Cool.
5,402 2009-06-23 16:10:04
Re: WHERE THERES A WILL THERES A WAY (17 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
Slick tinkering!
5,403 2009-06-22 21:13:38
Re: Made my Mom cry (17 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
My mom was always my biggest fan. I wish she had lived long enough to hear me play guitar or in the praise band I was in for a few years. But she heard me many other times in orchestras and when I was at the playhouse for a season.
I played and had fun with my sister and brother-in-law at Christmas time. No one said anything, and since my brother-in-law is a professional singer/songwriter and pianist I had a real hard time keeping up (and frequently didn't). A month or so later my Dad called and said, "Son, I just wanted to tell you that I think the music you were playing at Christmas was great. I really enjoyed hearing it." That felt good.
My father-in-law and I were close. He was in very poor health last April for his 70th birthday. I learned a country gospel song a friend wrote. I thought he'd enjoy hearing a new gospel song he'd never heard. I also learned John McCutcheon's "Dad's Got That Look." Guess which one he asked to hear over again about three times that evening? Every time I got to the line "uh, go ask your mother" in the verse about homework he laughed out loud. A relief. Worth the risk for Dad's sake. He's the man whose last words were "I'll be fine", knowing with full faith those were his final moments AND exactly where he'd be minutes from then, and for whom I've started to write a song by that title to honor him. The song sucks. My father-in-law didn't.
- Zurf
5,404 2009-06-22 18:49:47
Re: UNBELIEVABLE VERDICT (15 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
Copying for personal use is legal under U.S. copyright laws. Not sure about UK. But what you described is perfectly acceptable here.
Copying for distribution is not unless there is permission to do it. It doesn't matter whether the distribution is free or for a cost.
My sister's just now got a situation where someone who had permission to display her work on the internet (it is for sale, and is a low-res demo of her art) had the stuff copied and someone used that copy in their own for-profit site without permission. Now, the use to which it was put may have been fine with my sister if they had asked, but they didn't. So now it's a situation.
- Zurf
5,405 2009-06-22 14:38:59
Re: WHAT WAS THE FIRST SONG YOU LOVED? (17 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
I can't remember. They were all about the same time in my age addled mind. Intro to Angry Young Man by Billy Joel, Feels So Good by Chuck Mangione, and the theme song to the TV show Baa, Baa Black Sheep. Probably Feels So Good was the first.
- Zurf
5,406 2009-06-22 10:46:25
Re: CURIOUS (10 replies, posted in Acoustic)
Dorian mode. Play your scales in dorian mode and you'll hear it.
- Zurf
5,407 2009-06-21 15:05:01
Re: WOOHOO!!! What an AWESOME Friday!!!!! (12 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
It's cool to see you so excited. I'm eager to hear the results.
- Zurf
5,408 2009-06-20 11:31:00
Re: Your Guitar's Name? (17 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
I've only ever had one named guitar, and it was my first electric bass. When I bought it, someone had already named it. It was all black, but had lightning bolts painted on the body in the front. One the back, the name "Whizbang" was painted with lightning bolts above and below. Whizbang has long since been sacrificed for parts, but I did like the name.
- Zurf
5,409 2009-06-20 11:27:35
Re: WOOHOO!!! What an AWESOME Friday!!!!! (12 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
Excellent. Getting and playing with new equipment is a blast.
In a similar vein, I broke in a couple fly rods yesterday.
- Zurf
5,410 2009-06-18 18:49:36
Re: 12-string or not (35 replies, posted in Acoustic)
I know a fat-fingered fellow who bought a twelve string with the intention of using it with six strings so that he could have more space than a folk guitar, but not so wide and flat of a neck as a classical. I guess it worked OK for him.
- Zurf
5,411 2009-06-18 17:29:08
Re: 12-string or not (35 replies, posted in Acoustic)
Alvee - I played a friends 11 string (the second high e busted) on a camping trip and it was fun. I fluffed all the songs I played on it too, for a little while. What I like about the 12 string is that they sound good with light strumming. I beat on guitars really hard, and doing some light strumming like you get with a 12 string would be good for me.
