Learn Guitar Tabs

I have been a fan of buttrock for many years and I want to contribute some songs I wrote myself. The problem is I do not know how to set up my acoustic guitar to give me that rugged, crunch that I hear in some of my favorite buttrock power ballads. Can anyone offer me some suggestions?
I a using a Fender Squier 6 string guitar.

Most of that 80’s hair stuff was subject to a lot of processing in the studio and on stage. To get that classic power ballad acoustic sound, you’re going to want a compressor for starters. Squash the hell out of that sucker and add garnishes like some light delay and chorus.

I really wanna learn how to play the guitar, but I dont have the money for lessons so what is the best way to learn by myself?????
And what is the best guitar to start with electric or acoustic?
I already know how to play the piano

PluckandPlayGuitar has free video based lessons for absolute beginners and assume you know nothing or close to nothing.

It takes you step by step through the basic guitar chords one by one. There’s also lessons on guitar scales, techniques and some easy songs to play.

http://www.pluckandplayguitar.com/

I want to get a set up done on my guitar, but I’m not sure what places do that. I was wondering if anyone has a suggestion.

I live in the Los Angeles area if that matters and the cheaper the better.

cheaper is NOT better. You want it done right, by someone who does a good job.
A cheap fix will more likely than not make things worse instead of better.

Any specialty store selling guitars should be able to do it for you or point you towards good luthiers in the area.

But as you’re in California, http://www.gryphonstrings.com/ in Palo Alto may be worth a visit. Their name keeps popping up as some of the best in the country if not the world when it comes to guitar maintenance and repair.

also if you know any good easy to medium level country guitar songs that be great

Tablature is an easier, but inferior method of notation. Sure, it shows you where to put your fingers, but it doesn’t tell you what notes those are, or how they are related. Basically, it doesn’t facilitate an understanding of music.

Will changing my guitar strings gauge without setting up my guitar again damage my guitar at all or will it simply make its sound a bit different than if i was to set it up? I just got my guitar set up decently recently, but I’m thinking of switching to lighter strings now, and don’t really want to pay to get it set up again.

Thanks

Going lighter almost certainly wont. Get a setup just in case.
They are like what, $50?
Just have the guy setting it up put on the lighter strings.

I have recently changed string guage on my Epiphone Les Paul from a thin guage (not sure for certain) to Ernie Ball Power Slinkies. I’ve booked my guitar in to be setup because of minor strin buzz on the lowest string. The setup includes truss-rod adjustment and my guitar is booked in for 5th May. In the mean time, should i remove strings incase of possible damage or just leave be? I don’t want to wreck my guitar so please help!!!!!!!!
The neck doesn’t seem to be bending, but the strings are a heavier gauge (0.11). I don’t know if jumping from one guage to another would have damaged the neck or something?

Your guitar will be fine with the new strings on, they will not damage it in any way.

The adjustment to avoid buzzing is a combination of bridge height and truss rod tension.

There are many guitar set-up guides on line for you to do this yourself. (just google "Guitar setup")

Or if you are not sure, let your local shop do it. (at a cost)

Good luck

I just got a brand new Celebrity Ovation guitar from Guitar Center about 2 months ago, and I noticed the action is a little high for my taste. I read in a pamphlet that came with the guitar how to adjust the action, but I also remember hearing something about how you’re supposed to get new guitars set up, in which case I should probably just let whoever I take it to deal with the action.

Any guitar store that does repairs should be able to do a complete setup for about $30. Explain that you prefer lower action and the guitar tech will get it as low as possible. He’ll also make sure the neck is perfectly straight and the intonation is perfect. I usually have new guitars professionally set up, since it’s rare to get one that feels perfect right out of the box. Whenever I get them back from the shop (usually a few days later), they feel like they were custom made to my specs.

I play a gibson les paul through a Fender Twin Reverb. When I am in the bridge position there is no bass at all and I have the amp cranked to 10 on bass. Is it because you need the volume really loud in order to get that bassy sound? Would a smaller amp like the deluxe reverb help with that? The twin is 85 and the deluxe is 22 watts.

The bridge position is the one designed to give you maximum treble sound. Like playing a guitar near the bridge will always give you a more treble, clangy sound. If you want a bassier sound, move the pickup selector either to the middle or to the neck position.

Hope this helps

i have never played guitar, i have an electric guitar
i just want to learn how to play a few songs.
would it be easier to learn using tabs or chords?

I will explain the difference between tabs and chords to clarify some things.

Tabs are basically the sheet music for a song. They tell you what pitch to tune your guitar to, what speed to play at, and what notes and CHORDS to play and when.

Chords are, basically, any set of multiple notes played together. They tend to be harder to play than single notes, but are the building blocks of playing guitar. But, you still need a song’s tab to know when to play the chords.

If you look at a song’s tab, some of them are all chords, some have no chords, but most are a mixture of chords and single notes. If you plan on seriously learning guitar you need to learn the important chords (of course if you can remember them all without trouble then all the better), how to fully read tabs, and train until you can play it all. Also to learn, you of course need one of three things. Online material which teaches (which I will provide some), a teacher, or a physical learning substance (such as a video or book). Even if just to learn how to read tabs and learn the chords.

The next link is to Ultimate Guitar (I went ahead and linked the lessons page instead of the main page). Ultimate Guitar is one of the best online sources for anything guitar, including tabs, lessons, and other misc items/news.

Ultimate Guitar: http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/lessons/

The next site is Guitar Masta which is solely for tabs. It may not always be accurate, but I still love the site for its easy navigation and large amount of tabs.

Guitar Masta: http://www.guitarmasta.net/

Next is a guitar lesson article on About.com

About.com: http://guitar.about.com/library/blguitarlessonarchive.htm

Finally, if you REALLY want to play guitar, and have gained quite a bit of skill, a necessary step is getting a high quality guitar and if so wished (which most guitarists do wish), getting Guitar Pro.

A good guitar is needed only after you are sure guitar is what you wanna do, and have played enough. When enough is enough varies on the player, so that is a decision you must make when and if the time comes.

ESP is not the sole good guitar company, but a good one nonetheless, and a perfect example to show: http://www.espguitars.com/

Guitar Pro is the ultimate software for guitar tabs. Guitar Pro tabs are accurate, and have many bonus features such as being able to have them play as a midi to hear what they should sound like. Guitar Pro is not cheap, but very much worth it if you become serious with the guitar.

Guitar Pro: http://www.guitar-pro.com/en/index.php

I am going to join the school band next year, and I want to do Guitar, but I won’t be able to sign up until June for lessons. I’m brand new and I won’t know if i’ll have the basics down by September(when school starts). Do you think i’d be able to learn a few chords in two-three months worth of weekly lessons? Based on an average student’s speed.
Thanks
Yes I already have a Guitar and I plan on looking up a few tutorials and tips online but I’m going to get weekly professional lessons. Thanks you guys!

You’ll be fine and know enough to sound good in that amount of time. If you can get lessons, that will help. Start doing what you can now, and practice just playing around with a few basics. Remember that it is all about repetition, so get as much practice as you can. You don’t have to go crazy, but if you can get 1/2 hour to 1 hour in, you will learn enough to get a few songs under your belt and impress your friends.

Good luck, you’ll do fine.