I've been playing around with a guitar for about a year now and prior to several months ago I played only using the basic chords and full strums. I've tried learning some tabs, like Tears in Heaven, but with little success. I notice that my friends can play a lot of stuff with few problems and that they tend to strum a little differently by alternating their thumb and other fingers. Is there some secret to being able to play tab or am I really just thinking about it too hard?
Welcome to the musical madhouse.
I think you may be overthinking it. "Tears from Heaven" is a fingerpicked song, and that's what you're seeing. Are you learning to fingerpick? Or are you using a pick?
Well we all shine on--like the moon and the stars and the sun.
-- John Lennon
compwhiz
Think you are suffering from Strum itis - the transition from this to playing only some strings can be difficult!
The first suggestion I would make, is set your sights a lot lower. Learn a basic song first, get used to doing things you aren't currently used to - suggest you go on the beginners lessons and work through those, they will introduce you gradually to playing whole songs, and in a structured way.
I found that the move from strumming to fingerpicking was ok, but only by starting at basic level and then progressing at your own speed. Tears in Heaven isn't hard, but it is hard if you're not used to doing the basics.
All the best
Matt
The problem with tab is it just shows you what notes are played. It doesn't tell you what fingers you should use. My first teacher was good at explaining what fingers to use and why. Now I can usually figure it out on my own. David Hodge's lessons frequently do a pretty good job of this also. Maybe one of your friends can help you out.
Well I got this guitar and I'm tryin' to learn how to make it talk.
Musenfreund-
From what I gather, I think "fingerpicking" is exactly what I'm trying to learn.
P.S. Thanks to everyone else who got back with me!
I started out as a strummer, but when I "discovered" fingerpicking, I found it to be much more freeing to use my fingers rather than a pick. I can still strum (pickless), but, IMHO, fingerpicking "fills it out" much more than just strumming. I can play the bass line, the melody line and strum the rhythm all at the same time (probably what your friends were doing). It takes practice (and lots of it). I'm going to post a simple fingerpicking piece, it's just going to cover bass lines and melody lines because I don't want to overwhelm you. Just take your time, go as slowly as you need to (even if it's just plucking one string every fifteen seconds! Just make sure you do it consistently! :D ). This is an exercise in getting your fingers to work independently of each other. Once you get this one down.... the sky's the limit! :D
Intro:
Am C D F
e|-------0-----|-------0-----|-------2-----|-------1-----|
B|------1--1---|------1--1---|------3--3---|------1--1---|
G|-----2-----2-|-----0-----0-|-----2-----2-|-----2-----2-|
D|-------------|-------------|-0-----------|-3-----------|
A|-0-----------|-3-----------|-------------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
Am E7 Am E7
e|-------0-----|-------0-----|-------0-----|-------0-----|
B|------1--1---|------2--2---|------1--1---|------2--2---|
G|-----2-----2-|-----1-----1-|-----2-----2-|-----1-----1-|
D|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
A|-0-----------|-------------|-0-----------|-------------|
E|-------------|-0-----------|-------------|-0-----------|
This part repeats throughout the rest of the song and is also the solo backing:
Am C D F
e|-------0-----|-------0-----|-------2-----|-------1-----|
B|------1--1---|------1--1---|------3--3---|------1--1---|
G|-----2-----2-|-----0-----0-|-----2-----2-|-----2-----2-|
D|-------------|-------------|-0-----------|-3-----------|
A|-0-----------|-3-----------|-------------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
Am C E E7
e|-------0-----|-------0-----|-------0-----|-------0-----|
B|------1--1---|------1--1---|------0--0---|------2--2---|
G|-----2-----2-|-----0-----0-|-----1-----1-|-----1-----1-|
D|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
A|-0-----------|-3-----------|-------------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------------|-0-----------|-0-----------|
Am C D F
e|-------0-----|-------0-----|-------2-----|-------1-----|
B|------1--1---|------1--1---|------3--3---|------1--1---|
G|-----2-----2-|-----0-----0-|-----2-----2-|-----2-----2-|
D|-------------|-------------|-0-----------|-3-----------|
A|-0-----------|-3-----------|-------------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
Am E7
e|-------0-----|-------0-----|
B|------1--1---|------2--2---|
G|-----2-----2-|-----1-----1-|
D|-------------|-------------|
A|-0-----------|-------------|
E|-------------|-0-----------|
Am C D F
e|-------0-----|-------0-----|-------2-----|-------1-----|
B|------1--1---|------1--1---|------3--3---|------1--1---|
G|-----2-----2-|-----0-----0-|-----2-----2-|-----2-----2-|
D|-------------|-------------|-0-----------|-3-----------|
