So I'm giving up... or maybe not!?

Hi Guys!
So I decided to get into Guitars last year, just out of interest. I've gotten significantly better in the last months but I still suck at playing chords.

I have to say, I'm very familiar with the bass as I've played it in the past, so playing single-note lines is not much of an issue. But how do you guys hit the right strings without accidently touching those that not involved in a chord? I'm a keyboard guy and I have thin fingers, so it's not overly fat fingers! .

Is it just practice? Am I not patient enough?

[eligit]

Originally Posted by thx1138

Hi Guys!
So I decided to get into Guitars last year, just out of interest. I've gotten significantly better in the last months but I still suck at playing chords.

I have to say, I'm very familiar with the bass as I've played it in the past, so playing single-note lines is not much of an issue. But how do you guys hit the right strings without accidently touching those that not involved in a chord? I'm a keyboard guy and I have thin fingers, so it's not overly fat fingers! .

Is it just practice? Am I not patient enough?

five words:

get a good guitar teacher

[chrispick]

Originally Posted by thx1138

Is it just practice?

It is. Repetition will lead to muscle memory.

A year isn't really enough time to get proficient on guitar.

[skylabfilmpop]

Lucky for you you are not learning trumpet or violin! Some instruments, a good piano inclusive, you actually have to learn how to get a note out of. electric guitar bears the double edged sword of having to control the notes after they are played via left hand pressure, vibrato, palm muting etc, especially with distortion or a loud amp in the equation. Just practice and be patient, and be happy to sound like sh** for a while. Join a punk band, or a smole on the water tribute band for a while. You'll get better.

[octatonic]

Originally Posted by thx1138

Is it just practice? Am I not patient enough?

Yes and yes. :-)
Hang in there.

Jr

[GloryisSilent]

Originally Posted by thx1138

But how do you guys hit the right strings without accidently touching those that not involved in a chord?

The key is: they don't.

Most guitarists just mute the 'non-strings' with their chording hand, or even go ahead and strike them open.

The more you play, the more accurate you'll become as well. You'll still hit the 'wrong' strings though.

The real key to any musicianship is being able to hit the wrong note, and make it sound right.

[octatonic]

Originally Posted by GloryisSilent

The key is: they don't.

Most guitarists just mute the 'non-strings' with their chording hand, or even go ahead and strike them open.

The more you play, the more accurate you'll become as well. You'll still hit the 'wrong' strings though.

The real key to any musicianship is being able to hit the wrong note, and make it sound right.

I play with pick and fingers, country/claw stylee.
The middle/ring/pinky fingers on the top 3 strings and the pick on the bottom 3 for the most part (although it changes from time to time).
It is a very useful technique- I can pull off runs and banjo rolls a hell of a lot easier than you can using flat picking alone.

Have a look at this Brent Mason video- great example of this type of playing:



It takes a few years to get it working for you- best start now :-)

[miqer]

Start slide guitar. No fancy chords. Just on (or two notes)... and it's wicked!

Plus you will have to use your ears more than your fingers to find the right notes... so you are training your ears while playing.


m.

[Jay-]

-1 for get a good teacher. I pored money into one, classically trained.
Its my personal experience sure.. but an expensive mistake that my friends and family spitefully joke about, "Remember that lame ass guitar you gave thousands to and you learned jack?"

Dont be afraid to walk on a teacher, they might be good player but not a good teacher, actually unable to teach.

I suggest highly looking into lick library DVDS and figure out what you want to know first. Do you need 5 months of rhythm? Read sheet music? or just need to get down and learn 12 bar blues or do you want to play live in bars or clubs?

Im not saying all teachers are bad, just some are hucksters so watch your self!

http://www.licklibrary.com
!Slow down and transcribe with Roni Music software - slow down the speed of music without changing the pitch
Riff Interactive > Home

[Pasta4lnch]

Originally Posted by Jay-

-1 for get a good teacher. I pored money into one, classically trained.
Its my personal experience sure.. but an expensive mistake that my friends and family spitefully joke about, "Remember that lame ass guitar you gave thousands to and you learned jack?"

Dont be afraid to walk on a teacher, they might be good player but not a good teacher, actually unable to teach.

