I bought a guitar

[puckhead]

So, in my first 2 months of playing, I've learned one thing. If you want to learn how to play the guitar, you REALLY have to WANT to learn how to play the guitar. I've practiced at least an hour a day, sometimes 2 hours or more and man, it's hard work. I've learned
most of the open chords but I can't play any songs yet because changing chords smoothly... well let's just say I ain't there yet. After all these years of not playing this sure seems a lot more difficult than learning how to play bass. This takes dedication and I have a newfound respect for anyone who has it!

I'm betting that you're further along than you think. It's hard to notice when you're only seeing the incremental steps day to day. I suggest you record yourself doing some exercise or song that challenges you once a week. Use your phone or something simple to just hit record and play. It doesn't need to be iTunes ready. This will help you in a couple of ways. You'll be able to critique yourself and get different feedback because you're not concentrating on playing when listening to the recording. Second, every few weeks you can listen to an old session and compare it to yourself now. I'm guessing that you'll be pleasantly surprised at the progress you have made.

It's not easy, but nothing worthwhile is. I did find that with myself, I didn't wake up one day and go, "wow, I'm amazing now!" I just started noticing that learning new things started getting easier, I wasn't afraid to try more difficult pieces and exercises, and I had more time to just enjoy playing instead of feeling like I was just practicing.

 

[puckhead]

Another thing to help with the chord changing. Buy a metronome or even download a metronome app. Some are probably even free. Say you're working on a song that is normally 80BPM (beats per minute). That's the goal, but there is nothing wrong with practicing it at 50BPM or even lower until you start to make the changes cleanly. Then, every day, just push it up a little faster. Try 55BPM for a day or two, then 60, before you know it, you can play along with the track at normal speed!

Playing to a set rhythm is also imperative should you ever consider playing with others and frankly, playing in time is just as important as hitting the right notes.

 

[MrYeahBut]

Another thing to help with the chord changing. Buy a metronome or even download a metronome app. Some are probably even free. Say you're working on a song that is normally 80BPM (beats per minute). That's the goal, but there is nothing wrong with practicing it at 50BPM or even lower until you start to make the changes cleanly. Then, every day, just push it up a little faster. Try 55BPM for a day or two, then 60, before you know it, you can play along with the track at normal speed!

Playing to a set rhythm is also imperative should you ever consider playing with others and frankly, playing in time is just as important as hitting the right notes.

I've been slowly working my way thru G Em C D7 and 12 bar E7 A7 B7 at 10BPM, lol. j/k but I do need to get a metronome. I tried an app but I didn't really care for it. One tip I picked up from YouTube was to just strum once per measure and make the chord change instead of trying to strum all 4 beats and change at the same time.

I've looked around for an instructor but nothing has clicked just yet. There's a School of Rock here but somehow I can't see myself with a bunch of 15 year olds playing death metal like @BigRedRage . I thought I saw somewhere in this thread that he wanted to learn so he could play around the campfire... death metal while camping... lol

Thanks for the sound advice!!


Here's my mom rocking out at her 90th birthday party.

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[BigRedRage]

I've been slowly working my way thru G Em C D7 and 12 bar E7 A7 B7 at 10BPM, lol. j/k but I do need to get a metronome. I tried an app but I didn't really care for it. One tip I picked up from YouTube was to just strum once per measure and make the chord change instead of trying to strum all 4 beats and change at the same time.

I've looked around for an instructor but nothing has clicked just yet. There's a School of Rock here but somehow I can't see myself with a bunch of 15 year olds playing death metal like @BigRedRage . I thought I saw somewhere in this thread that he wanted to learn so he could play around the campfire... death metal while camping... lol

Thanks for the sound advice!!


Here's my mom rocking out at her 90th birthday party.

.

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Around the campfire it would be more alternative and classic rock. No power for distortion and amps at the campsite.

 

[puckhead]

I've been slowly working my way thru G Em C D7 and 12 bar E7 A7 B7 at 10BPM, lol. j/k but I do need to get a metronome. I tried an app but I didn't really care for it. One tip I picked up from YouTube was to just strum once per measure and make the chord change instead of trying to strum all 4 beats and change at the same time.

I've looked around for an instructor but nothing has clicked just yet. There's a School of Rock here but somehow I can't see myself with a bunch of 15 year olds playing death metal like @BigRedRage . I thought I saw somewhere in this thread that he wanted to learn so he could play around the campfire... death metal while camping... lol

Thanks for the sound advice!!


Here's my mom rocking out at her 90th birthday party.

.

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Now she is an inspiration! Awesome!

 

[MrYeahBut]

@puckhead

Yeah, I know that I'm asking for a favor after insulting you in another thread but that's how I roll.... (. /.

