776

(52 replies, posted in Electric)

rainman wrote:

A peice of advice:become fimiliar with the names of the notes n your guitar. When Im trying to play along with a song I dont have tabs or sheets for, I just pluck single notes on the guiar until I find one that sounds right, then I figure out the name of that note. Like ll be playing along and Ill hit the third note of the A string and be like "oh, that shounds good, and thats a C." (you dont have to kow the note by its particular sound, just become fimiliar wth whereall the ntes are on he fingerboard. somtimes it takes e a while to figure out a note.) then play a c CHORD along with that part of the song. usually it sounds right when played along with the song, sometimes you need to make it a minor chord though. bring a chord sheet with you so ou canfind out chords yu dont know. Tell me if this doesnt make sense and Ill try to explain it better; I did a somewhat crappy job this time. :-(  nyway, Iveonly been plaing or 11 months and I can already play alongwith most songs using this method, try it out.

That is how I figured out how to play along with the song "Jesus Jesus Jesus" this past sunday at church. I found one note that was in the song and worked my way around that one note and I figured it all out in about 15 seconds. I just needed an anchor in the song to get me going. Once I had that, the rest was easy!!

I have a little Chord-Finder machine that my cousin gave me that lists all the chords that exist for guitar on it's little LCD display screen. It's the "Planet Waves" Digital Chord Finder.
http://img.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/tn/42/425306.t.jpg


=]
Dm

777

(52 replies, posted in Electric)

bootleger wrote:
Detman101 wrote:
bootleger wrote:

Detman101,
First of all let me tell that your worship comes from the heart and that what matters. As mentioned in previous replys you all have to be tuned the same. If you have a keyboard player have him hit an E note and all of you tune to that pitch (440 standard). Take the extra time to ask a brother (or sister) to print out the lyrics and then write the corresponding chord on your sheet put then in a three ring note book and play from a music stand until you have memorized them. If their true brothers and sisters they will take the time to help you.

I played in a worship band for five years and was also a worship leader (I am also ordained). Because of that worship band I was blessed to play with the following persons (not bragging, Exalting the blessing I received). Drummers: LaVon Bell of Earth,wind & Fire, Charlie from Three dog night and Mike Lazik of Albert Collin's touring band before Albert Collin's died. Guitar player Guitar Jack and Organist Don from B.B.Kings house of blues band. My former pastor use to play keyboards with the band Deliverence. Mind you it is not because of my playing skills but they all became christians and would come and sit in with us during Revivals. My point is not to see yourself in it but to whom you serve with it. Keep it up because you honor "HIM" he will honor you and your house hold.

Off the pulpit now.

Bootlegger.

Thank you sir.
I will continue to pray on it and just try harder. The church band does not provide sheet music or anything so it's a little hard.

Dm

Detman101:

I have alot of lyrics with chord on them, worship and praise music depending on where you are (i'm in California, U.S.A.) I will mail you copies as soon as I dig them out. Just send me an email with an address (in America) and I'll get them to you.

Bootlegger.

OH MY GOSH!!! THank YOU!!!!!

I'll PM you my email address and info!!!

Thanks,
Dm

778

(52 replies, posted in Electric)

patrickjacques wrote:

I have a question did you say you were the only guitarist

Yes Sir, I am the only guitar.
The "lone ranger" of sorts.

I brought my amp and guitar to church yesterday and was actually doing quite good!
Sadly, the drummer and keyboardist kept telling me that I had my guitar too loud. I don't know how to interpret that because no one else in church seemed able to hear me, byut yet they kept saying that I was too loud and they were turning up their instruments on the mixer so loud that I couldn't hear my own playing. After a while I gave up and must plugged my headphones into my amp and played to myself.

I don't even want to bother playing with them anymore honestly. My wife said that my playing may have thrown them off because they were hearing me playing instead of themselves....I dunno. Sounds fishy to me...

