51 Reply by mrjay

(10 replies, posted in Acoustic)

I personally think that rhythm is something that you have to acquire through practice (like pretty much everything on the guitar lol). As a beginner, it was one of the most frustrating obstacles that i had to deal with in order to play songs the way I wanted them. At the same time, I think the struggle is necessary in order to develop your own personal ways of strumming. Everyone needs their own style. Also, as someone who is attempting to teach others how to play (friends mostly), I discovered that certain people have more difficulty trying to imitate others, rather than just trying to do their own thing.

One thing that helped me a lot when I was learning a song was to familiarize myself with the riffs/chords as much as I could so that I could play them without problems and make changes between the different parts quickly. After I would play a video or recording of the song and try to strum along with the beat.

The websites mentioned by the other members contain great tips and lessons as well. I would recommend checking out Justin Guitar for sure and also this site:

http://spytunes.co.uk/

On spytunes, you'll find a list of popular songs which are classified by difficulty level. Each video shows you what the guitarist is doing on the fretting hand and the strumming hand at the same time. It's a good visual tool, but remember to follow your ear more than your eyes. I think that developing a good ear is crucial, especially when you decide that it's time to jam it out with other people.

Good luck and don't get discouraged. The thing about music is that the journey is more important than the goal. So make sure you enjoy it and learn to laugh at yourself when you make a mistake instead of berating yourself. Music's supposed to be fun smile

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52 Reply by mrjay

(8 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

"A painter paints pictures on canvas. But a musician paints pictures on silence." - Leopold Stokowski

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53 Reply by mrjay

(15 replies, posted in Song requests)

Glen Hansard - Say it to me now

check it out : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXRwplFTh_Y

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54 Reply by mrjay

(25 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Hi everyone,

If you'd like to know how the gig went, I posted in Southpaw's thread "Tell us about your gigs" in the "Local Band" section of the forums. I also want to thank you again for all the great ideas and suggestions, they were extremely helpful.

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55 Reply by mrjay

(5 replies, posted in Song requests)

Hi Doug,

If I find anything, I'll be sure to share a link. Like you, I haven't had any luck as of yet. No tabs on the net and none in stores either (so far). The best I found was a video of someone playing a song on youtube. I asked him for tabs as well but he said he learned it by ear.

I'll be sure to check out Ottmar Liebert as well.

Go to forum: Song requests

56 Reply by mrjay

(11 replies, posted in Acoustic)

Hi Jerome,

I use Elixers (nanoweb, coated) on one of my acoustics, and Dean Markley Phosphor Bronze on the other. Sometimes I switch it up and use Elixers on the second guitar and DM's on the first. What I've noticed the most about the Elixers are tone I get, and the durability of the strings.

I play both guitars about the same amount as I like to keep one in different tuning from the other. The tone of the Elixers is rather bright compared to the DMs. The DMs seem to give a warmer feel and the Elixers give me clearer mids and highs. Also, the Elixers generally keep their original tone up to 2-3 times longer and, since they're coated, they get less grimy from your sweat.

For me, the drawback to the Elixers (setting aside preference of tone) is the "syrup-py" sound that I get when I first put them on. It's the same with other strings, but with the Elixers, it takes longer for them to stretch and to get to that optimum place in between the "new string sound" and the "dull string sound".

I apologize if the explanation is unclear. I find it hard to explain the difference in sound lol. But, I think it's worth giving them a shot because many people seem to love the Elixers after trying them.

J.

Go to forum: Acoustic

57 Reply by mrjay

(25 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

NELA, I will definitely keep the "FREE BEER" trick in mind if all else fails. LOL that was too funny!
I'm not making any money out of this because it's a charity event. The reason why I began playing with the singer is because I wanted to expand my music and learn new things. Working with a talented, gigging artist definitely helps with that. Paid or not, I'm going to try to bring my A-game no matter what. Thank you for the encouragement.

bensonp, thanks much for the links. I'll check them out ASAP.

AcousticNoyz and Phil, I'm going to follow your advice and play to the singer. She has already helped me to raise my "game" to a whole new level, so I expect that playing in front of an audience will do even more in that respect. It's also good to be reminded that the audience is on your side. I mean, it's possible to encounter some negative people who only want to criticize you, but I think that most people just want to enjoy the show. I'll also make sure to have my equipment in top shape.

Once again, a big thanks to all of you. All the suggestions I've read are great and are helping me to get into the mental state that I need to be in. What a fantastic community Chordie is. I'll let you know how the gig went once it's all said and done smile.

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58 Reply by mrjay

(25 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

SouthPaw41L wrote:
mrjay wrote:

Great replies! I really appreciate the responses, so thank you. Already, you're making me think differently about a few things.

It's refreshing to see that even seasoned performers like SouthPaw feel the jitters before a show. Southpaw, I saw a video of one of your performance in the forums recently, and I have to say that I would never have imagined that you were nervous. You played and sang amazingly... I'd love to see you live.

