lighter strings

That depends on how comfortable you are with your strings. The lighter they are, the easier they are to press onto the fret. I started using 10s, but i switched to 8s. So it's your judgement call.

Let's get one thing straight...don't do it because "Jimmy" said to.....do it because YOU want to!

It's all in the "feel". Do you like the "feel" of it now? If not, and it's hard to fret you could always get your action lowered by adjusting the bridge (electric) or the saddle (acoustic). Your best bet is to take it to get set up for YOU by a trained person.

In other words, it might be more than just the strings.

Jimmy doesn't just say to start with 8's, but to keep using them. They're the guage he uses and feels comfortable with, but like Tracker says; you have to like them, not Pagey. Use what you like and be sure you like what you use.

Is there a page here anyone can refer me to about strings- different gauges, different brands, etc. (I've tried looking around to no avail)? Is there any sound difference between heavy and light strings? My brother, who's been playing for a couple years, said that using lighter strings will cut up your fingertips. I figure that calluses prevent that. Does my bro's suggestion hold any water?
My main problem seems to be that when I put my fingers down to play a chord, it's like one of the fretted notes comes out buzzing. I've tried to just apply more pressure, but I always seem to have a bad note. Maybe that just comes with the mind-muscle connection of using your fingers like that. But since I am focusing mainly on the frets closest to the neck, it seems that some of the strings just get really hard to push down and keep down, but any advice would be much appreciated. And by the way, anyone have an idea about a cheap metronome? I should probably get one of those two.

And I've gotta say, that this site is great. I wrote my first post while I was in school, so I had to keep it brief. But seriously, everyday in school, I wait for the teachers to leave the computer lab, and then I print out dozens of sheets on all the cool articles in here. I end up spending as much time, if not more, on reading as much as I can (mainly theory) then I do banging away at the guitar. I'm a senior in high school who's been trying to get started on the guitar for the past half year; unfortunately, i had no money for a guitar and my aforementioned bro was greedily keeping it up in college. So when I finally get started, my right lung didn't agree with me and showed its distaste by collapsing several times; I was in and out of the hospital. But now, I must ignore the impending college application deadlines and the piles of homework, for the good of the guitar :twisted: . But keep up the good work!

Lighter strings are easier to use especially when just starting but you do get a lesser tone from them. I use 10's on my elecric and 12's on my acoustic. I would say use lighter strings as a struggling beginner but work up to using heavier strings eventually.
The frets are further apart near the neck which can make it harder to hold down some chords so use a capo. This enables one to play further up the neck where the frets are closer together and also lowers the action to make fretting easier.
Clean your strings before and after playing or at least morning and night.
Ensure, whenever possible that you fret notes with the tip of your finger and just behind the fret wire. If this is difficult to do then play it as slowly as it takes to get it right and gradually speed up.
Look at how you're holding the guitar. Never point the neck down, if you're standing is the guitars height right for you? Is the guitar too big for you? Is your thumb wrapped around the neck or behind the neck (Fretting hand)?
http://www.metronomeonline.com
Visit this site, it is a metronome - no downloading required, the page itself is a metronome and it's free.
Hope this has been helpful to you.
Richard.

i use .13's on my acoustics and .11's on my electrics. .10's feel a little to light for me

I wouldn't say lighter strings have "less tone"... They have a different tone. Again, its all up to you.

I'm not so sure about that capo idea though forrest... It's probably best to learn how to play the chords, develop the hand muscles. It's hard for everyone in the begining, but you gotta work threw that, not shortcut it, you may regret that. Unless of course you happen to have very small hands, thats another story, and its actually impossible for you to play certain chords. But I wouldnt' assume that until you've been trying for a month or two on a certain type of chord.
You spoke of buzzing. Does this happen only when you are playing chords? Or also when playing single notes? Is it only on one specific fret?

Welcome to the site Briank :)

I take it back about less tone, bad choice of words, though you get a less fuller sound. True to say though that all outcomes are valid and each to their own.
I do though think the capo is a good idea as long as you are working towards achieving things without it ultimately and pushing yourself to do so i.e. trying the same things with the capo a fret down each day.
Above all playing the guitar should be fun so I think anything that enables one to play it from the start is a bonus as long as you've got a series of appropriate short term goals and are working towards achieving them each time.
Forrest.

actually- i can't use that online metronome because i don't have a decent computer at home. i am at the library right now (typing up college apps).
about the buzzing- it only happens while playing chords, so i guess i gave myself bad technique in my left (fretting) hand. see, my idea is that i want to learn the guitar with as little outside assistance as possible. i don't wanna spend money on a teacher if i can just learn through sifting through all this info i can find online. that and i need to save money for college :? i have to figure out where to put my thumb-- i see some people play and the seem to curl the thumb over the strings. i just try to keep my thumb touching the back of the neck.
thanks for the good advice. . . i think when i get the time, i'll just go to a shop in town and just ask, "can i get the lightest strings possible?" and by the way, strings don't cost that much, do they? i might as well get the best then. . . anyone got ideas about good strings? and is lowering the action a permanent thing? if it is, i figure i should just try getting lighter strings then.

You can get a metronome for under 20 dollars at musiciansfriend.com. I bought the same one for 13 dollars that clips on your ear on e-bay if you want to take the time to play with auctions. I don't like sitting in front of my pc to use a metronome, so I bought a portable.

The buzzing is likely your fault and will clear up in time. If you want lighter strings, they will be easier on your fingers and easier still if you get coated strings. Many string sets are in the 3 to 6 dollar range. You get get light Elixer strings that are coated for around 12 dollars. I used these strings for a long time and only recently did I buy others to try out different gauges for sound. In the beginning sound don't matter much because we can't play anything anyway. The Elixer strings helped me. Best to choose strings that are easiest on our fingers because it is painful in the beginning. I even bought a cheap electric guitar to practice with in the beginning because the strings are looser than on an acoustic and this increases the time we can practice.

I consider myself a beginner at 2 years and as a beginner I recommend reading the lessons here, asking others as you do here and everyone is always willing to readily help out, practice your strumming with a metronome and the part that takes the longest...building a 'vocabulary' of chords to practice each day along with some scales. Playing a chord is one thing but learning to switch between them quickly and accurately is what took me the longest time.

There is software that can help out too....Emedia Guitar method is great to have around in the beginning for chords and things. Also Bert Caseys Watch and Learn DVD's will have you playing some basic stuff early on and it is always helpful to have someone to watch for the little things like where to put your thumb. Being able to play something, no matter how simple it must be, will keep you picking the guitar up for more. I have not taken lessons either but it does take much longer without 'outside help' as you say.

Hope this helps you. :P