GUITAR MEGATHREAD: Dan Erlewine is your huckleberry

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Zo: Feb 22, 2005; LIKE A FOX

Coritani posted:

Finally, does anyone have any beginner songs to learn? I really want to stick with learning guitar, and I figure one of the ways to do that is to make sure there's variety in my practises, so I'm not learning the same song over and over.

You could always just find a song you already really, really like and look up a fingerstyle arrangement of it. Unless it is absurdly difficult with harmonics and poo poo everywhere, you can work your way through it.

I think I've posted this before, but my first song took months to learn. The next one took like a month, and so on, and now my repertoire is pretty big and I can pick up new songs pretty easily, depending on their difficulty (a new one I'm learning right now is giving me grief in some parts because the arranger is a baller classical guitarist and has impossible chords for plebes like me).

I probably would have given up if I tried learning baa baa black sheep or some poo poo at the beginning instead of songs I actually like.

By the way I started with a pick but haven't used it at all after starting fingerstyle (except for rock/distortion obviously). Not a big fan of strumming chords. Just play whatever you prefer!

# ¿ Sep 13, 2010 18:41

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# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 18:10

Zo: Feb 22, 2005; LIKE A FOX

Eh, I still have some bad habits but unless they're ones that make you injury prone or something it's not a big deal. I took 'lessons' for 2 weeks recently just to get a pro to look at my technique and he basically said that. In the end a lot of it is what you feel comfortable with. Like my fingerpicking hand is in more a lute technique position (they don't form a neat X when crossed, more like a ><) which means my index and thumb might interfere with each other, but since I vastly prefer my middle finger over my index he said it's not a big deal, just keep it in mind.

Yeah not really a big fan of lessons or exercises. I just like to play.

# ¿ Sep 16, 2010 19:01

Zo: Feb 22, 2005; LIKE A FOX

I don't think it's a waste of money even though it's not for me. If I ever plateau looking for a good teacher and learning a new style or something will probably be the first thing I do.

# ¿ Sep 16, 2010 21:13

Zo: Feb 22, 2005; LIKE A FOX

Chumpion posted:

I know it's just been mentioned but is there any more tips for learning barre chords, I started learning acoustic around about January and was pretty chuffed after a few months at being able to get down most songs i put my mind too down. Using Fm7 to replace learning F properly, when I sat down and told myself I was gonna learn barre chords it was pretty much two to three weeks of anger before giving up the guitar in frustration.

Just gone back to it in the last couple weeks and think it would be better to go in at the very least prepared this time so I'm not losing my mind, I've heard on an electric it's far easier and it does seem almost ridiculously hard to press down my strings even when im concentrating on just that. I feel like I'm waiting for the day that my brain will finally 'click' and suddenly my fingers will become twice as strong.

Just keep doing it. You don't need much strength, really. It's just that when you're first learning, you usually use way too much force, and barre every single string instead of just the ones you need to, AND barre for way too long while you get the other fingers in position. Add all those up and you're wasting a lot of energy and will get tired fast. I still distinctly remember learning barre chords and that's what I went through too.

# ¿ Sep 18, 2010 20:37

Zo: Feb 22, 2005; LIKE A FOX

How would you guys play this: (natural harmonic on high e string, rest strum)

I haven't seen harmonics mixed in with a chord like that yet and I'm trying to figure out the easiest way to play it (normally I'd touch with my right index and pick with my right middle finger, but obviously that can't work here).

Right now I'm holding the chord claw-like, with my left pinky resting on the harmonic string and it's pretty delicate. Just more practice or is there an easier way?

Zo fucked around with this message at 18:15 on Sep 19, 2010

# ¿ Sep 19, 2010 18:12

Zo: Feb 22, 2005; LIKE A FOX

Thoren posted:

Ring finger on 4th string, Middle on 3rd. Index on 2nd, and pinky on 1st? Can't really think of any other way. It's not that hard.

Doing that but can't get the first string to sound out very well. Especially since index finger tends to brush up against the first string. Oh well.

