Well, I'm a couple of years into playing the acoustic, and through a few books and the Easy Songs 4 Beginners Lessons can use open chords fairly well and even throw in a bass run or hammer on if it was explained in a lesson. I play guitar for fun but I would like to become more accomplished as a "player" as opposed to reproducing what others have layed out.
I don't want to take lessons from a teacher for a few reasons.
I'm overwhelmed by the amount of lessons here that are designed to help with these skills. I'd like to learn barre chords, playing fills, bass runs, some soloing/improvisation, but don't know where to start.
Has anyone ever taken all the lessons here and put them in a suggested order for someone who wants to work at becoming a proficient and complete guitar player?
Thanks for any help.
I highly doubt that anyone has put these in a suggested order, but I'd be more than happy to give it a shot. The biggest problem has always been that this site (not to mention my lessons) have been constantly evolving. For instance, the lessons on Eleanor Rigby and Folsom Prison Blues, while written relatively recently compared to the early lessons, were written to fill in gaps in the teaching of the earliest lessons.
Let me know where you are right now and I'll be more than happy to help out. You can do that here on this thread or you can PM me privately or email me at [email protected].
Hopefully, we'll be able to come up with a good game plan for you! Looking forward to chatting with you again soon.
Peace
david:
Guess I will post here as others may benefit. I've finished these lessons, to reasonable degree of proficiency:
Horse with No Name
Margaritaville
Heart of Gold
Folsom Prison/Cheating Heart
For What its Worth
Feelin Alright
Before You Accuse Me
House of the Rising Sun
I was going back through and tackling some of the harder options in each one, but then, the bit with the copyright happened. I can switch fairly smoothly between the open chords and their sevenths and minors. The only barre I have attempted is the small barre F(on B and e strings).
I can fingerpick though only the House of the Rising Son pattern and another I believe called the classical.
I guess my main feeling of "inproficiency" is that once I learned a bunch of chords that opened up the chance to play tons of songs and I did, but just basic strummy versions fine for campfire singing but not very satisfying to me.
Thanks again.
Dave, maybe the next thing you should work on is barre chords....for some reason I've never fathomed, a lot of people find them hard to play. When I first realised you could move the E-shaped chords up the neck, and move the A-shaped chords up the neck, it seemed to open up endless possibilities - and not just the major chords, the 7ths, minors and then maybe the 5-6-7-6 boogie shuffle. By which I mean major chord - sixth - seventh- sixth chords, all done on the bottom two or three strings. Which leads us into powerchords.....
Powerchords are fairly easy - you're only using the bottom two or three strings, but again, they'll open up a whole new world of possibilities. Easy to slide up and down the neck, easy to move across the neck....
That's just a suggestion; may be totally inappropriate for the music you want to play. But it is moving up a level from open chords....
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
Dave, maybe the next thing you should work on is barre chords....for some reason I've never fathomed, a lot of people find them hard to play.
ummmm - a certain rparker reminded me that, while I've got huge hands and strong fingers, not everyone does; suitably chastened, I offer my humble apologies if that particular remark seemed patronising in any way. It wasn't meant to be... the point I was trying to make was that, as barre chords are difficult for a lot of people, wouldn't it be a good idea to get into them as soon as possible? Maybe start with powerchords, using 2-3 strings, then try and use the full barre chords when necessary?
:oops: :oops: :oops:
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
Vic:
Any advice is welcome even if hurtfull and patronizing (joke!!)
Thanks Dave, I'm glad you saw the funny side! On a serious note though, if I was in the same position as you're in now, I would practise those barre chords - they'll open up so many possibilities higher up the fretboard for you. Good luck!
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
yeah, after years of more experienced players telling me that, I believe, but man they (the barres) are a bugger. Just this am I was trying to form an E shape at the 5th fret, there is no way at this point my hand can make that shape with the barre at this point, but I guess I just keep hammering away.
Hi again, Dave T
And apologies for disappearing for a bit. Things just keep getting more and more involved here at home and chunks of free time seem to be few and far between.
First things first - if your feeling of "improficiency" is coming from straight-up strumming of chords with no variations at all, the first thing you might want to check out are the early Guitar Noise Podcasts (#1 through 15 or so). I can even send you the "Podcast Notes" that Rum Runner was incredibly kind to work up. Just getting comfortable with being able to add in the hammer-ons, pull-offs and such while strumming will help you gain confidence to use them in things like bass lines and single note riffs.
For barre chords, I highly suggest the Lay Lady Lay lesson. You don't really need the tab to play it (but PM me for it if you'd like) as it's simply two forms of barre chords - the basic E shape and Am shape. Help is another lesson that works in barre chords at a reasonable pace (although you can't expect yourself to match the speed of the original recording when you're just starting out.
For working in more bass lines as part of the accompaniment, I'd suggest (Sitting On) The Dock of the Bay, Fire and As Tears Go By as good steps up from where you are. Again, PM me if you need more help than what's available on the lesson pages.
Hope this helps and, again (and always!), my apologies for dropping off the face of the earth for a while.
Looking forward to chatting with you again soon.
Peace
David:
Please, no apologies, I'm awed by what you accomplish here. I've spent the time working on second fret hammer ons and some A to D and G to C runs.
Yes, send me the podcast notes, and, I'll have a go at the Lay Lady Lay lesson soon.
Thanks again.
Hi again, Dave
You'll need to send me an email address so I can get these to you. Send it to me at [email protected]
And my thanks for your kind words. Lately I've been spending more time thinking about all the stuff we still need to accomplish here! Hopefully we'll continue to get even better.
Be seeing you around the boards.
Peace
