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Every few years I pick up the guitar and say: I will mess about with this for ten minutes a day until I start to feel I can play the guitar.
I have that lovely after-Christmas-and-before-New-Year feeling; just a little bit more space than usual. So I shall do it again, and I am posting this (in the spirit of UKC Fit/Fat Club) to make myself accountable!
Anyone else - guitar, piano, or any other instrument you've had sitting in the corner festooned with good intentions?
L
I have that lovely after-Christmas-and-before-New-Year feeling; just a little bit more space than usual. So I shall do it again, and I am posting this (in the spirit of UKC Fit/Fat Club) to make myself accountable!
Anyone else - guitar, piano, or any other instrument you've had sitting in the corner festooned with good intentions?
L
In reply to BusyLizzie:
In my playroom I have . . . . . .
2 x electric guitars
2 x electro acoustics
2 x acoustics
1 x electric bass
1 x acoustic bass
1 x ukulele
1 x cajon
1 x keyboard
1 x snare drum ( rest of the kit is in the loft)
They all get played ( but some more than others)
Oh . . . . . And several harmonicas
In my playroom I have . . . . . .
2 x electric guitars
2 x electro acoustics
2 x acoustics
1 x electric bass
1 x acoustic bass
1 x ukulele
1 x cajon
1 x keyboard
1 x snare drum ( rest of the kit is in the loft)
They all get played ( but some more than others)
Oh . . . . . And several harmonicas
In reply to BusyLizzie:
I've resolved to learn an instrument when I feel like I've finally cracked Russian, which was my NY Resolution 3 years ago. I'm going to learn the trumpet I think. My neighbour tried to teach me how to play one chord on a guitar, which took me about 20 mins, so I've put the guitar in the "too difficult" box, even though I think it's super-cool.
I reckon everyone should be able to play an instrument and speak a foreign language.
Good luck with it)
I've resolved to learn an instrument when I feel like I've finally cracked Russian, which was my NY Resolution 3 years ago. I'm going to learn the trumpet I think. My neighbour tried to teach me how to play one chord on a guitar, which took me about 20 mins, so I've put the guitar in the "too difficult" box, even though I think it's super-cool.
I reckon everyone should be able to play an instrument and speak a foreign language.
Good luck with it)
In reply to BusyLizzie:
Playing guitar (electric) is my number one hobby and I like to get in at least 2 hours practice every day. Apart from a day's scrambling in the Lakes on Christmas Eve, I've done little else but play the guitar this festive period.
Playing guitar (electric) is my number one hobby and I like to get in at least 2 hours practice every day. Apart from a day's scrambling in the Lakes on Christmas Eve, I've done little else but play the guitar this festive period.
In reply to BusyLizzie:
You will probably find you wont bother again. If were meant to play it it wouldn't be an effort, you would just want to, a bit like going climbing
You will probably find you wont bother again. If were meant to play it it wouldn't be an effort, you would just want to, a bit like going climbing
In reply to stroppygob:
Perhaps connect it to your Christmas tree lights?
General update:
Two days in and I am nearly as competent as I was last time I was trying to play the guitar. (I play a few other instruments but have always found the guitar too difficult)
Perhaps connect it to your Christmas tree lights?
General update:
Two days in and I am nearly as competent as I was last time I was trying to play the guitar. (I play a few other instruments but have always found the guitar too difficult)
In reply to Bernard Shakey:
Humm, not sure about that. Musical instruments don't get to be effortless, surely, until after quite a lot of practice. So my limitation with the guitar has always been time - I've not be able to maintain regular practice, in between doing too many other things. Whereas I remain quite a reasonable pianist even through times when I'm too busy to do it much.
> You will probably find you wont bother again. If were meant to play it it wouldn't be an effort, you would just want to, a bit like going climbing
>Humm, not sure about that. Musical instruments don't get to be effortless, surely, until after quite a lot of practice. So my limitation with the guitar has always been time - I've not be able to maintain regular practice, in between doing too many other things. Whereas I remain quite a reasonable pianist even through times when I'm too busy to do it much.
In reply to Malcolm Tucker's Sweary Aunt:
Doing it the other way around....and I don't seem to have time for them both!
I started guitar about 5 years ago (well, started again after a 35 year layoff having only mastered about 5 chords in my teens!) and am at the point where I sometimes feel nearly comfortable playing in public.
