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Guitar: A Lets Play (and Learn) Thread.
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CrudeDiatribe
Member
Don't barre the D, use three fingers to play the treble and use your thumb to hit the low F#.
He's presumably talking about xx4232, not 200232. You can use your thumb for the latter but not the former, which most definitely requires barring.
I wouldn't go as far to say "most definitely" requires it, but it is the way I find easiest at least half of the time. Playing xx4232 with fingers 4132 allows you to do some cool stuff.
CAAAAAAAAAAAW
Member
Five-ish weeks in, still going for it. I think I was starting to do too many things per practice session, and that was wearing my fretting hand out. So for now I'm just focusing on my finger placement 'technique' until things are a bit more comfortable.
However, A Major is a jerk and will probably be the biggest hurdle for speeding up chord changes for me for a while(i.e. until any changes that involve G or C). I've been trying to stick to the way Justin's videos suggest, with the first finger on the third string and second/third fingers on fourth/second. But some combination of wimpy index finger and awkward clusterfuckery tends to make that third string go dead, and I then need to take several seconds to find a better arrangement or adjust finger pressure. Staircased fretting just moves that problem over a string and makes it even worse, and my fingers aren't quite big enough to do a semi-barre effectively...
However, A Major is a jerk and will probably be the biggest hurdle for speeding up chord changes for me for a while(i.e. until any changes that involve G or C). I've been trying to stick to the way Justin's videos suggest, with the first finger on the third string and second/third fingers on fourth/second. But some combination of wimpy index finger and awkward clusterfuckery tends to make that third string go dead, and I then need to take several seconds to find a better arrangement or adjust finger pressure. Staircased fretting just moves that problem over a string and makes it even worse, and my fingers aren't quite big enough to do a semi-barre effectively...
CrudeDiatribe
Member
Yeah, that makes sense, completely forgot about that inversion.
Here's a fingering diagram if it helps.
Ah, I completely misunderstood what you meant and derailed the question.
I wouldn't barre that either and would instead finger each note of the triad separately.
Clockwork5
Member
Here's a fingering diagram if it helps.
FYI that is F# minor. Might not seem important but when you are asking for help we need to know what you are trying to play
Also I agree with the post above me. I wouldn't bother with barring a 3 note chord.
Mixolydian
Member
CrudeDiatribe
Member
It's absolutely worth learning barre chords, but if you can make triads to get you through a song you should absolutely do that and spend some other time carefully making barre chords until each note rings properly.
The chord above is F# minor and not barring it is not advisable; it is easier to transition from the barre. It's also not usually played as a triad and the far more common voicings, both of which do require a barre, of F# minor in that position are 244222 and xx4222, which is the same as posted in the chord diagram above with the octave F# added.
I think it is good practice to barre when you can. It gives you more freedom later in addition to making you better at barre chords.
I think it is good practice to barre when you can. It gives you more freedom later in addition to making you better at barre chords.
CrudeDiatribe
Member
Thinking about it more, I do barre it. I don't barre major and dominant triads. Brain fart.
I use triads over wider voicings in ensemble playing, especially with different instruments covering different ranges. Sometimes an interval is enough. The less of them and the more of me leads to bigger chords, usually.
I don't know where this chord is in the song, but most of the song has the root note (only) on the downbeat and a higher voicing on the up, so probably better to figure out how to do that.
I use triads over wider voicings in ensemble playing, especially with different instruments covering different ranges. Sometimes an interval is enough. The less of them and the more of me leads to bigger chords, usually.
I don't know where this chord is in the song, but most of the song has the root note (only) on the downbeat and a higher voicing on the up, so probably better to figure out how to do that.
NotTheGuyYouKill
Member
I bought Justin's Beginner songbook cause the videos parents enough. Need to be able to see the chords and follow along in conjunction with his videos.
CapitalismSucks DonkeyBalls
Banned
Have a Schecter 7-string coming in the mail this week. Bought a Peavey amp on Friday and am excited to try it out. I feel like I'm kind of running before walking as my only experience is an acoustic 6-string.
But I want to learn electric and I love the djent sound I can learn with a 7-string. We shall see.
But I want to learn electric and I love the djent sound I can learn with a 7-string. We shall see.
Ether_Snake
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So I'm a newb and started learning The God Father's theme. I play it by picking a single string, and it sounds horrible because the string is often accidentally touched by the pick soon after picking, or sometimes I don't pick it "right". On Justin Guitar he just has one exercise about picking up and down, so I'm thinking it's supposed to be easy, but it really sounds messy. If I don't use a pick I can go fast, but nothing is really heard.
How do I level up my picking skills?
