I am a wannabe guitar player, but I am trying desperately to learn how to play. I got a nice Fender Squier Strat pack a couple of years ago and since then, I have been learning the basic chords (instructional DVD that came with the pack). I am nearing the end of the DVD, so now I am learning barre chords and scales. I now know this is the point of either REALLY learning the guitar or giving up. I honestly never knew it was going to be this hard to learn the guitar. I have been playing for 2 years and I couldn't play a basic song if I had to. A friend advised me to take my guitar in and have it set-up properly with low action, because these barre chords are killing my fingers. I am taking it into the shop tomorrow. I want to know if anybody else struggled like me when they were first learning and what they did to finally break through. I deeply desire to learn to play songs on my guitar. I try to practice everyday, but I really only have 45 minutes on average per day to play. ANY advice will be appreciated!
Yeah, I know how that feels. Back when I first learned, I had an Epi acoustic with nasty action (literally, my fingers bled), that was a lesson in pain...that's the joy and frustration about guitar, before you get good you have to fight your guitar sometimes. Getting it professionally set up will help you alot, and with a Squite Strat, it'll help a ton. I recall on my old one, the string tension was greater than the bridge spring tension resulting in a Strat with 3/8" action. It was ridiculous to play. As far as getting better, it helps to set small goals and reach those gradually. That's how I learned, and all the guitar lesson wealth on youtube, and learn about how chords are made and then you'll begin to see the note patterns on your fretboard. Hope this helps!
I have been playing a year....I still hate F's and some b's....you could find an alternative chord variation...F chord D on the 5th fret for example....try easier songs my friend....the first one I learned was "Amanda" by Waylon Jennings......still one of my favorites....to bad my wifes name is Stephanie HAHAHA...GOOD LUCK and keep the faith James
Hey finkster! How are you? My husband learned to play the guitar 4 years ago, and my 27 year old son taught him. He had to work everyday and when he got home, he ate, then practiced the guitar. He nearly drove me crazy! But after a few months, I noticed that he was getting better, little by little. He bought an acoustic guitar because my son needed his to play with his band. My son told him that if he learned to play good enough to get through a song, that he would let him play in the band at his next gig. That's all it took!
Don't worry about your fingers, because the more you practice, the more they get tough and form calluses. After that, you won't notice it. The only advice I can give to you is to find someone to jam with. You not only have fun, but you learn a lot faster. Don't give up!
Definitely agree with stvnjms (sorry!) about getting sheet or tablature for basic songs. If your interests are classical or jazz guitar even then you start with basic compositions. But for the rock n roll genre you can find thousands of songs that are based on very few basic chords, barre none (aaargh!). And the most important piece of advice for learning: SLOW is FAST. Don't try to rip it up like Jeff Beck, Eddie VanHalen or Yngwie Malmsteen. Practice SLOW and you will find you actually master chords FAST. I kid you not. So get yourself some sheet music for good old tunes that you know that are not complex. And try not to take it all so serious. It's your fun time, so enjoy.
You could switch over to bass. Then you would'nt have lame people telling you how they rip it up like a bunch of washed up of dated guitarist. I doubt that meny of the people in this neighborhood can even play and if they do I sure no one wants to hear them. Anyways your fingers will toughen up. Most of those dvd/videos that are ment to teach you, will only screw up your playing. Finding people to play with is the best way to learn quick. I know how to play guitar but I love playing bass & moogs. I'm not even going to start up about moogs and thermins. Once I found those I didn't even care about the OVER RATED guitar.
UPDATE: I have been practicing a LOT more on my chord progressions and scales and it has helped me a great deal. I decided to take the advice of several of you and looked for tabs for classic rock songs that are not too complicated. The old 60's song "Wild Thing" by The Troggs is super easy. It's like 3-4 chords. I am almost able to play along with the song and keep up. Not my favorite song, but very encouraging to finally SEE some progress. Thanks for all your advice!
try some dfferent brands of strings. see what feels best for you. cheap strings suck. if your using what came with your squire, i;m sure they suck. you can also try accustic strings. they can make it a little easier for you. just keep practicing.
