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<table border="0" align="center" width="90%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td class="SmallText"><b>mhebert wrote on Fri, 13 April 2007 15&#58;00</b></td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
Use your ears!. Listen to the song. Ask people you know and can sit and play with.

Try changing the way (style)the song is played. It fun to play say a heavy metal song with a country style.  <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_surprised.gif" border=0 alt="Surprised">
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It's also fun to listen to John Wheeler doing that for you ;o)

<table border="0" align="center" width="90%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td class="SmallText"><b>petermiss wrote on Wed, 04 April 2007 11&#58;21</b></td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
Hello!

I've been into the thougt "learn on an accoustic" too. Own both an accoustic and an electric, and im starting to shift a bit on that idea (for some of the stuff you try to learn). I use my accoustic 80-90% of the time and I still think thats the one that give me more finger strength and harder finger tips.

BUT I'm now struggling with the for ever discussed barred chords, and I must say that there is a point in learning the grips on the softer electric strings. Once I've learned the chord grips and shifts it's easy to take them to the accoustic.

This way is faster (and less frustrating) then strugling with them on the accoustic.

So my point is: Get your hand strength up (by playing or physical training) then you can play whatever guitar you like, you will be able to play an accoustic good (maybe with some sore fingers...)

/Missen
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My wife has an electric guitar. I find that the technique you mention worked well for me too.

She's right. Starting off every time with some simple scales excercises can help minimise such events though.

Strangely my neighbours haven't mentioned it.

<table border="0" align="center" width="90%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td class="SmallText"><b>mhebert wrote on Mon, 26 March 2007 03&#58;01</b></td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
One month is really not a long time so you should not be discouraged. I started playing 25 years ago and I can tell you that the only way to get better is PRACTICE! I started by learning  <b>House of the Rising Sun</b>. I drove my sisters crazy playing it over and over again. I would play for 4 - 5 hours a day and I still play at least 1-2 hours a day. It is a good song to learn early as the chord changes are smooth and help you learn about these all important chord changes. Don't give up, playing any instrument is an art and it takes work. The payoff is fantastic.... If it was easy everyone would be doing it! <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_confused.gif" border=0 alt="Confused">

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I agree it's a great song to learn as you can start off strumming it, which teaches you timing, chord changes and introduces you to F, then as you progress you can use it to perfect your finger style and ultimately improve the accuracy of your pick work as you play it closer to the Animals version.

They look good those picks. They're the type I was talking about but the ones I've seen are rubbery plastic.

When i was rtying to repair my nail I used a stick on acrylic nail. It worked OK but made the nail underneath worse every time it fell off as it took a bit of nail with it.

I've thought about the nail job route too. Gary, do you know the proprietary name of the treatment used on your nails?

Cheers,

D.

Cheers. I think I'll try those cylindrical prosthetic fingernail types. You're right though. It'd sure be good to learn to use my pinky.

I think you're probably right. i started out like that before I grew my nails and the big advantage of it is that it's consistent. You kind of get callouses too, which helps the sound, right? With nails you get a nice sound but when you break one your finger has to get used to the different string position to play with the pad.

I tried those banjo player type fingerpicks and they freaked me out. i reckon I should maybe try again. Have you seen those rubbery plastic ones that fit on the other way up and actually work like prosthetic nails? you use those and a regular thumb pick. I've seen them in a shop but of course I'd have to buy a set to see if I like them because it's going to take my hand a while to get used to the string position when I'm wearing them.

Anyone tried these picks?

<table border="0" align="center" width="90%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td class="SmallText"><b>SouthPaw41L wrote on Wed, 14 March 2007 16&#58;42</b></td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
I'll second what alvee says and add something that is often overlooked. Make sure you avoid prolonged hand exposure to water before playing.This softens your skin and makes it easier for the guitar strings to tear the fingertip tissue.
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Nick Drake refused to do the washing up apparently. Mind you so does Quentin Crisp as far as I know and he doesn't play anything.

<table border="0" align="center" width="90%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td class="SmallText"><b>Hendo wrote on Thu, 22 March 2007 11&#58;45</b></td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
Hey everyone,

I recall this thread from a while back.  The thing that stopped me dropping the pick was purely the way it was held. I read this online somewhere when I was learning the axe.

Bend your index finger under your thumb until the top segment of your finger is hidden by your thumb as though you were grabbing someones chubby cheeks.

This in efffect creates a loop.  The pick should now be able to sit between the underside of your thumb (ie the finger print bit)and the side of the top segment of your index finger.

Bloody hard to describe, I know.  The thing I found is that it was a bit like a golf grip, really unorthodox for a while but when your used to it, it feels natural.  The trick seems to be not to hold it as a 'pinch' whith the tips of your fingers....I just tried that then and it lasted about 3 strums.

Good thing is that it doesn't require much strength to hold on place, especially for thin picks, as the wide section of the pick it balanced so impact is spread across the entire pick width.

Hope this helps, if not, try summat else....

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That's exactly what worked for me. Aother advantage of this technique is that you don't keep breaking your thumbnail, as I did when I tried playing whilst pinching the pick. As I play fingerstyle about half the time (now I can use a pick without smashing my nails), this was a real bummer and meant that I had actually given up on using a pick at all for fear of sullying my carefully cultivated snot scrapers.

<img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_smile.gif" border=0 alt="Smile">

This reminds me of an old Yorkshire saying auch as a master craftsman would exclaim at an apprentice who had fallen short of the expected standard, in the hope of getting a laugh from the other master craftsmen in attendace: "I've taught thee everything I know, and still tha knows nowt!" [1]

[1]Translated for those who don't speak proper like wot I do, "...still you know nothing."

<img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_wink.gif" border=0 alt="Wink">

In that price range try a Yamaha or three. They have a sparkly sort of sound which you may or may not like. Either way it's distinctive and they are a lot of guitar for the money. Not all shops have them as there is a minimum amount of stock Yamaha make them carry.