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Danny
I think you'll find chord changes easier depending on the way you play certain chords.. G in particular. If you make a point to work a bit on two different fingerings you'll find one works better when changing to a C chord or to shift to a bar chord for example. There's a neat site here you may enjoy showing these two shapes (look at the first two G shapes on the web page).
1st G: ring finger on red G, middle finger, pinky. Alternate G: index finger on red G, middle finger, ring finger, pinky.
http://www.chorderator.com/cgi-bin/gene … mp;size=30
Hope that makes sense, and welcome to CHordie...
You need to learn what Jerome is saying and keep reflecting back on that. In the meantime, G,C,Em and D go a long way, then add A and Am. You'll probably be able to use the capo to help get more mileage out of these. That's just a start. I remember how desperately I wanted enough chords to just make a song so know what you're going through. It's coming so hang in there and keep us posted.
Welcome Gerst
There are a lot of songs G, C, D or Em, C, G, D. For example Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show. Then there's Knockin on Heaven's Door which everyone will know with G, D, Am...G, D, C all the way thru. There can't be an easier one that is fairly well liked and known. Certainly a lot of songs are available on the songbooks too, so just look for ones that are in a lot of the songbooks. Lastly, you'll see there's a lot of songs on the songbooks that are 3 chords and you should learn to use the capo and the "transpose" function on the right side of the songs you'll find to make them playable for you. Again, welcome.
Lately I been using a Dean Markley sound hole pickup on both my Taylor and Washburn and it's been kind of nice not to have to make much adjustments to get a soft tone. I kind of like it better at the moment. I use regular 1/4 " cables the rest of the time. All thru a Fender Acoustasonic 30.
Agree with Jerome. It's not a question what's more like this or that, but what are you venturing into musically. Also, important to know that some amps and guitars go together better than others and tube amps will sound much different than digital amps. Lastly, just for your guitar features to consider I'd avoid locking tuners at the head, just not convenient. I'd say the tremelo is cool if you want it and mine on a Yamaha Pacifica (strat style) stays in tune very well. Just my thoughts, good luck!
12 bar blues, Brown Eyed Girl, Knockin on Heaven's Door, Margueritaville, Mustang Sally. They're not always the most exciting songs, but the fun comes from the fact most people can play them.
Sometimes focus your practice on the strum hand. It seems when starting out all the talent is in the fretting hand, but when you get to a point where you don't think you're getting better work on the strumming and picking even if you're not actually playing a song.
Tony, welcome to Chordie. If your budget is tight Behringer makes a mighty nice product. The Acoustasonic 30 is a real nice coffee house open mic sort of amp. I think it's a great guitar and mic sort of amp and I've never regretted purchasing mine. I've had it for about 6 years.
ozymandias wrote:Butch8844 wrote:oz if you have any tips on thumb picks I'd appricate it. I tried them and it was a mess!
Not sure if this will be any help, but here goes. I took up the thumb pick for doing bass strum rhythm's, as just using my thumb wasn't loud or clear enough in my group string band class. The trick for me was finding one that would stay secure on my thumb without cutting off blood flow or be too loose that it would fly off. Plastic is ok, but, I prefer metal ones as I can adapt and bend them to suit me. The same would go for finger picks, metal over plastic. I get a better clearer sound when I do play with others in the class. (consisting of mandolins, violins, banjo's and the occasional ukulele and accordion.)
I have tried regular picks for note playing, but they are awkward for me.
Hope that's helpful.
Oz here's another tip to go along with yours. Herco makes thumb picks in different thicknesses. The trick is to trim them with a fingernail clipper to shorten the part that plucks the string and also to change the angle of attack to the string. Once you trim them they aren't nearly as likely to spin on your thumb so you can pick one that doesn't squeeze so hard on your thumb. Lastly, when you've finished trimming it you use a fingernail file to create an edge down on one side, up on the other so the pick feathers the strings more smoothly. Hope this helps.
I'm with Zurf on this one. The thumb (generally) owns the bass strings 4,5&6 while the index and next two fingers own strings 3,2&1. If you call the thumb T and you number the fingers 1,2,3,4 starting with your index finger as 1 you'll find finger picking tab makes sense. Alternate pick pattern will be T 1 T 2 for example to mean Thumb picks first note, index picks next, then Thumb and then middle finger...or Thumb 1 Thumb 2. Or you can improvise as there are many great musicians who do so.
Roger
I think you need this:
http://homestore.cisco.com/en-us/adapte … ewprod.htm
To pick up internet signal without wireless built into your computer.
Then you also need to take the wired signal from your current cable system to plug into a router such as this to broadcast the signal (wi-fi).
http://homestore.cisco.com/en-us/Router … ewprod.htm
A visit to your local big box electronics appliances store and the salesman will walk you thru it. You don't get to cancel cable subscription, as that is what has to feed the signal to the router for it to be broadcast.
tubatooter1940 wrote:Top pros never bring music or notes onstage. If they don't know it, they don't play it.
I'm not a top pro but I have friends who, in my opinion, are. If I get onstage with them, I stick to tunes I know. My fat book contains 400 plus tunes and I need it if I have to play more than the 50 or so tunes I remember well enough. I love to have access to all those tunes if I need to play requests and play a long evening alone. However, messing with a book can be frustrating and time consuming. Staring into a book instead of eyeballing the audience is unprofessional.
What if it is too dark to read or, heaven forbid, the book gets rained on?
Tuba is right on. Although for most it's not practical or we wouldn't play but 5 songs, myself included.