How do I level up my picking skills?
You always have to take it slow. Everything will always sound horrible the first time you try to play something. Also, are you holding the pick parallel to the string, or kind of angled downward (away from the neck)? If it's the former, you're going to want to do the latter as it'll help you cut through the string and allow you to move faster on the string and between strings as well.
Dynamite Ringo Matsuri
Member
Beyond the angling of the pick for alternate picking, I'd really recommend going to your local store and picking up a bunch of different style picks to work with. I recentlu picked up some Dunlop jazz IIIs and Jazz III style picks to mess with and found that I just love this style of pick. I wound up settling on the beveled Prime-tone Jazz IIIs and holy moly, the picks just glide thru the strings. Took my alternate picking and accuracy to the next level. I can tremolo pick for days with those things.
I'd also recommend looking up how to use your palm and fretting hand to mute the unused strings and when playing descending licks. It'll feel really awkward for awhile but trust me that this is something you'll want to learn sooner than later since it'll make your playing sound much cleaner when amplified.
I'd also recommend looking up how to use your palm and fretting hand to mute the unused strings and when playing descending licks. It'll feel really awkward for awhile but trust me that this is something you'll want to learn sooner than later since it'll make your playing sound much cleaner when amplified.
The easiest way to master the upstroke is to master the downstroke first. Get comfortable playing first with only picking downwards; it isn't necessary or especially advisable to introduce alternate picking early. The main reason for this is that to smoothly transition into an upstroke you need to have a good idea of when to stop the downstroke and if you're new to guitar you probably don't have that level of control yet.
The method that I learned, and the method that I teach, goes like this:
1. Get good at the downstroke. This often takes a couple of months but if you're really committed you can do it in less.
2. Practice strumming -- hitting multiple strings -- with upstrokes.
3. Practice scales and familiar tunes with upstrokes in appropriate places.
4. Practice your picking strategy of choice. You can research this -- or ask here! -- when you get to this point as there are many different options and they have many different advantages and disadvantages.
I switched to the Jazz III when I started studying guitar in university and I've never switched back. It is the perfect pick in every aspect for how I play.
I don't agree with this angling of the pick business, however. How you approach picking depends a lot on your body and what kind of music you'd like to play. My attack is almost entirely parallel to the string and I move my hand slightly in something of a figure eight, which is a style common in jazz and other places where strict alternate picking is the norm.
CAAAAAAAAAAAW
Member
Closing in on five months now, and I'm starting to get into barre chords. I can accurately finger and switch between most open chords pretty easily now(except B7, that thing is crazy), and I'm pretty sure getting a new guitar has helped a lot with that. My dad's old acoustic, some ~40 year old Jedson, wasn't terrible, but I don't think he's ever had it re-fretted or anything... So I got myself an FG700s and noticed an immediate improvement in just about everything. Aside from getting some weird scratchyness when I tested out string bending, it's been really nice to play.
Lately I've been looking into jazz stuff, because I really like the sound of extended 7/9/beyond chords, but I probably won't get too deep into that until I can barre better. Still, I've had some fun diddling around with the easier minor and major 7th fingerings.
I'd like to practice more solo-y stuff though. One of my cousins recommended I just experiment with a backing track, but 'feeling' music is still a bit awkward to me.
Lately I've been looking into jazz stuff, because I really like the sound of extended 7/9/beyond chords, but I probably won't get too deep into that until I can barre better. Still, I've had some fun diddling around with the easier minor and major 7th fingerings.
I'd like to practice more solo-y stuff though. One of my cousins recommended I just experiment with a backing track, but 'feeling' music is still a bit awkward to me.
Wag
Member
Revisiting this thread:
I've been playing acoustic since ~18 (late 40's now). I can play open chords and am decent enough but would like to enhance my skills. I am struggling with barre chords. I'm not sure if the action on my guitar is too high, or I just don't practice enough but I can't seem to get a clean sound out of it.
I realize lessons would probably help but I just can't afford it. I am mostly a blues/R&B guy. Learning how to play a shuffle is high up on the list too.
https://play.riffstation.com/?v=dbXMYJSvddk
I'd like to play this new William Bell song (great album BTW).
Any tips?
I've been playing acoustic since ~18 (late 40's now). I can play open chords and am decent enough but would like to enhance my skills. I am struggling with barre chords. I'm not sure if the action on my guitar is too high, or I just don't practice enough but I can't seem to get a clean sound out of it.
I realize lessons would probably help but I just can't afford it. I am mostly a blues/R&B guy. Learning how to play a shuffle is high up on the list too.
https://play.riffstation.com/?v=dbXMYJSvddk
I'd like to play this new William Bell song (great album BTW).
