beginner needs guidance

sean · #1 February 6th, 2004

Hi there first let me say that you have a great site with some inspirational pages . I have had my guitar for about 3 years now and have picked it up put it down in disgust so manny times i think i will never be able to play the damn thing . my question is where should i start i know some basic chords but thats about it i pick it up almost every day but never seem to know where to start . i know i should try harder but really dont know what i should practice .i have no idea about strumming patterns i am trying to learn finger picking but just seem to tie my fingers in knots

i have read your web site from start to finish and right now i am trying to work my way through the exercises i see here .

but i was just hoping maybe you or some of your members could put me on the right track

thanks for any help you guys can give me

all the best

sean

Kirk Lorange · #2 February 7th, 2004

Hi Sean.

I suggest you keep working on chords. Really get to recognize those shapes (major, minor), practice moving the shapes up and down the fretboard. Don't worry too much if you find them hard to get ringing, the main thing is to recognize the shapes and start to practice picking the notes of all those chords separately, with fingers or a pick -- it doesn't matter. Those chord tones are the basis of lead playing, and the quicker you can see chords as a bunch of MELODY notes, the quicker you'll be impressing yourself with nice lead breaks.

Try that for a while.

Crusher · #3 February 7th, 2004

I have only been playing for 6 months and what I found was practice helps build callouses (sp)? And finger stretches help too. Also pick out a few cool easy tunes in TAB and play man! I have Kansas; "Dust in the Wind" down pat in just a few weeks! When you feel that you can actually play something it keeps you going. You have to have fun doing it or it is not worth it.

http://www.guitartabs.cc/home.php

http://www.guitartabs.cc/home.php

http://www.tabcrawler.com/

l8ter, 8)

John

sean · #4 February 7th, 2004

thanks for the advice guys i will work on this

Susanne · #5 February 20th, 2004

Hi folks!
I just joined this forum and I read Sean's question(which I could have wrote myself) and the replies.

Great stuff. I am still reading through the site and printing off different articles/lessons to practice with. Can't wait to get to the point where I can play some songs.

I'll send my questions in a minute.....can't wait for some expert advise....
Thanks,
Susanne

joeski · #6 February 27th, 2004

Hi Susanne,

I'm new like you

Yesterday I stumbled across this piece of instruction and within about 15 minutes I was playing my first song (Horse With No Name by America). It consists of 2 chords. Give it a try!
http://www.guitarnoise.com/article.php?id=36

Joe

Susanne · #7 March 1st, 2004

Thanks Joe,

I will give that a try. I have been practicing chords and I'm making progress except I still have major trouble switching from chord to chord. Seems like my fingers aren't long and limber enough.

I'll let you know how I make out with the song (Horse with no name)

Susanne

Perverted Hermit · #8 April 25th, 2004

If you practice the basic open chords and movable chord forms (Power chords) you can play 99% of all songs ever written.

Changing between open chords may seem like an impossible task but it will come to those who try...the more you do it the better you will become.

hello · #9 June 26th, 2004

Why Having the Motivational Goals of Being a Great Guitarist Isn't Nearly Enough...
So much has been said about the importance of having Motivational Goals that many Guitarist have been lured into the false notion that having a goal naturally leads to the motivation to achieve it.

All the Guitar Books, Videos, DVDs, CD’s, Magazines, and Free On-line Lessons will not be of any use unless you set goals.

Motivational Goals

Ruben · #10 July 14th, 2004

Bar chords warrant a whole discussion all their own but One thing I think beginners don't hear often enough is the absolute need to beware and be aware of how much effort/tension/strength you are expending to play a clean note. Take to time to experiment with just how little pressure is needed to fret an individual note cleanly. Too often we try to strangle the neck of our guitars when all we may need is a light touch.

Rebecca · #11 July 23rd, 2004

Hello and thank goodness I was shown this site.....I am wondering how long it will take before I can actually do a barre chord and how often I should practice them. Aside from the fact that it sounds as though I am strangling a small animal (if I can get any sound out at all that is) I get to the point where I want to either throw my guitar or myself against the wall as hard as I can......the latter being my first choice because I really have a beautiful guitar.

I also find that I go through these periods where one week I feel very proud of what I have accomplished and the next week (or soon thereafter) I am disgusted because I seem to be making no progress at all.

I have been playing almost 3 months and play every night, with few exceptions, for at least an hour.

I am sure I have many other questions but will start here....thank you for any feedback....
best
Rebecca

kjgam1 · #12 July 24th, 2004

Rebbeca

I have really found what Reuben said to be true about Bar chords, in terms of pressure applied and tension. One day I was talking to a friend saying how much my thumb was sore on my fretting hand after playing Bar chords. He said that it shouldn't really hurt that much if you are using a good technique. I tried using far less thumb pressure and just really aiming for accuracy when placing my fingers on the notes of the chords, and also not to press too hard with my index finger. When I did it this way it actually sounded much better and my thumb didn't feel like it had been in a vice for an hour. I really was amazed at the difference.

In general I have found I no longer get frustrated because when I think about it, how could I possibly excpect to sound like someone who's been playing for as long as, for example, Kirk. Whether I sound good or bad in what I'm practicing I just get a feeling of satisfaction if I complete my practice session each day-I'm sure none of these ideas are new to you, but I find if people remind me of the obvious things now and then it does really help. If something I've tried sounds really awful and I come back in a week and it's better from having practiced then I'm happy, mostly because I just haven't given up. I always try to keep in mind that nothing is permanent and that when things are going really bad then they will get better and the other way around to so I'm not surprised when things aren't going so well and not thinking that just because I've got better at one thing I'll never have a problem again. I just think It's a long ride, so you may as well enjoy it. It is so worth it.

End of rave. Happy practicing all. Ken.

Rebecca · #13 July 31st, 2004

Ken...thank you very much for your insightful views of Barre chords. I don't consider your note a rant at all...what I found to be most helpful was the part about "it's a long ride...." might as well enjoy it.....it is truly a very long ride. This is not anything that you can have expectations for quick lovely results. I have been playing for three months now. My husband for over 20 years. I keep smacking myself because if I had learned when we first met I'd be great by now......better late than never I suppose.

Someone asked about finger pain in one of the posts and I just wanted to mention that I had that question too when I started and a month and a half after the fact. More recently I don't experience pain in the same way. I think it "hurts" any guitarist because skin in just not made to be cut into by steel and that is just that......but the pain lessens over time....now I find it to be somewhat of a pleasure when my fingertips hurt a bit......it means i had a good long practice.....and on that note (no pun intended) i'm off to practice....

best,
Rebecca