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  1. OurJud

    OurJud Contributor Contributor

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    The Learn to Play the Guitar in Under One Hour thread

    Discussion in 'The Lounge' started by OurJud, Jun 13, 2020.

    Right, it's a selfish thread, and the one-hour thing is clearly a joke, but knowing we have one or two geetar players here I thought I'd create it. If those people feel like chiming in with their knowledge, that would be just nifty.

    My guitar arrived about two hours ago and I've only just finished making it sound like it may be in tune. I realised something during this process that I wasn't aware of, and that is that I can't fully hear when a note is going up or down. Which is weird because I DO know a high note from a low one, just not when plucking the strings during tuning.

    At first I tried the little LED tuner that came with it, and while it told me when I was getting low E through to high E (or is it the other way around?) it didn't sound 'in tune' to my ear. So then I tried the fret method of holding the 5th fret for each string and matching the open one below it (and yes, I did switch to the 4th fret for G and B). This I found easier and probably better training for my ear, and now have something that may (or may not) be in tune.

    My back is aching, as is my shoulder from sitting awkwardly over the body top, and I can't feel the tips of my fingers from holding the strings down. I went through four fingers before I'd finished tuning.

    I've not started with any of the online tutorials teaching even the basics yet, but know that the single biggest problem I will have is holding down a string without fouling the one below it. It's like my finger tips are just too big.

    Thank you, and good night. You've been a wonderful audience.
     
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  2. flawed personality

    flawed personality Contributor Contributor

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    This brings back memories of my time with an acoustic guitar. I easily spent hours tuning it to an electric tuner, and I also recall the struggle of trying not to hold 2 strings at once. I did take guitar lessons for a few weeks before I could no longer afford it, but I honestly couldn't share anything that I was taught because it didn't make it to my long term memory.
     
    Last edited: Jun 13, 2020
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  3. Xoic

    Xoic Prognosticator of Arcana Ridiculosum Contributor Blogerator

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    After you develop some good calluses and plink your way through Mary Had a Little Lamb and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and are ready to start on Smoke on the Water and maybe Iron Man, you'll start to be able to hold down one string without fouling the ones around it. I never got very good, didn't make it much past the stage I just described, and that was several lifetimes ago it seems.

    My one big memory of it all was one day when I sat playing my own terrible version of Iron Man through a crappy electric guitar hooked up not to an amplifier, but to my portable boombox (!) and cranking it out into the neighborhood, somebody way out there somewhere, across the gap of the woods I think, plugged in an actual amplifier and played the actual song along with me. As well as I could keep up, though I really knew only 2 simple parts. I never again heard that person play nor repeated this amazing experience.
     
  4. Friedrich Kugelschreiber

    Friedrich Kugelschreiber marshmallow Contributor

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    I don't know what guitar you bought or how playable it is, but it might be worthwhile to get it set up. If the action is too high or the intonation is off, it can be a lot harder to play, especially when starting out.
     
  5. OurJud

    OurJud Contributor Contributor

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    That's all guitar jargon I'm not yet familiar with. How do you mean, 'set up'?

    Anyway, it's a 4/4 acoustic. I'm reluctant to say what I paid for fear it will be branded useless and that I'm probably wasting my time. For what it's worth it had a very high ratings average on amazon.
    That's all good to know and suitably encouraging. Thanks. Bring on those calluses.
     
    Last edited: Jun 13, 2020
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  6. Xoic

    Xoic Prognosticator of Arcana Ridiculosum Contributor Blogerator

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    I've found that (probably only cheap) guitars with steel strings can suffer from a bent neck. There's actually a steel rod running down inside the neck that can warp over time and then you'll never be able to get it into proper tune. I switched to a nylon-stringed acoustic and that got much better. Also much easier to press down strings, strum etc. Very finger-friendly.

    If you do get an electric, loosen the strings considerably when you put it away for a period of time for storage, or when you get it out it might be warped.
     
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  7. Friedrich Kugelschreiber

    Friedrich Kugelschreiber marshmallow Contributor

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    Oh, just to take it to a shop and have them look it over, adjust things. It might be worthwhile. The thing is that it can be hard to tell as a beginner if the guitar itself is making things difficult, since everything is hard to play anyway. But you're probably fine, as long as the strings aren't 12mm off the 12th fret and the neck doesn't resemble a longbow. You can get a lot of guitar for a little money, so I'm sure it's a fine instrument.
    The string tension is much higher on steel strings, but unless the neck warps sideways, neck relief can be easily adjusted by a slight turn of the truss rod.
     
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  8. OurJud

    OurJud Contributor Contributor

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    They're brass, apparently :meh:

    Although further down the page in the description it has them down as bronze.

    Also, does the body thickness on a full size acoustic vary? It looks very thick. When I say thickness I mean its body height if it was laid down.
     
    Last edited: Jun 13, 2020
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  9. Xoic

    Xoic Prognosticator of Arcana Ridiculosum Contributor Blogerator

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    I think the problem I was dealing with was a twisted neck. Had it on 2 different guitars, and it makes it literally impossible to get it in tune! But I didn't know anything about how to adjust a truss rod, so that might have done it.
     
  10. Aaron Smith

    Aaron Smith Banned Contributor

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    This is normal for starting out.
     
  11. Malisky

    Malisky Malkatorean Contributor

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    1) Trust your tuner. It's right. You're wrong. :p

    2) I know it sounds impossible and it's double the effort but at least try to sit correctly while playing. Don't hunch too much. You're really gonna hurt your back and sitting incorrectly can become a bad habit that later on it's gonna be ridiculously difficult to get over. Speaking from experience. It's a matter of getting used too really. Put a thick book or something to step on if you need to.

