Learning the guitar

S.S.R.. said:
I'm sure he's brilliant, inspirational and all that, but his guitar sounds absolutely fucked and out of tune there.
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I'm not an expert but the Delta/Texas Blues does incorporate a lot of 3rds, 5ths and 7ths which makes it sound out of tune at times unlike the later Chicago Blues which became popular in this country in the 1960s and is classed as more industrial and urban. Another difference is that Delta Blues uses a lot more gaps or "silent" notes whereas Chicago Blues fills in the gaps. Then again his guitar could just be fucked and out of tune. ;)
 


The Delta Blues is an acoustic style and they played what we call Parlour Guitars (OO Size). Later, Chicago Blues became more electrified and influenced British bands like Cream in the 1960s. I suppose to the modern ear Delta Blues may not be that attractive and is an acquired taste but that's the difference 30 years made from Johnson to the Cream.


 
Loads of good advice on here, but rhe best advice is to keep at it. A little every day, keep your guitar handy, and pick it up and play it. When you get to the point that you don't want to put it down then you're getting closer. Nowt better once you get going. Will also improve your chances of pulling... ;)
 
Apologies if this request is a bit forward, along with my total lack of guitar knowledge. Anyone on here have a decent acoustic/bass guitar they don't use presently & are willing to loan out for 3 months or so please? My son has suffered with mental health issues but has expressed an interest in learning to play an electric guitar. Got him one for Christmas to spur him on. He has been very fortunate to be invited to a guitar weekend in Feb 2022 with some great teachers & role models present to inspire him. The lad is a bit worried that the weekend is primarily acoustic based when he will have electric. Neither he nor I can afford to shell out on an acoustic guitar. There's perhaps a chance he could borrow one at the event anyway. Are the different types of guitar different to learn/practice on? Any good advice from knowledgeable folk on here would be much appreciated thanks.
 
Johnny on the spot said:
Apologies if this request is a bit forward, along with my total lack of guitar knowledge. Anyone on here have a decent acoustic/bass guitar they don't use presently & are willing to loan out for 3 months or so please? My son has suffered with mental health issues but has expressed an interest in learning to play an electric guitar. Got him one for Christmas to spur him on. He has been very fortunate to be invited to a guitar weekend in Feb 2022 with some great teachers & role models present to inspire him. The lad is a bit worried that the weekend is primarily acoustic based when he will have electric. Neither he nor I can afford to shell out on an acoustic guitar. There's perhaps a chance he could borrow one at the event anyway. Are the different types of guitar different to learn/practice on? Any good advice from knowledgeable folk on here would be much appreciated thanks.
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Drop me a direct message, I can help you. I tried to send you a message just now, but I can't see where the function is to do so.
Professor Yaffle said:
Drop me a direct message, I can help you. I tried to send you a message just now, but I can't see where the function is to do so.
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Edit - I figured it out. Check your inbox.
 
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I’ve tried a couple of times to learn how to play but I just haven't got it Unfortunately. My little lad on the other hand got one at Xmas and can play songs already, he just finds finds it annoyingly easy. He come downstairs last night saying he’d learned whatever by oasis and played it class! Took him half an hour. I’d gladly be shit at something if it meant me bairns would be good at it like.
Johnny on the spot said:
Thanks for all your effort mate. This place can be so good, full of characters and wonderful people (at times 😉!).
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Did you get sorted mate? There’s one here, it’s got a snapped string but I’d get it fixed if you want to borrow it?
 
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Adamsy said:
I’ve tried a couple of times to learn how to play but I just haven't got it Unfortunately. My little lad on the other hand got one at Xmas and can play songs already, he just finds finds it annoyingly easy. He come downstairs last night saying he’d learned whatever by oasis and played it class! Took him half an hour. I’d gladly be shit at something if it meant me bairns would be good at it like.

Did you get sorted mate? There’s one here, it’s got a snapped string but I’d get it fixed if you want to borrow it?
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Yes, thanks mate. Professor Yaffle on here very kindly sorted me out with a loan deal 😀.
 
Johnny on the spot said:
He is getting there thanks mate and learning guitar is helping. He is way ahead of me with it - I need to get some learning time in 😂.
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Music is a great activity to undertake because it uses both sides of the brain, the creative and the logical, and so encourages crossover between the two hemispheres which may result in the hypothalamus grabbing more grey matter for its use and increases intelligence overall. Iy is also of course a great form of emotional release and expression.
 
