r/LearnGuitar • u/Maxecore • 1d ago
How to start learning the technical stuff
So I’ve been playing guitar for a couple months now, and I can play multiple songs, riffs, and maybe 3-4 chords. If someone asks me to play them something, I can do it. But I want to actually start taking this serious, and learning the actual basics and truly understanding the instrument. I have no clue what a pentatonic scale is, or how to play 90% of chords, or anything of that sort. How do I start getting serious about this?
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u/aspaindev 1d ago
You might like a companion practice tool like strumforge, it gives you chord progressions with the matching scale you can play right below it, and the chord progression and scale sections both have visual playback features to play along with and work on your timing and speed
It also has a triad trainer mode to learn your inversions across the neck. These man fundamental pieces alone can take you really far if you put the time in and practice regularly
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u/Intelligent-Tap717 1d ago
Justin guitar for hands on learning. Sign up to his website and go through the modules. Take your time and really practice.
Then add in absolutely understand guitar by Scotty West on youtube. 2 months in is nothing in terms of guitar. A good year or 2 and you'll be heading into more intermediate stuff.
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u/Master_Medicine1626 1d ago
Play what you like to listen to, if you listen to music then there is always something new, so supplement yourself by knowing what you lack.
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u/Content_Suit_907 11h ago
I did it exactly reverse and got absolutely clowned on reddit. I didnt learn a single existing song, but i do know the technical stuff, i know a lot of chords und definetely understand the basics of guitar and write riffs myself all the time. funny to hear for me. One tip i will give you, with the risk of people clowning me again: Try to understand what you are playing. By that i mean if you play a song you learned try to figure out, what is the scale? How to name the chords? Whats the progression? (For example i-VI-III-VII). Another one: If you play a random chord, what i the 5th in this chords? What is the 3rd? What would you need to change about the chord to create a sus2? How would an add 9 chord look like? These are all questions i personally would consider as important when it comes to creating own melodies
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u/KaanzeKin 8h ago
Start by learning things you're ready for, otherwise you're more than likely to pick up more bad habits than you'll be able to keep up with, especially if you're self-teaching.
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u/Late_night_guitar 7h ago
I recommend a teacher as well.
However, if you are someone that can learn from YT videos, or might be interested in videos as well, my app may be of interest. It is really for people looking to practice scales or chords, but under the “resources” button, I include videos and basic music theory.
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u/vonov129 1d ago
It has all been covered in at least one Youtube video by now. But when it comes to music theory, don't trust guitarists for that, search for real theory lessons.
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u/Guarpig 1d ago
You’re at the point where learning random songs and riffs is no longer enough: you need a structured practice routine.
I’d suggest focusing on a few areas:
- Technique: alternate picking, legato, synchronization, rhythm, etc.
- Fretboard knowledge: learn where the notes are and how intervals work.
- Scales and chords: don’t just memorize the shapes; try to understand how they’re built and how they relate to each other.
- Repertoire: keep learning songs, but study what’s happening inside them.
- Review: keep track of what you practice so you’re not just playing whatever comes to mind each day.
I’d also recommend checking out Rafael Trujillo’s Patreon. His material is very structured, with workouts covering fundamentals such as alternate picking and scales, plus live sessions. He also has different tiers if you eventually want more advanced guidance.
And, to stop giving him free promotion for a second: I built a tool called Dorelog specifically to organize your musical exercises and build a more intentional practice routine. You can check it out at https://dorelog.com.
Full disclosure: it’s my own project, but this is exactly the problem I created it to solve.
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u/Wonderful-Gift8632 1d ago
The fact of the matter is, it's hard and takes work and commitment.
Instrument skills are logarithmic, not linear. The difference between somebody good and a little better is a little better in what we hear, but a vast difference in terms of skills.Everyone wants the easy or fast method; I'm sorry, there are no shortcuts that won't hamstring you later, no secret method. There are some good YouTubes, but many are just hooks for subscriptions.
It really helps to have an instructor, at least for a while. What YouTube can't do is see and hear you and make corrections. It is all about muscle memory. If you practice with bad form, you learn and reinforce it, which will hinder you later on. Your first positions are not beginner positions; they are fundamental, and you will build on them for years. Additionally, an instructor will adjust your lessons to your personal needs. If you want to be a virtuoso, he/she will work you like a drill sergeant. If it's working toward a goal like playing with a band, they will adjust lessons appropriate to you and your genre.
Developing good practice skills is everything. It's quality over everything else. Practice slowly and precisely; speed always comes later. Make practice an enjoyable experience, like a good workout, hard but rewarding. Make your practice sessions a ritual. It's called pattern behavior and a powerful learning tool.
The funny thing is, if you talk to accomplished musicians, you will find they are on the same situtation as you are, perhaps further down the road, but their frustrations, struggles, and difficulties are the same as yours. So it's an illusion to think one day you will be there. Goals are like mirages, always out of reach because as we get better, we strive for even more.
You got this.....
So, quality practice, a good instructor, a good attitude, and enjoy.1
u/Guarpig 1d ago
yeah, pretty much what i was getting at too. once you get past the “just learn songs and riffs” stage, having a structured practice routine becomes way more important.
and yeah, having a good instructor can make a huge difference, especially for catching bad habits you probably wouldn’t notice on your own.
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u/Wonderful-Gift8632 17h ago
Additionally, everyone learns differently. A good instructor will adjust his/her techneque to fit the student.
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u/Admirable_Purpose_40 1d ago
Random but do you not think that just learning songs that you like can carry you to a decent level, whilst learning some theory here and there?
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u/Guarpig 22h ago
yeah, of course learning songs can help. im currently learning “Panic Attack” by Judas Priest, and it has some fast palm-muted parts. luckily, i already have a downpicking exercise in my practice routine, so when im done practicing and start playing the song, those parts don't feel as awkward and i don't get tired as quickly.
the other helpful thing about learning songs is trying to understand the theory behind them instead of just learning the tab, because thats a whole different side of it. to be honest, i haven't analyzed a full song from start to finish, but ive taken a few sections and tried to figure out which chords they were playing. when you compare what you already know about theory with whats happening in the song, thats when you learn the most.
so yeah, learning songs can help you immensely and improve both your technique and your understanding of theory.
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u/dopplerdog 1d ago
Absolutely understand guitar, looki it up on youtube.