In the beggining did you learn a lot of chords?

Thanks everyone. Your answers are very helpful.

As of right now I just pick a few songs and practice them. But, I feel like it isn't doing much for me. Is this normal? I might be having a moron moment but I don't see how learning song "A" will help me play song "B" down the road.

Where as I can see playing scales and some of the other things you suggested as being helpful. I'll have to start incorperating some of your suggestions into my practice.

Thanks a lot,

Mike

I know the feeling. I have yet to learn many open chords or changing between then until I see a song I actually want to learn that contains them. I'm saying you should do this, but its what I'm doing.

I really don't think some songs are pre-requisites for learning other songs. Though you do need to know the chords, any techniques and practice the heck out of it

Thanks everyone. Your answers are very helpful.

As of right now I just pick a few songs and practice them. But, I feel like it isn't doing much for me. Is this normal? I might be having a moron moment but I don't see how learning song "A" will help me play song "B" down the road.

Where as I can see playing scales and some of the other things you suggested as being helpful. I'll have to start incorperating some of your suggestions into my practice.

Thanks a lot,

Mike

Learning song A might not "directly" help you play song B but indirectly it will give you:

*motivation to learn song B
*finger/hand strength to play song B
*A sense of "melody" and hearing it come together
*A stepping stone to song B (and Z and beyond! :lol: )

The first one was the most important to me...I knew I could finish a song..be it an easy one or not...and motivated me to learn the next and the next...I actually had to slow down a bit and now I am playing those songs smoother...

Most people would not build a house without first laying a foundation. imo learning basic open chords, learning to strum in time and basic music theory as it relates to the guitar, are a good part of the foundation for playing guitar. Nothing wrong with learning songs along the way, that's what makes it fun. :)

Just learned some new chords today. F#m, F#m7 & C#7. Had to throw that in, I'm rather proud of it. That F#m was a bear.

I think it depends on your play style, but not only that, how you look at it. For me, I don't want to have the best technique, or make the most pleasing noise. I could hear a song, it could have the best sounding guitar in the world, and I'd still finding it boring. For me, the bands/songs that have the most energy and most attitude are the ones I like. They could have really simplistic guitar playing.....actually a lot of them do.

Take Smells Like Teen Spirit for example. I think one of the best parts of that song is when the drumming starts and the guitar goes from clean to dirty. The contrast between the two sounds creates so much energy, so much attitude, in my opinion. And what's Kurt doing to do this? Is he strumming open chords in some complex pattern? No. Is he playing barre chords? No. He is playing power chords in a simple DUDUDUDU pattern and possibly putting his foot on a distortion pedal.

That's what guitar playing, or even music means to me. I don't want to play guitar for someone and have them say "nice sound" or "nice strumming" I want to leave them saying, "that was passionate" "that was so powerful it drowned out the voices in my head!"

I'm not saying anyone out there who has a different view is wrong or that other genres of music don't have energy. Different types of music have different effects on different people. But that's the way I look at playing guitar, as a voice to scream with.

I acctaully agree with that, to the extent its something i can relate to.

The energy and attitude put into the song or instrument is what makes it what it is, and not how it sounds.
Personaly i play bass guitar and not in the least have any intention on playing to have people tell me it was a great sound or they liked it, but rather its my intention on just to get a feel for the music im attempting to play and finding out what it takes to play it. Slighty hard to explain for me, but im sure some of you understand or atleast get the just of it.

And in retrospect to OneWingedAngel's final sentence in the last post. It's a good point of view, as a voice to scream with that is. I think i'll steal that line.

Try learning some power chords or sus chords and different fingerings of commoon chords :)

I have been........at least I think I have. One of the nice things about the power tab editor is it has a huge chord dictionary, for 4, 5, 6 and 7 string instruments, so I look there when I want to look up a chord, though its more or less out of curiousity. I do know a lot of power chords and probably a lot of common chords too, I'm not sure. I'm bad with names. You could sit there, explain all the theory behind a chord and why its D and why its sus and I wouldn't understand any of it. The only question running through my mind would be "ok, where do I put my fingers?"

You brought up a question though. I like distortion and a lot of it depending on the style. But don't common chords sound bad with distortion? I've read that they do but my friend seems to disagree.

a full 5 or 6 string chord has a tendency to get really muddy with a lot of distortion.

a full 5 or 6 string chord has a tendency to get really muddy with a lot of distortion.

Yep, but it doesn't stop AC/DC from using them. :D

and nasa's put people in space, but that doesn't mean everyone should jam a bottle rocket up their butt.

And the need for that reply was what? I was just pointing out that although distorted open chords can and do sound muddy with distortion they can still be used in a musical context and shouldn't be discounted out of hand.

LMAO....TF called it right, try playing "Sin City" without any distortion....then crank it up and HIT IT!!!!!!

:D :D :D

Vic

I love chords, I can't learn enough chords, I like them because I can practice them in progressions, switch em' around...But some of those that require *6* fingers confuse me! :lol:

One easy way to learn lots of chords is simply put a barre in front of it.

E Major F Major E Minor F Minor

e-0---------1-----------0---------1----
b-0---------1-----------0---------1----
g-1---------2-----------0---------1----
d-2---------3-----------2---------3----
a-2---------3-----------2---------3----
e-0---------1-----------0---------1----

This is called the barred E and barred E minor chords.

Now you can play any Major or Minor chord by simply moving up the neck.
You base the name of the chord by the root note on the 6th string.

Do this will all the open chords you know. The barred A chord is very common, as is the barred C. Also the barred A Minor chord. The barred E7 chord is used in Blues commonly, as is the barred A7 and barred D7.

It is good to have a balance in learning guitar. I would not have fun just playing scales and learning chords. I need to play some real songs. Afterall, isn't that the goal? We don't practice to know theory and scales. It's all about playing songs.

But it is important to know and understand what you are doing. So you do want to learn all about music and theory.

Practice both.