Learning to play the guitar

[cheekychops03]

I fancy learning to play the guitar. It's something I've wanted to do for a long time but I have absolutely no idea what to do/where to go.

I live in SE London and don't know of anywhere local that sells guitars nor what to do about learning it.

So, if anyone can pipe up with anything useful, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks!

Do you aspire to any particular style? For example classical, folk, rock, country? It will affect the kind of guitar you buy. If you can get into central London then there is a shop called Andy's near Tottenham Court Road, and some others in the same street. You might get advice there, and they probably have cards of teachers.

Can you read music? It would be essential for classical styles. If you just want a strum in a kind of "country roads take me home" style you could achieve that fairly quickly, as you just learn a few chords shapes. Your fingers will take a little while to toughen up - practice a bit every day. After strumming you would progress to finger picking styles.

Electric guitars are totally different in playing style. The action of the fingers is much easier to create a sound, but of course it is noisy!

For myself I'd choose a nice acoustic guitar (you can get them pretty cheaply) with a low action (in other words easy to press the strings down) and find a teacher for a few months to start you off. Many adult educations establishments run classes - I am sure Morley college must as it specialises in music. It is nice to play with a group of fellow learners, but you can learn by yourself too. There are LOADS of teach yourself books, most of the guitar selling shops on CHaring Cross Road will sell them. It is down to personal choice.