I just wish I started earlier, I started at 40 with a busy job being self employed, but having money to buy guitars.... wich means buying and selling guitars but no time to practice. Now I'm 52 and still not playing well, but come december I'm going to start and take lessons again... hope I have the courage to continue. I just love guitars.
Frank Van Aelst you can do it...my motto is it is never too late. I have a similar story and i decided five months ago to eliminate a few time suckers from my life and replace them with guitar study. So far every day i have played at least 15 minutes...some days hours. Plus most every day i have watched an instructive or inspirational guitar video...btw I am 60....so you have 8 years on me already. 👍🏼
What are the things you guys wished you spent more time on as a young player? 1. Don't just replicate - create! 0:27 2. Choosing the right amp 1:21 3. Be Dynamic! 2:26 4. How to set up my own guitars 3:10 5. Knowing my neck! 4:20 6. Learn to Listen 5:32 7. How to EQ my amp 7:27 8. Simplify! 8:18 9. Play it until it's clean! 9:39 10. Learning basic theory 11:04
I've only been playing for about a year now, I could stand to know where all of the notes are a bit better anything above the 5th fret I have to think about for a bit, and being an accoustic player I know almost nothing about amps...
I am NOT a "young guitar player." I bought my first guitar in 1969… First, there's an obvious relationship between volume and tone knobs on the guitar and the amp settings, but I have no idea what that relationship is. I should watch the "tone" video. The only advice I've ever gotten was "turn your guitar all the way up, turn your amp down to about a 2, and then fiddle with the EQ." Second, I'm totally intimidated - and I mean terrified - by music theory, so I've spent years NOT learning it. Whatever I can play, I've learned by ear, then replicated it, then used that as a basis for at least a little creative exploration. I don't qualify as a musician, and if someone asked me to characterize my guitar playing, the honest answer would be "inept." But, with all that, I really like your/Darrell's instructor's advice to treat guitar-playing like a conversation, with loud and soft, pauses and acceleration, and sometimes, silence and/or listening. Those are things I've learned to do, largely because I don't have to know any theory to do them…
I would agree with you on the 1x12 amp although I think the ideal setup is a 2x12 cab with a head on top. 2 speakers because if one blows at a show you still have the other one. Also some pedals works better in stereo, plus you have 2 ears so having a dual sound source for your guitar makes sense to me. Good vid.
I wish I was less intimidated when asking advice or getting lessons, I'm no spring chicken but at times I still feel like I'm inadequately prepared to seek help. learning to slow down and get things clear sounding helps heaps. When people ask me if I play guitar, I reply that "I play at playing guitar."
Sometimes the best "guitar videos" have no guitars IN them! At least, not being played, set up, etc. Having "played at" guitar for some 54 years now, I have to agree with each and every one of these, and I'm still working like crazy at most of them. But the one thing I wish you could have had room for is the one thing I wish somebody had told me very early on, which is: stop watching players' left hands; watching their RIGHT HAND IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT than watching their left!! I'll bet you agree, Darrell!
# 9 - slow it down until it's clean -- I can't stress that enough! 30 years as a pianist and I'm still learning how to do this well! Don't be afraid to loop a bar at whatever speed you need, as long as you need. Hell, spend a half hour practicing a single bar at half or even quarter speed. The results are amazing. The goal of practicing a passage isn't to get it good NOW - it's to get it good LATER after the days and weeks and months practicing has sunk in. Patience -- a real acceptance that "this is not going to sound good today" is really helpful! I'm a beginner at guitar and I'm really appreciating your videos!
Good stuff Darrell. Learn to play my Dad's Sears Silvertone at 6, gave up on guitar when I couldn't master the F chord and at 62 I decided I was going to learn to play for me. Older learners do have the patience that young kids don't. I am in no rush. Thanks for sharing.
Tim Barber Amen! I picked up a guitar the first time after having back surgery at 35. Needed a new hobby. That was a couple years ago and I never miss a day! Practice 365 days a year, minus my time in the hospital for surgery. Even bought a travel guitar to play on vacation. It’s so addicting! Take care of yourself though. I’ve slightly injured my nerve in my fret hand by overuse. Lose feeling in 3 fingers if I play too long.
@@Sacrifice13 The trick to life (respect, civilization, those things) is to close the video, not dislike it - affecting the creators ratings, income and perspectives. So there.
I've said the same thing in so many comment threads and all the "Shredders" jump on me with the "you're just jealous" "you probably can't play" "people like you should be ignored" etc etc. It's really sad. They treat it like a sport, not an Art.
@@stevesherrell9487 almost always, less IS more because less creates space to interact with the music, gives time to breathe, etc. The most intriguing aspects of music, to me anyway, are interactions between players and/or harmonies and rhythms. If we all spoke in rapid-burst staccato tones, what kind of conversations and communications would we have? Music can be conversational, can be poetic, can be profound...just like literature. Good luck.
This video is an old one, but will remain exceptionally relevant! You hit some really great points here that I too wish I had known earlier in my musical journey. Every single thing you touched on here is just so incredibly vital. Once, I started really taking my music seriously after playing a few years, I learned all these valuable lessons myself. They made me the songwriter I am today, rather than just another musician who plays cover songs. As far as writing your own music these points are really essential. Great way of explaining, and breaking these things down for younger, or inexperienced players to glean knowledge from. Love what you do with the channel. Keep up the great videos!
Darrel, I picked up the guitar at 17, that's around 16 years ago.. I completely agree with your video here. I wish I had a teacher like you, and I really love your intonation, they way you talk is soothing and really makes somebody want to listen to you. I wish you all the best and success in the world Darrel. Inspire another generation.
As usual, a great video Darrell. This video should be mandatory for new players, and it's also a great reminder for those of us who have been playing for many (in my case many, many, many) years. The benefit of being an older player is having the time to devote to getting better. Thanks for all your work here, you bring the standard for guitar based videos much higher.
I'm a 35 yo drummer and I am finally getting serious in learning guitar, and I totally agree with all of this. I tried to take shortcuts with several concepts with drums in the past... and that never works. I would add one thing tho : figure things up by yourself. It's easier to remember stuff when you understand what's behind
From Leo: The whole set up thing was an imaginary wall that frightened me. I could replace the cam shaft in a V8 Chevy, but I was afraid of making adjustment on the guitar, for fear I would ruin it. Thankfully, I lost that fear, and I can even get most cheapie guitars to play pretty well.
I tried setting up my new Squier Stratocaster Standard but could not get the frets to stop buzzing near the body. Took it to a pro who diagnosed it as a slight twist in the neck. Hah! He leveled the frets in that area and surprise--no more fret buzz! I'd never have sorted that one out ...
Hi Darrell, played for a few years through my teens into early twenties, just stumbled on your channel and have been bing watching. Mate, you’ve almost convinced me to pick up the guitar again (47 now), your passion for the guitar shines through so thanks Mate, new subscriber and might have to go and grab a guitar again!👌👍
Grabbed a used MIM strat less than 2 hours ago after watching your videos. Used to have a fender hss years ago while I was kicking around in a band with friends. My buddy's guitar bit the dust and I was forced to trade it away to get him kitted up to keep us at venues and regretted it ever since... Especially without ever fully appreciating what I had. However, today I have regained a piece of me that was long lost, thanks in part to you my friend. Again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you! Couldn't be happier
1) there are more tunings than E Standard 2) floyd rose is a pain in the ass to set up and won't make you cooler 3) the ultimate tone is difficult to find cuz IS YOURS 4) Metal bands didn't take a year to be big, it takes time and hard work 5) using right hand is more important than using a pick 6) some songs are very painful to play 7) dont avoid bar chords cuz you will regret it 8) theory is fundamental 9) jumbo frets are PERFECT 10) buying rig does not buy you a better player reputation
Hi.absolute agree on every thing you said... recently i m in a rut musically ..can u please help me out ..well if u can further explain on 'using your right hand right ' .. and also please suggest some alternate tunings and how should I approach it...I hope u understand my point..thnxxxx
Those are good advises. But the #6. Man that's something people starting need to know. Is nothing wrong with your body, it's just painful, even though you can make it less painful by a good position
Excellent advice! I was luck enough to be a sax player in high school jazz band prior to taking up the guitar, so many of the things you talked about were already present in my mind. Went on to play rock, blues and jazz in my college years. In later years I taught myself to play piano.
This might be one of the most genuinely useful videos I've seen for guitar players. Not just for young players, either (I am not a youngster). Thank you!
So true. My mom put me in piano for 5 years and guitar for about 5-6, and I was okay at music for a kid but I didn’t ever listen to the “boring stuff” and now I’m 22 and all I want to do is learn that stuff because I know it’s the thing stopping me from growing in my playing. Great video man!
@@ricksanchezito8972 yea, there is a 21 day guitar course on RUclips which is split into 3 videos (the last is a little tricky to find) I recommend learning from that first as it really gets the basics done well and introduces songs
@@ricksanchezito8972 Dont throw technique aside, so many people disregard proper technique at the beginning at it bites them in the ass later on. Spend as much time practicing technique as you do learning riffs and it will help you a ton in the long run.
I have been playing since 1963. Never had a teacher that actually knew much (like you). So I didn’t take many lessons. I am 70 and still don’t know what you do but I’m still trying to learn! I did spend years playing Panatonic scale for lead. Anything out of that scale I had to copy note by note. For instance, Pretty Woman, I copied note by note, and Gimme Three Steps also, not knowing what scale I was playing. I did not have RUclips or anything else to teach me. Thank you for your time, effort, and videos! I truly appreciate it!
