Author Topic: 40 mistakes newbie guitarists make  (Read 3097 times)

DMBfan41

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40 mistakes newbie guitarists make
« on: December 24, 2011, 08:20:44 PM »
Good for a laugh but definitely some truth in some of these!

 1. Investing in distortion boxes instead of a good amp.

 2. Learning 100 intros and no songs.

 3. Limiting your self to one style of music-usually metal.

 4. Not taking the time to learn music theory.

 5. Playing “Smoke on the Water” on the high-E string.

 6. Playing too loud, and with too much distortion.

 7. Setting your amp’s Gain on 10, and Mids 0.

 8. Relying on picks.

 9. Not learning how to perform a basic setup.

 10. Not maintaining your gear.

 11. Not jamming enough with other players.

 12. Over use of legato with a complete disregard for tempo.

 13. Poor phrasing.

 14. Week vibrato.

 15. Buying too many effects.

 16. Listening to tone snobs.

 17. Immediately launching into thirty-second notes during a blues solo.

 18. Thinking that playing a local bar circuit constitutes a “tour”.

 19. Believing that opening for a national act means you’re on your way.

 20. Not knowing the difference between tube watts and solid-state watts.

 21. Relying too much on printed music and tabs.

 22. Thinking a year of lessons and $5000 worth of gear makes you ready to play in a band.

 23. Wearing the guitar way too low.

 24. Using too much hand/finger pressure when fretting.

 25. Taking guitar lessons from a friend.

 26. Giving up immediately because you sound like dog doo.

 27. Not learning how all your gear works.

 28. Tuning every guitar at the music store to dropped D, and then not retuning them to standard pitch.

 29. Bringing full stacks to tiny bar gigs.

 30. Saying “All [insert hated style of music] sucks, dude!”

 31. Learning with your eyes, instead of your ears.

 32. Not learning to play in time with good groove and feel.

 33. Not investing in good earplugs for playing loud gigs.

 34. Obsessing about playing burning solos, and not caring about rhythm guitar.

 35. Thinking that playing fast pentatonic-box patterns makes you a hot guitarist.

 36. Not putting casters on viciously heavy amps.

 37. Wearing bowling shirts emblazoned with flames and dragons.

 38. Realizing guitar is too difficult and taking up bass instead.

 39. Spending more time on guitar discussion forums than actually practicing.

 40. Forget that playing music is meant to be fun!
Chad

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cjd-player

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Re: 40 mistakes newbie guitarists make
« Reply #1 on: December 25, 2011, 09:19:50 AM »

 39. Spending more time on guitar discussion forums than actually practicing.

Not just a newbie mistake.  ;D ;D ;D
Carl
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jalbert

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Re: 40 mistakes newbie guitarists make
« Reply #2 on: December 25, 2011, 09:57:54 AM »
39. Spending more time on guitar discussion forums than actually practicing.

Guilty as charged!
James

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DMBfan41

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Re: 40 mistakes newbie guitarists make
« Reply #3 on: December 25, 2011, 09:59:36 AM »

 39. Spending more time on guitar discussion forums than actually practicing.

Not just a newbie mistake.  ;D ;D ;D

I hear ya!  I do the same.
Chad

Taylor 414ce L7
Taylor GSmini
Taylor 214e
Taylor 214
Martin OMCX1KE
Fender Classic 50's Strat

Ed422

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Re: 40 mistakes newbie guitarists make
« Reply #4 on: December 30, 2011, 08:36:01 AM »
There are a bunch I could add...

Thinking that buying the guitar <favorite player> plays will make you sound like them.

Taking what elder players say too much to heart.

Completely blowing off advice from elder players.

Thinking that sounding like <favorite player> is important.

Relying too much on "theory" and not playing from the heart.

Hmmm....    I could spend the better part of the morning doing this, and sounding more and more codgerly the more I add.  (grin)

Ed

Terry

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Re: 40 mistakes newbie guitarists make
« Reply #5 on: December 30, 2011, 10:12:52 AM »
Well, judging by visits to GC, I can offer these up:
    Playing louder (with amps) is better
    Playing louder with lots of distortion is far better
    Flailing away at any guitar with a pick, like a spastic Pete Townsend, will get you a better sound - even on Classical Guitars
    The more bling, the better the guitar.

"Give me some words to dance to and a melody that rhymes" - Steve Goodman
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Jack Sparrow

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Re: 40 mistakes newbie guitarists make
« Reply #6 on: December 30, 2011, 04:28:19 PM »
Some of these are great - I like #2 especially - but others are clearly a case of the author saying (to partially paraphrase #30), "All heavy rock sucks, dude!" Ironic, no? I don't see what would be wrong with sticking to one style of music, usually metal (#3) or relying on picks (#8) if one's goal as a guitarist is to play metal with a pick. Would probably impede one's progress as a new age fingerstylist however.

e8n

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Re: 40 mistakes newbie guitarists make
« Reply #7 on: December 30, 2011, 11:13:32 PM »
I scored 38 out of 40.  Do I win a prize? :)

-Dave
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2012 Taylor 814LTD Spring Limited
2008 Fender Telecaster
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Guitars of the past: Alvarez AD60, 2007 Taylor 110ce, 2006 Taylor 710ce, Taylor 2008 GS Fall Ltd, 2010 Taylor 814ce, 2010 Taylor K26c,2010 Taylor Custom DN, Taylor 714ce

mgap

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Re: 40 mistakes newbie guitarists make
« Reply #8 on: April 14, 2012, 03:22:28 PM »
I scored 38 out of 40.  Do I win a prize? :)

So Dave are you saying you are guilty of 38 out of 40, or guilty of 2 out of 40? 

As for me I am guilty of way to many,  I would probably be guilty of more if I played electric very often but I don't.
He who loses money, loses much; he who loses a friend, loses more; he who loses faith, loses all.