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Don’t know how to play guitar but thinking about taking the plunge to learn…again

edited November 20 in Other Music Content

I’m considering diving back into trying to learn guitar, but I’m at a bit of a crossroads. A while ago, I tried learning acoustic guitar through books in my 20s, with the plan of eventually moving on to electric guitar. It didn’t stick, though. The endless chord drills and finger pain wore me down, and I eventually drifted away from it.

Fast forward to now, and I’ve started getting comfortable with sequencing guitar riffs in my DAW, using the piano roll to replicate the styles I enjoy. I’ve got some decent guitar VSTs that capture some cool articulations, but I quickly hit walls when trying to get more nuanced with things like upstrokes, quarter-step bends, or layering techniques. I’ve realized that to achieve certain results, I need multiple instances of the same instrument. So, I’ve been looking at a new VST, one from Orange Tree Samples, which promises more flexibility.

But, as I’ve been researching, I’ve seen a lot of guitarists telling people like me to just get a real guitar and learn to play because no virtual instrument will ever replicate the sound of a real guitar. They argue that even if you're not a great player, recording each note or chord manually will still sound more authentic than sequencing it in a grid with a VST. I have also noticed from tutorials that trying to sound realistic can get quite involved, whereas playing the part is more direct.

I almost bought one of the Orange Tree Samples VSTs, but I noticed I could get a small-scale electric guitar for roughly the same price. Now, I’m torn between buying a better vst and giving learning guitar another shot (so I can start recording my own parts even if it means painstakingly capturing one note at a time).

What’s really holding me back is my focus on composition. I’m not sure if most listeners would even notice the difference between a real guitar and a well-programmed VST. Heck, I’m not even sure I could tell the difference myself!

The other thing nagging at me is wondering if I’m just caught in the “gear acquisition syndrome” trap and about to buy a physical guitar that’ll end up gathering dust next to my unused acoustic…

Any words of wisdom from people who have been at a similar crossroads would be appreciated!

Comments

  • wimwim
    edited November 20

    One thing is for sure. Once you get even moderately involved with real guitar playing, it's darned near impossible to be satisfied with any software based guitar. You'll always hear the difference unless perhaps if it's buried in a mix.

    That's my experience anyway.

    And yes, it's at least as difficult to become any good at sequencing guitar parts as it is to learn to play. If you're not all that good at playing though, you can achieve things with sequencing that are beyond your ability to play.

    I dunno about piecing together parts note by note or chord by chord. That never goes well for me. I've got to be able to play at least a phrase or riff or it's not worth it. Pasting riffs and short passages together is doable though.

  • @AlexY : if electric is what interests you, get an electric guitar. Use light of xtra light strings. Try a lot of guitars before deciding what to buy and pick one that doesn’t fight you too much. Many top-notch guitarists use light strings and low action.

    If learning the way you did doesn’t suit you, find a couple of songs you like that aren’t hard to play and start there. Or start with a few chords you like.

    If there is a band you like, get a songbook and learn a few songs. Check out the zillion YouTube beginner tutorials that teach a song slowly.

    Give it time. Give yourself permission to sound bad and eventually you won’t.

  • Learn to play with some open tunings where you can fret with less fingers too - can be very musical.

  • do it! The free Punch amp sim is really good too. Very simple guitar stuff can sound great, like 2 or 3 note chords or ultra simple lines. Depending on the genre a bit. I've played some things like that on a friend's recording, kinda electronic dream pop stuff, and she'd sing me the notes she wanted. It was some of the simplest stuff I ever played but it sounded great in context, probably better than what I might have played trying to be a guitarist..

  • At the beginning of the pandemic I decided I'd finally learn to play guitar songs with legitimate chords and sing rather than faking my way with distorted power chords and blues scales (and no singing).

    This is where I started, and it's free, all the videos are on YouTube:

    https://www.justinguitar.com/classes/beginner-guitar-course-grade-one

  • Yes start learning easy songs you like. Songs with the basic Major & minor chords.

    Use Ultimate Guitar Tabs App or Website to look up songs. All chords are shown with diagrams. Get the basic strumming, fingering, and chord changes down.

