New to the site (Beginner)

[DHosinski]

Originally Posted by tonyo

If using the metronome sucks all the fun out of your playing, drop it and come back to it later. It took me a few attempts over quite some months before the metronome worked for me. Most important is keep it fun and get to where you can play a song all the way through. The accomplishment that gives is well worth it.

Keep it fun!

I can certainly see how the metronome can kill a happy player. But, on the flip side it’s equally important to stay in time. I do think a part of my problem here a not staying in time and rushing.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by DHosinski

I can certainly see how the metronome can kill a happy player. But, on the flip side it’s equally important to stay in time. I do think a part of my problem here a not staying in time and rushing.

Hi DH

First of all, Hello and welcome to the forum!!

As a teacher, I never deployed metronomes with beginners unless they were not getting the concept of counting at all. It's more of a down-the-line aid for learning to regulate tempo than a counting tool.

And I owned a decent one which emphasized beat one (in 3/4 or 4/4 time). I used it as a loaner to students rather than insisting they buy one.

So in deference to others who have posted advice about a metronome here, I think there are better beginner skills.

I also recommend Justinguitar on YouTube as a great supplement to your TrueFire lessons.

And probably one of the best things for me to get me going was a playing friend who would get together and jam with me weekly. We learned more together than either of us knew alone.

[TBman]

Welcome to the forum!

Take your time, don't rush it. If you are learning songs, then sing along as you play at a slow tempo. This will highlight the chord changes that need practice without using a metronome, which I find to be a pain to use.

When you practice chord changes, you may not get an immediate improvement. It may take a couple/few days.

Also at the end of a practice session you might be nailing a chord change and then the next day it could disappear when you first try it. Don't get frustrated by this. Everyone needs warm up time and it takes a while for chord changes to become second nature.

Two things are needed for improvement in guitar playing...

Practice, practice, practice and
Patience, patience and more patience.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by DHosinski

They actually teach the same method on TrueFire. The index finger (1) is the anchor finger. When switching to D from A. The index (1) stays, the middle (2) is lifted, and you slide the ring (3) to the third fret, and then place the middle on the first string second fret. I still get a little messy here, but I have a much harder time when I have to switch quickly between lets say the 'E' chord to 'D.'

That will be my practice for a bit until I get it right.

Hi DH
Doing this exact switch, I caught a beginner one day moving her hands but not playing strings, and asked her what she was doing. She said she would focus on the switching till she got it, and then add the strumming back in.

Then she used a beginner exercise for learning chord switches in time to add strumming to the equation…

Switching Chords for Beginners…





Switching chords for beginners - CliCk

She had it up and working smoothly in about 2 minutes, and I learned an important lesson. So now when mastering new fret hand techniques I will give them the silent treatment repeating them till the 'muscle-memory' sets in. You say you are a beginner, but perhaps have hurdled beyond this type of simplicity. My intent is not to speak down to you, but encourage you to learn to tailor exercises to your skill level, and your learning ritual (we learn things differently).

[DHosinski]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi DH
Doing this exact switch, I caught a beginner one day moving her hands but not playing strings, and asked her what she was doing. She said she would focus on the switching till she got it, and then add the strumming back in.

Then she used a beginner exercise for learning chord switches in time to add strumming to the equation…

Switching Chords for Beginners…


She had it up and working smoothly in about 2 minutes, and I learned an important lesson. So now when mastering new fret hand techniques I will give them the silent treatment repeating them till the 'muscle-memory' sets in. You say you are a beginner, but perhaps have hurdled beyond this type of simplicity. My intent is not to speak down to you, but encourage you to learn to tailor exercises to your skill level, and your learning ritual (we learn things differently).

No offense taken, and thank you for the advice. I have no problem with going back to the roots if that is what helps. I don't remember if I mentioned this, but I played the drums in HS. So, this may help for understanding the notes. Honestly, at the quarter note pace I am pretty clean. I am okay with eighth notes (strumming down and up) but i'm better switching between let's say the 'A' chord and the 'D' chords. In the TrueFire lessons, I am at the point where I am playing Crazy (Wild) Thing. Going from 'A' to 'D,' and up to 'E' then back down is where I tend to get sloppy. I understand it's going to take time to get through it.

[DHosinski]

Originally Posted by TBman

Welcome to the forum!

Take your time, don't rush it. If you are learning songs, then sing along as you play at a slow tempo. This will highlight the chord changes that need practice without using a metronome, which I find to be a pain to use.

When you practice chord changes, you may not get an immediate improvement. It may take a couple/few days.

Also at the end of a practice session you might be nailing a chord change and then the next day it could disappear when you first try it. Don't get frustrated by this. Everyone needs warm up time and it takes a while for chord changes to become second nature.

Two things are needed for improvement in guitar playing...

Practice, practice, practice and
Patience, patience and more patience.

Unfortunately, I'm not really playing songs just yet. Actually if someone who has learned to play music, or read tabs could give me some suggestions on how they practiced those types of things, that would be great. I think the best suggestion I've seen to date is, finding a group or practice friend.
I started playing because I've really been wanting to try. Then my son started and so I decided "why not." We plan to try to practice. His schedule is pretty busy.. I'll have to see what I can do about finding other possibilities.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by DHosinski

Unfortunately, I'm not really playing songs just yet. Actually if someone who has learned to play music, or read tabs could give me some suggestions on how they practiced those types of things, that would be great. I think the best suggestion I've seen to date is, finding a group or practice friend.
I started playing because I've really been wanting to try. Then my son started and so I decided "why not." We plan to try to practice. His schedule is pretty busy.. I'll have to see what I can do about finding other possibilities.

A lot of people here used www.justinguitar.com

[DHosinski]

I am signed up at Justin Guitar. I plan to give it a try.