I started Russian about 18 months ago, as I work over there quite a lot these days, and I'm still struggling. I know loads of vocabulary but the grammar and particularly verbs of motion are driving me nuts. You've been at it twice as long as me....does it all "come together" at some point?
> I've resolved to learn an instrument when I feel like I've finally cracked Russian, which was my NY Resolution 3 years ago.
Doing it the other way around....and I don't seem to have time for them both!
I started guitar about 5 years ago (well, started again after a 35 year layoff having only mastered about 5 chords in my teens!) and am at the point where I sometimes feel nearly comfortable playing in public.
I started Russian about 18 months ago, as I work over there quite a lot these days, and I'm still struggling. I know loads of vocabulary but the grammar and particularly verbs of motion are driving me nuts. You've been at it twice as long as me....does it all "come together" at some point?
In reply to Rob Naylor:
I suppose the closest I gave got to it all coming together was toward the end of a week in Ukraine last year, when I used it loads with people who spoke no English. Other than that, I have good days and bad days. Sometimes I can chat by message with someone for half an hour and realise I've effortlessly read and composed messages without Google or a dictionary. I guess that's pretty cool and I should give myself more credit for it perhaps. Understanding spoken Russian is the hardest part for me, maybe because I'm always talking with native speakers, rather than contrived audio clips at about a quarter of the normal speed.
I tried to get to grips with the verbs of motion while I was there, in real life situations. That helped, but it's really difficult to master without using them all the time in context. I have a pretty good grasp of the grammar now (even if it's sometimes just knowing that I'm wrong but not knowing what's right), and I tend to learn vocabulary based on the lives and interests of my Russian friends. Learning enough vocabulary is a limiting factor for me. I read about people who learn foreign languages and learn 25 new words a day. I can sometimes take a day to learn one word in Russian (think about the words for landmark and charity for example!). I don't know if I'm a bit crap at learning languages, or other people are bullshitters.
Have a look at these videos:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCL8PrsNNVvfJwbyXoi4mqQecEKyy2MY7
She wasn't doing videos when I started, but I think they're pretty good, and she's funny, which helps.
I'm off to Belarus in June, so I've got a good dose of motivation)))
I suppose the closest I gave got to it all coming together was toward the end of a week in Ukraine last year, when I used it loads with people who spoke no English. Other than that, I have good days and bad days. Sometimes I can chat by message with someone for half an hour and realise I've effortlessly read and composed messages without Google or a dictionary. I guess that's pretty cool and I should give myself more credit for it perhaps. Understanding spoken Russian is the hardest part for me, maybe because I'm always talking with native speakers, rather than contrived audio clips at about a quarter of the normal speed.
I tried to get to grips with the verbs of motion while I was there, in real life situations. That helped, but it's really difficult to master without using them all the time in context. I have a pretty good grasp of the grammar now (even if it's sometimes just knowing that I'm wrong but not knowing what's right), and I tend to learn vocabulary based on the lives and interests of my Russian friends. Learning enough vocabulary is a limiting factor for me. I read about people who learn foreign languages and learn 25 new words a day. I can sometimes take a day to learn one word in Russian (think about the words for landmark and charity for example!). I don't know if I'm a bit crap at learning languages, or other people are bullshitters.
Have a look at these videos:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCL8PrsNNVvfJwbyXoi4mqQecEKyy2MY7
She wasn't doing videos when I started, but I think they're pretty good, and she's funny, which helps.
I'm off to Belarus in June, so I've got a good dose of motivation)))
In reply to BusyLizzie:
Music is like climbing,the more you do it the easier it gets.
Being daunted by others' skill is needless.Just enjoy your own development.
Do it for fun,but do it often.Try not to set unattainable goals in the short term.
The better the guitar,the more you will want to play it.Try to write a few of your own little tunes.You can buy gridded
paper so you can write 'tab' notation,which can be learned in a few minutes.
Music is like climbing,the more you do it the easier it gets.
Being daunted by others' skill is needless.Just enjoy your own development.
Do it for fun,but do it often.Try not to set unattainable goals in the short term.
The better the guitar,the more you will want to play it.Try to write a few of your own little tunes.You can buy gridded
paper so you can write 'tab' notation,which can be learned in a few minutes.
