Beginner Advice

[DCCougar]

Get a teacher (or neighbor) to show you how to fingerpick Freight Train. Isn't that how everybody started?

[reeve21]

Originally Posted by DCCougar

Get a teacher (or neighbor) to show you how to fingerpick Freight Train. Isn't that how everybody started?

Yes, that was the first fingerpicking tune I learned, but I got it from Mark Hanson's Intro to Travis Picking book. I want to second Sprintbob's recommendation of Mark's books for beginner fingerpickers. Some of us older folks just do better with books and recordings than videos.

I had been strumming for a long time and knew many chords and scales before starting to finger pick. Not sure I could have gotten anywhere on my own with Hanson's books without that backround. So if the OP is going it alone without a teacher I have to agree with those who recommend starting out by doing some strumming. It develops a sense of timing and lets you concentrate on putting the fretting hand in positions which are not comfortable for many beginners. If one is able to fingerpick from the start as well, that is great, but it didn't work for me (note: if there is such a thing as natural ability I think I was absent the day they passed it out)

[gr1]

ive just bought a epiphone aj220s/vs. this is my first ever guitar. im a week in and just learning basic chords at the moment.ive been told it will be easier if I fit light gauge strings. at the momoment I think the strings are 12 gauge. im just wondering tone and volume aside will this make it a little easier to play. I have an example when trying to play an a chord the top string of the 3 buzzing I cant get near enough to the fret the 2nd and 3rd sting ok

[TBman]

Originally Posted by gr1

ive just bought a epiphone aj220s/vs. this is my first ever guitar. im a week in and just learning basic chords at the moment.ive been told it will be easier if I fit light gauge strings. at the momoment I think the strings are 12 gauge. im just wondering tone and volume aside will this make it a little easier to play. I have an example when trying to play an a chord the top string of the 3 buzzing I cant get near enough to the fret the 2nd and 3rd sting ok

12 gauge is light gauge. You are only in a week so give it time. You can go lower, but the buzzing is probably from lack of experience, not the strings. If you want to give extra light strings a try, no one will call the string police on you though, . If going down in gauge makes playing the guitar easier to learn and more enjoyable, go for it.

[TallDrink]

Originally Posted by gr1

ive just bought a epiphone aj220s/vs. this is my first ever guitar. im a week in and just learning basic chords at the moment.ive been told it will be easier if I fit light gauge strings. at the momoment I think the strings are 12 gauge. im just wondering tone and volume aside will this make it a little easier to play. I have an example when trying to play an a chord the top string of the 3 buzzing I cant get near enough to the fret the 2nd and 3rd sting ok

I played '10 gange strings for 25 years before changing to '11.
For a beginner, '10 is much easier on the fingers, and the difference in sound and volume is not nearly as significant as some would want you to believe.

Definitely go down in gauge, it'll speed up your learning process, and you'll be able to have longer practice sessions.

[Fogducker]

When you start out, learn (Muscle memory) to make the "G" chord without using your left hand index finger. You'll understand why later!

Fog

[SunnyDee]

Originally Posted by gr1

ive just bought a epiphone aj220s/vs. this is my first ever guitar. im a week in and just learning basic chords at the moment.ive been told it will be easier if I fit light gauge strings. at the momoment I think the strings are 12 gauge. im just wondering tone and volume aside will this make it a little easier to play. I have an example when trying to play an a chord the top string of the 3 buzzing I cant get near enough to the fret the 2nd and 3rd sting ok

I've learned in the last 18 months. I played 12s the whole time, some with heavier bass strings, because I felt that it helped build my fingers better to play 12s and I want to play baritone, too, which has heavier strings. Right now, I have the first set of 10s on the Martin. just because I bought them accidentally, and it is a bit easier to play barre chords. It's not really quieter. If you want it to be easy, go with extra lights. If you want to build your fingers up, go a little heavier.

The buzz you describe is not the strings. It's just what beginners go through. If you really can't reach the frets, you might try learning that chord with a capo on. Once you learn it, it's easier to move back to first position. But, if you don't change the strings and don't use a capo, but keep practicing, you'll get it in a few weeks, anyway. Everyone does.

All that being said, it's better not to ask completely different questions in someone else's thread, but welcome to the forum. Enjoy learning. It's challenging, but worth it.

[SunnyDee]

Originally Posted by reeve21

Yes, that was the first fingerpicking tune I learned, but I got it from Mark Hanson's Intro to Travis Picking book. I want to second Sprintbob's recommendation of Mark's books for beginner fingerpickers. Some of us older folks just do better with books and recordings than videos.

I had been strumming for a long time and knew many chords and scales before starting to finger pick. Not sure I could have gotten anywhere on my own with Hanson's books without that backround. So if the OP is going it alone without a teacher I have to agree with those who recommend starting out by doing some strumming. It develops a sense of timing and lets you concentrate on putting the fretting hand in positions which are not comfortable for many beginners. If one is able to fingerpick from the start as well, that is great, but it didn't work for me (note: if there is such a thing as natural ability I think I was absent the day they passed it out)

I think it depends a lot on what you mean by "fingerpicking". From this, I'd say you mean playing a bass and melody with filler notes, and, if that's what is meant, then, yes, I think you'd need to know chords first so that you can recognize that all the notes you are playing are coming from chords. If not, a beginner would likely be learning "put a finger here, pick this string, put a finger there...." which would be much more difficult and, probably, less musical. I would think, once you know chord shapes and how they fit into scales, you can pick or strum either way.

[TKT]

I'd suggest studying proper form so that you 1. make it as easy as possible to reach the chords you are learning without straining, and also learn correct form from the start (I am still making adjustments for better fit on different size guitars), and

2. make sure your guitar is set up properly so that the strings are a proper height above the fretboard for fingerstyle, which is generally lower. Many new guitars come with the strings a little high. It makes it more difficult to fret cleanly. The only guitar I've bought that didn't need a setup was my Breedlove Oregon series and my Larrivee parlor.

3. Go slow, take your time, find resources you like, and music you love to play over and over and over because you will in the process of learning songs.