No pain - no gain!
E doesn't = MC2, E = Fb
Music "Theory"? "It's not just a theory, it's the way it is!"
Jonny T.
But if your hands ever seriously hurt...stop playing. It's important that you never injure yourself...if for no other reason because you can't play at all if you're injured :)
"I use heavy strings, tune low, play hard and floor it. Floor it, that's a technical term." - SRV
Heh, don't sweat it man - my first guitar was a $50 acoustic, ridiculous action, and I'm surprised I could learn to do ANYTHING on that.
Get used to it, and make sure this is something you want to commit to - if you are, then when you shell out the moneys to get a really good guitar (even a $200 acoustic, or, like I did, $450 for my electric), you are going to wet yourself with joy with how much easier it is to play and how much better you sound.
Like anything worthwhile, it takes a lot of pain and effort to get great, but is incredibly rewarding every step of the way. Hope you stick with it.
-Rodya
Henry Garza, Saul Hudson, and Darrell Abbott could not be here tonight, but they all had sex and are proud to announce the birth of their two-headed baby, Rodya S. Thompson.
- Paraphrased from the Tenacious D series
Uhhh.....truss rod? What's that? Shannon :)
Salvation is the best gift that exists and it's free.
Tuning my new guitar causes me great uncertianty about my ability to hear and compare the notes. Of course I downloaded a demo of an electronic tuner, but it only supports (nominally) Low E and A. I say "Nominally" because it really supports all tuning if you know the freguency of the note, and you do because the demo gives a frequency readout. :D I noticed this after I had completed a standard tune-up of my new guitar.
The tuner supports Low E at 82.41Hz, and also A at 110.00 Hz so tuning those two strings does not burden the ears. Now the trick I observed using this free demo is that it gives a readout of the frequency, even if it is not one of the notes supported by the free demo. So holding the fifth fret on the A string gives a frequency readout of about 147.50 on the digital readout. (Is this the correct frequency for the D string?) Now I pluck my D string, and lowe, the free demo meter gives a digital readout of 147.30 . This progression works all the way to low E, so now I can have confidence in my ear.
Thanks 4 pockets for your downloadable Guitar tuner Demo. I'll pick up the real thing as soon as I find it.
Oh, and if anyone knows the real frequency of all the tuned strings, I'd apprecate the information.
Steve
New - Got my guitar on February 3, 2005
This method worked for me, but the real meter will be much better, I'm sure.
New - Got my guitar on February 3, 2005
For a beginner it's hard to beat a Boss tuner with multiple presets for standard tuning, or down a half step, down a whole step, Open D, Open G, Open E and Open A.
Chromatic tuners are even more versitile if you are wanting to do some alternate tunings to play Goo Goo Dolls songs.
TRUSS ROD - if you don't know what it is, you probably shouldn't adjust it. Access to it is at one end of your fret board, either just above the nut and probably hidden by a cover that's screwed down over top of it... or just inside the sound hole. Ususally an alan wrench is needed. SLIGHT adjustment one way will provide relief from buzzing making the action a wee bit higher, and slight adjustment the other way will make the action a wee bit lower. Be very careful and do not over adjust... just a little bit each time and then test it.
I typically have to adjust my strat once in the fall and once in the spring. Most guitars you buy online (like through Musician's Friend) do not come set up, and adjustments are necessary. (Elderly was great) Most music stores are pretty good about this and others don't have a clue.
A qualified guitar tech can do this for you and possibly make other minor adjustments that will make playing your guitar easier. He or she can also see if that one fret is high, and if so might be able to work on that one fret so it does not buzz.
E doesn't = MC2, E = Fb
Music "Theory"? "It's not just a theory, it's the way it is!"
Jonny T.
On my pages below there is a step by step intro to basic guitar setup. Take a look at it and see if it is something you would be comfortable trying. If not then take it to a shop as suggested.
Either way, you will benefit from any kind of good setup.