- Zurf
5,412 2009-06-18 16:03:54
Re: 12-string or not (35 replies, posted in Acoustic)
DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT (ad infinitum)
As far as which to get, get the one that feels better in your hands. At five months along, you're probably pretty comfortable with a few chords, and probably know which ones are stretches for you. Play the comfort chords AND the stretch chords on each guitar and see which one fits your hands, the playing style you have, and the sound you like (of course sound can be adjusted some with string changes).
Did I mention to do it?
I should listen to my own advice. There's a 12 string in my local shop calling my name. I drive by on the way home every day and it calls to me (Zurf... Zurf... Come in here. You're wife will only be angry a little while... Come and get me... Think how "Peace Train" would sound when you play it on me... Hello, Zurf...)
- Zurf
5,413 2009-06-18 10:46:00
Re: Few Questions (5 replies, posted in Acoustic)
Take it to a reputable shop. The sound may just be strings against a fret, in which case you need to practice your chords. No problem, we all went through that. I thought I'd never get a D chord at speed, and now it's one of my "go to" shapes. I don't know when that happened. It just did because I kept at it.
Or it may be something got knocked loose or dropped inside in one of your moves.
Don't try to fix a tuner or a tuning peg by yourself until you're more familiar with the instrument or unless you are real handy with tools. Take it to a shop. They know what to do with a Silvertone. Lots of folks out there with them. It won't cost you much and it'll be worth your while.
- Zurf
5,414 2009-06-18 10:39:29
Re: The song I'm working on... (4 replies, posted in Acoustic)
Yes. What Cytania said. I'm not sure exactly what your strumming issues are, however many people's strumming issues result from one of two things. First, they can't get the chord change fast enough and have to break the rhythm to get to the chord. The solution for that is to do the chord changes without strumming. Sit down with your guitar in playing position. Put your hand into the shape of the letter c, gently rest the thumb onto the center of the back without changing the shape of your hand. Then when you decide go to the first chord. Strum it once. Get a good clean sound. If you've got some "mud" in there, get your fingers to the right place. When you've got a good clean chord, then go to the second one. Take as long as you need to get to the chords and get a good clean sound. That's it. Stop. Just practice that one chord transition at a time. For Am F C G, do this with Am to F. Do it about 100 times. Then do F to C. Do that about 100 times. Then do C to G. Do that about 100 times. Don't try putting any rhythm in yet. You're just trying to teach your fingers the chord shapes and how to get from one to the next. You are not trying to play a song yet. You are learning muscle memory for getting to the chords you need. After a few nights or a few weeks, all depending on how long it takes your fingers to get used to it, you'll be able to do all four chords one after the other.
When you can get a good clean sounding chord most of the time, then get a metronome. You thought I was going to say to play the song didn't you? Nope. You need a metronome. Because the second "strumming problem" many people have is that they don't understand rhythm. Note that I didn't say they don't HAVE rhythm, I said they don't understand it. You have rhythm. If you can say the Pledge of Allegiance or the ABCs song or say a phone number the same way other people do, you've got rhythm. Now you just need to understand it so you can apply it elsewhere. That's what the metronome is for. Assuming that you're doing western style music as opposed to Japanese drum or Indian chant, the songs you'll be learning will be based on a repeating pattern of beats. The most common are 4/4 time and 3/4 time. Don't worry about what those mean, but understand what they sound like. 4/4 time usually has an emphasis on ONE and THree. The emphasis on ONE is stronger. So it's ONE two THRee four, ONE two THRee four. 3/4 has an emphasis on one and is also called waltz time because it's what waltzes are written in. ONE two three, ONE two three. If you don't know when to count a note, that's why you need a metronome. So get one.
Now you've got the metronome and you can mostly get between the chords (don't worry, everyone blows chord changes now and then). Now play the song with the metronome very, very slow. Don't try and do what the original artist does. Just play on the beats and the chords. You'll add the chikaboom to boom chikaboom soon. For now, just do the boom. When you can do clean chord changes in time, and increase the time a little over a while, THEN start adding in additional strums to get the sound you want at the pace you want.
The first song could take you four months or more.
In time, you'll be like Russell who heard a song in the morning and recorded it that afternoon. In time.
As you learn chords and chord changes, they'll apply to other songs and you won't have to go through this long of a process, because your fingers will already know what to do.
Good luck, and have fun.
