How can I learn to play guitar well?

Ok, I'll begin at the beginning.

First thing first, you need some new strings. Sets of strings are usually referred to by their size, or gauge (gauge being the thickness in thousandths of inches), and usually just by the gauge of the high string. For example, Ernie Ball Super Slinkies' gauges are 9-42, and will usually be referred to as a set of 9's. For you, as a beginner, I would recommend a set of 9's, whatever brand you want, because they're a light gauge and are easier on the fingers. Personally, I use 11's, because I have big hands and a heavy attack on the strings. There are tutorials all over the internet on how to change strings, and if the dude at the music store is nice he might show you a thing or two as well. A good way to remember the notes for each string, from low to high, is "Edward Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Edward," EADGBE.

Get a tuner and use it. A chromatic tuner is best, average price is $20. It is a guitarist's best friend.

Practicing every day is how you eventually improve. Keep it up. I know using a pick is awkward at first, and although it's not entirely necessary you might want to eventually start using one. I'll point out, though, that not everybody does, but overall, most guitarists use a pick, and I for one would be lost without one even though I do like to fingerpick. Eventually fingers won't cut it and a pick becomes a necessity.

I don't think it's wise to altogether avoid tab. I admire that you'd like to read music "the right way," but ideally I think it's best to use both tablature and standard notation together. In my experience, any source of information can be used to learn. When you apply that to guitar and learning music, that means you should voraciously seek knowledge from whatever source makes itself available to you; whether it's from tabs, sheet music, by ear, or by watching someone else. Not one of these is perfect by itself, and each one can be the stepping stone you require to get where you want to be.

Also, when it comes to tabs, be realistic. Guitar seems to be the common man's instrument. Most music written for it winds up in tabs, or perhaps a bit more sophisticated in chord charts. Guitar music very rarely comes only in standard notation.

To be self taught requires lots of hard work and dedication. I know first hand; I've never had a lesson (directly) and I don't really intend to. One of the hardest things about teaching yourself I think you've already caught on to. There's no interaction; like you said about youtube, you're expected to know things and they don't explain the things you want to know. Well, that's what's supposed to push you to find out for yourself. Most of what I know about music I found out through research and experimentation.

From what I can tell, you're a reasonably intelligent girl (more so than many people whose questions I answer here - you can string together a sentence, hell, even a paragraph, logically) and you've already got a foundation in music. If you can sight read for clarinet, you're already light years ahead of your average beginner guitarist. I believe that you will be much more able than most at learning guitar, properly, even.

It's great that you're interested in actually learning music theory and not just tab. Tablature becomes really limiting once you progress past a certain point. There are tons of online tutorials, but some are better than others. Find one that says it can teach complete beginners, and don't skip anything. Holes in musical education will hurt you later on. Learn scales and keys and moveable chord shapes.

As for your problem about how to actually learn, there are some great books that explain things well, and there are some terrible, boring books that suck and absolutely will turn you off from the instrument. I would reccommend using one, but find one that actually interests you.

Also, you need to have a properly stringed guitar and have it well-tuned, otherwise things are going to be much more difficult. Strings get old after a while and need to be changed. If you can't get your family to get you lessons, see if you have a friend who plays-- they would probably love to show you the basics, at the very least.

Best of luck! Don't give up. It can be incredibly frustrating at first, but eventually is entirely worth it. Hope that this helps some!

1, Go to the store again and tell them you need strings and tell them what kind of a guitar you want it for, what kind of music you want it for etc. And they'll gladly give you some guidance. So first, do change the strings (maybe they could even do it for you).

If not, here's a guide:

http://guitar.about.com/od/beginners/ss/change_str...

2, you don't really need a tuner, just a reference pitch and you can tune it accordingly (no problem, since you have a piano) - an E two octaves below middle C is your thickest string, then it goes A, D, G, B, E (right above middle C)

3, You're right. Standard notation is superior to tabs, there's no doubt about that. But want to know both.

OK, I think I'm not going to write any further. What you need to do is to register at some guitar forum. Come on, you can't expect to get some solid advice here, this place just sucks.

Here's a huge one:

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/forum/

But I prefer this one. It's a jazz guitar forum and people over there are really educated in music, so perhaps you would like to try it:

http://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/

Just sign up, it's for free. There you can get much more advice than here and with a much smaller risk of getting bad advice (like so often happens in this place). Yahoo answers is simply NOT a place for music self-education.

about the strings: i use dadario strings and they're cool. it doesn't really matter the size, just ask an employee in the music store for help. you can also ask the employee to put them to your guitar, so that you know how to do it next time.

about the tuner: just go and buy a tuner!!! it's cheap.

about the tabs/notes: if you played the piano i suppose you can read notes, so i can't understand your problem. tabs are much easier to read though and i recommend tabs

as long as you can't afford guitar lessons (pity cause that's what you need).

i think you should study using books. there are series of books which can help you go to the next level (like, when you can play all the songs in the first book, you go to the second etc etc)

at first it's a bit boring but then it's cool... believe me! i've been there!!!

1. Visit a local reputable music store and ask for a set of strings to be installed. LIght gauge strings are requested the most, but mediums are preferred as well. Ask that you may watch during the installation. Keep track of the brands of strings that you use for eventually you can make a better choice.

2. PIck up a copy of Hal Leonard's Beginning Guitar Method Book One. Inside are instructions in tuning, maintenance, basic chords, and, most important, basic music theory with exercises. If you follow carefully the instructions in the theory section and work the exercises you will pick up the rudiments of learning how to read music. You must read and comprehend and put into practice each exercise to accomplish that.

Music stores have these things there called "employees" that can help you pick out your strings. Once it's tuned, go to guitartabs.com and play away.

ok...i did read over it all, u deserve a good answer

1.) Practice

2.) Practice

3.) Practice

4.) go take some guitar lessons

5.) know a famous person