Thank you very much for your kind words mrjay. I'd love to see to play live as well. If you're gonna be in the west coast Florida(USA) vicinity anytime in the near future please let me know.

Peace and Guitars,
SouthPaw41L

If I get to go down to Florida some time, I will definitely let you know and ask you where your venues are. It would be a treat to catch one of your shows.

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59 Reply by mrjay

(25 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Russell_Harding wrote:

When I was playing full time I had a set list of at least 15 songs and after the "hi there were so and so's start the first song and after its finished wait a few seconds and start the next after three or four songs in a row any jitters vanish and later after the audience has had a few libations they loosin up and then everybody enjoys themselves and if you like what your playing so will they but if your only thinking of how much time left before the set ends or get an attitude because no one claps it could be a long night and your in the wrong bussiness smile

Good point Russell. We're only playing a couple of songs, so I'm hoping to loosen up quickly. I think the second thing you mentioned is probably something that I lost sight of with the anxiety. I should probably pay more attention to playing the music rather than how people are going to react to it. Great advice. Thank you.

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60 Reply by mrjay

(25 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Zurf wrote:

Stage presence and joking around helps. 
Check this out from Roy Clark: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xunOH7haPK4

A good warmup is important too.  And if you're of a mind to do it, I have found that praying with your band before a gig is helpful.  Obviously that one's not for everyone, but only for those so inclined. 

- Zurf

Lol! That was great, Zurf. Thanks for the new suggestions and for sharing the link. I never knew Roy Clark had such a great sense of humor.

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61 Reply by mrjay

(25 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

wlbaye and upyerkilt,

thank you for the suggestions.

I think Upyerkilt's right about passing that first song. I generally feel more relaxed once I see the crowd's reaction and realize that they won't throw tomatoes at me. But, I think I'll pass on the shooting deer and pheasants. Guns are not my thing. However, whiskies and beers are a great idea.  =P

An of course, being prepared in terms of knowing the music we're gonna play is an asset. It seems like the same words always come up when talking about playing music : PRACTICE, PRACTICE and more PRACTICE...

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62 Reply by mrjay

(25 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Great replies! I really appreciate the responses, so thank you. Already, you're making me think differently about a few things.

It's refreshing to see that even seasoned performers like SouthPaw feel the jitters before a show. Southpaw, I saw a video of one of your performance in the forums recently, and I have to say that I would never have imagined that you were nervous. You played and sang amazingly... I'd love to see you live.

- Southpaw and Kap:

"Embrace/Accept your nervousness but don't focus on it"

I don't know why I never looked at it the "nervousness" issue this way before. To me, being nervous is generally a hindrance to any task I take on. It's an incredible idea to change a weaknesses into a strength in this way. What a great concept!


- Deadstring and Zurf

The "ice-breaking" tips that you're giving me are great. Your posts reminded me that no audience wants to see a nervous wreck get up on stage and perform. It always seems that the audience seems to feed off your emotions whether they're good or bad. Having small habits that get the audience to appreciate you, whether it's a humorous story or a funny prop, is definitely a good idea to help you feel less intimidated by the crowd focusing on you. I think the best artists that I've seen are the ones that get the crowd involved with their performance. Your posts remind me of a Swell Season concert that I went to see last year. Glen Hansard got the audience involved with the singing, and always had great stories to tell about his songs. It made the concert all that much better.


- TubaTooter

Thank you for the advice on the equipment. It's definitely a good idea to keep your tools in good condition and ready to use. One less thing to be nervous about...


These are great ideas. Please continue to share your advice and stories.

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63 Topic by mrjay

(25 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Next week, I am playing guitar in a show with a talented singer that I've been practicing with. I've performed in public before but, for some reason, I'm rather nervous for this gig. It might be the daunting fact that if I sound bad, then she'll sound bad.

Basically, I'm looking for ideas to help me de-stress. This is definitely a topic that has been addressed in the past. But, this time, I would like to get an idea of how you guys like to "zen out" for a gig. What do you guys like to do before a gig to become focused and ready?

What I generally do is get my mp3 player and listen to artists that I like. Or, I'll drink a nice beer with friends...

How about you, Chordians?

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64 Reply by mrjay

(8 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Great song alan! Really enjoyed it. Please keep them coming.

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65 Reply by mrjay

(15 replies, posted in Bands and artists)

hi superfiedballer,

You could always give acoustic fingerstyle a shot if your techniques are good and clean.

