Do you need to have a knowledge of music to learn the guitar

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Like the type of theory you would learn at school in a Music class, would you need to know that for playing guitar or do you have to learn a different music theory for guitar?

If so, it it easy to learn the theory for guitar yourself?

I just always been interested, but I hated music at school, it was too classical and snobbish, including the teacher too.

And also I have no idea where to begin? There is a good music shop in my town, but I am terrified of going in because I would not know what type of guitar to get, especially since I will be a beginner, or what book I need. Or what bits and bobs come come with a guitar, like I know what a pick is, but I never knew what this clamp thing is you put on the neck of the guitar while playing.

So please help me out? This is coming from someone who was into pop, R&B, hiphop music for years when i was younger and thought rock and heavy metal music was noisy, and hated musical instruments because I can never stick at them. But I think now things are different. I am 19 now and Im beginning to like Metallica, CKY and Led Zepplin now.

You can follow plenty of guides on youtube and of course practice makes perfect (coming from someone who has never touched an electric guitar in his entire life, herpy derp).

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDPYaIfHxDQ[/youtube]
If you learn guitar and join a band, it brings you joy to see people dancing to your music like this.

I started playing the piano before I gained any knowledge on music theory so I guess it would work the same with the guitar. Give it a go!

It's called a capotasto.

I'm a classical guitarist and don't know a lot about electric guitars (like what guitar would be good for a beginner), but enough to tell you that you don't need to learn music theory or learn to read music. Popular music for guitar often uses an easy to learn notation called tabulature. The chords are notated with little pictures that show where where to place the fingers.

A quality electric guitar will be cheaper and easier to play for you as a beginner. The strings are nickel wound and slightly thinner so its easier to fret them. Once you've developed the basics you can look into an acoustic, but a well made instrument will be $$$. Its painful and frustrating to learn on a POS with strings high off the neck and poor intonation.


I would go for a strat style bolt-on neck guitar as they are very easy to find cheap and can be set up to play in-tune with a low action with little fuss.

you can learn to read tabs and play power chords quickly.

within a week or two you could be playing simple punk songs.

ps

try this...

justinguitar.com

Learning theory is universal for virtually all instruments. It isn't necessary for guitar, but it does help. As far as first guitars, I would go to somewhere like FYE or Hastings and get one of the $200 starter kits that comes with a guitar, strings, a small amp, amp cord, and a basic chord book. That's how I started, anyway.

You don't really need to read music to learn the guitar and It's pretty easy to teach yourself online. Ultimate Guitar.com is a decent site with lessons and tab. As for guitars, I would start playing an acoustic guitar first(maybe a Squier or Epiphone) then move on to electric.

You don't have to learn music theory or have any specific type of guitar. If you have a true will to learn than playing as many different guitars as possible will get you more acquainted with the instrument in general. If you are hesitant on learning musical notes don't feel bad, you are not alone.

I can relate to your fear of going in to a music shop because you're a newby to guitar playing but everybody that plays guitar was a beginner at one point. I've been playing for 19 years and still get nervous to go in to a music shop. I first started playing guitar with a tiny electric guitar with one single coil pick-up.