Dagan's 10 Tips for Beginner Guitarists - Become A Better Player, Fast!

[@ronpeel1878]

I'm 81; learnt a few chords in the early 50's. This young fella is a joy to watch.

[@PMTVUK]

Thank you! 🙏

[@Demiglitch]

Judging by the timing, you probably dressed like him back then too, haha.

[@jimperry4420]

I hope they pay this guy good. He’s fantastic.

[@ParaBellum2024]

My top tips: 1) Keep your guitar out. Not in its case. You'll play it much more often. 2) Join a band. This forces you to keep up with the others, and get things right. 3) When learning songs by your favourite bands, listen carefully to identify the chords. Don't believe chords that people have posted on the Internet, because they're often wrong. Trust your ears. 4) When you start gigging, keep the volume down and if necessary, use hearing protection. Avoid standing too close to drummers. Tinnitus is no fun. 5) Go to see local bands, and ask their guitarists for advice (aka "free lessons").

[@kennethh2430]

I've been playing a ton more over the last year and you nailed it with #5. Tinnitus has been a minor issue up until recently. I got fitted for custom hearing protection, the ones you can pop-in 15db and 25db filters, others too. They're made specifically for music and are great. Yeah they cost a bit, but I do wish I'd protected my ears 35+ years ago. Now it's the game of keeping things manageable so I'm not wearing hearing aids ever! Ear damage is permanent, no coming back...constant ring in my left ear, sometimes even hurts :( #1 Yes, keep at least 1 guitar out to grab and play without having to dig it out. I keep a nylon string acoustic and a LP handy.

[@denverrandy7143]

Gear advice!!!🤘👍

[@joshuamkk]

Dagan inspired me to pick up the guitar i’m not even a beginner guitarist anymore really i’ve been at it for 7 months now getting pretty good too thanks Dagan

[@the.communist]

Seven months in nothing. You still a begginer

[@FilmandVideoGameSoundtracks]

@@the.communist are you a beginner at spelling or?

[@joshuamkk]

@@FilmandVideoGameSoundtracks i mean he’s probably right lol

[@aguy5274]

7 months is not long but I mean being good or not is all about what you are comparing yourself too. I have been playing for a year and a half and I play lots of Metallica and I would say that I am okay because I can play blackened including the first solo but if you compare that to the creeping death solo I am a beginner. I would still consider myself to be a beginner because there are a lot more things that I cannot play than that I can play. Nevertheless keep playing, you will always improve:)

[@h.markhorton8188]

We are always beginners. The guitar is infinite. Why do think doctors “practice” all theirvcareeers. Plus, spiritually it’s to approach any activity as a beginner.

[@dinkeredwards5187]

i love this channel...watching Dagan makes me feel like ive just drank 10 cups of coffee...lol...Love the positive vibes and all the positive info!!!Thanks Dagan!!!

[@rayfabris2512]

he is fun to watch ⌚😄

[@edq4465]

I'm 54 and haven't played in +30 years, and I wasn't that good then !! Lol I watch your videos all the time for Louisiana, thank you for posting these encouraging videos !! I just got a Charvel guitar and Peavey vypyr VIP 3 amp. And am practicing what you recommended.

[@jkwacker8225]

My tip goes with #1. Play songs you like but don’t bite off more than you can chew. Keep it simple, and learn full songs. My idols were and still are Randy Rhoads and Kirk Hammett. I was trying to learn their songs as a beginner to pure frustration. I couldn’t play any full songs just various riffs (solos hah!). I almost gave up. Eventually I shifted gear to other easier songs from. Bad Religion, Offspring etc. that I enjoyed. It did the world for my confidence. I learnt more full songs and could play for hours while having a blast. Then I just kept climbing the ladder of difficulty.

[@이태원-u5r]

'Play Song You Like' --- I started to learn guitar since March this year, No idea where to start, tried to get a lesson but hard to find good, favorable teacher around the hood (and of course COVID thing affected somewhat.) so I started all alone. Some KZbin said 'Try to Play a Song' so I started to look up tabs, "Back in Black? Oh Hell yeah!" Really excited but... you know, this one is not very kind to those 'whole new' player like me. It's been 4 months and I only play it 70% tempo at best 😂 Anyway I'm definitely having fun. 🤘🎸🤘🖤

[@Vkiller711]

Ive been wanting to play guitar since a child but when I discovered dagan during the summer i knew i had to start playing

[@zaheerquraishi5494]

Dagan's such a chad. I'm not even a guitarist, I play bass but watching him is always a good time.