- Zurf
5,415 2009-06-17 18:39:06
Re: My sob story (35 replies, posted in Acoustic)
Seersha wrote:
First of all, I'd like to thank you for your kindness and support, I'm not used to getting that in the musical department.
Stick around here. You'll get as much kindness and support as you can handle.
I couldn't care less what you think of other Christians, even though I'm one myself. I care a great deal how their awful treatment of you reflects on your opinion of and relationship with Jesus. (Sorry to get theological here Ken.)
Hey speaking of kindness and support, has anyone heard from Lena lately? Is the Old Doll alright?
- Zurf
5,416 2009-06-17 17:46:20
Re: Songs about communication, like phone, letter... (16 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
Jesus on the Main Line - I don't recall who did it. It's a 30's era country gospel song.
5,417 2009-06-17 17:29:47
Re: My sob story (35 replies, posted in Acoustic)
First, those people did NOT treat you in a Christian manner. To humiliate fellow Christians or people thought to have sinned is NOT in Scripture, and especially not in the New Testament where Christians must focus our attention (though we must understand the Old Testament to have any chance at understanding the New Testament). Exactly the OPPOSITE instruction is in there, which is to speak the truth in love. They did not speak the truth, and they did not act out of love. So, the very most important thing of any of this is to recognize that those people should not reflect Jesus' love for you in your eyes. Do not seek vengeance. Do not seek equality. Just forgive them, though they haven't asked for it, and move on. For we humans, forgiveness is meant for the peace of mind of the forgiver far more than it is for the forgiven. This is very, very important, and it does relate to your guitar playing.
How does forgiving those people relate to your guitar playing? Well, you have to get past the fact that what they did to you was out of their own error and none of your own. There are other benefits too.
Now, once you have reconciled yourself to the fact that you CAN play the guitar, that those people do NOT define your talent or interest, and have taken a deep breath and maybe had a little fresh Peppermint tea with honey, the first thing to do is clean your guitar and tune it. Don't worry about the stickers. Youthful indiscretion. Forget about it. Besides, stickering up a road guitar is tradition. I think heading to Texas and home again with you qualifies it as a road guitar. Clean the dust off it, maybe put on some fresh strings, and get it tuned up. Approach it with dignity and respect both for yourself and for the guitar.
Now you're ready. Forget everything you learned before and start fresh. The best place I know to do that is to go to www.justinguitar.com and learn about some basic skills you'll need. Further, Chordie has a relationship with www.jamplay.com, which is well-regarded by those who have used it. I can't give a personal recommendation, but it is another good place to consider going. The price is certainly affordable and a low-risk option to try. Finally, the chord charts and tabs available using the Chordie search engine are fantastic. Pick some songs you know and like and try them. Don't worry if you don't sound exactly like the original artist. First, precise covers are over-rated. It's far better to express yourself with your playing than to follow someone else's expression. Secondly, those folks are professionals with many years and decades of practice and developed skills. They are set apart with exceptional talent. That isn't to say that you aren't talented, because I think you must be to be so driven to stick with it. It is to say that many of the long-term pros are rare exceptions with the quantity of talent they have and the amount of time and training they have had to develop that talent. You won't sound just like them right out of the chute. Don't try.
One final word. Practice is practice, and playing is playing. You have to do both to improve. Justinguitar.com has some excellent practice routines to develop your skills and abilities. These practice routines are not supposed to be music. They might include some music, but they are intended to expand your possibilities and develop skill over time. Note that I said OVER TIME. Playing songs is making music. It is intended to be fun and to bring pleasure to you and hopefully those who hear you (but mostly to you). There is a wide gray line between these two things, but it's important to know when you are practicing (for instance running scales) and when you are playing (for instance, laying out a sweet blues lick based on the scales you learned in practice).
Best of luck.
A long answer to a short question with a long intro. 
- Zurf
5,418 2009-06-17 17:02:03
Re: Songs about communication, like phone, letter... (16 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
867-5309 - Tommy Tutone
5,419 2009-06-17 14:15:05
Re: Random or What???!!!: Episode II (124 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
wlbaye wrote:
Zurf,
I think "Wish You Were Here" is the easiest to play on the list. I think if you gave it a try,even tho you don't love it. When you play the intro and then go into the chord progression it will make the hair on your neck stand up and that's a good thing. It really is a simple song and sounds so cool on acoustic guitar.