In reply to BusyLizzie:
I had a little holiday excitement, I recorded a tune on my iphone, using garage band and a cheap condenser mic with drums, lead , rhythm and bass, thought it was really hooky and great played it on a loop for about a day, then decided it was carp and deleted it, then I've decided it's time in my life to learn some Dylan, so it's on with Like a rolling stone, learning tunes are exactly the same still as they were 30 years ago, it just takes a few days rather than a few years. Keep on rocking
I had a little holiday excitement, I recorded a tune on my iphone, using garage band and a cheap condenser mic with drums, lead , rhythm and bass, thought it was really hooky and great played it on a loop for about a day, then decided it was carp and deleted it, then I've decided it's time in my life to learn some Dylan, so it's on with Like a rolling stone, learning tunes are exactly the same still as they were 30 years ago, it just takes a few days rather than a few years. Keep on rocking
In reply to paul mitchell and all
Persevering.
I do wish life could be lived with the F chord; there is only so far you can get with the guitar without it and my fingers do not like it!
Persevering.
I do wish life could be lived with the F chord; there is only so far you can get with the guitar without it and my fingers do not like it!
In reply to stroppygob:
I was bought an iRig HDguitar interface for Christmas. I haven't really had a change to test it properly yet but it looks OK so far.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/iRig-Digital-Guitar-Instrument-Interface/dp/B00BIRR...
I use it with my iPad and the Amplitube and Garageband apps. You can use iRig to connect the guitar to a PC/Mac too and I'm sure there are a host of software that works with it.
I had another (cheaper) interface lead a while ago but it didn't deliver very good sound quality. The iRig HD seems to be good so far but I haven't recorded with it yet.
Hope that helps
Chris
I was bought an iRig HDguitar interface for Christmas. I haven't really had a change to test it properly yet but it looks OK so far.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/iRig-Digital-Guitar-Instrument-Interface/dp/B00BIRR...
I use it with my iPad and the Amplitube and Garageband apps. You can use iRig to connect the guitar to a PC/Mac too and I'm sure there are a host of software that works with it.
I had another (cheaper) interface lead a while ago but it didn't deliver very good sound quality. The iRig HD seems to be good so far but I haven't recorded with it yet.
Hope that helps
Chris
In reply to BusyLizzie:
It's quite a major breakthrough to get the shape for the E and A barre chords which gives you full F and and a load more, I don't think there's many short cuts other than spending some time with it. You can maybe make it a bit easier by getting either or lighter strings and a lower action on your guitar. If you were to pick it up on a daily basis you'd definitely have them sounding good by spring.
> In reply to paul mitchell and all
> Persevering.
> I do wish life could be lived with the F chord; there is only so far you can get with the guitar without it and my fingers do not like it!
It's quite a major breakthrough to get the shape for the E and A barre chords which gives you full F and and a load more, I don't think there's many short cuts other than spending some time with it. You can maybe make it a bit easier by getting either or lighter strings and a lower action on your guitar. If you were to pick it up on a daily basis you'd definitely have them sounding good by spring.
In reply to BusyLizzie:
... I meant, of course, "without the F chord" - but no doubt that was obvious.
New Year's resolution - check properly what I write and pruefreed conscientiously.
> I do wish life could be lived with the F chord; there is only so far you can get with the guitar without it and my fingers do not like it!<
... I meant, of course, "without the F chord" - but no doubt that was obvious.
New Year's resolution - check properly what I write and pruefreed conscientiously.
In reply to BusyLizzie:
You've just got to stick with it. Your fingers will adapt and you'll get there in the end.
> I do wish life could be lived with the F chord; there is only so far you can get with the guitar without it and my fingers do not like it!
You've just got to stick with it. Your fingers will adapt and you'll get there in the end.
In reply to BusyLizzie:
Plenty of nice jazz Fs that are easier (strengthwise) than the barre F - 103210 and x33210 (Fmaj7), being the obvious ones. But you just have to keep at it - practice getting that strength to pull down the whole finger from the base of the finger.
Interestingly I found that when I started climbing, I had quite high finger strength from being a guitar player, and that it was a big help when I was chucked into the deep end outdoors and had to hold on for dear life.
