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Guitar chord forum - chordie → Electric → Just Got a New Electric
Hello, Just got a new electric and i'm excited, I have a question. I can read the tabs, easy. But my problem is forcing my fingers into the correct C cord and such notes; i never thought my fingers were pudgy until now. Any advice on finger exercises to stretch and relax my fingers. And if you want just explain beginner woos that you've learned from experienced.
Thanks a lot. Great Site.
-Joey
When you practise you're building up finger strength and speed. Some chords come easy, others, particularly those that need the little finger, are harder and take time.
I don't know any special exercises but I do know that as you practise you should watch out for getting tensed up. When I'm doing barres my hands go sorta clawlike. This is bad and I try to take time out loosen up a bit and play in a different style. So interchange the type of playing you do, strum open, fingerpick, strum barres, solo style etc. Not too much of any one for too long.
practicing scales, and learning them quickly will build up finger strength, as will any simple little licks, like the boogy woogy or something. I like to set aside a time every day (not usually very long, around 15-20 minutes, and you probly wouldn't need that long at first) to doing my scales ONLY, or (I alternate days usually) looking at a chord chart and starting at the beginning, make every chord I can untill I get to the end.... then of course you have to remember to have fun playing too. In fact the majority of time you spend playing oughta be playing songs you know, or just strumming around, kind of kick back and have a good time, its very relaxing.
The main thing is to keep on trying, the more you do it the easier it gets. Looking back now its almost funny that I used to complain that my fingers hurt after hitting something simple like a G, or a C, so hopefully one day I'll laugh at complaining about barre chords lol
Thanks for the incite; i have been working on the cords and moving one to the other. Like ive said i understand reading the tabs, but what is the strumming technique such as, down, up or down down up down. where do you get this information.
-Joey
Hey Joe! Isn't that a song? Welcome to Chordie, a home from home!
I'm still crap after 18 months or so and to be honest haven't got the patience to decipher tabs so you're ahead of me there!
Someone wrote in another thread that you should strum and sing at the same time, this gives you a feel for the rhythms of the song. Keep listening to the song and try to tune out all the other instruments and voices and work out from the pattern of strumming whether it's up or down. That's another valid method. The third is to do as you feel! I use a combination of all three.
Have fun!
Bonedaddy
strumming is something you almost just have to feel... I know that sounds wierd, but i dont know any other way to describe it. Its probly one of the hardest things to get the hang of.... try some simple downstrokes at 4/4 and waltz tempos, then try all upstrokes with the same, and then try some very basic up, down, up down strumming. Another one is bouncing, hit the bass note and downstroke, thump downstroke, thump downstroke etc.
Don't get discouraged, it WILL come eventually, it just takes time and effort. Don't try to push in too many strokes if you're not in rythym, its better to learn to do very basic slow strums that have correct timing and work up to more and faster strokes.
Listening to a CD and trying to match the song is another good way to catch on. Maybe you can't sound exactly like the person playing on the CD, but maybe you CAN play WITH them and not be out of the ryhthym.
Rebel, strumming is a special skill??? I play so long, but the last 2 years, I learned really how to play BUT I have a particular style, not following the "strum book", but it works fine.
well my style doesn't really fit the text book neither, I'm just trying to help him get started. And yes I would say playing ANY way is a skill, as in not everyone's gonna be great at it. HOWEVER, in spite of that, someone not musically inclined can learn technical playing skills, and a talented individual who does not practice faithfully will never reach thier potential.
Hi last rebel,I know exactly what you are saying about struming patterns.For some reason I just do it naturally.Alot of my friends ask me too show them but I cant ,so I just tell them too watch while I play. dino
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Electric → Just Got a New Electric
