# Where to start



## Damien (Sep 9, 2008)

I am clueless as where to start learning theory, and whenever i try i just get confused and overwhelmed with information. If someone could post some straightforward information on where to start i would extremely appreciate ate it.
as of now i play mostly acoustic, i can read music and i have the caged sequence down that about it

thanks for all your help, looking forward to posting here more, also if this is in the wrong topic area sorry


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## Damien (Sep 9, 2008)

well I'm 20 years old, been playing on an off for about four years. I usually only play with my fingers and like a lot of folk stuff.

what i don't have a good grasp on about music is scales and keys . i just don't where to start to learn about them and if i where to use them how to apply them to my playing

unfortunately i will more then likely half to be self taught because i already have a lot of academic classes going on right now


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

get a teacher. 

scales: major scale. start there


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Get a few theory lessons from a competent and knowledgable teacher (ie, not from some duffer who does it "his own way"). Back it up with books like The Guitar Cookbook (Jesse Gress), Hal Leonard's Guitar Method Music Theory (Tom Kolb), Mel Bay's Guitar Journals Mastering The Fingerboard: The Reading Book, The Guitar Handbook (Ralph Denyer), or whatever the teacher suggests. Reinforce the theory lessons with serious practice of scales, "chord scales" (chords progressing up the scale degrees), triads, chord construction, transpositions, modulations, etc.

Peace, Mooh.


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## satch09 (Jul 26, 2008)

Damien said:


> well I'm 20 years old, been playing on an off for about four years. I usually only play with my fingers and like a lot of folk stuff.
> 
> what i don't have a good grasp on about music is scales and keys . i just don't where to start to learn about them and if i where to use them how to apply them to my playing
> 
> unfortunately i will more then likely half to be self taught because i already have a lot of academic classes going on right now



You don't need to take regular lessons, just a few, after a couple of lessons from a competent teacher (when you get the time) you have enough grasp on it that when you read books you know what its talking about, and can teach yourself from there. Ultimately though, learning theory and applying theory are two different things, any book in the world can help you learn theory, but to be honest you'll probably need a teacher to help you actually apply it.


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