Who plays an instrument?

[pfunk880]

Re: Who plays an instrument?

What percussion instruments do you play?

Just about anything.

[mgoblue]

Re: Who plays an instrument?

I finally pulled out my guitar after threatening to for months....

I found about.com with some lessons, along with some youtube videos like this:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=u9pA9L8j52Q&feature=related

Simplistic, but I'm gonna go slow. Gotta go replace my practice amp tomorrow, pick up a tuning box thingy too (I'm horrible at tuning myself). Just gonna sit here and keep strumming until it becomes fully automatic, will take a while lol.

Thanks for the thread though, helped me keep it in mind and maybe this time I'll stick with it (hey, I finally quit smoking this summer, anything can happen).

[eXperiment63]

Re: Who plays an instrument?

You should have someone who knows how to set up guitars give yours a rough setup. The setup can determine whether or not you keep at it. If the strings are too high, and the guitar is too tough on your fingers you may give up.

How much you looking at spending for your amp? I have a $250 one that I'm about to sell for a chunk off. If you're interested, pm me.

[mgoblue]

Re: Who plays an instrument?

You should have someone who knows how to set up guitars give yours a rough setup. The setup can determine whether or not you keep at it. If the strings are too high, and the guitar is too tough on your fingers you may give up.

How much you looking at spending for your amp? I have a $250 one that I'm about to sell for a chunk off. If you're interested, pm me.

My setup's fine...i've just got a garden variety black/white Fender Strat Squire...It's good enough for me to learn. I've found a halfway decent online lesson that gives me stuff to repeat often and I'm ok.

I just got a cheap *** practice amp just so I have something that lets me hear. Right now I'm just playing to try and learn (and see if I keep learning...I'm having better luck this time, but who knows). I don't want to sink that much into anything without knowing what the hell I'm doing .

I'm learning a 3 chord version of Leavin' on a Jet Plane lol, so I'm pretty basic. I'm having fun though, my fingers are a little sore, but that always happens the first week I start re-learning.

[headrulz101]

Re: Who plays an instrument?

Started playing guitar about 13-14 years ago. I give lessons and work in the studio (produce, record) when I'm not in school.

The beauty of playing an instrument is that you are always learning, whether you've played 2 years or 50 years.

[mgoblue]

Re: Who plays an instrument?

Started playing guitar about 13-14 years ago. I give lessons and work in the studio (produce, record) when I'm not in school.

The beauty of playing an instrument is that you are always learning, whether you've played 2 years or 50 years.

I'm having fun this go-around...I like the "Leavin on a Jet Plane" song, and it's an easy one to actually sing and play. I think I'll get lessons eventually, but for now I have a way to slowly learn chords, and I'm starting to do scales to work on my finger dexterity. My prior attempts to learn were tough cause I never found a fun song to practice on, nor one I could easily sing with. Some songs are tough to start off singing and playing because the playing beat is a little different than the singing one, so tough on a newcomer without stellar music talent.

My fingertips on my left hand hurt, so I know I'm doing something right lol. Just gotta give it a week with practice and I'll have them tougher. I think I can keep this up though, even if just 15 mins or so a night (or more, if i have time)...I notice how much better I am over 2 days, so given more time I'll at least learn what I'm practicing and eventually add more.

[headrulz101]

Re: Who plays an instrument?

I'm having fun this go-around...I like the "Leavin on a Jet Plane" song, and it's an easy one to actually sing and play. I think I'll get lessons eventually, but for now I have a way to slowly learn chords, and I'm starting to do scales to work on my finger dexterity. My prior attempts to learn were tough cause I never found a fun song to practice on, nor one I could easily sing with. Some songs are tough to start off singing and playing because the playing beat is a little different than the singing one, so tough on a newcomer without stellar music talent.

My fingertips on my left hand hurt, so I know I'm doing something right lol. Just gotta give it a week with practice and I'll have them tougher. I think I can keep this up though, even if just 15 mins or so a night (or more, if i have time)...I notice how much better I am over 2 days, so given more time I'll at least learn what I'm practicing and eventually add more.

Singing while playing is a great way to not only train your ear but basically getting comfortable with the guitar. I feel that practicing in such a way will help you in the long run since you'll be improving your ear (most important in my opinion) and as well as your singing and technique.

I believe improving the ear is what many beginners should focus on. It will not only help in the long run but it will make you a "true" musician. It may seem hard at first but believe me, once you hear "that" chord in a certain song you'll understand why you worked your arse off, practicing daily. One of my music teachers (about 10 years ago), told me to purchase a small tape recorder to record a simple chord progression. I then practiced different scales over the progression and I "heard" the notes. This gave me a true understanding of different tones and improved my technique and improvisational skills wholly.