# ¿ Sep 19, 2010 18:21

Zo: Feb 22, 2005; LIKE A FOX

Clockwork Sputnik posted:

Any advice/sources for playing guitar and singing? Particularly for an ex-drummer, hahaha...

So I'm a good singer but still focus a lot on my breathing. I'm trying to add guitar to a few songs, and they're really pretty easy bits, which I can play fine on their own. But combining the two, my fingering goes wonky, my breathing off, my strumming seems like my arm has a mind of its own and my fingers just mash up into a jumble on the fretboard.

I consulted a professional friend of mine who said simply "Learn one, then the other, then combine" loving great.

I'm aware that chord changes take place during breaks in the vocals but I find myself running out of time when concentrating on everything.

So, thoughts, advice, links are all welcome!

I think your friend is right. You don't know the guitar part well enough if that's enough to make your fingering go wonky.

# ¿ Sep 28, 2010 18:13

Zo: Feb 22, 2005; LIKE A FOX

Clockwork Sputnik posted:

I suppose, but I really do know the parts as well as one can. I can play them with my eyes closed essentially.

And while I'd still consider myself a 'beginner' in terms of accumlulated knowledge, but I have been playing guitar on and off since I was 8. Sure, I'm coming out of a hiatus with guitar but my finger memory is good, as is my positioning, it's all automatic.

I feel like the drummer part of me tries to take over my strumming when I'm singing, if that makes any sense?

Eyes closed, or not even thinking about it? Some of the songs I know I can play while reading an article online or whatever, and I can just sing along whenever I want.

Of course those are songs I've played countless times. There might be a more "efficient" way to go about it but his advice will definitely work.

# ¿ Sep 28, 2010 19:30

Zo: Feb 22, 2005; LIKE A FOX

You get over it, or find ways so that it doesn't matter. Like you can have a finger brush up against another string if you're fretting it on a higher fret, or you want to mute it anyways.

Lately I've been playing my guitar without an amp and it still sounds so good. Nothing could have made my first guitar ever sound this good. Everyone was right, no matter how good your amp is, garbage in = garbage out.

# ¿ Oct 7, 2010 16:06

Zo: Feb 22, 2005; LIKE A FOX

Could also hammer on/pull off for faster ties.

# ¿ Oct 8, 2010 03:35

Zo: Feb 22, 2005; LIKE A FOX

Thoren posted:

Edit: Never mind I am an idiot

This is my first time encountering ties and they were all conveniently connected to Beamed Notes to gently caress with me. Why are they even there then? :/

The "beam" doesn't mean anything except to represent 8th notes or 16th notes (or triplets etc)

The ties are a complete separate thing.

I started guitar after years of playing other instruments so I never realized how hard it'd be to learn guitar AND all the fundamentals of music at the same time (everything from rhythm to sheet music). Don't worry about it, just keep at it.

# ¿ Oct 8, 2010 04:34

Zo: Feb 22, 2005; LIKE A FOX

Thoren posted:

Thanks. Right, the Beam was indicating 8th notes. The thing that tripped me up is that there are many ties connecting the 8th and quarter notes, I am a bit lost on their purpose.

Just think of it this way: even when there are no actual rest notes in the music, there's a default small bit of rest between every note, no matter if it's quarter or 8th notes (ONE and TWO and THREE and). The tie tells you to rid of that little bit of default rest and play the tied notes continuously.

# ¿ Oct 8, 2010 05:02

Zo: Feb 22, 2005; LIKE A FOX

Well generally it takes 10000 hours of practice to become truly good at something, which is like 15 years at 2 hours everyday, so I'm not in a big rush and you shouldn't be either! Just have fun on the way.

# ¿ Oct 13, 2010 14:03

Zo: Feb 22, 2005; LIKE A FOX

Got my index finger split open again via barres. Hurts like a giant papercut, ground away over a period of days. Last time this happened it took like 2 weeks for it to close back up

Also I think this thread will see a lot of action once rock band 3 is out and the pro mode guitar or whatever is out, and people want to learn to actually play. Squire strats for everyone!

