Guitarists

[LewsTherin]

Originally Posted by LikeLuna

It's so much fun! Does anyone know any (really, really) easy songs we can play? I'm going to get a book at some point but until then we're learning stuff by ear and googling chord fingerings.

I've been looking for the same thing. I own a Gibson Les Paul Epiphone, and it's been sitting there, gathering dust for what could easily be about eight to ten years. I recently started playing again and went looking for an 'easy' song (I don't think any song is really easy) and found one.

Here's a link: http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/...w_ver3_tab.htm

And if you don't know how to read tabs, here's the link I used to learn to read tabs:
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/lesso...lature_ii.html

And finally, the song itself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyuA5aZkB1k

I'm essentially self-taught, so I don't know if the above will help. I hope it does. It's funny, my fingers haven't been this sore in a while, but gosh, it's fun.

[mexicant]

In that same vein of thought, I've found that songs tuned to dropped D seem to be easier to play than songs in standard tuning. One example would be the acoustic version of Foo Fighter's "Everlong". I find it pretty easy to play still, even after years of not touching a guitar. You can find a simple tutorial for it here on youtube.

[NumberEight]

Originally Posted by mexicant

In that same vein of thought, I've found that songs tuned to dropped D seem to be easier to play than songs in standard tuning.

Absolutely. Most of the songs I play on my electric guitar are in drop D tuning. When I play an acoustic I always like it to be in standard tuning.

[Melaszka]

I've just taken up the acoustic guitar again, after a 30-year hiatus.

I'm at the stage where I can't actually play anything yet, but the tips of the fingers on my left hand are covered with blisters!

[Luna_andNeville]

I don't mean to barge in, but all I want to know is if anyone has any tips on switching chords. I've been working at it for a while, but I can't just imagine the chord and put my fingers there quickly. It's fairly annoying. Any tips on getting my brain to move faster with this??

[martinaaaa]

Originally Posted by Luna_andNeville

I don't mean to barge in, but all I want to know is if anyone has any tips on switching chords. I've been working at it for a while, but I can't just imagine the chord and put my fingers there quickly. It's fairly annoying. Any tips on getting my brain to move faster with this??

When I was starting out on guitar, I felt the same. I had to pause every time I changed chords, and it annoyed me so much XD
The only way to learn to move your fingers into the proper positions quicker is to keep practising.
You'll gradually get more and more used to the different chord positions and eventually, you'll be able to do it without thinking

Honestly, just keep trying to switch between whichever chords you find hardest! It'll be frustrating at first when you have to keep pausing to change chords, but it's the only way to learn! :P

[LillyColak]

i play acoustic guitar but i do own an electric don't really know how to play it though so i play it as i would an acoustic don't have an amp yet or a jack and i've written like two songs, but i lost them XD

[FiendfyreMusic]

You just gotta keep practicing. There's no particular trick to learning how to play chords. I remember when I first started playing, it seemed like forever until I could play a barre chord.

But now I'm making my own Harry Potter Wizard Rock with raging guitar solos (facebook.com/fiendfyremusic), so just keep at it and someday you too will be able to rip it up!

[lunaisfreebird]

i play guitar!!!
I got a flying v, westfield les paul, 2 stratocasters one full size the other 3/4 and some old acoustic my friend gave me last week.
got a marshall amp too, focusing on lead guitar realy, but do love playing power chordes through alot of distortion!

[Batsy]

I'm a trained Classical Guitarist. My preferences belong to Rock and Blues but Jazz and Classical aren't out of my playing ability. I have a Manuel Rodriguez Classical Guitar and a Gibson SG classic with P-90 pick-ups.

[FiendfyreMusic]

Originally Posted by Batsy

a Gibson SG classic with P-90 pick-ups.

Nice! I have an SG Standard with the normal 'buckers that sounds awesome. I have it set up to play slide Duane Allman style (high action, Open E tuning).

[Batsy]

Originally Posted by FiendfyreMusic

Nice! I have an SG Standard with the normal 'buckers that sounds awesome. I have it set up to play slide Duane Allman style (high action, Open E tuning).

That's pretty sweet! I'm a huge Stevie Ray Vaughan fan so I put out a lot of power with the SG but I dial it back on my Marshall. Although lately I've had to put it down because I've needed to practice my classical guitar for my Scholarship into school.

[LadyWarwick]

I am student of bass. And despite what guitar players might say, it's not cos I can't play guitar. I'm an old tuba player that prefers the low end.
I will say it is not easy going from bass to guitar, but not impossible.
My style is metal but I'll play anything to improve my tech & skill. Loads of fun holding down the beat...it's not as easy as you might think!

The weapon of choice is a Warwick Corvette, it growls.
Also own a Squier P bass special I've just tricked out with new hardware. Another Squier but it holds an autographed pickguard Tarot signed. Then a guitar - a Jackson Dinky DKMG w/ the Afterburner and babysitting my brother's Schecter guitar.

You guys also learning your tech, I advise one thing: practice practice practice! Play slow, slowly speed up. Those chord changes are a (@#^*, I know, I suck at them ....it'll come with patience & practice. Then you will rock. And as a professional guitarist tells me, LEARN THOSE SCALES!

[squirell]

i started experimenting with an open g tuning, because i like the black crowes a lot. but it's really different, i have to get used to the new scale-forms.


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[sparrowinwinter]

I'm learning how to play the guitar at the moment. The two biggest challenges I face are keeping the beat and the pain in my poor fingers

[SirDobster]

Originally Posted by Luna_andNeville

I don't mean to barge in, but all I want to know is if anyone has any tips on switching chords. I've been working at it for a while, but I can't just imagine the chord and put my fingers there quickly. It's fairly annoying. Any tips on getting my brain to move faster with this??

When I started learning guitar, I had to pause and look before proceeding between chords. It takes patience and a lot of practice.

[as3322]

I've been taking lessons on and off for the past three years and I'm pretty good. My guitar teacher's guitar teacher was Joe Satriani, so that's pretty cool too. I pretty much only play and practice in the genre of metal and neoclassical, but sometimes I try to jump out of the box and learn different styles just to expand my abilities a bit further. Plus before starting guitar I had over 10 years of general music theory to work from due to taking piano for like 12 years, so that helps a lot in learning chord progressions, scales, lead techniques, etc. Anyone looking for tips or whatnot I'd be glad to help out I suppose, in whatever way I can in just text alone.