ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Sept 4, 2018 10:46:48 GMT
Spot on is that ukpacker. Chord diagrams can be limiting, though helpful at first. I worked most of that out by myself over a long period many years ago - not in terms of a musical formula as usually expressed, but in terms of counting how many frets above/below the root note I'd need to go to find the other notes for a particular chord. It was seeing the moveable shape diagrams in Bert Weedon's book in around 1964 (eg how an F shape 2 frets up becomes a G etc, and the one fret difference between Fmaj and F min, replicated in G etc and all up the neck) that gave me the first glimmerings. No musical knowledge was required - I didn't have any - just counting - as is my method for transposing/capo placement etc - counting from 0 to 12 (or even just to 11) is a very useful skill! Most of my music theory has come after I've been unconsciously using it. I don't think too much theory at any stage is helpful for me - the practical and theoretical need to progress hand in hand to get the full benefit. For me, the practical was always far ahead, and only in retrospect did I discover or get told why what I was doing worked. After all, theory is only an explanation of why certain things work, and an explanation of what some terms mean. The music came first! Not decrying theory in any way - v valuable - we all learn in different ways. Best books I've read on theory were by Howard Goodall as they start from the beginning and go through musical history and what was discovered when - lots of interesting things in them, not at all "dry" like "proper" theory texts. have a look at The History of Music from Babylon to Beatles - how music has shaped civilisation, and Big Bangs - five discoveries that shaped musical history. Real page turners. (Daft expression, that. It's how books work, innit?) Keith
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Post by ukpacker on Sept 4, 2018 18:11:24 GMT
I did not know Curly was teaching me music theory at the time, i never came across the term till years later, he just said to turn up to the lessons with a pen and lots of paper and got me to write an instruction book from basics, starting from the major scale to chord substitutions ( I still have not got that far yet, sorry Curly) I find it has been invaluable for improvising because if you know which is the 1st 3rd and 5th of your chord you also know where the 2nd and 6th are which gives you the pentatonic scale built on that chords root note with no need to memorize these scale shapes the books seem to be full of. I shall check out some of the books you mention, if you are into really really really primitive music the Singing Neanderthals by Steven Nithan is thought provoking.
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Post by misterlutherman on Oct 30, 2018 11:30:36 GMT
Learn to enjoy the process. Thats what makes the whole thing more energising and worthwhile, and generally more fun. If you are not getting something, thats ok. Find the balance between progressing and enjoying playing.
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Post by oustudent on Oct 30, 2018 11:46:44 GMT
Use your ears and eyes, TAB's are notoriously inaccurate.
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Post by misterlutherman on Jan 8, 2019 14:19:08 GMT
A simple place to start with learning chords. I found this on Reddit and thought it was a cool method of learning new chords, especially for people who want to just see where things go with using chords learned online.
If you don't get on with this in terms of learning new chords, I suggest learning the open chords first, then the chords of the major scale (theory) and start with the CAGED system to really get them down into your memory.
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Post by frankieabbott on Oct 3, 2019 12:20:48 GMT
Some great tips in this thread. Not so much a tip from me as learning chords has been alluded to by some members in previous messages. I was getting sick of sticking my nose in a chord book and just putting my fingers where the little chord graphics were showing where to put them. Yes....I was learning chord shapes without realising what I was really playing.
So I decided to learn the notes on the fretboard....initially only the ones on the bottom 4 strings. Then I would pick a fret on one of these 4 strings and work out what frets other notes were in relation to the root note. Working 3 frets down the fretboard and 4 frets up the fretboard from the root...I would work out what frets the maj third or sixth or maj 7 or min third....all of the intervals in relation to the root...on all the available strings within that 7 fret area. Best thing I ever did. I understand chord construction better and I'm playing chords that suit my fingerspan. I've kinda found shell voicings by default/accident.
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Post by andyhowell on Oct 3, 2019 14:15:27 GMT
Some great tips in this thread. Not so much a tip from me as learning chords has been alluded to by some members in previous messages. I was getting sick of sticking my nose in a chord book and just putting my fingers where the little chord graphics were showing where to put them. Yes....I was learning chord shapes without realising what I was really playing. So I decided to learn the notes on the fretboard....initially only the ones on the bottom 4 strings. Then I would pick a fret on one of these 4 strings and work out what frets other notes were in relation to the root note. Working 3 frets down the fretboard and 4 frets up the fretboard from the root...I would work out what frets the maj third or sixth or maj 7 or min third....all of the intervals in relation to the root...on all the available strings within that 7 fret area. Best thing I ever did. I understand chord construction better and I'm playing chords that suit my fingerspan. I've kinda found shell voicings by default/accident. That is very much the approach that I recommend when playing around with alternate tunings. In standard and Dropped D the CAGED systems makes a lot of sense as well. I think exploring/doodling in this way is what really unlocks the fretboard for you in a way that slavishly following tabs does not! Tabs regret in the sense that they can give you a feel for what some people are doing but they don't allow you t master the flow and feel of the music which, after all, is what makes a piece. Well, my thoughts anyhow.
