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I'm entirely self taught. I have asked musician friends for help and played with people to clean up bad habits, but basically I just learned songs by leaning the chords and getting fast as poo poo at transitioning open chords, then I learned barre chords, and then scales to solo. I've played for several years, because I improve in chunks. This summer has been my biggest improvement, I improved drastically by playing with my brother. I recommend deciding on a skill you want and then practicing the poo poo out of it, for example, learn open chords until you can play them and transition them flawlessly and at speed, then learn barres or scales, etc. Or take lessons - my brother has taken lessons and until this summer he was a significantly better guitarist than me. Paramemetic fucked around with this message at 23:44 on Sep 4, 2010 |
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Sep 4, 2010 23:42
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I consider myself a fairly decent guitarist, but I have a relatively beginner question. How does one pluck with a pick such that it doesn't sound so aggressive and staccato? I have a problem where individual notes played on an acoustic guitar hit with a lot of attack, and I'd rather it be more fluid.
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Sep 9, 2010 22:09
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No nylon strings for classic rock. You'll notice that guitar lacks a pickguard - it's not meant to be strummed or picked but to be plucked with fingers in classical style. I know you're in the ~$100 market, in which case I might go against the tide and recommend a basic Squier Strat Pack ($200), which come in lovely boxes aimed at children but actually have a decent guitar (Squier strats are quality beginner instruments) and a lame but suitable practice amp. The downside to this is that I wouldn't bother upgrading a Squier guitar, and you may outgrow it in a year or so. Less if you're quick on the uptake. But it can be offloaded on Craigslist for $150 or so for the guitar and amp, so you won't be out too much. For more money but what I consider one of the best buys on the market right now, I'd recommend a Epiphone Les Paul ($350). These guitars are relatively cheap but they're a rock solid platform for upgrading - replace the pickups and you have a very strong guitar. Plus humbuckers will really drive a tube amp. As for getting an amp, you might check Craigslist, people are getting rid of cheap amps all the time there. I've heard good things about the Vox amps in this thread and others around here. For beginning, you want a decent amp but it doesn't have to be the best. I learned on probably the shittiest amp I've ever heard, but it just meant that when I got on a real amp I sounded, to me, absolutely more amazing than I ever had. Hehe Alternatively, if you want mobility, look into Alvarez acoustic guitars. Their entry level dreadnoughts are affordable at under $200, and very high quality beginner instruments. Paramemetic fucked around with this message at 05:27 on Sep 10, 2010 |
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Sep 10, 2010 05:23
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baka kaba posted:If you want the classic beginner song, House Of The Rising Sun. This was my first song to learn Carter picking with. It's a great song. Chords as I play it are (Am) there is a (C) house in (D) New (F) Orleans (Am) they call (C) the Rising (E) Sun (Am) it's been (C) the ruin (D) of many (F) a poor boy (Am) and God (E) I know (Am) I'm one (C) (E) (Am) F is a barre chord that beginners often have trouble with, so I recommend playing it xx3211 using your index finger to fret the 1st and 2nd string, middle finger on 2 on the 3rd string and the ring finger to fret 3 on the 4th string.
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Sep 15, 2010 04:01
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El Kabong posted:If you fret it as x33211 instead, using your pinky on the fifth string, then you are building better coordination for that barre chord. At least, that's what I've read. It's closer to the full barre, so it's a better substitute, but that four string mobile chord is a shortcut you see again and again, as well as the 4 string movable D shape xx4232 and the movable B and Bm shapes xx4442 and xx4432. They're hacks and don't have the same full sound as the full barre chord, but they're pretty commonly seen. Edit: I guess what I'm trying to say is yeah, x33211 is a better substitute played with the pinky on the fourth string and the ring finger on the fifth string, and the middle finger on the 3 string and the forefinger playing 1 and 2. It's a more complete substitute because it gives an additional bass note and more closely mimics a full F-shape barre chord (it's playing the full chord shape of E). However, F barre has the following chords: FCFACF so you don't actually lose any notes from the triad playing it with four strings, but you do lose the two bass notes. Paramemetic fucked around with this message at 05:36 on Sep 15, 2010 |
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Sep 15, 2010 05:18
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Try playing the stuff you've been playing strumming down, but the opposite way. It'll sound weird as gently caress but it's good practice for strumming up. You are talking about strumming and not plucking, right? Good up and down strums are an essential skill so it's good that you're taking this on.
