Topic: My First Chords - A Guide For Beginners
Hey all!
I have finally come up with a Total Beginner Lesson. Anybody out there who wants to start playing chords can check out my lesson
- jerome.oneil
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Re: My First Chords - A Guide For Beginners
Your grip is weak. You have your thumb hanging over the neck, rather than on the back of it. Beginner lessons should demonstrate proper form at a minimum. For open chords, thumb on the back of the neck.
Someday we'll win this thing...
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Re: My First Chords - A Guide For Beginners
I'm really comfortable with playing it like this....
I wouldn't stay my grip is weak....or at least i didnt feel it for the past 4 years... i didn't start playing yesterday 
- cytania
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Re: My First Chords - A Guide For Beginners
Thumb up like that can serve a purpose, muting the low E string, what you have to watch out for is getting locked into it, which can really ache (it's one of my bad habits). Try barre chords, you'll have to get that thumb round the back to shift between barres quickly.
'The sound of the city seems to disappear'
- jerome.oneil
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Re: My First Chords - A Guide For Beginners
Then you have four years of a bad habit to overcome.
Best get started now.
Someday we'll win this thing...
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[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]
Re: My First Chords - A Guide For Beginners
dont think so...i have seen so many unusual styles u cant even think of...and according to my research..... there is nothing wrong with it as long as ur comfortable with it ...anyways..
lets all be cool...we all have our own styles
Peace
Re: My First Chords - A Guide For Beginners
Have to agree with Jerome here on this one. For a beginner, which your lessons are targeted to, you must establish solid, correct technique. While using the thumb to reach certain bass notes or to assist in string muting may be acceptable and practical for an experienced player it's a BIG no-no for a beginner. I teach guitar(and have 25 years playing) and I place great importance on thumb placement behind the neck. This is one the most important basic fundamentals a beginning guitarist should adopt. Nice gesture with your gift of lesson, a tiny bit of tweeking is needed though.
Peace and Guitars,
SouthPaw41L
Give everything but up.
Re: My First Chords - A Guide For Beginners
I just play the guitar. I hit the chords and hit the notes. But now there's a technique.
I pity the fool!
- jerome.oneil
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Re: My First Chords - A Guide For Beginners
umarboy wrote:
dont think so...i have seen so many unusual styles u cant even think of...and according to my research..... there is nothing wrong with it as long as ur comfortable with it ...anyways..
lets all be cool...we all have our own stylesPeace
Your style is "poor form." You should give beginning guitarists a better start than that.
We all have bad habits. The difference is that you seem to defend and wallow in yours.
Thumb on the back of the neck.
Someday we'll win this thing...
[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]
[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]
Re: My First Chords - A Guide For Beginners
Jeome, I was thinking about this when I was playing last night--my thumb is on the back of the neck, but it's not flat. I have a callous where it allways hits--it's like near the nuckle joint, toward the inside. Should I be more on the pad of my thumb?
Re: My First Chords - A Guide For Beginners
This is all getting a bit heavy.
I was put off playing guitar years ago because of strict technique.
My best guitar teacher taught me a few different ways to play barre chords and I'm pleased he did.
Enjoy playing the guitar. Don't make it a chore.
Re: My First Chords - A Guide For Beginners
It's actually quite basic, placing ones thumb on the back of the neck, halfway to 2/3rds of the way down (towards the ground) makes the reach more easily attainable and enables more psi(strength) to be profeciently applied to the fretboard, thus enabling the player to execute chords more effectively. Don't get intimidated or turned off by a suggestion to make life easier for you as a guitarist!! I'm smiling as I write this............
Peace and Guitars,
SouthPaw41L
Give everything but up.
Re: My First Chords - A Guide For Beginners
I used to play the same way as umarboy, until I started playing power chords. Then I found it easier to play with my thumb behind the neck, as it gives more leverage.
Since this is for begginers ( like me 
), I'd say it would be best to play it the "Standard" way.
Re: My First Chords - A Guide For Beginners
If I'm playing a song using a mixture of open and barre chords on my acoustic I use a short barre with my thumb fretting E & A and don't have any problem having all string ringing clearly.
If I'm playing a song using all barre chords I tend to use the full barre with thumb on the back of the neck. No problem.
Anything electric and distorted I use power chords. Easy
- Kahuna
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Re: My First Chords - A Guide For Beginners
In addition to barring, some chords (i.e. Jazz) require you to mute certain strings. This will be a bit difficult if your thumb is not behind the neck!