Playing Guitar

DollarBill

Post about your musical accomplishments and aspirations. Don't make this a weird gear-queer thing.

I do acoustic fingerpicking, but I've had to put it down for a bit as I've had some hand pain. It's a shame, because I was just getting into playing and singing simultaneously for the first time. Anyone worked through this?

Gigachad

francy57 Don't get electric till you've got your finger calluses. Electric strings are much softer and if you already have your calluses you will be able to play all day. If you want a bluesier/deeper tone use heavier strings. Stevie ray Vaughn played .12 or .13. They will be as hard as acoustic strings to bend but the sound is great. Light gauge strings give the high end a boost. What are you looking at learning? I've been off and on playing for 15+ years now (over half my life and I'm still not great, don't stop playing). If you have questions let me know. I've probably dealt with it at some point. Stick with your lessons. I took them for like 8 months and learned to read tab and it was on my own from there. Do you know how to read tab?

DollarBill It's a shame, because I was just getting into playing and singing simultaneously for the first time

I hate how easy people make this look. I could sing a few songs but it was always very difficult. The best one I could do was "Stuck in the middle with you" by Stealers Wheel. Could sing Everlong too. That one was fun.

husk

I hope your hand pain subsides. I have no advice for overcoming it. How did you get into finger picking?

I never thought I'd be able to play guitar due to having short fingers, but two years ago I forced myself to keep trying to learn a I-V-vi-IV chord progression and since then I've managed to keep going.

cammy

This video made me switch from acoustic to electric guitar.

If you like it I recommend you download it, it gets taken down for copyright often.

francy57

recently I ve started 2play the classic guitar (im looking 4an electric when I'll be decent\good), actually I'm taking lessons : \
any advices?

Basile

francy57 what do you need advices on ?

If your goal is electric guitar I'd advice using a folk guitar instead because the neck is more similar to an electric guitar. And practicing pick instead of fingers. But of course lessons on a classical guitar cannot hurt, you'll learn the left hand well.

francy57

Basile
i dunno like super general advices, btw im actually practicing on a pick instead of fingers

Gigachad
thanks 4 the advices fren, i know how to read simple tabs (like with numbers im a beginner) but i practice on switching chords (i know only a bunch of them) and follow the rythm, btw im looking for rock\metal music :^)
if i have questions, i'll ask to you ^ o ^

Basile

francy57 as a general advice I guess the most important thing as a beginner is to know by heart the basics chord positions which are:

for the 6th cord: E, Em, G
for the 5th string: A, Am, C
for the 4th string: D, Dm

Then understand that the name of the chord is the name of the note on the lowest string that you play. For example if I put a capo on the 1st fret and I play the A position, I get A#.

With that you can already play a bunch of things, and almost everything by changing just one note to theses positions.

I was taught by a state of the art classic teacher and he didn't tell me that at the beginning cause it's not required to learn classical, but that's the easiest way to play songs by ear.

Gigachad

Basile Throw C in there and you're set for most all music. B is hardly used. Mad Caddies "Rollin Away" uses B in a great way though. Odd it's not used more.

francy57

Basile
oh ok thank u fren, so theorically i can play a lot of notes just with one finger and one cord doing really simple things? (so if i play E on the 5th i obtain an A?)

Basile

Gigachad C is already in there ! B is just A shifted up by one fret. Of course you need to learn how to bar. Not sure what you mean by "not used anymore", it probably mainly depends on the genre.

I actually don't really see songs as chords anyway, but more like a succesion of intervals since I always transpose in the easiest key to sing with for my voice.

Gigachad

Basile Time to come clean I guess. I can read music but barely. Only learn through tabs. I know the basic chords. Pretty sure most are open(?) chords? And B is the only one i know has to be barred. I tried to study music theory yeara ago. I remember some. Like I understand the 1-4-5 idea but to apply it is something else. I can not write my own music. I just play others. I also know like 3 scales but not how to move them up and down the board. I understand that tablature but am not about to bother memorizing all that.

And by B not being used I mean I only know that one song where it is used. I've never come across another song using the B chord.

Gigachad

francy57 check out the major and minor chromatic scales. Done on one string. Throw an open pedal note between them to get a thunderstruck type thing going.

Basile

francy57
I didn't understand what you said but yes E on the 5th fret is A. See this.

These are all the chords positions I'm talking about (minus F which is shown in a sub optimal position here). The E chord is called E because the note you play on the lowest string is E. But, if you put a capo on 5th fret (or bar), and play this position, you'll get an A, since the note on the lowest string will be A. You can verify it: put the capo on the 5th fret and play the E position there. Then, remove the capo and play A as open chord. You will hear the same notes. Is it clear ?

Gigachad
I actually suck at music theory myself, I hated it so much I skipped all my classes. It was so damn boring, we would spend all our time doing notes and rhythm dictations, and sing the most boring notes and rhythms. But... I still managed to pass the exams on the +10 years of classes so I know the basics for sure lol. But I don't know much about electric guitar and shredding with a pick, and also it was a long time ago so my advices might be too advanced or not clear enough. Also, despite being able to play and sing I cannot compose music for some reason. I just cannot come up with anything original. For memorizing tablatures, I recommend memorizing the chords of the melody and not just the notes, that is way easier.

friffri

I'm also a beginner, started ~5 months ago with JustinGuitar's online lessons, reached halfway grade 2 and then started slacking off with the lessons and instead started playing random stuff.
I can play the open chords and even a few bars, although I think I'm doing them wrong because it hurts my hand after a bit.

I learnt a few songs so far but they are a bit boring to listen to since I can't sing(it really is hard!) and I was doing the same strumming pattern all song.

Right now I'm trying to learn to play "All Along the Watchtower"(the Bob Dylan version). Just 3 simple chords, so I can focus on getting better at changing the pattern, messing a bit with the strings while playing, maybe even sing a little.
Most youtube tutorials are a bit disappointing on this front, they tell you the chords&pattern and you're on your own.

Basile

friffri
Don't worry, with practice the chords and strum pattern is all you will need. Singing at the same time is like biking: very challenging at first but it clicks at some point and you stop thinking about it. I recommend playing the chords loop while reciting the words of the first verse and chorus in your head, then saying them without singing, and trying to sing from there. Don't rush, the process for one song can take some weeks and it is assuming you can play the chord loop with ease.

francy57

Basile
ya now i understand, thanks > ° <

Gigachad

Basile despite being able to play and sing I cannot compose music for some reason. I just cannot come up with anything original.

Are you me?

It's been almost 2 months. Anyone learn anything new? I havnt. 🙁

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