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Guitar peeps I need some info...

L

Lounatik

Golden Member
I am absolutely smitten by this song. So much so that I want to learn how to play a 12 string and learn to play this as my first song. How unrealistic am I being? I have absolutely no musical talent, not even Guitar Hero 😉.
Am I wasting my time? Also, I havent even looked anywhere, but what does a used 12 string go for?

Peace

Lounatik
 
A 12 string is not that much harder to play than a 6 string, though if you're just starting out it's going to be tougher to fret. I think starting with a SRV song (even though by his standards its pretty simple) is a bit ambitious however. It can be done but it's going to take a lot of patience.

Learning an instrument is never a waste of time, just be realistic.
 
"I've never played before and I want to play like SVR!!"

Epic Fail 😀

J/k, but as Platypus said - be realistic. This isn't something that is going to happen overnight. If you're serious, pick up a cheap guitar and look into getting some lessons to get started.
 
Oh man, I remember that song. Same thing happened to me when I heard it, I picked up my guitar and learned it immediately.

As far as finding a 12-string, they're somewhat rare in that there just aren't many made compared to regular 6 string acoustics but because of that and the lack of demand a decent one on craigslist is usually a good deal in my experience. For one that won't fall apart on you I'd expect to pay anywhere from $250 to $500 minimum, and since 12-strings suffer more from neck bow and the like, I'd stay away from anything more than 10-15 years old.

If you're going to learn to play, 12-string is the way to go IMHO. My uncle gave me my first 6 months worth of lessons on his acoustic 12-string specifically to toughen my fingers and give me excellent finger strength and accuracy. But, it's also a huge PITA to start with one 😉

My $.02 is that you should pick up a cheap 6-string and learn to play and grab a 12-string when you find the right deal.
 
It's not a waste of time at all, and the main bit of the song is a pretty simple shuffle sort of guitar.

I'd have a lot of trouble suggesting that anyone get a 12-string acoustic for their first guitar though - you're going to find it frustrating as hell. Once you can play a six-string passably, a 12-string isn't difficult.
 
The song doesn't sound that hard. Edit: I just looked up tabs, I think it is kinda realistic. If you are willing to commit to guitar. I wouldn't suggest getting a 12 as your first though. Go to your local music store, make friends, talk about your ambitions, have them direct you to a decent starter guitar. Practice super hard, obtain some awesome calises and have fun.
 
As others have said, playing a 12-string as your first guitar is going to be very frustrating. I've been playing for about 3 years now and am only just getting comfortable with the entire fretboard (and I play a 6-string). If you decide to go through with the purchase, you're going to want to give up on learning at some points because you're going to think, "I suck and I'm not getting any better." Just remember: the more you practice, the more comfortable you'll become with your instrument.
 
Originally posted by: Platypus
A 12 string is not that much harder to play than a 6 string, though if you're just starting out it's going to be tougher to fret. I think starting with a SRV song (even though by his standards its pretty simple) is a bit ambitious however. It can be done but it's going to take a lot of patience.

Learning an instrument is never a waste of time, just be realistic.
Click to expand...

Heheh...it's going to be murder to fret. Start with a 6 string, learn the song, then get the proper guitar. The song is just simple 12 bar 5/6 power chords. A beginner could learn it in a couple of weeks. The arpeggio at the beginning might take longer.

Edit- I just figured it out, it's a simple I V vi IV progression. The singing makes the song.
 
Originally posted by: Fritzo
Originally posted by: Platypus
A 12 string is not that much harder to play than a 6 string, though if you're just starting out it's going to be tougher to fret. I think starting with a SRV song (even though by his standards its pretty simple) is a bit ambitious however. It can be done but it's going to take a lot of patience.

Learning an instrument is never a waste of time, just be realistic.
Click to expand...

Heheh...it's going to be murder to fret. Start with a 6 string, learn the song, then get the proper guitar. The song is just simple 12 bar 5/6 power chords. A beginner could learn it in a couple of weeks. The arpeggio at the beginning might take longer.

Edit- I just figured it out, it's a simple I V vi IV progression. The singing makes the song.
Click to expand...

There are some instructional videos on youtube too.
 
I agree that the song shouldn't be bad. No one says you have to play it note for note either. It's a simple shuffle that can be as complicated as you want it to be. I wouldn't get a 12 string unless you want to play 12 string type music. If you're going for the blues side of things, a 12 doesn't lend itself well to that. I'd get a 6, and that song will still sound good. You could even add some slide to it for your own touch.
 
12 string is primarily a rythmn instrument and "Life by the drop" is a rythmn song, as others have said the song is rather easy and shouldn't be hard for an accomplished beginner. However you can spend a lifetime trying to aquire the level of rythmn that Stevie displays in that song🙂

Learning 12 string first will be difficult because the hand strengh and accuracy required, and it will be painful developing caluses (those small strings sting like a biatch🙁). Stevie was a great 12 string player amongst other reasons because he had massive hands.
 
Other than the intro it's actually a fairly easy song. You can play it on a 6 string of course too. It won't sound quite the same but I play it on my electric 6 string and it sounds fine.
 
Originally posted by: silverpig
Other than the intro it's actually a fairly easy song. You can play it on a 6 string of course too. It won't sound quite the same but I play it on my electric 6 string and it sounds fine.
Click to expand...

I thought you weren't a fan of string theory... 😉
 
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