I suggest highly looking into lick library DVDS and figure out what you want to know first. Do you need 5 months of rhythm? Read sheet music? or just need to get down and learn 12 bar blues or do you want to play live in bars or clubs?

Im not saying all teachers are bad, just some are hucksters so watch your self!

http://www.licklibrary.com
!Slow down and transcribe with Roni Music software - slow down the speed of music without changing the pitch
Riff Interactive > Home

there are probably a lot of hack teachers out there . . . but technique is for a reason. and it, sometimes, is the less comfy or seemingly logical way to do things. if you develop a bad habit early on, it could screw you in the long run. having a teacher is better for that than books or even video

I had a few bad habits I had to "undo" as I got good and it sucked.

you need a little sugar - try to learn some easy tunes you'll dig to play. some good 'ole "G" to "C" to "D" ballads a la Every Rose or Sweet Pain just playing those chords to the song for 3 minutes is a good exercise and it's less monotonous . . .

guitar is certainly not instantly gratifying - but when it starts to click it'll be REAL fun!!!

[Jay-]

Pasta4lnch, I could not agree more with everything you just said.
Absolutely perfect advice...

[octatonic]

Originally Posted by Jay-

-1 for get a good teacher. I pored money into one, classically trained.
Its my personal experience sure.. but an expensive mistake that my friends and family spitefully joke about, "Remember that lame ass guitar you gave thousands to and you learned jack?"

Dont be afraid to walk on a teacher, they might be good player but not a good teacher, actually unable to teach.

I agree that there are some bad teachers out there, but one bad experience shouldn't deter you from continuing to study with an experienced person.

I studied with Australian jazz guitarist Don Andrews when I was 16 and he had absolutely NOTHING for me that I wanted to learn, at that time. He was an amazing player but I wanted to learn Guns N Roses songs and here is this bloke trying to show me the melodic minor scale in 5 positions.... WTF?
I remember asking him if I could play with distortion and the looked at me like I was a piece of poo on the end of his shoe.

Now, I've been playing 20 years, professionally for 12 or so and I teach 1/2 a dozen students in addition to doing session work but I still seek out more experienced players who are better in one area than I am.
Lately it has been sight reading.

I'm certainly on a par with my sight reading tutor as far as playing goes- in some areas I might be better (I've asked him questions around (diminished) octatonic scale forms and he has kinda looked at me blankly.
No big deal- we go back to working on the sight reading and he is obviously at a whole different level to me. Cool, I can learn from him.

The biggest hurdle I've come across is getting over my own perception of myself.
I'm a pretty good player but learning to be humble about it and acknowledge that there might be a few gaps in my playing that someone either less experienced or (shock horror) YOUNGER than I am might be a bit more advanced than I am in a particular area.
Being able to shred diminished arpeggios is one thing, but 6 months ago if you put a simple monophonic melody on a staff in front of me I would be lost.
That is a pretty humbling experience for me.

I guess my point is that guitar is a never ending process- it is easy to get satisfied with your own playing at a certain point- but that will get boring and it is easy to get into a rut.

Best way out of it is to change things- go learn country, or rock, or classical, folk fingerstyle or jazz or even music theory/sight reading- break away from your established, well worn, playing path and do something unexpected- you will thank yourself for doing it, be more enthusiastic and a more useful musician overall.

[getreel]

But how do you guys hit the right strings without accidently touching those that not involved in a chord?

GloryiSilent is right about right hand muting technique being a big part of this. The thing is, you just develop this after lots of practice. I didn't even realize what I was doing to get chords to come out clean, but it's all in the muting or how you make the chord shape. Trust us, you will get the hang of it, but it takes time and lot and lots of practice. Play easy songs at first, like old CCR, Louie, Louie, etc. And don't forget to have fun!

[Unclenny]

If you ARE serious about learning to play the guitar you will need to establish a relationship with the instrument and play, play, play. Your fingers will find the mark eventually....if you have the patience to persevere.

And if you intend to incorporate it into a pro or semi-pro endeavor I strongly suggest that you find yourself a teacher early on to at least get some basics.......or you could end up like me.

I picked up my first guit (Silvertone) at the age of 12. But because I never sought out a teacher, 44 years later I still don't know squat about the theory of what I'm playing.

