The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > PLAY and Write

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #16  
Old 07-05-2015, 01:10 PM
stanron stanron is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,428
Default

There are three main causes of THUNK.

The first is the bad setup. The capo test is a good way to check if the nut is too high. If you don't have a capo read this article and then check your guitar.

http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Musi...nutaction.html

This article describes how to measure neck angle and action.

http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Musi...neckangle.html

The second is bad fretting finger position. The closer your finger is to the sounding fret, the easier it is to hold the string down. As your finger gets farther from the sounding fret, more pressure is needed to get a clear sound. It's not always possible to get every finger right up against the fret. Sometimes a compromise is needed, but you should get as close to the fret as possible.

The third cause of thunk is another finger touching the string. This can be caused by fingers not landing vertically to the fret board and leaning against an adjacent string. It could be large fingers on a narrow fretboard of fingers not hitting the strings in the right place.

Overall good chord sounding is a result of strength and precision. You get strength and precision by practising chord changes. Not just individual chords but pairs of chords and changing between them backward and forward. Strum a chord once and change, strum that chord once and change back and repeat this over and over. You are learning the fingers movements from one chord to another as much as you are learning the chord shapes themselves.

If you are playing a guitar with a 0.013" first string you will find playing much easier if you change to 0.010" or 0.011" first string set.

Incidentally the site 'frets.com' has a lot of fantastic reading for a guitarist.
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 07-05-2015, 02:16 PM
robj144 robj144 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 10,430
Default

I'm looking at your post and don't see any question marks for the question. Just kidding...

You should not continue playing with the thunk. Keep practicing until you get it clean.
__________________
Guild CO-2
Guild JF30-12
Guild D55
Goodall Grand Concert Cutaway Walnut/Italian Spruce
Santa Cruz Brazilian VJ
Taylor 8 String Baritone
Blueberry - Grand Concert
Magnum Opus J450
Eastman AJ815
Parker PA-24
Babicz Jumbo Identity
Walden G730
Silvercreek T170
Charvell 150 SC
Takimine G406s

Last edited by robj144; 07-06-2015 at 04:35 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 07-07-2015, 07:01 PM
TooBadJim TooBadJim is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 38
Default

As Dan said a good set up will help, I remember the protocol post as well so I dont know how much that can be tweaked, I have been playing for only 10 months, so I dont know much. I started wanting a wide nut, now I prefer thinner. Someone else mentioned Yamaha's and i confirm I really like the Yamaha neck and IMHO the factory setups on the JRs 700 series and 335 are consistently good. you can find them for cheap used
__________________
2010 Seagull S6 Original
Taylor GS Mini
1969 Yamaha G-50-A
1996 Taylor 410
2012 Martin D15
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 07-08-2015, 09:24 AM
Arthur Blake Arthur Blake is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,025
Default You learn what you practice

Suggestions about string gauge and set up are good. I started with custom light, then light, then new medium.

You need to be aware that you ingrain habits during practice, so you need to practice ease and perfection. Keep striving to make it sound perfect. In the process your technique will improve.

It is a fiction to believe that imperfect practice will produce the results you want. Your practice is to get it exactly right.

Be gentle on yourself, enjoy the music you're making now, start slow, use your fingertips, and the improvements should be continuous.

Justin is very good, but I recommend finding several versions of a lesson when you can. Then put together the way that is best for you. You don't always have to make it sound the way they make it sound. You make it sound the way you like it. (This assumes you've got the basic chords down correctly - notes always need to sound clearly, and improving tone production should be a continuous goal.)
__________________
Martin OM-18 Authentic 1933 VTS (2016)
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > PLAY and Write

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:33 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=