Help me to learn electric guitar

[hurbils]

Hello everyone,

I really want to learn electric guitar. My favorite electric guitarists are BB King, SRV, Buddy Guy, Eric Johnson, David Gilmour etc.

How difficult is it for a fingerstyle player to learn electric guitars and be able to play Blues Solo? I only play with thumpick and three fingers and never learn to play with a pick. And I am very new to scales etc. I personally feel that learning online lessons could be a better option then going to private classes…Anyone here knows a good source for online lessons for beginners interested in electric guitars.

[PeeWee]

Welcome to The Hub, hurbils!

There shouldn't be any problem with learning the styles you want. I'd personally forego the use of a pick and just concentrate on using your fingers. I play this way on occasion and so did many of the '50s electric Blues players such as Hubert Sumlin w/ Howlin' Wolf, Guitar Slim, Otis Rush and Albert King -for modern guys, look to Albert Collins. If you'd want to, you could play like Freddie King did and use a thumb pick and your bare index finger or a metal finger pick.

With using your fingers, the tone you'll generate will be fatter and more earthy sounding. Most of these guys - myself included - use only the thumb and the index finger or a combination of the thumb with the index and middle fingers.

As for the Gilmour stuff, just give a listen to Mark Knopfler to hear what you can do with just your fingers alone!

To learn the style, there are loads of DVDs available for all levels. Just do a little research and find the videos that you think will get you where you want to be. Best of luck and don't get discouraged if you don't pick things up as quickly as you'd like!

[sliding-tom]

PeeWee said it all!

[brinter]

I applaud your decision to go online. A good source to learn electric guitar (http://www.hotstrings.net/order.php?cat_id=4) for beginners is hotstrings.This is a cool new and fast beginner course without notes. Here you learn a short version of the basic elements of playing the guitar. The crash course has 30 daily lessons of different song styles such as rock ballads, pop songs, reggae, modern pop, funk and soul. Direct downloadable to your pc.

[Boogieman]

Just to add a couple more of my own electric fingerpicking influences, John Lee Hooker & Jeff Beck.

[tonefinger]

Just check out some Jeff Beck and then ask yourself " now why did I want to use a pick ?"- I think you should learn to use a pick, but stick to your guns with the fingerstyle stuff, maybe combine the two and come up with your own thing. There really are no rules, dare to be different.