The acousitc guitar is tough

[InfinityXXX]

Yeah. I tried playing it on the 25th and got so frustrated that I put it down but I picked it up Monday and practiced with it for about 6 hours, 2 of those hours were spent tuning to an automatic tuner.

My biggest problems are

1. Being comfortable with holding the guitar. I checked with multiple people and I am holding it the right way when I sit and when I stand but I'm REALLLY short.(measured myself a month ago, 5'3.....don't laugh) so the guitar is big on me......but if the singer/songwriter whos extremely small, Prince, can play the guitar, I know I can, I think I'll get use to it in time.

2. Manuevering the fingers around the fretboard. My fingers cramp really bad after playing songs as simple as....Mary had a little lamb http://pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_frown.gif. They say in time you'll gain stregnth in your fingers and I'm not really stressed out with that for I had a similar experience with my lips when I learned to play the Trumpet but its the CHORDS that really frustrate me.

It is impossible for me to put my first finger on the 3rd string first fret, third finger on the 4th string 2nd fret AND THEN the second finger on the 5th string second fret....that is just impossible, I can kind of do it, but I don't see how anyone can just pick up a guitar and WAM play a chord like that.

But I have a question, how often do you play chords in guitar music?

3. This is really minor.....putting my neck strap on the guitar. I don't know how to. I attached it to the bottom of the guitar but theres no other place to attach the next end on.
----------------
Yeah, those things are just bothering me. I know in time I'll get the hang of i but I'm just a little frustrated. I love the sound of the guitar , electric and acoustic, and I guess this is the only reason i haven't gave up and won't give up like many other beginners.

Its like learning the piano again but a bit tougher.
So far I can only play:

Percussion-snare/xylophone(I'm not really good at this mainly cuz its hard to dance and play but I'm good enoguh to not be out on Bass drum)
Trumpet
Piano
Tuba

After I master the guitar(who knows when that'll be) I'm gonna try the saxaphone.

[darthsaber9x9]

Acoustic guitar is much harder that electric guitar. And 2 hours tuning the thing? Is there an issue with the guitar or is it your technique? Tuning with a tuner shouldn't take more than 2 minutes.

If you're really short you may want to look into 3/4 sized guitars for a while until you've developed a bit then make the jump to full size. Luckily i'm 6'2" so I never had that problem.

Heh, chords...They're used in basically every song that's any good. Very few people can go WHAM and just play a new chord. Chords are al about finger memory, this is something that just develops naturally through playing and practise.

The strap on your guitar is probably going to be tied round the headstock. On most electric guitars there is a strab button on the top "horn" of the guitar (or behind the neck) but if you dont' have one here, try tying it round the headstock.

It's worth carrying on, remember that nobody STARTS good at guitar, you are simply experiencing common beginner issues. I recommend getting a dvd or book if you don't have one. Even better would be a teacher but I know from past experience that they are expensive.

Finally go to http://www.musicianforums.com and then the guitar section. You can ask lots of questions here and there are loads of helpful articles and links.

Finally, DON'T GIVE UP! If you've got any other questions then feel free to drop me a line.

(post not checked for typos btw)

[Allos]

It just takes practice...lots of practice. I've had an acoustic for about two/three years now and I'm just now getting comfortable with it. I find electrics are MUCH easier to play on because of the size perspective and the distance between the strings and the frets is much less, allowing less resistance.

But yeah, don't give up or get frustrated. It just takes time.

[Niki]

On 2005-12-27 05:11, InfinityXXX wrote:
Yeah. I tried playing it on the 25th and got so frustrated that I put it down but I picked it up Monday and practiced with it for about 6 hours, 2 of those hours were spent tuning to an automatic tuner.
Six hours is a long time. Your brain learns best in 60-100 minute stints with frequent, brief breaks. Also, you probably shouldn't need 2 hours for tuning. I would only use the automatic to tune the E string, the rest should take about a minute or two altogether when tuned by ear.


My biggest problems are

1. Being comfortable with holding the guitar. I checked with multiple people and I am holding it the right way when I sit and when I stand but I'm REALLLY short.(measured myself a month ago, 5'3.....don't laugh) so the guitar is big on me......but if the singer/songwriter whos extremely small, Prince, can play the guitar, I know I can, I think I'll get use to it in time.
As previously stated, the size of the instrument will play a factor. You are not very small, so don't be discouraged. i play Spanish classical guitar, and instruments tend run on the small side, which is quite comfortable for someone who's average sized.


