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Guitar chord forum - chordie → Acoustic → New to playing
Well im (with a little help from friends) teaching myself to play acoustic. I need help with anything. So any advice would be helpself.
Im learning the chords, put help with struming patterns on rock and country songs, and any exercisees i can do to improve anything would be helpfull
Best advice I can give is summed up in a few lines.
1. Don't be too hard on yourself.
2. Keep it fun and keep it light, but do take it seriously. These are difficult skills you're undertaking and not to be entered into too lightly.
3. Practice every day. Not play every day - practice. There's a difference. Up front, it's hard to do when all you want to do is jamm.
4. Work the songs in early. Use songs you like, but don't try and sound like a whole band of professional musicians. Do easy arrangements, even if it's just one single down strum (on time) per beat. Just remember, every single guitarist you hear on the radio once picked up a guitar for the first time too. And I guarantee you that every single one of them had a hard time getting the "D" chord at first, and then later had to work their fingers to the bone to get barre chords and arpeggios to come out smooth. Every one of them. You'll be no exception. Don't let it bring you down. (I'm listening to Neil Young and couldn't resist)
5. If there's something you don't understand, come on back to Chordie and ask. But don't be surprised if you get 75 different answers and that they're all correct even if they say exactly opposite things. Music can be like that. It's why we call people "cats" and seem befuddled most of the time.
Congratulations on deciding to play guitar. Thank your friends for us too, because I'm already looking forward to when you're willing share advice with us and listening to your songs.
- Zurf
davidwd - I cannot top the advice given by Zurf, just wanted to welcome you to chordie!
Yep, excellent advise by Zurf. If you have small ass hands , that could be a problem, but change those to small hands and it can be done with lots of practice. 
Awesome website Zurf thanks will be there alot, well besides chordie
Welcome to Chrodie David! I've just been playing a few months, and I will tell you personally if you practice every day... for just 15 minutes... you'll be playing a bunch of songs in no time. They won't be "right" but you'll be able to hear the songs and be adding more that you are capable of. Don't give up in your first month, and before you know it you'll be wondering why you were so frustrated in the beginning! Zurf's advise is the best!
ty mekids
Welcome davidwd, you've come to the right place! Where are you from?
Waco texas, born and raised. its so funny learned to play notes only back when i was in sixth grade and quit to do other thing(think i had not been told i had adhd or something) but i have been getting an urge to start playing again a few years ago. on my 40th birthday, at my party mother - in law bought me a takamine jasmine, i nearly bald like a baby
just a quick question on each song it has the tab of the chords on the side of the page. when you click on each chord it shows varations of the chord, when it has a number beside it is that the fret you start the chord on
zurfs right on all fronts,nice to see you here on the site.
just a quick question on each song it has the tab of the chords on the side of the page. when you click on each chord it shows varations of the chord, when it has a number beside it is that the fret you start the chord on
Hi davidwd
Welcome to Chordie, Yes you would be right in thinking the number represents the fret you start on to form the Chord.
Good luck with your guitar journey.
ark
ty
To reiterate what everyone else has said; welcome. We are glad you are here. Like mekids, I have only been playing or a few months but I try to practice everyday although I tend to "try" to jam and sometimes I think I sound better than I really do. Basically I am driving my family crazy with my my practicing, but I figure they will get over it. Keep up your practicing and don't give up.
Actually Bigdaddy, they will never really get over it. The first big argument you have, will bring it to the surface. but, stick to your guns, bud. It's a wonderfull pastime and will bring you great pleasure the further you get. good luck.
well even though he is letting me borrow it, my uncle let me borrow his dean accoustic / electric and amp. its so goourgoues.
Hello everyone I'm new to chordie and still brand spanking new when it comes to playing guitar as well, but just need some advise please. I bought myself a good second hand 12 string Yamaha acoustic guitar but started out learning with only the 6 strings.
I now decided to try playing the full 12 strings, I simply can't get enough of the beautiful sound but am struggling to play all the chords. The ones I know that is lol.
Now my question, should I first play with 6 strings till I'm really comfortable and jamming or should I just keep on practicing with the 12
Thx hope you guys can advise me on this
leeshay, welcome to the forum! Having only been playing a few months, a 12 string sounds like a huge undertaking. I'd say stick with a 6 string for now... but... maybe the guys that have been doing this a while have other thoughts! Good luck!
leeshay - Two schools of thought. One is to ease into the water until you feel comfortable and then ease in a little more. The other is to cannonball in from the side. Neither is right. Neither is wrong.
I think it would be a bit of a challenge to learn chords and strumming on a twelve string, but on the other hand once you learn it on a twelve string you'll kick some serious patootie with six. It's all a matter of perspective.
My recommendation to you would be to decide what you want to do and how you want your music to sound and then go about learning that as best you can. Just like the ease in/cannonball decision. There is no right way. There is no wrong way. There's only results. Above all, have fun doing it.
- Zurf
A 12 string shouldn't any harder than a 6 as long as you have long enough fingers and they are strong enough to press 2 strings instead of 1 for each chord position. To each thier own and i wish you well with it.
I'll second the practice every day thing...
But play every day too!! Keep your guitar in arm's reach and play it constantly. During commercials, waiting on the coffee, to put yourself to sleep lol. Guitar's gotta become your third arm, your muscles and fingers are learning something new and they need some working out to get into the right shape. If you want to be good, it has to be a passion. The same goes for anything I guess.
Also, as you're just starting, experiment as much as you can. Try different picks, and try with your fingers and don't be afraid of mistakes. Let your strumming come naturally and comfortably. One mistake I always made was gripping the pick too tight and holding my arm too stiff, you've got to loosen up and let it flow.
Also, you can take breaks. The process of developing callouses requires healing as much as breaking (like when you're building muscles). If your fingers look like they've been frostbit and you feel like somebod sliced them with barbwire, you can stop for a while and let the throbbing stop.
When it comes down to practicing, keep trying new things. Go over old things and push yourself into new things. This may be as simple as a new chord, a new trick (learning how to bend or slide maybe), or even using some upstrokes in a song you already learned.
Last but not least, LISTEN to guitar music. And pay attention to it. Find some songs you like and focus on the guitar parts, you'd be surprised what you can take away from it when you drench yourself in the sound you're looking for.
Hope that helps some!
thanx for the replies guys,m much appreciated i guess at the end of the day i need to give myself more time to decide and i guess as i go along things will work itself out in a way, luckily i was raised to believe that anything is possible if you only believe in yourself.
but hey before i get to serious thx again and be sure i will keep you all updated on my progress.
I started playing a six string acoustic years ago. I got side tracked by a 12 string and then a bass. I do think I would have improved much more than I have, had I stuck to 6 strings for a lot longer to begin with.
Myself, I'd keep the 12 string but try and get hold of a nice 6 string as well. If your guitar is easy to play, you will learn a lot quicker.
christopaul thats my take on it as well to get myself a nice 6 string as well, but i think i will need your help on that one...
could u persuade the wife that thats the way to go??!!?
PLEASE
christopaul thats my take on it as well to get myself a nice 6 string as well, but i think i will need your help on that one...
could u persuade the wife that thats the way to go??!!?
PLEASE
ha ha! Somewhere on here is a thread just for that purpose... everyone commenting on how to get spousal approval for their purchases... it ain't easy!
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Acoustic → New to playing
