jorgemac
Forum Replies Created
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Huh, that’s cool
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Pete next time you change them out think about the tone benefits of a thicker gage string. I’ve gone from 10’s to 11’s to11.5’s to 12 and once in awhile 12.5’s. For me the tone benefits of a heavier gage just sounds fuller to me. As I said earlier I start the heavier gage string down a full tone to D,G,C,F,A, D and increase it up a half tone every week or so when I walk up to thicker strings. The finger tips seem to be able to put up with the change that way. You can always capo up 2 frets when playing with other pickers.
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It is Special when you find a string that works on your guitar. Just like you said it gives that instrument a new lease on life. I tried some of the martin strings and the ernie balls and changed them both out after a couple of weeks. For whatever reason every instrument seems to be temperamental regarding what you string them up with. It does lift you up when you find that perfect match. Keep on chugglin everyone.
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The first rule of music is If it sounds good, it is good. Fundamental finger picking is as described index, middle ring and sometimes pinky are assigned treble strings to generally pick. If you aren’t comfortable with the 3 finger approach modify it to fit what you are trying to accomplish. Sometimes my thumb is down on the G string and I’m using the middle and ring or sometime only the middle finger, especially with 2 or 3 string brush up stokes. I trained with the 3 finger method but I don’t feel locked into using it in a ” book style” format. I use the pick and 2 finger picking a lot. These Hotel California exercises can be done finger style also and the tone is completely different from using a pick. I have been practicing this song, since the last time it came around in almost exclusively finger style. It seems to suit my ears just fine, but have many many hours into trying to learn this style. On Songster there is a Hotel California finger style version that is fun to practice with.
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I usually do keep my practice lessons to short 10 – 20 minutes each session, but I may do that 3 or 4 times a day. or… I might only do the lesson once. I do spend way too much time on the weekends playing guitar just because I enjoy it so much. And what I have learned over the weeks does build up over time. I was fortunate that I know guitar music theory and note location on the fret board fairly well and that has helped me greatly. Like most of us I can say that I am a much better guitar player than I was when I started back in April of this year.
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First, welcome to a new world for you. Hope you learn to enjoy it as much as many of us do. Always use what works for you but practice learning how to stretch your fingers. In the skills section there is some exercises to help you loosen up your fingers. I use a therapeutic squeeze ball and Chinese steel therapeutic balls to help me strengthen my finger and improve co-ordination. Some famous guitar pickers have learned to compensate for missing fingers and many of us deal with arteritis or other limiting disabilities. But our love of the guitar and our love of learning how to pick has helped us overcome these things. Good luck.
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Finger style House of The Rising Sun, Hesitation blues and maybe and original that I’m working on then I ask them what they do really well. And they get this blank look on their face, there eyes start darting around, sweat breaking on their face. and they strutter something incoherent and walk away… It reminds me of how I felt before I was comfortable playing in front of people.
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Like Pete says Take that darn guitar every, except the bath room.. Another way to play 2 adjacent strings is a by Hybrid picking them. If you are picking the A and d strings on the 2nd fret< or anywhere else you have two adjacent stings Place your pick the the A string 2nd fret and pick the D string 2nd fret with your middle finger ad the same time, You can also just use 2 finger, middle and ring to pick the note. Both of those ways of picking can also be used to pick strings that are 1 string or two apart. A C chord -D string 2nd fret and the B string 1st fret. My pick is striking the D string 2nd fret and my middle finger is picking the B string 1st fret at the same time. Or use the middle and ring finger instead of using the pick. Just different ways to shimmy up that tall pole…
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If you look at your tablature you can see how the strumming pattern is broken down in each measure of music. If you are new to tablature go online and learn how to read tabs. But Tony always breaks down the strumming patters and which direction your pick should going when striking the strings. This week almost all of the chords started with a bass note as the 1st strum/pick and then on beat 2 you actually started strumming the chord beat 3 is another bass note, beat 4 is the chords strum again. Last Monday is a good one to practice on as a simple way of playing a measure.
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I purchased a Takamine Hybrid P3FCN about a month ago and do like it. It’s new so has to be broken in so I am trying to use it a few minutes every day. the nut is wide enough for my fat fingers and it does stay in tune day to Day to day . Also looked at a Furch 4nc-4 but will have to sell something to justify buying it. I has a wonderful tone, rosewood back and sides and 3A Cedar top. But it would probably be to nice to perform with. The good guitars can grow legs at gigs, and wander away. The Takamine is more of a an everyday gig style guitar. it has their cool PreAmp system for plugging in also.
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Loraine always has good ideas. Been using the steel balls and have struggled through the first few sessions now easy session gets easier. I have some weird ways I finger chords so personally whatever way floats your boat works for me. Guitar is an ever changing journey. The way I fret and pick notes and chords is always evolving. like for barre chords in the F position I use my thumb on the bass E string on most barre chords higher than the f chord on the fret board. I use my thumb a lot in finger picking so i have really grown reliant on using it. If it works for you and you can still change chords in a progression in a timely manner use what works for you. My 2 cents…
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I think the way I do it is from trial and error over the years. We all know that the magic only happens if we are able to barre the treble strings. I used to Barre first and then position for the actual chord positions. for me that method was hit and miss on the barre strings. The usual Treble E, B and G strings were either good or had moved just enough when I applied pressure to the chord fretted position to be muffled. After I started positioning the chord fingers first I finally realized that most full barre chords were actually only barred on 2 to 3 strings. So it made sense to me to chord first and then put the index finger into position. After reading Bill Brown’s comments this morning I was surprised at how we both use the same barre finger technique. It took me years to solve this problem and he figured out how to make clean barre chords when he was younger. sometimes I am just slow to figure things out that work for me.
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Harmonica Aerobics by David Harp Check it out.
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One more thing. If i know I am going to pick in front of people I do warm up for a long time. i probably wear out my opening song just practicing. It helps my nerves.
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I started a band in College and kind of hid behind the other members of the band but slowly got used to performing in front of people. That helped but I still get stage fright when performing alone until about the 2nd or 3rd song. So I play something simple when I start out, basically just a strumming song and maybe a little harmonica. then build up and out from there. If playing with other people I stretch out much faster as it is easier for some reason. In groups no one else is blowing harp, I love the harp, so I have much less inhabitation in opening up and just blowing.