As I indicated in my previous message, I'm learning from the Hal Leonard Guitar Methos 1-3. I'm at the page in the first book where I'm introduced to the C chord and the G7 chord.

Now those are some impossible stretches. I know I'm going to get there, but that seems like a big step. I can see that I'm going to have to keep my nails extremely short in order to be able to use that extreme edge. I'm playing with the very tip of my fingers consistently. But in these chords I can see that being able to roll right over the nail edge of the finger could help a lot.

Am I on the right track here? Also, I am practicing by making sure it is the very tip of my fingers that contacts the strings. But I'm still not clearing the other strings as cleanly as I should. I suppose this will sort itself out as I get better and more accustomed to it?

Thanks!

Yeah hand strength and finger strength is what you need to work on. This happens naturally though when you practice chords and scales every day!

I recommend starting with the open chords (chords in the first position with open strings) C,G,D,Am,G7,D7,E,Em,B7,C7 etc.. this is in the book or we have chord and scale generators you can use!

Try practicing without picking or strumming with your right hand or left hand if your left handed. Finger Memory I call it. Try to play a C chord for example placing the 3,2,1 fingers at the same time not one at a time.

For example open your hand completely then in one motion play the chord. You can do this watching tv picking one chord that your having problems with and practice this technique over and over and you will notice a huge difference!

Trying fretting a note until it sounds best! Everyone has a different approach but playing with your finger tips is a good start.

Hope this helps

Yeah it helps a lot. The main thing that is encouraging is that if I keep at it, I'll keep progressing. So when the going gets tough, I gotta get going.

Thanks!

so how's it going with the chords?

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so how's it going with the chords?

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Hi,
I was curious- Are you teaching yourself from theses books or do you have a teacher guiding you along?

A teacher is great to have when your starting out. He or she may not be able to help with your early finger developmet (strength and stretching) but they can answer any questions you have and help to giude you along. A GOOD teacher will become an inspiration to you. You'll want to reach that teachers goals and move beyond. If your lucky that teacher will become a friend for life and always inspire you.

I've been blessed with the fortune of having two teachers who I call friends. Each gifted musicians. They've inspired me over many years and have guided me down a path many guitarist never take.
Just remeber that nothing is easy and knowledge is only power when it becomes applied knowledge.

Stay on track and have fun. Dont let others guide you in the wrong direction.

I'm teaching myself right now and for the foreseeable future. I've taken time out from the books to do a couple of things to get myself more effiecient in the basics. Let's see...

I'm learning music from a really great website


And learning to read notes quicker from here;


And I'm stretching my fingers and hands from a site that I found. I don't remember where that was. And I'm also practicing fingering the common open chords.

So right now I'm doing the little things that I think will make it all come together better and gel later. Once I'm pretty comfortable with reading all the notes I'll pick up the book again.

I'm also practicing just going up and down the scale from E to E getting comfortable with my fingers reaching up and down accurately.

I don't have a teacher per se'. But there is a guy at work who is going out when I come in and he has been playing all his life. He has also taught in the past. He talks to me about it and gives me pointers and advice.

So I'm pretty motivated. I'm not moving along as quickly as I'd like to because my schedule. But I'm having fun and it is very rewarding. Better things are awaiting me if I stay with it.

Thanks!

[Edited on 8/27/2007 by brian]

i taught myself and never had any help other than guitar tabs! ive been playing nearly 3 years now and i remember how difficult it was when you first start, but if you stick with it it'll just click. i remember the first time i tried play a barre chord and getting cramp every day but now it makes me laugh how simple it is

I'd like to say that I'm self-taught, but that wouldn't be entirely true.
While I did teach myself how to play the guitar, it was by listening to other, better guitar players that I learned how to make music.

Yes Martha, there's a major difference between playing the guitar and making music.

After 20 years, there's always more to learn from other players. It always starts with the desire to learn from them.

Keep listening newbie.

davidgullo.net

[Edited on 2/10/2007 by Gullo74]

Well from my newbious perspective I simply divided the learning curve into two parts; the mechanics and the creativity. I'm content to learn the mechanics from a book, provided that it is a good book. Then let someone else teach me the creative part of it. I don't mean to over simplify.

I'm just content to let the book take me where it can take me. When that blessed day comes that it can take me no farther I'll go from there. Right now I'm just working towards the day when it clicks! Thanks for that Saltydog.

So how's it going with learning?

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So how's it going with learning?

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Don't forget the chord and scale generators we have here you don't even need a book. There's also a bunch of Berklee guys here so pick there brain.

play and play and your fingers will do the talking! We all have different methods of teaching, just like there is a guitar for everybody, just different.

Hey guys Im new here and I was just browsing some of the threads. I bought my guitar about 3 months ago but then I went away so I havnt had a big amount of time with it. I guess about 3 weeks worth. I can play about 10 chords, but im not very good at switching between them. I find that when I switch I focus so much on the positioning that I dont press down enought and it ends up sounds like a electric razor.
It just seems like Ive hit a wall. Totally. Ive googled 34245234545 million different things to try and get moving again.
What should I be focussing on? Finger position? sound? It just seems like Im practicing these chords over and over for nothing because it doesnt seem like im improving.
I guess I just wanna know is it normal to find this kind of frustration this early in the game?


Thanks guys

yours in guitar,

devin

Scales are also good to learn.

And Yes, most people experience frustration for a while. The first couple of months are a pretty ruff.

It seems like you practice and practice and never get anywhere, but don't worry it will pass as you get better. As you get more experienced you will pick up songs faster.

i dont know if it helps but if stretching is a problem form c to g7 these chords r tonic dominant btw try playing the bar version of c chord by holding the a shape..
look to the bright side too u keep ur nails on ur other hands right