Guitar tips and help

[Jodez]

Ok so i thought instead of randomly posting in another thread about a question i thought id make it general cause i didnt see one. So for anyone Kick ass players that can help or whatever that would awsome. So my question is this. How would i go about trying to do this (from All Torn Down) because i cant get my fingers to do that lol, i just cant and so i was wondering if there is anyone that could give me some tips or something, and i have trouble even doing less ones like that, i cant hold a finger to more than one string....

------4-4-4-4--|
b 4-4-4-4--|
g----5-5-5-5--|
d--- 6-6-6-6-
a----6-6-6-6-
e----4-4-4-4-
Thanks

[Kevin]

bar chords can be kinda tricky first go hehe

your index finger has to stretch over all 6 strings on the 4th fret, try this first and see if you can get a clean note out of each string. i can be hard to keep the pressure across your whole finger, so just to get it going, cross your middle finger over your index to help, but you'll need that finger for the chord so it's important your index is doing most of the work.

your third and forth fingers hold down the A and D strings, and your middle finger bends over to play the g string. (does that sound suss?)

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/3135/chordwz1.jpg

now to make it so you don't spend 5 minutes changing to and from this chord, put the same chord pattern on the first fret, play the chord, making sure it's clean with no buzzing or dead notes, and then move it up a fret to the second, then third etc.
lift your fingers clear of the strings during each change, so your fingers will soon learn where they need to go.

might be tricky at first, but there's nothing better for you than dull, repetitive exercises :)

[tanguyen]

You have hot hands Kev ;) I'm saving that picture.

[Kevin]

:confused: oh god that is fucking creepy

[Jawn]

hahahahahahaahhahahahahahahahaha oh man

this is about the funniest thread ive ever read.

Run Kevin. Run.

[Habibster]

and your middle finger bends over to play the g string. (does that sound suss?)


Only a bit suss...

[tanguyen]

Kevin, can you send me more pictures of your hands, I'm starting a website: www.handsdownyourpants.com . I'm sure you'll help. Anyways, to help Jodez, if you are pretty proficient at playing powerchords, adapting to barre chords shouldn't take that long as its just a re-arrangement of your index finger.

[Strider]

haha, I feel your pain Kev! I've had people say my hands are nice before. It's sorta weird! lol

I think the key with barre chords, is you gotta keep practising till you CAN form them. It won't happen overnight, but it will happen with persistence. And it's a very important part of playing guitar. There are little tricks you can do like curling your thumb around to hold the E (thickest) string. A lot of fingerpickers use this cos it gives you more control with your other fingers without being restricted to one position.

[_jimmy_]

thats been said to me before, its weird, they're just hands, sometimes when people say it, sounds like they want your hands :p

[tanguyen]

Seeing as this seem to be the place to ask for help, I don't think I'm bending the strings properly. I get the right sound and all but I seem to screw up my nails a bit when doing them. I'll explain. I was trying to learn the Stairway to Heaven solo not too long ago, and I sat there, learning it for an hour. The song contains ALOT of bends, and then I notice that the continous bending seems to pull the skin under the nail out, so that the overhanging nail grows larger if you get what I mean. Am I doing something wrong? Plus it also frays the tips of my fingers, I've been playing for 2 years and it just seems like I haven't built up a callous or something...

[Strider]

Next time someone says you guys have nice hands, just reply with "if you think my hands look good, you should see what I can do with em!"

It sounds like you haven't built up callus put simply. Bends can be pretty harsh on your hands (especially on an acoustic), Chris Cheney has a few solos that use a lot of bends as well. Maybe you're not bending with the right part of your finger. If you're holding the fret down correctly as you normally would, you just simply bend the string? and your nails on your fretting hand should be kept pretty short.

[tanguyen]

"if you think my hands look good, you should see what I can do with em!"

Dearie me... I don't think the thread starter intended the thread to go in this derection. ;)

Well, the sound I produce is all well and good and I don't find it difficult to produce 1 and half tone bends or anything. It's all probably technique seeing as I taught myself. I'll just ask a mate for a one on one demonstration.

[Jodez]

bar chords can be kinda tricky first go hehe

your index finger has to stretch over all 6 strings on the 4th fret, try this first and see if you can get a clean note out of each string. i can be hard to keep the pressure across your whole finger, so just to get it going, cross your middle finger over your index to help, but you'll need that finger for the chord so it's important your index is doing most of the work.

your third and forth fingers hold down the A and D strings, and your middle finger bends over to play the g string. (does that sound suss?)

