Alison, try to learn easy songs first, so you will get confidence. The "House of the rising sun" is a very nice song and it is easy but it has several chords. Perhaps you could try songs as "Horse with no name", just two chords and very easy ones. First, try to strum it, then work on the base line. Follow the David advices. Or some blues progressions, three chords.
Also, practice on Saturday and record yourself on Sunday. Use a computer, a tape recorder, a mp3 or a cellular phone. Keep practicing all the month and compare your level on the September 1st with your recording and tell us. :wink:
Well, my weekend wasn't as exciting as I had planned it to be.
My sister who should have been working, leaving me home alone to practice all day, woke up feeling ill and called in sick on both days so I had her in the house so was a little unsure about practicing with her there. Also, we were planning on making a dinner for our parents getting back so I had to spend ages looking through recipe books.
Although, I did do some strumming on Saturday with my sister there. And on Sunday I got a beginners DVD out and played along with it for a little while. And on Sunday night I learned the beginning of Wonderwall. I even opened the door so that she could hear it... Although I had her bashing the strings earlier, and now the top one seems to rattle sometimes. And the scratch plate is covered in lines :-(
I'm really hoping that tonight when my parents are home, I don't go back into my shell and just not play anything. At the moment I think I will be able to play a bit and maybe if I dont get any comments I'll know they haven't heard me and just get on with it.
My sister said she didn't hear me much when I had my door open and thinks that if the TV was on, they wouldn't hear me play. So i'm hoping tonight that i'll learn more of Wonderwall and then maybe start getting somewhere.
Although when she was playing and I was outside I could hear her, so I don't know if i'm entirely convinced but I should be a bit more comfortable now. And even if I just try it at night when the TV is on and everyone is through watching it, it's still a lot more progress than i've been having.
I'm even wondering about an acoustic. I have a nylon string one but it sounds so depressing and you can't even really hear that you've changed chords, it seems to sound rubbish all the time. I wonder about a steel strung one... We did have one that my dad got from a friend but we stored it in the loft for a while, brought it down and the neck's split :-( so I imagine it's probably useless now. I asked my sister if it was a pointless thing to wonder about because I can't play anything yet, and she said maybe if I learn to play 3 songs then I can buy myself an acoustic so maybe this will give me some encouragement to learn a lot.
Some advice I will like to give to you.
1. STOP comparing yourself with your sister and for that matter anyone in the world.
2. You are not playing guitar to prove to your sister or anyone how good you are or how good you can be.
3. You are playing guitar for your enjoyment and fun sake.
4. You don't have to be scared or afraid of anyone while learning the guitar.
5. Everyone learns at his or her own speed. There is no standard you have to conform with.
That said, don't worry about anything or anyone while you are learning guitar. You are making this a competition or some sort of sibling rivalry ??
Simply learn for music's sake and you will find it much easier. You will find that you enjoy much more when you learn solely for fun.
Moreover, a nylon string guitar does not sound bad while strumming. You can check out my soundpage for some of my covers and they are all done with a nylon string. Infact, I often play Wonderwall on my nylon string and my sis (who is a die-hard Oasis fan) tells me that it sounds brilliant. :wink:
Try again and this time only for having fun. You will love it.
Good Luck.
Rahul
Some advice I will like to give to you.
1. STOP comparing yourself with your sister and for that matter anyone in the world.
2. You are not playing guitar to prove to your sister or anyone how good you are or how good you can be.
3. You are playing guitar for your enjoyment and fun sake.
4. You don't have to be scared or afraid of anyone while learning the guitar.
5. Everyone learns at his or her own speed. There is no standard you have to conform with.
That said, don't worry about anything or anyone while you are learning guitar. You are making this a competition or some sort of sibling rivalry ??
Simply learn for music's sake and you will find it much easier. You will find that you enjoy much more when you learn solely for fun.
Moreover, a nylon string guitar does not sound bad while strumming. You can check out my soundpage for some of my covers and they are all done with a nylon string. Infact, I often play Wonderwall on my nylon string and my sis (who is a die-hard Oasis fan) tells me that it sounds brilliant. :wink:
Try again and this time only for having fun. You will love it.
Good Luck.
Rahul
Thanks for the tips.
On point 1 and 2 though - My sister can't play anything on guitar, she doesn't even know any chords.
I was just mentioning that she bashed some random strings and I could hear her outside my room, so if I did the same everyone at home would probably hear me. There is no sibling rivalry at all.
She was the only one home at the weekend so I used her as an example.
Basically I managed to play in front of someone, so I think i'll be able to play more at home when my family get back tonight. I was using my sister as an experiment to see how much she could hear etc. That's all.