The best I can say about my situation is:

Originally Posted by thx1138

I've gotten significantly better in the last months but I still suck

[octatonic]

Originally Posted by Unclenny

I picked up my first guit (Silvertone) at the age of 12. But because I never sought out a teacher, 44 years later I still don't know squat about the theory of what I'm playing.

That surprises me, because you've seemed pretty fine in a lot of your other posts.

I'm happy to give you a bit of a run down on the missing bits, if you like.
I reckon in 1-2 page post I can give you enough to study for the next year.

Specifically what is giving you trouble? (or PM me)

[Jay-]

To the topic
OP:

I have a magazine called Guitar Techniques magazine.
A very informitive approach to what your talking about.
Example, chapter 19 - Exercises For The Right And Left Hand (Mp3 Tab And Backing Track)

Guitar Gym - 20 part guitar course from Guitar Techniques magazine

"20 part guitar course from Guitar Techniques magazine"
Unless you have that magazine and accompinaning bonus CD?
Although its on the net, you might ask for a back issue? or? Its just a $10 magazine but...

Pick and choose where you spend your money, it might be shredder or blues so decide for your self.

Guitar Techniques
http://www.dv247.com/invt/36234/

[Unclenny]

Originally Posted by Jay-

I have a magazine called Guitar Techniques magazine.
A very informitive approach to what your talking about.
Example, chapter 19 - Exercises For The Right And Left Hand (Mp3 Tab And Backing Track)

That's exactly what I'm talking about.

There are plenty of guys like me out there who play the guitar THEIR way, and don't get me wrong.........I'm happy with my playing. After all these years I'm starting to sound just like.......me.

But (for OP) if I had learned prescribed techniques and exercises early in my journey I'd be a lot more comfortable when someone suggested that I throw in a dim7 after the break.

Of course that brings up the other issue of learning through group participation. But that would be another thread.

I guess I just need a good kick in the ass from time to time... I feel very motivated now. I wouldn't have given up anyway, who would sell a Super Swede?

Thanks a lot all of you!


I'm mainly interested in funky rhythm guitar styles, kinda hard to explain. I love slide guitar too. I have gotten myself a glass bottleneck and just looove the sound of it.

[octatonic]

Originally Posted by thx1138

I love slide guitar too. I have gotten myself a glass bottleneck and just looove the sound of it.

Best advice for learning slide is flip the guitar over on your lap and play lapsteel stylee.
And get one of these:



You might want to think about lifting the action with one of these:



I leave a guitar (tele) permanently set up with one on, tuned to open G or open D.

[FFTT]

Learning your basic chords and getting good clean notes simply takes practice and building up finger strength.

I use to sit in front of the TV just noodling to build up strength, but it takes constant
daily practice, if even only a 1/2 hour a day.

It's fortunate that you know bass, so you're just learning an extension of those root notes and actually you'll find yourself using bass walk up and down notes between chords eventually.

I wouldn't spend money on a teacher until you've got at least some basics down.
There are so many videos available and many free on YouTube.

Tom Petty actually had some great advice.
Get a Beatles song book for guitar and learn every song you can. At least the basic chords.
What makes this even better is that you have the recordings available
to use as reference.

Patience and practice!

[Pasta4lnch]

Originally Posted by FFTT

I use to sit in front of the TV just noodling to build up strength, but it takes constant
daily practice, if even only a 1/2 hour a day.

I remember when I was a kid learning there were 3 1/2 hour sitcoms back to back that I really liked and I would do 3 different exercises on my ring finger and pinky to build up strength. w/ in a month or so they were the strongest fingers on my hand.

I recently realized I lost all that . . . so I'll be catching the Dirty Jobs-a-thon!!

[the_Chris]

The best advice I can give is to practice, practice, practice.

If you really want to learn guitar, you have to put in the time playing and getting a feel for where the strings are. It's not something that happens right away, you'll find you'll have to look down at your pick hand until it start to feel natural. It took me quite a while to get good at it and I still make mistakes to this day. There's a lot of good advice in this thread and since I saw it here, I think it bears repeating "everyone makes mistakes, it's just knowing how to cover them up that makes the difference".