I especially recognized myself in #9. I remember being asked during a lesson to ascend and descend the pentatonic scale and playing it as fast as I could reasonably get it yet scratching notes up and down the scale. I tended to have problems with my fingers getting in the way and I "rediscovered" that shortcoming recently when learning some music that's much more challenging. It has a 16th note run that's supposed to be played at 160bpm. Sure enough, when I slowed down and just practiced with a metronome, gradually speeding it up, it was a lot smoother and sounded more like the record. Not quite at my goal yet, though.
I learn everything super slowly lol. When i start playing fast my fingers hardly lock up or get stuck. Its so painful when your going slow but the gains are worth it.
I have to take the problem passages and make them into exercises which I do every day. The gains are indeed worth it because everything is in sync and the hands know what to do. My tendency to want to move faster than I could is pretty much the reason I never did learn to play "Master of Puppets". :P
I like the mention of the dynamics - building up and then getting quiet again. I've been spending a lot of time this past year working on string muting as a technique to address the dynamics aspect and I think it's improved my sound considerably
I found the following path to theory having not played any other instruments. First just started with basic chords. Then began looking at scales and how chords fit into that. Then began learning notes on the 5th and 6th strings. Along the way switched back and forth between strumming chords and fingerpicking. Haven't really got to much into learning pentatonic scales as the acoustic doesn't really lend itself to the styles needed for improvisation. Learning the notes on 5 & 6 has helped understand and use barre chords a lot more and the shapes. How have other people got into music theory?
Ive learned theory by using the circle of fifths. Combine scales with the right chords and your good too apply any technique you want so being creative gets much easier. I find that once you get in the creative zone you tend too drift off from theory and it only gets so much better. Modes should come next but thats where my creative process hasnt gotten me yet. I really dig 11 gauge strings. The frets wear out but i overbend anything less than 11 gauge and the guitars go out of tune lol.
Messing around with my guitar taught me theory in conjunction with me researching it. A lot of people are intimidated by it, but I find it interesting.
After about 2 years of playing guitar I felt fine with my technical abilities, and I was able to learn things fairly quickly but I was still struggling with theory and improvisation. I finally took 6 quick lessons over the summer and my instructor was everything I could have hoped for. He started me off on how to do basic scales, which was amazing because it just clicked immediately and made things make so much more sense. There is a point to where even if you are self taught you might be missing something basic that can change everything for you so getting into lessons for a short time after you are comfortable with your own sound is a great way to go about it, at least it was for me.
I started at 38. Most of my family plays acoustic guitar. I am the first electric player. I play both for 10 months. What my teacher told me is that I play it naturally. I don’t need to count beats, I just play it by ears. I think what helped me was growing around music. I love, love music! I just wish I could have started when younger. But what stopped me from doing was the negative thought “ I cannot do it!” Well, I am! Not perfectly yet, but I feel the improvement
I really appreciate people doing videos like this. I'm not an expert but I think I managed to set up my own guitar, thanks to youtube and the youtubers.
Guitar teacher here, just wanted to comment on some of these: Definitely agree on amp selection being a HUGE deal. Spent a few grand buying POS amps before finally taking the time and researching to find my perfect amp (Fender SuperSonic 22 1/12 Combo). Went through a solid state half stack, 2/12 Marshall Tube amp, 2/12 Peavy tube amp and a Cyber Twin. Biggest thing is anything with enough wattage to really push a 2/12 or above is NOT suitable for bedroom/living room practice. Even my 22 watt 1/12 I can't turn up above 3 without an attenuator. Guitar setup: I got rid of a Schecter C-1 Classic because I thought it was a POS, only to realize it had never been setup properly and is actually a beast of a guitar. Of course, knowing HOW to setup a guitar properly will save you tons of money over having someone else do it. I've had jam sessions with other guitarists who didn't know chord names/scales/music, just "this chord on this fret". It's super frustrating trying to explain when you're creating. DIALING IN AN AMP!!! God this is something that's difficult to learn but once you get it right. Oh man the difference it makes. Phrasing. Eric Clapton is considered overrated by many guitarists today, but he, and even older blues men like BB King are the kings of phrasing. Don't over do it; shredding and walls of sound have their places, but so do quiet runs, fills and even empty space. KEEP IT CLEAN! I learn my solos on acoustics whenever possible. Theory, theory, theory. No skill, method or technique can increase your ability to play with others and write music than studying music theory. I make points to each basics of theory to everyone, and hope they want to go further. Hell, I feel like I need to learn more theory.
The best thing I did was downscale my rig to a more simple and better sounding config. Fender Stratocaster => Blues Driver BD-2 => Blues Junior IV. I wish I had just gone this route from the beginning as it would have saved me a lot of money and stuffing around with different amps, pedals and guitars.
Not to belittle any guitar player. But I wish I had started learning, and stuck with learning the electric guitar back in my 20's/ I'm 52 now. Learning acoustic was boring and painful. So I quit. Decided to check out electric and have played on it an hour or more every day since last January. Yes, there was pain. But I shrugged it off and it was considerably less than with acoustic. I should be further along than I am. But I'm still impressed that I;ve gotten as far as I have.
The only thing I wish I understood 4-5 years ago (before quiting guitar for years until now) is: don't give up! If a song is too difficult now, focus on other songs on your level, set accomplishable goals for the present, push hard on technique and try again with that hard song you love a year later if it's necessary.
I'm lucky, my uncle is a home luthier, and pretty good at it, he setup my guitar, my Epiphone Les Paul Custom Prophecy Plus, he tells me now it was one of his favourites that he spent hundreds getting set up the way he wanted, his own pickups, Chrome tuners, toggleswitch, knobs, refretted, neck leveled, everything setup. But he wants to teach me how to maintain it and even how to repair, customize and eventually build my own once the tools are available, I've learned a lot about how it's put together and appreciating it and starting to learn chord progressions and basic music theory helps your technique and helps you make your own music or learn by ear quicker, hear the chord progression and picture things better and even improvise. I'm still not great but since starting to learn this stuff and just investing more time, it's getting better and it gets fun when you start being able to play even a few songs to a decent standard even, it makes you want to keep going, my brother learned to play the recorder, the flute and then the vilola young, then taught himself keyboard, then got to play songs I still can't play on guitar within a few months, because he really understands music in all its forms and has learned so many other instruments, skills learned every time he learned a new genre or instrument and knowing all the basics, gives him a great advantage. I wish I had been so interested at his age as music is a great gift, being able to play an instrument can be so enjoyable!
I started guitar late but having a creative dance background really helped me a ton. I like all your tips. For me it helps to never focus too hard on one tip for too long--keep things in rotation to avoid burnout and keep things fun. So for example have fun searching for gear for a little bit then after you get some gear switch up to practicing a nice shred solo then switch up to working on some ambient stuff then switch up on how you dial in your tones, pedal order, then go ahead and record that entire song you made up, etc...
Thank you Thank you Thank you for bringing up the importance of understanding music theory! Way too many guitar players don't have a clue as to how to read notes. The joke - how to get a guitar player to stop playing is put a sheet of music in front of him - is unfortunately sad but true too often.
Yep.... all what you say goes for most of us. I’ve been playing on and off for over 40 years, you can never stop learning to improve, it’s what I like about being a musician, there is always room to learn something new to make you a better musician. Lately I’ve been experimenting with overtones, there are certain notes on your guitar that produce them better than others, playing individual notes without touching other strings really brings them out, there is something almost spiritual when the overtones ring. I find playing scales helps with my creativity, my ears become more musical to where it’s going. Also listening to Classical music has helped me create better melodies. Above all perfect consistent practice makes for improvement, you need to be motivated or simply love playing to keep it up, learn new things, don’t practice the same things, well not until you have mastered it in your own right. Have fun with it. Hope helps someone.
I’ve been through countless amps. Being a regular gigging guitarist I’ve finally found the best amp setup. I’ve been using it for about 5 years or so now: A 1x12 tube combo with effects loop. A 4x12 cab underneath the combo when I’m playing bigger stages. A modeling preamp that plugs straight into the return of the effects loop. This gives me any amp sound that I need and that will never have to go through my endless tinkering during a fast band soundcheck. I’ve had many compliments on my sound, with power tube sweetness and a steady preamp sounds. Plus it’s modular for many different types of gigs, and easy ability to control volume. Lastly, a homemade pedalboard with Velcro attached pedals of a Boss DD3 Delay, MXR Phase 90, a Fender Tuner pedal, my modeling preamp, and surge strip to power it all. From Hank Jr to Evanessence to VH to Lady Gaga to Luke Combs to AC/DC, there is nothing that I can’t play with this setup.
I have been teaching guitar for more than 40 years and have been the guitar Professor at a state university for more than 20 years and your are dead on with this vid. I have bought 2 Glarrys because of you. (They are great BTW). I'd love to find a way to have you here for a master class. Keep up the good work!
really agree for all of those things, specially with number 8. I really interested playing fast and lotta note like Yngwie, Nuno Bettencourt, Steve Vai, etc..(my favourites), after I watched this video, I realize that I wanna play more simple but have a powerful sound and don't forget the dynamics just like Slash, Jimmy page, Clapton, etc., because if I play fast all the time it makes me lost my dynamics. so the dynamics is really important, how you change phrasing, the placement when you play fast and slow, etc... .over all, really agree with this video, thanks Darrell🙄👌
That is a realization I wish I'd had back when I started. I wanted to play like Eddie Van Halen and Randy Rhoads right out of the gate. Maybe it's really just the product of a less mature mind. I burned-out and put the instrument down. Now, 30 years later, I've picked it back up. And who do I want to emulate? Guitarists like David Gilmore, Page, Clapton, etc. I now place much more emphasis on melody and dynamics. The shredding style of play no longer appeals to me. Interesting how we change.
