Benninger Electric Guitar Lessons Wanted For Me

[Fisherwoman]

 

 

 

[Pipes]

Have you played any guitar before? I have been playing for several years and could offer up some pointers.

[Fisherwoman]

[Pythagoras]

Congrats on the new toy.

 

Are you saying your tuned to open G? If so, the electric (when properly distorted ) can be pretty easy to play. It's a one finger thing...lots of Stones tunes played in open G.

 

I'm a longtime campfire guitar player and know 1/2 a million songs....thats half or less of them.

 

I also have a voice similar to the Dungarvin Whooper!

[Fisherwoman]

.

[Pipes]

Finding the right teacher can be difficult. Years ago I had a teacher who only wanted to show me his new Stevie Ray Vaughn licks. Not the best way to spend my money.

Personally, I would learn the basic open chords. You can find all the tablature versions on the internet. Tablature is an easy method, as it tells you where to put your fingers on the fret board. It will take some time to build up some hand/finger strength, as well as, a bit of coordination will develop. Playing an electric guitar will be easier on your fingers as a beginner.

Once you know your basic open chords, it will be easier to understand and play basic songs. A good teacher will start off by pointing these out and probably should show you some basic scales.

As far as the sound, don't worry about that too much. Most tube amps do like to be driven (turned up), but solid states can still sound ok at lower levels. Only when playing with distortion, will you require to drive your amp. Play around with the settings and you will find a good sound. What type of amp do you have?

Most importantly, have fun. Don't let the teacher or anyone force you to play stuff you don't want to play. Playing guitar is a lot like fly fishing, it seems impossible and overwhelming, but everything starts to make a lot of sense after you have played awhile.

AND USE THAT WHAMMY BAR!

[reevesr1]

Hi, Nope never played any guitar before ever..... I have a wammy on mine, I'm a wammy gurl...

 

Not sure what a Benninger Electric Guitar is. I did a google search on Benninger Guitar, and this thread was the 2nd hit. Maybe Maxwell can help with Benninger lessons?

 

Just teasing!

 

Your "I'm a wammy girl" quote put a Fank Zappa song in my head that I can't get out:

 

"Joe's Garage"

 

It wasn't very large

There was just enough room to cram the drums

In the corner over by the Dodge

It was a fifty-four

With a mashed up door

And a cheesy little amp

With a sign on the front said "Fender Champ"

And a second hand guitar

It was a Stratocaster with a whammy bar

[Fisherwoman]

[Pythagoras]

Not sure what a Benninger Electric Guitar is. I did a google search on Benninger Guitar, and this thread was the 2nd hit. Maybe Maxwell can help with Benninger lessons?

 

Just teasing!

 

Your "I'm a wammy girl" quote put a Fank Zappa song in my head that I can't get out:

 

"Joe's Garage"

 

It wasn't very large

There was just enough room to cram the drums

In the corner over by the Dodge

It was a fifty-four

With a mashed up door

And a cheesy little amp

With a sign on the front said "Fender Champ"

And a second hand guitar

It was a Stratocaster with a whammy bar

 

 

Oh gawd...flash back...now I got that in my head...Limewire here I come....

[Pipes]

Hi, thank-you.... Hell yes! Using the wammy bar!!!! With a big smile evertime. ((((( wammmmy )))))

Yea, I know... I can fly fish now, tye fies.. and now getting excited about my electric guitar with a wammy bar!

 

My amp is 15 watt amp Traynor, also a digital chromatic tuner.

 

I have my second lesson with second teacher found on the internet. this guy has more experience sounds like he knows what he is doing by our conversation we've had on the phone,the other guy I had Monday night after he said he has not played a electric guitar and was pulling on my strings... ouch!.. he said my guitar is going out of tune every sec.. So.. I don't know, I don't feel comfortable with him. Off I go to another teacher. 45.00 per half hour is what they charge..

 

As for my fingers.. my fingers are pretty tough anyways, after having a flower shop for 30 years, and what I do now keeps me in shape..

 

Thanks again..