2. Manuevering the fingers around the fretboard. My fingers cramp really bad after playing songs as simple as....Mary had a little lamb http://pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_frown.gif. They say in time you'll gain stregnth in your fingers and I'm not really stressed out with that for I had a similar experience with my lips when I learned to play the Trumpet but its the CHORDS that really frustrate me.

It is impossible for me to put my first finger on the 3rd string first fret, third finger on the 4th string 2nd fret AND THEN the second finger on the 5th string second fret....that is just impossible, I can kind of do it, but I don't see how anyone can just pick up a guitar and WAM play a chord like that.

But I have a question, how often do you play chords in guitar music?
Fingering is basically the challenge of guitar play until you reach the journeyman level. What everyone says is true; it takes a lot of practise. It's not impossible. Keep at it! Also, chords appear in pretty much all guitar music to some extent, moreso in folk and blues [which gave birth to rock].


3. This is really minor.....putting my neck strap on the guitar. I don't know how to. I attached it to the bottom of the guitar but theres no other place to attach the next end on.
This i cannot help with, as classical guitarists do not use straps! >< Keep practising and share your music!

[EphekZ]

They give you a strap but only electrics you need straps

ad just keep practicing

[InfinityXXX]

Thanks a lot everyone! Yesterday I played Mary had a little Lamb w/o messing up and I din't even cramp. I guess the more you play it the more you get use to where the strings are at.

Sometime around the end of the week I'll have a ride to the music store where I can buy a guitar book. I'm thinking of getting the Accent on Achievement books (I used it when i first started playing Trumpet) its a really good book and it comes with a cd.


Edit: Do you guys know any other good beginner guitar books?


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: InfinityXXX on 2005-12-28 07:18 ]</font>

[Dangerous55]

Get one of the finger tools with springs to work your fingers when your basically doing anything.

[Syl]

Personally, I hate acoustics. They're big, lumpy, and bronze strings suck... The only exception to this is the Ovation guitars, which are really top notch. Well, what you think as not messing up may seem to another musician like crap. It's true, happens to me all the time. I've been playing guitar for a year and a half now, and getting good.

I never learnt from books, never had anyone teach me, nothing. All independent practice, using only tablature to learn music. All the guitar techniques I had to figure out on my own. I'm more advanced than most people who have played as long as I have. Here's an example. I went to a local Sam Ash. I had been playing for 4-5 months. I start playing some stuff and people would stare (I hate crowds as I have stage fright...) Some guy was trying to show off, but he sucked. He asked me how long I had been playing and told him so. He was surprised cause he told me he had been playing for a year.

Point is, the material you learn will affect how fast you learn and how good you will be at learning.

Oh and about chords... it will be hard. ESPECIALLY on an acoustic. Those easy power chords (Ex. 1st fret on 6th string, 3rd fret on 5th string) are very common, and easy to play. They just take getting used to, but not much. Open chords and all those other kinds take some personalization. Always do what is comfortable for you, even if you have to use one finger for the same fret on different strings, such as 2nd fret on 2nd and 5th string. What types of chords depends all in the style of music you will be learning.

Also, I see you have problems with landing a difficult chord. I have that problem sometimes too, but only with ones that are unfamiliar to me. That will take much practice and effort.

With all things, give it time. You can NEVER master the guitar, as bad as it sounds, for the guitar has too many styles and you can't be perfect at everything. Even if you can, can you make music for all these styles and still make it work? Don't worry though, You can be a guitar virtuoso/pro/shredder, and that is a good enough title.

I never ever used a tuner and learned to tune by trial-by-error. It takes me maybe less than a minute to tune a guitar. It is easy to get the strings in tune with each other, but much harder to get them in a certain tuning (E, drop C, etc.). You'll learn little tricks to this.

As everyone has said, DON'T GIVE UP!!! No matter how bad it seems, just don't quit. You will become better if you just try. The harder you try, the faster you will learn.

BTW, what brand is the guitar? And what is the type of music you plan on learning? What bands? I'm just curious... http://pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_smile.gif

[Jehosaphaty]

On 2006-01-04 01:08, WatchThemFeed wrote:
I never ever used a tuner and learned to tune by trial-by-error.


If you never ever used a tuner then how would you know when the note was right? That is ridiculous plain and simple. The gift of knowing perfect tone is incredably rare, and even harder to learn. Never used a tuner? yeeeah.