I started playing when I was 8. I'm 45 now and I play like I'm ten! Haha. Anyway.... Lots of great great advice here. I wish I knew a lot more when I was younger but I am self taught and I learn by ear. My rhythm playing is decent but my solos are less than stellar. I get by on stage but it's not where I want to be in my head. Number 11 on this list should be RUclips itself. It's a very powerful tool for the guitar youth of today. Back when I was learning how to play stuff ( I.e.Metallica's "Kill 'M All), I'd lock myself in my room and play along with the cassette until I got it. Not a great way to learn (nowadays) but it does have its merits. Great job Darrell.... This is priceless!
These are the Ten Commandments to learning to play the guitar. Thank you Moses. I'm another one of those old farts (I'm 72) who deceided I'm going to get serious about learning to play the guitar. But arthritis crooked weak fingers and painful wrists are fighting me. I will persevere but my big past mistake was I was too cheap to buy a decent guitar to learn on. Cruddy acoustic guitars wasted my time. However, I've finally learned the glass is half full so learning guitar is my best therapy. Thank you for your great video and like a classic book I will be visiting it many times. Thank you again for sharing. Lastly I can't stop looking at your gallery of treasures on the back wall.
Darrell your channel offers the best guitar advice and demo's , maintenance , etc etc on RUclips fact !!!! You cover almost everything in a very easy understandable way .... Your helping 1000's of people so all I can say is please keep up the good work. Great channel for all stages of guitarist's , brilliant job , cheers mate . Shane ........ Cambridge England....
I'm 35 and most of these things apply to me at my current level of playing. I just transcribed my first guitar solo by ear, that was a huge leap for me and really something I wish I had done earlier.
Your section on setting up your amp resonated with me because I had that experience. I am an original Queen fan, saw them as an opening act in Boston in the early 70s and it has always been my view that Brian May is one of the best there is. Enter Paul trying to learn/play Queen without understanding, not only my amp, but what equipment I was trying to emulate. My practice sounded like, well, you know. Had a friend who was a professional guitar player come over, I told him that I sucked and was quitting. He sat down and adjusted my amp, showed me what he did and why, told me how to set the tone and what pickups I should have the switch set to, etc. Picked the guitar up, played a couple riffs and feel in love. Of course, I couldn't get Brian's exact sound because of his unique equipment but I could get as close as I could with what I had. Made me want to practice more. As always, great video!
Amp settings are certainly one area I wish I had known more about. I've been through seemingly a bizillion amps and the only one that ever seemed to work magically for me was an old Dean Markley tube amp I owned in college in the mid-1980s. Somehow it rose above my ignorance -- and then sometime later I stupidly sold it for something else. Fast forward many, many years later and I have never since quite gotten things right. I have occasional wow moments here and there where the tone (and my playing) are on target, but I can't repeat the amp setting the next day.
I don't know anything about amps I've only recently even been interested in playing electric at all. This video also makes me grateful for my teacher who makes sure I know how to read sheet music, also we do dynamics.
Great advice from a great guitar dude! I've learned more about guitars, amps, setups, and recording from you and a few other trusted sources on RUclips in the last 5 years than I did playing them ( just enough to sing and be in the band, really) for decades! Here's a tip.. sink any money you make gigging right back into your gear!
One of the best guitar videos I’ve ever seen. Like you Darrell, I started out playing keyboards and have been trying to learn the guitar fretboard for many years to no avail. I’d sure be interested in learning of creative ways to memorize it as it’s not enough to know lots of chord shapes alone; one also needs to know where the notes are to be an accomplished player.
D B G .......U Rule, baby!...U R an absolute gem! ... from michael t wyman fellow RUclipsr , 5 years jam night house band , guitars/bass West LA/Hollywood, CA USA... and a big fan. ps: congrats on your 2020 prototypes! Super nice.
Solid, solid advice! One thing that I eventually learned about tone but it took me a long time to realize- is that the tone that sounds best when it's just you playing alone, almost certainly isn't going to be the best tone when you're playing with drums and bass. When we're playing guitar alone, I think we tend to want to boost the low end to really fill out this nice round balanced sounding tone. But when playing with drums and bass, those low frequencies from the guitar are down in the same range as the bass and the kick drum and boosting them only muddies up the mix and makes it much harder to hear yourself and inevitably, you and the bass player will become embroiled in a volume war because neither of you can discern yourself in the mix. Let the bass guitar provide your low end. Roll the bass knob back on your amp until you can hear yourself cutting through the mix cleanly. Your guitar may sound too bright to your ears on its own, but you'll be amazed at how great you sound with the band.
Best rig I ever had (except for now) was a Fender Champ 12, but which had been bought in Germany, and then was modified to US power, resulting in a hotter preamp section, and then I ran that line out into a BK Butler Mosvalve power amp, and out of that into a 1960 Marshall Bottom cab with 25 watt celestions. I had a custom made guitar at the time with an Ash body, ebony fretboard, graphite rods in the neck and I was playing an EMG 81/85 set at that time. I also heard recently that Randy Rhoads also using a Fender Champ 12 in the studio. I'm not a fan of solid state amps (except for the Axe I play now, which is a whole different level), but that Fender Champ 12 was amazing.
Excellent advice. My personal number one is learning to listen. If you want to play with others, learning to listen is an essential skill. Anyhow, great video Darrell. I wish I'd had a guitar teacher like you when I was young.
Self taught before the age of RUclips, but I'm glad I apparently focused on the right things early on. Wanted to write my own stuff right away so I started applying what I was learning about 2 months in. It makes it easier to learn about your neck if you have friends you jam with, take what they are playing and find where it is somewhere else or convert it from power chords to open chords( or vice versa). When learning something new, I found it's best to learn it clean first without distortion or on an acoustic. That way you can hear any mistakes that you are making and correct them. Acoustics are especially unforgiving with mistakes. Effects should add to what already sounds good not be why it sounds good. I would have added, learn how to set up your tone on your guitar. It has a great affect on what comes out of you amp. Learn more than one style of music, different styles use different techniques and you might find your own voice is somewhere in between. And just keep at it, unless your some weird prodigy your not going to be great right away. I've seen so many people quit because they didn't become guitar masters after a month or 2. Just like anything worthwhile, it takes time and work.
I got my first guitar at 16. No teacher could tell me what to do i was going to teach myself via guitar tabs. 16 years later i am taking lesson learning to read music the right way and taking music theory. If only i had a teacher that tried to relate to me and my age then i might have listened.
#1 - My daughter was taken piano lessons, first teacher was by the book. Second teacher taught chords with the left hand, and showed her how to add melodies. Great tip ! ! !
Darrell sir I’m so glad you did this video!! So much important info there buddy!!! And unfortunately, the same stuff most of us struggle with. I’m going to forward this to my partner down at the music school in Innsbruck. Maybe it will help with some of his “problem” students. I struggled with a lot of the same things, and also ended up with a 100w head and 412 cab. The dogs hated it, and the cats would hide under the bed. Even the horses in the corral up on top of the hill behind my house would leave for the pasture. Hmmm maybe it was my playing... naw, it was the volume hahahaha. It did sound good turned up though lol. I sold the beast and ended up with a Fender Super Champ combo. But they have a single 10” speaker. Next was a microterror with a 112 heritage 30 in it. I swapped out the 12AX7 for a 12AY7 and was really able to get a nice clean tone out of it. I always liked the tone of the Laney Cubs. Clean was almost Fender and dirty was almost Marshall. Not quite on either, but close enough for that time. I bought the cub212R combo. Open back just really filled the room with sound. I still have that beast but I only use it for acoustic guitars now, plugging into the effects loop, bypassing the Laney preamp. Sounds great. Lots of presence. But my baby for now is the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. Did the Tube swap on V1 with a 12au7. Fixed the knob issues they have and no longer peels the paint off the walls when the volume knob is on 2. It’s 40w of tube and really an amazingly powerful amp. Swapped out the original speaker in it and put a Celestion George Allesandro in it and added an attenuator so I can crank the hell out of it, get that beautiful gain structure and harmonics, without getting evicted lol. Anyway pizza and a movie night, great video Darrell and thanks for saying it. Hopefully someone learns our lessons, without having to go through it themselves!! Bob in Germany
I have never taken face to face lessons with a guitar instructor. When I began learning I just wanted to understand the fretboard with no interest in learning other people's songs. Fortunately, I found a DVD by an instructor who taught just enough to get me started. With that and a lot of persistence I was writing my own songs and recording in about a year. Then, I'd watch other players and realized I had no idea what they were doing so I dug in and learned music theory, expanding my chord vocabulary and learned more about scales and modes while learning all the notes on the fretboard. Now, I watch something being played and I understand. I hear something being played and I can sit down and play it almost immediately. My point in saying all this is that you don't have to know a lot to be able to play and have a great time. You can always (and should) expand your knowledge along the way. Also, always remember the journey of learning doesn't end for as long as you live and have an interest in guitar.