How I learned Barre Chords or How I learned Bar Chords...
First, getting the set up right is paramount to going any further, find out what strings the tech used and string with that same string until you get to a point where you can make your own adjustments.
There is a book called, "Guitar Player Repair Guide" by Dan Erlewine. It will tell you how to do your own setup and save you a lot of $$$ in the long run, and you'll learn how to make any guitar (almost any) guitar play better.
OK, once you get the guitar back from the tech...
Pull the guitar neck up about a foot or so from your head. Were going for ease here, not cool stance :)
Pull in your fretting arm elbow, in close to your body.
Fret a barre chord. Notice how it all falls into place? Wow, the index finger lines up perfectly. E form and A form bar chords will soon become second nature. Play them up down the neck until it's burned into your brain. Then learn the minor version and the 7th and a whole lot of chords are at your instant disposal.
Suddenly F chords are easier and sound better when you bar them. B chords and B flats are easier. A "C sharp minor" will go from a "what the heck" chord to easy.
Does a song sound boring playing cowboy chords? It may sound better with a few bar chords tossing in the same chord but higher up the neck.
Bar a chord and play the lowest two strings of that bar chord, and it's instant power chords,easier and better.
Hi Finkster1960, Ok, first of all you already received alot of good advice, suggestions and comments. Now it's time for the hard truth. If you have decided to move forward, sell the squier and get a real guitar instead of trying to make a silk purse out of a cows ear. What kind of music do you like? Metal, grunge, jazz? Do you intend to play professionally or for yourself ? I am a professional musician and have been one for 30 + years. I play many styles of music so obviously I use many guitars. You need to get the guitar that you want to play 45 min a day everyday. My first guitar which I bought in 1965 was a Gibson SG Standard with the bigsby tremelo. Great investment I bought it for 300.00 and still have it to this day and it's worth over three thousand. I don't intend to sell it. My son who has just returned from Iraq wants it for the tone but he's more into the flying V's. Get your self a good Ibanez of your choice if money is the objection. They make quality guitars for a very reasonable price. Make sure it suits the type of music you like. If for example you like hard rock then an electric is the way you would go. Also consider an acoustic. Many of those around less than a hundred. That would be one hours work for me in a studio session 60 for rehersals. Your fingers should be toughened up by now as well as flexible (stretch ) and coordinated. Keep it up. I started off playing drums for the Schools marching band for one year by the second I could read music notation, play a trap set and also played with the dixieland band for the basketball games and marching band for football and parades. Two more years of drums and music theory and practice. Then switched to guitar to better understand harmony.5 am practices for one hour on the field with the marching band 3 days a wk and two days in the gym for dixieland. If you are just hoping to entertain yourself then you maybe happier with a decent acoustic and spend a little more and get a Martin Dreadnaught and hold as a investment. Good luck and please, above all else you must have fun with your music like I did when I was 12 and the and the youngest drummer in the school. I was in the high school band even though I wasn't quite in my teens. Blessings on your musical journey. Have fun !!!!
You sound like you are off to a great start and I hope you keep up with the good work. Now for the truth, if you really want to get good, invest in a good instructor (Randy Rhodes took lessons until his death, and so did many of the big names in guitar). I've been playing guitar for 5 years, and had an instructor for the first 4. You have to be careful when choosing someone to teach you. Make sure that they have experience and play the style you want. I started out playing with a really good teacher, but I had to leave him too early because he was a classical guitarist and I am more inclined to hard rock and heavy metal. Also, as 808islandaffiliate wrote: you do need to get a better guitar. Search around the web sites of the bands you would like to emulate and find out what they play and look for any common guitars.
Yes - I've been where you are - Don't give up!!! Yes - get the guitar action looked at and maybe lowered. For this topic its about finger/hand/forearm strength. Somebody mentioned using an instructor - good idea especially if you have bad ergonomics or playing habits that you may not be aware of that keep your hands from improving. Barre chords will bring out weaknesses in your playing style and its good to get them corrected early.