Finally, once I got into the songwriting stage , I basically threw away everything I learned and worked out my own style. And once again, that is why improving your ear is so important.

Hope this helps!

[Hooe]

Re: Who plays an instrument?

This isn't so much about playing an instrument, but an instrument-related question, so I'll put it here.

Is there an online website that someone could direct me to for guitar accessories? Specifically I'm looking into getting a different pickguard for my Stratocaster HSS (for aesthetic reasons; if there's something about changing pick guards that I should be aware of, please do let me know).

I've tried the websites for Guitar Center, Sam Ash, and Fender, but the first two had very limited selection (Sam Ash didn't have any that matched my guitar's setup), and Fender had descriptions but not pictures of what they had. I even searched eBay and didn't see anything. If someone could point me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it.

[eXperiment63]

Re: Who plays an instrument?

www.guitarfetish.com for all your guitar hardware needs.

[eXperiment63]

Re: Who plays an instrument?

http://profile.ultimate-guitar.com/eXperiment63/music/

I uploaded a whole song.

[mgoblue]

Re: Who plays an instrument?

http://profile.ultimate-guitar.com/eXperiment63/music/

I uploaded a whole song.

Cool song, I like it!

Meanwhile I'm just practicing my C, G, and D chords, as well as the transitions...

Quick question...I assume that i'm better off trying to master these three and making stuff sound good (quick transitions, fingers just "knowing" them perfectly, etc), rather than trying to move onto new lessons, right?

I can hit these chords just fine, and can string them together just not as fast as I'd like. I just don't want to move too fast and get over my head and then quit again.

[eXperiment63]

Re: Who plays an instrument?

You should learn all your open chords. Practice going to and from all of them.

Also, don't worry about speed at all right now, just accuracy and getting the chords to ring out correctly.



Stick to the major and minor ones... Forget the 7s until after you nail the major/minors.

[mgoblue]

Re: Who plays an instrument?

Thanks a lot! I'm just taking it easy tonight (got Christmas stuff tomorrow with the fam), but I'll just practice during commercials, or more if I feel like it....I'll just keep working at learning more chords and keeping it fun. I know once I know all the chords the fun increases too (being able to play more stuff I want to), so just have to keep at it.

[mgoblue]

Re: Who plays an instrument?

I'm still playing! I've got a quick question. I'm using about.com's how to learn a guitar, they have some songs that are easier to play for beginners.

My question is about strumming. They have this listing for the music of "Brown Eyed Girl"

Brown Eyed Girl Chords

I know it's simplified (and it mostly fits with the video that follows), but how I do I figure out the strumming? I know it's not just one note then the next, and "Leavin on a Jet Plane" they have lists the strumming pattern (and as I play it I get better/more used to it).

Leavin On a Jet Plane Chords

Here's the video I found on you tube that helps too, but when he's actually strumming vs. playing each note it's tough to understand when he's changing (he goes so fast when actually playing, but when explaining the stuff he doesn't ever strum slowly). Do I just keep sucking and trying to figure it out myself? I just have no clue how many times each chord should be played, etc...I'd like my playing to sound more like the video below, but he just plays so fast I can't figure out what he's doing. Well, fast for me. I can play the chords in the order he does, just have no clue what he's doing with strumming (and I swear I hear stuff mixed in that he didn't explain).

here's the video, thanks in advance! Just trying to slowly get better and understand more. Sorry if the video gets taken down, I notice that eventually all of these do because of copyright issues.

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GfOJetzNURw&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GfOJetzNURw&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

[caseyd]

Re: Who plays an instrument?

I'm with ya. I can get the chords down. My biggest problem is strumming. I can strum up and down normally, but I get all messed up when I try to do some of the things he was doing. I think it's really all just a matter of practice. Learn the chords first and then strumming will probably come as you get used to it. At least that's what I'm hoping. I have an accoustic, but I just bought an electric guitar. I got my daughter one for Christmas and she's now taking lessons. Since I go with her to the lessons, I'm able to pick up what he's teaching her and come home to practice. I have found, using her electric, that it's much easier to learn on because it's a lot easier to hit the chords on the smaller neck. That may not be the ideal way, but I've been having fun with the electric and most teachers say that having fun is what keeps you coming back and practicing like your're supposed to. It seems to be working for me.

Thanks for the heads up on that site. I may check that out. I also bought a software program called eMedia Guitar Method. It has been helpful too.