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I decided to start teaching myself guitar about three years ago, at the age of 24. I had always wanted to learn to play an instrument, but before guitar, nothin

I decided to start teaching myself guitar about three years ago, at the age of 24. I had always wanted to learn to play an instrument, but before guitar, nothing ever really stuck. When I picked up the guitar, I approached it from a different angle. The key for me was realizing that I could treat this like a 20 year project. I bought myself a guitar book[0] and started working through it page by page. I stopped worrying about whether I was good good or not – instead, I began to find great satisfaction in simply getting better. Three years later, I've made a ton of progress. Practicing has become a kind of meditation for me; it helps clear my head, and keeps me from getting burnt out with work. [0] William Leavitt's "A Modern Method for Guitar." This book is a pedagogical tour-de-force, though it helps to have a little bit of music theory under your belt if you are going to learn from it without an instructor.

sp821543 9y ago
Great job! Here are some other great books for you: J.S. Bach - Six Cello Suites (transcribed for guitar) Jim Hall - Exploring Jazz Guitar Joe Pass - Virtuoso (find transcription(s) or do it yourself) Gene Bertoncini - Approaching the Guitar
- telekid 9y ago
  Thanks! I'll be sure to look for these.
  - pcsanwald 9y ago
    There's also Mick Goodrick's masterpiece, "The Advancing Guitarist". which is still probably the single most inspirational guitar specific book I've ever read. I've had it for 25 years and still find it inspiring to look at.
mikestew 9y ago
The key for me was realizing that I could treat this like a 20 year project. Gawd, I wished I had that realization when I was 20. Or 8. I wanted to learn everything now, and grew frustrated when I didn't. Took shortcuts that I'd pay for later. I'd be a better guitarist today had I taken your mature outlook. Thankfully, I grew up and when time came to pick up the mandolin, I now have an outlook similar to yours. Not as explicit as "20 year project", but I knew I needed to be in it for the long haul. So I haven't skipped things, I practice the mechanics (scales and the like) nearly daily, and sometimes I save something for later (like cross-picking; I'll get to it eventually after I get those arpeggios down). I've made more progress more quickly on the mandolin than I ever did on the guitar, even discounting the headstart of knowing another fretted instrument first.

sp821543 9y ago

Great job! Here are some other great books for you: J.S. Bach - Six Cello Suites (transcribed for guitar) Jim Hall - Exploring Jazz Guitar Joe Pass - Virtuoso (find transcription(s) or do it yourself) Gene Bertoncini - Approaching the Guitar

telekid 9y ago
Thanks! I'll be sure to look for these.
- pcsanwald 9y ago
  There's also Mick Goodrick's masterpiece, "The Advancing Guitarist". which is still probably the single most inspirational guitar specific book I've ever read. I've had it for 25 years and still find it inspiring to look at.

mikestew 9y ago

The key for me was realizing that I could treat this like a 20 year project. Gawd, I wished I had that realization when I was 20. Or 8. I wanted to learn everything now, and grew frustrated when I didn't. Took shortcuts that I'd pay for later. I'd be a better guitarist today had I taken your mature outlook. Thankfully, I grew up and when time came to pick up the mandolin, I now have an outlook similar to yours. Not as explicit as "20 year project", but I knew I needed to be in it for the long haul. So I haven't skipped things, I practice the mechanics (scales and the like) nearly daily, and sometimes I save something for later (like cross-picking; I'll get to it eventually after I get those arpeggios down). I've made more progress more quickly on the mandolin than I ever did on the guitar, even discounting the headstart of knowing another fretted instrument first.