I'm working on your basic 12 bar blues in E7, A7, D7. I've searched YouTube a ton and can't seem to find the right chords to play a climb from E7 to A7... I've tried F#, G, G# major, minor, 7 chords, nothing sounds right. I can pick single note triplets from B down to E and that works fine but I'd like to play chords on the climb....bro, I know this is basic stuff but 70 year old ears and fingers are having trouble finding the right combo... lil' help!!

Edit to add: starting from near the nut. I haven't learned chords very far up the neck other than the basic major barre chords.

Pretty please???

 

[puckhead]

@puckhead

Yeah, I know that I'm asking for a favor after insulting you in another thread but that's how I roll.... (. /.

I'm working on your basic 12 bar blues in E7, A7, D7. I've searched YouTube a ton and can't seem to find the right chords to play a climb from E7 to A7... I've tried F#, G, G# major, minor, 7 chords, nothing sounds right. I can pick single note triplets from B down to E and that works fine but I'd like to play chords on the climb....bro, I know this is basic stuff but 70 year old ears and fingers are having trouble finding the right combo... lil' help!!

Edit to add: starting from near the nut. I haven't learned chords very far up the neck other than the basic major barre chords.

Pretty please???

If I'm understanding you correctly, it would be fine to do the single note stuff on the way up or down. I mean, there's only so many choices to get there and you know what sound you're after. Just do what sounds good and don't overthink it. Try and imagine how it sounds in a full band too, then you can just focus on your instrument and where it fits in a mix.

You might even be getting to a point where a looper pedal could help you start building layers and putting separate parts together to make a composition instead of trying to do everything at once. Loopers are really fun and really inspire creativity.

Example:

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[MrYeahBut]

If I'm understanding you correctly, it would be fine to do the single note stuff on the way up or down. I mean, there's only so many choices to get there and you know what sound you're after. Just do what sounds good and don't overthink it. Try and imagine how it sounds in a full band too, then you can just focus on your instrument and where it fits in a mix.

You might even be getting to a point where a looper pedal could help you start building layers and putting separate parts together to make a composition instead of trying to do everything at once. Loopers are really fun and really inspire creativity.

It doesn't surprise me that you said not to overthink it. I had the same problem when I was learning Spanish. Profe told me just stop trying to translate every little thing and just go with it. OCD gets in my way sometimes... Now that you've gotten me to think about it, I'm probably trying to learn too much all at once for just having started 3 months ago.

I haven't looked in to a looper yet. I've been using youtube backing tracks on my phone and plugging it in to the input jack on my amp and playing over it. (can you believe I figured that out on my own?) I also have a Vox plug-in and use my headphones so I don't drive my wife crazy. Speaking of crazy, I'm driving myself crazy because I can't get the D string to stop buzzing on a dom7 barre chord.

I'll check out the video you posted tonight.

Here's a backing track that I'm learning... just the chords, not any lead notes, I'm in no way ready for that. I've gotten to where I can get around on it halfway decent... practice, practice, practice.

Thanks for all your help. I know it's probably a pain since you hate me.

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[puckhead]

It doesn't surprise me that you said not to overthink it. I had the same problem when I was learning Spanish. Profe told me just stop trying to translate every little thing and just go with it. OCD gets in my way sometimes... Now that you've gotten me to think about it, I'm probably trying to learn too much all at once for just having started 3 months ago.

I haven't looked in to a looper yet. I've been using youtube backing tracks on my phone and plugging it in to the input jack on my amp and playing over it. (can you believe I figured that out on my own?) I also have a Vox plug-in and use my headphones so I don't drive my wife crazy. Speaking of crazy, I'm driving myself crazy because I can't get the D string to stop buzzing on a dom7 barre chord.

I'll check out the video you posted tonight.

Here's a backing track that I'm learning... just the chords, not any lead notes, I'm in no way ready for that. I've gotten to where I can get around on it halfway decent... practice, practice, practice.

Thanks for all your help. I know it's probably a pain since you hate me.

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That's a perfect track to work with! One tip that you may not know is that if you click on the little gear looking thing to the left of YouTube on the bottom right of the video you'll find the "settings" > "playback speed" and you can play it back even slower if you need to.

Is the D buzzing because you're not holding it down firmly enough or do you think the action (string height) needs to be changed?

And I don't hate anyone. It's more like an intense loathing.

 

[MrYeahBut]

That's a perfect track to work with! One tip that you may not know is that if you click on the little gear looking thing to the left of YouTube on the bottom right of the video you'll find the "settings" > "playback speed" and you can play it back even slower if you need to.

Is the D buzzing because you're not holding it down firmly enough or do you think the action (string height) needs to be changed?

And I don't hate anyone. It's more like an intense loathing.

I love the bridge on that track.

