Hey /mu/ first time poster here. I've been gifted one of these for my birthday and have no idea how to play guitar. Where do I beging? Which songs do I learn to play first? Any helpful resources?

Learn your C major scale and its chords is the first thing. That will take you about a year to get good if you've no musical training. It's fun, you should enjoy it. Also the pentatonic scale in E, you should very quickly be able to play some blues.

justinguitar.com
Follow his course, try to learn some songs or at least riffs you like on the side, and once you're done with his beginner course you could try to specialize in whatever genre interests you the most.

>>126700649
Thanks anon, I actually have musical training, just not on a string instrument. Any youtube channels/apps/websites that would help me?

>>126700671
You're better off buying a book that you can practice from on your lap. You can tune it all up already? Ok C major scale A B C D E F G let's go.

Also do you want to finger pick folk or classical songs, that's a mission in itself.

>>126700680
Let me study for my exams first and then I'll let her rip. I'd prefer not having to buy a faggy book but if it's the best thing I guess it is what it is...

>>126700693
what? classical and folk? this is an electric guitar, I want to play bangers like videogame music :^)

>>126700640 (OP)
My first and ultimate recommendation is to learn songs (from beginning to end) over theory. Theory of course is essential, but you sound like you already have a background in another instrument and so should have some basic concept that you can build on.
Step one is to figure out if you like playing this instrument, and you get there by making noise on it. There is a lot of time to practice scales if you intend to actually keep going with this instrument (which is not at all guaranteed and most people don't take it far), but even practice should be related in essence to why you want to play this instrument in the first place.
Major and minor chords in first position can all be learned in one day. Depending on the kind of music you like, I-iv-V in C (C-Am-G) will give you a massive trove of songs. The first song I ever learned was Link Wray's Rumble, which you can probably do right now (just try the Dmaj to Emaj). But whatever you choose to do, build it on the love of the sound and the desire to learn songs. From that, understanding the instrument more deeply has built-in momentum and you're more likely to succeed in getting to where you want to be, including writing songs or improvisation.
In terms of the electric guitar, though, there is of course the whole universe of amplified sound, and for that I'll leave to someone else. It's very likely also highly motivating for a certain type, maybe you.

Start by learning the most basic chord shapes (YouTube basic chord shapes), get semi comfortable with those, then pick a few songs utilizing those chords to learn. Move on to basic scales, work your way up from there. Invest in getting your guitar setup at a local shop, this will make it both easier to play and sound better, a lot of people quit because they have a shitty guitar that is set up shittily. Even a shorty guitar becomes playable with a proper setup. Learn songs you like, that will keep you invested.

>>126700669
Listen to this anon. Justinguitar has a good free course on his website for learning. AndyGuitar is a good choice as well. And don't forget: always play what you like.

>>126701662
what's a setup in this case? Like a stand or something I can put it? Right now it's resting against the wall in the floor lol
>>126701745
Thanks for the rec anon, been checking out Justin and seems like a good course to begin

>>126702235
For a while, you should get multi effect pedal and be aware of how its effects work(amps, cabs, pedals in general, mics, etc)

>>126702326
A cube amp and a audio interface are good options too.

>>126702326
>>126702343
>>126700640 (OP)
imo better for a beginner would be an amp like the Fender Mustang since it has a usb interface built into it (let's you record to your computer) and has built in effects. It's pretty much all you need in the beginning

>>126702235
Setup meaning get the action (string height) adjusted, intonation, and possibly the frets and nut cleaned up if it’s a Squier.

Bar chords like Kurt Cobain and it's easy to learn most Nirvana songs

>>126701662
Beautiful mustang

>>126702326
>>126702343
>>126702377
phew that's a lot ok. I already have a little amp from Harley Benton? Is that alright? The guitar is from the same company or whatever

>>126703099
Thank you. I have a lot of guitars and this one is newly aquired but I can already tell it’s going to be in my top 3 if not favorite. I got a pair recently, this red MG73 and a Vintera in competition burgundy and the amount of riffs and songs pouring out of them is unprecedented. Maybe it’s because they’re smaller and lend themselves to being played while sitting around.

bump

or you can be self-taught like this guy and have terrible mechanics and still play brilliant solos. but you have to be brilliant first.

