I think that this is a valid argument , considering my experience. I am somewhat “older” late 60s than most when taking this instrument up
and after attempting on and off for the last year I am almost at the point of no return.
I have a Yamaha F310 and even with the help of an instructor am not able to nail the basic Chords, especially C Major I am simply unable to stop my ring finger from collapsing or hitting the 4th String. Even though I can barre all 6 strings up to the 1st fret the moment I try to then form any shape be it F Major or B the strings “ miraculously “ escape
I keep telling myself that it takes time, however the same faults keep arising
Does this ring true with others that have had similar problems, how did you/ or not overcome them ?
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But I'm getting there and so can you if you stick at it.
Good luck, don't be one of those who give up in the first year
I think there is a danger for those of us starting to be constantly struggling and looking forward at everything we cant yet do we forget to glimpse backwards and see we have made progress.
it is like most experiences, in that you often find yourself practicing for weeks months and nothing seems to be going right, then you take a step back and see where you started.
I am perhaps falling into the trap of expecting it all to instantly fall into place. I am now new to Music having played a few instruments in my early years and can read Music and tempo. I just never remember it taking so long to get to a semi reasonable level.
We all struggle at different points, with different things.
C and F barre etc are little milestones you will get past
Don’t give up. (And Merry Christmas.)
Jim.
I'm finding that I have less patience as I get older. Keep going.
Maybe look into trying a classical guitar as they have wider spaced nylon strings with lower tension.
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I have been thinking about my struggles with chords, and can remember what made a difference foe me, and it was this “one minute changes”
On the Justin guitar beginners course he teaches you to take a pair of chords, say C and G, and with a timer see how many changes you can do in one minute. Make a note. Continue every day till you see an improvement. My first attempt was maybe 4 or 5. After a couple of months it was up to about 55. Justin reckons60 is a good target.
Totally recommended as a way to improve.
Also, I play a strat (often unplugged)....if I’d stuck to an acoustic I’d probably have given up too.
I find I struggle get clean notes whenever more than one string is used, and I REALLY cannot use my little finger for more than the most basic things. I've been teaching myself instrumental numbers, but seem to forget them after only a short while. As Homer Simpson said "When I learn something new, it pushes something old out to make room".
All very frustrating, but it's all relative. My brother can't play a note, and therefore thinks I'm a great player, as do some of my non playing friends (others know better!!). It's also great fun, despite the frustrations, and the thing is, if you keep trying, you can only improve.
My advice is to stick at it and not worry too much about your progress, just enjoy the ride
Cliff
However some people seem to be more dexterous, have a good natural ear, or sense of rhythm, but all of these can be developed.
My clearest memory of learning to play was when I got my first guitar (classical) which I'd borrowed from a friend. He had drawn little chord diagrams of a song and I just worked and worked at being able to change the chords to the song. I think it was 'streets of london', with the occasional 'blowing in the wind'.
I think I probably spent about 2 hours of focussed, sweaty graft every night for about 2 weeks. I literally could not understand how anybody could make their fingers form the shapes, let alone do it at speed. However, I had an overwhelming feeling of being in a fight to the end, and I was going to win.
In the words of brian adams I literally played til my fingers bled at one point.
But I came out of those 3 weeks being able to do C, Am, Em, D and a passable but clunky half barre F. G didn't come for another few weeks.
So having said all of that, I'm not sure how much actual hard practice you are putting in, but you probably need to do a lot more than you think. Hours at a time and with a great deal of focus - and consistently, at least for a few weeks.
Stick with it!
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Don't get me wrong I can read music and can play other instruments. But this one just seems to be, at the moment, mission impossible
I really love the tone of this guitar when it has new shiny strings and you hit the sweet spots.It gives me a sense that I have never experienced before with other instruments and It leaves me with a sense that I can do so much more, and this is only one guitar!
I still have the same guitar 20 years later, and I never did go back to acoustic strings on it.
No doubt plenty of people will tell you this is a terrible idea but it got me over the hump when I was starting out.
Try forming a chord but then releasing your finger pressure so that you are just touching the strings.
Then try lifting your fingers off the strings 1 or 2 mm but keeping them in the chord shape.
Keep raising and lowering your fingers onto and off the strings. You might find it hard at first but keep at it.
And VERY IMPORTANTLY try to do it without tension in your fingers. If you feel tension, take your hand away from the fretboard and start again.
Never give up!