Here's a song by Andy Mckee called Ebon Coast which I'm learning:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSnWhsmlGec

And here's a tutorial:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8hy9gptnLc

Good Luck! =P

Go to forum: Bands and artists

66 Reply by mrjay

(24 replies, posted in Acoustic)

numri wrote:

installing it right away, If it's helpful I'll send you a gold-bar....out of chocolate

*edit* Wow! tux guitar works great! I can import both both ptb and gtp tabs, inc. gp3,gp4 and gp5 big_smile

This is an amazing program, As soon as i'll get more comfy with it i'll write a tutorial on how to make your own backing track

lol glad it worked out for you! How bout a chocolate bar out of gold instead ? tongue

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67 Reply by mrjay

(24 replies, posted in Acoustic)

numri wrote:

Well, you can do it in guitar pro, however i'm not familiar enough with the program to succeed, also it's a very expensive program, so unless you wanna violate copyrights that should be your backup plan.

there was a tutorial over at ultimate guitar on how to make your own drum track with FL studio... I'm not sure on chordies cross-site linking rules. but if you google for fl backing track ultimate guitar you get it at the top of the results smile

I've been puckering and blowing all day, so im a bit out of air now and gonna play some guitar for a while... but i think its coming along..

Hey Numri,

For an alternative to GuitarPro, you should check out TuxGuitar. It's basically a open-source (free) version of GuitarPro which also plays PowerTab files as well. I wrote a topic in the Chat Corner if you need the link to the website.

Go to forum: Acoustic

68 Topic by mrjay

(1 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Hey Chordians,

A subject that seems to come up a lot in the Chordie forums is how Music is a universal language that links people around the World. I think that this idea is very present in Chordie as well as it's members. Basically, we are a collection of people from different countries, backgrounds, and cultures that gather to discuss something that we love and that connects us all.

I came across this channel on Youtube where an organisation does amazing montages of people performing songs together. Even though they are oceans apart, they can still feel the spirit of each others' music and participate by adding their own sound and soul to it. In a time where we are seeing conflicts arise in different parts of the World, I found these videos to be quite uplifting to watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExM

Enjoy smile

J.

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69 Reply by mrjay

(240 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)

Mr Godin wrote:

I'm a newbie to the guitar world - can't understand why it took me so long to buckle down and get going with it. Santa brought me a Godin Exit 22 for Christmas and then I decided I needed another (a bit of GAS, I guess!) for taking out to lessons, cottage and just messing around with (saving my new guitar from the hell) and bought a used Godin Freeway Classic. I'm having a ball and some day I will be able to actually play!

Nice choices! Godin is a great brand, especially for semi-acoustics. Here in Montreal, they're rampant, but I have a hard time finding good deals on used ones for some reason =/.

Here's a list of my gems:

Guild GAD-50E - acoustic
Tanglewood TW-55 Special Edition - acoustic
Fender Telecaster - electric

Next purchase:

Martin D-15 solid mahogany

Go to forum: Guitars and accessories

70 Reply by mrjay

(6 replies, posted in Music theory)

Hey Doc,

I believe it's possible to transpose, at least, most songs to an open tuning. Actually, it's a lot of fun and very interesting to see how different the song can sound. The following link is an example of this. It's a cover of Rihana's Umbrella by a band called Boyce Avenue on Youtube. I think he plays it in Open D tuning. I like this version a lot more than the original, but that's just me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5paQ9BwF … annel_page

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71 Topic by mrjay

(1 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Hey Chordians,

Here's a great software I just learned about through a friend of a friend. We were discussing software for guitarists and he showed me this gem:

http://www.tuxguitar.com.ar/

For those of you who know GuitarPro, it will be an easy switch. The big difference with Tuxguitar is that, not only is it open-source (meaning it's free to use / distribute), but it can also play different files for various programs (ie: Powertabs) as well as GuitarPro files. This means you won't have to install several versions of the same type of software to play your songs.

You can find guitarpro or powertab files on the most common guitar tablature websites like 911tabs.com or ultimate-guitar.com. I find using these tab files very useful for learning complicated pieces because the software allows you to "play" the tab and hear what the music sounds like as you're reading it. This was essential for me when I began learning acoustic fingerstyle pieces like those from Andy McKee and Don Ross.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy smile

J.

NB: for you programmers out there, you can also join the developers' network if you'd like to improve TuxGuitar as it's Open Source.

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72 Reply by mrjay

(11 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Great song KAP! And you're right, many can relate to the situation... Heh, live and learn...

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73 Topic by mrjay

(5 replies, posted in Song requests)

Hey Chordians,

I was wondering if any of you had any resources available for tablature from Govi. I've been trying out some spanish guitar and I'd really like to find a version of Havana Sunset.

Thanks in advance

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74 Reply by mrjay

(3 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Another great musician leaves us. I really loved his style. RIP.

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75 Reply by mrjay

(11 replies, posted in Acoustic)

Hey Tommo,

My suggestion is try to find backing tracks to jam to and use the scales (same key) over them to practice making licks. Just go up and down the scale at first and then try to make melodies by mixing up the different notes.

Even better, if you can find someone to jam with instead of using backing tracks, it would help you to improve not only your scales but also your rhythm.

Good luck & Have fun

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