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Oct 7, 2010 22:08
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CalvinDooglas posted:you combine the two notes' values. If they are different notes, that's called a slur and it means to play legato. Which is generally pretty hard to do on guitar unless you can slide to it or bend to it, but I think the generally accepted way of doing it is to let one note continue to ring when you begin to pluck the next note, then releasing the first one, so that the sound remains uninterrupted. The guitar just isn't very well suited to legato.
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Oct 8, 2010 03:33
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Dickeye posted:This is a dumb question, but I've gotten two different answers so what the hell I'll ask Just the two or three strings that are fretted. All a power chord is is a portion of a barre chord that's comprised of the root note and its fifth.
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Oct 21, 2010 17:57
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crm posted:If I played the piano for years and want to get into guitar, is it better to start with acoustic or electric? I figure I'll also have some lessons, that seemed to work with the piano Basically it boils down to "what kind of music do you want to play?" Personally I generally recommend people start with an acoustic for several reasons: 1) It's slightly harder to fret, meaning if you graduate to electric it'll be easier to play. 2) It's easier to identify mistakes (in my opinion) on the sound from an acoustic than an electric, but at the same time notes rarely ring as long, so it's slightly more forgiving. 3) It's mobile, meaning you can take it places and make chicks swoon. But if you only want to shred metal or hard rock, there's no point in buying an acoustic because you won't be happy with your own sound. You want to play the instrument for the music you want to play, or you'll get bored/frustrated and quit, or regret your decision.
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Nov 15, 2010 17:44
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seigfox posted:2) I was told that I should add another spring or two to my strat because the bridge is lifting and the guitar keeps going out of tune. Is this something I'd be able to do myself or should I bring the guitar in and have a professional do it? It's not a difficult operation at all. Destring or detune the guitar, take off the back plate, add springs, tada. You might also try just screwing the strings that are in there in tighter.
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Jan 5, 2011 17:34
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Zakalwe posted:That's a setup, yes, but most guitars you won't have to touch the truss rod on. Tun up, check the action. And on an electric, the intonation. loving with intonation on an acoustic is difficult work, but loving with the intonation on an electric guitar is easy enough for a player to do it, and it's worth it to have a properly intonated guitar.
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Jan 6, 2011 03:42
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crm posted:B7 is the worst thing in music. Wait till you discover jazz chords. dim7 and 7b5 are bitches.
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Jan 7, 2011 17:13
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unpurposed posted:I'm really interested in learning how to take care of my guitar, specifically changing the action, making adjustments to the truss rod, etc. What's the best resource around for this? Dan Erlewine's GuitarPlayer Repair Guide is a great book filled with information on doing this and even more advanced things.
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Jan 9, 2011 05:03
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ProperCoochie posted:I'm looking to learn an acoustic version of Pink Floyd's Outside the Wall. What exactly are you looking for help with? The bulk of this is just going to be playing chords while occasionally hammering on to strings with your pinky finger while strumming. The third video shows this pretty well. This song is simple enough because the notes that need played are all components of open chords. Do you need a tab or something? I could put one together. Or are you looking for any specific advice? Edit: The melody can be played entirely on the D and A strings. You can play this with your thumb while strumming with your fingers, similar to a method called Carter family picking. That's how I'd do it. D:---2-2-3-2-2-2---0-2-0-0-0-0---0-2-3-2 A:---------------3-------------3-------- The chords are C, F, and G (and an Am toward the end). The guy playing the instrumental plays the melody with his forefinger on the B and E strings, like so E:---0-0-1-0-0-0-----0-------------0-1-0 B:---------------1-3---3-3-3-3-1-3------ And then plucks the A (3rd fret, C chord form, C) and D (2nd fret, C chord form, E) for his bassline. Edit2: (Weak) example of how I play this using my thumb to play the melody and my finger strumming for support/rhythm: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mf3M6pOcRss Paramemetic fucked around with this message at 23:56 on Jan 15, 2011 |
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Jan 15, 2011 21:46
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Nuclear Spoon posted:Can anyone point a retard in the direction of a good tutorial which describes how to string an acoustic guitar? I can never seem to get the slack right, and I end up having too many or too few winds round the pegs. I've always gone with the rule of thumb that you pull it all the way through till it's taught, then pinch it at the nut and pull it back 2-3 frets.