Seriously Darrell, you have the ultimate job! (assuming you are making a living from youtube). I am sitting here listening to your advice, looking at those guitars on that back wall, and man is it hard to not be jealous of your career success. Congrats man, and keep the great content coming.
when i started playing at 13 i did replication (as you do), now i just enjoyed being able to play my favorite songs but early on i was given a multi effects pedal (Zoom 505II) which allowed me to manipulate my sound with out having to change my amp but it encouraged me more to play and experiment with different sounds then by 15 i was playing free bird note for note. Not long after i wanted to be able to play my own way so i started looking up scales, youtube was a great tool for helping me really get a feel to playing thanks to all the many backing tracks available, bearing in mind i never had lessons, my dad taught me the notes on the strings and a few chords, then i discovered tab, i'd practically lock myself away after school each day and just play, play, play
Great tips for the youngster. One of the few things I regret was not keeping up with guitar classes in my younger years, because I thought they were so slow and boring, just learning scales and theory. I would be a way better musician than the one I am right now. But, as you said, it's never too late to learn those things, especially thanks to RUclips and channels/creators as yourself. Now, if I could only get a little bit of time from my busy schedule so I can go to a music school to learn as much theory as I can possibly understand in my old fart 30 year old brain haha
Thank you for making this video! I just bought my first electric guitar two days ago and my super expert dad is gonna teach me but i wanna try and impress him with stuff i find online first. Haha. All these tips are really great, I’m definitely going to be rewatching this video a lot to remember it all. They’re very mindful:)
Good advice. I’m currently teaching my son, and some of these tips I haven’t thought to express to him yet, so thanks! One thing that I wish I’d focused on sooner was removing harsh sounding tones from my playing. I kept my tone knobs on 10 thinking it was best, but listening back to those recordings is brutal. It doesn’t matter how well you play if it hurts the listeners ears.
Great video... wholeheartedly agree with all your points. Basic theory really goes a long way in one's playing ability and creativity. For playing with others in a group setting, I also love the Nashville numbering system.
Great advice, much of which can apply to keyboards too. I play both, and can totally relate to all of your suggestions. Especially love the treating your solo like a conversation, and DYnaMIcs! So important 🎹😁🎸
Well my # 1 would be and this is a big hint for you teachers out there . Is the first"playing" thing that should be taught is ? The 1-4-5 in C first (C-F-G) then in Key order of G , D, A, E, B. After your first 3 chord intro your learning 1 at a time D for G the A for Key of D then E for A and B for E. And that it will work for so many instruments. Of course the full Nashville # system should be taught after that. Oh and Tele's RULE !
Very good advice. I think you should practice clean when you are learning a part and when you've got it right without any fluffed notes, then switch on the distortion if that's what the song requires. If it would sound too rubish clean, then practice distorted, but occasionally go back to clean to make sure you are playing it well. Also record it and listen back afterwards. You would be surprised how different it sounds to what you thought when you were playing it. You can spot and fix a lot of issues.
You're a natural teacher! That back flame strat is purty. I just got a Les Paul in the same color scheme. I'm in loooooove! Great video and sound advice for all players yep, I'm an older player and still learning. Keep em comin!
When I was young I wanted the most wattage for the buck. In my senior years I'm still the same way; I want the most wattage for the buck. That's why I settled for a Crate Power Block 150CPB. I found that through the years you usually have to pay $1.00 per watt. With Crate, and you shop around, you can usually get a high wattage amp for less than $1.00 per watt. With the Crate it is amp only--no bells or whistles, i.e., reverb and tremolo and provides a very clean signal. Only extra is a gain control to add overdrive to the clean signal and sounds like a tube amp. All these effects can be done through various pedals that you can put into the effects loop. What sold me on Crate, is that it is also a stereo amp (maybe not true stereo) which can split the signal into 2 parts to send to 2 separate speakers. Also it has a stereo effects loop so that you can put 2 different pedals into the effects loop. Also there is a stereo input that you can input an effects generator or CD/cassette/turntable enabling you to play along with prerecorded music. Crate CPB meets all these requirements for me. I did a lot of research on amps before I decided on this particular amp.
I'm an older woman trying to play bass. I am so exciting about learning so many things, I just wish I had more time for my bass, at least my fretboard only has four strings (for now LOL). Thank you for the advice, so many things you've said apply to bass too and I am too curious not to know music theory, I have books, I just need to catch up on my reading, which is hard when you have a full time job, a husband and you're volunteering for support groups as well. I love this life, don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, I'm just venting a little bit of how much further I could get with more daily time.
I also learned to play pre-internet (in the eighties)... It took me decades to learn some of the basic stuff. Here's my top 3: 1- Tuning: I didn't understand why those Slash GnR cords didn't sound good even though I was tuned (according to my tuner). So learn to tune your guitar and learn to ear when a chord/note is out of tune. 2- Pick hand technique: This is an area of electric guitar teaching that is (almost) nonexistent. Books back in the days would just describe alternate picking as an up and down motion. It's useless. Nowadays, there are very good videos on youtube describing how to do it. 3- Muting techniques: If you play with gain, learn to play cleanly by muting the other strings. Something as simple as to use the tip of your index finger when playing power chords to mute lower strings.
Regarding learning set up: My first electric guitar was a piece of crap, but in trying to make it work I feared nothing. In playing around with the neck angle, the intonation and lube of the rollers on the vibrato bridge, the height and position of that arch-top floating bridge, the width and depth and angle of the nut slots, the height of the pickups and the pole screws (don't think there is an etc. here!) I think I learned a lot. Anyway, that's a bit techo for this vid, which I thought was pretty descriptive of all the things I know at 67 which I didn't at 18. Best tip is "listen to the other players".
I really love this video. There are so many guitarists who have their "10 Things" you must do as a beginner that you don't know what advice to follow. This is nothing personal against Darrell here because he breaks topics like this down into something digestible as opposed to some guy feeding his ego and "preaching from on high". I get overwhelmed by all the information, so much so that I gave up on playing acoustic guitar years ago. Now I'm interested in getting back into it but with an electric guitar. I don't want to take the world by storm, rather I want to find a creative outlet for struggles I go through in life.
Good stuff man!! Wanted to add to your number 8 and that is playing with feeling and how you are feeling at that present moment. Let it flow out, sad,happy,angry and so on..Mixing those feelings into your style of playing. It helps me and its always something i naturally do even when i dont realize im doing it. I love just playing to jam tracks in the different keys and finding some that are slow and some that are faster tempo. Some days we all play better than others but you can amaze yourself sometimes. I wish i recorded some of them too. I really need to record more! Sometimes a solo or flow can be lost forever if you didnt memorize it or record it.. Rock on!!
I wish I hadn't learned each of these 10 things the hard way! I wish this video and youtube were around when I was learning. Great video! My #1 thing I wish I had known when I started learning: all genres of music can contribute to your skill. I was stuck on 80's glam rock and Metallica. I wish I was more open minded to the so many wonderful guitar styles.
11. Patience and perseverance. Don’t give up if you don’t get it after five minutes lol.
That is definitely GREAT advice too!
You mean PATIENCE. Unless you're a doctor building a clientele!
Todd Sauve, haha too true. Stupid Bloody Autocorrect 😂
in other words, take it slow and get it clean?
Absolutely, perserverence furthers!
I just wish I started earlier, I started at 40 with a busy job being self employed, but having money to buy guitars.... wich means buying and selling guitars but no time to practice. Now I'm 52 and still not playing well, but come december I'm going to start and take lessons again... hope I have the courage to continue. I just love guitars.
I love them too. I'm 26
I started at 60 ? So where does this leave me ? Having a great time and I can buy what I want 😎🏁
Frank Van Aelst you can do it...my motto is it is never too late. I have a similar story and i decided five months ago to eliminate a few time suckers from my life and replace them with guitar study. So far every day i have played at least 15 minutes...some days hours. Plus most every day i have watched an instructive or inspirational guitar video...btw I am 60....so you have 8 years on me already. 👍🏼
Hey, if you have the time and the mindset you can do whatever you want.
Frank Van Aelst You just need to make sure you spend at least 15min. Everyday and you will see a change in your playing
What are the things you guys wished you spent more time on as a young player?
1. Don't just replicate - create! 0:27
2. Choosing the right amp 1:21
3. Be Dynamic! 2:26
4. How to set up my own guitars 3:10
5. Knowing my neck! 4:20
6. Learn to Listen 5:32
7. How to EQ my amp 7:27
8. Simplify! 8:18
9. Play it until it's clean! 9:39
10. Learning basic theory 11:04
I've only been playing for about a year now, I could stand to know where all of the notes are a bit better anything above the 5th fret I have to think about for a bit, and being an accoustic player I know almost nothing about amps...
I am NOT a "young guitar player." I bought my first guitar in 1969… First, there's an obvious relationship between volume and tone knobs on the guitar and the amp settings, but I have no idea what that relationship is. I should watch the "tone" video. The only advice I've ever gotten was "turn your guitar all the way up, turn your amp down to about a 2, and then fiddle with the EQ." Second, I'm totally intimidated - and I mean terrified - by music theory, so I've spent years NOT learning it. Whatever I can play, I've learned by ear, then replicated it, then used that as a basis for at least a little creative exploration. I don't qualify as a musician, and if someone asked me to characterize my guitar playing, the honest answer would be "inept." But, with all that, I really like your/Darrell's instructor's advice to treat guitar-playing like a conversation, with loud and soft, pauses and acceleration, and sometimes, silence and/or listening. Those are things I've learned to do, largely because I don't have to know any theory to do them…
I would agree with you on the 1x12 amp although I think the ideal setup is a 2x12 cab with a head on top. 2 speakers because if one blows at a show you still have the other one. Also some pedals works better in stereo, plus you have 2 ears so having a dual sound source for your guitar makes sense to me. Good vid.
