Search options (Page 10 of 12)

Great job Sparky7!  Yes, there is no easy way to get good at barre chords except keep playing them!  Some have already posted here exercises one can do to help strenghten one's left hand.  Those spring grip exercisers are great tools to help make your grip stronger.  So, easier hold barre chords. 

Playing barre will open a whole new world of new songs a person can play!  It also helps you move into playing some licks and riffs. 

Kahuna

<table border="0" align="center" width="90%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td class="SmallText"><b>sparky7 wrote on Tue, 02 January 2007 22&#58;26</b></td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
Hi everyone! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I am a newbie and have played for about a year. Just now I have got my barre breakthrough, and I must say, it was WORTH all the pain. Now I find it "easier" to play more advanced chords that I hardly dared to try out earlier. Now I excersise on the Theme of New York New York and can play it "okey" Thanks to the barre (in my opinion).

So my humble advise, practise to you are bored to death and your hand and arm and everything is IN BIG PAIN

Newbie from Oslo,Norway
</td></tr></table>

Scrimmy,

You may also want to try some Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) stuff, like Proud Mary, Down on the Corner, and Who'll Stop the Rain!

Good Luck!

Kahuna

I agreed with RD!  When you change your strings, remove all six strings and discard them.  With no strings, you can then do some wipe down and check for loose frets.  You may also want to oil the fret boards, using an approved fretboard oiling kit! 

You can also check each of the tuning pegs for looseness and tighten them if necessary.  Don't forget to inspect the inside of the guitar too!  If yours is a electric-acoustic, check for loose pick-ups or wires. 

I also agree that strings are not too expensive, so replacing them every three to four months is a good idea.  If you are going this route, get the non-coated strings.  Coated strings may last a bit longer, but the  coating will eventually wear off. 

Good luck,

Kahuna

<table border="0" align="center" width="90%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td class="SmallText"><b>rdharris55 wrote on Fri, 08 December 2006 03&#58;37</b></td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
It's not rocket science...just make sure to leave enough slack to wind around the tuners a couple of wraps...a little too much is better than not enough.  The temptation is to change one string at a time, but with all of them off, it makes for a good time to give the guitar a good wipe down.  Once the strings are back on and reasonably tight, grab on to them and stretch them a bit...and then tune up...you'll have to tune a couple of times before the strings stretch out and the guitar stops bending and then you'll be all set.

Who knows why people leave their strings all curled out...possibly to make up for  under endowment???  I cut mine flush with the top of the tuners.

Good luck and marvel at the sweet sound of new strings.
</td></tr></table>

I would suggest some James Taylor's songs for fingerpicking.  For sliding, maybe a song by Bonnie Raitt?  She uses the slide a lot in her tunes.

I agree with Ken.  I too, have bought guitars on-line (Ebay).  And, unless the guitar is brand new, you really don't know what you're getting.  Luckily, my experiences have been positive. 

The perception of more expensive guitars are better guitars is not always true!  You can find a pretty decent guitar between $500 to $700, with good action and tone.  If you are just starting and practicing, this price range should serve you well.  However, if you are an inspiring musician/artist, having a more expensive guitar would be a good investment for your future recording sessions!

Look at Willie Nelson.  He still plays with his old acoustic, with an extra hole in it.  And, it still sounds good!

Brittany,

Here are the differences:

   
Elixir® Strings with ultra thin NANOWEB&#8482; coating&#8230;
    * Have the bright tone and punch of non-coated strings
    * Feel like traditional strings

   
Elixir® Strings with original POLYWEB® coating&#8230;
    * Have a balanced tone and smooth response
    * Feel comfortably smooth and reduce finger squeak

I found that the following are good at small gigs too:

- James Taylor

  - Mexico

  - Sweet Baby James

  - Carolina on My Mind

- Jimmy Buffet

  - Changes Latitude and Attitude

  - Cheeseburger in Paradise

  - Margaritaville

- Jim Croce

  - I Got a Name

  - Time in a Bottle

- Neil Diamond

  - Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon

  - Shilo

  - Forever in Bluejeans

- Neil Young

  - Old Man

  - Heart of Gold (best with a harmonica)

These are just some samples, but there are plenty more you can play.  Ken has a good list going! 