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Feb 23, 2011 22:03
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When you're evaluating a new guitar as a beginner, it's more about what's comfortable for you to play than what sound it has, really. I mean, sound is important, you shouldn't buy a guitar that can't produce the sound you want, but when looking at acoustics, you'll mainly want to see if you can play it comfortably. Worries about sound are more for people looking for a beginner electric, and all it really boils down to for a beginner is whether a person wants humbuckers or single coils. Getting the right sound is a dragon we chase later, which is why many of us have 5+ guitars.
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Mar 6, 2011 16:31
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Kilometers Davis posted:What's the truth behind the whole "no oil/cleaner on maple necks thing". It's just a myth, right? I'm just trying to figure it out before I get my 8 delivered today. I've never owned a guitar with a maple fretboard but I like using Fast Fret on all of my guitars. I use Fast Fret on my maple necked strat and have never heard that before. I hope it's not true because I do fast fret it whenever I play it.
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Mar 10, 2011 20:01
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Manky posted:I can't be the only guy who plays Fs as essentially a modified C shape with x33211, can I? Depending on what I'm playing, I often do you one better and just play xx3211, unless the song has other barres.
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Mar 25, 2011 05:29
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Foiltha posted:How good are MiM strats nowadays? I've been playing a pretty bad Tokai strat made in Korea for a couple years now and while I also have a decent acoustic, the strat is really starting to frustrate me and I want something new but on a budget. I believe MIM strats are among the best deals you can find, alongside Epiphone LPs. I'm told they can be hit or miss, but I know mine is a great sounding and great playing guitar. My only complaint is that the tuners are fairly awful, but with that being the worst thing about it, I think it's an awesome guitar for the price.
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Mar 28, 2011 20:21
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revolther posted:I've been playing for about 15 years, but I own only beater acoustics and electrics, nothing above the 300 dollar range. I'm looking now at getting good quality dreadnought acoustic (a/e is a plus) without spending an assload of cash. Any recommendations? I recently purchased an Epiphone Hummingbird which I think is am awesome guitar. The difference between it and a gibson is the wood, and to keep it fairly high end they come stocked with Grover tuners. I love mine. It cost me just under $400 for it and a hard case. When I posted about it in the new gear pics thread, it started a great discussion about Epiphone vs Gibson. I strongly recommend it, but it's not a/e. I might post a video of me sucking with it when I get home for a sound example.
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Mar 28, 2011 20:33
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Paramemetic posted:I recently purchased an Epiphone Hummingbird which I think is am awesome guitar. The difference between it and a gibson is the wood, and to keep it fairly high end they come stocked with Grover tuners. I love mine. It cost me just under $400 for it and a hard case. When I posted about it in the new gear pics thread, it started a great discussion about Epiphone vs Gibson. I strongly recommend it, but it's not a/e. I might post a video of me sucking with it when I get home for a sound example. I posted some videos wherein I play my Hummingbird in the solo acoustic covers thread. I have not yet changed the strings on it, so this is more or less how it comes. I really dig the brightness of the sound.
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Mar 29, 2011 06:49
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Billy Bob FORTRAN posted:Am I doomed to a life of specially-fattened guitar necks? Les Pauls.
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Apr 1, 2011 04:47
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bromplicated posted:I'm curious why whenever someone mentions what pick they use they always mention the color as well. I myself seem to have a penchant for green and purple picks. With some brands (e.g., Tortex, Fender) the color denotes the thickness.
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Apr 3, 2011 02:25
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Most likely you can repair it by bending the contact of the input in so it touches the cable's output more cleanly. I certainly wouldn't send it back to them.