    It’s easier when it’s a song you know and like because you know how it goes.

  • You’re not supposed to actually play the thing, it’s for propping up in the corner of the room

  • wimwim
    edited November 20

    @u0421793 said:
    You’re not supposed to actually play the thing, it’s for propping up in the corner of the room

    That is true, though there’s an exception for electric guitars if you limit yourself to just tweaking the tone and don’t actually practice, or play anything.

  • Another vote for @bigcatrik ’s suggestion…
    Justin Guitar worked for me although applied to GeoShred as knackered hands stop me from wielding a real axe 🎸☹️
    I also found his One Minute Changes app very useful.

  • @u0421793 said:
    You’re not supposed to actually play the thing, it’s for propping up in the corner of the room

    I find this works for electric bass, too.

  • edited November 20

    Definitely learn the guitar, it's going to be way more satisfying than any emulation.

    With modern CNC machines the manufacturing of guitars has improved immeasurably, it's possible to make really great guitars for very little money, because they can be manufactured with great precision by less skilled labour.

    Electric guitars are more forgiving and easier to play than acoustic ones. Just bear in mind what kind of scale length you are likely to prefer: the Gibson scale length is shorter, and easier to play (especially with smaller hands) but gets congested past the 12th fret. The Fender scale length is longer, and much nicer higher up the neck, but comes with greater string tension and is a little harder to manage nearer the nut (the difference is relatively subtle, but once you get really used to a particular scale length it might take time to adjust to the other).

    You'll also need to decide whether you want single coils or humbuckers. Personally I can't stand single-coils but YMMV, it's a personal thing.

    You can get a really cheap guitar from Thomann or equivalent that will play really well. A Harley Benton guitar will be fine, or if you want to spend a little more an Epiphone or a Squier. I own both a USA made Gibson Les Paul and a Squier Tele Deluxe (that cost £230) and the cheaper guitar plays just as well as the more expensive one.

  • Same here. I've got three guitars that I hardly play anymore—I just can't bring myself to sell them because they're full of memories. Honestly, if you're enjoying using DAW, go for it. You don't have to pick up your guitar if you don't feel like it.

  • @dblonde said:
    Learn to play with some open tunings where you can fret with less fingers too - can be very musical.

    That was going to be my suggestion as well.

    Standard tuning is for suckers!

    jk about that part.

  • While you should listen to those on here that know their stuff, I would suggest that you only do it if you can at least buy a guitar that you like the look of. I don’t mean spend a lot, but the cheaper end of the guitar market doesn’t hold its value, so it’s either take a loss or get one that looks good on the wall!

    If you do manage to learn (I failed), you won’t end up buying one guitar only!

  • @u0421793 said:
    You’re not supposed to actually play the thing, it’s for propping up in the corner of the room

    🤣😂🤣😂 so true lol

  • @JeffChasteen said:

    @dblonde said:
    Learn to play with some open tunings where you can fret with less fingers too - can be very musical.

    That was going to be my suggestion as well.

    Standard tuning is for suckers!

    jk about that part.

    Open tuning, play melodies only on one string at a time, using a single LH finger. This is easy to learn and can be taken to a very high level with practice. It works great for modal music that never changes key. Not so good for playing cowboy chord songs though.

  • I guess I’ve been doing it all wrong with my Yamaha F310 acoustic since it’s been hidden away in my closet instead of proudly propped up in a corner like @u0421793 and @reasOne suggested! 😂 But seriously, thank you all so much for your encouragement, advice, and resources—whether it’s to keep at it with VSTs or dive into the world of hardware guitars. You’ve given me a lot to think about!

    I’ve decided to take the plunge and buy a new guitar, but I’ll also dust off my Yamaha and restring it with softer strings as @espiegel123 recommended. I’ll definitely check out the Justin Guitar course that @bigcatrik and @GeoTony mentioned and the guitar tab app that @Poppadocrock suggested. I’ll also keep in mind the open tuning tips from @dblonde and @JeffChasteen.

