It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Subscribe to our Patreon, and get image uploads with no ads on the site!
Base theme by DesignModo & ported to Powered by Vanilla by Chris Ireland, modified by the "theFB" team.
Comments
@digitalkettle Yes understood! I did assume leading with the index as being a good thing would only relate to certain chord changes.
I had a good dabble around this evening with finger independence stuff... while playing through a couple of new songs at the end of my practice it was clear that transitioning to the D chord (from just about every one of the other 6 I know) is the main thing I have to crack for now... in this case it's Em to D... I think it's because D is down at the edge of the fretboard. Gonna take some getting used to. It's funny because the D was the very first chord I learned but it's only now almost 2 months later that it's clearly obvious how much work I'll have to put into it compared to the others I know (well... so far anyway... till another set of changes poses problems & further chords are learned haha).
@BillDL I have been making a conscious effort to try to keep a rhythm & continue strumming through mess ups. Very tough to do! Especially with new stuff but I find it does generally get a bit easier once I get used to the song or exercise I'm practicing so will make sure it continues as best I can! And thanks a lot glad you enjoy the videos! I do a lot of organising of people with my work so I guess the communication with that sort of stuff helps... I'm usually on the other side of the camera (I'm a photographer) so still find it weird talking to a lens!
https://www.youtube.com/@NewLifeWithGuitar
Well.... I learned the C chord this week.
However, with that opening me up to an abundance of new songs I was immediately reminded that I have to work on continuing to polish up not only the chords I've previously learned but also the action of changing between them all - of course, I'm aware certain changes are more commonly used than others so it makes sense to at least prioritise those for now - namely the changes that specifically take place in the songs I'm practicing.
So, it took all of 10 seconds into a new song to discover that I'll be putting a ton of work into the changes between Em and D, Em and C, and C and D (just as a main focus - still doing all other standard practice stuff & whatnot) for the next week or two before I reassess. I don't expect to vastly improve these within a matter of weeks but I do want to feel more comfortable with them before introducing yet another chord (.....G!).
Thanks for watching!
https://www.youtube.com/@NewLifeWithGuitar
Full-assed cowboy G chord: 3-2-0-0-0-3
Cool G voicing: 3-2-0-0-3-3
Less mud in the bass cool G voicing*: 3-x-0-0-3-3 (let the 2nd finger mute the A string while it's fretting the low G)
* you'll only find two different notes in this voicing: G (root) and D (fifth)...so it's a G5...a 'power chord'.
Extra marks: like anything at this point, you can wring out lots of goodness from the simplest riff. Instead of playing everything with downstrokes, it might flow better with the picking pattern above (the squarish bracket is a downstroke, the arrow is an upstroke). Note that, fairly typically, the downstrokes happen on the beat...four to a bar (albeit with an imaginary one in the second bar)...this helps your timing (which is pretty good as it happens!).
Disclaimer: I have no idea how Kurt played it (he wasn't revered as a technical alternate picker )
To be honest I'm not sure haha! I don't recall the specific mention of keys in any of the lessons but I know that's all brought in later... you're right in that it is the Justin Sandercoe beginner course that I'm following... I'm still on grade one so it's all still very basic & super beginner-friendly (like the riffs being simplified, as you mentioned!)... there is a methodical structure in the order of how the chords are being taught.... and a basic intro to rhythm, strumming, tempo etc. is all introduced throughout this first grade as well.
First D & A were taught together in a lesson, then E came in another (so first chords taught in this key of A you also mention), then there was a focus on minor chords with Em & Am being taught in one lesson together, followed by Dm in another... now I've got C... next comes G... then that's the end of grade one. Throughout the lessons songs are suggested that use the specific chords that have most recently been taught but I can obviously go off & find my own one's as well.
Then in grade two the focus will be on the F chord & an introduction to scales, power chords & other stuff that's of course a step up from the basics (like palm muting, fingerstyle, alternate picking etc.)
