i agree with the other posters. buy a cheap guitar 1st to improve the fundamentals. no need teacher actually, unless you plan to be an artist . just play whatever the hell you feel like playing. practice some scale, which is very important to build dexterity. buy a book for reference and watch a lot of live videos to see the proper implementation of a technique.

as a friend of mine once said(he's a really pro player), "guitar is the easiest intrument to play, but the hardest to master".

not really, ever played a trumpet? it's hard to start with it, when you get the hang of it, it's easy. woodwind instrument is the same too. very hard if you don't actually know how to control the air flow. a trombone is easier to start with, and not too hard to master too.

a guitar is different. being that it has techniques that involved strenght and dexterity, and sometimes both at the same time. it also requires some snyc with your hands. a piano requires this too, but piano does not requires much finger strength. although a drum also requires dexterity and more strenght, i does not requires precission and subtlety that a guitar requires.

i agree a teacher is needed, but only if your'e really serious about it. otherwise, your own will and your musical passion is enough to make you practice and find your own references. besides, i'm happier playing with my own pace.

"master" as in profesionnal (satriani, malmsteen, hendrix or etc level la). not getting the hang of an intrument, although i admit that some of my sentences did reflect that . bare with me, i'm a little blur today after spending most of the morning in IBM server room.

This post has been edited by zeroglyph: May 15 2007, 03:26 PM

well, i'm actually comparing it with a trumpet, not other instruments.

anyway, we are entitled to our own views, cheerio!

This post has been edited by zeroglyph: May 15 2007, 04:21 PM

well it's intonation, you might wanna look up on the concept. pressing the string too hard will make the note go a little sharp. how hard you to fret usually depends on the guitar's action. lower action, lighter touch.