I wish I was less intimidated when asking advice or getting lessons, I'm no spring chicken but at times I still feel like I'm inadequately prepared to seek help. learning to slow down and get things clear sounding helps heaps. When people ask me if I play guitar, I reply that "I play at playing guitar."
Sometimes the best "guitar videos" have no guitars IN them! At least, not being played, set up, etc. Having "played at" guitar for some 54 years now, I have to agree with each and every one of these, and I'm still working like crazy at most of them. But the one thing I wish you could have had room for is the one thing I wish somebody had told me very early on, which is: stop watching players' left hands; watching their RIGHT HAND IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT than watching their left!! I'll bet you agree, Darrell!
# 9 - slow it down until it's clean -- I can't stress that enough! 30 years as a pianist and I'm still learning how to do this well! Don't be afraid to loop a bar at whatever speed you need, as long as you need. Hell, spend a half hour practicing a single bar at half or even quarter speed. The results are amazing. The goal of practicing a passage isn't to get it good NOW - it's to get it good LATER after the days and weeks and months practicing has sunk in. Patience -- a real acceptance that "this is not going to sound good today" is really helpful!
I'm a beginner at guitar and I'm really appreciating your videos!
Playing any instrument truly is a lesson in humility.
00ŕŕ888
The overall production of this channel is awesome.
🙄
Good stuff Darrell. Learn to play my Dad's Sears Silvertone at 6, gave up on guitar when I couldn't master the F chord and at 62 I decided I was going to learn to play for me. Older learners do have the patience that young kids don't. I am in no rush. Thanks for sharing.
Tim, I started this year at 62 as well.....results come slowly....but as you said...we have patience...
John Fazio you’re gonna wake up one day and know how to play. It’s weird. It just kind of clicks at some point.
@@J_Madison My attitude is "Sometimes the journey is better than the destination", so I am going to enjoy the ride while I learn! :-)
Tim Barber Amen! I picked up a guitar the first time after having back surgery at 35. Needed a new hobby. That was a couple years ago and I never miss a day! Practice 365 days a year, minus my time in the hospital for surgery. Even bought a travel guitar to play on vacation.
It’s so addicting! Take care of yourself though. I’ve slightly injured my nerve in my fret hand by overuse. Lose feeling in 3 fingers if I play too long.
Tim, I am the same way but only a little younger than you (28). This journey will be great, I hope to have the patience that you will throughout
No idea why anyone would give this video a thumbs down. 🤦🏽♂️
LEnriqueC44
Pearls before swine.
I almost disliked it. Like too shallow, ok for super extreme beginner. Border waste of time. And the one above me aswell
@@Sacrifice13 wow, the ego
@@ifwecouldvote no it's not ego. I replied to a comment, I gave my honest opinion about a video, without disliking it.
@@Sacrifice13 The trick to life (respect, civilization, those things) is to close the video, not dislike it - affecting the creators ratings, income and perspectives. So there.
I wish someone would have told me to slow down. I was so interested in being super sonic that I missed out on a lot of musicality.
I've said the same thing in so many comment threads and all the "Shredders" jump on me with the "you're just jealous" "you probably can't play" "people like you should be ignored" etc etc.
It's really sad. They treat it like a sport, not an Art.
@@mattgilbert7347 sometimes less is more
@@mattgilbert7347They would probably be dismissive of Peter Green who I would listen to all day over most shredders but each to his own.
Right, especially when it comes to listening to a specific genre.
@@stevesherrell9487 almost always, less IS more because less creates space to interact with the music, gives time to breathe, etc. The most intriguing aspects of music, to me anyway, are interactions between players and/or harmonies and rhythms. If we all spoke in rapid-burst staccato tones, what kind of conversations and communications would we have? Music can be conversational, can be poetic, can be profound...just like literature. Good luck.
Dude, GREAT advise.
Your advise is spot on! Love your teaching videos. I'm 67 and when I was young all I cared about was speed.
Thanks Bob!
Now I've got that picture of Fat Freddy in my head saying, "Speed Kills!"
This video is an old one, but will remain exceptionally relevant! You hit some really great points here that I too wish I had known earlier in my musical journey. Every single thing you touched on here is just so incredibly vital. Once, I started really taking my music seriously after playing a few years, I learned all these valuable lessons myself. They made me the songwriter I am today, rather than just another musician who plays cover songs. As far as writing your own music these points are really essential. Great way of explaining, and breaking these things down for younger, or inexperienced players to glean knowledge from. Love what you do with the channel. Keep up the great videos!
Darrel, I picked up the guitar at 17, that's around 16 years ago.. I completely agree with your video here. I wish I had a teacher like you, and I really love your intonation, they way you talk is soothing and really makes somebody want to listen to you. I wish you all the best and success in the world Darrel. Inspire another generation.
As usual, a great video Darrell. This video should be mandatory for new players, and it's also a great reminder for those of us who have been playing for many (in my case many, many, many) years. The benefit of being an older player is having the time to devote to getting better. Thanks for all your work here, you bring the standard for guitar based videos much higher.
I'm a 35 yo drummer and I am finally getting serious in learning guitar, and I totally agree with all of this. I tried to take shortcuts with several concepts with drums in the past... and that never works.
I would add one thing tho : figure things up by yourself. It's easier to remember stuff when you understand what's behind
From Leo: The whole set up thing was an imaginary wall that frightened me. I could replace the cam shaft in a V8 Chevy, but I was afraid of making adjustment on the guitar, for fear I would ruin it. Thankfully, I lost that fear, and I can even get most cheapie guitars to play pretty well.
I agree. I never wanted to try a set up I thought I would break my guitar. I thought adjusting the truss rod would just snap the neck
I tried setting up my new Squier Stratocaster Standard but could not get the frets to stop buzzing near the body. Took it to a pro who diagnosed it as a slight twist in the neck. Hah! He leveled the frets in that area and surprise--no more fret buzz! I'd never have sorted that one out ...
I love making adjustments to my guitar! Only been playing for 2.5 months! Perks of buying a used Squier! Haha
Brilliant! You could make a video on each concept. Thanks so much.
Hi Darrell, played for a few years through my teens into early twenties, just stumbled on your channel and have been bing watching. Mate, you’ve almost convinced me to pick up the guitar again (47 now), your passion for the guitar shines through so thanks Mate, new subscriber and might have to go and grab a guitar again!👌👍
Do. It! Same as me, i even own a guitar. I'm 50!
Laura Hulland Yes already started to look for another guitar, can’t wait to get back to it! Thanks for the push.👍😀
Grabbed a used MIM strat less than 2 hours ago after watching your videos. Used to have a fender hss years ago while I was kicking around in a band with friends. My buddy's guitar bit the dust and I was forced to trade it away to get him kitted up to keep us at venues and regretted it ever since... Especially without ever fully appreciating what I had. However, today I have regained a piece of me that was long lost, thanks in part to you my friend. Again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you! Couldn't be happier
1) there are more tunings than E Standard
2) floyd rose is a pain in the ass to set up and won't make you cooler
3) the ultimate tone is difficult to find cuz IS YOURS
4) Metal bands didn't take a year to be big, it takes time and hard work
5) using right hand is more important than using a pick
6) some songs are very painful to play
7) dont avoid bar chords cuz you will regret it
8) theory is fundamental
9) jumbo frets are PERFECT
10) buying rig does not buy you a better player reputation
Hi.absolute agree on every thing you said... recently i m in a rut musically ..can u please help me out ..well if u can further explain on 'using your right hand right ' .. and also please suggest some alternate tunings and how should I approach it...I hope u understand my point..thnxxxx
Those are good advises. But the #6. Man that's something people starting need to know. Is nothing wrong with your body, it's just painful, even though you can make it less painful by a good position
like this all-smiling guy.
Июльское Утро
Typical Canadian, polite, friendly and speaks perfect English.
@@ricklewis5804 and sexy
You are such a humble and wholesome person. Thank you for the incredibly useful videos.
Glad to help!
Excellent advice! I was luck enough to be a sax player in high school jazz band prior to taking up the guitar, so many of the things you talked about were already present in my mind. Went on to play rock, blues and jazz in my college years. In later years I taught myself to play piano.
I played alto sax in high school, and still have one. I don't play it nearly as much as I'd like to, though :)
This might be one of the most genuinely useful videos I've seen for guitar players. Not just for young players, either (I am not a youngster). Thank you!
So true. My mom put me in piano for 5 years and guitar for about 5-6, and I was okay at music for a kid but I didn’t ever listen to the “boring stuff” and now I’m 22 and all I want to do is learn that stuff because I know it’s the thing stopping me from growing in my playing. Great video man!
I don't have a teacher, I have a bedroom and a squire I picked up second hand
That's going to be me in a week. Just ordered my setup last night. Any tips for me? Thanks in advance
@@ricksanchezito8972 yea, there is a 21 day guitar course on RUclips which is split into 3 videos (the last is a little tricky to find) I recommend learning from that first as it really gets the basics done well and introduces songs
@@thesovereignonion2283 I've been watching Justin guitar, but I will definitely check that out. I appreciate you taking the time to reply man
@@ricksanchezito8972 Dont throw technique aside, so many people disregard proper technique at the beginning at it bites them in the ass later on. Spend as much time practicing technique as you do learning riffs and it will help you a ton in the long run.