# ¿ Oct 18, 2010 18:35

Zo: Feb 22, 2005; LIKE A FOX

Gorilla Salsa posted:

You're playing too hard.

I just barre and slide a lot. My guitar's action is actually pretty low and I'm using 10s.

I just always use the same part of my finger

Also, I play a lot. Threw a bandaid on there and just kept going!

# ¿ Oct 18, 2010 20:10

Zo: Feb 22, 2005; LIKE A FOX

I read it's a modified squire strat which isn't too bad. That was my first guitar and it did its job. Every guitar you touch is going to sound like poo poo when you first start anyways.

# ¿ Oct 18, 2010 21:42

Zo: Feb 22, 2005; LIKE A FOX

CalvinDooglas posted:

You're pressing way too hard. Technique that hurts you is completely counterproductive.

No, trust me, I'm not pressing down hard at all. I slide a lot with my finger on the string and it slowly opens up the skin where the lines meet, which doesn't hurt at first, but then digs deeper and opens it wider until it hits a nerve.

It has nothing to do with how hard I'm pressing down. This is on the low A string.

I've also never heard of anyone else getting this before, so it's hard to describe it.

# ¿ Oct 19, 2010 00:27

Zo: Feb 22, 2005; LIKE A FOX

CalvinDooglas posted:

No, trust me, you're pressing too hard or using the wrong part of your finger to barre/slide. If it injures you, you need to make an adjustment. It's entirely possible to play for long periods regularly without any pain at all, but only with good technique.

I'm using the best part to barre, the bit right under your finger pad that's all boney. I'm well away it's possible to avoid injury but "press lighter" doesn't help me at all since I'm not pressing hard at all. I suppose this is a question for the next time I take a few lessons since the internet has no answers.

# ¿ Oct 19, 2010 01:04

Zo: Feb 22, 2005; LIKE A FOX

Naw, it's none of that. I barre extremely consistently, and I'm not using the knuckle, but rather the part above it. And of course I fret individual notes with my fingerpad.

After some more experiments I think I've nailed it down to my tendency to slide while holding a barre. This is when I'm not even applying any pressure - I'm just moving my finger from one fret to another, and it's a ropeburn-like effect that just digs away at that one spot of my finger while it glides quickly on top of the string. Kind of a dumb reason but there you go. It's just this new song that's doing it to me, which explains why I'd been playing for a year since the last time I got a finger injury (which was due to poor technique).

# ¿ Oct 19, 2010 02:32

Zo: Feb 22, 2005; LIKE A FOX

CalvinDooglas posted:

it takes considerable pressure to get "burn" from a guitar string, especially if it's not a wound one. It's also got as much to do with your finger running over the frets.

It is a wound one, and it's over a long period of time, which makes sense.

quote:

I'm trying to emulate the technique you describe it's definitely suboptimal, and borders on painful even for me. Choke down a little and use the fleshy part of your finger, and have a defined "leading edge" slightly to the inside or outside. It is tempting to use the "hard" parts to apply pressure, but the knuckles are not as controllable and don't stand up to the punishment.

Barring for a slide is also only appropriate if you're sliding more than one string. If you're sliding up just one string, save yourself the pain and work out the motion with the finger tip. If you play enough to break the skin you won't need more than a couple practice sessions to get it right.

To reiterate, proper technique will not cause injury, so if you've hurt yourself, you're doing something wrong. Slow down, take the time to work out technique that is comfortable.

I'm not getting injured or pain from the actual playing so none of this applies really.

edit: sorry if this came off like I'm annoying. I'm really not. You offer good, well intentioned advice but it really doesn't apply for me. For instance I already do use the side of my finger to barre, and have been since I started guitar, since it's a common piece of advice found on the internet. I have no problem barring and try to work barres as much as I can into a new song I learn because it's so easy for me, which is cause of this injury - ropeburn on a wound string when I switch positions really fast.