Let me know if you would like some tips on any of the songs on the list. I Shot The Sheriff is fun to play also but I do it with a reggae beat for sure.
You misunderstand me. I literally wore out the LP. I didn't wear out the song on my conscious mind.
- Zurf
5,420 2009-06-17 11:26:27
Re: From knowing nothing to actually playing something (16 replies, posted in Acoustic)
Everybody goes a different speed. For me it was about four months. Most of that four months was spent in learning how to strum with a pick, learning chords, and learning to transition between chords. I would practice three chords a night until I learned all the first and second position major chords and a few minor ones. I would pick a song, write down all the chord transitions, and then practice going from one chord to the next chord, and then I'd practice that transition again, and again, and again about 200 times a night until by the end of the night I would have practiced every transition needed to play the song of choice 200 times. Then the next night I'd do the same thing. On Friday, I'd try to play it with a metronome. I did that for about four months before I got a song that sounded like a song with me singing. I still don't know how to play melody on the guitar. I'm like "Guitar George" who is "strictly rhythm, he don't want to make it cry or sing." Except I do want to make it cry or sing but I just don't know how. Yet.
- Zurf
5,421 2009-06-17 11:21:08
Re: What was your first song? (173 replies, posted in Acoustic)
Well, after three years of playing (or two and a half or something like that), I'm trying to learn my first cover cover. I play all songs by other people, but I don't "Cover" them in that I don't play them anything like the original artists. That's not entirely true. I play the right lick on the transition from a capelo to accompaniment on *Seven Bridges Road*, and I did my best to learn the intro riffs and rhythms on Kenny Chesney's *Don't Blink*. But the first song I'm learning that is a complete cover - trying to mimic the original artist - is *Rocky Mountain High*, and I am learning that I have got a LOOOOOONG way to go to develop left hand finger strength and speed. I'm going to get an exerciser because the pinky just can't do the hammer-ons that are necessary for that song, and to use the ring finger is possible but it messes up the placement for the next chords. *Rocky Mountain High* is also my first drop D tuning song.
- Zurf
5,422 2009-06-16 14:34:21
Re: Zurfapalooza (27 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
Saturdays August 15 and 22 look like the best dates right now. Pencil them in.
I'll see what I can do about getting better video equipment for the next rendition. Dm has made a good suggestion in that regard. Some electric may be in order, possibly even a mixer. I'll see what I can do. A good buddy of mine likes having jamms at his house because he plays drums (loudly).
- Zurf
5,423 2009-06-16 14:18:49
Re: Zurfapalooza (27 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
All right then. I'll get started on figuring something for the next one sometime in August. July is a wash for me between vacation and work responsibilities. There's a spot right alongside the Potomac River I have in mind. I don't really have a studio in my house, but given how the bugs were bothering Detman the other day maybe an inside jamm would be better. I just prefer being outside any chance I get and somehow or other acoustic music is just improved by the sound of insects and birds and streams.
It was pretty funny watching the video I got. Jets60 and I are hikers from way back and neither even noticed the bugs but Detman101 was swatting and waving and wiggling. You'll see what I mean once I get it to Detman101 to post. I did swat a nasty looking spider from my leg at one point, so I can't laugh too much. Then again, I kept a song going with a four year old choking me with one arm and banging my head with the other.
- Zurf
5,424 2009-06-16 11:51:40
Re: Zurfapalooza (27 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
I'm not sure why folks keep saying "annual" and "next year." I don't see any reason we can't have things like this more often than a year, especially if we're willing to picnic or whatever. I think it might be fun to pick a park, through up a 10x10 shelter, let the kids play nearby and have a little fun. I'm centrally located. It takes each of the others about 1/2 hour drive to get here. That's nothing. I've driven three hours to fish, found the water too rough to handle, turned around and come home and considered it a good day.
5,425 2009-06-16 01:19:57
Re: Random or What???!!!: Episode II (124 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm indeed.
At least three songs I'd like to do out of that grouping, if not all of them. Well, probably not I Shot the Sheriff. Come on. If even Clapton can't do the song justice, there's no chance I will. Clapton's version was OK and all, but he's no Bob Marley on it.
I wore out Wish You Were Here one summer missing a girl I had met at college. Wound up marrying her, so I don't have to miss her any longer.
- Zurf