Fun guitar songs (to play) - need help

[jbr7]

I must admit, sadly, that I have been sucked into the fad of playing guitar. It seems like everyone tries to play it anymore; most are terrible. I fit nicely into the "terrible" category. My motives are different, however. I want to develop a talent I have for music. I want to progress. I am not interested in the "cool" factor.

That aside, I would like some help from other guitarists. I don't listen to much music, since most of it is boring and contains very little real talent or skill. But I know that there is good music out there, somewhere...I just can't find it.

It's so hard to get better at guitar without new music to play, since I am not at the composer level myself (yet...haha). I am simply looking for great songs that require skill to learn and play, and I have come here in hopes that some of you would have something in mind.

Now, on to the specifics:

- Rock music is preferred.
- Power chords are very boring, try to keep them at a minimum.
- My skill level is low (relatively); I can play the first part of JerryC's Canon Rock (not the sweeping, though)
- Since I don't listen to much music, I probably have not heard of the song you suggest. A link to listen to it would be greatly appreciated.

If anyone has an idea, please post it here. I know this may sound a bit demanding, but I'm pretty frustrated with only being able to play power chords and pentatonic/blues scales, and I want to get better.

[FluorescentArmy]

1. Why the hell are you learning Canon Already?
I've been playing for 2 years and I still can't get that sweeping part down.Then again, I can't sweep for ****. Ooo something to practice tonight.

2. Power chords are used a lot. It's going to be hard to find something that isn't constant soloage without power chords. Power Chords are a basic of rock.

[Verruckter]

Scales. Pratice. Don't play songs yet.

[dascookieman]

Metallica is very fun and easy to play when you're new to guitar playing. Check out songs like Fade To Black and Nothing Else Matters. I've played much guitar and I've learned everything on my own. Try getting hold of the programs Powertabs and Guitar Pro 4, when you got them you can get tabs from www.ultimate-guitar.com. You have to know scales later but you should just play some easy songs now in the beginning so you get your hands co-operating, and get motivated to play more.
Feel free to ask anything.

[Mindfields]

Deftones and Smashing Pumpkins are pretty easy, but they do consist of mostly power chords. I do reccomend She Talks to Angels by The Black Crowes. You should be able to find it on LimeWire or something.

[JLoAct]

also, it's better to know about the song you are playing, so i'd advise you to listen to more music that's has rock and guiter as the main instrument. This will probably help make you play better on the guitar, and you'll have more fun and have a excuse to listen to a lot of music. That's the way i practice on the piano and guitar.

[mattyohh]

Greenday Songs are the best ones to learn how to play when you are a beginer. They are simple 3 chord songs sometimes with a solo. It also helps if your best friend play guitar also, so then you have a rival to try to beat. Since my best friends started last year i've doubled in speed and accuracy and can play various songs by Atreyu, From First to Last etc. Also it helps to make your own songs. SCALES are the most important thing to learn on guitar. They help you with speed and accuracy aswell as making your own solos which fit in with the music.

[FluorescentArmy]

I'm going to put together what I do for a practice routine.

First thing first, learning songs first is a bad idea.

Here we go


1. Chromatics

Basic yet helpful practice. Start off slow when you first start playing and then work up until you are going your fastest. Then go faster. Until your fingers are going to fall off. Then stop and go slower.

I do this for about 10 minutes

Here are what chromatics look like
e---------------------------------------
b---------------------------------------
g---------------------------------------
d---------------------------------------
a---------------------------------------
e--0-1-2-3---1-2-3-4--2-3-4-5--3-4-5-6 and so on up to the high e

2. Scales

MOST IMPORTANT thing on a guitar. Scales are the base of everything. Solos, songs, everything.

Here is my favorite scale. I dont know why but I just like it.
e-------------------------------3-5--
b-------------------------2-3-5------
g-------------------2-4-5------------
d-------------2-4-5------------------
a-------2-3-5------------------------
e---3-5------------------------------

Do this for 15+ minutes but play other scales too. You can find scales everywhere.

Now I would practice blues guitar.

Blues is simple, sounds cool, and helps.

Here is the blue scale that I was taught.

e-------------------------------------5-6-7-8--
b-----------------------------5-6-7-8----------
g-----------------------5-6-7------------------
d------------------5-6-7-----------------------
a------------5-6-7-----------------------------
e---5-6-7-8------------------------------------

Ok. Now. Based off of that you can make a blues riff. Like

e-------------5-8p5--------------
b-------------5-----7-5-----------
g--------6p5------------7---------
d------7------------------5--------
a--5h8---------------------8-------
e--5h8---------------------8--5~~-

And you can use that in higher places too. Just make sure if you go 5 frets up from 5. To end 5 frets up from 8.