A|-0-----------|-3-----------|-------------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
Am E7 Am E7
e|-------0-----|-------0-----|-------0-----|-------0-----|
B|------1--1---|------2--2---|------1--1---|------2--2---|
G|-----2-----2-|-----1-----1-|-----2-----2-|-----1-----1-|
D|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
A|-0-----------|-------------|-0-----------|-------------|
E|-------------|-0-----------|-------------|-0-----------|
Outro:
Am E7 Am E7
e|-------0-----|-------0-----|-------0-----|-------0-----|
B|------1--1---|------2--2---|------1--1---|------2--2---|
G|-----2-----2-|-----1-----1-|-----2-----2-|-----1-----1-|
D|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
A|-0-----------|-------------|-0-----------|-------------|
E|-------------|-0-----------|-------------|-0-----------|
Am E7 Am E7
e|-------0-----|-------0-----|-------0-----|-------0-----|
B|------1--1---|------2--2---|------1--1---|------2--2---|
G|-----2-----2-|-----1-----1-|-----2-----2-|-----1-----1-|
D|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
A|-0-----------|-------------|-0-----------|-------------|
E|-------------|-0-----------|-------------|-0-----------|
Am E7 Am E7
e|-------0-----|-------0-----|-------0-----|-------0-----|
B|------1--1---|------2--2---|------1--1---|------2--2---|
G|-----2-----2-|-----1-----1-|-----2-----2-|-----1-----1-|
D|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
A|-0-----------|-------------|-0-----------|-------------|
E|-------------|-0-----------|-------------|-0-----------|
Lyrics:
There is a house in New Orleans
They call the rising sun
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
And god, I know I'm one
My mother was a tailor
She sewed my new blue jeans
My father was a gambling man
Down in New Orleans
Now the only thing a gambler needs
Is a suitcase and a trunk
And the only time he's satisfied
Is when he's all drunk
Oh, Mother tell your children
Not to do what I have done
Spend your life in sin and misery
In the house of the rising sun
I've got one foot on the platform
The other foot on the train
I'm going back to New Orleans
To wear that ball and chain
Well, there is a house in New Orleans
They call the rising sun
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
I hope this helps, but be sure to check out David Hodge's lesson on this song at https://www.guitarnoise.com/article.php?id=57 He uses slightly different chords than I do, but he spells it out step by step and also adds a slightly more complicated picking pattern (after the simpler pattern), chord charts and mp3's of the different parts. This is one of the simplest fingerpicking songs you could possibly learn! I promise!!!! :D
..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ .·´
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´ -:¦:- Elecktrablue -:¦:-
"Don't wanna ride no shootin' star. Just wanna play on the rhythm guitar." Emmylou Harris, "Rhythm Guitar" from "The Ballad of Sally Rose"
I think I also should mention that the chords for the patterns are above each measure..... I've found it easiest to learn the chord switches first, then work in the fingerpicking part........... the numbers are showing you which fret to place your finger on that particular string.
..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ .·´
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´ -:¦:- Elecktrablue -:¦:-
"Don't wanna ride no shootin' star. Just wanna play on the rhythm guitar." Emmylou Harris, "Rhythm Guitar" from "The Ballad of Sally Rose"
Have a look at Guns N Roses - Sweet Child of Mine easy peasy fingerpicking
Move on to Radiohead - Street Spirit when you're ready for some tougher stuff...
What Elecktrablue has there is a great fingerpicking exercise.
The way I would do it is as follows.
Asign fingers to certain strings. Thumb plays all bass notes 4th,5th,and 6th strings. Index finger gets the 3rd string. Middle finger the 2nd and the 1st string goes to the ring finger.
I would practice just the picking part alone on the open strings.
aside from alternating the bass notes this song follows a pattern.
After I get the pattern down i then just have to finger the chords.
Don't over complicate this.
It is just open chords that have the individual notes picked (known as arppegios)
Now you can take the same pattern,
Bass, then strings 3,2,1,2,3 and play these chords instead.
G,G,G,G,D,D,G,G,C,C,G,G,C,C,G,G,D,D,G,G,G,D,G,G
That is Silent Night!!
Best of luck.
Now you can take the same pattern,
Bass, then strings 3,2,1,2,3 and play these chords instead.
G,G,G,G,D,D,G,G,C,C,G,G,C,C,G,G,D,D,G,G,G,D,G,G
That is Silent Night!!
Best of luck.
David Hodge has posted 'Silent Night' in the Lessons section....
https://www.guitarnoise.com/article.php?id=91
..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ .·´
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´ -:¦:- Elecktrablue -:¦:-
"Don't wanna ride no shootin' star. Just wanna play on the rhythm guitar." Emmylou Harris, "Rhythm Guitar" from "The Ballad of Sally Rose"