[@stephenbarone4742]

Great tips, my friend. As someone who started later in life, it's the enjoyment of playing that is most gratifying. Rock on....🤘🎸

[@sirharryflashman3064]

Learn songs is the best advice. Many moons ago when I was first learning guitar I had Frank Gamballi’s book on hybrid picking and I fell down a rabbit hole practicing scale after scale with a metronome, then I found myself at a party, someone handed me an acoustic but all I could play were fast scales. In that situation people want to hear “Knocking on Heaven’s door”, even if it’s not great. Work out a 30-45 minute set of songs that you can play, even if you don’t sing so well.

[@EdBMetal]

I feel like i have been a beginning guitarist for the last 32 years of playing hahah, so i enjoyed watching your video a lot! 🤘😎🤘

[@cdw9687]

Cheers Dagan. Little insights like this help a lot with motivation. Nearly four months into my journey now and chords are sucking the life out of me.

[@nunyabizness9885]

Would love to buy this man a beer and discuss guitars for hours. Keep up the good work Dagan

[@Fizzyxd]

Tip: If you're into rock and you like GnR, play the intro to Sweet Child o Mine to get that pinky as well as your other fingers warmed up.

[@WhereTheBASShasNoName]

PMTVUK, THANK YOU!!! Seriously. I've been playing guitar for 12 years and my practice has just been impossible because I either don't know what to practice or... I compare myself to other guitarists and lack of structure.

[@BigMacAttack83]

That Kramer looks sick

[@BigMacAttack83]

I'm not a beginner, I've been playing off and on for 16 17 years, but it's great to revisit the basics to keep learning.

[@joshuaH75]

The chair and Dagan’s blooper is hilarious!! Oh…. And a mild threat at the end…. Too fun!

[@denverrandy7143]

Lol I'm from Memphis originally.but I'm also a metalhead.But,blues is everywhere there and I loved it.I truly believe it's defined my style of blues and metal mixed.👍🤘🔥

[@mattnelson8325]

Long time subscriber, 1st time commentator. You have really grown on me and I love your channel. Thanks for all your hard work and dedication to all of us.

[@paydro248]

I like that he always does these videos while standing.

[@anthonyangelis1094]

Dagan is awesome👍👍🎸 playing/practicing while standing up. That’s the big one for me. As soon as I stand up everything goes to crap! Gotta learn to stand up !

[@moonlight5050]

Cheers Dagan....got my first guitar last week at Manchester PMT 👍 Wish me luck 🤣

[@moonlight5050]

However I know its a marathon and not a sprint but with daily practice how soon would a beginner be seeing improvement in dexterity, speed of chord changes 🤔 1 month...3 months...6 months 🙃

[@hiyasuamv9776]

wish I was you, mine comin next week, I've been so impatient lel

[@Jeterax]

Such great advice! Dagan always makes it fun. Thank you!

[@paydro248]

That guitar is absolutely beautiful. Recently became a Kramer fan boy and that one is eye candy. Baretta I think.

[@garysgardenmaintenance]

I’ve only been playing 8 months and I found standing up impossible. When I started practicing scales I found I couldn’t stretch my fingers far enough with my LP but on my friends Flying V I could reach. So.. I now play with the guitar on my left leg. It’s easier to do scales and it’s made it possible to play standing up.

[@colboysigmax]

You're spot on mate. Play what you love or even better play your own stuffrecommend

[@matthiasfoo1217]

yeah the guitar picks was a real game changer for me when i first transitioned from acoustic to electric i hated picks and could never get them to cooperate with my hands. Eventually one of my friends gave me some of his dad's old picks and they were perfect for me...now ik exactly what pick suits me best which also helped me become more comfortable with picks in general so now i can play on any pick...obviously my go to is still the easiest though

[@georgiosvavliaras1066]

Thank you mate, love your energy! Gonna get a Baretta Special as a second guitar because of you too haha

[@sergiodambrosio363]

Good choice! As I have said in my message, I have got one and I can recommend it: not expensive but good, it has a good neck (frets are well done), good sound (for Rock/Metal) and it is really beautiful looking (candy blue finish). 😄 Greetings from Italy!

[@josephplatania5593]

I just bought a spark amp. Playing was fun before but the spark inspired me to play more and have fun. I actually sound decent playing the spark. It's fun !!!!

[@jhonmichael2893]

really thankful for these tips

[@colboysigmax]

FFS, KZbin BS fucked up my last comment. What I wanted to say was practice AC/DC (early i.e pre 1980) and/or Thin Lizzy. Perfect for getting your basics right!

[@denverrandy7143]

Hell yea!!!Love Brian Mays personality....Love the Kramer you were playing at first.Awesome

[@waynebrown1394]

Music theory is important you dont need to learn it all but the as much as you can learn will help your playing

[@denniswilson9025]

It does click, it took me forever to learn bar chords i almost gave up, but now, annyone havving trouble with bar chords try power chords first! It helped me

[@charlesockholmes9764]

With the black nail polish, it's easier to see which strings on which frets you're playing!