Then there's grade 3 (the last of the beginner grades) but I haven't even looked at what those lessons involve yet! I suspect I'll be well into 2024 by the time I get anywhere near this.
https://www.youtube.com/@NewLifeWithGuitar
This one isn't for the squeamish... if you don't like looking at calluses forming you may want to give this one a miss... if you're morbidly curious like I am then you may want to give it a watch...
Short 6-7 minute documentary outlining the 54 days it took for my calluses to develop before settling down.
https://www.youtube.com/@NewLifeWithGuitar
@BillDL Yes the death grip I hope will find its way to relax! I do of course find it way easier to switch when my hand is relaxed.. and during a particularly positive session where things are going well I am able to relax it way more. Sessions that are going less well - not so much! Everything is always easier said than done for some reason haha! Same with strumming... at times it feels like my hand is super relaxed & strumming away but I watch things back & it's like wow ok... still looks like a hammering piston despite not feeling that way hah!
https://www.youtube.com/@NewLifeWithGuitar
10 weeks in... not too much change as I've mainly been going over the same things for the past 2/3 weeks... hopefully just some small improvements with bits & pieces.
The polishing of chord changes, technique, strumming, picking, rhythm etc. continues.. onwards & upwards with the G chord next.
Thanks for watching!
https://www.youtube.com/@NewLifeWithGuitar
I can see why beginners either give up or get to a stage where they just think hey, I know a bunch of basic chords... this will do me now. Even if I just focused on getting to the point of proficiency with the 8 chords I now know that would obviously be enough to play through 1000's of tunes & have plenty of fun... but no, we march on!
I bet a lot of people also call it a day when it comes to learning more because of how much it can (temporarily, I hope!) set you back... every time I add a new chord (G this week) it feels like everything chord related takes a little step back in quality for the first week until I get that chord 2% more locked in
Plus I've added a little 6:8 time signature strumming this week which is happily tripping me up... I've only been used to 4:4 up until now... so it's always being in the mindset of right.. something new... time to accept being totally crap again for a while...!
https://www.youtube.com/@NewLifeWithGuitar
https://www.youtube.com/@NewLifeWithGuitar
Very true, but the key word there is 'achievement', because what is that for you?
For me (starting aged 52) it was just to be able to strum and singalong to my favourite songs on an acoustic and I have managed to do that. Not interested in playing in a band, not really interested in playing electric (although I was intrigued by it and it seemed a natural progression), not really interested in being technically competent (doing musical grades etc).
What I do know is that if I can do it, then so can most people. I would be confident now that with practice I could improve further if I so desired (although we will all have a limit). As a beginner you don't necessarily have that same confidence. It's a sort of negative myth you put in your head that you have to have natural musical ability. That's why the guitar ends up back in the cupboard.
There are physical issues with me - my fingers just don't stretch. Maybe with exercises I could get this suppleness back but now aged 57 I doubt that will come easy, if at all. But ultimately the biggest thing is 'desire'. I don't have that desire to push on my guitar playing towards another goal.
Therefore, I think one thing I would say to anybody starting out is just to know what you want and make that your goal. And if the negative myth of 'you have to have some natural musical ability' enters your head (likely it will) then fight it and practice even more. Once you're comfortable with achieving your goal, just either stick to doing that or if you then want more then set yourself a second goal.
When you're a kid, really you're just at a time when you should be trying 'everything' to see whether you like it and whether you have talent for it. If you like it, but don't have talent then you should keep doing that thing nevertheless. It's always good to do things you like.
Many of the greatest musicians ever have come from a background where they had bugger all in the lives. Maybe they were given an instrument by someone, or scrimped and saved pocket money because they wanted to be in a band. But having 'nothing' and then having an instrument put in your hand surely is a great motivator to get better. And you have the time too because you have nothing else. If the kid has a Playstation downstairs then likely there's a distraction there if he doesn't take to the instrument.
So I think if you do want to learn to play guitar you have got to focus on that and eliminate the distractions whilst doing so. The old adage: don't do it because it's easy but because it's hard (Kennedy?). And you're not going to have the achievement if you don't have the desire or the distractions removed.