Learning to play the guitar?
Discussion
Having never learned an instrument before, I decided to purchase a guitar recently and have spent the last few days watching Justin guitars channel.
Awesome learning tool, I’ve spent a few days going back over what I’ve learned, currently, only the D & A chord & I’m doing his ‘1 minute exercise’.
I did 10 minutes practice earlier & went from 10 changes a minute, up to about 20 after 10 minutes practice. Christ my fingers hurt though!
I called it a night after my finger tips went black!
Anyone who says guitar is easy, can either already play or is lying!
Awesome learning tool, I’ve spent a few days going back over what I’ve learned, currently, only the D & A chord & I’m doing his ‘1 minute exercise’.
I did 10 minutes practice earlier & went from 10 changes a minute, up to about 20 after 10 minutes practice. Christ my fingers hurt though!
I called it a night after my finger tips went black!
Anyone who says guitar is easy, can either already play or is lying!
Thanks for the tips guys. Have tried the different chord structures and have come to the conclusion that my 2nd & 3rd fingers are fat & fleshy 
Combine this with the narrow neck of the tele and I'm screwed 
Will keep at it but think long term I need to exchange the tele for something with a wider neck, even if only slightly.
And theguvernor is absolutely right, this sure isn't easy!
Combine this with the narrow neck of the tele and I'm screwed Will keep at it but think long term I need to exchange the tele for something with a wider neck, even if only slightly.And theguvernor is absolutely right, this sure isn't easy!
For those of you saying you can't fret the notes correctly, have you cut your finger nails?
If you have finger nails that protrude even slightly beyond your finger tips, particularly on open chords, your finger nails may be stopping you actually pushing the string down far enough!
As I said earlier on in the thread, learning guitar hurts, until you get callouses on your finger tips you will get blisters and your fingers will be sore and your wrist will ache when you start on barre chords!
AFAIC, there is nothing remotely 'natural' about playing a guitar, it takes time, lots of patience and even more practice, for it to become second nature.
If you have finger nails that protrude even slightly beyond your finger tips, particularly on open chords, your finger nails may be stopping you actually pushing the string down far enough!
As I said earlier on in the thread, learning guitar hurts, until you get callouses on your finger tips you will get blisters and your fingers will be sore and your wrist will ache when you start on barre chords!
AFAIC, there is nothing remotely 'natural' about playing a guitar, it takes time, lots of patience and even more practice, for it to become second nature.
CypSIdders said:
For those of you saying you can't fret the notes correctly, have you cut your finger nails?
If you have finger nails that protrude even slightly beyond your finger tips, particularly on open chords, your finger nails may be stopping you actually pushing the string down far enough!
As I said earlier on in the thread, learning guitar hurts, until you get callouses on your finger tips you will get blisters and your fingers will be sore and your wrist will ache when you start on barre chords!
AFAIC, there is nothing remotely 'natural' about playing a guitar, it takes time, lots of patience and even more practice, for it to become second nature.
You’re absolutely right. If you have finger nails that protrude even slightly beyond your finger tips, particularly on open chords, your finger nails may be stopping you actually pushing the string down far enough!
As I said earlier on in the thread, learning guitar hurts, until you get callouses on your finger tips you will get blisters and your fingers will be sore and your wrist will ache when you start on barre chords!
AFAIC, there is nothing remotely 'natural' about playing a guitar, it takes time, lots of patience and even more practice, for it to become second nature.
I’ve not been playing long but things that were so difficult early on are now, as you say, second nature.
Once you’ve made that progress with the first steps, which for me was learning A, D and E, I found it important to know, when moving on and finding the next steps again difficult, that practice does bring its rewards.
I’ve realised that several times now, which is essential to keep you going, imo.
As my fingers were hurting I left the guitar alone for a couple of days, practiced again earlier with Justin Guitars 1 minute exercise between the D & A chord.
I managed 20 changes p/min up to 35 after a further 10 minutes practice (not all of them clean, but much better). I also learned the E Chord, which seems a lot easier than D & A.
It’s quite rewarding watching the changes p/min go up rapidly.
I managed 20 changes p/min up to 35 after a further 10 minutes practice (not all of them clean, but much better). I also learned the E Chord, which seems a lot easier than D & A.
It’s quite rewarding watching the changes p/min go up rapidly.
I attended a BBQ last week and a mutual friend brought his acoustic guitar.. he was "that guy" playing the classic pop songs at 22:00 while we were all sat outside drinking.
As a result, I have bought a beginners guitar, a Yamaha F310 which turned up today. I've never played guitar before but used to play the Saxophone as a teenager at school and was in the senior jazz band
Spent about an hour today following an intro video on YouTube learning finger placement for the E and A chords. God my fingers hurt!! My pinky for the A chord on the 5th string is very hard to press.
Will make a start on the Justin Guitar videos at the weekend.
As a result, I have bought a beginners guitar, a Yamaha F310 which turned up today. I've never played guitar before but used to play the Saxophone as a teenager at school and was in the senior jazz band
Spent about an hour today following an intro video on YouTube learning finger placement for the E and A chords. God my fingers hurt!! My pinky for the A chord on the 5th string is very hard to press.
Will make a start on the Justin Guitar videos at the weekend.