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/3135/chordwz1.jpg

now to make it so you don't spend 5 minutes changing to and from this chord, put the same chord pattern on the first fret, play the chord, making sure it's clean with no buzzing or dead notes, and then move it up a fret to the second, then third etc.
lift your fingers clear of the strings during each change, so your fingers will soon learn where they need to go.

might be tricky at first, but there's nothing better for you than dull, repetitive exercises :)

Wow okt hat is alot to take in, and i cant exactly practice it cause one of my strings in broken, but ill give it a go. I remember when i got my guitar (yes a whole long 7months ago) and then only chord i could hold was the Emin lol then i couldnt control my fingers and they were all over the place. My friend said i wouldnt b able to play it because my fingers were to small. But one day after practicing, they did what i wanted LOL but i suck at everything else hehe:D Thanks for the pic to Kev

[Kevin]

Thanks for the pic to Kev

it's ok, everyone seems to be enjoying it :o

i might write up some more exercises sometime tonight

[Armistice]

bar chords can be kinda tricky first go hehe ...

You could've just done a pic and say, "Here you go. Do that" lol :D

It didn't take me long to fig it out... so I was kind of wondering

Jodez: you've been playing for 7mos... have you been just playing single not stuff? I was just wondering. I've been playing for 4mos... not everyday coz of school or band... but I knew how to do them. I'm not ragging on you, just curious

Now the mysteries of other chords will make sence now, huh? lol :D I love barre chords

[livingendrock]

in the meantime jodez, just play using the 3 notes at the bottom. ie

e--4--4--4--4--
b--5--5--5--5--
g--6--6--6--6--

and so on

[tanguyen]

it's ok, everyone seems to be enjoying it :o

Haha ... I just get the image that you're perplexed by the attention your hands seem to be reaping in.

[Jodez]

You could've just done a pic and say, "Here you go. Do that" lol :D

It didn't take me long to fig it out... so I was kind of wondering

Jodez: you've been playing for 7mos... have you been just playing single not stuff? I was just wondering. I've been playing for 4mos... not everyday coz of school or band... but I knew how to do them. I'm not ragging on you, just curious

Now the mysteries of other chords will make sence now, huh? lol :D I love barre chords

Nah lol ive been doing alot more than single notes, to me like 2months to being able to full do things like this tho

7
5
5 yea i had to wait to develop the coordination lol

Oh i love the ppl on here...So friendly and willing to help :rolleyes: *Hugs everyone*

[Kevin]

Oh i love the ppl on here...So friendly and willing to help :rolleyes: *Hugs everyone*

yeah, i can't go to a forum on the internet without wondering whether someone is getting off over the same thread i'm reading :rolleyes:

i actually made a terrible joke infront of a friend of mine about the above incident. i said what happened, then i stated "I'm the only one who's allowed to get off over my hand!"
luckily i was driving at the time and only got a dissapproving glare, not beaten to death. :p

[Armistice]

Yah. yah power chords! lol :D

[Strider]

Dearie me... I don't think the thread starter intended the thread to go in this derection. ;)

whaaaat? lol I'm talking about the ability to be able to play guitar with your hands. What the hell were YOU thinking!

[Julian]

I cheat with barre chords and play them Hendrix style. I can do them both ways but it's alot easier that way.

[Jodez]

I need a teacher dammit!

[Julian]

Can you get lessons at your school?

[Jodez]

If i was at high school i probably would, but im not....there was this guy who said he'd teach me, but when i got my guitar, he said my fingers were to small and he never ended up doing anything with me, he's not my friend anymore because he is a ASSHOLE!

[mel_bound]

If you have a local music shop ask them for lessons, often the workers do lessons themselves, or know heaps of people who do. Then it's kind of a matter of trial and error, if you like the teachers style and what not.

[Jodez]

Are teachers exspensive these days?

[mel_bound]

hmm, I guess they start from about $10 per lessons or something, lessons either 30 mins or an hour.. personally I think that half-hour lessons are too short to really achieve anything, but I dunno what you're looking for..? hehe

[Jodez]

Probably some more like an hour, cause by the time they tell you what to do and stuff the lesson would be over and you'd feel like you havent achived anything, but hey i havent had a lesson before lol

[mel_bound]

yeah. I know a guy who offered me lessons for $15 for an hour lesson, at the moment i have 30 min lessons, and I don't think I'm getting much out of them.. But yeah my advice, just ask around! The front couters of guitar shops are littered with business cards of teachers :)

[Jodez]

Ill look into it, but i cant really do it right now, as i have no job hehe but ive asked my MUMMY to get me an acoustic for xmas lol so thats cool..But i will not be buying it from the place i did last time...bloody dickheads...Whats the price range for a good guitar? just so i get an idea, unlike last time, i didnt no ANY guitat brands lol

[RollOn]

yeah, i can't go to a forum on the internet without wondering whether someone is getting off over the same thread i'm reading :rolleyes:

i actually made a terrible joke infront of a friend of mine about the above incident. i said what happened, then i stated "I'm the only one who's allowed to get off over my hand!"
luckily i was driving at the time and only got a dissapproving glare, not beaten to death. :p

So that's why they're called Barre chords :D

[Jodez]

Are there any websites that are decent enough to look at for guitars in Aus?

