Guitarists, help me learn!!!

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i've been trying to learn for a few months. any tips or suggestions would be really helpful. i do know few cords. i like country, blues, ect. i just bought a larrivee and love it. any advice would be highly appreciated. :)
 
I don't call myself much of a guitar player (I've been playing at it for about 55 years but never got beyond some of the basics for chording). I have a beautiful 1973 D-28 Martin.



My cousin is a very good player. His method was to get some books on chords, then turn on the stereo and play along with the artist. He's kind of a loner who enjoys being by himself a lot so he spends a lot of time practicing in the above fashion. In his case "practice makes perfect. "



Gene
 
Mike,



Welcome to the jam! There are many ideas of how to learn to play the guitar and you'll just have to find the method that works for you. Looks like you're a Cash fan. You probably couldn't have made a better choice of music to learn with. The majority of Johnny's music, especially his early songs, are very basic in rythm style and chord progressions. Find you a Johnny Cash songbook that shows you the key and chord progressions, get out your favorite CD's and your guitar and get at it.



Finger placement for the chords is pretty simple to pick up and you will get better and better at it the more you play. The most dificult part to "learn" for most people is strumming. It's more "feel" than "skill" and the only way to learn is to play, play, and play some more. Practice does make perfect. :)



Scott
 
You are sure right about learning to strum. that is exactly what i am really working on now. once in a while i will do some finger picking just to get a different feel, which i really like. Cash is probably my all time favorite singer. i also REALLY like blues stuff. Thanks for the input. now i just have to build up the caluses on my fingers, lol. :-laf
 
Once you pick it up its like remembering to ride a bike after 20 years without it. Its still illegal to pedal ***** in Iowa but I can still do it! LOL
 
I only play in the shower, but ... :)

once in a while i will do some finger picking just to get a different feel, which i really like. :-laf



Howdy Mike! (or is it"Sue"?)



Pleased to see this topic appear here, but have a bit of an "Oh ***t!" feeling about the likelyhood of being sucked into spending too much time here.



Per your invite, got a buncha thoughts for you. Just pick through, don't get overwhelmed.



Background: Been "playing with" guitar for many years,... very careful not to claim to "play it",... seen too many people who really CAN. Still, when looking back at how difficult it seemed at first, ... today I sometimes amaze myself. :)



This brings up the first point,... spend TIME with it. And note that only PERFECT practice makes perfect. Practicing poorly will make you very good at playing poorly. Of course "perfect" is a lofty goal,... most of us settle for some

lesser level,... but be "trying"(mostly) when you play, ... not just goofin'. Your progress will be much more rapid,. . and the self-satisfaction will be proportional. (Besides, you gotta keep that callosity up to snuff. )



A second point is - "trying to do what"?



After some experimentation and focused listening,... you will find it more productive to choose a "style"(as in technique) direction, and put most of your effort in it. Becoming a relative "master" of one trade will make it much easier to expand into a "Jack-of-all" afterwards, than if you scatter-gun your practice in the beginning.



"Style" (technique) choices include flat-picking, finger-picking, finger-picking-with thumb-and/or-finger picks, ... with fingernails(ala "classical"), with no nails, "anchored"-hand, "free"-hand, etc.



You will find expert players using all of these styles, (or combination)... and any type of music can be played with any of them, though some techniques will definitely better-suit some music. ( Classical pieces can not be effectively rendered with a flatpick, ... and some of the extreme speed runs and piercing "twang" flatpickers produce will not be heard from fingerstylists. I am older than I used to think I would ever be, so the mellower sound of real-finger picking appeals to me more than electrified "screaming". But I DO still appreciate "Lucille''s voice in B. B's hands)



Your choice of style and music will direct you to point 3, ... equipment. Everything is a compromise, as usual. Compared with a flatpicker, a "blues" player, using a slide, has one-or-more fewer left-hand fingers to form chords, or to play, hammer-on/pull-off, left-hand notes. His strings will need to be higher, so that the slide will not contact the frets. This makes the chording fingers work harder to push the strings down. A fingerstylist may also wish to have a slightly higher action, and slightly wider neck, to facilitate right hand "grip" between the strings, and if playing acoustically-only, for greater dynamic range(as in volume).



In this regard, I suggest that you put your right ear against the side of your (acoustic) guitar, and play something, while listening to the sound you are producing,... then compare it to the ordinary sound.



This approximates(poorly) the sound your guitar will make when amplified, ... and you may be suprised at the lighter touch possible, which makes a distinct difference in how your style develops.