That said, how you practice is how you learn. So if you practice without the sheet you'll know the song that way and vice versa. Memorization technique is to tie one word to a chord change. You'll be surprised that finishing the strum and saying the next word will let the whole sentence flow.
I bet you couldn't get to sleep that night going over it in your head. Glad you had it go your way and glad you shared it with us. Almost like being there with you. Let us know when you post.
Steve
Hey all, I'm still here and like the others am busy doing many things. I don't always post, but check in and been following along. I'll put in 1 cents worth if I've got it.
Steve
If it gets hot, don't leave locked in the car with windows cracked as the glue comes undone on the saddle. Loosen the strings if you think it'll get warm.
I'm with Tuba on the advice... ask your mates to be sure the opening song is one you are most familiar instead of one that maybe is a bigger song. Just getting one song under your belt the instincts will kick in. I think you won't be able to fall asleep on that night. So I envy you and we're all with you! Don't drink too much tho and tell us all about it..
Welcome d - I have the same guitar and I use 011 gage (custom light) Elixer Nanowebs. The Takamine 300 series seems a little "bright" in tone to me so I find Elixers soften that up a bit. I'm with Zurf on the 010's being a bit "jangly", though I didn't know it was a word but I know what he's sayin so it must be a word....
Amy's right. Try strumming:
Down Down DownUpUpUpDown and repeat.
This girl's got it down like that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmhA-nQkuoI
And welcome to Chordie, where we're all just learning from each other.
Steve
Wow, what a nice thread! A lot of good comments. I have to say lyrics hook me on a lot of songs, but there's definitely others that I have no idea what the songs about. Immigration Man by Led Zep, or Barracuda by Heart...pure music attraction. But the lyrics in American Pie by Don McLean or Diamonds and Rust by Joan Baez are awesome.
I'm true left-handed, but when it came to picking up a guitar it seemed natural to hold a right handed guitar prob because most of them are right hand guitars. Don't know if my picking hand has suffered but I do play some arpeggio and am satisfied right handed playing is ok for me. Besides you get to play on a lot more guitars that way.
Wakey638 wrote:I didn't know that about the 5122, always happy to pick up new info, cheers.
To play devils advocate, I see quite a few people are happy with the Ibanez Artcore range, I thoughts on those folks?
Tbh, I'm still leaning towards the Gretsch though.
Couldn't be happier with mine for $300 US with the nice sunburst finish and crisp bindings. Artcore model is just plain beautiful and pretty sweet to the ears.
Here's a sample of one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcgcmm57if0
Good luck/Steve
Doug_Smith wrote:I'll Second all of the above!
In my mind the guitar is foremost an ACOUSTIC Instrument, and should be held to the same high standards that you give to your other acoustics in the arsenal. An A/E that sounds bad un-plugged but sounds good amped is a waste of money.... that's why the Guitar God made electric guitars in the first place. Not that you shouldn't give due consideration to the plugged in feature as well, because the main reason for going that route (IMO) is so you can get more out of it in the venues that require more Oomph.
Henry is correct about playing as many as you can in your range, and I would add in as many different shops as are available. Sometimes you will pass on a nice guitar because the shop you played it in had held it on the wall so long that the strings are dead, or it might be poorly set-up, or the place might have such tight quarters and people around that you can't get a good listen to what it is producing due to background noise or cluttered acoustics.
Don't be in too much of a rush and you will stumble on the "right" guitar for you at a price you'll be happy with. Shop around and remember you will (hopefully) be friends for a long time.
Take Care;
Doug
Very true advice. When you try out some (unplugged), notice that some are dark or more bassy and some are bright with more treble notes. The bass emphasis will come from rosewood or large body guitars and the trebles will be more prominent with mahogany and maples, as well as from guitar shapes that are skinny or thin. Hope noticing this will let you narrow your choices to what your ears like. Definitely buy one that sounds good unplugged. And let us know how you do.
Steve
craig23 wrote:The best thing to do is record yourself playing a basic 12 bar blues progression in A. So... A,D,and E. Make your recording extra long. Like as long as you can stand it. Or if you have the abiliy to loop the progression, do that. Another option is to find blues backing tracks in A. Play it back. While its playing, play your A minor pentatonic scale over it. Play it forward, backwards, stop halfway through and go the other direction, skip around. After a while you will start to notice that the root note, the A, which you will find at three diferent places in that scale, will sound perfect when played at the end of each progression. Or at the end of the twelveth bar. This is what people talk about when they say things like "resolve". When you find that... you can play anything you think sounds cool as long as you end each phrase or bar with that root note. This hold true for other keys as well. So if you hear a song in a different key, say E, you just play the E minor pentatonic scale over it and resolve on the E. Hope that helps and doesn't hinder.
Pretty good advice. I think you want to note that when a song is in a "key" you're going to find that root note is the center of attention and the note progression for a lead line will dance around that root note in some sort of pattern. Not to say all lead lines are symmetrical about the root note, just that there are patterns back and forth. Also, you'll notice the note of the lead line will coincide regularly with the notes in the melody (because they are in the same key) and that connects the two.
Steve
+1 on the Bose, but you can buy a small Acoustasonic Jr with a outstanding reputation for a little over $300. You know how sometimes you like something better at first than later? I've never stopped admiring the Acoustasonic and had it about 7 yrs. The vocal acoustics on it are really nice too. There's other good ones too, as the others here will tell you.
Yeah, that was funny and I'd play with that drummer anytime!
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