@@JanoIsHere I have been practicing a song, chords, and trying to learn theory
Thanks Darrell I’m 65 and been playing for 4 years this video has really helped ....cheers
I can't believe that you don't already have a billion subscribers... there is no justice in this world.
I have been playing since 1963. Never had a teacher that actually knew much (like you). So I didn’t take many lessons. I am 70 and still don’t know what you do but I’m still trying to learn! I did spend years playing Panatonic scale for lead. Anything out of that scale I had to copy note by note. For instance, Pretty Woman, I copied note by note, and Gimme Three Steps also, not knowing what scale I was playing. I did not have RUclips or anything else to teach me. Thank you for your time, effort, and videos! I truly appreciate it!
I especially recognized myself in #9. I remember being asked during a lesson to ascend and descend the pentatonic scale and playing it as fast as I could reasonably get it yet scratching notes up and down the scale. I tended to have problems with my fingers getting in the way and I "rediscovered" that shortcoming recently when learning some music that's much more challenging. It has a 16th note run that's supposed to be played at 160bpm. Sure enough, when I slowed down and just practiced with a metronome, gradually speeding it up, it was a lot smoother and sounded more like the record. Not quite at my goal yet, though.
I learn everything super slowly lol. When i start playing fast my fingers hardly lock up or get stuck. Its so painful when your going slow but the gains are worth it.
I have to take the problem passages and make them into exercises which I do every day. The gains are indeed worth it because everything is in sync and the hands know what to do. My tendency to want to move faster than I could is pretty much the reason I never did learn to play "Master of Puppets". :P
Good on you!
what a pleasant guy
i bet learning with you becomes easier just cuz of that positive energy
I like the mention of the dynamics - building up and then getting quiet again. I've been spending a lot of time this past year working on string muting as a technique to address the dynamics aspect and I think it's improved my sound considerably
I found the following path to theory having not played any other instruments. First just started with basic chords. Then began looking at scales and how chords fit into that. Then began learning notes on the 5th and 6th strings. Along the way switched back and forth between strumming chords and fingerpicking. Haven't really got to much into learning pentatonic scales as the acoustic doesn't really lend itself to the styles needed for improvisation. Learning the notes on 5 & 6 has helped understand and use barre chords a lot more and the shapes. How have other people got into music theory?
Ive learned theory by using the circle of fifths. Combine scales with the right chords and your good too apply any technique you want so being creative gets much easier. I find that once you get in the creative zone you tend too drift off from theory and it only gets so much better. Modes should come next but thats where my creative process hasnt gotten me yet. I really dig 11 gauge strings. The frets wear out but i overbend anything less than 11 gauge and the guitars go out of tune lol.
Messing around with my guitar taught me theory in conjunction with me researching it. A lot of people are intimidated by it, but I find it interesting.
After about 2 years of playing guitar I felt fine with my technical abilities, and I was able to learn things fairly quickly but I was still struggling with theory and improvisation. I finally took 6 quick lessons over the summer and my instructor was everything I could have hoped for. He started me off on how to do basic scales, which was amazing because it just clicked immediately and made things make so much more sense. There is a point to where even if you are self taught you might be missing something basic that can change everything for you so getting into lessons for a short time after you are comfortable with your own sound is a great way to go about it, at least it was for me.
When you say young player does that mean me ,, just starting at 53 😃
Great advice right there..👍
Me too (52 this year) played a few songs when younger but now want to learn to play properly :)
I started at 38. Most of my family plays acoustic guitar. I am the first electric player. I play both for 10 months. What my teacher told me is that I play it naturally. I don’t need to count beats, I just play it by ears. I think what helped me was growing around music. I love, love music! I just wish I could have started when younger. But what stopped me from doing was the negative thought “ I cannot do it!”
Well, I am! Not perfectly yet, but I feel the improvement
As per usual a number of very valid points, especially on phrasing, taking your time, music theory and understanding the fretboard.
I really appreciate people doing videos like this. I'm not an expert but I think I managed to set up my own guitar, thanks to youtube and the youtubers.
I broke two.
Now, I don't mind paying $50 every now and then for a pro setup. I can restring, that's it.
Guitar teacher here, just wanted to comment on some of these:
Definitely agree on amp selection being a HUGE deal. Spent a few grand buying POS amps before finally taking the time and researching to find my perfect amp (Fender SuperSonic 22 1/12 Combo). Went through a solid state half stack, 2/12 Marshall Tube amp, 2/12 Peavy tube amp and a Cyber Twin. Biggest thing is anything with enough wattage to really push a 2/12 or above is NOT suitable for bedroom/living room practice. Even my 22 watt 1/12 I can't turn up above 3 without an attenuator.
Guitar setup: I got rid of a Schecter C-1 Classic because I thought it was a POS, only to realize it had never been setup properly and is actually a beast of a guitar. Of course, knowing HOW to setup a guitar properly will save you tons of money over having someone else do it.
I've had jam sessions with other guitarists who didn't know chord names/scales/music, just "this chord on this fret". It's super frustrating trying to explain when you're creating.
DIALING IN AN AMP!!! God this is something that's difficult to learn but once you get it right. Oh man the difference it makes.
Phrasing. Eric Clapton is considered overrated by many guitarists today, but he, and even older blues men like BB King are the kings of phrasing. Don't over do it; shredding and walls of sound have their places, but so do quiet runs, fills and even empty space.
KEEP IT CLEAN! I learn my solos on acoustics whenever possible.
Theory, theory, theory. No skill, method or technique can increase your ability to play with others and write music than studying music theory. I make points to each basics of theory to everyone, and hope they want to go further. Hell, I feel like I need to learn more theory.
The best thing I did was downscale my rig to a more simple and better sounding config. Fender Stratocaster => Blues Driver BD-2 => Blues Junior IV. I wish I had just gone this route from the beginning as it would have saved me a lot of money and stuffing around with different amps, pedals and guitars.
Not to belittle any guitar player. But I wish I had started learning, and stuck with learning the electric guitar back in my 20's/ I'm 52 now. Learning acoustic was boring and painful. So I quit. Decided to check out electric and have played on it an hour or more every day since last January. Yes, there was pain. But I shrugged it off and it was considerably less than with acoustic. I should be further along than I am. But I'm still impressed that I;ve gotten as far as I have.
I learn classic guitar when i was 14 onwords but started electric guitar playing rock at 25 can play both 56 now never to old
The only thing I wish I understood 4-5 years ago (before quiting guitar for years until now) is: don't give up! If a song is too difficult now, focus on other songs on your level, set accomplishable goals for the present, push hard on technique and try again with that hard song you love a year later if it's necessary.
Great advice!
I've been playing over 50 years. Your videos are among the very best on RUclips -- THANK YOU
Man, what a good teacher you are.
Sounds like my history of playing guitar!
I think we all went or are gonna pass through this situations...
I'm lucky, my uncle is a home luthier, and pretty good at it, he setup my guitar, my Epiphone Les Paul Custom Prophecy Plus, he tells me now it was one of his favourites that he spent hundreds getting set up the way he wanted, his own pickups, Chrome tuners, toggleswitch, knobs, refretted, neck leveled, everything setup. But he wants to teach me how to maintain it and even how to repair, customize and eventually build my own once the tools are available, I've learned a lot about how it's put together and appreciating it and starting to learn chord progressions and basic music theory helps your technique and helps you make your own music or learn by ear quicker, hear the chord progression and picture things better and even improvise. I'm still not great but since starting to learn this stuff and just investing more time, it's getting better and it gets fun when you start being able to play even a few songs to a decent standard even, it makes you want to keep going, my brother learned to play the recorder, the flute and then the vilola young, then taught himself keyboard, then got to play songs I still can't play on guitar within a few months, because he really understands music in all its forms and has learned so many other instruments, skills learned every time he learned a new genre or instrument and knowing all the basics, gives him a great advantage. I wish I had been so interested at his age as music is a great gift, being able to play an instrument can be so enjoyable!
I started guitar late but having a creative dance background really helped me a ton. I like all your tips. For me it helps to never focus too hard on one tip for too long--keep things in rotation to avoid burnout and keep things fun. So for example have fun searching for gear for a little bit then after you get some gear switch up to practicing a nice shred solo then switch up to working on some ambient stuff then switch up on how you dial in your tones, pedal order, then go ahead and record that entire song you made up, etc...
Thank you Thank you Thank you for bringing up the importance of understanding music theory! Way too many guitar players don't have a clue as to how to read notes. The joke - how to get a guitar player to stop playing is put a sheet of music in front of him - is unfortunately sad but true too often.
Yep.... all what you say goes for most of us. I’ve been playing on and off for over 40 years, you can never stop learning to improve, it’s what I like about being a musician, there is always room to learn something new to make you a better musician. Lately I’ve been experimenting with overtones, there are certain notes on your guitar that produce them better than others, playing individual notes without touching other strings really brings them out, there is something almost spiritual when the overtones ring. I find playing scales helps with my creativity, my ears become more musical to where it’s going. Also listening to Classical music has helped me create better melodies. Above all perfect consistent practice makes for improvement, you need to be motivated or simply love playing to keep it up, learn new things, don’t practice the same things, well not until you have mastered it in your own right. Have fun with it. Hope helps someone.
I’ve been through countless amps. Being a regular gigging guitarist I’ve finally found the best amp setup. I’ve been using it for about 5 years or so now:
A 1x12 tube combo with effects loop.
A 4x12 cab underneath the combo when I’m playing bigger stages.