West Stand said:
Riff Raff guitars will restring it for you.
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I took it here the other week and they did a setup for me and it’s sounding great now. Got talking to the fella for quite a while (Shaun, I think). Nice bloke. He told me he does lessons there so I’m gonna start in the next 8-12 weeks. I’ve got most of the open chords sorted now but gonna do a bit work on the barre chords so I’ve got a solid foundation when I do go.

As a side note I will be in the market for my own guitar probably before the summer so may return to this thread or the ‘post a pic of your axe’ thread for some advice.

I wish I’d made this progress and been this committed when I bought my fist guitar 18 years ago.
 
I stopped for a while and picked it back up in the last few months. Seem to have improved with barre chords. Learned a bit of picking and starting to understand the theory and happy to play different notes at different parts of the neck.

I have the guitar next to where I normally sit so pick it up and put it down at random times.

If you need a distraction (giving up the tabs or trying to stop snacking) I think it's a cracking little hobby. Family members will disagree, especially early doors.
Mercia Blackcat said:
Music is a great activity to undertake because it uses both sides of the brain, the creative and the logical, and so encourages crossover between the two hemispheres which may result in the hypothalamus grabbing more grey matter for its use and increases intelligence overall. Iy is also of course a great form of emotional release and expression.
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i took it up because it was recommended somewhere that learning new motor skills later in life is great to keep alzheimer's at bay. great meditation as well.
 
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I'm struggling with improving my rhythm. I've always listened to a song and kind of just done quicker bits of up & down when needed. I know a fair few songs now and my chord changes are fast enough, but I thought it was way past time I learned to keep proper rhythm and strumming patterns. My brain just doesn't do it yet.

I've been looking at the pattern for Wild Rover, 3 beats, Down Down up Down up. Really simple. 1-2-3 down down down is fine, 1-and-2-and-3-and- going down up down up down up is fine. Dropping that up on the first off beat just isn't working at the minute.

I'm doing it with a metronome app. Too slow and I find there is so long between strums it feels unnatural. Faster I get into a knot. I guess it is just practice, like when I used to think about where to put each finger for a chord. But frustrating as hell at the moment. I've gone from not being able to play, to playing reasonably where people can recognise the song with poor timing, to sounding like I can't play again. I know it will get there.

Any tips, or just keep with the practice and speed up as I get used to it?
 
My tip with rhythm patterns and to lock in the feel without thinking to much is to sing the songs you're playing.

Even if you have a voice like a goat farting in the fog, sing. Helps ear training.
 
DaveH said:
I'm struggling with improving my rhythm. I've always listened to a song and kind of just done quicker bits of up & down when needed. I know a fair few songs now and my chord changes are fast enough, but I thought it was way past time I learned to keep proper rhythm and strumming patterns. My brain just doesn't do it yet.

I've been looking at the pattern for Wild Rover, 3 beats, Down Down up Down up. Really simple. 1-2-3 down down down is fine, 1-and-2-and-3-and- going down up down up down up is fine. Dropping that up on the first off beat just isn't working at the minute.

I'm doing it with a metronome app. Too slow and I find there is so long between strums it feels unnatural. Faster I get into a knot. I guess it is just practice, like when I used to think about where to put each finger for a chord. But frustrating as hell at the moment. I've gone from not being able to play, to playing reasonably where people can recognise the song with poor timing, to sounding like I can't play again. I know it will get there.

Any tips, or just keep with the practice and speed up as I get used to it?
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You are doing absolutely the right thing playing to a metronome.

I wish I had started doing that at the beginning, well done to you mate.

keep practicing, it WILL come.
 
Big Jeff said:
You are doing absolutely the right thing playing to a metronome.

I wish I had started doing that at the beginning, well done to you mate.

keep practicing, it WILL come.
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When you say at the beginning, I've had a guitar for about 28 years now. Lots of bad habits, which does lead to why I've been the typical "pick it up one every few weeks/months" player. My wife is learning keyboard and is getting pretty good. She has taken the very structured approach and when I play alongside her I can tell how all over the shop my timing is.

The daft thing is, my background is maths, physics & computing. I decided not to take that rigid scientific approach to guitaring because everything else is like that, it is the way I think. And then I find out it was completely the wrong thing to do. I worried that thinking of it 1, 2, 3, 4 would lead to robotic rigid playing and I wanted something that sounded flowing and natural. Lets just say I'm a bit too flowing and natural!
 

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