Any tips for starting out?

Choose Royal class. Never go around a corner without your shield up, and just take your time really. You'll learn the gameplay elements slowly but surely as you play.

Play the healer class (forgot the name), memorize boss patterns, and take your time and have your shield up. Don't expect huge progress each time you play.

Don't use the boss souls on yourself. They can be used for upgrades. Be patient. The game isn't really hard if you're patient.

Take the combat slow, wildly swinging your weapon doesn't work here.

Don't go Royalty, it gets too easy in the early parts of the game.
You might wanna think about killing yourself whenever you return to human form (because of all that world tendency stuff).
Take things slow.
 
Oh, and be sure to snag the Cling and Thief rings in 1-1, they're some of the most useful items you'll come across.

Cool thanks everyone, I am really excited to start this one

" Don't go Royalty, it gets too easy in the early parts of the game. You might wanna think about killing yourself whenever you return to human form (because of all that world tendency stuff). Take things slow.  Oh, and be sure to snag the Cling and Thief rings in 1-1, they're some of the most useful items you'll come across. "

" Don't use the boss souls on yourself. They can be used for upgrades. Be patient. The game isn't really hard if you're patient. "

" Any tips for starting out? "

" @Abyssfull:  Yeah, but I think it gets a little too easy, seeing as you can kill most of the things you'll encounter in the earlier parts with just 1-2 Soul Arrows (which also makes the Tower Knight fight a walk in the park). I'd personally recommend the knight as a good starting class. "

"  You might wanna think about killing yourself whenever you return to human form (because of all that world tendency stuff). "

Don't worry about losing souls too much, they easy to farm later if you want to and dieing is part of the game. You can get away with putting points into whatever is cool, but it might benefit you to look up at a build or two on the demon's souls wiki (  http://demonssouls.wikidot.com/). I wouldn't recommend following one of those builds strictly though, esp not for a first time. 
 
Basically, don't screw yourself, so unless you are going to be using the blueblood sword, for example, don't bother with luck, and unless you plan to focus on miracles, don't bother putting mor into faith than you need to get 1 (or maybe 2) miracle slots. Endurance is useful, esp for a melee character. Try to keep your equip encumberance under 50% so you can roll well. If you have questions about what stuff means, since the game doesn't explain itself very well, and don't want to try to divine it for yourself, that wiki is good and you can always just ask. 
  
Also as someone mentioned, don't use the boss souls. The exceptions are the red and blue dragons should you choose to kill them (they are optional). You can't do anything with their souls. Also, completing world 2 is useful, and its archemon is easy, and allows you to forge weapons. 

Have fun.

" @TheSeductiveMoose said:

"  You might wanna think about killing yourself whenever you return to human form (because of all that world tendency stuff). "

At the Nexus. "

" @TheSeductiveMoose said:

"  You might wanna think about killing yourself whenever you return to human form (because of all that world tendency stuff). "

At the Nexus. "

Also, if you decide on melee, don't go with heavy plate armor for your first play-through.  I find it much more useful to have the agility to dodge attacks.  I would wear some type of leather armor until you can get the Shaman's gear from the fifth world.  I use the Shaman's gear and the Northern Regalia.
 
EDIT:  Something else I didn't see, don't use colorless demon's souls, as they can upgrade several of the "special" weapons.

Take it slow and enjoy!

Get a bow. Period.