How to start learning guitar
- Thread starter Xypher
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matt-muser
New member
try by changing chords without strumming.. later then add in strumming
fenderrules
New member
hi =)
having difficulty with chord changing? theres really no other way but to practice harder. but still dont worry, cuz theres also a technique guitarists use called walking.
well, first of all, what kind of chords are you having trouble changing to? walking can be applied to any kind of chord change. lets take a G major chord for example.
--3----------------
--3----------------
--0----------------
--0----------------
--2----------------
--3----------------
and you wanna transit to a D major chord
-2-----------------
-3-----------------
-2-----------------
-0-----------------
-X-----------------
-X-----------------
so how do we go about changing G to D? its simple really. form the G chord on your fretboard and take a look at your ring finger fretting the 3rd fret 2nd string (B). now, just do a D chord and see wheres your ring finger at. heyy its still at the same position! with that in mind, form the G chord again, and when moving to D, DO NOT remove your ring finger from where its is. take your index finger and fret the 2nd fret 3rd string (D), and middle finger on the 2nd fret 1st string (high e). there ya go...walking. its alot more smoother in transition than lifting your fingers all at once to form another chord. the trick is all in your fingers and how you manipulate them around the fretboard.
what other stuff you need to learn? well....quite alot, but here are some basics you can learn first before touching more complex stuff.
finger fingerpicking (im not very good at it)
strumming/alternate strumming (very important)
barre chords
tuning
plucking/alternate picking
these are not all, theres still alot more stuff out there you need to learn to cover the basics. and when you're ready....go electric!!! :lol:
happy practicing and stay guitarded!
cheers
having difficulty with chord changing? theres really no other way but to practice harder. but still dont worry, cuz theres also a technique guitarists use called walking.
well, first of all, what kind of chords are you having trouble changing to? walking can be applied to any kind of chord change. lets take a G major chord for example.
--3----------------
--3----------------
--0----------------
--0----------------
--2----------------
--3----------------
and you wanna transit to a D major chord
-2-----------------
-3-----------------
-2-----------------
-0-----------------
-X-----------------
-X-----------------
so how do we go about changing G to D? its simple really. form the G chord on your fretboard and take a look at your ring finger fretting the 3rd fret 2nd string (B). now, just do a D chord and see wheres your ring finger at. heyy its still at the same position! with that in mind, form the G chord again, and when moving to D, DO NOT remove your ring finger from where its is. take your index finger and fret the 2nd fret 3rd string (D), and middle finger on the 2nd fret 1st string (high e). there ya go...walking. its alot more smoother in transition than lifting your fingers all at once to form another chord. the trick is all in your fingers and how you manipulate them around the fretboard.
what other stuff you need to learn? well....quite alot, but here are some basics you can learn first before touching more complex stuff.
finger fingerpicking (im not very good at it)
strumming/alternate strumming (very important)
barre chords
tuning
plucking/alternate picking
these are not all, theres still alot more stuff out there you need to learn to cover the basics. and when you're ready....go electric!!! :lol:
happy practicing and stay guitarded!
cheers
haha, i had the same problem when learning.. learning chords is difficult at first, but as you know more chords, it becomes easier to learn other new chords. it helps a lot to strengthen and stretch your fingers at the early stages..
just a tip to improve fast. first you form a chord. lets say a D major. you will realise that you cannot place all 3 fingers down at the same time, if you just started. this's because you need time to place each finger correctly behind the correct fret, "one by one". one finger at a time. however when playing guitar, you need a rhythm, you strum in time. you cannot wait for your left hand fingers to press down one by one, then the right hand strum, that will be too slow.
so you have to form a D major chord, one finger at a time first. then change to another chord, maybe a G major. the tip is to form a D major chord maybe one finger at a time, make sure all the strings ring, try plucking a string at a time to see if you have accidentally touched another string without knowing. then on the strings, you press down hard, and release a little, but the fingers still on the strings, it's actually a muting. but it helps you familarise with the chord shape.. it is to remember the chord shape (muscle memory). press down D major then release a bit then press down again, do this repeatedly.. you will slowly be able to lift your fingers higher after practising this for some time.