[@xamislimelight8965]

I can completely relate to the sweep picking. Straight up cannot do it. Same with thrash style tapping. I keep trying and nope haha. Still not going to stop trying because its on my bucket list to learn the Tornado of Souls solo, as that song got me into metal, and that solo got me into guitar playing.

[@jorgegodoy1590]

Ty Dagan ! keep rocking

[@DantheBatt16]

Excellent yet again 👍

[@BaldPerspective]

These are great tips regardless of how long you've been playing. Keep up the good work!!

[@ThunderFalcon333]

Yes I always play standing up always

[@jasonrogers7318]

Cheers Dag.

[@johngarrett7050]

Sure like that proper “flip off” with that green pick!! 😂🤘🏻

[@roywarriner8441]

I rarely play sitting down anymore, I switch between an SG, a Riviera and a Dove, the difference in body size/shape makes a big difference in playing position with the guitar in your lap. Standing up you can adjust the strap so that the fretboard stays constant rather than the bottom side of the guitar.

[@georgebluestorm2439]

I'm a super strat guy, but i gotta say that SGs are just something else when you play standing

[@johnrt1984]

Dagans inspired me to grow my hair even though i have male pattern baldness!!! but i dont give a hoot i’ll rock the bill bailey look!!!!

[@jamesmotiv8989]

I will say if you have bigger hands and like jazz picks the Tortex Flow series sre awsome. Almost like a jazz meets standard tortex. Smaller than a tort but bigger than a jazz. I really enjoy them myself

[@pinkiewerewolf]

Fun advice Dagan. 🎸

[@anneh-lint8480]

Yeah, I use the metronome everyday, all day long with my piano students. Good idea but takes a lot of practice. Scales in the guitar are cool. No, I haven’t taken a guitar lesson yet..but I already bought two beauties. I’m already looking for an electric. I’m looking forward to playing and understanding all the different styles of guitar music..most are not really played on piano. I just want to expand my music world. The different tones are amazing and interesting. I do use different tones on piano by how one touches the keys..very different concept to learn. I am looking forward to learning all about tone on the guitar. Sometimes I suggest practicing piano standing. It’s harder to do, but puts arms in a different place. Lastly I hope I have enough stretch in my hands to apply to guitar and slow practice is a great suggestion. I like slow and it makes sense. I hope to sit in my chair and play along with my students, using different styles and tone color and occasionally release a shocking rift or spike of tone color. It’s an exciting time for me. I see you’re wearing nail polish. Ha, I wondered if I could while I learn guitar. You might want to try gel polish..it is stronger. Ann

[@activese]

Hi Dagan, regarding, to practice standing up, that is why, even with an electric guitar, when sitting down, as a personal preference, I believe that is, in a more natural, comfortable, guitar angle or approach, using the classical position rather, than twisting my waist or lifting my shoulder, to a casual position, that I believe is often used to have a better view of the fingerboard, but for me is odd and non-natural, because if you use a classical position sitting down, it is so easy to transfer to the same natural position, as when you stand up. But be aware, to use a foot rest, if you practice in a classical position, sitting down. Thank you, take care and have fun. Cheers.

[@travisgularte4792]

Awesome Dagan 😎🤘🏻

[@moneortiz1614]

Thanks for the tips dude

[@sydneysitwala]

That Barretta is so hard to ignore

[@DoomOfConviction]

Best tip I can give anyone starting out is to have a simple PC and buy a cheap audio interface with Rocksmith 2014 for PC as long as ubisoft is still selling the game. You can download thousands of custom DLCs, song that you like and play along side of them in different difficulty levels, with the ability to slow down everything, the game has a lesson mode where you get small video clips and a small track to practice what you learned, there is a jam mode where you can build a band and play alongside them to different scales in different difficulties, but the best of all is that I learn songs so much faster than with normal tabs and a song on playback. You will never get the right timing specially as a beginner if you don’t practice reading taps perfectly parallel to learning guitar, the timing is so important and Rocksmith lets you get it right away. It’s the perfect gamification of the guitar!

[@barnabasszabo427]

Love ur vids Dagan!

[@SwashBuccaneer]

Did Dagan low key flip us off at 11:26. Lol

[@sergiodambrosio363]

Why is it possible to put the like only once?!? A man like Dagan deserves more than this! 🤣 He should be cloned many times, because the world needs more men like him! 😆 If I ever start again a HM band, I want a copy too! 🤣 Seriously, I am not a guitarist, even though sometimes I try to play a Kramer (not like this one; just a Baretta Special, it is not expensive but it is still a good guitar). My main instrument is bass, since almost 36 years. A few basses... 😄 But all that Dagan has said, all of his advices, can be good and useful for bass too. When I started, back in 86, I've been helped by my brother (guitarist) in the first year and half, and then I went from there all by myself, learning songs from records and tapes of my favorite bands (Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, etc) and I think that it is really important that you like what you play (or try to play 😆), that the fun part is present. If not, it can become a boring thing quickly! I have never had a metronome, but playing along songs helps to develope the sense of timing. And, of course, the poses in front of the mirror... 🤣 All good useful advices, really! Thank you, Dagan! Greetings from Italy!

