Teaching myself an instrument, couple of questions

steve_kav

I've always wanted to learn to play an instrument but can't afford lessons. I have a guitar and a keyboard and will be getting a better keyboard in august. I've been trying to teach myself both instruments using online tutorials and will post how far i've got and would appreciate if anyone could give me tips on how to improve at either.

I started with guitar and tuned the guitar. I then tried playing some of the basic chords and managed a few of them but seem to get a strange buzzing from the strings and find it very difficult trying to move between chords quickly and im not even sure that im playing them properly. The only song I managed to play was horse with no name by america and I didn't do a very good job of playing it.

I realised that I wasn't getting anywhere on guitar without lessons so a couple of months ago I moved onto keyboard. I very quickly realised that sheet music was going to be an essential if I was going to learn keyboard so I got my cousin to teach me the basics of sheet music then built on that with online tutorials and can now read sheet music perfecly. I can now play hundreds of songs using my right hand only. I know quite a few off by heart and can play more with the sheet music. I then bought a book of chords to practice with my left hand and can play most of them. But when I go back to the sheet music I can play both the bass clef and treble clef parts individually but have lots of trouble playing both together. Any tips on how to play with both hands without getting confused would be greatly appreciated. The only thing I can play with 2 hands is a simplified version of john lennons imagine. I am delighted with how far I have come on keyboard in just a couple of months but I really want to keep improving.

P.S. I dont want to play classical pieces I just want to play popular recognisable songs.

ruserious

Type this into the google homepage of the guitar!



K KK K JK K JK L P L K KK K JK K JK KLP L

Lustrum

Practice is the key. I presume you're an adult (physically anyway ) and in my experience of teaching music adults tend to be a lot less patient. They want to go from zero to hero in no time at all, with the result that the basics get overlooked and there's no foundation for being a good musician. You can be able to play all the songs in the world, but if you've no rhythm or dodgy fingerwork then it's worth nothing.

So take your time, be patient, and practice!


(I thought trad by the way, not quite the "populars" but music is music)

steve_kav

Lustrum wrote: »

Practice is the key. I presume you're an adult (physically anyway ) and in my experience of teaching music adults tend to be a lot less patient. They want to go from zero to hero in no time at all, with the result that the basics get overlooked and there's no foundation for being a good musician. You can be able to play all the songs in the world, but if you've no rhythm or dodgy fingerwork then it's worth nothing.

So take your time, be patient, and practice!


(I thought trad by the way, not quite the "populars" but music is music)

Ya im an adult, I can play some trad as well. Spancill hill, fields of athenry, raglan road that kinda thing.

buck65

Apart from lessons maybe try to find someone to play with. A little jamming would be good for you.

seachto7

same problem as yourself with the keys. My left hand is weak. I studied piano years and years ago, but took up the guitar aged 12, and only got back into keys in the last 5 or 6 years. I can't read music anymore, but as mentioned, jamming with someone will work wonders. I often find doing a slow standard blues jam on piano is good to work up the left hand, (do a simple walking bass line)

At least that's how I improved my chops on guitar in the early days, just jamming to the blues...

Ash.J.Williams

steve_kav wrote: »

I've always wanted to learn to play an instrument but can't afford lessons. I have a guitar and a keyboard and will be getting a better keyboard in august. I've been trying to teach myself both instruments using online tutorials and will post how far i've got and would appreciate if anyone could give me tips on how to improve at either.

I started with guitar and tuned the guitar. I then tried playing some of the basic chords and managed a few of them but seem to get a strange buzzing from the strings and find it very difficult trying to move between chords quickly and im not even sure that im playing them properly. The only song I managed to play was horse with no name by america and I didn't do a very good job of playing it.

I realised that I wasn't getting anywhere on guitar without lessons so a couple of months ago I moved onto keyboard. I very quickly realised that sheet music was going to be an essential if I was going to learn keyboard so I got my cousin to teach me the basics of sheet music then built on that with online tutorials and can now read sheet music perfecly. I can now play hundreds of songs using my right hand only. I know quite a few off by heart and can play more with the sheet music. I then bought a book of chords to practice with my left hand and can play most of them. But when I go back to the sheet music I can play both the bass clef and treble clef parts individually but have lots of trouble playing both together. Any tips on how to play with both hands without getting confused would be greatly appreciated. The only thing I can play with 2 hands is a simplified version of john lennons imagine. I am delighted with how far I have come on keyboard in just a couple of months but I really want to keep improving.

P.S. I dont want to play classical pieces I just want to play popular recognisable songs.

i find youtube to be the greatest resource for learning anything! I play guitar and suscribe to anyone on youtube that interests me..and learn loads...i'm sure keyboard has just as many resources on yt.