A modeling preamp that plugs straight into the return of the effects loop. This gives me any amp sound that I need and that will never have to go through my endless tinkering during a fast band soundcheck.
I’ve had many compliments on my sound, with power tube sweetness and a steady preamp sounds. Plus it’s modular for many different types of gigs, and easy ability to control volume.
Lastly, a homemade pedalboard with Velcro attached pedals of a Boss DD3 Delay, MXR Phase 90, a Fender Tuner pedal, my modeling preamp, and surge strip to power it all.
From Hank Jr to Evanessence to VH to Lady Gaga to Luke Combs to AC/DC, there is nothing that I can’t play with this setup.
That was really valuable! Thanks so much for putting together this list.
I have been teaching guitar for more than 40 years and have been the guitar Professor at a state university for more than 20 years and your are dead on with this vid. I have bought 2 Glarrys because of you. (They are great BTW). I'd love to find a way to have you here for a master class. Keep up the good work!
really agree for all of those things, specially with number 8. I really interested playing fast and lotta note like Yngwie, Nuno Bettencourt, Steve Vai, etc..(my favourites), after I watched this video, I realize that I wanna play more simple but have a powerful sound and don't forget the dynamics just like Slash, Jimmy page, Clapton, etc., because if I play fast all the time it makes me lost my dynamics. so the dynamics is really important, how you change phrasing, the placement when you play fast and slow, etc... .over all, really agree with this video, thanks Darrell🙄👌
That is a realization I wish I'd had back when I started. I wanted to play like Eddie Van Halen and Randy Rhoads right out of the gate. Maybe it's really just the product of a less mature mind. I burned-out and put the instrument down. Now, 30 years later, I've picked it back up. And who do I want to emulate? Guitarists like David Gilmore, Page, Clapton, etc. I now place much more emphasis on melody and dynamics. The shredding style of play no longer appeals to me. Interesting how we change.
Less is more.
Fantastic list! I just started to learn to be creative on guitar, 30 years in...
I started playing when I was 8. I'm 45 now and I play like I'm ten! Haha.
Anyway.... Lots of great great advice here. I wish I knew a lot more when I was younger but I am self taught and I learn by ear. My rhythm playing is decent but my solos are less than stellar. I get by on stage but it's not where I want to be in my head.
Number 11 on this list should be RUclips itself. It's a very powerful tool for the guitar youth of today. Back when I was learning how to play stuff ( I.e.Metallica's "Kill 'M All), I'd lock myself in my room and play along with the cassette until I got it. Not a great way to learn (nowadays) but it does have its merits.
Great job Darrell.... This is priceless!
These are the Ten Commandments to learning to play the guitar. Thank you Moses. I'm another one of those old farts (I'm 72) who deceided I'm going to get serious about learning to play the guitar. But arthritis crooked weak fingers and painful wrists are fighting me. I will persevere but my big past mistake was I was too cheap to buy a decent guitar to learn on. Cruddy acoustic guitars wasted my time. However, I've finally learned the glass is half full so learning guitar is my best therapy. Thank you for your great video and like a classic book I will be visiting it many times. Thank you again for sharing. Lastly I can't stop looking at your gallery of treasures on the back wall.
Love these videos. I’ve been CONSISTENTLY playing for about two years and every video helps.
🙄
Darrell your channel offers the best guitar advice and demo's , maintenance , etc etc on RUclips fact !!!!
You cover almost everything in a very easy understandable way ....
Your helping 1000's of people so all I can say is please keep up the good work.
Great channel for all stages of guitarist's , brilliant job , cheers mate .
Shane ........ Cambridge England....
Thanks for the kind words Shane!
I'm always glad to help out 👍
I'm 35 and most of these things apply to me at my current level of playing. I just transcribed my first guitar solo by ear, that was a huge leap for me and really something I wish I had done earlier.
Wow! That's awesome. That takes a lot of patience, but is really rewarding!
Your section on setting up your amp resonated with me because I had that experience. I am an original Queen fan, saw them as an opening act in Boston in the early 70s and it has always been my view that Brian May is one of the best there is. Enter Paul trying to learn/play Queen without understanding, not only my amp, but what equipment I was trying to emulate. My practice sounded like, well, you know. Had a friend who was a professional guitar player come over, I told him that I sucked and was quitting. He sat down and adjusted my amp, showed me what he did and why, told me how to set the tone and what pickups I should have the switch set to, etc. Picked the guitar up, played a couple riffs and feel in love. Of course, I couldn't get Brian's exact sound because of his unique equipment but I could get as close as I could with what I had. Made me want to practice more. As always, great video!
Amp settings are certainly one area I wish I had known more about. I've been through seemingly a bizillion amps and the only one that ever seemed to work magically for me was an old Dean Markley tube amp I owned in college in the mid-1980s. Somehow it rose above my ignorance -- and then sometime later I stupidly sold it for something else. Fast forward many, many years later and I have never since quite gotten things right. I have occasional wow moments here and there where the tone (and my playing) are on target, but I can't repeat the amp setting the next day.
I don't know anything about amps I've only recently even been interested in playing electric at all.
This video also makes me grateful for my teacher who makes sure I know how to read sheet music, also we do dynamics.
Great advice from a great guitar dude! I've learned more about guitars, amps, setups, and recording from you and a few other trusted sources on RUclips in the last 5 years than I did playing them ( just enough to sing and be in the band, really) for decades! Here's a tip.. sink any money you make gigging right back into your gear!
One of the best guitar videos I’ve ever seen. Like you Darrell, I started out playing keyboards and have been trying to learn the guitar fretboard for many years to no avail. I’d sure be interested in learning of creative ways to memorize it as it’s not enough to know lots of chord shapes alone; one also needs to know where the notes are to be an accomplished player.
Haha great vid. And I love how you said you didn’t need a 4x12 cab with a 100 watt Marshall head as I’m playing into mine.
D B G .......U Rule, baby!...U R an absolute gem! ...
from michael t wyman fellow RUclipsr , 5 years jam night house band , guitars/bass
West LA/Hollywood, CA USA... and a big fan.
ps: congrats on your 2020 prototypes! Super nice.
Solid, solid advice! One thing that I eventually learned about tone but it took me a long time to realize- is that the tone that sounds best when it's just you playing alone, almost certainly isn't going to be the best tone when you're playing with drums and bass. When we're playing guitar alone, I think we tend to want to boost the low end to really fill out this nice round balanced sounding tone. But when playing with drums and bass, those low frequencies from the guitar are down in the same range as the bass and the kick drum and boosting them only muddies up the mix and makes it much harder to hear yourself and inevitably, you and the bass player will become embroiled in a volume war because neither of you can discern yourself in the mix. Let the bass guitar provide your low end. Roll the bass knob back on your amp until you can hear yourself cutting through the mix cleanly. Your guitar may sound too bright to your ears on its own, but you'll be amazed at how great you sound with the band.
Hands down your best video mate. Hopefully people get this and we can all play until we pass on.
Thanks Stephen!
Best rig I ever had (except for now) was a Fender Champ 12, but which had been bought in Germany, and then was modified to US power, resulting in a hotter preamp section, and then I ran that line out into a BK Butler Mosvalve power amp, and out of that into a 1960 Marshall Bottom cab with 25 watt celestions. I had a custom made guitar at the time with an Ash body, ebony fretboard, graphite rods in the neck and I was playing an EMG 81/85 set at that time. I also heard recently that Randy Rhoads also using a Fender Champ 12 in the studio. I'm not a fan of solid state amps (except for the Axe I play now, which is a whole different level), but that Fender Champ 12 was amazing.
Excellent advice. My personal number one is learning to listen. If you want to play with others, learning to listen is an essential skill. Anyhow, great video Darrell. I wish I'd had a guitar teacher like you when I was young.
Could you please do a video on your amps, practice and/or stage ? Thanks
What a great channel. Honestly, I needed to hear everything the man said.
Self taught before the age of RUclips, but I'm glad I apparently focused on the right things early on. Wanted to write my own stuff right away so I started applying what I was learning about 2 months in. It makes it easier to learn about your neck if you have friends you jam with, take what they are playing and find where it is somewhere else or convert it from power chords to open chords( or vice versa). When learning something new, I found it's best to learn it clean first without distortion or on an acoustic. That way you can hear any mistakes that you are making and correct them. Acoustics are especially unforgiving with mistakes. Effects should add to what already sounds good not be why it sounds good. I would have added, learn how to set up your tone on your guitar. It has a great affect on what comes out of you amp. Learn more than one style of music, different styles use different techniques and you might find your own voice is somewhere in between. And just keep at it, unless your some weird prodigy your not going to be great right away. I've seen so many people quit because they didn't become guitar masters after a month or 2. Just like anything worthwhile, it takes time and work.
I got my first guitar at 16. No teacher could tell me what to do i was going to teach myself via guitar tabs. 16 years later i am taking lesson learning to read music the right way and taking music theory. If only i had a teacher that tried to relate to me and my age then i might have listened.
#1 - My daughter was taken piano lessons, first teacher was by the book. Second teacher taught chords with the left hand, and showed her how to add melodies. Great tip ! ! !
Great tips! Presented so clearly and concisely. Thanks Darrel!
Darrell sir I’m so glad you did this video!! So much important info there buddy!!! And unfortunately, the same stuff most of us struggle with. I’m going to forward this to my partner down at the music school in Innsbruck. Maybe it will help with some of his “problem” students.