And my nylon guitar really does sound dreadful. It never used to. My uncle pointed out that the top nylon string is too thinck, like they didn't string it with the right strings - maybe a new set will fix it up.
maybe a new set will fix it up.
A good set up can work wonders for a guitar - don't be afraid of taking it into a shop and asking for advice on what strings would suit etc. Most staff are more than happy to help you out - after all, they work in a guitar shop 'cos first and foremost they love the gutiar! :D
Pete
EDIT; oh, and good for you for playing in front of someone! That's a nerve-wracking thing for most of us, no matter how long we've been playing!
ETD - Formerly "10141748 - Reincarnate"
3. You are playing guitar for your enjoyment and fun sake.
All very good quotes, but I especially like this one. It sounds like you are aching to enjoy it, so why not let it come? I know, that sounds easier than it really is. I guess I am curious as to why you feel uncomfortable playing in front of your immediate family... I am guessing that they do support & encourage you? Again, I never experienced the shyness, so I don't know why you would feel this way.
A setup & new strings would probably make things sound much better to you. I know I can't believe the difference in the ringing tones when I put a new set on. Since we can't hear them gradually going bad, we don't really notice how horrible they are until we replace them! BTW, scratch plate covered with lines, that's what its' there for! Ever look at Willie Nelson's guitar? :lol:
Keep at it! :D
Well, my weekend wasn't as exciting as I had planned it to be.
Well, but you did play! 8)
And you learnt a part of a song! 8)
Alison, keep playing, with the door closed or opened, but keep playing. I also started with a nylon strings acoustic and I also fixed a goal. In my case, I said three months for a new guitar. Try to learn those three songs or try to change the strings in your guitar.
Congrats!
oh, and good for you for playing in front of someone! That's a nerve-wracking thing for most of us, no matter how long we've been playing!
Thanks. It did feel quite good once I got over the initial fear. At the beginning of the weekend I was scared even with the door closed because I knew someone else was in the house. But later on I decided i'd never get anywhere with that attitude, and trying with one person there would be a lot easier than with three people there. So I did!
It sounds like you are aching to enjoy it, so why not let it come? I know, that sounds easier than it really is. I guess I am curious as to why you feel uncomfortable playing in front of your immediate family...
A setup & new strings would probably make things sound much better to you. I know I can't believe the difference in the ringing tones when I put a new set on. Since we can't hear them gradually going bad, we don't really notice how horrible they are until we replace them! BTW, scratch plate covered with lines, that's what its' there for! Ever look at Willie Nelson's guitar?
I'm just a shy person. I always have been, but it is a bit pointless with my immediate family I have to admit.
I aim to overcome it :wink: Hopefully tonight. I will be so annoyed if I finally get this confidence and get the plectrum ready, and suddenly go "Noo, can't do it". I must do it.
And the scratchplate... I know it's there to get scratched but it made me wonder if I was doing it too hard. I didn't think I was hitting it. It looks a bit bad for one night's playing. Mind you, I still have the plastic film on it so underneath it's brand new :)
Well, but you did play! 8)
And you learnt a part of a song! 8)
Alison, keep playing, with the door closed or opened, but keep playing. I also started with a nylon strings acoustic and I also fixed a goal. In my case, I said three months for a new guitar. Try to learn those three songs or try to change the strings in your guitar.
Congrats!
That actually gave me goosebumps... I did play didn't I? :D
I even got told that it did sound like "Wonderwall" so I couldn't be doing it that badly.
My strumming was a bit iffy here and there, sometimes I did a downstroke and then a downstoke instead of a downstroke then an upstroke, but I guess these things just get easier.
And I think I will buy some new strings for the nylon guitar (and learn 3 songs). I don't think i'll be able to tune it properly but it bount to sound better. It's been sitting in my room for maybe 5 years and i've only played it maybe 10 times. But when you try to tighten some of the strings they click a lot.
I even got told that it did sound like "Wonderwall" so I couldn't be doing it that badly.
My strumming was a bit iffy here and there, sometimes I did a downstroke and then a downstoke instead of a downstroke then an upstroke, but I guess these things just get easier.
I didn't know the song, I mean, I had heard it on radio and such but I didn't know consciously ;)
It is not so easy for me. It has a very nice intro. I'm sure you will play it!
And I think I will buy some new strings for the nylon guitar (and learn 3 songs). I don't think i'll be able to tune it properly but it bount to sound better. It's been sitting in my room for maybe 5 years and i've only played it maybe 10 times. But when you try to tighten some of the strings they click a lot.
Remember to buy an electronic tuner. Mine is a Korg TM-40:
http://www.music123.com/Korg-TM-40-Digital-Tuner-Metronome-210533-i1125538.Music123
It is a tuner-metronome. It is more expensive than a simple tuner but cheaper than a tuner and a metronome. And you will need a metronome when you start with the scales. Try to tune by ear but an electronic tuner is easier at the beginning.