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Apr 19, 2011 05:54
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dolphins are gay posted:as an aside: are the Epiphonies generally reasonable quality? I see there's a few price points (290 - 1300) for the LP styled ones, is there much difference? I'm of the mind that the Epiphone LPs are pretty much one of the best deals available at their low- to mid-range price point. They cheap out on the pickups, essentially, which can easily be replaced to make a badass sounding guitar at a reasonable price point. I believe they also use lower quality wood, but I don't think this is much of a detriment. Though not an LP, my cousin has an Epi SG that he souped up, and that bitch can scream. Epiphone's QC is much, much better than Gibson's, and with an Epi LP you are guaranteed to be getting a good product, whereas with Gibson these days it's really hit or miss. As always though, it's good to play around on one and get a feel for it.
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May 11, 2011 15:44
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Lackadaisical posted:But I'm struggling with the F. Any good videos or advice for doing it without killing my fingers? First you learn this as a beginner: 1 1 2 3 x x Then you learn this as you grow: 1 1 2 3 3 1 Then you learn this as you advance: 1 1 2 3 x x - or - 8 10 10 10 x x - or - 5 6 5 7 x x Guitar is a magical instrument.
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Jun 7, 2011 06:21
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CalvinDooglas posted:The easiest way to approach playing F is with the barre. Put down the barre alone and then take a look at which strings you actually need to press with the barre: only the Es and B. I find it's easiest to play songs either all barred or all open, I have a very hard time transitioning from open to barred chords. When I was beginning I played F as I described before, 1123xx, before I learned a full barre. The beautiful thing about barre chords is many consonant chords are on the barred on the same fret Your song consists of C, C/B, F, Fm, and Am. These are all actually playable without moving your barre at all, barring on the 8th fret. C: 8 8 9 10 10 8 C/B: 8 8 9 9 10 8 F: 8 10 10 10 8 8 Fm: 8 9 10 10 8 8 Am: 8 10 9 10 x x C to C/B is a hell of a transition, though (for me at least). If the song is fairly slow moving though it oughtn't be a problem. Like I said, barre chords are magical.
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Jun 9, 2011 16:24
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Lackadaisical posted:Ok, so I'm confused... In the context of: You play the B string open, then "hammer" your finger down onto it at the first fret. As for knowing strumming patterns, that's usually not included in the tab, it's something you just have to kinda know from having heard the song. Usually.
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Jun 15, 2011 00:59
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KingColliwog posted:How would one go about reducing the volume of an accoustic? I was thinking of buying a feedback reducer (or whatever those rubber plugs are called) but I don't know how efficient it would be? Any homemade solution that wouldn't be too much of an hassle to put on/remove and wouldn't risk damaging the guitar? I haven't done this myself, but a friend of mine was saying that he's done just this by filling the body with cotton balls, essentially. They'll trap a lot of sound and basically dampen it. He was saying he did this as a solution to the feedback problem on an acoustic/electric but I imagine it would also do a fair job of dampening the volume.
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Jan 10, 2012 21:45
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crm posted:Question about actually playing. Have you guitar "sing" the melody? I'm not really sure what you're asking, I think? What kind of song? Maybe listen to some jam bands to see what they do during extended jams? My brother and I play a lot where one of us will just be the chord whore for a while while the other jams/solos, then we trade off. Though anymore we're getting to the point where we can get pretty spacey and not even have the regimented chord-whoring while still recognizably playing the song. Paramemetic fucked around with this message at 04:55 on Jan 20, 2012 |
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Jan 20, 2012 04:52
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Aside from that, even if you could make an electric guitar sound like a Spanish guitar, it wouldn't play like a Spanish guitar. Even if I made a keyboard that perfectly synthesized a guitar, and it had every possible functionality through some kind of magic, I could not play it to sound like a Spanish guitarist playing a Spanish guitar because the style of play is different. And a keyboardist playing it would sound like a keyboardist playing it because the approach to the instrument is different. It's why while basic guitar competency applies to all guitars, a classical guitarist playing an electric guitar will sound different than an electric guitarist playing an electric guitar, and vice versa. Musicians have styles that are in a large part based on the instrument they've mastered, and those competencies carry over with them to other instruments.
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Feb 28, 2012 21:41
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These are decent 12 bar blues backing tracks in multiple configurations and keys: http://www.torvund.net/guitar/index.php?page=Backing_blues I suggest tossing them into REAPER or something similar and adding your own VSTi's though because generic MIDI always sounds terrible.
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Mar 20, 2012 15:45
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