Um... Ya..

Good luck. Your amp is perfect for starting out. If you're paying that kind of money, make sure the teacher is certified.

[reevesr1]

Oh gawd...flash back...now I got that in my head...Limewire here I come....

 

I thought it was a choice hijack! How often does one get a chance to drop a Frank Zappa reference?

 

I would have quoted from "Catholic Girls", but couldn't figure out how to work in "with a tiny little mustache....."

[PlayDoh]

I've played guitar for 15 years, and you should first know that learning guitar is not a quick easy process. Its not particularly difficult, but it takes time so don't be in a hurry.

 

I always tell people who tell me "I don't know how to play guitar". I tell them that they 'don't know how to play guitar' because "They don't play guitar, or haven't for very long". Anyone can play a guitar, its playing in harmony and with organization.

 

If you just got your Axe, then just play guitar hero for a few months. Lessons will help, but don't expect the same results as say, driving lessons. I can take fly fishing lessons from Max and in hours be catching fish. Yet if you put me out on unfamiliar water where the tactics and methods I learned were useless, I'd probably suck.

 

You can take driving lessons, and 8 weeks later be a competent driver, but it will take you years to master the mechanics and physics of handling a car, and to be aware of all the hazards. Same with guitar, yet the process is much slower.

 

Playing the guitar well will require you to learn to contort your hand, and build the necessary hand strength. You will also have to learn to distinguish tones with second nature. There are only a limited number of chords, and an essential handful that most songs use.

 

Remember that there is always more then one way to make the same note.

 

 

Get yourself a $20 tuner, and ask the store guy to show you how to use it. Tuning open G is a very, very, very rare tuning. you want your guitar tuned to 440 which is

 

E ---- fattest string

A

D

G

B

E <----- thinnest string

 

Those are the notes played without putting your finger on the fretboard (Open). A cheap trick is to use the dial-tone, which is the Note F. F on a guitar is the 1st fret on the top (fat) string (E). That might be too difficult, but if you manage, you can tune the rest using the one string you know is in tune. If your really in Open G then that just means your top E is tuned to G, and the rest are find. So if you play a note with your finger on the 5th fret, it will play the note that the string below it should be with no fingers on the string (open). do this until you get to the last string, do a wammy or string pull, then re-tune it again and it should stay in tune better.

 

So... if your in open G, then put your finger on the top string 5th fret, and strum that string, then right after strum the open one below it. You will hear a "harmonic wobble" thats how I explain it. Now tune the top string till you hear the wobble goes away.

 

A string will tighten and losen its tension quite a bit unless its in a completly stable enviroment.

 

Your lucky that you have the internet to help you learn, but don't become dependent on others to teach you all you know. I never took lessons, and learned to play with a few books and a lot of time. Thats not to suggest I'm above lessons, or have nothing to learn. Thats the beauty of guitar is that theres always something to learn or discover.

 

By the way, the wammy is cool, but it will put your guitar out of tune in a hurry. Thats why I suggest just flaming out and just get used to holding it and strumming. Strumming is always under-appreciated by beginner's. Listen for the guitar in the songs you listen to, and play air guitar with it. You don't have to stand on top the desk and flail around, lol, just let your wrist play along. This will develop your timing which in music is everything.

 

Van Halen "Miss a beat, lose the rhythm". So very true.

 

Go on the net, and learn the G, A & D chords. You'll be amazed at how many songs you can play with those and a few other notes just by rearranging them and playing them with different tempos.

 

I'm not the type to involve people in structured lessons, but I could show you some tips and pointers. I live outside of the City so it will have to be when I have the spare time. If you'd like I could invite you to a Jam session with my bandmates when we get together. I also know of guy who lives in Martindale who would have an open jam every night if he could get people to come play with him. He's a guitar god also.

 

Be warned, we don't play quiet and ear plugs are good to bring if you have virgin ears. lol

[PlayDoh]

Heres a trick to remember the string notes.

Guitar notes (for tuning) E-A-D-G-B-E Eat All Day, Get Big Easily or Earl's Bible Gets Dusty After Easter which is bottom up.