I had the action set by a guitar shop when I first got it so I don't think that's it. It may be that that string hits a finger joint... I've tried moving my index finger up and down to avoid that but so far no luck. When I bar it I can get it to play clean but when I place my other fingers down it no workie. Bah, I'll figure it out. I finally did find a guy and took a lesson from him so I think I'm going to buy a series.

Thanks for the tip on playback speed.

 

[BigRedRage]

I love the bridge on that track.

I had the action set by a guitar shop when I first got it so I don't think that's it. It may be that that string hits a finger joint... I've tried moving my index finger up and down to avoid that but so far no luck. When I bar it I can get it to play clean but when I place my other fingers down it no workie. Bah, I'll figure it out. I finally did find a guy and took a lesson from him so I think I'm going to buy a series.

Thanks for the tip on playback speed.

I'm not currently playing, you want Pucks distortion pedal? Can mail it to you.

 

[MrYeahBut]

I'm not currently playing, you want Pucks distortion pedal? Can mail it to you.

PM sent

 

[MrYeahBut]

Weather too crummy for golf so I've been practicing guitar about 5-6 hours a day. Took a break to take my wife to see Joker on Thanksgiving and watched the LSU game yesterday, the rest of the time I'm plunking away.

She says I'm obsessed but it's what she expected when she married an addict.

 

[puckhead]

Weather too crummy for golf so I've been practicing guitar about 5-6 hours a day. Took a break to take my wife to see Joker on Thanksgiving and watched the LSU game yesterday, the rest of the time I'm plunking away.

She says I'm obsessed but it's what she expected when she married an addict.

"Played until my fingers bled, was the winter of two-0 one nine"

 

[MrYeahBut]

--------Am------Cmaj--------D7--------Gmaj-------A7--------Emaj--:ll
"Played until my fingers bled, was the winter of two-0 one nine"

 

[puckhead]

 

[MrYeahBut]

@puckhead

Little help, please.

I can't seem to find this anywhere... I know that, ii, iii, vi are minor and l, lV, V are major and VII° diminished in any given key... but what about dominant 7? Let's say a G chord in key of A or Bb in key of C. Is there something that works in this situation or am I chasing something that doesn't exist or is only harmonious in a totally rare/complicated situation? I've seen some chord progressions that don't quite seem to add up to me and I'm wondering if this might be part of it..

I'm just trying to learn a little bit more about music theory as I plunk my way around...I will not be offended if you tell me I don't know what I'm talking about.. I'm prolly in over my head.

 

[MrYeahBut]

@puckhead

If my previous post had a question that was too stupid for you to answer, here's another one....

How does Db fit in this progression?? The key is Bb, Db doesn't fit in the major scale, it's the iii...???

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[puckhead]

@puckhead

Little help, please.

I can't seem to find this anywhere... I know that, ii, iii, vi are minor and l, lV, V are major and VII° diminished in any given key... but what about dominant 7? Let's say a G chord in key of A or Bb in key of C. Is there something that works in this situation or am I chasing something that doesn't exist or is only harmonious in a totally rare/complicated situation? I've seen some chord progressions that don't quite seem to add up to me and I'm wondering if this might be part of it..

I'm just trying to learn a little bit more about music theory as I plunk my way around...I will not be offended if you tell me I don't know what I'm talking about.. I'm prolly in over my head.

I'll get back to you on this.

 

[puckhead]

@puckhead

If my previous post had a question that was too stupid for you to answer, here's another one....

How does Db fit in this progression?? The key is Bb, Db doesn't fit in the major scale, it's the iii...???

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I think maybe your book has a misprint. It shows only 2 flats in that scale, which is correct for b flat (b flat and e flat), but then tells you d flat is in there. I think it should just be D. (B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G, and A)

 

[MrYeahBut]

I think maybe your book has a misprint. It shows only 2 flats in that scale, which is correct for b flat (b flat and e flat), but then tells you d flat is in there. I think it should just be D. (B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G, and A)

That's what i thought maybe happened but I had trouble trying to figure out what it should be.
Thanks!

 

[MrYeahBut]

I sent my office mgr to a manufacturer thank you trip to Cabo.

She brought me this metal sculpture. It's made from roller chain and steel plate.
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[cardncubfan]

I sent my office mgr to a manufacturer thank you trip to Cabo.

She brought me this metal sculpture. It's made from roller chain and steel plate.
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That's pretty freakin awesome!

 

[MrYeahBut]

That's pretty freakin awesome!

My little brother makes metal sculptures as a hobby and he flipped out over it. It really is pretty cool.

Now all I gotta do is learn to play my real one!

 

[puckhead]

I sent my office mgr to a manufacturer thank you trip to Cabo.

She brought me this metal sculpture. It's made from roller chain and steel plate.
.

You must be registered for see images attach

That is sweet! That office manager really knows how to butter up the boss!