[A personal note: I play "free"-hand, all 10 fingers, no picks, and only accidental nails(kept short). I now usually play amplified(often through a headphone amp), and feel handicapped when playing acoustically, in that the dynamics are so reduced that expression is relatively limited. Playing "harder", i. e. heavier strings (medium vs. light), and attempting to make sufficient volume to be heard clearly, is a different game from playing with any finesse and delicacy (for me at least, the difference is pronounced). I played un-amplified for years, using both "cheap" and high-quality guitars( Martin D-45, Lowden, etc. . ), and often medium weight strings. So my fingers and strength were up to the task, but I now amplify all my guitars, at least optionally(with "portable" pick-ups or mics), and suggest you try both ways, before commiting too strongly to equipment. A small plug-into-the-guitar pocket-size headphone amp is a simple, convenient way to enjoy practicing expressive (rather than just loud) playing, without driving other nearby people nuts. These amps are relatively inexpensive (<$100) and some have a few effects (chorus/ reverb, for example).



You may also find (I have) with increasing ability, that having a "cutaway" will seem a necessity, as you begin to explore areas of the fretboard that you ignore at first, while you are still happy to hear yourself playing 3-chord tunes near the nut.



Another note about amplification - it makes possible a much broader tonal range from a single guitar, so that everything from the aforementioned "twang" to the mellow muted softness of a "comping" jazz guitar can be closely approximated, ... and of course, "effects" such as chorus, reverb, are fun to add at times.



The "action" (string adjustments, neck, etc. ,) of the guitar should vary with playing technique, also, ... so after a time, when you have chosen a stylistic direction, seek some advice or do some learning, and see that your set-up is suited to your style.



Just a sampling of the sorts of things that a serious player considers, ... but not all need concern a beginning player.



Seems you are set to have a good go at this guitar stuff. I'm sure your Larrivee is a nice guitar, and the inter-net is full of guitar info sites, song-sites (lyrics, notes, chords), and a wealth of discussion-forums.



Used book stores are a good place to find inexpensive popular music books and sheet music to practice with,... and of course, recordings of your favorite player/singers(You do have a better voice than me, I hope ? ;)



Also of importance is the fact that playing "unsupported" asks very different things from a guitarist than strumming an accompianment to a voice. ["Unsupported" as in playing melody(lead), harmony, embellishments, etc. , to creat a full-music experience all-by-yourself. In other words "Solo Guitar". ]



Do not confuse a "pretty" guitar with a pretty sound. Dollars spent on abalone and fancy inlays guarantee nothing about what the instrument will produce. And neither do "choice" woods . The odds are increased in your favor, of course, with the traditionally superior woods, but each guitar is an individual, just like a truck, and "lemons" and "gems" exist at all levels.



Close your eyes and open your ears, and you may have some different opinions about how pretty a given guitar is.



Keep this in mind when visiting pawn/second-hand shops, or garage sales. I have found treasures there, and have been disappointed at times with super-hyped "best" new instruments.



People have opinions based upon their individual experience, and I am no different. As to brands, there are many good names today,... but I will offer Taylor as being right in there with the best when bang-for-the-buck is the goal, as to sound, playability, etc. (This is a general statement,... the "individual guitar" comments definitely ALWAYS apply ;) You may, when you are my age, find yourself to have collected several guitars over the years. Most of the time I find myself picking up my Taylor 6 or 12 string, or an old-favorite Lowden 6 string. Having a "stable" adds a little variety, but is not at all necessary. You can only play one at a time, and mastering that one is more of a challenge than most of us ever meet. My several Martins are all history, but I recently tried a "Mini Martin" (Terz guitar) that absolutely astounded me. A beautifull big-guitar tone and amazing projection, from a girl-friend sized guitar. Not inexpensive, but unbelievable. Just might have to get her one!



If asked to select a single guitar for myself or a new player, I would suggest a grand auditorium or small-jumbo (jumbo shrimp?) model (smaller than a "dreadnaught", but generally better balanced sound, and more comfortable to hold) acoustic cutaway with a pick-up, in the $2000-3000 price range(new, actual selling price). [Be aware that soundhole pick-ups (ala Sunrise) can get in the way of a dynamic fingerpicker. ]



Then I would say something similar to what Christopher Parkening relates having been told by Segovia... "You must practice very hard, Christopher!" (Of course Segovia meant "insanely hard" by ordinary standards! ;)



As to "used" values, there are Blue Books for guitars, and many pawn shop operators have one in the back room. These can be a definite asset when trying to determine how good a "deal" you may find in a shop or backyard.



