PRoblem with my guitar

[fragomatrick]

It's more like a problem with the way I play my guitar!
I am a tyro. It makes these squeaky sounds when I play it. I wouldn't even call it sound. t's as if I am butchering a cat! So, I was just wondering, being an amateur, how much time does one take to learn to play this "thing"...! I am retard, so I will learn at at my own snail pace! But, for a normal person, when do you start to play real songs.... and not jingle bells!

[Shevanel]

Erm, It's a bit more complicated than that? If you're not getting personal lessons or something, look online for guitar lessons. They SHOULD point you in the right direction. Learn scales and stuff. Don't rush into songs just yet, you'll regret it xD. Also, Hopefully you know how to tune your guitar, if not, thats the most important thing at this point xD

[partietraumatic]

if found i improved slowly at first, then suddenly had this huge leap forward about 18months in, i suddenly in the space of weeks improved a huuuge amount. But up to then it was pretty slow progress, so don't expect it to come easily. But yeah im my experience it comes little by little, then suddenly all clicks and you make leaps forwards

[Absentminded]

Yeah, don't rush things. I played Jingle Bells for 6 months before I got anywhere. Joey's right, learn to tune it first, cos the sooner you know what a guitar sounds like when it's tuned right, the sooner you'll be able to identify if you're playing songs correctly.
This may be helpful:
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com
It's a great site for learning really. They have a lot on there.
Hope it helps.

[wherewulfe]

squealling noises? your actually accidently doing a pinch harmonic, loosen up on the grip of your pick and ease back on how far the edge is from your thumb. also lessons are a good choice for beginners =p

[Behling]

This may be a bit advanced for you but I'd check the neck of your guitar, as seasons change the wood of the guitar neck tends to bend, causing the strings to be either too close or too far from the frets which can throw you off a lot. That's usually the source of any screwy sounds coming from my guitar.

[Just Adam]

it could just be an actual pickup problem... what type of pups you have? what volume what type of speaker? do you have right cable? lol dumb i know but hey it can happen... as behling said the truss rod may need adjusted unless yours issnt adjustable but most modern guitars do...

what guitar is it anyway that might help?

how old are the strings and frets? does it have locking tuners, what type of nut does it have, and the type of bridge...its it trem hard tail or a floyd rose....

i think its unlikely your doing a pinched harmonic on every stroke that has enough presence to make the guitar sound bad, as you've got to have it sounding good to get a decent harmonic out of it.

please give more info..

[fragomatrick]

Thank you all for your comments. I am no that guitar savvy yet to be answering the last question. i have my guitar tuned, the wood is not falling apart, and my pick moves are fine for a tyro! So, I ll update you all in a millennium, when i am ready to play songs on the guitar !( at least this is how long it seems to me!)

http://www.fretplay.com/

...is also a good site that I use. They have downloaded a lot of free videos to watch, which include everything from how to hold a guitar to how to play really, really complicated 'stuff'. xD

[Shevanel]

Originally Posted by fragomatrick

Thank you all for your comments. I am no that guitar savvy yet to be answering the last question. i have my guitar tuned, the wood is not falling apart, and my pick moves are fine for a tyro! So, I ll update you all in a millennium, when i am ready to play songs on the guitar !( at least this is how long it seems to me!)

Patience, Young Padawan. Look at my sig >_>

[fragomatrick]

Ya .. I will be more patient now.. thanks ...!

[djt820]

I hope to god you're starting on a steel string acoustic.
Get a god damn teacher. You'll thank me.
Learn chords, and play every song EVER.
Once you start playing decently and can hold your own, learn scales.
That's my advice.

[Absentminded]

Originally Posted by djt820

I hope to god you're starting on a steel string acoustic.
Get a god damn teacher. You'll thank me.
Learn chords, and play every song EVER.
Once you start playing decently and can hold your own, learn scales.
That's my advice.

It would be good if you were starting on an acoustic, it'll help you build callous for anything else you play.
As far as a teacher goes, it depends on your style. I've found that some people don't benefit at all from lessons, because they just learn a particular style. If you do find a teacher, make sure he/she can play a variety of styles (blues, rock, country, etc.), because diversity is key when you're playing guitar, even if you only like to play one particular style, you can always pick up off the other styles.
If you're self taught, I'd say that it'd probably be good to start off with some basic songs, with real chords (D,C,A,E, etc), and learn the scales. I made the mistake of never really learning my scales beyond a couple simple ones, now I'm just too lazy to learn it.
So, do it while you have the motivation, and good luck!