Nuno
PS. I was a very shy person too. But it is funnier if you aren't. Think about it! ;)
PS. I was a very shy person too. But it is funnier if you aren't. Think about it!
Nice to know i'm not the only one. Not quite sure why it's funny though.
I have an electronic tuner but it doesn't have a metronome that I know of.
It's made by DIANA but I can't remember the model number. I can find out tonight though.
I thought about buying an effects pedal with a built in drum machine but I think i've changed my mind. My uncle let me borrow his but most of them just sound a bit weird, and if you play a tune through it you don't hear much of the actual tune, just weird noises. I thought the drum machine would be cool though.
Because if you are shy you don't do things beacuse you are shy. If you are not shy, you can do all you want! ;)
Forget my advice and keep with your tuner. An effect pedal with a drum machine can be a good alternative to the metronome. In fact some people don't like the metronomes and prefer to play over a drum machine. But for the pedalboard you have to get clear if you will play acoustic or electric because they usually are different, with different effects.
But currently we have to learn the tree songs first! :D
Welcome to GN, Alison! It sounds like you are making some progress in overcoming your worry about others hearing your playing. I understand, as I have those feelings myself. But keep at it! Try to forget about the people around you and put in the hours it takes to learn those basics. Otherwise, you will end up my age (twice yours) and will still find yourself a beginner. I wish I had stuck to it when I was your age, and then maybe I'd be able to play decently by now. Take it from a middle-ager--don't waste your youth being afraid to cut loose!
You said you have an electric. Plug it in through headphones, girlfriend! Others in the house will hear less than they do with the acoustic, and you can get the feel of really jamming on that thing. Hearing those cool sounds piped straight into your head will be a great motivator and confidence builder.
Although I haven't read the entire thread, I see there were mentions of pedals and effects. You might want to check out a Behringer Vamp2 or similar (there is another model mentioned often around here but I don't recall at the moment what it is). For about $100 you can get all kinds of effects and you don't have to know a lot about hooking up things in sequence, etc, you just push some buttons. 8)
Margaret
When my mind is free, you know a melody can move me
And when I'm feelin' blue, the guitar's comin' through to soothe me ~
Welcome to GN, Alison! It sounds like you are making some progress in overcoming your worry about others hearing your playing. I understand, as I have those feelings myself. But keep at it! Try to forget about the people around you and put in the hours it takes to learn those basics. Otherwise, you will end up my age (twice yours) and will still find yourself a beginner. I wish I had stuck to it when I was your age, and then maybe I'd be able to play decently by now. Take it from a middle-ager--don't waste your youth being afraid to cut loose!
You said you have an electric. Plug it in through headphones, girlfriend! Others in the house will hear less than they do with the acoustic, and you can get the feel of really jamming on that thing. Hearing those cool sounds piped straight into your head will be a great motivator and confidence builder.
Although I haven't read the entire thread, I see there were mentions of pedals and effects. You might want to check out a Behringer Vamp2 or similar (there is another model mentioned often around here but I don't recall at the moment what it is). For about $100 you can get all kinds of effects and you don't have to know a lot about hooking up things in sequence, etc, you just push some buttons. 8)
Margaret
Thanks Margaret :)
It's the electric that I have been using, unplugged. And weirdly, it really isn't much quieter than the acoustic.
My uncles is really quiet (barely audible) and i've seen the same sort of demonstations on guitar dvds - that you don't get sound until you plug it in. I'm not sure why mines isn't like this.
I plugged it in with headphones and it sounded so much better.
At the weekend we did try it out with the amp (with no headphones) and it was really hard to hear it through the amp - even with the volume up quite a bit. You had to practically bend down so that your ears were hearing the amp and not the guitar.
Although when you've got the headphones in your ears, you can't hear the strings so you don't know how loud you're being... which must be a good thing.
EDIT: I am a fool.
I was playing a little last night but there was still a hint of wanting to be quiet. I also thought my song sounded a bit harsh and clicky with a plectrum so I tried to strum it slowly and quietly but the pick got stuck sometimes. I was also getting my strum order wrong and got a little annoyed. I muted the strings and tried the strumming pattern with my fingers, softly (i'm not too good with strumming with my fingers as they sometimes get caught a little). I then got faster and on a quick upstrum the string caught my fingernail and ripped the top of it off. It's now 3-5mm into the pink section (really hope it grows back).
It was my fault, now I have a damaged finger... all for the sake of trying to be quieter.
I thought I had gotten over it, and in a way I have because I did do a few proper strums before trying out with my fingers. Maybe this is a harsh lesson to me not to be so stupid and use the plectrum all the time. I'm not too chuft with myself.
Welcome to GN!
#4491....
