Learning to play the guitar?
Moderator: Moderator Team
-
- New member - welcome them!
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2016 10:27 pm
Learning to play the guitar?
Hi I've been thinking about learning to play electric guitar but don't how my dyspraxia will affect me. Has anyone found it difficult to learn how to play. I'd be grateful for some advice.
-
- New member - welcome them!
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2016 10:27 pm
Re: Learning to play the guitar?
I'm also left handed.
-
- Moderator
- Posts: 895
- Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 11:24 am
- Location: Bridgend, South Wales
- Contact:
Re: Learning to play the guitar?
I learned to play the guitar when I was about 10, as the teacher was doing it in school. my main problems were spacial awareness, so things like knowing how far to move my hands, where to move my fingers without looking at them, and general things like I would be a chord to a word behind everyone else due to my reading speed, and if the word had 2 notes then I wouldn't be able to change fast enough.
I still remember most of the chords when handed a guitar, but couldn't tell you what chord they are apart from G minor, G major, D, and A and vaguely remember F,
but that was only on a basic level, and didn't put enough time into learning to play, so my fingers were really soar after the 30 minute lesson.
but also that is going back about 30 years.
I still remember most of the chords when handed a guitar, but couldn't tell you what chord they are apart from G minor, G major, D, and A and vaguely remember F,
but that was only on a basic level, and didn't put enough time into learning to play, so my fingers were really soar after the 30 minute lesson.
but also that is going back about 30 years.
-
- Moderator
- Posts: 895
- Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 11:24 am
- Location: Bridgend, South Wales
- Contact:
Re: Learning to play the guitar?
also being left handed meaning that I had to have the guitar strings changed so that they were the other way around, but my main problem was the strength that I used to pluck at was a little too hard, so the teacher learned how to change loads of strings rather quickly by the end, a couple of times was because the knot wasn't done strong enough to hold.
-
- Getting settled in
- Posts: 37
- Joined: Mon Dec 28, 2015 8:36 pm
Re: Learning to play the guitar?
I'm left-handed, but learned to play right handed, and I haven't found any extreme difficulty so far.
Bar chords are hell though
I did find changing chords _quickly_ enough difficult at the beginning. What helped was when I didn't actually play the song, but changed chords as if I was. I still do that sometimes, and it definitely helps, even if it's a little monotonous :-)
I haven't really gotten the hand of strumming yet either
Actually I dropped guitar lessons after a year when I was twelve and learned much more efficiently when I started again three years ago
Bar chords are hell though

I did find changing chords _quickly_ enough difficult at the beginning. What helped was when I didn't actually play the song, but changed chords as if I was. I still do that sometimes, and it definitely helps, even if it's a little monotonous :-)
I haven't really gotten the hand of strumming yet either
Actually I dropped guitar lessons after a year when I was twelve and learned much more efficiently when I started again three years ago

All the secrets of the world are contained in books. Read at your own risk.
Re: Learning to play the guitar?
I tried the bass when I was younger but personally I lacked the necessary coordination, patience and will to persist so gave up. (I wasn't aware of my being dyspraxic back then). If you're into it there's no reason why you can't, even if it takes you longer/ is more more personally challenging. Be kind to yourself as far as trying not to be too impatient with yourself.
TIP if you start a post and decide you need to/want to add more you also have the option to edit the post and add what you realised you'd forgotten after hitting submit 8-)
TIP if you start a post and decide you need to/want to add more you also have the option to edit the post and add what you realised you'd forgotten after hitting submit 8-)
Tom
Moderator/Administrator
With a foot full of bullets I tried to run faster but I just hobbled on to the next disaster.
(from Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Foot Full of Bullets)
Moderator/Administrator
With a foot full of bullets I tried to run faster but I just hobbled on to the next disaster.
(from Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Foot Full of Bullets)
- ichiban-no-hime
- Getting settled in
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2016 11:01 am
Re: Learning to play the guitar?
I've been trying to learn to play guitar for years. I can only manage playing very slow, simple songs, as I get very confused trying to switch between strings and frets quickly. Even playing Guitar Hero is a struggle for me 

Re: Learning to play the guitar?
I have a few guitars, every so often I sort of pick them up and strum a few chords. For me the hardest part is rhythm. The next hardest part is that my wrists get very sore very quickly. May be holding it super awkwardly?
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest