Been playing a few weeks now, granted most of that's been practicing the same few songs from a book, and I'm starting to be annoyed at myself; at my first lesson my teacher helpfully pointed out that I needed to cut the fingernails on my fretting hand (left) shorter as the way they were they were hindering me being able to get a good sound ... I've cut my nails as short as they've ever been and yeah whilst it helped I still get annoying muffled string sounds from where the back of fingers brush against other strings (this doesn't happen all the time).
I feel like I either do fairly well on moving from one chord I know to the next OR at getting each note to sound true ... but not often both, lol.
Is this something that is usually just improved though playing more or are there other tips? :)
For the most part yes but be concious of where your fingers are. Slowly your accuracy will get better and better, it's pretty common for a beginner.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
Well as a guy thats on the uphill clim myself, Im going to say yes..... but practicing correctly is the key. I would work on making each chord as slow as it takes to make it play clean.... after a short wile you will find you can speed up, and still play them clean. But learn it right, and slow before you speed up
Paul B
There is something like "perfect practice makes permanent." As Chris and Paul say, the most important is the accuracy and it is best achieved if you play slow and consciously.
Practice the chords and also the chord changes. If you find difficult a chord, you should dedicate more time and practice to it. You'll see, after some chords usually come the same chords, ie. from A to D or E and vice versa, G and D or G and C. Try to practice all those changes. Always slowly.
Like everyone said...Yes. But I'll Add HAVE FUN TOO! Allow yourself some time to fool around. Sing off key or something just to make it fun.
Teamwork- A few harmless flakes working together can unleash an avalanche of destruction.
Like everyone said...Yes. But I'll Add HAVE FUN TOO! Allow yourself some time to fool around. Sing off key or something just to make it fun.
Haha, that implies that I can sing in a way other than off-key :lol:
Yep. I'm the same Sansmerci. It's an art form actually. :P
Teamwork- A few harmless flakes working together can unleash an avalanche of destruction.
Agree with all of the above - practice correctly - and have fun.
It just takes time. The more time you can put on it, the easier it gets and the more you learn, the easier it gets to learn new stuff.
You hand will become 'smarter' with time. Don't get discouraged. One day these early struggles will just be a dim memory.
Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton
Owner, Norton Music http://www.nortonmusic.com Add-on Styles for Band-in-a-Box and Microsoft SongSmith
The Sophisticats http://www.s-cats.com >^. .^< >^. .^<
Went to my guitar lesson today, told my teacher about the issues I'd been having with getting all the notes of the chords to sound well (he more or less said the same things that you guys had been saying) and then he proceded to pick up his guitar and play some example or other ... as usual I was duly impressed, I asked him how long he'd been playing, his answer then was 37 yrs (longer than I've been alive), maybe when I've been at it that long I can make my guitar sound that way too :D
Remember playing guitar is a journey and it takes time all you can do like every said is go slow, be conscious of where your fingers are at and practice, practice, practice.
I've been playing for 6-7 years now and every once in awhile I'll run into a chord or riff where I'm doing the same thing muting strings I shouldn't in those cases I take it slow watch where my fingers are and just work on that until they all ring.
For the most part there is no magic in learning to play it's pretty much all about practicing, sure there are people that just do the right thing naturally but most of us will need to work at it.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
I asked him how long he'd been playing, his answer then was 37 yrs (longer than I've been alive)
:roll: I've been playing 34 years. I'm old. Yeah, practice but keep it fun cause that will keep you coming back. The word is addiction.
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
Stick with it and you will be past it in no time. You're in the area where I was several times and I ended up giving up. It wasn't until I was 30 that I stuck through that frustrating period and got through it. I still find myself muting strings I don't mean to, especially since I switched to bass being my primary instrument 3 or 4 years ago. I'm used to big fat strings and plenty of room. when I try to cram my fingers into the tiny frets and play on strings that feel like they are about the size of sewing thread, it's easy to touch the wrong string with a fingertip.
:roll: I've been playing 34 years. I'm old. Yeah, practice but keep it fun cause that will keep you coming back. The word is addiction.
I'm 30 now, these days I'm much better at sticking with things than I used to be - perhaps because I'm better at knowing what I want to do rather than just doing something because friends did it (that was the reason I tried both violin and clarinet as a child). Addiction eh? Think I got that part already - playing my guitar's now a firm part of my daily routines. :)
I've been playing music since I was in junior high school, and that was a looooooooooong time ago.
I've been a professional musician all my life and there are a few things I can add that might help you.
Take pride in your little accomplishments. When you learn something new, or when you cross over a threshold being able to play something you couldn't play last week, no matter how small, give yourself a pat on your back. An "attaboy".
Music is a lifelong journey. You don't learn music one day. Instead you build your skills with little steps, one at a time.
Then one day you will look back, and say to yourself, "I'm a good musician". You didn't learn it in a day, you didn't notice it happening, it just accumulated, one small accomplishment at a time.
You will never know it all. The more you learn, the more you will realize there is to know. This is not meant to discourage you, because even the best players in the world are still students. There is always a new adventure waiting around the proverbial bend. Something new to learn and giver yourself an "attaboy" about.
Here's a learning method my first band director suggested. It doesn't work for everyone, but it seems to work for most people.
When learning something new that is difficult for your hands:
The theory is the 2 minute resting period gives your muscles and nerves time to absorb what you have learned. For those of us where this method works, we actually learn the difficult part faster than if we continued without any breaks.
Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton
Owner, Norton Music http://www.nortonmusic.com Add-on Styles for Band-in-a-Box and Microsoft SongSmith
The Sophisticats http://www.s-cats.com >^. .^< >^. .^<
When learning something new that is difficult for your hands:
The theory is the 2 minute resting period gives your muscles and nerves time to absorb what you have learned. For those of us where this method works, we actually learn the difficult part faster than if we continued without any breaks.
Notes
You know... I never heard of the 2 min thing.... but I HAVE noticed when im working on something hard for me.... if I spend the time, to realy walk through it at night.... The next day I find it a LOT less hard to play!!! So im a beliver in "you gotta sleep on it" thery!! Ill try the two min thing also.
Paul B