[RollOn]

Depends what kind of guitar you're after Jodez. You'd be better off going down to a music shop and trying a few out first though. See what you like and what feels right etc;
There's no use in getting a guitar that "looks nice" if when you get it home you find it's too heavy for you or not set up properly for you.
My advice to you is to check out some music shops yourself and shop around. Trust me I learnt the hard way.
Not that I don't love CJ, quite the opposite but I could've done alot better if I hadn't been so bloody stubborn that day! haha

[Jodez]

Nah im not gonna buy one off the net or anything. i just want to see whats out there. And i dont know jack really about guitars lol. I dont like the billy hyde site cause it doesnt have pics. I just want a normal acustic guitar dammit! lol thanks for the advice mate

[RollOn]

No problems, if you're a total novice and after an acoustic be best to start on steel strings and if you want it to last get a solid top.

I'll find a link for you to an online place, has good pictures, pretty cheap too but I wouldnt't risk it.
http://www.venuemusic.com.au/Category.asp?CatID=45
Not the one I was really looking for but have a quick squizz there while I find the other one. Hope this helps a little.
http://www.guitar.com.au/guitars/acoustic/index.htm
Then there's this one, looks like they have heaps to look at. Should keep you busy for a while although it's still not the one I was really after!!
For those interested my guitar is a Martinez solid spruce top with steel strings and 2 lovely signatures! haha

[Jodez]

Thanks mate. Yeah im kinda hopless with things like that, thats how i ended up getting ripped off last time. Whats better..Steel or plastic(?) strings..i always imagined acoustics with the latter ...

[Jodez]

Hey it doesnt necessarily have to be like a fender or whatever to sound good does it? Cause im seeing them and im thinking my mum wouldnt pay more than like $200 on one..Some of them are heaps aye

[RollOn]

No it doesn't have to be a Fender to sound good. Mine is a Martinez, steel strings, solid top and whole dealies that you need and mine was only $249.
If I were you (which I'm not but still you know) I wouldn't pay under $200 for one. Find one you like for about $350 and screw them down on price, ask for a bag, a tuner some picks, the whole load.
Steel strings in my opinion are better as they teach your fingers better, as you progress in guitar it is recommended that you get steelies anyway so might as well start off with them ey?!
That's what I was told. Plus they help the callous's's's to form quicker.

If I'm overloading you or not making any sense let me know, it is rather late and I ramble heaps when I'm tired.
If you'd like to ask me more drop me an e-mail. I am by no means the world's best guitar player and I'm not even going to pretend that I know heaps about guitar. I've only been playing a few months but have picked up a few things.

If you're serious about this ask Fritz first!

[RollOn]

Hey it doesnt necessarily have to be like a fender or whatever to sound good does it? Cause im seeing them and im thinking my mum wouldnt pay more than like $200 on one..Some of them are heaps aye

Yes agreed, some of them are $1000's+ which if you're learning I wouldn't bother looking at. Get something around the $250 mark first to see if you like it or not.
After you've decided if you like it etc and had a few lessons then you can start thinking about another more expensive acoustic or an electric (like myself)
So far I've got the guy at Billy Hydes down to just under $2000 for a Duo Jet and a little amp.
Fritz, could I do better?
I keep going in there and working my bargaining powers. If he ever gets near the $1700 mark then I'm buying. haha

[Jodez]

Yeah but my electric is obviously steel lol

I should take you guitar shopping lol i think ive been playing longer than you and you know fiffty billion more things hehe!

Like i said though, my mum wont pay over $200 no way. The reason i ask about brands is cause i got mine from a shop it was 2nd hand and its a magnum. And i was told (after the fact tho) that they had stopped making them like 15 20yr back and they were only worth about $50....I paid $120...hence the reason im like all edgy lol!! You hav been a great help! trust me!!
Edit: ur last post...I dont have barganing powers! at all, i think id need a male for that, and plus i wouldnt know what id be talking about! haha

[RollOn]

haha no us females are better at bargaining.
Boobs don't get you everything but they sure help. If you're anywhere near me in Melbourne I'd be more than happy to come guitar shopping with you if you'd like.

I'm glad I've been of some help. I've never heard of those Magnum's before. I might have to do some googling later today if I ever decide to go to sleep haha
I wouldn't say I know 50 billion more things than you, you are probably more proficient in other areas than I am. I had to learn quick though I guess I only did a 7 week course at tafe consisting of a 2 hour lesson every Tuesday.