And I have to go somewhere so I'll finish lesson later. Roflwaffle

Ok, back. EDIT TIME.

Hmm. Next.

I would either practice technique, (Sweeping arpeggios) or a small section of a song that just ticks you off. I would start with the technique. I dont feel like tabbing them out so google it. Well, sweeping is always a good thing to learn. I have the basic concept of it, but personally, I hate it. Everyone uses it now and it's not original. I preger speed over that stuff. WHOA. Sabbath is on channel 410. Supernaut. And Kataklysm was on before and Dark Tranquillity before. Good night. Anywyas. Yea. Arpeggios are good.

About that little piece of music. Take a small section, (maybe about a 1 minute section MAX), and just practice it over and over and over and over again and again. Get the tempo and beat right. Then if you're feeling cool, learn the next part and do the same thing until the entire song is done. I just can't memorize without playing it like this. If I just look at it I will be able to play it once but then I'll go to play again and everything will be messed up.

[XXXsmittyXXX]

Yea the scales are a good idea to practice.
Maybe try to learn simple songs without using gay tabs.
Youll notice yourself getting much better if you learn to play by ear.
Thats what ive been doing for about 2 1/2 years and i can play alot.
Basically All of Shadows Are Security by As I Lay Dying.
Check it out.
Youll be on your way to sweeping arpegios in no time.
Oh and Fluorescent If you want to sweep NON sloppy arpeggios
I suggest training your muscles in your hands to bend the right way.
I found out last year it was virtually impossible to sweep one without having your muscles practically trained.
Its like teaching your hand to memorize patterns.
And try playing in drop D.
Makes things easier.

[s_dave777]

Most(most) songs from 1990 and later are power chord heavy and get really mundane and you lose interest after the chorus. At least I do.

Learn every chord you can, it sucks but it really helps in the end. Builds coordination for some of the funkier fingerings, and you'll be glad you don't have to go back and learn chords when you can play van halen's eruption. Pick one of the gayer sounding acoustic guitar players and learn the songs if you want to make learning the chords kind of interesting.

After that, learn the scales, if you just mess around on a pentanonic scale, you'll sound kick ass enough to be impressive. From there, pick the hardest song you can find and learn it.



Jimi Hendrix is good if you're tired of power chords. Metallica rocks for all levels.

Other than that, turn on the radio and play along. It's all about doing it over and over... Like smitty said, it's hammering a pattern into your hand.

[BluE_MeaniE]

You have some weird scales here. Let me fix some things.

Originally Posted by FluorescentArmy

e-------------------------------2-3--
b---------------------------3-5------
g-------------------2-4-5------------
d-------------2-4-5------------------
a-------2-3-5------------------------
e---3-5------------------------------


e-------------------------------------5-
b-----------------------------5---8-----
g-----------------------5-7-8-----------
d----------------5---7------------------
a----------5-6-7------------------------
e---5---8-------------------------------

Those are fixed. And those are only one position. But that's a Gmajor scale and an A blues scale.

You should get a teacher though, without a doubt, period exclamation mark.

[atreyu1337]

A great band and takes some time to learn the songs but try some "Bullet For My Valentine" and u should also try some acoustic stuff if possible "Oasis, Secondhand Serenade and dashboard confessional" and numa 1 guitar site www.ulimate-guitar.com!

[g4z33b0]

Get a good tab of "Under the Bridge" by Red Hot Chili Peppers, its fun and easy. Pretty much any Chili Peppers song is fun.

[Tibs]

Quasar 1.5

[group xtreme]

This guy is really good to watch if you want to quicken both hands in unison. He uses some simple bar riffs and turns them into WOAH WOAH WOAH kinda things.

http://ultimate-guitar.com/columns/f...edpicking.html

( Ultimate guitar pwns).

[FluorescentArmy]

Haha, I remember the days when the Canon Rock sweeps were hard.

[SysRq]

Green Day, Blink-182, basically any punk/pop-punk songs are going to be good for beginners.

But as for actually fun stuff...look into The Fall Of Troy's F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X.

That song is filled with all kinds of cool stuff to keep you busy.

[Verruckter]

Thanks for the bump. The user doesn't even post here anymore.

[teh_masterers]

Brian Kahanek - Gemini

you may have heard it from GHII its such a fun song to play once you got it down.

[SysRq]

Originally Posted by Verruckter

Thanks for the bump. The user doesn't even post here anymore.

*slaps forehead* sry