I also take technique criticism seriously; my last instructor explain what was wrong with my picking hand and I spent the next 3 months completely relearning how to fingerpick. It's just that over the internet you don't know my situation and thus can't offer the targeted advice instructors can.

Zo fucked around with this message at 03:29 on Oct 19, 2010

# ¿ Oct 19, 2010 03:11

Zo: Feb 22, 2005; LIKE A FOX

CalvinDooglas posted:

again, this means you're pressing too hard. A minor adjustment would obviate the problem entirely by taking pressure off of the sore spot. This is a matter of good vs bad technique, not simply getting over a hump like sore fingertips or barre fatigue. Just move your finger down a little bit so the barre is covered by the finger pad and not the knuckle. There is no reason to play on your knuckles if you don't have to.

Again, this is when I'm not pressing down at all, so you're wrong

# ¿ Oct 19, 2010 11:59

Zo: Feb 22, 2005; LIKE A FOX

Lovechop posted:

I can practice all day and then play three 45 minute sets at night with pretty much nothing but barre chords sliding about all over the shop and my fingers are perfectly fine.

So could I, and have been for a year. I already know what's wrong and fixed it, but thanks

# ¿ Oct 19, 2010 12:54

Zo: Feb 22, 2005; LIKE A FOX

D-Rider posted:

If you're not at the point where you can pick out the chords yourself, maybe you should get to that point before trying to play that song.

I'm not trying to be mean, I just remember doing the same thing when I first started playing. Trying to memorize guitar tabs and playing notes without any real knowledge of exactly what I was playing ended up delaying my growth as a proficient guitarist.

Just take it slow and focus on the basics, and the songs will naturally follow. The more you practice, the sooner you'll be able to play the songs you like. It's literally a no-lose situation.

I hope you never end up teaching anyone, since the worst thing you can do to someone is to kill their basic motivation to play. If I had to practice chords for 6 months before I was 'allowed' to play a song I wouldn't pick up a guitar at all.

WolfAndRaven posted:

I'm very new ( like 3 weeks new, but picking it up quickly ), I'm doing all my scales and finger / picking technique and a few basic chord progressions / mini-songs and am now at the point where I want to play some stuff that I like that SEEMS pretty basic.

Problem is, one song in particular I want to play is this one ( youtube so i dunno wtf the random pictures are, song is what matters of course ), the acoustic specifically:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmGly_D4rqI

But I can't find tabs to save my life and I'm really not at the point where I can listen to something and pick out the chords. Is there any software ( to listen and fill out the tabs, if this even exists ) or some places I could look them up? Is the best thing to do hit up somewhere like ultimate-guitar and post on the forums making a request?

Anyways I found tabs for that song here: http://www.911tabs.com/link/?6751844

I exported a pdf if you can't open that: https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B99s80navh0BNTQ0MTUyNjYtZjI5Zi00MTA3LTg0NzgtOWI3Yzg3ZjNlNTdi&hl=en

# ¿ Jan 22, 2011 17:33

Zo: Feb 22, 2005; LIKE A FOX

CalvinDooglas posted:

If you have to practice chords for 6 months before putting them together in a song I'd say motivation isn't the problem. Once you have basic dexterity it shouldn't take very long to get moving between chords. It doesn't take any more or less time to get playing actual songs with knowledge of the notes/chords than to learn songs by arduous memorization of fret numbers. Bb isn't any more difficult to remember than 3.

This is my point I don't know why you quoted me :confused:

# ¿ Jan 23, 2011 01:40

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# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 18:10

Zo: Feb 22, 2005; LIKE A FOX

CalvinDooglas posted:

I am disagreeing. It's not really that difficult to learn the substance of the chords as you learn them, and certainly doesn't take months of practice to get to the point of putting them together in a song.

There is, of course, hardly a chance in hell that someone could pick out by ear the chords in a song if they've never played those chords before. If that was the other guy's contention, I'd agree with you that it's impractical, but it's so impractical that I have to think s/he did not mean that.

Well that's how I interpreted his post to be, and why I said 6 months.

# ¿ Jan 23, 2011 22:27

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