If you want the best way to learn any instrument you really should consider taking lessons. For guitar check with the local music stores and colleges and try to find someone with good references and someone who teaches theory along with performance technique. You need to learn how music works, not just what your hands do. Taking lessons will save you a ton of time in learning technique. Most of us when we try something new fall short of doing it right. Think of the first time you swung a golf club, the first time you tried to type, the first time you tried to ski. You have to learn the basics, before you can really jam and you need to learn them right. I still have tendinitis that seriously hampered my playing because my early teachers did not know how I should grip a drum stick and I've seen tons of self taught musicians who are making the same mistakes I did early on. At best you just won't play as well as you could have, at worst you can physically hurt yourself. Learn the basics and then branch off on your own. Learning the basics won't put you in a box creatively, but not knowing how to play right will. So if you want to learn to play well, drop the self help and get a teacher. You'll be glad you did.
Source(s):
40 years as a musician/student/teacher
have played rock/pop/jazz/funk/fusion/latin/classical
have led multitudes of bands and taught at the college level
have a bachelors in music performance


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