Any tips?
Lan Dong Mik
And why would I want them?
Practice every single day working on it. I've been playing about 4 years or so now, I can handle most barre chords now but it took me a while to get my strength up to where I can do it with ease. I try to practice daily.
It could be your guitar though too if it's just too uncomfortable or painful to hold them down. What kind of guitar are you playing? You may just want to take it into guitar center or a local music shop to have them do some adjustments on it.
Also youtube is your best friend! No need to pay for lessons in my opinion. Youtube has sooo many free tutorials you can watch and learn from. Good luck man, keep it up you'll get it
Wag
Member
I have an Alverez Yari DY45. Nice guitar (except mine is all scraped up by the pick guard).
I'm pretty sure it's the guitar that's giving me problems. I might take it to a music store to see what they think. I might need a new one to progress at this point. Unfortunately with all the damage it has I probably won't get all that much for it.
Lan Dong Mik
And why would I want them?
I have an Alverez Yari DY45. Nice guitar (except mine is all scraped up by the pick guard).
I'm pretty sure it's the guitar that's giving me problems. I might take it to a music store to see what they think. I might need a new one to progress at this point. Unfortunately with all the damage it has I probably won't get all that much for it.
yeah man might be time for an upgrade! I recently picked up a used Taylor 114e for about $400.00 and it's by far the best guitar I've ever owned, even if it's on the lower end of the Taylor models, it sounds fucking amazing. Lots of good sounding cheap guitars out there.
Also you may already know this but stringing the guitar correctly makes the biggest difference in the world and it took me years to figure that out.
Wag
Member
I think it cost me ~$400 when I bought it ~20yrs ago. If I get $300 or so I'd be happy. It definitely needs to be restored tho. All the finish is off by the pick guard, right down to the white of the wood.
adamsappel
Member
Wag
Member
I just change them as they break. I think they are light guage. Probably time I have it adjusted.
Yes, the guitar is quite nice. It has a really good tone. It's just difficult to play.
CrudeDiatribe
Member
A capo ought to make the action low; put one on the first or second fret and see how much easier it is.
Also, change your strings more often than when one breaks; nothing to do with barre chords, it will just be more pleasant to play.
Also, change your strings more often than when one breaks; nothing to do with barre chords, it will just be more pleasant to play.
After what seems like months of going back and forth between even learning the guitar and what website to use to help me learn if I do I bought my first guitar a couple day ago, a les paul special ii.
I was leaning very heavily towards justinguitar for learning at least until I got decent since it is free, however since it always takes me awhile to choose stuff like this I was doing some research on various sites and learning materials when I happened upon the free guitar offer form guitartricks combined with the super cheap monthly cost when going with a year subscription this was a no brainier for me. I hope this does not come off as an ad for the site I just thought it was a great deal that others here might be interested in.
I was leaning very heavily towards justinguitar for learning at least until I got decent since it is free, however since it always takes me awhile to choose stuff like this I was doing some research on various sites and learning materials when I happened upon the free guitar offer form guitartricks combined with the super cheap monthly cost when going with a year subscription this was a no brainier for me. I hope this does not come off as an ad for the site I just thought it was a great deal that others here might be interested in.
Wag
Member
Learning barre chords now- very slow going. I am trying to add them to songs I play instead of playing the open version.
The thing is- I don't know where to find them- it's all memorization. Say if someone asked me to play a Gm I wouldn't know how to find it anywhere else on the guitar other than the version I learned.
Can someone help me with this? I'd like to know how to form chords on demand- I would be able to know exactly where a Gm is up and down the neck.
The thing is- I don't know where to find them- it's all memorization. Say if someone asked me to play a Gm I wouldn't know how to find it anywhere else on the guitar other than the version I learned.
Can someone help me with this? I'd like to know how to form chords on demand- I would be able to know exactly where a Gm is up and down the neck.
What you need to have a look at is what's called often called CAGED;
http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/19390-7-the-guitarists-guide-to-the-caged-system
Simply put any barre chord is just a shifted open chord.
For instance, I'm going to guess that your Gm chord is barring the 3rd fret and doing an Em shape with the rest of your fingers.
Likewise if you keep the 3rd fret barred and do an A Minor shape, then the chord you'll be playing is a C minor.
A Minor(open) --> A# Minor (1st fret barre) --> B Minor (second fret barre) -- C Minor (third fret barre)
A way of learning the neck is take the G major chord.
