Learning to play the guitar?
Discussion
Not sure what tools you have in mind. Pretty much the only adjustments a guitar will need & even then very infrequently if ever more than once is the neck angle via the truss rod which is almost always done with an Allen key & then maybe intonation and pickup height both of which would normally be done with a Phillips screwdriver in most cases.
As for strings, there are tonal variations between brands, string winding I.e. flat wound, roundwound but the commonest differences are in guage. Strings are denoted by thickness as shorthand players refer to them as 9's, 10's etc. This means thousands of an inch. Rule of thumb is 9's are light, 10's are everywhere, 11 fatter, 12's & up means you're Stevie Ray Vaughan. Chances are your strings have been swapped to a lighter gauge which makes them easier on the fingers but comes with a tone penalty.
As for strings, there are tonal variations between brands, string winding I.e. flat wound, roundwound but the commonest differences are in guage. Strings are denoted by thickness as shorthand players refer to them as 9's, 10's etc. This means thousands of an inch. Rule of thumb is 9's are light, 10's are everywhere, 11 fatter, 12's & up means you're Stevie Ray Vaughan. Chances are your strings have been swapped to a lighter gauge which makes them easier on the fingers but comes with a tone penalty.
Cheers Mike.
Yeah the guitar I'm referring to was a new cheap one (but sufficient for my needs, maybe £65) the misses bought for me. Then maybe 3 months later I've been curious on strings and replaced them. They've been played a month or so off and on but imo still don't sound as good.
I also bought another new guitar (Tanglewood TW5) recently and it sounds similar but not quite as bright (with original strings on). Not sure I'm too keen on that sound but it's all still pretty new to me.
Guess some research on the strings from the cheaper brand is in order.
Yeah the guitar I'm referring to was a new cheap one (but sufficient for my needs, maybe £65) the misses bought for me. Then maybe 3 months later I've been curious on strings and replaced them. They've been played a month or so off and on but imo still don't sound as good.
I also bought another new guitar (Tanglewood TW5) recently and it sounds similar but not quite as bright (with original strings on). Not sure I'm too keen on that sound but it's all still pretty new to me.
Guess some research on the strings from the cheaper brand is in order.
8 months in now and I'm finally beginning to feel like I'm making progress 
For the first time I'm beginning to feel like the guitar isn't getting in the way of what I want to play quite as much as it was.
I went into this thinking that all I want to do is play blues, but repetitively and mechanically learning short riffs is killing any form of enjoyment in playing them at the moment. So whilst I can watch a lesson and generally pick up the notes after a few attempts, I simply don't have the head space or accuracy to have any groove/feeling (my bends sound like a jimmy savile warble apparently...) I spend most of the time simply trying to remember the next lick rather than enjoying, let alone playing it. Improvising remains a pipe dream. I think I'm going to have to have a break and revisit in a while.
I am however really enjoying arpeggio stuff, so things like hotel california (simplified!), californication, under the bridge, losing my religion etc etc. I can get 80% of it after half an hour or so, but that last 20%
. I'm yet to play a single song without a mistake from start to finish 
. I'm kinda hoping that's normal for a newbie though.
That said, people can now walk through the room when I'm practising and go 'oh that's such and such song isn't it?' which trust me, is a big improvement!
So still at it, couple of hours at a time, four or five times a week, plus an hour's tuition every couple of weeks as well.
Oh and the thought of picking up guitars in a shop to try them out brings me out in a cold sweat! Does that ever get less scary?!
How's everybody else getting on?
(sorry for the ramble)
For the first time I'm beginning to feel like the guitar isn't getting in the way of what I want to play quite as much as it was.
I went into this thinking that all I want to do is play blues, but repetitively and mechanically learning short riffs is killing any form of enjoyment in playing them at the moment. So whilst I can watch a lesson and generally pick up the notes after a few attempts, I simply don't have the head space or accuracy to have any groove/feeling (my bends sound like a jimmy savile warble apparently...) I spend most of the time simply trying to remember the next lick rather than enjoying, let alone playing it. Improvising remains a pipe dream. I think I'm going to have to have a break and revisit in a while.
I am however really enjoying arpeggio stuff, so things like hotel california (simplified!), californication, under the bridge, losing my religion etc etc. I can get 80% of it after half an hour or so, but that last 20%
. I'm yet to play a single song without a mistake from start to finish . I'm kinda hoping that's normal for a newbie though.That said, people can now walk through the room when I'm practising and go 'oh that's such and such song isn't it?' which trust me, is a big improvement!
So still at it, couple of hours at a time, four or five times a week, plus an hour's tuition every couple of weeks as well.
Oh and the thought of picking up guitars in a shop to try them out brings me out in a cold sweat! Does that ever get less scary?!
How's everybody else getting on?
