Musicians Corner V1: Cover Band Edition

[Mario]

you can play as long as you wish,if you can bear the pain,nothing wrong with playing 10 minutes or one hour straight.

a)At first you wont be able to do chord progressions quickly,so try to fret the chords at first and once in a while try to do chord progressions.
b)you can use whatever finger you like,but

more alternate finger positions=much easier/better/economical chord progression

for example if you play an E minor using fingers 3,4 [instead of 1,2 0r 2,3] and the next chord after E minor is an F major,then you dont have to lift your fingers,you just have to slide the fingers 3,4 on to the 3rd fret[string A & D] to make an F major plus other fingers.In the same scenario,if the next chord after E minor is a G major, then the more economical fingering for E minor will be 1,2,since you dont have to lift the finger 1 to do a transformation to chord G major.[hope you understood]

I dont know how long youre playing,but if youre just starting out its better to learn a fixed fingering for a specific chord and after some time when you learn most of the chords,you can just start doing alternate fingerings,though there is nothing wrong in trying now



Thats too bad

Thanks. I got the part about the finger positions and chord transformations. I currently practice for about an hour-long session, 3~4 times a day. Hopefully once the fingertips become harder, I will be able to play at a stretch instead of stopping every alternate minute.

 

[Desmond]

Its more important that you learn to fret the chords correctly and accurately. So, ensure that all your fretted notes sound crisp and clear and are not dull, that is you are fretting each and every note correctly. Also, make sure that you are strumming smoothly.

Its better that you learn from an instructor that learn yourself. You will learn much faster and make fewer mistakes. Learning the hard way will be too slow and you might not recover from any mistakes that you make along the way. Trust me, I know.

And pain in fingers is natural, keep practicing at a steady pace and it will be gone, it might take some time to go though. My fingers still pain sometimes.

 

[Mario]

Its more important that you learn to fret the chords correctly and accurately. So, ensure that all your fretted notes sound crisp and clear and are not dull, that is you are fretting each and every note correctly. Also, make sure that you are strumming smoothly.

Thanks. Currently, the only chord I can produce near-perfectly with some consistency is the Em. I have stopped focusing on chords too much and just focusing hard on doing tab exercises (1234321/112131413121/41424342414 etc). My fingers are already loosening quite a bit and the pain/soreness is going away too. I can now practise about 10~15 minutes at a stretch without stopping in between I plan to continue with these exercises for about 2 weeks (2~3 practice sessions daily for about 0.5~1 hour each, all days of week) before evaluating my progress and moving on to some chords.

Please do suggest if this routine/plan is ok or should be modified.

Edit: Some friends suggesting to buy "Guitar for dummies" or "Learn Guitar DVD Book" (something like that). Should I? Will this prove helpful given that I have no human instructor?

Its better that you learn from an instructor that learn yourself. You will learn much faster and make fewer mistakes. Learning the hard way will be too slow and you might not recover from any mistakes that you make along the way. Trust me, I know.

Uh-oh! Getting an instructor is a problem due to work. I work all 7 days and my hours are flexible and long. So, I can't get a fixed-hour, fixed-place person to help me with. (which is why you see me asking all my questions here). I am watching a lot of videos before I do "anything" at all to ensure I don't acquire any bad habits. [Although my thumb curls out a bit oddly whenever I am on the low E string - trying to find a fix for that]. Hopefully all you guys (and gals) here will help me out with your expertise.

And pain in fingers is natural, keep practicing at a steady pace and it will be gone, it might take some time to go though. My fingers still pain sometimes.

Yeah, actually the pain is already decreased to a great extent and the notes are coming loud and clear (mostly ). But how come your fingers pain? I thought if you played for a year or so, its bye-bye pain forever??

 

[Desmond]

No matter how many books you read/ videos you watch, everyone has different ways of playing and prone to different mistakes. An instructor will guide you by observing how you play and suggesting techniques accordingly. This cannot be accomplished via solo learning, so you will have to evaluate your own progress. At least, hang around with friends who know how to play and jam along with them, you will surely pick up something.