Plenty of nice jazz Fs that are easier (strengthwise) than the barre F - 103210 and x33210 (Fmaj7), being the obvious ones. But you just have to keep at it - practice getting that strength to pull down the whole finger from the base of the finger.
Interestingly I found that when I started climbing, I had quite high finger strength from being a guitar player, and that it was a big help when I was chucked into the deep end outdoors and had to hold on for dear life.
In reply to Bulls Crack:
Ah - I'd forgotten that. Will work on that. Thank you!
> There's a few short-cuts if you can live with not playing the whole chord!
Ah - I'd forgotten that. Will work on that. Thank you!
In reply to SenzuBean:
Thank you! Those seem quite challenging to the fingers too, but I will have a go.
Thank you all for advice and encouragement! Monday morning looms, back to work, but I am a little bit nearer being a guitarist than I was a fortnight ago. Half the battle may be just keeping the guitar in the living room so I can just pick it up at odd moments rather than making the journey into the other room.
L
> Plenty of nice jazz Fs that are easier (strengthwise) than the barre F - 103210 and x33210 (Fmaj7), being the obvious ones.
Thank you! Those seem quite challenging to the fingers too, but I will have a go.
Thank you all for advice and encouragement! Monday morning looms, back to work, but I am a little bit nearer being a guitarist than I was a fortnight ago. Half the battle may be just keeping the guitar in the living room so I can just pick it up at odd moments rather than making the journey into the other room.
L
In reply to stroppygob:
I haven't tested it but the website says it does. The device comes with a USB lead as well as an iPad lightning connector.
You'll need some sort of recording studio software and amp modelling to be able to get the various guitar sounds (clean, overdrive etc).
In the past on the PC I've used Pro Tools LE but I recorded live guitars via a mic and audio interface. I then used the software to mix/arrange the track. If I get a chance over the weekend, I'll try plugging it into my PC.
If you're plugging the guitar straight into the PC, you'll need some software to give you the guitar sound. IK Multimedia, the makers of the iRig do Amplitube 3 but that a ~£150 bit of software. There may be other options.
What do you want to end up with? Do you just want to be able to plug your guitar in and hear clean/overdrive guitar with effects (reverb, delay etc) coming out of your PC speakers, or do you want to record guitar tracks, add other instruments (keyboards, strings, drums etc)?
As a caveat, I'm no expert in all of this, I'm just beginning to mess around recording songs etc.
If you do a search for "guitar amp software" you'll see a few links that might help.
I haven't tested it but the website says it does. The device comes with a USB lead as well as an iPad lightning connector.
You'll need some sort of recording studio software and amp modelling to be able to get the various guitar sounds (clean, overdrive etc).
In the past on the PC I've used Pro Tools LE but I recorded live guitars via a mic and audio interface. I then used the software to mix/arrange the track. If I get a chance over the weekend, I'll try plugging it into my PC.
If you're plugging the guitar straight into the PC, you'll need some software to give you the guitar sound. IK Multimedia, the makers of the iRig do Amplitube 3 but that a ~£150 bit of software. There may be other options.
What do you want to end up with? Do you just want to be able to plug your guitar in and hear clean/overdrive guitar with effects (reverb, delay etc) coming out of your PC speakers, or do you want to record guitar tracks, add other instruments (keyboards, strings, drums etc)?
As a caveat, I'm no expert in all of this, I'm just beginning to mess around recording songs etc.
If you do a search for "guitar amp software" you'll see a few links that might help.
In reply to ChrisRGX:
Thanks again Chris, I'd like to do two things, record guitar parts for use in my sequencer, and also to try to get (single note monophonic,) midi parts from a guitar,. I know the latter may be difficult.
Thanks again for the advice.
Thanks again Chris, I'd like to do two things, record guitar parts for use in my sequencer, and also to try to get (single note monophonic,) midi parts from a guitar,. I know the latter may be difficult.
Thanks again for the advice.
In reply to John Simpson:
<It's quite a major breakthrough to get the shape for the E and A barre chords>
[a bit of googling for E and A].. ohh, I see. I had not met the barre versions of E and A. Thank you!
<It's quite a major breakthrough to get the shape for the E and A barre chords>
[a bit of googling for E and A].. ohh, I see. I had not met the barre versions of E and A. Thank you!
