Any experienced guitar players have advice on how to learn better?

I played very little in highschool and now, 15 years later, I have the urge to go back to it. I've been playing for an hour or so most days for the last month which I know isn't a lot but lets be honest, it's just for my own enjoyment, I have no illusions of being a middle aged rock star.

Anyway I was wondering if people had any advice, good resources, sheet music that isn't garbage?

In my position would you go the self taught route or is it really important to have a tutor? I'm particularly concerned about picking up bad technique and then practicing that, I feel like that was a big part of why I gave up in the first place - fucking up the same things no matter how many times I did them because I learned them wrong.

Thanks all.

  • wrecker_vs_dracula [comrade/them]
    ·
    5 months ago

    You didn't mention wrist problems in your OP, so I'm going to jump in here. There's basically two principles to guitar technique when avoiding wrist injury is a goal:

    • Keep your wrists straight as much as you can. It's okay to bend your wrists sometimes, but your default playing position for both hands should keep the tendons running through your carpal tunnel straight. This is also considered good technique for typing, so you are likely familiar with it already.

    • Always use big muscles instead of little muscles when you can. The muscles in your hand are smaller than the muscles in your forearm, and the muscles in your upper arm and shoulder are even bigger than your forearm muscles. Try to mainly flex your fingers with the larger flexors in your forearm. Also use your body as a pivot point so that you can pull your fretting fingers into the neck with your upper arm muscles. This will reduce the amount of work done by the smaller muscles.

    • AlkaliMarxist
      ·
      5 months ago

      Thanks again.

      I didn't really think of it until comrade_pibb mentioned it. It's not so bad, I'm a programmer though and I've never really taken good care of my wrists which means I get some pain and stiffness from time to time. Plus my parents both have arthritis so I should really do what I can now to keep them in good shape.

      Will definitely take both these points on board.