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Guitar chord forum - chordie → Acoustic → Cheating with chords? Newbie guitar choice?
Learn your chords with as many different fingerings as you can. It's amazing to me how often I will alter the fingering on an A, E or G chord depending on what came before it, or what come next.
Good job losing the nails. As far as all us guys not getting it 
, I kept mine long for utilitarian reasons, but relented when I realized how much in the way they were after I got serious about playing. Now the left hand is kept clipped to about 1/16" so my finger tips will make a "pad" when I press down on the strings. Not the same thing as beauty, but it did take some effort to give them up. 
I keep the right hand trimmed for classical style picks, like this: http://www.mangore.com/thing.html
I play Uke primarily, and I have run into the same issue with "which fingers" for different chords - over time you'll see that in some situations you *have* to use different fingers to get your speed up between certain chord changes, or for certain moves on the neck.
Keep at it!
Good job losing the nails. As far as all us guys not getting it
I play Uke primarily, and I have run into the same issue with "which fingers" for different chords - over time you'll see that in some situations you *have* to use different fingers to get your speed up between certain chord changes, or for certain moves on the neck.
Keep at it!
That website was very informative! Thank you! I've read similar views on the right hand nail filing... but I really liked the way this one was put. I actually am very far from playing in a TRUE classical sense, however I have been experimenting with doing a base strum and finding that grazing the base note with my thumb nail then strumming the rest with the flesh is bringing a very nice tone that I like. Not to mention, it's a bit different technique than a "standard" base strum. Now, if only my right hand nails were in as good a shape as my left were! Darn my sister for breaking my left arm when I was little and learning which hand I wanted to naturally use! I may be crazy, but I think I'm going to try washing dishes with my left hand as the dominant for a few nights and see how it goes! LOL!
THREE CHEERS FOR THE CHEATER CHORDS!!
In another thread, I asked about Little Bitty. I got turned onto to using the capo and playing in D to make it easier to play the song in E and do good hammer ons. So, rather than hammering on into A7, I decided to do a little run-down from D to C to A7. It sounds good and begs for a resolution, which is obtained when you return to D.
So, how to do it? CHEATER CHORD ON THE C!!! I can just pull the B string finger (ring finger) back from the third 3rd fret in the D chord to the 1st fret for a cheater C. That leaves my index and middle fingers in EXACTLY the same position from the second fret on the high e and G strings from the D to move them over one string to the second fret on the B and D strings. I may experiment to moving the fingers over first, but sliding them back to the first fret then up to the second fret to land on A7 and only playing the top three strings for the cheater C.
Anyway, if it hadn't been for this thread talking about cheater chords, I'd never have thought of using a cheater C to make the run-down work and require a resolution as badly as it does. C not being in the D chord, but is in D7, so there are basically two seventh chords in a row SCREAMING for resolution. The A7 is quick and painless then resolves back to D almost immediately. It sounds pretty good if I do say so myself. (and I'll have to because I don't have any way of recording it for anyone else to say so).
- Zurf
Awesome Zurf! I'm also really excited that I was able (for the most part) to follow what you're saying! LOL! I found the "walking up and down chords" to be partiularly helpful... or rather, inspiring. I now do a quick little cheat strum while getting my last finger in place when switching from C to G (or is it G to C? not sure at this moment).
As for the recording... ahhh... now if you happen to have a standard mic hooked up to your computer, you COULD actually record a little clip. Sure, it won't sound great... but it could still be done! 
I myself have to be cautious with this. I tend to overdo and get a little too engrossed in what I'm doing... like... the next tattoo (good thing my hubby's a tattoo artist as this doesn't cost much)... possibly the next guitar... oh and then there's recording hardware and software which would lead to a new computer with an awesome soundcard which would lead to... OH MY! Yeah... good thing I can't play that well, YET! Someone drag me back to the campfire!
I think you need to get your husband to use a Sharpie to draw out a cool tattoo design on the back of your new guitar. That would be awesome.
Maybe when the guitar hits a milestone... it will take some serious thinking to figure what I'd want on there permanently. That might be even harder to figure out than what tat I want next!
Name your guitar and have him tatoo the name.
hmmm... naming the guitar... that's a good idea. I'll have to think on that one a bit. Perhaps a name I would have liked for one of the kids but wouldn't have worked out with our last name... yes... I'm getting an idea... ahhh... I think the tattoo shop may be closed tonight and my guitar may end up with a tattoo that matches mine! Pics to come if I can get him to do it for me tonight!
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Acoustic → Cheating with chords? Newbie guitar choice?