I struggled with a lot of the same things, and also ended up with a 100w head and 412 cab. The dogs hated it, and the cats would hide under the bed. Even the horses in the corral up on top of the hill behind my house would leave for the pasture. Hmmm maybe it was my playing... naw, it was the volume hahahaha. It did sound good turned up though lol. I sold the beast and ended up with a Fender Super Champ combo. But they have a single 10” speaker. Next was a microterror with a 112 heritage 30 in it. I swapped out the 12AX7 for a 12AY7 and was really able to get a nice clean tone out of it. I always liked the tone of the Laney Cubs. Clean was almost Fender and dirty was almost Marshall. Not quite on either, but close enough for that time. I bought the cub212R combo. Open back just really filled the room with sound. I still have that beast but I only use it for acoustic guitars now, plugging into the effects loop, bypassing the Laney preamp. Sounds great. Lots of presence. But my baby for now is the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. Did the Tube swap on V1 with a 12au7. Fixed the knob issues they have and no longer peels the paint off the walls when the volume knob is on 2. It’s 40w of tube and really an amazingly powerful amp. Swapped out the original speaker in it and put a Celestion George Allesandro in it and added an attenuator so I can crank the hell out of it, get that beautiful gain structure and harmonics, without getting evicted lol. Anyway pizza and a movie night, great video Darrell and thanks for saying it. Hopefully someone learns our lessons, without having to go through it themselves!! Bob in Germany
I have never taken face to face lessons with a guitar instructor. When I began learning I just wanted to understand the fretboard with no interest in learning other people's songs. Fortunately, I found a DVD by an instructor who taught just enough to get me started. With that and a lot of persistence I was writing my own songs and recording in about a year. Then, I'd watch other players and realized I had no idea what they were doing so I dug in and learned music theory, expanding my chord vocabulary and learned more about scales and modes while learning all the notes on the fretboard. Now, I watch something being played and I understand. I hear something being played and I can sit down and play it almost immediately. My point in saying all this is that you don't have to know a lot to be able to play and have a great time. You can always (and should) expand your knowledge along the way. Also, always remember the journey of learning doesn't end for as long as you live and have an interest in guitar.
Seriously Darrell, you have the ultimate job! (assuming you are making a living from youtube). I am sitting here listening to your advice, looking at those guitars on that back wall, and man is it hard to not be jealous of your career success. Congrats man, and keep the great content coming.
A great video with lots of invaluable tips, thanks for sharing your hard gained knowledge Darrell! Goes along well with my own modest experience.
Good video Darrell - good advice for those who will listen...lucky guys who have you for a teacher!
when i started playing at 13 i did replication (as you do), now i just enjoyed being able to play my favorite songs but early on i was given a multi effects pedal (Zoom 505II) which allowed me to manipulate my sound with out having to change my amp but it encouraged me more to play and experiment with different sounds then by 15 i was playing free bird note for note. Not long after i wanted to be able to play my own way so i started looking up scales, youtube was a great tool for helping me really get a feel to playing thanks to all the many backing tracks available, bearing in mind i never had lessons, my dad taught me the notes on the strings and a few chords, then i discovered tab, i'd practically lock myself away after school each day and just play, play, play
Great tips for the youngster. One of the few things I regret was not keeping up with guitar classes in my younger years, because I thought they were so slow and boring, just learning scales and theory. I would be a way better musician than the one I am right now. But, as you said, it's never too late to learn those things, especially thanks to RUclips and channels/creators as yourself. Now, if I could only get a little bit of time from my busy schedule so I can go to a music school to learn as much theory as I can possibly understand in my old fart 30 year old brain haha
Thank you for making this video! I just bought my first electric guitar two days ago and my super expert dad is gonna teach me but i wanna try and impress him with stuff i find online first. Haha. All these tips are really great, I’m definitely going to be rewatching this video a lot to remember it all. They’re very mindful:)
Great tips Darrell! Thanks for all you give back to the community :)
Good advice. I’m currently teaching my son, and some of these tips I haven’t thought to express to him yet, so thanks! One thing that I wish I’d focused on sooner was removing harsh sounding tones from my playing. I kept my tone knobs on 10 thinking it was best, but listening back to those recordings is brutal. It doesn’t matter how well you play if it hurts the listeners ears.
Really useful. You always refer to real life in your videos, I appreciate them a lot!
Great video... wholeheartedly agree with all your points. Basic theory really goes a long way in one's playing ability and creativity. For playing with others in a group setting, I also love the Nashville numbering system.
Great advice, much of which can apply to keyboards too. I play both, and can totally relate to all of your suggestions.
Especially love the treating your solo like a conversation, and DYnaMIcs! So important 🎹😁🎸
Well my # 1 would be and this is a big hint for you teachers out there . Is the first"playing" thing that should be taught is ? The 1-4-5 in C first (C-F-G) then in Key order of G , D, A, E, B. After your first 3 chord intro your learning 1 at a time D for G the A for Key of D then E for A and B for E. And that it will work for so many instruments. Of course the full Nashville # system should be taught after that. Oh and Tele's RULE !
Very good advice. I think you should practice clean when you are learning a part and when you've got it right without any fluffed notes, then switch on the distortion if that's what the song requires. If it would sound too rubish clean, then practice distorted, but occasionally go back to clean to make sure you are playing it well. Also record it and listen back afterwards. You would be surprised how different it sounds to what you thought when you were playing it. You can spot and fix a lot of issues.
You're a natural teacher! That back flame strat is purty. I just got a Les Paul in the same color scheme. I'm in loooooove! Great video and sound advice for all players yep, I'm an older player and still learning. Keep em comin!
the pick slide in the intro is so, so perfect...
When I was young I wanted the most wattage for the buck. In my senior years I'm still the same way; I want the most wattage for the buck. That's why I settled for a Crate Power Block 150CPB. I found that through the years you usually have to pay $1.00 per watt. With Crate, and you shop around, you can usually get a high wattage amp for less than $1.00 per watt. With the Crate it is amp only--no bells or whistles, i.e., reverb and tremolo and provides a very clean signal. Only extra is a gain control to add overdrive to the clean signal and sounds like a tube amp. All these effects can be done through various pedals that you can put into the effects loop. What sold me on Crate, is that it is also a stereo amp (maybe not true stereo) which can split the signal into 2 parts to send to 2 separate speakers. Also it has a stereo effects loop so that you can put 2 different pedals into the effects loop. Also there is a stereo input that you can input an effects generator or CD/cassette/turntable enabling you to play along with prerecorded music. Crate CPB meets all these requirements for me. I did a lot of research on amps before I decided on this particular amp.
I'm an older woman trying to play bass. I am so exciting about learning so many things, I just wish I had more time for my bass, at least my fretboard only has four strings (for now LOL).
Thank you for the advice, so many things you've said apply to bass too and I am too curious not to know music theory, I have books, I just need to catch up on my reading, which is hard when you have a full time job, a husband and you're volunteering for support groups as well.
I love this life, don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, I'm just venting a little bit of how much further I could get with more daily time.
I also learned to play pre-internet (in the eighties)... It took me decades to learn some of the basic stuff. Here's my top 3:
1- Tuning: I didn't understand why those Slash GnR cords didn't sound good even though I was tuned (according to my tuner). So learn to tune your guitar and learn to ear when a chord/note is out of tune.
2- Pick hand technique: This is an area of electric guitar teaching that is (almost) nonexistent. Books back in the days would just describe alternate picking as an up and down motion. It's useless. Nowadays, there are very good videos on youtube describing how to do it.
3- Muting techniques: If you play with gain, learn to play cleanly by muting the other strings. Something as simple as to use the tip of your index finger when playing power chords to mute lower strings.
Regarding learning set up: My first electric guitar was a piece of crap, but in trying to make it work I feared nothing. In playing around with the neck angle, the intonation and lube of the rollers on the vibrato bridge, the height and position of that arch-top floating bridge, the width and depth and angle of the nut slots, the height of the pickups and the pole screws (don't think there is an etc. here!) I think I learned a lot. Anyway, that's a bit techo for this vid, which I thought was pretty descriptive of all the things I know at 67 which I didn't at 18.
Best tip is "listen to the other players".
Fantastic tips, great video! Each one of these could be a series of a few extra videos per tip. Thanks for sharing Darrell!
Glad to help!
So true! I could definitely do a series digging deeper into each one of these concepts 👍
I really love this video. There are so many guitarists who have their "10 Things" you must do as a beginner that you don't know what advice to follow. This is nothing personal against Darrell here because he breaks topics like this down into something digestible as opposed to some guy feeding his ego and "preaching from on high". I get overwhelmed by all the information, so much so that I gave up on playing acoustic guitar years ago. Now I'm interested in getting back into it but with an electric guitar. I don't want to take the world by storm, rather I want to find a creative outlet for struggles I go through in life.
Good stuff man!! Wanted to add to your number 8 and that is playing with feeling and how you are feeling at that present moment. Let it flow out, sad,happy,angry and so on..Mixing those feelings into your style of playing. It helps me and its always something i naturally do even when i dont realize im doing it. I love just playing to jam tracks in the different keys and finding some that are slow and some that are faster tempo. Some days we all play better than others but you can amaze yourself sometimes. I wish i recorded some of them too. I really need to record more! Sometimes a solo or flow can be lost forever if you didnt memorize it or record it.. Rock on!!
I wish I hadn't learned each of these 10 things the hard way! I wish this video and youtube were around when I was learning. Great video! My #1 thing I wish I had known when I started learning: all genres of music can contribute to your skill. I was stuck on 80's glam rock and Metallica. I wish I was more open minded to the so many wonderful guitar styles.