How hard is it to learn to play a guitar/mandolin?

[Revalos]

On a whim, I bought a guitar and a mandolin from a local craftsman a little while back. They are currently being built and won't be ready until May.

Anyone have any experience with learning to play either? How much time should I expect to invest to learn how to play reasonably well? Any recommendations on learning methods (lessons, DVDs, internet, etc...)?

[Bobmuhthol]

If it's being crafted, I assume you mean an acoustic guitar. I think acoustic is easier to learn on than electric, and probably takes a few hours of practice every week for a couple months to be able to play decently.

[Back]

Get ready for painful fingertips. It takes a while for the callosity to set in.

[Stanley Burrell]

There is only one instrument capable of scoring the chicks. And you have to be as awesome as Carl, from ATHF, as a prerequisite for playing it, playa':

http://www.adultswim.com/video/?episodeID=8a25c392181768f801181864055d0006

[Apathy]

Have you ever played an instrument of any kind before? How good is your hand coordination? I'd say you could cover the basics in 2 - 12 weeks depending on those two factors.

[Silvanostar]

i actually just picked up a new cf martin.

what kind of music are you trying to learn? if you got some music background, you can go to ultimate-guitar.com and search for guitar tabs for free. most tabs will have a chord chart.

[Revalos]

I've got very little experience with stringed instruments (not even any guitar hero...heh). I used to be able to read music...but I haven't done it in quite some time. Coordination is...ok I guess. I'm really just looking to be able to do bluegrass/classic rock type of stuff on acoustic.

[Sean of the Thread]

I'm picking up 30 mins a week of lessons @ $15 per. The guy really seems good.

[Blushy]

Guitar is the easiest instrument on the planet to learn. Look at all the idiots on TV and in your life who play guitar. You'll have no trouble, trust me.

[Skeeter]

I think you either have an affinity to play or you don't. I took lessons for 2 years and I still sucked.

[Blud]

I tought myself to play guitar. Been playing now for about 15 years.

It's a very rewarding hobby, but as has already been mentioned, it's a little painful to get started (callouses and hand cramps until you get better dexterity).

I can't read guitar music, so I learn to play everything by ear, or by getting tablature notation.

EDIT: Skeeter is right, you either have an affinity for it or you don't. If you're willing to put in the effort, you can teach yourself.

[GuildRat]

Basic chords....learn them and play 80% of the songs on your list.

[Gan]

Is it a steel string guitar or a classical guitar?

If its a classic guitar then its designed for nylon strings. (If its a steel string acoustic then its designed for steel) (Not wise to mix the two since they're constructed/designed for a specific type).

Find out what kind of acoustic you have. Classical acoustics tend to have wider fret spacing and a smaller box size.

Nylon strings are easier to play and easier on the fingers. Plus they dont produce that annoying squeak.

You'll also want to look at the gap/spacing between the strings and the neck. The less pressure you have to exert to push the strings against the frets the easier it will be to play. This is symptomatic of neck bow (warpage).

[GuildRat]

Is it a steel string guitar or a classical guitar?

If its a classic guitar then its designed for nylon strings. (If its a steel string acoustic then its designed for steel) (Not wise to mix the two since they're constructed/designed for a specific type).

Find out what kind of acoustic you have. Classical acoustics tend to have wider fret spacing and a smaller box size.

Nylon strings are easier to play and easier on the fingers. Plus they dont produce that annoying squeak.

You'll also want to look at the gap/spacing between the strings and the neck. The less pressure you have to exert to push the strings against the frets the easier it will be to play. This is symptomatic of neck bow (warpage).


The action of a guitar is important....moreso it's proportional to the cost. Better guitars "normally" have a lighter action...thus, less blisters on the digits. Customs are hit or miss, and I'm thinking his custom is bronze/steel stringed. The most important aspect will be the alignment of the neck to the body of the guitar, as far as the action goes. Fortunately this is adjustable and there're plenty of sites that will guide an amateur thru proper adjustment.

[diethx]

If these guys can do it,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3H4liC2sWg

So can you!

[Stanley Burrell]

I vow to singlehandedly bring the nose flute back to popularity. That is my wonderful contribution to this thread.

[Asha]

Guitar isn't hard to get to a standard where you feel you're really acheiving something. It won't take long to get that at all.
The best thing about it is you can really dedicate yourself to it and that's when you really understand how much fun and how rewarding the guitar can be.

It's a really good thing so many 'artists' these days settle for very basic ability themselves, so you can learn pretty much anything very easily.
Never touched a mandolin though.

[Tsa`ah]

Hand crafted mmmmm

First off the guitar isn't really difficult to learn. I'd say that it's somewhat challenging if you have no previous experience with a stringed instrument or any instrument.

Second is it really depends on the guitar you're learning on. I was fortunate enough to find some help at a music store that wasn't trying to sell me everything under the sun.

Essentially you want a beginner's guitar. That is to say something that doesn't have a high nut and fret pattern. Having to learn on a guitar with huge gap between the string and fingerboard is likely to be counter productive.

[Soulpieced]

LMAO @ being able to play Through the Fire and Flames in real life.

[Blud]

Look, the only advice you need is the following:

If you plan on buying a guitar, don't buy the name (especially right now since you're starting out). Play many, many guitars until you find one that "fits" you and feels the best.

Don't worry so much about action, strings, adjusting the neck, setting intonation, etc, etc...There's a lot (and I mean a LOT) to learn about the finer art of guitar that you don't have to know about right now to just see if you're going to stick with it or not.

If you opt for an electric guitar, don't get an amp rated more than about 15 Watts. It's plenty loud enough for you to practice on and can get loud enough if you really want to play out loud. You can invest in a 50W amp later (much later). It does not have to "go to eleven" right now either. :)

Remember to have fun. The distortion channel is there for fun. You can learn a few power chords and play things like "Smoke on the Water" or similar until you want to learn more.

[Revalos]

Thanks for the comments, I didn't spend much on the instruments since I know this guy isn't that much of an expert at making stuff like this, but I just wanted to keep him employed (how many people actually handcraft musical instruments anymore anyway?). I figure both will be about beginner quality, so if I do get better than I expect, I can upgrade to a real guitar after some careful consideration.

I got the mandolin because I asked the guy if he could build me a banjo first (no guitar at all) because I'd had Arkansas Traveller stuck in my head for weeks, he thought he could do it...but then he found out later that it would take too long, so he offered to build both the guitar and the mandolin for the same price as I was going to pay for the banjo. Any mandolin players out there?

[Sean of the Thread]

I think most acoustic guitars are handcrafted.

[Blud]

I tried mandolin, but I lost interest after I learned to play "The Battle of Evermore".