    After reading all your input, @richardyot ‘s recommendations and doing a bit of research, I’m leaning towards a shorter-scale electric guitar since it seems better suited for my beginner needs and shorter fingers (my wife had no hesitation pointing that out! 😂). Here’s my current shortlist:

    Upper Range:

    • Ibanez Gio MiKro GRGM21M (22.2” scale, medium frets)
    • Jackson JS Series Dinky Minion JS1X (22.5” scale, jumbo frets)
    • Epiphone Les Paul Special-I Limited-Edition Electric (24.75” scale, medium jumbo frets)

    The Epiphone feels like a solid middle ground since I want to play both rhythm and lead, and humbuckers are a must for me.

    Lower Budget:

    • Mitchell MS100 Short-Scale Electric Guitar (22.5” scale, 22 medium jumbo frets)
    • Mitchell MM100 Mini Double-Cutaway Electric Guitar (same but with 24 frets, slightly more expensive)

    As @espiegel123 and @Fruitbat1919 suggested, I’ll head to the store to try them out and see what feels right. Thanks also to @richardyot for explaining scale length nuances—it really helped me narrow down my choices.

    This is all super exciting, and I appreciate the warm and thoughtful responses from everyone here. Now, I just need to avoid turning into one of those “guitar as decoration” types that @u0421793 and @purpan2 joked about. 😅

    Thanks again, everyone! 🎸

  • @GeoTony said:
    Another vote for @bigcatrik ’s suggestion…
    Justin Guitar worked for me although applied to GeoShred as knackered hands stop me from wielding a real axe 🎸☹️
    I also found his One Minute Changes app very useful.

    I’ve been messing with GeoShred lately and sampled the Korg Santa Ana to play in Samplewiz with MPE and I thought it made it sound great.

  • @AlexY said:
    I guess I’ve been doing it all wrong with my Yamaha F310 acoustic since it’s been hidden away in my closet instead of proudly propped up in a corner like @u0421793 and @reasOne suggested! 😂 But seriously, thank you all so much for your encouragement, advice, and resources—whether it’s to keep at it with VSTs or dive into the world of hardware guitars. You’ve given me a lot to think about!

    I’ve decided to take the plunge and buy a new guitar, but I’ll also dust off my Yamaha and restring it with softer strings as @espiegel123 recommended. I’ll definitely check out the Justin Guitar course that @bigcatrik and @GeoTony mentioned and the guitar tab app that @Poppadocrock suggested. I’ll also keep in mind the open tuning tips from @dblonde and @JeffChasteen.

    After reading all your input, @richardyot ‘s recommendations and doing a bit of research, I’m leaning towards a shorter-scale electric guitar since it seems better suited for my beginner needs and shorter fingers (my wife had no hesitation pointing that out! 😂). Here’s my current shortlist:

    Upper Range:

    • Ibanez Gio MiKro GRGM21M (22.2” scale, medium frets)
    • Jackson JS Series Dinky Minion JS1X (22.5” scale, jumbo frets)
    • Epiphone Les Paul Special-I Limited-Edition Electric (24.75” scale, medium jumbo frets)

    The Epiphone feels like a solid middle ground since I want to play both rhythm and lead, and humbuckers are a must for me.

    Lower Budget:

    • Mitchell MS100 Short-Scale Electric Guitar (22.5” scale, 22 medium jumbo frets)
    • Mitchell MM100 Mini Double-Cutaway Electric Guitar (same but with 24 frets, slightly more expensive)

    As @espiegel123 and @Fruitbat1919 suggested, I’ll head to the store to try them out and see what feels right. Thanks also to @richardyot for explaining scale length nuances—it really helped me narrow down my choices.

    This is all super exciting, and I appreciate the warm and thoughtful responses from everyone here. Now, I just need to avoid turning into one of those “guitar as decoration” types that @u0421793 and @purpan2 joked about. 😅

    Thanks again, everyone! 🎸

    I have that Epiphone. Good choice.
    I would have paid twice the price.

  • You could go with a 3-string cigar box guitar. Half the strings to deal with, and only two more than you really need.

  • @wim said:
    One thing is for sure. Once you get even moderately involved with real guitar playing, it's darned near impossible to be satisfied with any software based guitar. You'll always hear the difference unless perhaps if it's buried in a mix.