(sorry for the ramble)
ben5575 said:
8 months in now and I'm finally beginning to feel like I'm making progress
For the first time I'm beginning to feel like the guitar isn't getting in the way of what I want to play quite as much as it was.
I went into this thinking that all I want to do is play blues, but repetitively and mechanically learning short riffs is killing any form of enjoyment in playing them at the moment. So whilst I can watch a lesson and generally pick up the notes after a few attempts, I simply don't have the head space or accuracy to have any groove/feeling (my bends sound like a jimmy savile warble apparently...) I spend most of the time simply trying to remember the next lick rather than enjoying, let alone playing it. Improvising remains a pipe dream. I think I'm going to have to have a break and revisit in a while.
I am however really enjoying arpeggio stuff, so things like hotel california (simplified!), californication, under the bridge, losing my religion etc etc. I can get 80% of it after half an hour or so, but that last 20%. I'm yet to play a single song without a mistake from start to finish . I'm kinda hoping that's normal for a newbie though.
That said, people can now walk through the room when I'm practising and go 'oh that's such and such song isn't it?' which trust me, is a big improvement!
So still at it, couple of hours at a time, four or five times a week, plus an hour's tuition every couple of weeks as well.
Oh and the thought of picking up guitars in a shop to try them out brings me out in a cold sweat! Does that ever get less scary?!
How's everybody else getting on?
(sorry for the ramble)
You're doing better than me and I've been at it longer than 8 months!For the first time I'm beginning to feel like the guitar isn't getting in the way of what I want to play quite as much as it was.
I went into this thinking that all I want to do is play blues, but repetitively and mechanically learning short riffs is killing any form of enjoyment in playing them at the moment. So whilst I can watch a lesson and generally pick up the notes after a few attempts, I simply don't have the head space or accuracy to have any groove/feeling (my bends sound like a jimmy savile warble apparently...) I spend most of the time simply trying to remember the next lick rather than enjoying, let alone playing it. Improvising remains a pipe dream. I think I'm going to have to have a break and revisit in a while.
I am however really enjoying arpeggio stuff, so things like hotel california (simplified!), californication, under the bridge, losing my religion etc etc. I can get 80% of it after half an hour or so, but that last 20%
. I'm yet to play a single song without a mistake from start to finish . I'm kinda hoping that's normal for a newbie though.That said, people can now walk through the room when I'm practising and go 'oh that's such and such song isn't it?' which trust me, is a big improvement!
So still at it, couple of hours at a time, four or five times a week, plus an hour's tuition every couple of weeks as well.
Oh and the thought of picking up guitars in a shop to try them out brings me out in a cold sweat! Does that ever get less scary?!
How's everybody else getting on?
(sorry for the ramble)
(Irony alert) Ignore everything anyone says about learning - judge your own talent at your own pace. I always said I wanted to be able to play properly by the time I was retired and I bought my first guitar when I was 40, I'm 50 now! If I get to play an hour a week I've done well!
ben5575 said:
Oh and the thought of picking up guitars in a shop to try them out brings me out in a cold sweat! Does that ever get less scary?!
Don't fall into the trap of trying to impress the staff / other punters in the music shop. Play a scale (e.g. a minor pentatonic over a couple of octaves), a couple of random licks in positions 1, 5, and 12, a few chords. It's all about you and the instrument, and if you can get along with it in terms of sound / action / comfort.cherryowen said:
smn159 said:
This guy played with Sister Sledge and explains the concept pretty well, including the importance of having a light touch when playing this stuff
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcdkCpEX1ws&t=...
That's excellent!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcdkCpEX1ws&t=...
ben5575 said:
Giantt said:
Top tip,least it was for me,break up barre chords into diad,triads, specially with overdrive, distortion don't need to move around neck so much, interspersed with single note fills
I'll go and investigate what that means 
Any major or minor chord contains just three notes. This is a triad. Take a F major chord using a full barre at fret 1. Strum all six strings, and they are all just combinations of the notes F / A / C which comprise a F major chord - the root note (F), the third (A), and the fifth (C). Want to play a minor chord? Lower the third note by half a step, giving you the notes F / A flat / C.
A triad is (the clue is in the name) a chord of three notes. A diad is just a two note chord, but can still sound major or minor. See, any major or minor chord is influenced by the third note - in the example of F - the A note. Play just F and A notes together (two notes being a diad), and that is F major. Play the notes F and A flat and you have F minor.
Hope that makes some sort of sense.
cherryowen said:
ben5575 said:
Giantt said:
Top tip,least it was for me,break up barre chords into diad,triads, specially with overdrive, distortion don't need to move around neck so much, interspersed with single note fills
I'll go and investigate what that means Any major or minor chord contains just three notes. This is a triad. Take a F major chord using a full barre at fret 1. Strum all six strings, and they are all just combinations of the notes F / A / C which comprise a F major chord - the root note (F), the third (A), and the fifth (C). Want to play a minor chord? Lower the third note by half a step, giving you the notes F / A flat / C.
