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Beginner guitarist - What do I learn now HELP ????????

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(@johnny-lee)
Trusted Member
Joined: 13 years ago
Posts: 48
 

Take your difficult chord changing and for the beginning practice on them only. A lot of player "practice" a lot on what they already have and not on what they worst in and by that they waste a lot of practice time.

That's so true. I think it's great to review stuff, so you don't forget, but if that's taking up 90% of our practice LOL It's kind of a waste, you're right. Maybe about 20% could go toward review, the rest we should be tackling something that's still a challenge.

My writings on playing guitar => No B.S. Guitar


   
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(@chris-c)
Famed Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 3454
 

I know they say practice makes perfect but im constantly trying this exercise of changing from G to D to C and I just dont seem to be able to crack it.
Can someone please offer some advice as I feel like ive hit a brick wall.

Regards,

DJ

You'll get there in the end with practice, but if you want to try something simpler first then are some much easier options. There's only one major mistake with guitar, and that's getting frustrated and quitting. So maybe try these:

A D and E (the Major shapes). They are easier because you can use a single anchor finger to keep you on track as you change. The index finger can stay only on the G string, and the other two fingers can swing around it. They are also the I, IV and V chords in the key of A major. So they have the same relationship to each other as your G, C,and D but just moved up a step - G(to A) C(to D) and D (to E). With only those three chords, you can play a huge range of songs. Add a capo and you can move them into other keys as well (although it will start to get a bit impractical if you go too far up the neck).

The numbers denote the frets and the brackets show you the fingers to use). Zeroes are for open strings that you play and xs for strings that you miss altogether.

A Major - 0 0 2(middle) 2(index) 2(ring) 0 (note that these are 'out of order' as far as your hand goes)

D Major - x x 0 2 (index) 3(ring) 2(middle)

E Major - 0 2(middle) 2(ring) 1(index) 0 0

If you work through that, you'll find that the index finger stays on the G string. Its only move is to slide towards the nut by one fret for the E. Moving only the other two fingers doesn't take as long to learn and it's much easier to control.

Here's another simple one. Don't be scared by the pinky, it stays in one spot. It's a really easy to way to play a version of G, a C and a D.

3(middle) 2 (index) 0 0 3(ring) 3(pinky) It's a version of G Major

Move the first two fingers across one string.

x 3(middle) 2(index) 0 3(ring) 3(pinky) It's a fancier version of a C chord - Cadd9 - a Cmajor with an added D note.

x x 0 2(index) 3(ring) 4(pinky) A Dsus4 which is a D chord that's been altered a bit.

Careers have been been on not much more... :wink:

Chris


   
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(@chris-c)
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Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 3454
 

I'm not at all sure what to learn next. This has affected my motivation to pick up the guitar when I should.Please,any feedback would be appreciated as I love playing the guitar.Do I need a new direction or what are your suggestions.

What would work for me is to start improvising with what you've got. Try making up tunes, experiment with different rhythms and chord orders, etc. See if you can find bits and pieces of existing songs, see what happens if you add a bit extra to your partial chords, and so on. It sounds like you've got some basic ingredients now, so try and be 'musical' with them. That's what I'd do anyway. Good luck with it.

Chris


   
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