[Fisherwoman]

Hi Wow. thanks.. your a big help.. I know learning to play my axe will come .. like everything eles.. I'll sure will let you know, I have some earplugs.. around here somewhere.

 

Thank-you. again.

[Fisherwoman]

Hi, I got on the net last night stayed up to who knows.... and looked up G, A & D chords,

Man, there's tons there... There's blank tab paper or blank chord sheets. I'm going to print off some blank chord sheets and put in some chords, taking myself and guitar outta town hit the highway play some tunes.. To myself it'll sound great.

 

Thanks for all your info...

[Guest JayVee]

I've been playing for 6 years. I own a Strat too (with a whammy bar!) and a Les Paul. I have one HUGE recommendation for you. If you're serious about practising (not just noodling), then get this software here. You won't need all the features, but the ability to slow down a song without changing pitch, and isolating sections that you can loop, is absolutley GOLDEN. There's even a rudimentary recording module built in that works fine. I couldn't be without it.

 

JV

[PlayDoh]

Great tip JV, there are so many tools out there now its crazy. Digital music is my savior, I used to ping pong tracks with 3, $20 cassette tapes for hours and hours, and be left with such degraded quality it was depressing. Now, Point & click.

 

I also recommend Adobe Audition, any version if your in to recording. It makes recording as easy as solitaire, well after you spend a year learning how to produce and engineer music, that is. Its almost as complex as Photoshop, that might be cause I'm still learning with graphics.

 

I think there is great value in 'noodling' occasionally, as apposed to only learning someone else's work. Obviously you can't create good music unless you learn to play good music, but I find some people only focus on their skills, and proving them to others by nailing a cover tune. I'm the small minority when it comes to guitar players, I'm a born rhythm player. I'm not in anyway suggesting that I'm 'too cool' to play other peoples songs, its just I've always been more interested in writing. I've met so many guitar players that can play 100's of songs by someone else, but are completely stumped when it comes to original music. I've noticed that they fall in to a groove, and don't develop their own sound and style.

 

 

I've found that most guitar players play for 2 reasons.

 

1 they like to listen to music, new, old, classic, original, or whatever.

2 They like to share their skill for others to enjoy.

 

Now most people have a healthy balance of the 2, but some, like Pipes past instructor, get way to focused on showing off. To me, playing on a street corner is 'showing off', but I'm modest and I don't play to impress at all. Also, everyone has their niche I suppose, and if it wasn't for flamers, who else would climb equipment and spit out 'sick licks'? lol

 

If I was starting all over again, knowing what I know now, I would have taken music lessons first and learned more of Musical Theory. My sisters a music major, and can write music like Beethoven (with her fancy software of course) but her hands don't last more then a few minutes with a guitar in them. Wimp!, lol.

 

I wouldn't want a classical guitar instructor who's complete focus was on notations and boring crap, either. I'd simply ask if they can read and write in notation and knew the structure of musical theory.

 

I think the point I've been trying to make, is that you should remember that an instructor will only show you what to play and practice so that you can develop the skills needed to play what you want to play. Its up to you to practice them enough to build the strength, muscle memory, song/note/chord/timing- memory, and the nice calluses on your fingers so they don't bleed.

 

I betcha that G & D feel great on your 'green' fingers after you hold them for a few mins, eh? In time, it won't even bother your finger-tips, but your hand strength will alway limit your ability. Until I get a bionic hand to replace mine when it finally gives out.

 

Wow, it feels nice to be able to give advice and talk about something on this site that I know something about.

 

Chords; G, D, C, A & E are the bread and butter chords. F, B are less used of the common chords.

 

Play a G chord for say 3 strums (up & down), then switch to a C for twice as many, and thats the guitar for "Wheat Kings" by the Hip. The Chorus is just a D note. Just a cheap & easy tune for ya to learn. Switching from note to note and how to move your hand is one of the biggest lessons to learn, after you learn the chords themselves.