Learn F and Bm, that way you'll be able to play anything, but they are the hardest shapes for your fingers to master as your Barre chords.
play em for an hour a day, then when yo're bored, do drop-D powers to play rock songs and use some fuzz/OD and dist. thisll keep you happy that you can play "something" while you learn properly. then progres to standard tuning power chords.... then once you're a year in you'll have your Barre's sorted and the littel variatiosn for minors, 7ths etc will just be a trick you pick up quite naturally.
strumming, rhythm and singing, thaht's another thing you either have or dont!
play em for an hour a day, then when yo're bored, do drop-D powers to play rock songs and use some fuzz/OD and dist. thisll keep you happy that you can play "something" while you learn properly. then progres to standard tuning power chords.... then once you're a year in you'll have your Barre's sorted and the littel variatiosn for minors, 7ths etc will just be a trick you pick up quite naturally.
strumming, rhythm and singing, thaht's another thing you either have or dont!
Prohibiting said:
I attended a BBQ last week and a mutual friend brought his acoustic guitar.. he was "that guy" playing the classic pop songs at 22:00 while we were all sat outside drinking.
As a result, I have bought a beginners guitar, a Yamaha F310 which turned up today. I've never played guitar before but used to play the Saxophone as a teenager at school and was in the senior jazz band
Spent about an hour today following an intro video on YouTube learning finger placement for the E and A chords. God my fingers hurt!! My pinky for the A chord on the 5th string is very hard to press.
Will make a start on the Justin Guitar videos at the weekend.
?? What A is that? As a result, I have bought a beginners guitar, a Yamaha F310 which turned up today. I've never played guitar before but used to play the Saxophone as a teenager at school and was in the senior jazz band
Spent about an hour today following an intro video on YouTube learning finger placement for the E and A chords. God my fingers hurt!! My pinky for the A chord on the 5th string is very hard to press.
Will make a start on the Justin Guitar videos at the weekend.
REALIST123 said:
Prohibiting said:
I attended a BBQ last week and a mutual friend brought his acoustic guitar.. he was "that guy" playing the classic pop songs at 22:00 while we were all sat outside drinking.
As a result, I have bought a beginners guitar, a Yamaha F310 which turned up today. I've never played guitar before but used to play the Saxophone as a teenager at school and was in the senior jazz band
Spent about an hour today following an intro video on YouTube learning finger placement for the E and A chords. God my fingers hurt!! My pinky for the A chord on the 5th string is very hard to press.
Will make a start on the Justin Guitar videos at the weekend.
?? What A is that? As a result, I have bought a beginners guitar, a Yamaha F310 which turned up today. I've never played guitar before but used to play the Saxophone as a teenager at school and was in the senior jazz band
Spent about an hour today following an intro video on YouTube learning finger placement for the E and A chords. God my fingers hurt!! My pinky for the A chord on the 5th string is very hard to press.
Will make a start on the Justin Guitar videos at the weekend.
I'm not sure why your pinky is involved in fretting an A major chord.
As a beginner, an A major should be (low strings to high) : Open low E string, open low A string, index finger 2nd fret on D string, middle finger 2nd fret on G string, ring finger 2nd fret B string, open high E string.
Once you've nailed that, move on to index finger barring the D, G, and B strings with the thumb hooked over the top of the fretboard to mute the low E (not strictly necessary as the E natural note is part of an A major chord, so it won't sound out of place)
As a beginner, an A major should be (low strings to high) : Open low E string, open low A string, index finger 2nd fret on D string, middle finger 2nd fret on G string, ring finger 2nd fret B string, open high E string.
Once you've nailed that, move on to index finger barring the D, G, and B strings with the thumb hooked over the top of the fretboard to mute the low E (not strictly necessary as the E natural note is part of an A major chord, so it won't sound out of place)
cherryowen said:
I'm not sure why your pinky is involved in fretting an A major chord.
As a beginner, an A major should be (low strings to high) : Open low E string, open low A string, index finger 2nd fret on D string, middle finger 2nd fret on G string, ring finger 2nd fret B string, open high E string.
Once you've nailed that, move on to index finger barring the D, G, and B strings with the thumb hooked over the top of the fretboard to mute the low E (not strictly necessary as the E natural note is part of an A major chord, so it won't sound out of place)
https://youtu.be/w4a2ge9N31EAs a beginner, an A major should be (low strings to high) : Open low E string, open low A string, index finger 2nd fret on D string, middle finger 2nd fret on G string, ring finger 2nd fret B string, open high E string.
Once you've nailed that, move on to index finger barring the D, G, and B strings with the thumb hooked over the top of the fretboard to mute the low E (not strictly necessary as the E natural note is part of an A major chord, so it won't sound out of place)
19:40
Prohibiting said:
cherryowen said:
I'm not sure why your pinky is involved in fretting an A major chord.
As a beginner, an A major should be (low strings to high) : Open low E string, open low A string, index finger 2nd fret on D string, middle finger 2nd fret on G string, ring finger 2nd fret B string, open high E string.
Once you've nailed that, move on to index finger barring the D, G, and B strings with the thumb hooked over the top of the fretboard to mute the low E (not strictly necessary as the E natural note is part of an A major chord, so it won't sound out of place)
https://youtu.be/w4a2ge9N31EAs a beginner, an A major should be (low strings to high) : Open low E string, open low A string, index finger 2nd fret on D string, middle finger 2nd fret on G string, ring finger 2nd fret B string, open high E string.
Once you've nailed that, move on to index finger barring the D, G, and B strings with the thumb hooked over the top of the fretboard to mute the low E (not strictly necessary as the E natural note is part of an A major chord, so it won't sound out of place)
19:40
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkkOFLouQDs
Prohibiting said:
That’s an option but a big advantage, for a beginner, of playing A with fingers 1,2 and 3 is that your index finger never leaves the fretboard changing between A, D and E. It stays where it is between A and D and just slides a fret down going to E. Gives a good anchor.
Made a lot of sense for me, still does.
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