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Post by Matt Milton on Oct 3, 2019 15:03:27 GMT
Not so much an absolute-beginner piece of advice, more of a once-you're-on-the-way piece of advice but...
Finish things.
Don't think that just cos you can play and sing the verse and the chorus, and sometimes get the really tricky solo bit right, you have learned the song. You need to be able to play and sing it all the way through. If you can't do that, then you haven't really finished. I wish I’d had a less sloppy attitude to this when I was a kid. You don’t have to be a total perfectionist about it, but you do have to get to a point of being able to get through the piece from start to end without making a serious mistake.
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Post by Matt Milton on Oct 3, 2019 15:04:17 GMT
Also, second piece of advice: Form a band! Playing with others improves your timing, gives you focus (material you have to learn), is fun, and most importantly of all means you have to step up. If it’s just you on your own at home, it doesn’t matter if you get something wrong, it doesn’t matter if you never even improve at all. But if you’re in a band other people are relying on you to get it right. And there’s people that you fancy in the audience. You don’t want to look stupid.
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doc
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Post by doc on Oct 4, 2019 0:54:35 GMT
Remember which fret the capo goes on BEFORE you start the song!!!
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Post by Matt Milton on Oct 4, 2019 10:59:22 GMT
Oh god, you’ve just reminded me of the time when I accidentally put a harmonica in the harmonica holder the wrong way round. Very easily done. When I got to the harmonica break it sounded horrendous and it took me a second to realise what I’d done (initial thought: ‘why are the notes all wrong when my mouth is playing them right?!!’). No real way out of that one - when it comes to the harmonica I’m a Bob Dylan not a Larry Adler – and so just had to stop. I put a red sticker on my harmonica afterwards so it could never happen again. I did once hear a singer-songwriter do the exact same thing on a live-in-the-studio broadcast on BBC Radio 2. Only time I’ve ever heard a professional musician drop a real clanger in a live broadcast. Making me think: is the harmonica the only instrument you could ever accidentally try to play upside down? Can’t think of any others that look the same on both sides.
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Post by martinrowe on Oct 4, 2019 13:41:53 GMT
'harmonica in the harmonica holder the wrong way round' Matt Milton I've done that - well, it was on stage and I was playing a little break for a guitarist who was about to sing something he'd written. We'd rehearsed and he liked the little part I came up with. Come the concert I mistakenly (nerves I think) held the harmonica upside down. It sounded terrible - he looked at me and hissed 'what are you doing'. I always got the impression he didn't trust me after that. I suppose it may be one of those experiences that you can try to pull a meaning from i.e. 'if it can go wrong - it will' I don't like playing live.
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Post by ianlp59 on Oct 20, 2020 17:18:18 GMT
Remember which fret the capo goes on BEFORE you start the song!!! And, once you've clamped it on, re-tune ..!
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leoroberts
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Post by leoroberts on Oct 20, 2020 19:13:02 GMT
Remember which fret the capo goes on BEFORE you start the song!!! And, once you've clamped it on, re-tune ..! What do you mean, RE-tune?
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Post by K Tresp on Oct 20, 2020 19:16:02 GMT
Here’s my attempt:
1. Have fun: that is why we do this in the end. If you aren’t enjoying what you are doing you won’t the hours in and you won’t improve. 2. Listen: Easy to forget but really listen. Record your attempts and listen back if needed. 3. Practice: No avoiding the need for practice but go for quality not just quantity. Try to structure what you do, set small measurable goals and keep it interesting. 4. Technique: there are lots of different ways to play but setting out well at the start will stand you in good stead to avoid injuries or fatigue. The stuff earlier about being relaxed is good. 5. Inspiration: seek out the players and music that inspire you. Keeping that inspiration make the hard yards of practice seem easy. 6. Focus: There is, perhaps, too much material out there (5 pages just on this thread alone). You cant cover it all as there is too much out there. Pick the stuff that might work for you and stick with it til you master it. 7. Go your own way: Don’t be afraid of doing your own thing. If you like it that is all that matters.
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