1,326

(17 replies, posted in Acoustic)

Hi all,

I think we need a sticky for beginner resources. Seems like the same questions and answers keep coming up about beginners learning to play.

We should put together a list of websites that we like to visit. Like everyone's favorite, Justinguitar.com.

What do the moderators think?



Keep Rockin!!!

1,327

(2 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)

Hi French!!!

Is the AC 90 a U.K. model only?







Keep rockin!!!!!!

1,328

(2 replies, posted in Acoustic)

WOW!!!!!!!!!!

Awesome catch Topdown, glad that U are one of our moderators!






Keep rockin!!!!!

1,329

(26 replies, posted in Acoustic)

Paul,

If u want something easily recognizable and easy to play try Free Fallin - Tom Petty.
Simple down strum once for each chord. Capo 3rd fret, play D G G D A. That's how I play it.
Check out this lesson, this dude is an awesome teacher.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_yWxo0Q … annel_page
I didn't pay attention to his timing and counting. I just do 1 downstrum per chord.

I scour youtube to find lessons to help me play. It has helped me lots!




Keep Rockin!!!!!!!

1,330

(10 replies, posted in Acoustic)

Hi Saucy,

Im a noob also. Only been playing 8 months or so. Everything Ive learned has been from youtube and Chordie.  I'm not good at all but I can play a few songs. Try and pick easy songs that you know really well.  One that comes to mind is Free Fallin' by Tom Petty. Really easy to learn. Easy to make it sound right too. As I said, youtube is the best thing I've found to help me. I can only learn by watching and imitating someone.

check these out, all on youtube

guitarsage
justinsanderco
Siggimertens
gally042
handsomealvin

As for the artistic freedom, it's up too you. But you sound like me, I want it to sound like I heard it. That's why I liked it in the first place so iIwant to play it that way. After you learn it well then add your own spin on it. At this point in my learning I am going back and adding stuff to the songs I know that I couldn't do a few months ago.

Practice practice practice. Sounds boring and tedious but that is the key. In just the past 2 days I have been able to switch to a barre F.  Been practicing that one for a while. The more you play the more things will fall into place.

Keep Rockin'

1,331

(173 replies, posted in Acoustic)

Hi Chordians,

I think mine was Stand By Me or Free Fallin'.

Easy peasy Japanesy. Sort of.


Keep Rockin!!!!!!!!!!

1,332

(13 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)

Hello all,

I am hoping to get a new guitar (acoustic elec) toward the end of the year. Few ?'s though.

New or used? Aren't used guitars "seasoned", sound better and play easier? Im leaning toward used because of cost. I can only afford $250 max. Even used guitars are frickin expensive.

How do I narrow down my choices? Obviously my price cuts down my choices alot. But what makes a Fender diferent from a Martin or Ibanez? I'm playing an Ibanez acoustic now.

Where to buy?

I want to do my research now so I can just make a purchse when I'm ready.

Last thing, how in the world do u guys have 3,4,8 or more guitars. I'm sure lots have picked them up over the years, but still. Looking at prices on some of these things, I would have to take out a loan for the high enders.


Keep Rockin!!!!!!!

1,333

(4 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)

Hi Shasta,

I have an OSP hard case and I love it. It's not one of those chipboard cases, I hate those. It's a hard plastic case lined w soft furry fabric. I got mine on ebay. If I ever get another guitar i'm getting another OSP for it.

Keep Rockin!!!!!!!!

1,334

(2 replies, posted in Acoustic)

Hi all!!!!!

Im a newb, so how do I know if what I'm playing sounds good? I notice alot of pick on string sound, not just the strings ringing out.

Another thing, my strumming hand seems to give out sometimes. I'll miss strums or palm mutes. Any advice on that?

Hope that makes sense.

Keep rockin!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1,335

(3 replies, posted in Song requests)

Thanks for the info Steve.

Im such a noob that I can't figure it out. I'm giving it up. I just need someone to give me the
D U's for the entire song. I think I figured out the intro but that's about it.  As for the solo, I watched the video 100 times and can't get it. I really want to learn this song, but I guess it'll have to wait til I'm a better player.

