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  #16  
Old 07-26-2022, 12:38 PM
Jamolay Jamolay is offline
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Originally Posted by Horseflesh View Post
Beginner here too.

Guitar is the hardest thing I have ever tried to learn, by far. I am having a lot of fun but I can't say it isn't extremely frustrating sometimes.

Another vote for the metronome here, but be warned... Just when you think you might be doing something OK, the metronome will prove you fooled yourself!

Agreed. The metronome is hard enough. I find it a little like the singing, or pressing “record”.

The on button for the metronome is directly wired to the off button of my brain.

Clearly this means I need to use it even more.

Same with singing, but I am only tentatively venturing there as I need more metronome and more strumming time first.
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  #17  
Old 07-27-2022, 12:32 AM
tbirdman tbirdman is offline
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I’ve been playing for 2 years. As others you need practice the strum pattern over and over until It becomes muscle memory. I’m playing 3 songs this Friday open mic with three different finger picking and strum patterns. First is the finger picking pattern were I pluck the root of the chord, then 3rd, then 1st and 2nd strings together, then the 3rd. Next song I pluck the root, then strum down, then strum down and up. Third I pluck the root then play in order 3rd, 2nd, 1st, 2nd and 3rd in arpeggio.

All of these songs were played all and over until I had good muscle memory. Then I put the singing and strumming together. The 1st and 3rd patterns I’ve used in other songs. So,once you get a pattern for one song, you can easily use it for another song.

But nothing but good repetition until you get the pattern engrained to muscle memory.

Singing is not easy. You need to get the rhythm and the melody. I struggle with some songs and others are much easier. I’ve got guitar and singing instructors. Funny thing is when they point where I need to improve, it’s like they are sharing notes!
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  #18  
Old 07-27-2022, 04:51 AM
Rick Jones Rick Jones is offline
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It's like driving. At first it's loads to remember at once, but after a while it gets filed in the amygdala and becomes like walking or breathing. It won't happen fast but it will happen faster the more you do it.

I'd take one phrase, set an alarm clock or timer for 45 min to one hour, then slowly practice one verse or even measure until the alarm goes off. You'll become utterly sick of it. Then leave it, preferably get a night's sleep.

The next time you try it, I bet it will seem way less challenging. After a few days of this, I bet you nail it.
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  #19  
Old 07-27-2022, 06:16 AM
Silly Moustache Silly Moustache is offline
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Yes , it is about practice, but sadly, many of us tend to practice "mistakes" or shortcomings rather than analysing and correcting.

I know that Justin does excellent videos etc., and I would never diminish what he does for so many, but unless you are seeing him one to one and he is watching you play, you might be falling into the above problem.

Please see my details below. I'm in the UK and have some zoom one to one slots available - maybe I could help?

Just a point, I have to charge but there is NO obligation to book a number of sessions. You decide whether you want another at the end of each session.

All the best, Andy
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  #20  
Old 07-27-2022, 07:14 AM
CASD57 CASD57 is offline
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Practice chord changes without vocal 1st....just go through the open chords... maybe 1-4-5 changes....faster and faster..build up your muscle memory
1-4-5.......5-4-1...(in every key), throw in 2m-3m-6m (minors)
The main thing is just go through the changes....Do it watching TV...that helps separating the two-brains It helps to learn to concentrate on two things at the sametime
Just my .02
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  #21  
Old 07-27-2022, 07:19 AM
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Originally Posted by Chas007 View Post
I'm a beginner teaching myself Bad Moon Rising from the Justin guitar series on the internet. D, A, G chords no capo, strumming pattern is down down down up down up. Strumming the pattern while changing chords is tough, but if I start out slow and then build up speed I can get into a rhythm, but then if I open my mouth to sing it all goes to crap. It's worse than rubbing your belly and patting your head at the same time.
Suggestions welcome.......
Hello, and welcome to guitar playing, the ultimate multi-tasking adventure!

The more automatic the chords and strumming become, the easier it will be to sing along. Right now, when you're having to use so many brain cycles just to change from chord to chord and keep up the strumming pattern, you don't have any cycles left over for singing.

You could try all down strums, 1-2-3-4. Keep it as simple as possible then try to sing along with that. You have to free up some processing cycles for the words and for your voice until the other part is totally automatic. When you are teaching yourself the chord changes, you don't necessarily have to strum the whole thing. You can just hit the bass note of the chord to learn where to emphasize the beat, as you're learning the words to sing. You would start by singing the lyrics, then hitting just the bass note at the chord change, to figure out where to put the emphasis. If that makes sense. Then when you understand the structure, and how the chord changes fit with the lyrics, start strumming the whole chord, down strums. Then when you can do that, mix it up with the strumming.