    3) Play as slowly as you need to, but play with tempo! Put on a metronome. As you are getting better at the exercises, just speed up the metronome. I promise you, it pays. You'll become better faster.

    4) Don't panic about barres just yet. Learn easier chords in the beginning. Which ones? Of course the 4 chords that made a million. E A D G. Play around with them. Punk them, ska them, metal them, rock them. Just have fun with them.

    5) Blues man! Some big teachers right there. Simple songs full of soul.

    6) Learn the pentatonic and then the blues scale. Start from A (5fth fret).

    7) Get a book with scales and modes.

    8) Patience. You'll get better. It's inevitable if you keep at it. The more you play, the faster you'll get used to it.

    9) But don't overdo it. Rest your mind and your hands.

    10) Rock on Jude! :D
     
  12. jannert

    jannert Retired Mod Supporter Contributor

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    If you've got a friend who can play guitar (and you can do social distancing, like sitting outdoors together) get them to test and tune the guitar for you. If they are able to do it, no bother, then it's simply a matter of learning what you need to learn. (And yes, it takes a while for the callouses to build up, but don't overdo it. Just play often, but for short bits, till your fingers are okay.)

    If the friend can't get the guitar in tune, or says it's really difficult to play, you might want to consider returning it, if you still can.

    A really bum instrument can make learning a discouraging thing. I learned that during the short time at school when I took violin lessons. I used one that belonged to the school. I practiced diligently, because I really did want to learn, but I could never get much more than dying cat sounds out of it. I got scolded by the teacher a lot, which was upsetting, as I was really trying. Then one day he had me swap violins with another pupil, who played beautifully, and who was using her dad's violin. Bingo. Suddenly it was me who was getting nice tones and she was sounding like the cat convention. An eye-opener. I couldn't afford a violin, and couldn't see the point of carrying on with that one, so I quit.

    I'm kinda sorry now that I quit, but it is true that the instrument WILL impact on your playing. Price is sometimes a guide but two instruments with the same price tag can vary quite a bit.
     
  13. OurJud

    OurJud Contributor Contributor

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    @jannert - thanks.

    I have a brother-in-law who’s in the music industry. He’s tour manager for a couple of ageing rock bands who were big in the 60s/70s. He was even a backline tech for a few years, so if he can’t tune it for me no one can. SD will be a problem at the moment, though.

    Another worry is the pins and needles I’ve developed in my finger tips. Obviously as a result of the guitar tuning attempt but from what I can gather not altogether a normal consequence. I think I may have trapped a nerve somewhere. Not the best of starts really.
     
    Last edited: Jun 14, 2020
  14. OurJud

    OurJud Contributor Contributor

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    @Aaron - what/to whom are you referring when you say 'It's normal'?

    @Malisky - Thanks for all those tips.
     
  15. Aaron Smith

    Aaron Smith Banned Contributor

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    You.
     
  16. OurJud

    OurJud Contributor Contributor

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    Ah, okay.

    Right, just had my first lesson which was posture, basic strumming technique (up and down), rhythm, and finally playing E-minor.

    As I suspected it was the playing of the chord where I knew I'd struggle when it comes to not fouling the other strings. I'll know I'll be told it takes practice, and that may well be true, but while the tutorial did address this issue, the only advise was to make sure you're using your fingertips only. And herein lies my problem.

    Sad I know but I made this little diagram to illustrate.

    Someone, anyone, please explain to me how the hell I'm supposed to hold down one string without fouling the one below. In the diagram the red oval represent my fingertip. I just don't see how it can be done. I feel like the strings on a guitar need to be at least one inch apart, not a quarter.

    fingertip.png
     
  17. Aaron Smith

    Aaron Smith Banned Contributor

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    Flex your wrist a little. This causes your fingers to be more perpendicular with the fret board they won't get in the way as easily.
     
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  18. Bone2pick

    Bone2pick Conspicuously Conventional Contributor

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    Good advice. I would think C A minor & E minor should come next. There are lots of easy strumming songs composed entirely of G C A minor D.
     
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  19. Malisky

    Malisky Malkatorean Contributor

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    Is this angle helpful?

    Emin.jpg
    I know my fretboard is dirty af. Don't judge!
     
  20. OurJud

    OurJud Contributor Contributor

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    But that diagram illustrates the tips of my fingertips. That's where they sit in relation to the strings when my fingers are perpendicular to the board. Or as perpendicular as I can possibly get them without dislocating my wrist.
     
  21. OurJud

    OurJud Contributor Contributor

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    Yes! The difference here is you're using fingers 1 and 2. In the video he said use 2 and 3. I was able to play a clean chord using 1 and 2 just now. Not consistently, but it felt more natural. Thank you.
     
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  22. Malisky

    Malisky Malkatorean Contributor

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    It's the same for 2 and 3 too. The finger on the 3rd string is lower, as close as possible to the end of the fret and the other one is a bit higher. He uses these fingers perhaps because he wants to move from Emin on to E afterwards? In any case: Echord.jpg
     
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  23. OurJud

    OurJud Contributor Contributor

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    So you're holding the third string with your 1st finger? That's not E-min I take it? He said just hold the 4th and 5th string for E-min.

    Oh, I see what you mean. This is E?
     
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  24. Malisky

    Malisky Malkatorean Contributor

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    Yes to all. This is E.

    A very helpful site: http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/index.php
     
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  25. Xoic

    Xoic Prognosticator of Arcana Ridiculosum Contributor Blogerator

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    It's partly a matter of building up strength in your fingers, hand and wrist. They're not used to this kind of stuff. As the weeks and months go by they'll get much stronger, and your posture etc will improve, and probably other things I can't even think of. All of it makes a difference, and it's only through practice that they all improve. So just stick with it and improvement is inevitable (as somebody already said, I think it was Malisky).
     
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