This guy here gives some basic blues riffs for the song "Before You Accuse Me". It's pretty good for basic riffs.
2 2007-07-31 04:30:18
Re: i need beginner songs please (12 replies, posted in Electric)
Gitafiddle's reply--
markdrago, try the Eagles "Horse With No Name" 2 chords Em and D add6add9. Don't let the last chord scare you off both chords require only 2 fingers to accomplish. Check out this web site for strumming patterns: http://www.guitarnoise.com/easy.php
Do you have an electric or an acoustic or both?
3 2007-03-17 10:55:45
Re: Help for a newbe (5 replies, posted in Electric)
Keep practicing!! That will help your fingers callous! That is probably the biggest reason people quit the guitar, because it hurts your fingers! I started playing again after a long layoff, I knew what to expect. I've been playing for about 2 months now, EVERYDAY! I have a nice set of callouses, but there is still some pain. Of course I play for about 2-3 hours sometimes! Try using aspirin internally and Witch Hazel for your finger tips to ease the pain a bit. I also use hand softener on them daily to keep the callouses pliable so they won't crack and bleed. Keep the nails trimmed and filed back, (not too close to the quick though) so they won't snag on the strings. Practice 1%, fun 99%, don't give up! I have an "Esteban" cutaway acoustic/electric, Epiphone "Les Paul" Junior Solid body, Squire (Fender)"Affinity" Series Telecaster Special Edition,(I prefer to play the Tele) and a Line 6 "Spider III" amp. The amp has four preset push button settings and echo, reverb, clean, and a Mp3 hook in, in a 15 watt package. Not a bad little practice amp for $100 new. Sorry I don't think I can help you too much on your settings. I use the clean setting with a slight echo to it. then I play with the guitar's tone to get the exact sound that I'm looking for. My guitar heroes, Clapton, Santana, Robert Cray, Chuck Berry, George Harrison, Keith Richards, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, Bo Diddley, and my cousin "Catfish Keith" (nominee for J.C. Handy Award for Mississippi Delta Blues slide guitar artist).
4 2007-03-17 10:26:35
Re: which is better. teaching yourself or getting a teacher? (43 replies, posted in Electric)
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Lessons may help you to correct the bad habits that you have developed. The most important thing to remember is to do the lesson practicing about 1% of the total time that your playing, and have fun for the other 99%! There are some online lessons that have helped me a little, but I may still look into some lessons. I'm afraid that I am not going to be a very good student because like you I'm self taught. I started with a beginner Mel Bay simple chord book when I was a teen. Now I'm retired and in my 50's, and have plenty of bad habits that will be mucho hard to break! I still enjoy playing the easy chord songs in Chordie. The chord diagrams are what I have used the most, learning from piano books that were chorded for guitar also. And now I'm using Chordie. I know that I'll never be a George Harrison or Eric Clapton, even with lessons! But, I'm having a ball!
5 2007-03-17 09:52:56
Re: The dreaded Bar chords (8 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)
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I'm a guy and I try to AVOID those full fret barre' chords. I had a hard enough time with a 2 string barre' "F" chord! I try looking for alternative ways of playing the same chords. Some of the 4 finger chords cause me problems also, because of arthritis, so I modify them to a 3 finger, trying to get the main chord elements. Chordie has PLENTY of songs which use the easy chords! Plus you can see alternate ways of playing the chords by ticking on the chord diagrams. I started playing when I was a teen. I have had some really terrible guitars, the first one I had was blessed with a warped neck! I gave up on that one! I didn't have another guitar until I was in my mid 20's, it was a 12 string acoustic-used. At least the neck was straight! I played it for a short period of time and gave it up after a year or so. Since retiring from a steel mill, I've just bought an "Estaban" cutaway acoustic/electric, a Epiphone solid body Les Paul Junior, and a Squire Special Edition Telecaster in "Blond" hooked into a "Spider III" Line 6--15 watt amp. I would highly recommend the Squire Tele. It plays like a dream. I'm in my 50's now and "middle age crazy"!! I do play and sing everyday. I do play each of these guitars everyday. When the wife goes to sleep I play the acoustic. When she's at work I crank up the volume and mike and have fun! That's what this is all about, right? <font size="2"></font> <font color="green"></font><font face="Century"></font>
6 2007-03-12 06:19:13
Re: I NEED SIMPLER ALTERNATIVE Bm and F CHORD (45 replies, posted in Acoustic)
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F chord is a real tuffy on an acoustic guitar for beginners. The only advice I can give you is make sure that your thumb is near the center of the neck of the guitar, which may give you a little more leverage. Also make sure that the neck of the guitar is not bowed downward so that the strings are too high off of the fret board. An electric guitar helps, the "action" on them is much shorter and will allow you to get your fingers callused up enough to switch back to your acoustic. Another idea is to use a "capo" up 2 or 3 frets and then practice the tough chords down farther down the neck where the strings are easier to press down on. The farther down from the "nut" the more pliable the strings become. Keep practicing them till you get a good clean sound from each and every string. Once you get the "feel" for F start moving the capo toward the nut and keep practicing . Keep practicing the chords that you have mastered too! Make smooth chord switches.