Hi all, great site have really enjoyed having a look around. There is so much information and great tips.
Right I started to learn the guitar about 1 month ago, not having any lessons but on a waiting list for a teacher. I have learned the basic major chords, struggle to change from one to another but thats another story and also working my way through some scales to help my movement up and down the neck aswell as strengthen and stretch the fingers OUCH. I have a couple of questions though.
1. No matter what I do I can not get the f major to ring correct. I cant get enough pressure on the b and e string with the one finger. If i just hold the finger on the first fret of the strings i get it but once I form the rest of the chord i lose the sound.
2. Strumming. I have been trying this for about a week now but cant seem to get connect on the strings right. I am using a plectrum and feel quite comfortable in the position that i sit. Is there any tip on holding the plectrum in a certain way. All i get is a clunky sound on each string on my down stroke and i cant describe the noise on the up LOL
I know one of the answers will be it will come with practise and time but any pointers would be gratefully appreciated.
Cheers
Mark
Hi, and welcome to Guitarnoise.
Let's start with everybody's favourite horror story - the F chord. you've only been playing for a short while, and this chord requires a lot of careful attention to make sure you don't set yourself up for lots of painful medical conditions ending in "itis". For now, go back to playing it on three strings only, and then introduce the 4th string after another month; then the 5th string a month later, and the 6th string another month later. Between introducing extra strings, work on making the strings you are using ring clearly.
Take lots of breaks, so you don't get tired, and avoid using the Vulcan Death Grip on the neck of your guitar.
Strumming - check out David Hodge's lessons on this site, starting with Horse With No Name; you'll be amazed at how good it is. I use that lesson with my own students.
Once again, welcome to the party. Ask lots of questions and let us know how it's going.
Best,
A :-)
"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk
Connor
Great advice from Alan Green. I would second all of it.
The F chord is many people's worst nightmare. Consider this - if Joni Mitchell discovered alternate tunings, specifically so she didn't have to play an F, it must be pretty hard.
The good news is, with practice and by following Alan's advice, it will come. At the moment just concentrate on the accuracy of your fretting, get right up close to the fret wire. Even a millimetre can make the difference between a good clean chord and a dud.
As for strumming. First off, what pick you using? The best piece of advice I can give you if you are new to strumming, get yourself some nice flexible picks. The white dunlop ones that are really flexible are good.
Right, assuming you have a nice bendy pick, you can start to think about strumming. A few points to note -
1. Is your strumming arm nice and relaxed? More importantly, is your WRIST nice and relaxed? You aren't sawing wood, you are carressing guitar strings!
2. Examine closely the plane that your arm / wrist is passing over the guitar in. Is it nice and paralel to the guitar's body? If not, adjust your posture and the position of your elbow (strumming arm) until it is.
3. Imagine in your mind what you are trying to achieve - a light brush of the strings on the downstroke. Not a "dig" into the strings!!!
4. Upstrokes - try this and see if suits you. On the upstroke, just try catching the high E string on its own. When you can do this, try catching the E and B strings, just catch them with the plectrum on the way back up. That is the secret really, you aren't meant to hit ALL the strings, just catch the treble strings.
5. Get a metronome. Set it to about 80 bpm. Ok, no strumming for a minute, just listen to the beat. Now tap your foot. ok - now just play a downstrum on the "one" and keep your arm moving, so that its going up and down, with the down parts on the beat, so that's on the couunt of one, two three and four. So you should hear a strum on one, and nothing on the rest, but your arm is still moving. Ok? Now, keep doing that, but try and get a downstrum, nice and gentle, don't hit the strings, stroke them, on all four beats. One, Two three four, all downstrums. When you can do that, go to 6.....
6. Ok so you have your downstrums sorted, nice and on the beat. Next thing is to see if you can throw in the corresponding upstrokes. Remember not to try hitting all the strings, just lightly catch them with your nice soft plectrum....gently does it! So you should aim for an upstroke after every downstroke so you are now playing
One (and) two (and) three (and) four (and)
Down Up Down Up Down Up Down Up.
When you can do that EVERY TIME....go to 7.
7. The big secret. Just decide that you'll miss the strings on a certain stroke. But not randomly, just decide, for instance, that you'll miss the first two upstrokes. So you get
One Two Three (and) Four (and)
down down down up down up
And repeat.
And that's it. All you need to do, is work out when NOT to hit the strings. That is the secret of good strumming.
One last thing, to strum really well, you have to really relax, I bet at the moment you are hunched over the guitar, trying sooo hard to do it right. Don't. Sit up straight. Chill out. Flick the plectrum over the strings, get into a rhythm. And ENJOY it.
All the best. Do let us know how you get on!
Matt
cheers guys for the speedy response.
Glad to hear the f chord wasnt me doing it wrong. My problem is i think i can run before i can walk, and i want to be playing songs now. Must admit i think i have been overdoing the practice about 2 1/2 hours a day. Not all at once but usually spread over the course of the evening. The wife isnt best pleased :D
As for strumming the picks my guitar sold me are Jim Dunlops and have a L printed on them. One last thing, to strum really well, you have to really relax, I bet at the moment you are hunched over the guitar, trying sooo hard to do it right. Don't. Sit up straight. Chill out. Flick the plectrum over the strings, get into a rhythm. And ENJOY it. spot on thats exactly what i am doing along with saying a few choice words. Will give David's lesson a go and let you know how i get on.
Cheers once again
Hi guys, just a quick update. Have been working with the "horse with no name" lesson and it has really helped. Such a simple exercise but so effective abd helpful. I really liek the different sound you get when you mix up the strokes. Thanks once again