In reply to stroppygob:
Over the weekend I tried my iRig HD on my PC. IK Multimedia also do a free version of Amplitube which is part of their customer shop product (also free)
http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/amplitubecs/
With a bit of tweaking to my audio setting it all seems to work well. Not sure how all the sequencing/midi stuff would work out but at least you know you can use the iRig as a diret input into your PC.
Chris
Over the weekend I tried my iRig HD on my PC. IK Multimedia also do a free version of Amplitube which is part of their customer shop product (also free)
http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/amplitubecs/
With a bit of tweaking to my audio setting it all seems to work well. Not sure how all the sequencing/midi stuff would work out but at least you know you can use the iRig as a diret input into your PC.
Chris
In reply to BusyLizzie:
Sorry, got distracted by the iRig conversation. I was going to say that Justin Sandercoe has a great website for beginner/intermediate players.
http://www.justinguitar.com/
It's a great resource to help you though most aspects of playing. It's really well laid out and the videos are really useful. I use it all the time.
Chris
Sorry, got distracted by the iRig conversation. I was going to say that Justin Sandercoe has a great website for beginner/intermediate players.
http://www.justinguitar.com/
It's a great resource to help you though most aspects of playing. It's really well laid out and the videos are really useful. I use it all the time.
Chris
In reply to BusyLizzie:
F is quite hard to begin with. Practice by either playing other barre chords further up the neck where it's alot easier, or buy a capo and play with that on fret 2 (same thing really)
F is quite hard to begin with. Practice by either playing other barre chords further up the neck where it's alot easier, or buy a capo and play with that on fret 2 (same thing really)
In reply to mark20:
Thank you, I hadn't thought of that.
The latest in my inept attempts is that I have a really horribly stiff, tense and achey neck. I think it's actually from the guitar and not from belaying! I am tending to lean over the guitar in order to watch my left hand. I can see that real guitarists play without looking! More work needed...
Thank you, I hadn't thought of that.
The latest in my inept attempts is that I have a really horribly stiff, tense and achey neck. I think it's actually from the guitar and not from belaying! I am tending to lean over the guitar in order to watch my left hand. I can see that real guitarists play without looking! More work needed...
In reply to BusyLizzie:
When I stared out I tended to try and play barre chords with my hand tilted/rolled too far forward ie towards the body of the guitar. Juts tilting it back slightly worked wonders!
When I stared out I tended to try and play barre chords with my hand tilted/rolled too far forward ie towards the body of the guitar. Juts tilting it back slightly worked wonders!
In reply to ChrisRGX:
Chris, I just invested in one of these, at the recommendation of a guitarist mate, (he's a session musician, has played for Elton John and other big names.)
http://www.lexiconpro.com/en/products/alpha
Chris, I just invested in one of these, at the recommendation of a guitarist mate, (he's a session musician, has played for Elton John and other big names.)
http://www.lexiconpro.com/en/products/alpha
In reply to BusyLizzie:
Are you playing an acoustic (steel or nylon) or an electric? The F major barre chord in the first position is a common problem for beginners. My advice is to tilt the neck upwards from a 30-40 degree angle up towards about a 70 degree angle. You'll notice it gets easier the more you tilt upwards towards 90 degrees. Have the body of the guitar between your legs with the left leg raised slightly on a small 6 inch stool ( the other leg if a lefty). This is the best posture to play in and should stop your neck problems.
Are you playing an acoustic (steel or nylon) or an electric? The F major barre chord in the first position is a common problem for beginners. My advice is to tilt the neck upwards from a 30-40 degree angle up towards about a 70 degree angle. You'll notice it gets easier the more you tilt upwards towards 90 degrees. Have the body of the guitar between your legs with the left leg raised slightly on a small 6 inch stool ( the other leg if a lefty). This is the best posture to play in and should stop your neck problems.
In reply to Sebastian Fontleroy:
Thank you! That is very helpful advice on posture.
I will try both those things. My neck is in a state of misery at the moment - I don't know what else I have done to it, it can't be all the guitar's fault - so I have not done much guitar recently after my Christmas binge, but I want to get back to it.
Thank you! That is very helpful advice on posture.
I will try both those things. My neck is in a state of misery at the moment - I don't know what else I have done to it, it can't be all the guitar's fault - so I have not done much guitar recently after my Christmas binge, but I want to get back to it.
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