When I play my Acoustic guitar not allways, but often, I really don't like how the sound is coming out of it. It seems to come out very uhh tinny? And you can hear a lot of the pick slapping the strings (At least I Think that's what that sound is). But I've noticed when other people, more practiced than I, play my guitar then it sounds much nicer and smooth and full. I was wondering what the trick is to this....
1) fretting fingers closest to the fret without being on it.
2) Hold pick lightly as possible, gripping harder for volume without more power.
3) Hold the pick flat, but angle it upwards (for down strokes).
Am I missing something here?
"Now people put you down for the way that you lived
But those people never knew you the way that I did
Don't be ashamed of who you were of how you died
I know you just wanted to find the brighter side..." - OPM
- Matthew
Nope, you're not missing anything. The reason others may sound better is, because as you say, they are more practiced. Keep playing, your tone will get better. The more you play the better your touch will become. the better your touch, the better the tone. No secrets or tricks, just good, honest practice.
Redman
It could be your vantage point as well. What you are hearing while you play the guitar may not be what someone in the room 10 feet away is hearing. Bass focuses at a distance for want of a better word at the moment. So while it may sound harsh and tinny to you, to a listener at a distance it may sound very warm. Bass will carry farther than high frequencies. Have you ever approached a club where a band is playing from a distance? You always hear the bass first. High frequencies predominate up close, but will not carry like the bass. If you listen to PA speakers up very close they sound harsh. At a medium distance they sound good, and at a far distance you mostly hear the low frequencies.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
Also, pick slapping is somthing you'll be able to hear easily because you're 12 or so inches away from the guitar.
Play for someone else that's sitting farther away from you and ask what they hear. That'll clue you in on if you need to work on it or not.
-Metaellihead
I used to find my more experienced fiends strummed much better than I did. I have been getting much better though and now I think we are close. I figured, from watching and listening to them I could get a grip and I sort of did.
They strummed much better because they used partial cords and muting more effectively. They also had better timing and I noticed, which I have since copied, that they stress certain strums more than others. For example with 4/4 timing the first and 3rd strums are more pronounced with the first being the most, though this isn't always the case, it does depend on the song. After a while it becomes natural.
Those were the reasons my strumming was lacking, hopefully it will help you too.
Good luck.
Cheers,
Max
Two things come to mind about this that may help.....
Thinner pics have that 'slapping' sound I notice. I use 1.0's now and i like them better.
Also very light strings will sound tinnier if that is what you have on your guitar. I switched to mediums for this reason and they were murder on my fingers for a while but glad I made the switch.
As for Wes's post above about where you are...I just discovered that to be true a half hour ago when I plugged in my new acoustic amp and my guitar sounded better in the 'bass department' than right at the sound hole from where I sit. I always thought my guitar sounded too 'tinny' and why I was changing pics and strings. All is well now! :D
If it was easy it wouldn't be worth doing.
Ahh thanks guys. I'm sure I can find someone to ask.
About the strum strengths, that makes A LOT of sense. In my very VERY brief encounter with piano way back in the day I remember getting told to try to emphasize beets more "Strong Weak Medium Weak" was the pattern to make it more "musical" for 4/4 time. I'll be more mindfull about that too.
Thanks =)
"Now people put you down for the way that you lived
But those people never knew you the way that I did
Don't be ashamed of who you were of how you died
I know you just wanted to find the brighter side..." - OPM
- Matthew