=[

Dm

bootleger wrote:

I had a chance to know B.B. Kings house band guitarist and keyboard player (in Los Angeles, Ca.). Guitar Jack one night asked one of our friends to jam open mike night with the band. Of course my friend declined because of the abilities of Jack (great guitarist and very modest). He replied to Jack " their are kids up there tearing it up I can't sound half as good as them". Jack replied "yeah their just playing scales really fast but don't play from the heart.

This prompted my friend to say to Jack why do you play in a house band instead of recording your own record. Jack replied because I love to play and I play from my heart what I like. The guys up there will never know what that is like. (later that year Jack was called finish the Billy Preston tour in Europe). Jack also said you can play rythem all the time and people will be able to tell that you play from your heart.

Guitar playing is a way I express alot of emotion. Do you play from the heart?

Bootlegger.

I play from the heart but to me, it only sounds good when I'm playing in Drop-D on the top 3 strings (D-A-d).

When I start trying scales and jumping around on the fretboard it all sounds like crap to me and I start to repeat myself a lot.

Once I figure out how to channel my heart into individual notes I will sound much better. To me anyway...

=]
Dm

780

(52 replies, posted in Electric)

livebaitman wrote:

Hmmmm, no sheet music?  No lyrics with chord placement?  Making it kinda tough on you.  Might rethink playing with them.

Everyone there basically learned to play on their own. Our keyboardist is a virtuoso on the keyboard, organ, piano and drums but he can't read sheet music.
The same thing goes for the singers and the other drummer. Everyone is self-taught and they've been playing for like 12+ years in the church. Basically, they all grew up in the church and had established roles (Singers, drummer, keyboards, etc) that they specialized in but never were formally trained in.
So they are much much better than me in playing music by ear, and I just don't know what the heck I'm doing...period.

Dm

781

(52 replies, posted in Electric)

David,

Music is all about math; it's not a mystery.

Great...my weakest subject comes back to bite me in the butt.
Now I wish I had paid closer attention in class.

I will continue to make mistakes and keep at it. Once I find someone to watch in action I'm sure that I will get it. I may have to visit a couple of other churches because I am the only guitarist at my church.

=[
Dm

782

(52 replies, posted in Electric)

SouthPaw41L wrote:

Many gospel tunes are played in sharps or flats to accomodate the piano or brass instruments.
Possible solutions to your difficulties;
Go to standard tuning. Drop D sounds cool and full and all but can be limiting sometimes.
Invest in a capo. This little gadget can save you hours and hours of frustration.

I hope this is helpful to you and if guitar is all you got, you got a lot.

Thank you sir. I don't know what a Capo does. I'm guessing it replaces/substitutes the nut based on what I have seen. And on that thought-trail...I'm guessing it shifts the tuning further up the scale based on what fret you put it on?

I may pick one up this afternoon and try one out. I had no idea that gospel tunes were in sharps and flats. I thought it was all just standard tuning. That's why I figured I could just stay in drop-d and get by.

Guess I was wrong...hehe.

Thank you,
Dm

783

(52 replies, posted in Electric)

bootleger wrote:

Detman101,
First of all let me tell that your worship comes from the heart and that what matters. As mentioned in previous replys you all have to be tuned the same. If you have a keyboard player have him hit an E note and all of you tune to that pitch (440 standard). Take the extra time to ask a brother (or sister) to print out the lyrics and then write the corresponding chord on your sheet put then in a three ring note book and play from a music stand until you have memorized them. If their true brothers and sisters they will take the time to help you.

I played in a worship band for five years and was also a worship leader (I am also ordained). Because of that worship band I was blessed to play with the following persons (not bragging, Exalting the blessing I received). Drummers: LaVon Bell of Earth,wind & Fire, Charlie from Three dog night and Mike Lazik of Albert Collin's touring band before Albert Collin's died. Guitar player Guitar Jack and Organist Don from B.B.Kings house of blues band. My former pastor use to play keyboards with the band Deliverence. Mind you it is not because of my playing skills but they all became christians and would come and sit in with us during Revivals. My point is not to see yourself in it but to whom you serve with it. Keep it up because you honor "HIM" he will honor you and your house hold.

