is electric, there’s a set for that, too. Here’s a link to the acoustic set:

    http://books-videos-music.musiciansfriend.com/product/Rock-House-Learn-Rock-Acoustic-Guitar-Beginner-Intermediate-Hands-of-Steel-DVD-Package?sku=942720

    No disrespect to guitar teachers, but the information they impart isn’t something so special it can’t be contained on DVDs. And if I can have access to the same information I’d glean from lessons in my own living room, on my own schedule, and without the travel and expense of lessons, I’d be crazy not to do it.
    References :
    Guitarist for 20+ years who’s improving with DVD instruction.

  • Lester G says:
    January 21, 2010 at 9:09 am

    It’s much better to take lessons. An instructional video is not going to answer all of your questions, show you how to change strings, tune the guitar, and so on. If you’re serious about learning the guitar, get lessons.
    References :
    47 years pro guitarist

  • Patrick O says:
    January 21, 2010 at 9:46 am

    I have taught myself to a very high level without ever getting a single lesson. I’ve learned a lot from DVDs, guitar magazines and books.

    That’s not to say that it will or will not work for you, but I would go to your local store and ask someone what is a suitable book for you and take it home and try it.

    I would recommend lessons to anyone, but if you can’t afford them (as was my case), then don’t let that stop you. There are a lot of resources free on the web also, which you can get to by typing in google
    References :
    http:www//guitarpracticeblog.com

  • Pat S says:
    January 21, 2010 at 10:30 am

    have taught myself to a very high level without ever getting a single lesson. I’ve learned a lot from DVDs, guitar magazines and books.

    That’s not to say that it will or will not work for you, but I would go to your local store and ask someone what is a suitable book for you and take it home and try it.

    I would recommend lessons to anyone, but if you can’t afford them (as was my case), then don’t let that stop you. There are a lot of resources free on the web also, which you can get to by typing in google
    References :
    http://www.guitarpracticeblog.com/

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