How hard is it to learn to play guitar with 7 years piano experience?
I have been playing piano for 7 years and over the summer thought it would be fun to learn the guitar. How hard is it to pick up and is it easier than piano? Also, what is tab music? How much does a beginners guitar usually cost? Thanks so much!
Thanks everybody, you all gave such great answers! 🙂
September 23rd, 2010 at 3:07 am
it’ll be much easier for you than a person learning guitar as their first instrument. But, it is ALOT harder than piano. mainly because its alot different…a good begginers guitar would cost you between $100-350.
and a cheap amp would be around 100 dollars. (everything with guitar is expensive)
If your expecting it to be easy, than dont read this next part!!!
It will take you THOUSANDS of hours of practice to become very good at guitar…so take that into consideration too.
September 23rd, 2010 at 3:58 am
speed and accuracy for the guitar is about all u will get from the piano
September 23rd, 2010 at 4:56 am
Let me start by stating that you are now using the best instrument for learning music. DO NOT GIVE UP THE PIANO!
That being said, adding a guitar to your list of instruments can really be fun! Expanding your knowledge and experience is wonderful!
You can look at it this way, it may not sound as good, but a guitar is a lot easier to carry over to a pick nick, or an outdoor bar-b-que, than a 9’ Steinway. So, it does have its place!
And, you may want to look into getting a used guitar to start with. You should be able to find a usable “starter” guitar in the range of $50 to $150.
Again, you’re already learning more about music structure in your piano studies than you would be in the guitar environment. But it all applies! What you are hearing about “tab” stands for “guitar tablature” (or guitar fret). Look at: http://guitar.about.com/od/tabchordslyrics/ss/read_guitar_tab_2.htm
This is just a non-music theory way of telling someone what string to press (and at what fret) in order to construct a chord.
Everything you are already learning about music theory and chord construction with the piano is applicable. You can look at guitar tab symbol as a “short hand” term or an “abbreviation”. However, “tabs” only applies to the structure of the song, not the “melody” of the tune. Your piano experience is going to give you the ability to easily read melodic notation, as well as, chord structure.
So, have fun with it!
Jon
September 23rd, 2010 at 5:06 am
A good thing about piano is that it gives you good finger speed. It also helps you play with your fingers as well as a pick. Personally, i would buy a stress ball and exercise with it when your watching TV, you’ll need the finger strength. Be prepared for your fingers to hurt. And whatever you do, never start playing an electric or nylon string guitar until you can play a metal-string acoustic well, because both of them easier to play and you won’t get the proper exercise.
September 23rd, 2010 at 5:56 am
A quick story…I had been playing guitar for a few years when I took a H.S. typing class.
Everyone in the class had difficulty with their left hands on the keyboard, but as a guitarist, my left hand was actually faster than my right..because of the process of using my left hand on the fretboard of the guitar.
Likewise, because of your years of piano…your left hand (assuming you’re right handed) will be able to master the fretboard of the guitar far more quickly then someone who has never studied music.
Tab is simply a means to identitfy each of the 6 strings of a guitar, and precisely where to place your fingers on the frets.
Decent beginner acoustic guitars are usually in the area of $150-200 dollars.
I chose this price range because it’s impossible to find a solid top guitar below this price, and solid tops are vastly superior to non-solid top guitars. Solid tops actually improve in tone over the years and will retain their resale value. (acoustic guitars only..electrics are another matter)
Best of luck