    I second this.

    While huge progress has been made in plugins, they never sound quite right - either too stiff and flawless in the execution, or lacking in the character that comes from placing fingers on a fretboard.

    There are some thing that would be impossible to program and truly sound like a guitar.

  • @AlexY said:
    I guess I’ve been doing it all wrong with my Yamaha F310 acoustic since it’s been hidden away in my closet instead of proudly propped up in a corner like @u0421793 and @reasOne suggested!

    The Yamaha should be good enough to start the Justin Guitar course with. Even if the action feels high, that's pretty typical for anyone starting out, and being able to play better (even a little bit) will help you when going to pick out a new guitar.

  • I've been playing guitar for decades and they have been the backbone of my recordings. That said, I also have several Orange Tree VSTs too, and they are great. I love using them and I've completed songs that to my ears and to others' sound 100 percent authentic without spending endless hours tweaking them.

  • @AlexY said:

    Upper Range:

    • Ibanez Gio MiKro GRGM21M (22.2” scale, medium frets)
    • Jackson JS Series Dinky Minion JS1X (22.5” scale, jumbo frets)
    • Epiphone Les Paul Special-I Limited-Edition Electric (24.75” scale, medium jumbo frets)

    The Epiphone feels like a solid middle ground since I want to play both rhythm and lead, and humbuckers are a must for me.

    The Epiphone will retain its value better than the others, just due to the brand name, and also the 24" scale length is the best compromise, a 22" scale is going to be impossible to play beyond the 12th fret.

  • @richardyot said:

    @AlexY said:

    Upper Range:

    • Ibanez Gio MiKro GRGM21M (22.2” scale, medium frets)
    • Jackson JS Series Dinky Minion JS1X (22.5” scale, jumbo frets)
    • Epiphone Les Paul Special-I Limited-Edition Electric (24.75” scale, medium jumbo frets)

    The Epiphone feels like a solid middle ground since I want to play both rhythm and lead, and humbuckers are a must for me.

    The Epiphone will retain its value better than the others, just due to the brand name, and also the 24" scale length is the best compromise, a 22" scale is going to be impossible to play beyond the 12th fret.

    Thanks!

    I ended up grabbing this pack today: https://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/epiphone-les-paul-special-i-electric-guitar-pack

    It took me some time to decide between this one and the Epiphone Gibson SG (because of its double cut body) but in the end I wanted the Les Paul tone more and the price was also too good.

    Thanks again for the recommendations and advice. 👍

  • @AlexY said:

    @richardyot said:

    @AlexY said:

    Upper Range:

    • Ibanez Gio MiKro GRGM21M (22.2” scale, medium frets)
    • Jackson JS Series Dinky Minion JS1X (22.5” scale, jumbo frets)
    • Epiphone Les Paul Special-I Limited-Edition Electric (24.75” scale, medium jumbo frets)

    The Epiphone feels like a solid middle ground since I want to play both rhythm and lead, and humbuckers are a must for me.

    The Epiphone will retain its value better than the others, just due to the brand name, and also the 24" scale length is the best compromise, a 22" scale is going to be impossible to play beyond the 12th fret.

    Thanks!

    I ended up grabbing this pack today: https://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/epiphone-les-paul-special-i-electric-guitar-pack

    It took me some time to decide between this one and the Epiphone Gibson SG (because of its double cut body) but in the end I wanted the Les Paul tone more and the price was also too good.

    Thanks again for the recommendations and advice. 👍

    Looks great, especially for the price. I hope you get hours of fun from it!

  • Hi, @AlexY.
    I recommend you to watch this video. The video is 1 minute 28 seconds long.
    The 0:36 - 0:47 of the video clearly explains what I most want to warn you about.
    (I hope people new to an electric guitar/bass also watch it.)

    How to Fix A Loose Guitar Jack (the right way!) / Channel name: Austin Bazaar

    *
    The screenshot below shows an Auto-generated captions for the 0:36 - 0:47.
    I added a strikethrough outside(?) of the 0:36 - 0:47.
    Note: I’m not sure if the captions are exact or not.

  • Thanks for the heads up!

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