|
Post by sweyne1 on Oct 26, 2016 17:30:45 GMT
Buy a decent guitar if you can afford it. Fighting the guitar is no fun.
|
|
|
Post by creamburmese on Oct 28, 2016 14:23:53 GMT
That relaxing thing described by Jonny is incredibly hard to do but is truly crucial to better playing .... I almost think you can recognize a good player by how relaxed they are. One day....
|
|
|
Post by Janey on Oct 28, 2016 19:21:32 GMT
In the early days I used to get really hung up on getting my left hand positioned correctly when fingering chords. The someone said "Don't worry about the left hand just keep strumming" I actually found this to be fantastic advice. Although it was often the end of a bar before the chord was anything like positioned correctly let alone fingered with enough strenth to hold the strings down properly. What it did was enable me to get through to the end of a song, albeit badly. Then with repeated practice the chords started to fall into place. So keep the right hand keeping time whatever the left hand does and the left hand will eventually fall into place. It worked for me anyways
|
|
Riverman
Artist / Performer
Posts: 7,345
|
Post by Riverman on Oct 28, 2016 22:21:57 GMT
Rhythm is everything. That is all
|
|
|
Post by andyhowell on Oct 29, 2016 17:06:13 GMT
Play a little of time a lot. It's what the sofa was made for. Build up finger strength and stamina gently. Playing a lot will help you enjoy what you are doing.
|
|
|
Post by andyhowell on Oct 29, 2016 17:06:42 GMT
Rhythm is everything. That is all It's all in the right hand !
|
|
|
Post by vikingblues on Oct 29, 2016 19:28:46 GMT
One tip I wish I'd heard when I was at an early stage concerning playing chords.
Start thinking about the chord you are going to be moving to well before you reach it. It does seem to help the fluency and accuracy of the chord changes.
Mark
|
|
Riverman
Artist / Performer
Posts: 7,345
|
Post by Riverman on Oct 30, 2016 18:03:26 GMT
Rhythm is everything. That is all It's all in the right hand ! I can't remember which guitarist said this, but it's a great quote (assuming you're right handed): "Your left hand shows what you know. Your right hand shows who you are". I try to keep in mind that, where playing the guitar is concerned, both hands need to be in the business of improving what they do.
|
|
ocarolan
Global Moderator
CURMUDGEONLY OLD GIT (leader - to join, just ask!)
Posts: 33,885
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"c0cfe1"}
Mini-Profile Name Color: 182a3f
Mini-Profile Text Color: 733a1c
|
Post by ocarolan on Oct 30, 2016 18:26:35 GMT
Great thread, with loads excellent (and, no doubt, hard won) experience shared.
I'd like to add a suggestion that it is really worthwhile playing with other people as soon as possible. Not necessarily just guitar players either. It really helps if the "others" have a good sense of rhythm and timing to keep you on track.
It can seem intimidating to approach other musicians and to face jamming with them, but it almost always proves valuable. Guitarists can, of course, help especially with guitar-related technicalities, though there is always a risk of picking up their bad habits. (Surely not!?) Attempting to play with eg fiddle or flute players will help with developing rhythm, timing and accompaniment skill, as well as general musicality, and helping you realise that the guitar isn't always the star, but it can still be very important!
Keith
|
|
|
Post by andyhowell on Nov 1, 2016 9:27:46 GMT
It's all in the right hand ! I can't remember which guitarist said this, but it's a great quote (assuming you're right handed): "Your left hand shows what you know. Your right hand shows who you are". I try to keep in mind that, where playing the guitar is concerned, both hands need to be in the business of improving what they do. I think the point is that one about timing and the other one about flow. Synchronisation. of course, comes from right hand timing and temp and not from complicated chord shapes. Mind you I will endorse anything that avoids complicated chord shapes. SaveSave
|
|
|
Post by creamburmese on Dec 8, 2016 15:54:42 GMT
I will reinvigorate this thread cos I like it. So here's another tip that works for me (when I remember anyway) - make sure each time you practice you have a goal in mind (however small). I attempted to put down lots of useful tips I wish I remembered when I'm playing in my still-active blog
|
|
Riverman
Artist / Performer
Posts: 7,345
|
Post by Riverman on Dec 8, 2016 17:50:51 GMT
If I'd used all the time I've spent in guitar shops - and, indeed, on loitering around internet guitar forums - on playing, I would now be a much better player. Less well informed and quite possibly building up to crippling arthritis, but still...
|
|
R the F
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 1,135
My main instrument is: bandsaw
|
Post by R the F on Dec 8, 2016 23:28:25 GMT
But you're a pretty good guitarist and you've made people laugh so let's have no regrets.
|
|
Riverman
Artist / Performer
Posts: 7,345
|
Post by Riverman on Dec 9, 2016 0:54:54 GMT
But you're a pretty good guitarist and you've made people laugh so let's have no regrets. Yes, but I always assumed they were laughing at my playing...
|
|
|
Post by fatfingerjohn on Dec 9, 2016 9:31:34 GMT
If I'd used all the time I've spent in guitar shops - and, indeed, on loitering around internet guitar forums - on playing, I would now be a much better player. Less well informed and quite possibly building up to crippling arthritis, but still... I know what you mean and am very guilty of enjoying the non-playing/practicing bit. But I take the holistic approach that it's not just the playing that counts it's the whole scenario of being immersed in guitar. This includes too much time watching youtube videos of things I can't play, going to concerts by performers whose standards I can't even hope to get anywhere near and dreaming in a shop that if I had different guitars/accessories it would transform me from ineptitude to concert performer. So my guitar tip would be to enjoy the dreams as much as the reality; the reality is just where you are at the moment (and may be for some time......)
FFJ
|
|