I'm a guitar player of intermediate level ability, I regularly play for pay (not a staggering amount but it's more than nominal). I think I I have some understanding of what's involved for beginners since I was one once myself.

My view is that there are really two different things involved in learning to play an instrument. First is using or developing an understanding of concepts of music theory. The second dimension is learning the techniques and capabilities of the specific instrument you're studying. And then practicing the techniques to become proficient in using them. When starting lessons from an instructor at a beginner's level, no matter what the instrument, aspects of both are taught at the same time.

If (even as a child) you previously learned how to play an instrument to a reasonable level of proficiency, learned music theory in doing so, and have a good recollection of what you learned, you MAY be able to teach yourself how to play the guitar. If playing an instrument is something new for you, I think it rather unlikely you can teach yourself. In this case, I'd find an instructor or a class to begin your study.

Learning music theory is much more difficult than learning the techniques specific to any one instrument, and that's where a good instructor or a good learning system comes in.

I can play both uke and guitar and I don't think a uke is any easier, it just has 4 strings instead of 6. The musical knowledge required for both is the same. (I don't much like playing a uke, I don't like its sound)

I've met a lot of wannabe uke players in social settings and to be honest, most of them play very poorly. If what you want to do is to learn 2 chords to play a recognizable song like My Darling Clementine and leave it at that that, then get a uke. If you want to do more, get a guitar.

Mare, my mother taught herself ukulele and banjo - I wish I could tell you which method she may have used. I'll see her tomorrow and could ask - she's musical anyway and played French horn as a young girl, piano too....but really had fun with the uke. She's approaching 90, and until this Fall belonged to a ukulele group who played publically off and on....held events at their city library, the 4th of July parade, Christmas music at their Mall and sometimes the nursing homes.

She enjoyed it very much. She's recently moved an hour away to independent living apartment and took her ukuleles and banjo with her, but hasn't found a group yet in these last weeks to join. Hopefully she still will.

When a cousin gave us an upright piano when I was 4-years old, I taught myself how to play using ancient sheet music and old grade school music books left in the piano bench. I could read music before I could read books. Then I had piano lessons once a week in music class in grade school for several years. That was the beginning.....

When I was 13 I borrowed a guitar, restrung it, bought a Chet Atkins cord book from the store where I purchased the strings and taught myself how to play cords on the guitar. I already knew cords on the piano so it was a good transition. I could transpose music to a different key from what I knew from playing the piano. I remember those raw finger tips until I learned the G, C, D7 cords so I could play a song - in fact, a lot of songs with those three cords.

Now I have a uke my daughter brought back from Hawaii and it's been fun learning the cords for it. And thanks to the magic of the internet, I also found lessons on-line for both guitar and uke I found helpful. I still like the guitar more, especially a 12-string (which gives me the illusion I'm better than I think I am (LOL).

I'm with Snidely on this one, I don't particularly care for the sound of a ukulele. I play it for my own amusement. I played the guitar at school functions with friends as a teen, church, and other functions over the years. Senior Citizen groups love me when I bring a group of children to sing - especially Christmas songs. I'm more of a sing-a-long player. I brought a dulcimer home from Nashville on a visit several years ago, and it was easy to learn. The man who was selling them gave me a few pointers and I had it mastered on the 12-hour trip back to Kansas. Ironically, the dulcimer purchased in Tennessee was made here in Kansas, not far from where I live.

I tried a friend's 4-string guitar once. He liked it because he has small hands. I found it "odd" to use since I learned on a 6-string, but was able to play it after a few minutes. Not as rich a sound as a 6- or 12-string. A 4-string guitar may be another choice if you are already acquainted with a 6-string. I would go to a music shop with instruments and give different things a try before buying.

-Grainlady

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. After a lot of research online I've decided against the Uke. I thought that the fingering for chords would be the same, so that I could learn how to play it, then move on to guitar. I found out that it's not the same. I think that if I learned the uke I would mess up any chance I have left to learn guitar. I'll be looking for a good self teaching guitar course. I've heard that many guitar players don't know how to read music.

Can you play by ear, Mare? I don't think my son reads much musical notation to play guitar, but he has a great ear and used guitar tablature a lot when he was younger. I learned to read music at a young age, but when I play the piano it's mostly by ear or with fake books.

I guess a lot depends on what kind of guitar music you want to play. Folk? Jazz? Classical? Rock? When I played it was just to accompany myself singing--which is probably why (along with laziness) I never worked very hard at it. :-)

Best of luck with this. I love the guitar and would be playing and learning myself if Raynaud's hadn't put an end to it.

I wish I could play by ear Susan. I don't actually know what that means except that no reading music is taking place. I don't know if it means just picking up an instrument and playing it or plunking out a tune til it sounds right, (which sounds tedious) or exactly what. Whatever it is, I can't do it. As far as reading music, I can tell a quarter note from an eighth note etc, and when the note falls on a line or space what name it gets. My problem has always been when the key changes. I'm fine in the key off C, after that I'm lost. I'm hanging my hope on those I've heard of who seem to play great using a handful of chords. I don't want to do anything fancy, just play a song one can recognize and singing along. No classical or heavy metal. Maybe folk, soft rock standards, that sort of thing, for my own enjoyment and sense of accomplishment.

Don't worry, Mare--when I worked at Lincoln Center I learned that some of the best musicians in the world can't play by ear. That surprised me, because my family has always done it. I think it's inherited, although ear training is said to help.

If you would like to play mostly chords to accompany singing, that shouldn't be too difficult. You could get two books: a "fake book" that has the lyrics, notes, and guitar chords to a selection of songs, and a book of guitar chords, showing correct finger placement and (possibly) strumming and/or picking techniques. Using both, you could do quite a bit.

Have you checked out YouTube? Last year I was quite taken with the djembe (African drum), and found all sorts of instructional videos on YouTube. Chances are you can find some good ones on guitar.

I've been checking out YouTube videos, but lately, mostly for the Uke. Now that the holiday is over I'll check into Guitar lessons on YouTube. I think it will be helpful to see and hear the lesson, unlike books, where you can see the instruction, but not hear what it should sound like.