[InfinityXXX]

Thanks WatchthemFeed. The brand of the guitar is "Burswood". I've been practicing and I've been making up stuff but nothing serious.(I still don't see how people sing and play the guitar. I can't even do this on the piano)


My friend got her first guitar for Christmas as well.(Electric) Shes having trouble as well, we've been practicing over each others house and trading picks.(I got all pink picks that came with my guitar and she got all black picks and I'm just not comfortable playing with a pink pick) but our Band teacher told us to come in one day and he'll teach us some tricks.

I listen to a lot of Funk and I listen to a lot of Prince and Santana. So I guess thats where my inspiration comes from. Another freind of mine is gonna give me his electric guitar over the weekend so now I'll be able to see the difference of playing acoustic and electric.

When I first started it was REALLY hard but day by day it gets a bit easier.(emphasis on a bit) And since I got a friend thats learning like me its starting to get fun.

But I have a question, what are some songs that I can get that have good guitar solos?

[Allos]

On 2006-01-04 15:43, InfinityXXX wrote:


But I have a question, what are some songs that I can get that have good guitar solos?



Trust me when I say that if you're still a beginner, don't even bother with solos. Your fingers won't be strong enough to do a lot of soloing techniques yet.

[InfinityXXX]

I'm not gonna attempt(like you said, my fingers will probably fall off lol) but I just want some to just listen to and to get ideas.


My band teacher taught me how to do two techniques. Slides(easy) and hammer on.(I'm kinda getting it). Yeah, I know its minor to yall but its new and big to me. He also had me play two chords(I dunno the names, he just showed me the fingerings of them) over and over and over and over and over again.(all of the hour practice was mostly taken up due to this)

[Syl]

On 2006-01-04 12:56, Jehosaphaty wrote:


On 2006-01-04 01:08, WatchThemFeed wrote:
I never ever used a tuner and learned to tune by trial-by-error.


If you never ever used a tuner then how would you know when the note was right? That is ridiculous plain and simple. The gift of knowing perfect tone is incredably rare, and even harder to learn. Never used a tuner? yeeeah.



Umm, have you ever heard of going by ear? DUH!!!! Well, In a way, that's like using a tuner, but chromatic tuners tell you when your flat or sharp. I had to guess around until I figured out how to do it just right. What I knew as wrong was when the sound vibrated, it meant it was out of tune. Took a loooong time to perfect. I can tune nearly perfect E, but perfect D and C. I just don't like standard tuning (E), it's no fun... You just get the tone implanted on your head and you can tell if you're flat or sharp. So maybe you should try and do that yourself... http://pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif OMFG, it's not even a rare skill. ANYONE CAN DO IT!!! Lots of guitarists do, just that most you probably see are those posers, who play only to be cool and can play shit even though they impress people who have no clue how hard the guitar is (most new bands, I point my fingers at ye!) Unless you stuck to the chromatic tuner, that's a differnent story.... You will learn...

Oh and btw, Jehosaphaty, do you even play guitar? It sounds to me like you don't if you didn't know that ear tuning is rather easy and not as rare as you make it sound... http://pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/eviltongue.gif

Well, Infinity, I've never heard of that brand of guitar, but about picks. I can't sing and play either, and I don't plan too lol. Ah, I remember the time I spent making up stuff too. It's normal. I did that for the first month, then decided to start learning songs. It takes time to find "your" pick. You'll have to try out tons before you find the right one. It took me a while to find one. Even then, my style changed as did the pick. I've only gone through 3 pick types. I found the Dunlop Big Stubbys 1.0m worked very well for me... but changed my mind to Jim Dunlop USA Heavy Picks (Red).

And I agree with Allos, dude, solos are not of your concern right now, specially stuff like Santana. That guy is crazy, you won't be able to do it. You just don't have the speed, accuracy, and strenght to
bust out like that yet. you will eventually, but it takes time. Consider it after a year, but it may be too soon even then. Just give it time man. It's good you are showing progress, just keep at it and you'll surprise yourself how well you can do. http://pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif

[darthsaber9x9]

On 2006-01-06 00:09, WatchThemFeed wrote:


On 2006-01-04 12:56, Jehosaphaty wrote:


On 2006-01-04 01:08, WatchThemFeed wrote:
I never ever used a tuner and learned to tune by trial-by-error.


If you never ever used a tuner then how would you know when the note was right? That is ridiculous plain and simple. The gift of knowing perfect tone is incredably rare, and even harder to learn. Never used a tuner? yeeeah.