A triad is (the clue is in the name) a chord of three notes. A diad is just a two note chord, but can still sound major or minor. See, any major or minor chord is influenced by the third note - in the example of F - the A note. Play just F and A notes together (two notes being a diad), and that is F major. Play the notes F and A flat and you have F minor.
Hope that makes some sort of sense.
Edited by Simes205 on Thursday 4th May 23:12
Ah right so I knew I could cheat on an full F major barre by playing:
But I didn't really know why, other than you just can. I hadn't realised that you can apply that to other chords as well. Even though that image literally says triad on it
I haven't got beyond the fact that there are four major/minor shapes across the E and A strings yet, as in I know what they look like, but I haven't applied that yet. Partly because that involves learning/memorising the notes and that requires effort.
So joining the dots between that and triad/diad is a month or two away. All makes sense though. Sounds like something I'll ask my teacher to show me as it'll make more sense that way.
Thanks both for the advice
But I didn't really know why, other than you just can. I hadn't realised that you can apply that to other chords as well. Even though that image literally says triad on it
I haven't got beyond the fact that there are four major/minor shapes across the E and A strings yet, as in I know what they look like, but I haven't applied that yet. Partly because that involves learning/memorising the notes and that requires effort.
So joining the dots between that and triad/diad is a month or two away. All makes sense though. Sounds like something I'll ask my teacher to show me as it'll make more sense that way.
Thanks both for the advice
Simes205 said:
cherryowen said:
ben5575 said:
Giantt said:
Top tip,least it was for me,break up barre chords into diad,triads, specially with overdrive, distortion don't need to move around neck so much, interspersed with single note fills
I'll go and investigate what that means Any major or minor chord contains just three notes. This is a triad. Take a F major chord using a full barre at fret 1. Strum all six strings, and they are all just combinations of the notes F / A / C which comprise a F major chord - the root note (F), the third (A), and the fifth (C). Want to play a minor chord? Lower the third note by half a step, giving you the notes F / A flat / C.
A triad is (the clue is in the name) a chord of three notes. A diad is just a two note chord, but can still sound major or minor. See, any major or minor chord is influenced by the third note - in the example of F - the A note. Play just F and A notes together (two notes being a diad), and that is F major. Play the notes F and A flat and you have F minor.
Hope that makes some sort of sense.
Edited by Simes205 on Thursday 4th May 23:12
ETA : Great minds think alike!
Edited by cherryowen on Friday 5th May 22:39
Never heard of a diad but whatever works is all good. On the guitar shop thing, it's a well known fact that all talent evaporates the second you cross the threshold, so don't worry about it, it's a universal experience that whillst you're plinking out the intro to Stairway, the Saturday boy will pick up something pointy & flawlessly shred some 64th note Malmsteen.
ben5575 said:
Giantt said:
Top tip,least it was for me,break up barre chords into diad,triads, specially with overdrive, distortion don't need to move around neck so much, interspersed with single note fills
I'll go and investigate what that means I’ve found my thread! Picking up the guitar after 40yrs of not playing as a retirement project! Bought a Yamaha F370 but find my Yamaha C40II easier to play because the wider string spacing - more forgiving! I’ve given up trying to find a wide nut steel string and trying to relearn chords on the nylon one and persevering with the steel strung one. Having fun but my fingertips are sore!
I started on a classical, still play it every day. The great thing is once you nail the muscle memory & motor skills, then a guitar is just a guitar, you can play any old axe. And the calusses will come with practice. The golden rule is practice, practice, practice. It really is the secret shortcut.
Hi all, for over 20 years I've been plinking away at the guitar but have never progressed much beyond what I would deem advanced beginner. I'm terrible for picking up the guitar everyday for a month and then putting it down for the next year as life and work gets in the way.
I'm a reasonable campfire strummer and can follow some more complex stuff (including a decent "Stairway") but now want to get my head around the theory side of things, especially as eldest daughter is taking an interest in wanting to learn.
Anyone got any recommendations for books that cover the basic principles of theory? Youtube is ace but I find I understand things better when I read them and most of the websites I've found on this all seem to tie into a paid course which I don't really want at the moment.
cheers.
I'm a reasonable campfire strummer and can follow some more complex stuff (including a decent "Stairway") but now want to get my head around the theory side of things, especially as eldest daughter is taking an interest in wanting to learn.
Anyone got any recommendations for books that cover the basic principles of theory? Youtube is ace but I find I understand things better when I read them and most of the websites I've found on this all seem to tie into a paid course which I don't really want at the moment.
cheers.
What sort of theory?
Rhythm
Pitch
Harmony
https://www.musictheory.net/
Rhythm
Pitch
Harmony
https://www.musictheory.net/
Edited by Simes205 on Thursday 19th October 19:06
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