[@TheHitman3000]

11:19 Thanks for flicking us off.

[@gopilotmusic]

Who da man Dagan?! 👍😎🤘🎸✨🛸

[@colboysigmax]

Awesome video mate! And not being funny I've got a mirror in my studio too... I'm a rocker not a musician! Period!

[@stevelaferney3579]

Thanks so much Dagan. You make playing guitar fun like it should be. I named my guitars fun in Welsh. Two different words for it depending on what kind. You’re absolutely correct about standing vs sitting. Huge difference. Cheers Keep playing

[@repetaki]

been playing for a year and i definitely compare myself way too much to others... i mean 1. i'm a beginner 2. i'm yet to get my first electric and 3. i mostly play pop-ish stuff and i still compare myself to someone who's played for longer than i've lived and is playing metal on a prestige ibanez rg

[@grahamb646]

On the subject of playing sitting down: Assuming you're right handed, put the guitar on your LEFT leg, NOT you right. This means that the position of the neck relative to your body is in pretty much the same place it will be on a strap. If you play sitting with it on your right knee, when you stand up, the guitar will be poking way out to the left, and you'll instinctively reach for the wrong part of the neck.

[@teknomanning]

I’m 72 yrs old and thank you😊👍🏿

[@PMTVUK]

Any time! 🙌

[@hairnation68]

Dang flipped us off with a pic. 😂

[@danloki78]

Dagan is brilliant 😂

[@matthewtyler-jones8317]

My additional top tip, is buy a guitar you like the look of, and keep on a stand, so that you can just pick it up and noodle whenever the mood takes you.

[@kagenotatsumaki]

Wait, if I'm not having fun Dagan will show up at my door??? BRB, Gotta go practice scales and barre chords for an hour.

[@MrThomandjerry]

dagan is the best....

[@thornwivans]

Best tip...keep yr guitar out so you play it often. The more you play the better you get!

[@Sush9546]

Nice

[@graemelang111]

Rumour has it that Steve Vai was born playing screaming Lydian licks on his umbilical cord. 😳

[@DanClapp]

5:14 the realization that he cussed XD

[@Deadhansome]

Standing on the furniture eh!? Would you do that in your own house?😂😂. Good craic this asvice Dagan. Every day's a school day.

[@jonathanlego4930]

So you’re saying not to do super distortion with The wedding song by Paul stooky from Peter, Paul and Mary? I do and it sounds good

[@edq4465]

I'm struggling with hand position using my guitar with a Floyd rose ? I have a Kramer 84 and "accidentally" tap the pickup with my pick sometime as I'm practicing scales ? Apologies if that is a dumb question, apologies!!

[@TANGOju1c3]

Never been this early 🤨

[@ryannoel8978]

Not sure if correct but I started using the dava pics and can’t go to others anymore

[@Ben.StevenswithaV]

1) Keep your guitar out 2) Practice dexterity exercises with no amp, while watching TV/sport etc - an hour goes by very quickly 3) Ignore insta-guitar. It can ruin YOUR enjoyment.

[@FinalAnswer]

Tip 11, subscribe to this channel!

[@mikejones420]

Dagan have you had too much sugar today, lol

[@mathiasjapri]

you will ruin your rolex with that humbucker magnet 😂😂

[@SirPraiseSun]

playing standing up is actually easier imo for electric guitar sitting down all ur shet hurts and you can never get in a comfortable position for left hand right hand balance, the distance helps standing up your muscles and arms its less crammed up and more relaxed

[@gadz8843]

"you figners gonna hurt your hand gonna hurt its gonna get fustrating but dont give up"

[@stuartmoxham5889]

Yep practise standing up and learn to sing while you are playing because one day you will likely need to sing something while playing.

[@ericwarrington6650]

You have to walk before you can run on the guitar 🎸....there's no shortcut around that

[@hiyasuamv9776]

guitar please arrive already, me fingers itchin

[@jamesdoherty2614]

Are those finger strengthening machines any use?

[@Squi-A-tone]

Probably

[@silvanikock3512]

long live the 1980s

[@thornwivans]

What's a Meckra gnome ?

[@Diamondolphin]

SLASH

[@harlequin5817]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@nicklee5610]

whats with the black nails?

[@Squi-A-tone]

Idk what's with ur black hair/black shirt.

[@colboysigmax]

Only plonkers play sitting down... Seriously!