>>126700640 (OP)
Look up a tab to *Dammit* by blink-182. That's a really good song to learn little riffs, palm muting, and power chords.

>>126700640 (OP)
There's all sorts of ways to start but training your ear will help you in every single step of the process.

Listen to music, your favorite music, any music, and just try to play along. Try and play notes that go with it. You can noodle along or do bar (power) chords which are technically simple. Just listen to music like you always would but with your guitar in your lap and see what happens.

Get a little comfy with that and then maybe look up some basic chord configs. Try and apply those when playing along with songs. You'll probably play a lot of E, C, D, G, and A chords.

Then you should learn how to read tablatures and you can play leads.

And then, of course, learn scales.

But I really can't stress that first step enough. Just get comfortable with the thing in your hands, and let your ear get comfortable translating the music to your hands.

>>126700640 (OP)
look up Led Zeppelin tabs.

Assuming you're the same guy that I responded to in /gg/, but in case you're not I'll link my post there:
>>126705013
You need theory, and it's very simple to understand. Don't just waste time noodling around and learning other people's songs and riffs.

I need to relearn how to play.

>>126700669
>justinguitar.com
is there a site like this but for piano??

>>126700640 (OP)
1. head over to /gg/ and make that your home from now on. if anyone knows guitar, it's those bad mothafuckas. Whatever they tell you, do it.
2. Stevie Ray Vaughan is now your lord and savior and glam blues is the only genre you listen to. Start learning how to play this by ear and don't focus on anything else until you've got it down
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYVjxaTz6n8

Best way is to learn by playing songs. Figure out what basic song you want to play, practice the chords a little so you can get the idea of how your fingers should go, and then try to play the songs. Playing songs, even shitty ones, is a way more satisfying and fun way to learn than just playing scales all the time or drilling chords

>>126705928
SRV was a one trick pony of a guitarist. he's overrated as fuck

>>126700640 (OP)
>>126700669
>try to learn some songs or at least riffs you like on the side
no. learning songs you like should be THE NUMBER ONE THING YOU DO (while minding proper technique). the entire point of learning a musical instrument is to MAKE MUSIC. all of your practice time should be in the service of making music. if you spend your practice time playing scales up and down the neck and "Switching Between The E and A Chord (tm)" you're going to give up after a week and wonder why anyone picks up the guitar in the first place.

>>126700640 (OP)
Guitar is a total waste of time and you shouldn't even start
Unless you're 12 why are you bothering?

don't even dare start learning songs, terrible start to being a songwriter, what you want to do is learn your open chords C, G, D, Em, E, A, Am and practice alternating them, after thats comfortable you wanna get started on minor and major barre chords cause those are gonna take a long time to get right, mix in strumming patterns (this was easy for me cause I was a drummer first) and then learn the 5 scale patterns up and down the neck and how they connect, that scale part should take awhile but once you know it you can jam in any scale to any music as long as you know what key its in, piece together your own chord progressions based on what you like and make your own songs, after an entire year of that then if you feel like you're kinda dead ended consider learning songs to get different ideas, also world of difference between fingerstyle and picking, I spent my first 6 years almost only picking and in the last 3 or so I've refocused to a lot of fingerstyle and I'm finally getting to a sort of amateur John Fahey level

>>126711317
making your own songs is the point of being a musician, I've jammed with numerous guys who spent all their formative time learning jimmy hendrix songs or metallica songs and they completely lose the ability to improvise without just aping songs they learned, its embarrassing to see

>>126711439
>making your own songs is the point of being a musician
wrong. that's a path some people choose to go down; that's not "the point of being a musician". plenty of musicians are employed in orchestras or as session musicians, playing other people's music.
>I've jammed with numerous guys
nobody cares about your pointless craigslist garage band, gramps.

wtf is with all the Mustangs olive the sudden?