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Jeez that all sounds great. Most of my family play in a Pipe Band so I'm the odd one out.
But hey, guitar and bagpipes? Let's go for it!
Don't think a full marching pipe band would fit in my kitchen though.

I couldn't agree more with all of these replies. You WILL need to get round to it sooner or later. Some would say the sooner the better.

However

There is nothing quite like being able to play one of your favourite songs. To pick up your guitar and hear something you love coming out of it at your own fingertips. A lot of beginners set a target of being able to play their most favourite song ever. If after a while they (I include myself here) are struggling badly to do this then the confidence goes and the interest starts to fade. If it helps to change the key of a song to find chords that are easier, then why not? It gives the confidence a boost and keeps the interest in the instrument alive. THEN you can move on and add new challenges as you grow.

While I agree that there is no substitute for practice and that it is a MUST, let's have some fun along the way.

Al V

Hi bruddah,

When you use a capo the fingering for the chords is exactly the same. As you move the capo up the neck each fret raises the pitch of the chord by a semi-tone. E.g. If you are fingering a G major chord and you have the capo on hte 1st fret then you are actually playing a G#. On the 2nd fret it would be an Amajor, and so it goes.  If you were fingering an Am with the capo on the 2nd fret then you are actually playing a Cm. Get the idea.

Use the transpose tool on chordie if you need to change the key of a song to find easier chord shapes or singing key. I find it much easier to work out where to place my capo if I transpose downwards and then you can move the capo up the same amount of semi-tones  as you transposed down. I hope that's understandable.

I prefer the strap on kind rather than the big clamp on ones but it's pretty much just personal preferance.

I found this chart which shows what happens to chords when using a capo. Hope it helps.

http://www.bigcitystring.com/capo.htm

It's also worth noting that as you read it from left to right these are not chords but individually picked notes. As you move from left to right you notice that each number is slightly after another. Place a bit of paper over it and move it left to right and you'll see what I mean. This gives you the order in which to play each note.

I hope that's easier to understand than it was to type.

All this talk of Clapton's Wonderful Tonight made me have a wee go at playing it. Good fun.
My wife popped her head round the door and asked if I was playing it for her. I looked down at my guitar and gave it a loving stroke and replied, "She's beautiful!". Needless to say the Mrs wasn't too chuffed.

Be careful!

<table border="0" align="center" width="90%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td class="SmallText"><b>badeye wrote on Fri, 20 April 2007 14&#58;47</b></td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
Alvee she's a beauty. Does she go to Kitchen Parties? .

Cool pic...Badeye.
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She's only been down to my mates house, so that I can show him the ropes. Good fun.

Thing is, in most of the houses I go to parties, there's already a guitar knocking about. Needless to say I do tend to get talked into a wee sing song.

But it's our house for the booz up and sing-a-long next.

OUT SHE COMES! In all her naked glory!!

Nice one,mhebert.

Some pubs do open mic nights on a regular basis. Find a local one and get down there.

I've not built up that confidence yet. Still a family and friends guy. <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_redface.gif" border=0 alt="Embarassed">

Go for it.

As far as I can make out, Dolly tunes her guitar to an open chord and then just moves her barred finger up and down.

Yes?, No?

Or she isn't playing it!!!!!

Shock Horror!

Up until very recently I had an old Fender acoustic. I'd had it for nearly 20 years and about three quarters of that time it sat in it's soft case(bag) getting ignored. I pulled it out about a year and a half ago and fell in love all over again. It still sounded great and after a string change, even better. I have taken no special care of this fine instrument, in fact I have abused it by ignoring it, and it still sounds great.

After receiving a new guitar for my 40th birthday, one of my mates bugged me so much that I gave it to him so that he can learn too. I hope he has as much enjoyment as me.

No. I don't think we need these things. The best thing about acoustic guitar is that you can take it anywhere. Why drag all that other stuff along too? No need.

Yeah, BigDJ, that's what I meant. Just you said it better. <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_redface.gif" border=0 alt="Embarassed">  <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_lol.gif" border=0 alt="Laughing">

I found that if my capo clamps the strings right onto the fretboard then it puts the whole thing out of tune. It raises the pitch just a fraction.

Just being picky.

I have the strap kind and find it works best when just tight enough to hold the strings without buzzing but not clamped right down.

Works for me. <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_confused.gif" border=0 alt="Confused">