then do the same for a second chord, maybe a G major. press down then without releasing fully. and press down again. repeat this many many many times. also slowly lifting the fingers higher each time you release. then soon you will be able to hold/form the two different chord shapes in suspense (in the air) before placing all 3 fingers down at the same time behind the frets. then you can start to practise changing from D to G, as you can do more chords, try different permutation. maybe G to C to D to G to D to... all kinds of permutation. when you can change the chords fast enough.. you can practising strumming.. try all down strum first. then all up strum. then alternate. and then different rhythm and force.
then once you are fast enough in changing chords, and comfortable with strumming. learn some easy songs that only require easy open chords, then you will not only just improve on what you have learnt, you will also improve your timing.
hope this helps/ if you still do not understand what im trying to say.. lemme know. =/
the chord change tip is really useful. i learnt it on my own. and i realised i could learn many many chords in a day. i learnt my first few chords within hours, after weeks of no improvement.
just a tip to improve fast. first you form a chord. lets say a D major. you will realise that you cannot place all 3 fingers down at the same time, if you just started. this's because you need time to place each finger correctly behind the correct fret, "one by one". one finger at a time. however when playing guitar, you need a rhythm, you strum in time. you cannot wait for your left hand fingers to press down one by one, then the right hand strum, that will be too slow.
so you have to form a D major chord, one finger at a time first. then change to another chord, maybe a G major. the tip is to form a D major chord maybe one finger at a time, make sure all the strings ring, try plucking a string at a time to see if you have accidentally touched another string without knowing. then on the strings, you press down hard, and release a little, but the fingers still on the strings, it's actually a muting. but it helps you familarise with the chord shape.. it is to remember the chord shape (muscle memory). press down D major then release a bit then press down again, do this repeatedly.. you will slowly be able to lift your fingers higher after practising this for some time.
then do the same for a second chord, maybe a G major. press down then without releasing fully. and press down again. repeat this many many many times. also slowly lifting the fingers higher each time you release. then soon you will be able to hold/form the two different chord shapes in suspense (in the air) before placing all 3 fingers down at the same time behind the frets. then you can start to practise changing from D to G, as you can do more chords, try different permutation. maybe G to C to D to G to D to... all kinds of permutation. when you can change the chords fast enough.. you can practising strumming.. try all down strum first. then all up strum. then alternate. and then different rhythm and force.
then once you are fast enough in changing chords, and comfortable with strumming. learn some easy songs that only require easy open chords, then you will not only just improve on what you have learnt, you will also improve your timing.
hope this helps/ if you still do not understand what im trying to say.. lemme know. =/
the chord change tip is really useful. i learnt it on my own. and i realised i could learn many many chords in a day. i learnt my first few chords within hours, after weeks of no improvement.
matt-muser
New member
its all about patience... thats how i feel when i just started too... couldnt change chords well enough.. but u just need to practRICe dude... it took me bt 4 months to get the basic major chords right. so KEEP ON PRACTICE PRACTICE AND PRATICE..
If you want to make some tunes with only your guitar alone (aka Solo Guitar playing) , there're a lot of FREE resource available at www.LickByNeck.com.
No music/TAB reading required, just follow the onscreen animatd fretboard.
Enjoy!
No music/TAB reading required, just follow the onscreen animatd fretboard.
Enjoy!
kerplunk182
New member
practice makes perfect. I used to have the same problem too... Still have it once in awhile.. Heheh
I think it's best to start with open chords first.Learn the easy chords like G,D,Em,C try slowly changing, it will take time for sure so you must keep practising.Some songs are just based on these few chords so you can try playing them.
If you have time you might want to learn new chords but an alternative is use the capo
haha which is super useful.
after open chords,learn barre chords , then scales , then solos .... the list goes on! enjoy !
If you have time you might want to learn new chords but an alternative is use the capo
haha which is super useful.after open chords,learn barre chords , then scales , then solos .... the list goes on!
enjoy !
fenderrules
New member
yeap
guitarists should be more personal about how they wanna play their axes
of course basics are always important so yeah...
guitarists should be more personal about how they wanna play their axes
of course basics are always important so yeah...
but there's usually a faster and more accepted way of learning things.. maybe it differs for everyone. however, in my opinion.. open chords is a must to learn. you cant just keep playing power chords, downstrum all the way and not get bored of it. 8O then playing guitar isnt fun anymore.. or if can, learn the theory so that you can have fun creating tunes and riffs. hah