Thanks again!!!

Keep rockin'!!!!!!!!!!1

1,336

(3 replies, posted in Song requests)

Hi All,

I'm gonna revisit this song again. It is a very cool song and I have it pretty much down except for the solo. I can't figure out the strumming for it. Any help would be great!!!!!!!!

Check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkazf7znllQ
Solo starts @ 1:57

Keep on Rockin!!!!!!!!!!!

1,337

(9 replies, posted in Acoustic)

Thanks to all for the encouragement!!!!

Of the 10 songs I'm learning I can't play any of them all the way thru without mistakes. That's what gets me. I still plonk my D chord quite a bit which blows my mind! Nothing comes out consistent. One day a song sounds good, the next day I'm learning it for the first time again.

I have to have variety cuz it would drive me insane if I worked on only 1. I didnt't just start out with 10, I've gradually added ones I thought were easier than what I had. All my songs are really ez. Total I'm only playing 6 or 8 different chords. So I'm getting lots and lots of repetition.

So I sit down with my 10 pages and start with the first 1. Which is Stand By Me by the way. This is the 1st song I learned and still play it every practice session. I play that at least 2 times thru. If it sounds good I move on, if it sounds bad I'll struggle maybe 2 more time thru. So on for the other 9 songs.

I don't try to copy the original. I find one that I think sounds good and looks ez to play and use it to learn off of. Youtube is an amazing educational tool for me as is Chordie.

As for making a song my own, I can't play a whole song thru so I'm not at a level where I can puposely make something sound different. I know it takes practice practice practice. At this point I don't care about progressing, I just want to be consistent.


Keep Rockin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!~

1,338

(9 replies, posted in Acoustic)

Hello fellow strummers!!!

I'm a newbie of less than a year, so I know that most days I play are going to be on the not so good end of the scale. But I have very few good days. I mean days where I come away thinking I played well. I try to play 30 to 60 mins a day. By playing, I really mean practicing the 10 or so songs I'm learning. Most days are OK, lots of mistakes, just another session I was able to make it thru. Some days are just bad, very discouraging and makes me think that I should hang it up. Just wanted to know from those who have been playing longer than me what your % of good to bad is.

Good = 5%
Ok = 70%
Bad = 25%
Just a rough guesstimation

Keep rockin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1,339

(3 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)

Hi all,

I actually got 2 wooden picks for free. (www.fidispicks.com) I don't use them hardly at all. Once in a blue moon I'll pull one out. They are like using a really thick plastic pick. There is no give to them at all. They do have a different sound though. I am a newbie so I find them to be difficult to play with.



Keep rockin'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1,340

(2 replies, posted in Acoustic)

I forgot about him. I am currently getting his free lessons. Problem is there isn't anything I want to learn. But yes he keeps it really simple.



Keep Rockin'!!!!!

1,341

(2 replies, posted in Acoustic)

Hello fellow strummers,

While reading the posts here, I come across alot that suggest sites to help newbs like me.
Well I thought I'd start a list. Imitation is the easiest way for me to learn.

Here we go:

On youtube --
                  Siggi Mertens
                  Yourguitarsage
                  Justin Sandercoe


websites --
              Yourguitarsage.com (not much info on the actual site, youtube vids r great)
              Justinguitar.com
              grouptherapy.guernsey.net (I did the free lesson thing, if I could afford it I                                                      I would totally pay for his lessons)


These guys are how I have been learning. If yo have any to add, feel free.

Keep Rockin'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

1,342

(5 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)

Thanks Pix.

A video would be worth a look. That sounds about right, maybe I'm hitting them too hard. But one problem leads to another. If I relax my hand, which I don't really think is tense, then I don't mute very well. I have a little trouble muting the high e. I have to focus on that to mute all the strings and make it sound good. Another post I had talked about chipping the inside edge of the sound hole. That happens when I mute. I have to make sure that I mute that last string so my pick hits the edge of the sound hole. Not all the time but enough to show chips. Maybe that's the roll you're talking about. Anyway a vid would be great.