Then learn all the variations you can do with it.
i.e. Open G, E Major shape, D major shape, C Major Shape, And G major shape barred on the 12th fret (if your guitar has enough fret space
)
Wag
Member
What you need to have a look at is what's called often called CAGED;
http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/19390-7-the-guitarists-guide-to-the-caged-system
Simply put any barre chord is just a shifted open chord.
For instance, I'm going to guess that your Gm chord is barring the 3rd fret and doing an Em shape with the rest of your fingers.
Likewise if you keep the 3rd fret barred and do an A Minor shape, then the chord you'll be playing is a C minor.
A Minor(open) --> A# Minor (1st fret barre) --> B Minor (second fret barre) -- C Minor (third fret barre)
A way of learning the neck is take the G major chord.
Then learn all the variations you can do with it.
i.e. Open G, E Major shape, D major shape, C Major Shape, And G major shape barred on the 12th fret (if your guitar has enough fret space
I had a sense of this. Thanks.
If I could afford lessons I'd take them, I'm sure they'd help more than the youtube ones. Right now I'm trying to just get clean barre chords that aren't buzzing or muted. Doing them off the first fret is a bitch. Doing an E7 shape while barred is hard.
The funny thing is I've been playing for almost 30yrs and never really committed to learning barre chords. I was mainly a harmonica player but unfortunately I have TMJ problems so it gives me a headache.
Bit of a specific question but I've been playing somewhat seriously for almost a year now, trying to get the hang of the basics. I've found out that the stuff I've enjoyed the most playing are songs where the lead plays a lot of single notes. Think Interpol and (early) Arctic Monkeys, like Death Ramps, Specialist, 12:51 (Strokes). Except now I'm running out of new songs to learn that are in this style, and are on that level of difficulty. Any suggestions?
CrudeDiatribe
Member
When you get tired of working on the full shapes and just want to play a song, you can play a simple triad or tetrad.
Code:
[b]F:[/b]
E+-x-+
B+-1-+
G+-2-+
D+-3-+
A+-x-+
E+-x-+
[b]F7:[/b]
E+-x-+
B+-4-+
G+-2-+
D+-3-+
A+-x-+
E+-x-+If your hands are big enough, throw your thumb over the sixth string and play the first fret:
Code:
[b]F:[/b]
E+-x-+
B+-1-+
G+-2-+
D+-3-+
A+-x-+
E+-1-+Wag
Member
I'm a blues guy so I usually fool around with I/IV/V. I just like to see if I can barre that up and down the neck. It's going to take me a few months to get it sounding clean. Right now I'm concentrating more on just switching barre chords fast enough so they sound like something.
Are any of the online instructional sites any good? They're much cheaper than taking lessons in person. I was looking at Jamplay and that looks interesting.
CrudeDiatribe
Member
Wag
Member
I need more instruction.
As I previously posted, are any of the instructional websites like Jamplay any good? Specifically for Blues/R&B?
CrudeDiatribe
Member
Wag
Member
Clockwork5
Member
Keep at it. It comes naturally over time. Are you on acoustic? Maybe try some lighter gauge strings while your learning. They are smaller and will also have slightly less tension.
Majima Everywhere System
Member
I'm starting up again on this which I got for $380. I'm coming off a ESPN LTD MH300, and I'm excited to get away from a Floyd Rose.
I keep trying when I have time. lighter strings might help, actually. And yeah I'm on acoustic.
adamsappel
Member
I'm starting up again on this which I got for $380. I'm coming off a ESPN LTD MH300, and I'm excited to get away from a Floyd Rose.
They are blowing these out. That is a great price for this guitar. You can even sell the Nocaster pickups for ~$75 (the market may get flooded soon, though); keep one and you've got a great, authentic Fender Esquire! I'm really GASing for one, but I just don't want another black guitar.
Slackbladder
Member
That's nice. It'd go well with my FSR Aerodyne Strat I got recently.I'm starting up again on this which I got for $380. I'm coming off a ESPN LTD MH300, and I'm excited to get away from a Floyd Rose.
And like you I've come to enjoy guitars without Floyds recently. So much easier to re-string if nothing else. One of my favourite guitars is a Schecter C-1 Classic which is a string through. Real pretty too.
So I've been thinking about something for a few years now. I've been playing guitar since I was about 9 or 10, so about 15-16 years off and on. I never had lessons, and never progressed past reading Tabs and learning riffs. I only ever learned one full song which was Master of Puppets when I was like 13, and yet somehow still remember the whole damn thing. How does someone like me, with terrible posture, finger technique, bad picking, and just all around bad habits from not having an instructor go about unlearning everything and starting over? Is it just as easy as starting up lessons from justinguitar, and sticking with them until I've unlearned all the evil ways?
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