Off the pulpit now.

Bootlegger.

Thank you sir.
I will continue to pray on it and just try harder. The church band does not provide sheet music or anything so it's a little hard.

Dm

784

(52 replies, posted in Electric)

patrickjacques wrote:

First of all Brother what do you want to do ? Do you want to strum along on rythem or are you looking to be throwing some lead licks inbetween the vocals. Get back to me and I will give you my opinion

I would simply like to strum along rhythm style.
How do I accomplish that?
Do I need to know every chord there is?
Is there a simple set of things I can use?

=[
Dm

785

(52 replies, posted in Electric)

krishanu wrote:

did u check all the instruments are tuned the same? i guess it is a silly to ask though little things often cause bigger problems. do u use processors or pedals for ur guitar then the patches may do the probs

Yes, I use a korg px4d - pandoras box.

Do you think it's complicating things?


Dm

786

(52 replies, posted in Electric)

Hello,

    I've been playing off and on since I was a teen and seriously devoted myself to learning the guitar last october 2006. I want to be able to play along with my church band but I don't know where to start. I can read tabs and play out the songs I see on chordie. But when I take my guitar to church I can never find any sounds that go along with what the band is playing. Everything I play is so out of tune with the songs and I sound like a frickin 2-year old playing around with a guitar instead of someone who spends an hour a day practicing.

It's depressing.

I love this so much but I suck so badly at it. How the hell am I ever supposed to just know where to go on the fretboard to get a particular sound? And how am I supposed to know what key anyone is playing in? They ask me that all the time and I don't know what the heck they are talking about...
The only time I ever sound like I know anything about playing the guitar is when I'm at home with tabs in front of me.
My guitar is tuned in drop-D and I can't even get my playing to match what they're playing and Drop-D is 10 times easier than playing in standard tuning!

Do I have to know what each sound is when I hear it? (Like...hear a song and instinctively know that a note played is "C")
I really just don't have a clue what to do and it's bothering me to the point of sadness.

Does anyone have any advice?

I know about all of the usual suggestions such as:
1. Get lessons.
2. Play with people, friends and/or family.
3. Go watch some musicians play.
My response to those is: I'm married to a regimented christian woman and I don't have much money,
so all 3 of those options are out the door.

The guitar is all I have left in my life...I don't want to lose this too.


Thank you,
Dm

787

(8 replies, posted in Electric)

xunderOathxxSaosinx93 wrote:

well my guitar isnt that great. my mom bought it for me for christmas and its a first act guitar. Im saving up money for a new 1 but which one would you perfer in my situation. hopefully one thats not so much $$$$

Don't feel bad, my first guitar was a first act ME480 that my wife got for me on my 30th birthday.
Since then I have bought at Yamaha cl-112. I still have my first act though, I play around with alternate tunings on it.


Dm

Well, I have finally hit a wall and I'm no longer progressing.

=[

Time to get a teacher, I think I've learned all I can learn on my own.

*cry*
Dm

789

(26 replies, posted in Electric)

Adam Jones from TOOL.
No one...I repeat...NO ONE can do the things he does.


Dm

790

(25 replies, posted in Electric)

My guitar is setup in Drop-D so most of the things I try to play are played in Drop-D by the artists.
I also try emulating songs in Drop-D that aren't originally played that way.
I've been trying out some Ska lately (Sublime) but I'm not that good at it.
I think I have no sense of rhythm and timing but everyone tells me that I'm doing okay. *shrug*

The bands I play are:

TOOL
FILTER
SILVERCHAIR
Stone Temple Pilots
311
Catherine Wheel
Sublime
The Flys

=]
Dm

jpage_roxmysox wrote:

rj, u bring up another point, guitar, like many forms of art, is stable.  I forget who said this, but i know someone once said that the arts are man's way of coping with the world.  Which is so true, I think the world would be a lot more sad/angry if it weren't for music.

Too true, I had the worst monday yesterday at work and came home and thrashed out on the guitar and instantly felt better. The pick I used is one that someone gave to me, extra heavy (I think it's a bass pick)...but by the time I was done, there were pick shavings all over my pickups and I was sweating with happiness.