Umm, have you ever heard of going by ear? DUH!!!! Well, In a way, that's like using a tuner, but chromatic tuners tell you when your flat or sharp. I had to guess around until I figured out how to do it just right. What I knew as wrong was when the sound vibrated, it meant it was out of tune. Took a loooong time to perfect. I can tune nearly perfect E, but perfect D and C. I just don't like standard tuning (E), it's no fun... You just get the tone implanted on your head and you can tell if you're flat or sharp. So maybe you should try and do that yourself... http://pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif OMFG, it's not even a rare skill. ANYONE CAN DO IT!!! Lots of guitarists do, just that most you probably see are those posers, who play only to be cool and can play shit even though they impress people who have no clue how hard the guitar is (most new bands, I point my fingers at ye!) Unless you stuck to the chromatic tuner, that's a differnent story.... You will learn...

Oh and btw, Jehosaphaty, do you even play guitar? It sounds to me like you don't if you didn't know that ear tuning is rather easy and not as rare as you make it sound... http://pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/eviltongue.gif

Well, Infinity, I've never heard of that brand of guitar, but about picks. I can't sing and play either, and I don't plan too lol. Ah, I remember the time I spent making up stuff too. It's normal. I did that for the first month, then decided to start learning songs. It takes time to find "your" pick. You'll have to try out tons before you find the right one. It took me a while to find one. Even then, my style changed as did the pick. I've only gone through 3 pick types. I found the Dunlop Big Stubbys 1.0m worked very well for me... but changed my mind to Jim Dunlop USA Heavy Picks (Red).

And I agree with Allos, dude, solos are not of your concern right now, specially stuff like Santana. That guy is crazy, you won't be able to do it. You just don't have the speed, accuracy, and strenght to
bust out like that yet. you will eventually, but it takes time. Consider it after a year, but it may be too soon even then. Just give it time man. It's good you are showing progress, just keep at it and you'll surprise yourself how well you can do. http://pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif



I'd be very suprised if you have NEVER used a tuner. It's not like there's any shame in it. If you could tune to correct pitch since day one then i'd be amazed. Unless you just tuned to whatever you liked and then made all the strings match eachother. That's easy to do and works well till you hit a band situation. Although then you can tune to other people so meh.

[Forte1224]

I'd stick to an electric, just because it sounds more awesome. And much for comfortable; not like there's someone trying to hump you. http://pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_frown.gif

Nowadays, most people rely on tabs. I use tabs. Tabs are AWESOMMME!!!!!!11!eleven!11

If anyone wants guitar pro 5 free... PM me. But you'll hab to persuade me to upload on YSI.

[Syl]

[/quote]

I'd be very suprised if you have NEVER used a tuner. It's not like there's any shame in it. If you could tune to correct pitch since day one then i'd be amazed. Unless you just tuned to whatever you liked and then made all the strings match eachother. That's easy to do and works well till you hit a band situation. Although then you can tune to other people so meh.

[/quote]

I never said I have been perfect since day one. Noooo. At first, it started out as the sring in tune thing, but within a month I got it down. I saw someone struggle with the damned tuners and deicded that I didn't want to go with that. Geez people, stop picking on me http://pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif

Electrics are funner! And yes, tabs are your friends. Too bad the damn people are trying to sue tab sites http://pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_frown.gif

[Jehosaphaty]

Umm, have you ever heard of going by ear? DUH!!!! Well, In a way, that's like using a tuner, but chromatic tuners tell you when your flat or sharp. I had to guess around until I figured out how to do it just right. What I knew as wrong was when the sound vibrated, it meant it was out of tune


brilliant. when it vibrated it meant it was out of tune. you realize that the strings have to vibrate to make sound dont you. lets assume that you did know that. so, you must mean that the pitch is wavering, not vibrating. if you had to guess around until it was right, then how could you have known that the pitch was right? intuition? chromatic tuners tell you exactly what the pitch of the note is. yes, experienced players and those with musical backgrounds can get the right pitch of a note without a tuner. i never said they couldnt. however, from the way you described it, it sounded like you had no clue as to what you were talking about.




Oh and btw, Jehosaphaty, do you even play guitar? It sounds to me like you don't if you didn't know that ear tuning is rather easy and not as rare as you make it sound... http://pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/eviltongue.gif


i do play the guitar (and i just might know how to tune it too), otherwise i wouldnt have opened my mouth. so before you go baiting troll, get your facts straight.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Jehosaphaty on 2006-01-07 08:21 ]</font>