Another thing, my D family of chords sound off or out of place when switching from maybe a G. It just sounds like such an abrupt stop and start of those 4 strings. DDUUD Em to G sounds good. Strings ring thru and sounds consistent. Same strum G to D sounds chopped. Hope that makes sense. D to A sounds abrupt also. Any tips would be great.

Btw, my new D'addario strings do sound softer than the old ones. But I don't know if I like them. The old ones were factory installed. As long as they work I guess. 

Thanks again.

Keep Rockin'!!!!!!!!!

1,343

(5 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)

Thanks for the info Pix. You are a wealth of knowledge. As far as holding the guitar, I don't lean it back to see the fret board. I try not to look at my fretting fingers. I do hunch a little because at times I notice my right side cramping up. Thanks for the advice though.

The problem with the highs is on my upstrokes. Mainly D, D7, F chords. The B and E strings ring out loud on the upstrokes.  Really, it's the upstroke after a palm mute is when it happens. Are there any tips I should try to maybe correct this?

Thanks


Keep Rockin!!!!!

1,344

(5 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)

Hi all,

I'm a newbie so bear with me. I am wanting a new set of strings for my acoustic. The high strings are too high. By too high I mean that when I'm playing they really ring out. I don't really care for that sound. I figure a thincker gauge wouldn't be as bad. I don't know what gauges I have. But I was thinking of getting a set of D'addario EJ16 (12 - 53).


Thanks

Keep Rockin'!!!!!

1,345

(2 replies, posted in Acoustic)

hi kohracha,

In the second video hes is strumming DDUUDU.

See if that works for ya.

Keep rockin!!

1,346

(16 replies, posted in Acoustic)

Awesome idea Wlbaye,

This should be very helpful to us beginners. What I really need (I'm sure I'm not the only one) is strumming patterns for each song I want to learn. I can't listen to a song and get what I need out of it. It gets very discouraging trying to do that. Your video is what I need for each song. I spend alot of time on youtube looking for lessons.

Anyway thanks for thinking of us noobs.

Keep Rockin'!!!!!!!!!!!11

1,347

(10 replies, posted in Acoustic)

Hi all,

I posted about this topic before. We need the strum patterns for each song. Lots have been saying to listen  to the song and feel the beat. I for one can't do that. It's hard enough trying to learn to play. The process would be 10 times slower if I had to figure out the strum pattern also. There are lots of songs I would like to play right now but can't because I don't know the strum pattern. Youtube has alot of lessons and I try to make sense of them.

A greta site is http://www.guitar.gg The way he teaches is the way I need to be taught. I did the free lesson thing and he is awesome.
www.justinguitar.com is awesome too.

FYI-----

Mad World - Tears for Fears - DDUUD
Stand By Me - Ben E. King - DDUUDU
Last Kiss - Pearl Jam - D Scratch U U Scratch U
Brown eyed Girl - Van Morrisson - Same
Have You Ever Seen the Rain - CCR - DU Scratch U
Angels  - Robbie Williams - DDUDU

Its way easier if you hear it played with it's particular pattern.
Thesr are the songs I can play or am working on.

Thanks for letting me rant.

Keep Rockin!!!!!!!!!!1

1,348

(5 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)

Thanks for the replies,

I sometimes hit it with a pick. I do alot of palm muting while strumming. I think the pick slips between the e string and the edge of the hole when I mute and so I hit the edge. I dont't strum hard at all. Somehow I'm hitting it.

The rubber edging sounds easy enough. I was maybe thininking of using a small piece of guitar binding and gluing it to the edge of the sound hole. Still looking at options though.

Thanks again!!

Keep playing!!!!

1,349

(1 replies, posted in Acoustic)

Hi all,

Could someone figure this out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXvrAam4vyI
In the video around 5:26, he says it's a D chord. It looks like 020033 or 200033. I can't find a D on a chord chart with that fingering.

Thanks


keep playing!!

1,350

(5 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)

Hello all,

I play an acoustic and have chips on the edge of the sound hole from hitting it. Is there any type of guard that can be put around the hole to protect it?

Thanks in advance

Keep playing!!