Three ideas for ya -
For me the breakthorugh came in the form of picking up a cheap bass and playing it in bands because thats where the need was in the marketplace. It strengthened my hands and gave me a good bit of chord theory and rhythm angles I was lacking in. When I went back to guitar my hands were much stronger and I had a good understanding of where chords are on different parts of the fretboard.
As an extension of this - is that there are different barre forms - you can play higher on the fretboard but in a different form. Once the hand strength comes then go back lower and test your skills at thoise chors you are having trouble with. So to say try the the B chord using the E barre form at fret 7 (the root note will be on the 1st or large E string) or the F chord using the D Barre form at fret 5 (the root note will be on the 3rd or D string). The voicing will be different due to the location of the root note but it is the same chord. I do this a lot now when I am in a 2 guitar band - play chord inversions and such at different positions.
Another is that depending on your ultimate style - start with "cheater chords" and fill in on the rest of the strings when your hand strength improves. A 2 string F5 or B5 (root note and its major 5th) on any two adjacent strings or 3 string Major chord (the A barre form) on strings 3, 4 and 5 will give you the voicing you need for rock, blues or any slightly distorited guitar music . As you inprove your hand strength with these simple voicings you cant help but notice where the various barre chord positions are for the same chord.
My story is different from others; but may hold the answer for you:
1st - I lucked out because my first guitar was an Ovation; and even though it was an acoustic, it had action and neck width and radius equal to an electric guitar. But,
2nd - The secret to my success was to go slow; i.e., DO NOT practice hours a day every day for the rest of your life ... instead, if you hit a plateau (get to a point where you are just not getting any better), then take a few days off. Magically, when you pick the guitar back up again two days later, you will find that you are able to progress.
3rd - Go for songs .. not theory ... not scales ... songs. The best encouragement is accomplishment; and you will feel more energized to continue to learn, if you start to build a repertoire. Look for a 'cheater' book (a book in which all songs have been reduced to a few simple chords) of your favorite songs. The beauty of guitar is that, with six strings, there is plenty of musical accompaniment to any song, even if you only play a few of the main chords of that song ... i.e., you don't have to play all the chords that make up the song, to have the song be recognizable to your listening audience. (Be advised, though, that sometimes EASY chord books will present the song in a completely different key; so sing alongs may sound different to a trained singer.)
4th - Beware of bad playing posture, and bad hand placement: do not, like I did, hold your guitar neck like a tennis racket, with the whole thumb wrapped completely over the edge of the frets ... it looks cool, but you will develop tendinitis regardless of how many hand flexion and tension exercises you perform. (This means that trying to build hand strength by playing bass will not help.)
5th - And possibly the most important thing: Be aware of guitar neck scale lengths ... In addition to trying to get close string action, you should consider that a 25 & 1/2 inch scale length will mean that all your chording will be done across an extra 3/16 of an inch of fretboard; which may be too much for the size of your hand. (Unless you chord further up the neck)
Fender, Ibanez, Martin, Yamaha, Kramer, and others use this scale length: it's great for playing leads further up the fret board, because there is plenty of room to maneuver between frets without mutes and buzzes. If your hand is not as big as Stevie Ray Vaughn's, though, it won't be as easy to chord up near the nut.
Gibson and Epiphone use the ever so slightly shorter 24 & 3/4 inch scale length. Much better for smaller hands to form complex multi-fret spanning chords; but, they will also not be a problem for lead playing if your hands are not as big as Jimi Hendrix's hands.
So, you can either try to look cool like Yngwie with a Strat, or Satch with a JS Special Ibanez; or actually be cool playing a Billie Joe Armstrong Epiphone.
Hi Player, My advice is to go find yourself a nice used acoustic guitar. It will be a little harder to mash the strings down, but you need to build up your fingers anyway. Also, a used acoustic would likely be "played in" and the tone-wood would be opened up. You can practice on an acoustic anywhere, on break at work or school, when camping, etc. These days I am a working musician and I normally do about 3 hours with a 15 minute break at my shows. Like you, I first went out and bought a solid body electric and made little progress until I traded for an acoustic. Good Luck!
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