Baffled, again!

He's just playing pretty straightforward rock guitar. Sometimes he's bashing away at chords using the barred positions up the neck but strumming only the top three to four strings, and then he plays a guitar break using scales.

Sometimes he's bashing away at chords using the barred positions up the neck but strumming only the top three to four strings, and then he plays a guitar break using scales.

Could you reword that so i can make sense of it please :lol: . Just wondered if that's a complex techniqeue.

Thanks

yeah, that is straight up rock.
noticed he plays thumb over (the top of the neck).
he is basically using the thumb to fret the lower string.
then he is smacking the pick on the upper three strings. all attitude and that is what is needed.
it does not matter that much if the fourth string is hit. it vibrates or is muted bu the left hand.
not intentionally, but by matter of his hand position.
it is classic rock playing. works for many songs.
just be accurate where the picks comes down. eventually it is unconscious; and works better.
the upstroke is easier. the three higher strings are hit by default.
you don't have to play all the strings, but the thumb is there to cover the root note and fill out the chord sound.

git it?
how'd I do?

Seem's pretty hard =/

Thanks for the help thuogh, again.

Seems pretty simple.

But simple isn't the same thing as easy.

Best,
Ande

Well it's not seeming either at the minute.

I must be doing something wrong.

As already stated, its mostly in how he is attacking the strings. That's what is making it look complex.

Is anyone aware of any lessons online of this style of play, in particluar the excessive use of the thumb?

I doubt it. I think this is one technique that just comes with practice.
it is so second nature for me now.

try not to focus on accuracy for a bit. just thumb over the sixth string, fret the other strings and have at it. getting the rhythm and attitude down may help with accuracy later.
just a thought to elp you break thru the barrier you have.

You're on the verge of obsessing over something that, if you look closely, doesn't matter. More than 90% of the time when his thumb is hooked over the top, he's not playing those strings with his pick. Even when he's doing straight strumming, most of his strumming is happening on the high strings.

If your focus is on the visual aspects of guitar playing, you're not going to learn as much as you can from performance videos (as opposed to tutorial videos). Even when someone like Pete Townsend is doing those "windmill strums," he's not usually hitting all the strings. But people who rely on visual clues alone take a long time to understand that.

If you learn to make your typical beginner F chord (xx3211) and then get yourself to add the F note on the first fret of the low E (sixth) string with your thumb (1x3211), you'll be able to play exactly like this. That's all that it takes.

Hope this helps.

Peace

To my ear, he is playing two 3 note chords:



i= index
m=middle
r=ring
p=pinky

That guy is not playing the bass E, A, or high E strings at all, he is playing only on the D, G, and B strings.

And like others said, don't even worry about his thumb, it is not doing anything at all. And you don't have to mute strings you don't touch with the pick. Just be precise and pick the D, G, and B string only. Guitar is all about making playing as easy as possible.

And the solo is just a scale at the 7th fret, use your ears to figure it out. If you notice, he never moves his hand from the 7th fret.

It takes practice, just stay at it. Let your ear be your guide, if it sounds good, it is good. :wink:

Accuracy is something that takes time huh? Trying to play that like Keith and not hit that top e is tough.

Thanks.

One of the things you learn as a beginner is that just because your guitar has six strings, you don't have to play them all. Learning open position chords (as opposed to barre chords) involves learning that some sound best when strummed from the A string down (A, Am, C, B7) and some sound best when strummed from the D string down (D, Dm, a "beginners" F or Fmaj7) and you get used to being able to strum chords without the necessity of striking all the strings.

Despite the visual evidence to the contrary, being a good (and accurate) guitarists is a matter of finesse. Once people get the finesse, you can feel free to add all sorts of aspects of performance or showmanship you want. But it's definitely a good idea to learn the finesse part first.

Good luck with it.

Peace

Thanks alot for the response. Another thing though..

This song is single notes, but he's doing the same again..

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_6BqNdO4--U

I cant understand how it's single notes but he's got the strumming action in place and keeps the rest of the strings constantly muted. (That's what i assume is happening there..).