Rocking out on a cosmic level

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I think Chris V posted something similar a while back, but when is it too late to learn to play guitar, if ever? I have a really shitty old guitar and amp that I bought from a friend when I was about 16. Eight years later, I still can't play, but I am frequently feeling the urge to plug in and make a noise like the belch of an old testament god.

At almost 25 years old, with a lot of other stuff begging for my time and attention, is it time to put away these childish dreams? I mean, I'm not talking crazy Leadbelly John Fahey fancy finger-pickin or any Satriani shit, just the loud stuff, the punk stuff....

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Monday, 24 March 2003 09:52 (twenty-three years ago)

the loud punk/stuff = A,D,E,G* and once you know these, you can make up variations = easy, you could probably master them in a couple of days.

Get a chord book that is based on tablature and you'll be on easy street.

*I always found C a little hard, but Cadd9 is nice.

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 24 March 2003 09:56 (twenty-three years ago)

What about pedals n shit? Is that expensive?

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Monday, 24 March 2003 19:03 (twenty-three years ago)

I think it's never too late. I haven't started yet, but at 37, I still plan on doing it.

― Rockist Scientist, Monday, 24 March 2003 19:07 (twenty-three years ago)

It's never to late to rock, but it might be too early to roll.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 24 March 2003 19:09 (twenty-three years ago)

he he...I finally recognized the header.

Chords for that song:

Verse = Bflat, A
Chorus = C, G, F

Voila! "Nightmare Hippie Girl"!

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 24 March 2003 19:14 (twenty-three years ago)

My sister started guitar at 30, and loves it.

― JuliaA (j_bdules), Monday, 24 March 2003 19:15 (twenty-three years ago)

(Learning to play guitar will be my first step toward learning to play the oud. Might as well learn western music theory, since Arabs study it as well.)

― Rockist Scientist, Monday, 24 March 2003 19:24 (twenty-three years ago)

Dude, the solution is to become a "noise artist"

― Jon Williams (ex machina), Monday, 24 March 2003 19:27 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm getting my grooves on. A friend and I may actually play an open mic at a local coffeehouse around here. Simon and Garfunkel style.

― Chris V. (Chris V), Monday, 24 March 2003 19:29 (twenty-three years ago)

and instead of a freestyle rap i may contribute a folky twee thing to the comp.

― Chris V. (Chris V), Monday, 24 March 2003 19:32 (twenty-three years ago)

Nickalicious... Bflat and F are too hard for beginners to play!

I suggest you try to start with "Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill" by Husker Du (that was the first one I could play, anyway).

Verse: Em - C
Chorus: G - D

And no it's NEVER too late to learn how to play guitar. I also recommend experimenting with open tunings.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Monday, 24 March 2003 19:46 (twenty-three years ago)

It is so much never too late! I didn't learn more than two chords until I was 25, and now...well, now I know at least four, and I do OK with those ;)

― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Monday, 24 March 2003 19:58 (twenty-three years ago)

nah, you don't need pedals!

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 24 March 2003 20:07 (twenty-three years ago)

Dude, the solution is to become a "noise artist"

Don't forget your mask!

― hstencil, Monday, 24 March 2003 20:11 (twenty-three years ago)

I, too, am in a "band" with masks :(

― Jon Williams (ex machina), Monday, 24 March 2003 20:13 (twenty-three years ago)

I started at 18 and thought I was starting late. But yeah, you should def start. So much fun!!!

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Monday, 24 March 2003 20:13 (twenty-three years ago)

Of course Jon, you're from Providence!

― hstencil, Monday, 24 March 2003 20:14 (twenty-three years ago)

Seriously, my friends are in a band with:

1) Masks
2) Cross dressing in dresses made out of moon suits
3) Noise parts done only using effects
4) 2 members, one who plays drums

― Jon Williams (ex machina), Monday, 24 March 2003 20:21 (twenty-three years ago)

My friend says that there are only three Jesus and Mary Chain chords--what are they then?

PLUS

http://www.stationhouse.com/hazardville/hardware/h_images/russian%20gas%20mask.jpg

I give you...Nordicskillz, masked maker of guitar N01ZZZE

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Monday, 24 March 2003 21:12 (twenty-three years ago)

advice for after learning all the open chords. the e minor bar chord shape is the bar chord shape of THE GODS! combine it with the a minor bar chord shape and you can play "sabbath bloody sabbath". go on, i know you want to!

― di smith (lucylurex), Monday, 24 March 2003 22:09 (twenty-three years ago)

I soooo want to!

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Monday, 24 March 2003 22:11 (twenty-three years ago)

oh, you'll probably wanna get yourself a guitar tuner, coz like it's probably out of tune and there's no point in trying to learn if it's not in tune.

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 24 March 2003 22:14 (twenty-three years ago)

I mean I mucked around on my guitar for years and didn't learn anything 'til it was in tune.

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 24 March 2003 22:16 (twenty-three years ago)

or you could learn how to tune it yourself, its cheaper than getting a tuner. you really only need a tuner if you're gonna start a band or if you don't have a good ear for pitch. you've got the strings: E, A, D, G, B, E, right? A = E at fret 5, D = A at fret 5, G = D at fret 5, B = G at fret 4, then E = B at fret 5. then when yr done, make sure your top and bottom E's are sounding in tune with each other.

― di smith (lucylurex), Monday, 24 March 2003 22:27 (twenty-three years ago)

Pitchpipes are good for tuning, and inexpensive...

― JuliaA (j_bdules), Monday, 24 March 2003 23:29 (twenty-three years ago)

Tuner=completely invaluable if you're playing for anybody besides yourself. I tried to make do with a tuning fork for years but really: tuners rule.

― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Monday, 24 March 2003 23:36 (twenty-three years ago)

I love my tuner, it was about £25, I can also pretend it's a giegercounter.

― jel -- (jel), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 09:44 (twenty-three years ago)

My band learned Queen Bitch yesterday. Then we played it over and over a bajillion times. There's nothing quite like singing "bipperty boppety hat!"

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 17:40 (twenty-three years ago)

I can play "Human Fly" already! Kind of...

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 18:31 (twenty-three years ago)

hahaha you're already a GOD!!

― g--ff c-nn-n (gcannon), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 18:36 (twenty-three years ago)

Nordic, you can still be punk without resorting to giving up your guitar. (In fact, to be even more subversive, try playing the ukelele instead;>)

Never give up your dreams. Change them a little to fit with what you need, yes. Life is short, and sometimes those passions can give you a reason to get up in the morning.

― Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 18:38 (twenty-three years ago)

The chorus of Girl Who Live On Heaven Hill is G D Em /

So there.

Divide and Conquer is just D and G the whole way through. Although the proper riff thing is a bitch.

― Lynskey (Lynskey), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 18:40 (twenty-three years ago)

Well ACTUALLY it goes back to the Em-C but I was abbreviatin'. So there!

Agreed about Divide and Conquer.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 18:52 (twenty-three years ago)

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