Hello all, glad I found this place.
My name is Lenny and I just wanted to share a little bit about how I came here.
I've picked up the guitar a few times in my life in younger days.
But I never stuck with it.
Recently, I was having dinner with some friends, and everyone of them brought their guitars over and started playing after dinner.
I was hooked again. It totally amazed me that such beautiful sounds can come out of a beautiful piece of wood that you can carry around.
So I started doing some research and visiting guitar stores in the area.
I'd determined that I wanted a Martin due partly to their reputation, and partly because I just like the way they look.
So I researched their site, looked for deals on EBay, and talked to my guitar playing friends. I found some nice Martins in my price range on EBay, but each one of them had some minor flaws, dings, separations of wood etc. Even so, I eventually realized I didn't want to buy something sight unseen. So I bit the bullet and decided to buy new. It was a toss up between the Martin D-15 Limited Edition (only sold online thru Musician's Friend), and the D-1. Like I said, I didn't want to buy sight unseen so it seemed the D-1 was the one for me.
I called around and finally found one at Sam Ash in NYC.
As luck would have it, I had planned to go into NYC yesterday with my daughters to look at the tree and all the Christmas decorations.
So naturally, I stopped in Sam Ash.
The guy had to go across the street to their storage area to get it, but he finally came back and I fell in love.
Now, I only know a few chords but I loved the sound of the D-1. A little less warm than the D-15, but with very easy action. The thing has a spruce top, Mahogany back, and laminated Mahogany sides. It is finished simply in satin and semi gloss, but is absolutely beautiful to me.
Anyway, it was more expensive than I wanted to spend, but this is my feeling on that.
A $200 beginner guitar can be good. But my D-1 looks nice, is made of real wood, has beautiful sound, and light action. Plus, there are no cosmetic flaws that you would find with a pre-owned guitar. All these things combined will make me want to pick it up more often and learn. Some people need a little more inspiration to play and I'm one of them. Just wish the wife wasn't so mad about the cost.
So, I'm gonna go to the local music store today to pick up a book of chords to use in conjunction with the lessons here. I'd also like to buy a cheap tuner and humidifier to keep in the case.
Plus, I'm gonna try to get a lesson if a teacher is available.
All in all, I'm really excited to start learning and am very glad I found this site.
Plus, having good friends who are also into the guitar makes it that much easier.
Thanks for listening to my story and Happy New Year.
Lenny
Welcome to the musical madhouse!
Enjoy your guitar in the New Year!
Well we all shine on--like the moon and the stars and the sun.
-- John Lennon
Happy New Year and Welcome to GuitarNoise Lenny!
Wow, a Martin. I would love to own one of those.
Glad you got hooked again. Yeah, the guitar is an amazing instrument and yes, it can make such beautiful sounds!
There are lots of nice folks here that are glad to help, so if you ever have a question, please ask.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
Fantastic Lenny, It won't be long before you are sitting in and jamming with your friends like an old pro.
You came to the right place. Being a newbie myself, and seeing how often other beginners frequent this forum, I can honestly say there are some great folks here. I've never seen a vet get annoyed with the same beginner questions, no matter how many different times they've been asked. Welcome aboard.
Wow, starting off with a Martin - nice. I'm always drooling over my teacher's Martin, especially since he's let me play it. You can get a nice chromatic tuner reasonably cheap ($20 - 30), for my acoustic I got a soundhole humidifier from Kyser for about $10 - works well.
Enjoy.
-- John
"Hip woman walking on a moving floor, tripping on the escalator.
There's a man in the line and she's blowin' his mind, thinking that he's already made her."
'Coming into Los Angeles' - Arlo Guthrie
Thanks for the warm welcome folks.
And thanks for the praise on the Martin.
It's definitely not the most expensive one in their line, but it is all wood (laminated Mahogany sides). Plus, it doesn't look fancy or anything, which is right up my alley. The Satin finish really keeps the fingerprints down, and looks subdued, but classy. Some of the guitars I saw, like some of the Taylors are stunning with Koa wood and a high gloss. Also, the high gloss Rosewood Martins also look beautiful, but are a much richer/darker finish.
I picked up a Korg tuner for like $15 and a cheap humidifier that just sits in the case.
BTW, my fingertips really hurt right now.
I can't wait til they develop callouses.
I also scheduled my first lesson for next Sat.
I'm so excited!
I printed out the first beginner's lesson on chords from this site.
How the heck do you play a C anyway?
Seems like my fingers are about .5" too short.
Lenny
That Martin doesn't have to be their most expensive, it's still a quality guitar - you'll enjoy it.
Seems like my fingers are about .5" too short.
Lenny
lol, yeah they will seem that way for a while. But you will be able to reach further than you thought possible, in time. Same with the fingertips, but the callouses will build. Unfortunately, once they've built up you'll probably start playing more difficult things and need callouses in new places. They'll come.
-- John
"Hip woman walking on a moving floor, tripping on the escalator.
There's a man in the line and she's blowin' his mind, thinking that he's already made her."
'Coming into Los Angeles' - Arlo Guthrie
You've got a great guitar, I think Martins have a great sound, and I completley understand wanting a new guitar.
You've got a great guitar, friends that play, and lessons scheduled, no worries... that C chord will be a piece of cake in no time.
Enjoy your guitar, its like finding a new friend.
Learn and practice a shuffle boogie and gradually your fingers will learn to strech.
x-x--x-x--x-x--x-x
x-x--x-x--x-x--x-x
x-x--x-x--x-x--x-x
x-x--x-x--5-5--7-7
5-5--7-7--3-3--3-3
3-3--3-3--x-x--x-x
Uh, what's that notation mean.
I must be slow!
I assume it has to be fingerings, but I just can't figure it out.
Lenny
Learn and practice a shuffle boogie and gradually your fingers will learn to strech.
x-x--x-x--x-x--x-x
x-x--x-x--x-x--x-x
x-x--x-x--x-x--x-x
x-x--x-x--5-5--7-7
5-5--7-7--3-3--3-3
3-3--3-3--x-x--x-x
thats called a tab. Its like musical writing exept easier and it takes less smartness. :lol: Here's a tutorial: https://www.guitarnoise.com/tab_faq.php . Happy playing!
Stairway to Freebird!
Sorry, didn't mean to be obtuse.
Read the numbers as the fret to finger and play. x=don't play, 3=finger fret #3.
The top # refers to the high e string, the bottom to the low E, etc.
What I wrote is basically a G5-G5--G6-G6--C5-C5--C6-C6, intervals, or "power chords"played with two fingers. Play the 5's with the index and ring finger, and the 6's with the index and pinkie finger.
This is a common blues rhythm, or shuffle, a triplet with the middle note dropped, that gives that familiar da-DA da-DA da-DA da-DA beat we associate with blues.
You can throw in a b7 interval for the extra stretch, after a while e.g.
x
x
x
x
8
3
This is a simple exercise that practices a useful skill (especially if you want to play the blues, classic rock, or rock 'n roll) while developing stretch. If you find the reach too great, just move up the fretboard to a place where the frets are closer together, at first, keeping the same interval.
OK, now I get it.
Thanks Slothrob.
Lenny