Kahuna

<table border="0" align="center" width="90%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td class="SmallText"><b>upyerkilt wrote on Sun, 29 October 2006 20&#58;45</b></td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
wish you were here

wild rover

behind blue eyes

brown eyed girl

angie

wild horses

sympathy for the devil

the times they are a changing

knocking on heavens door

one

working class hero

ballad of john and yoko

every rose has its thorn

fishermans blues

any oasis song

and rem song

any bobby dylan

Ken

</td></tr></table>

I like "The Time of Your Life" by Green Day!

Alvee,

Yes, I think you can do both!  There are a lot of professional players out there who really don't care where their thumb is on the neck.  Again, placing the thumb behind the neck is "good practice," but not mandatory to play well.  Some blues players even use the thumb to dead out the 6th string.  However, if you are going to play classical or flamingo, having the thumb behind the neck is a must! 

Thanks,

kahuna

<table border="0" align="center" width="90%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td class="SmallText"><b>alvee33 wrote on Mon, 16 October 2006 16&#58;20</b></td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
Getting back to the original topic, I guess I'm going to upset a few folk by saying - why can't you do both? Obviously not at the same time.

I guess I've been a "grabber" for too long but it does me no harm. When barring my thumb is slap bang in the middle of the neck but for most open chords I'm afraid I'm a "grabber".

Grabber and proud!
</td></tr></table>

Learning,

Yes, there are several ways to hold a G chord.  Although most players will tell you the best way to hold this chord similar to option A below, I like option B better. 

Option A

- 1st (index) finger, 5th string, 2nd fret

- 2nd (middle) finger, 6th string, 3rd fret

- 3rd (ring) finger, 1st string, 3rd fret

Option B

- 2nd (middle) finger, 5th string, 2nd fret

- 3rd (ring) finger, 6th string, 3rd fret

- 4th (pinky) finger, 1st string, 3rd fret

After playing with option A for many years, I found that  it was better for me to use option B.  I found using this option helped me in several ways:

1. Strenthen your pinky finger for more complex chords

2. Easier transition from G to C or Barre chords (ie. Bm, F#m, etc.)

However, the choice is yours.  Depending on your comfort level, you can try both ways and see which is better for you.  Let us know which one you decide.

Kahuna

Noise,

As a beginner, it's easy to develop the habit of "grabbing" the neck of a guitar, instead of lightly holding and placing your fingers on the frets!  Jerome said it well, that it's a good practice to place your thumb "behind" the neck.  This practice will give your fingers and hand a better range of motion when you move to barre, or more difficult chords. 

Most new players tend to support the guitar with the left hand.  Thus, forcing you to "grab" instead of "lightly hold."  If you often sit down when you play, try using a strap (even while sitting.)  The strap will help you by supporting most of the guitar's weight (which is most at the neck) and stabilizing the instument on your lap. 

Personally, I like to stand when I play.  So, using a strap is a must!  Give it a try and let us know your feedback.

Thanks,

Kahuna

Jace,

I do know how you feel, as I was in your shoes once!  Although you may have an abundance amount of materials, I would suggest that you put them aside and start learning your basics first!  There are a few basic things you will need to start building your foundation.  They are:

1. Learn Major Chords - These are A, E, D, C, F, and G. There are also some minor chords you can add later such as Dm, Em, Am.

2. Once you can finger each chord and hear them clearly when you strum, then you're ready to do progressions.  A progression is an ability to successfully change from one chord to another and back within a set.

3. Learn simple songs that contain progressions with no more than three or four major chords.  Learn these first, before you start thinking about Stairway to Heaven. 

4. Set aside at least 30 minutes each day to practice.  Practice does make perfect.  However, it's also good to take a break once in a while too.

Hope this helps, and good luck!

Kahuna

I'm sure others will provide more feedback, but try to keep things as simple and fun as possible.