About style: Listening-to and "copying" the style of any one player tends to lead you towards copycat-dom. This can be rewarding and fun, as there are some darn good cats out there to copy. But if you are interested in playing YOUR way, rather than "like Merle travis" or someone, don't be afraid to explore some different paths to new sounds, after you get a grip on some basics. [I am an extreme induividualist, so this has been my approach. It is quite possible no one would WANT to, but I can say that no one else plays the way I do. I find some satisfaction in this "accomplishment". ] :)



As to players, I guarantee that there are many "greats" around that you have never heard-of. I would bet that of my top 10 favorites you wouldn't recognize 5 names. Take whatever opportunities you can to hear some of them live, ... check local venues for appearances, and see/experience different styles (technique AND music).



You will go home unsure as to whether you should practice more, or just smash your guitar. I feel this conflict every time! (Went to hear the "Acoustic Guitar Summit" a few weeks ago, ... yep,... EVERY time!)



Whew!



Probably more than you wanted to read.



This'll teach you to ask for tips.



Good luck!
 
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Wow, thanks wolfy, sounds like you have a wealth of experience. you are right in that i have felt like smashing that guitar at times, lol. that is a lot of info to take in, but i HIGHLY appreciate the input! i have a tendency to get mad when i don't learn it as quickly as i would like. somthing inside keeps telling me to pick it up and keep going. since i've taken an interest in playing, i have a new respect for those that can. :)
 
A path worth walking

since i've taken an interest in playing, i have a new respect for those that can. :)



Well said!



It is very tempting, when watching someone do something really well, to say

"Well sure, it's EASIER for them, because they have a "knack" for it. "



Too often the truth is that the knack they have is the knack for working HARDER than we are willing to.



The trouble with today's demand for instant gratification is that "easy" accomplishment is seldom either a real accomplishment OR gratifying.



Hang in there. As you have noted, a break now and then will find you with a hunger to get back to it when the time is right.



The long seemingly-slow journey from difficult to fun is worth the effort, and the time investment.



Do not occupy your mind wondering IF you can do it. Instead accept that as a given, and picture yourself DOING it. (Don't want to get too metaphysical on you, but as top performers in many fields are finally discovering, ... visualization WORKS! Using it most effectively is a whole 'nother course of study, for another place and time. )



I can well remember how hard it seemed, at first, to force my fingers into a full-barre "F" chord,... and putting several chords together with any facility was a challenge (never mind any fancy right-hand fingerwork).



Now I find myself looking at the clock after 4-5 hours of "lost-in-it" playing, reluctantly thinking "I really SHOULD get some sleep". I would love to see a music-notation transcription of what comes out of my hands when I am "hot", and things just flow. I would be bewildered by any attempt to put it down on paper myself(and intimidated if someone put it in front of me, and asked me to play it ;)



[ This is the place for another tip: Someone has said something to the effect that "I would rather hear ONE note played by (great guitarist of choice,... B. B. King, I believe, in the quote I read) than a hundred from the average player". The point is that more notes is a very poor substitute for more-expressive notes. Relatively-silent "space" is as necesssary for framing sound as empty canvas is in graphic design.



One tends to impress oneself as the ability grows to put "more" into the sound output, because in the beginning, one cannot do "enough"... . the playing sounds thin, incomplete, too-simple. But there comes a time when this ability is more than adequate. A "flood" of sound is possible. Then the discretion to selectively "delete" the superfluous, and thereby present the essence in the most expressive and/or beautiful way, is seen as the real challenge. (Here is another place where the dynamic range of an amplified guitar offers much)]



I will probably die still far from my guitar-playing goal, but this is one of the most rewarding things I have found in a life filled with varied interests. It is certainly one of the last (third only to basic health/fitness, and reading) that I would be willing to give up.



A Philosophical observation: The "poor" guy sitting on the back step of a shack (or the tailgate of a pickup ;) ), with a guitar in his hands (and heart) is really a rich man.



"What it's all about" is not acquisition, ... it's exploration.



I hope these comments have been in some way encouraging.



Sincere best wishes,
 
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thanks again for the inspiration Wolfy! i need to give my fingers a rest, they are pretty tender, lol. #ad


i am having fun and there is just something about it that makes me keep going... i like a good challenge and that is exactly what it is!
 
The only advice I have is play it loud and have fun. I ROYALLY SUCK but I still have fun. You'd be amazed at how many hymns sound AWESOME with the amp cranked way up and no one else around. I'll bet you didn't know Jesus loved distortion.

It might sound like crap, but it feels good.
 
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