The teacher was great though, Jeff Burstin. I'm seriously considering signing up for guitar 2 now.
For those that don't know Jeff Burstin he's played with Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons, played with Joe Camilleri and I forgot the name of the other band he was with. Great guy, very patient. I'll send you a link to Box Hill tafe if you're interested.

Well that's all folks this little black duck is going to sleep. Note the holiday mode there! haha

[Jodez]

We are only better with shopping as in clothes and crap i reckon hehe, yeah i live in melb, near the melbourne showgrounds (its great to say that cause its easy to explain haha!). The reason (and im pretty sure if you googled it it wouldnt come up with anything) is cause they stopped making them! ...omg is there a tafe course just for learning guitar? Tell me more...I need to do something for next year, my course finishes this year (even tho i have to redo a subject again cause my teacher was a fucking asshole)....Its a shame its in boxhill haha nite nite

[Jodez]

OMg i just looked at the time...I thought it was only like 12 or something....

well nite nite or should i say morning morning

[Kevin]

Are teachers exspensive these days?

for a one on one guitar lesson with me, it would cost you $27 a half hour

[RollOn]

That sounds a tad pricey Kevin. PLus by the time she's gotten a flight up to come and get a lesson for a half an hour. Jesus I shudder to think what the cost would be!!

[Jodez]

Haha yeah true, id rather stay in melbourne..if only Chris was a teacher,....

[Jawn]

I would never buy an acoustic for anything less than $700. That's what them Corts go for I think. They are ok guitars.

[Strider]

As long as it has a solid top, that's one of the main things when buying an acoustic.

[Jawn]

....and a bridge. Make sure the acoustic has a bridge.


Oh and machine heads. You can get them left handed if you so desire.

[Kevin]

That sounds a tad pricey Kevin. PLus by the time she's gotten a flight up to come and get a lesson for a half an hour. Jesus I shudder to think what the cost would be!!

heh, well it's pretty specialised stuff.
you don't wanna know what you have to pay for piano accordian lessons around here!

[RollOn]

Ah right, but still we'd have to fly up there and stuff haha

Piano accordian lessons what the hell you want them for? Seems like a weird instrument to learn!!

[Jodez]

So kevin, what do you do in your lessons then?

[Kevin]

i've got a friend who is super mad at the piano accordian, she was in new zealand for some thing she had to play at.

in my music lessons, i teach the guitar.
for all those who don't know, i've been playing the classical guitar since i was 6, i recently spend 7 grand on a new one, and just got a couple of mics so i'll start recording some things in my spare time.

there's no other place around that can teach this style of guitar, and i think it's great.

[Jodez]

You rock, just a shame you dont live in Melbourne and that im not rich haha

[Kevin]

well i'm working at the guitar shop/school, so it's like my students pay me the fees, then the company gets like 30-40% for room hire and resources.

if i was privately teaching i wouldn't charge that much, but i wouldn't have all the resources.

[Jodez]

Just out of curiousity, what types of stuff do you teach your students? If you dont mind me asking

[Kevin]

we've got a few beginners books to start off with, they introduce the notes of the g scale, crotchets, quavers, time signatures, basic stuff like that with little songs along the way till it's covered a 2 octave g scale. then there's a few harder songs that concentrate on left and right hand fingering, which then leads off onto the ameb books if that's where they want to go. i usually use that point to play some little bluesy songs with them, people seem to pick up shuffle rhythms pretty easy, it sorta makes them feel the music much better. then i like to get back to the classical stuff, as there's lots more technique to build, but going back and forth between styles is often good.

i had one guy come in for just 2 lessons, wanting help for a school performance, that was fun.

i've gotta head out to the pub now, the above might not make sense, i'll eleborate later

[Jodez]

yeah cool. Have fun!

[Kevin]

just recording this earlier, it's the intro to a 19th century piece i've been doing lately. just a few slips in there, i'll keep rerecording and not rush it too much.
http://users.on.net/~trcooper/music/intro.mp3

just got 2 sm57 mics off ebay for pretty cheap, it sounds much better than those other recordings i did, i'll finish recording the rest of the song over the weekend.

[TLE_rok]

for a one on one guitar lesson with me, it would cost you $27 a half hour

i can get some heaps cheaper down here, from people who do actually do stuff. Like you.

[Julia]

I used to pay about $260 a term for a half hour lesson each week, but that was at a proper academy of music with the AMEB exams and stuff. Now I pay $30 an hour, and the teacher is incredible. He can teach you anything you want, he's studied classical/flamenco guitar in Milan, but then he's also played in 70's rock style bands since he was a teenager. His jazz improvisation is really good too, and he's released albums with his own guitar compositions in Europe. Hehe, as you can tell, I think very highly of him.