Total therapy.

Dm

Audacity ROCKS!!

Dm

I started because it always felt like the most sincere form of audible expression next to...well, I won't say. But what I'm trying to say that there is just something to it....like the guitar solo on "SIN" by Stone Temple Pilots. You can feel every emotion that solo takes you through....from anger to relief to joy to sadness and back to anger.
It's just awesome and when I felt that solo....I had to learn to become someone who could express feelings like that.

Dm

794

(2 replies, posted in Electric)

Silverburst Reissue..... *Drool*

jamiey1 wrote:

my dream guitar is a Gibson les paul but im still happy with my Wesley.

Which wesley do you have?
I love their smokesilver-burst LP!!!

Dm

796

(2 replies, posted in Electric)

SingleCoilHumbucker wrote:

I had a look at the site too. Great site. With the best suggestion being that you should start to solo very soon after beginning the guitar. I've only been playing a few weeks and can already solo pretty well on the Am and Em pentatonic scales (pushed into it by my tutor but much appreciated).

You're so lucky, I wish I had a tutor. I had originally planned to have one but things just haven't worked out the way I planned.

I wish I had known about this so much sooner, things would be very different today.
But, no time like the present to get started!!

Dm

797

(3 replies, posted in Electric)

gitaardocphil wrote:

Dear cytania
I agree 100% with you, I call it the "no money to spend" syndrome. People buy a car for 2000$, and they put more than you think, for 5000$ extra a very loud soundsystem in it. I don't point or blame people. It is more the companies you should blame. Like you told, you see CLAPTON, with his "blackie" and a lot of people are still convinced that they will "play better" just by, buying, having and playing that specific guitar, same with the LES PAUL JIMMY PAGE, is THAT INSTRUMENT worth the price? Don't forget he is endorsed by GIBSON and it is 1 commercial businness, gibson wins, and the buyer, mostly a PAGE fan, is happy. It is a difficult matter

I agree, I've been convinced that I will play better if I can get my hands on a Silverburst LP (Epiphone or Gibson).
But I know it's just not true in the end because it's experience that makes you a great guitarist, not the instrument.
The guitar helps but it's not everything.
Think about it...a great guitarist can pick up a crappy guitar and do amazing things.
Then you have me...a crappy beginner. I could pick up the most expensive guitar with the lowest action, best pickups, fastest neck, greatest wood and I WOULD STILL SUCK!!!

I just don't have the experience, knowledge or know-how to make good music on ANYTHING yet.
I'm perfectly fine with that cause I still have great fun even though I suck.

It's all about experience...not the guitar.

=]
Dm

798

(6 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)

Http://www.jamcenter.com

That site just changed my guitar life forever.
I will now solo instead of playing chords all the time.
This is the new beginning.

Dm

799

(2 replies, posted in Electric)

Oh man, you absolutely ROCK!!!

Before last night I had no idea how to solo and I couldn't get anything to sound right.
After checking out the http://www.jamcenter.com website you told me about, I now can solo!!!

I thought that I would be playing power chords and reguar chords my entire guitar-life but
I went to the website and everything has changed!!

I now understand how the notes connect together and what sounds good with what other notes. I can also transition from one set of scales to another without needing to worry about squawking the wrong sound out of the fretboard. Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you soooooo much for sending me that link!

Apparently, all I needed was a backup band to help me understand what my place as a solo-player was.
And I understand it all now because I never get to play along with anyone else besides at church and the keyboardist plays all the leads anyway. But now...now I know what I have to do!
I can even solo without the website backing music.

This starts a new chapter in my life and in my guitar playing. I can barely sit still at work today just thinking about getting home and soloing some more and trying out different song solos that I've heard before. I feel like I'm gonna explode!!!!

Man, thank you so much dude. You don't know how much this has helped me out.

Sincerely,
Dm

800

(73 replies, posted in Electric)

Hi!!
Welcome to the bunch!


Dm