 

 

Well, that concludes our Guitar 101 lessons for today. lol

 

p.s- There are also online guitar lessons, for free and for fee. & Rock on Fisherwoman!

[Fisherwoman]

Great tip JV, there are so many tools out there now its crazy. Digital music is my savior, I used to ping pong tracks with 3, $20 cassette tapes for hours and hours, and be left with such degraded quality it was depressing. Now, Point & click.

 

I also recommend Adobe Audition, any version if your in to recording. It makes recording as easy as solitaire, well after you spend a year learning how to produce and engineer music, that is. Its almost as complex as Photoshop, that might be cause I'm still learning with graphics.

 

I think there is great value in 'noodling' occasionally, as apposed to only learning someone else's work. Obviously you can't create good music unless you learn to play good music, but I find some people only focus on their skills, and proving them to others by nailing a cover tune. I'm the small minority when it comes to guitar players, I'm a born rhythm player. I'm not in anyway suggesting that I'm 'too cool' to play other peoples songs, its just I've always been more interested in writing. I've met so many guitar players that can play 100's of songs by someone else, but are completely stumped when it comes to original music. I've noticed that they fall in to a groove, and don't develop their own sound and style.

 

 

I've found that most guitar players play for 2 reasons.

 

1 they like to listen to music, new, old, classic, original, or whatever.

2 They like to share their skill for others to enjoy.

 

Now most people have a healthy balance of the 2, but some, like Pipes past instructor, get way to focused on showing off. To me, playing on a street corner is 'showing off', but I'm modest and I don't play to impress at all. Also, everyone has their niche I suppose, and if it wasn't for flamers, who else would climb equipment and spit out 'sick licks'? lol

 

If I was starting all over again, knowing what I know now, I would have taken music lessons first and learned more of Musical Theory. My sisters a music major, and can write music like Beethoven (with her fancy software of course) but her hands don't last more then a few minutes with a guitar in them. Wimp!, lol.

 

I wouldn't want a classical guitar instructor who's complete focus was on notations and boring crap, either. I'd simply ask if they can read and write in notation and knew the structure of musical theory.

 

I think the point I've been trying to make, is that you should remember that an instructor will only show you what to play and practice so that you can develop the skills needed to play what you want to play. Its up to you to practice them enough to build the strength, muscle memory, song/note/chord/timing- memory, and the nice calluses on your fingers so they don't bleed.

 

I betcha that G & D feel great on your 'green' fingers after you hold them for a few mins, eh? In time, it won't even bother your finger-tips, but your hand strength will alway limit your ability. Until I get a bionic hand to replace mine when it finally gives out.

 

Wow, it feels nice to be able to give advice and talk about something on this site that I know something about.

 

Chords; G, D, C, A & E are the bread and butter chords. F, B are less used of the common chords.

 

Play a G chord for say 3 strums (up & down), then switch to a C for twice as many, and thats the guitar for "Wheat Kings" by the Hip. The Chorus is just a D note. Just a cheap & easy tune for ya to learn. Switching from note to note and how to move your hand is one of the biggest lessons to learn, after you learn the chords themselves.

 

 

Well, that concludes our Guitar 101 lessons for today. lol

 

p.s- There are also online guitar lessons, for free and for fee. & Rock on Fisherwoman!

 

 

Hi, Hey Thank-you PlayDoh, I'll try that! You know the green onions .... ( Booker T And The MCs) I like that, I like to play the riff of it.. I looked on the internet. Boy.. I don't understand ..

 

E Riff

----------------------------

----------------------------

---------------------------- Progression

---------------------------- E 4x

----------5-7--------------- A 2x

------0-7------------------- E 2x

B 1x

A Riff A 1x

---------------------------- E 2x

----------------------------

----------------------------

--------5-7-----------------

----0-7---------------------

----------------------------

 

B Riff

----------------------------

----------------------------

----------------------------

---------7-9----------------

-------9--------------------

-----7----------------------

This is what is shows..... When I learn what this means, this maybe the best way for me to write it down..

 

I made up something this weekend out and about. sounds really blue-sy...