One fast way to learn (how I learned, basically) is find chords for songs you want to cover (you can find them on ultimate-guitar.com or other such sites), then observe what chords are required to play the song and learn those chords first. Once done, try playing that song bit by bit. It will be more fun to learn this way. But, do not make this the sole method to learn. Only do this when you are bored of the exercises and once again, accuracy is important.

What kind of songs do you want to play? Perhaps I can give some specific instructions.

Edit: About the pain...well, I've been playing for close to four years, but I am also lazy so when I get out of touch, my fingers pain . But my elbow pains more.

 

[Mario]

No matter how many books you read/ videos you watch, everyone has different ways of playing and prone to different mistakes. An instructor will guide you by observing how you play and suggesting techniques accordingly. This cannot be accomplished via solo learning, so you will have to evaluate your own progress. At least, hang around with friends who know how to play and jam along with them, you will surely pick up something.

Hmm...you are scaring me with this part. The guitarists/musician friends I have are all cities/states/countries/continents away!

One fast way to learn (how I learned, basically) is find chords for songs you want to cover (you can find them on ultimate-guitar.com or other such sites), then observe what chords are required to play the song and learn those chords first. Once done, try playing that song bit by bit. It will be more fun to learn this way. But, do not make this the sole method to learn. Only do this when you are bored of the exercises and once again, accuracy is important.

Nice idea.. I will try this after I get comfortable with the tab exercises (meaning after about two weeks).

What kind of songs do you want to play? Perhaps I can give some specific instructions.

Well, Eagles definitely. Some GNR, Scorpions perhaps. Maybe some Metallica but positively nothing like Slip Knot.
Anyway, isn't it too early for songs for me? Even "Row row row your boat"? I had almost convinced myself that I won't think of playing songs till at least 1 year of learning all this stuff.

Edit: About the pain...well, I've been playing for close to four years, but I am also lazy so when I get out of touch, my fingers pain . But my elbow pains more.

I just realized that the most sore part of my body due to the guitar is not my fingers but the upper right side of the chest where the guitar-shoulder (fat acoustic) braces against it.

 

[Zangetsu]

Q: Do we have to replace the whole bridge of the guitar? coz the white line on which the strings rest is getting deeper string marks and is slightly breaked?

 

[Mario]

Q: Do we have to replace the whole bridge of the guitar? coz the white line on which the strings rest is getting deeper string marks and is slightly breaked?

I think just replacing the saddle (white line on which the strings rest) should be enough. Unless of course the whole bridge is coming out of the body which you can determine by trying to slide a thin piece of notebook paper underneath the bridge. Even if a little part of the paper goes in, time to visit a luthier.

 

[Zangetsu]

^so u mean we can only replace the saddle also?
if yes how do they cost?

 

[Desmond]

No idea bro, I've never faced such a problem.

 

[Mario]

^so u mean we can only replace the saddle also?
if yes how do they cost?

Yes definitely. However for electric guitars, you need to find exact match/model. Also, they come in packs of 6~7s, not sure if single ones are available. Not sure of cost.
Acoustic saddles should come within 20~50 bucks I think. Is yours acoustic or electric?

 

[Zangetsu]

Yes definitely. However for electric guitars, you need to find exact match/model. Also, they come in packs of 6~7s, not sure if single ones are available. Not sure of cost.
Acoustic saddles should come within 20~50 bucks I think. Is yours acoustic or electric?

Acoustic....bcoz of that some of the strings are making buzz sound even after proper tuning

 

[Mario]

Acoustic....bcoz of that some of the strings are making buzz sound even after proper tuning

Just visit your local luthier...and ask him to replace saddle and setup your guitar again. Saddle should not cost more than 50 bucks.

 

[Zangetsu]

Just visit your local luthier...and ask him to replace saddle and setup your guitar again. Saddle should not cost more than 50 bucks.

lu·thi·er Pronunciation (lt-r)
n.
One that makes or repairs stringed instruments, such as violins.

ok thanx..

 

[Mario]

lu·thi·er Pronunciation (lt-r)
n.
One that makes or repairs stringed instruments, such as violins.

ok thanx..

Local musical instruments shop should have one (or more).

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Ok, I have a bunch of n00b queries coming up shortly; but for now,

a. While strumming eighth-notes, or say, simply strumming down and up, I can get all the notes of the chord on the down strum but during the up strum, I barely hit 2~3 strings of the chord. Its especially a problem while strumming 5 or 6 string chords.
Any tips on right hand positioning to better this? [Note that I am consciously strumming from the elbow as much as possible while trying to keep my wrist as loose as possible.]

b. I just learnt "Jingle Bells" [just tab notes, not on chords]. On the second line, I got - 1111 - 1000 - 0330 - 3 3 - on the first string. Now in the second measure of that line, when I go from that 1 to the 0, there is a buzz as I change over (release the 1 basically). What am I doing wrong and how do I minimize/get rid of the buzz?

 

[Nanducob]

a)upstrokes/strums are difficult.practice
b)is that a buzz or the sound of a pullof/action too low?

I currently practice for about an hour-long session, 3~4 times a day. Hopefully once the fingertips become harder, I will be able to play at a stretch instead of stopping every alternate minute.

V Good

 

[Mario]

a)upstrokes/strums are difficult.practice

Ok. I found some suggestions that when strumming eighth notes, only down strums need to have all strings of the chord, and the up strum may have only the first 3 strings of the chord. Which sounded like very dubious advice to me. That's obviously incorrect right?

b)is that a buzz or the sound of a pullof/action too low?

See, when I play the 1st string 1st fret on its own (say like a 1 1 1 1), it sounds perfect. Its only when I am playing a 1 0, while releasing the 1, as I am releasing it, I get a slight buzzing. I guess as the string is still vibrating when I am releasing the 1 to play the 0, this is why it happens (or maybe I should release it fast and not slowly ? ) . I am pretty sure the action is all right and not too low (I measured using a tape, the gap from the fretboard to the 1st string at fret 1 is just sigh of the 4/32th of an inch). I do not know what a "pullof" is yet.

I think I am doing something wrong while playing that second measure ( 1 0 0 0 ). Do you have any suggestions for me? How will you play a 1000? I mean, how will you move from that 1 to the 0 ?
Or is it because I am playing very slowly that I can hear the buzz and if some expert played it fast enough, it wont be audible?

V Good

Thanks. One of the bad things about learning on your own is, there is nobody to pat your back, when after trying something for the 90th time, you finally get it right. So, thanks for your encouragement.

 

[Nanducob]

a)i have no idea about this.you have to strum upstrokes equally as downstrokes,let someone else here help you on this one.
b)i think youre doing pull offs without realising it.that may be because you pick the '1' perfectly,but you play the'0' not after taking off the finger completely but during the take off.So youre pulling off from fret 1 to fret 0(open string) which will sound different.I will advice you to play with the help of a metronome,if you havent,download a metronome app to your phone,and practice with low bpm,gradually increasing the bpm.
If you can,hire a tutor/goto classes.Usually theyll have one class(1-2 hours) in a week or so.Usually classes will be at late evenings,when i went to my classes there were all those busy 'office guys' and even policemen whom after their busy jobs,found time for guitar-ing.Youll make new friends and you can have a combined study plus some healthy competition.That will be best for you,better than refering some books from home and You ll learn much faster plus the theory,and hopefully you can teach Us some lessons and tips youve learned

 

[Zangetsu]

^1 0 0 0 means play the string pressed once & then open 3 times.
pull-off is reverse of hammer-on... for e.g: 4H3: press the string on 4Fret & 3Fret..strike the string and release 3Fret finger

 

[axes2t2]

NSFL

Spoiler

 

[Nanducob]

^lol

song starts @ 2.20