I can strum, change chords and sing after just a few months, but when I try finger pick and sing, I suddenly become mute again and my brain short circuits!

It just takes time, and practice. You're doing it right by starting with the easiest possible songs. Bad Moon Rising is a good one.
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  #22  
Old 07-27-2022, 07:54 AM
PhilFish PhilFish is offline
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When I learn a song I'll strum the opening chord 1 strum, sing the melody to the next chord change, 1 strum sing to the next chord change ect. do it slow
For me this helps with timing, where chord changes are and the rhythm of the song.
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  #23  
Old 07-27-2022, 09:14 AM
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Mr. Jelly Mr. Jelly is offline
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As guitar players we have people say how they wish they could play guitar. There is one main ingredient to playing guitar in my mind. That's the desire to play guitar. If you have that you will find ways to learn and you will get better. That's why not everyone can play the guitar and what makes playing guitar special.
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  #24  
Old 07-27-2022, 09:59 AM
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Another thing you might try if you haven't already is play without a pick.
Just strum with your fingers while you're figuring out the song then when you have it down grab the pick.
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  #25  
Old 07-27-2022, 11:28 AM
Chas007 Chas007 is offline
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Again, so much awesome advice here!
I never thought I would need to practice strumming that much because it appears to come so naturally to other people when you watch them do it. I wanted to play not just sit and strum dead strings for hours. I learn things slow, especially multitasking things and now I realize that I have been taking strumming for granted. The little things matter. I can be playing pretty smooth and the second I push the record button or attempt to play for more wife, I mess up.
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  #26  
Old 07-27-2022, 11:45 AM
Horseflesh Horseflesh is offline
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Lots of good advice in here so far.

Another piece of advice that I have heard a few places, and have recently found to be true, is this:

Practice simple 1-2-3-4 down-strumming with chord changes every bar, but if you mangle the chord changes, keep strumming while your fretting hand figures it out. If you are strumming at a speed that is just barely above your chord change comfort level you'll screw up some changes but you will also find that the pressure helps you make some progress.

It's also good practice for getting your fingers down in the right order... Bass notes first.

Lately I have been working on strumming a lot. It has been hard to break the ultra-beginner habit of stopping when I screw up a change, but progress has come more quickly than I expected.
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  #27  
Old 07-27-2022, 12:18 PM
jacot23 jacot23 is online now
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chas007 View Post
Again, so much awesome advice here!
I never thought I would need to practice strumming that much because it appears to come so naturally to other people when you watch them do it. I wanted to play not just sit and strum dead strings for hours. I learn things slow, especially multitasking things and now I realize that I have been taking strumming for granted. The little things matter. I can be playing pretty smooth and the second I push the record button or attempt to play for more wife, I mess up.
Record EVERYTHING and delete as needed.
You'll get over stage/ fright real quick.

Where in TN?
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  #28  
Old 07-27-2022, 01:16 PM
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Another thing you may want to consider as you're learning is which version of the chords are you using? If you're just using the open Cowboy chords, that may not be the most efficient way to transition from one to the other. This could be getting a little "advanced," but not really so much. I think it's helpful right out the gate to think of the entire fretboard as your home and not get stuck down at the nut.

I looked at Bad Moon Rising, and it's D-A-G. You're always moving from the A to the G, so instead of doing the open A with all three fingers on the 2nd fret, or the open G, with the 2-3-4 fingers, which requires a complete repositioning of your fingers, have a look at some of the other ways to fret those chords. The open D is probably the best one for this song, as it's the easiest to get into/out of.

But if you fret an open D, you can slide that same shape up to the 7th and 9th frets for G and A respectively, if you only strum the bottom three strings. So all you have to do is move up and down the fretboard never changing finger position. One finger position, three different chords.

You can also fret an open F on the bottom four strings, and when you move that shape up to the 3rd and 5th frets it becomes a G and an A respectively. So no repositioning of fingers required there either, just moving up and down the fret board. If you're doing bar chords already, and you do an F major bar chord, then you can move that shape up to the 3rd and 5th frets for G and A.

To get a D bar chord with that shape, you go up to the 9th fret. I find it a bit squished up there for the full bar chords, but it's not impossible to do. Give it a try, see how sounds. How it feels.

I guess what I'm saying is, the entire fretboard is your oyster! The song will sound different depending on which way you fret the chords. Try them all! It's a feast! The less you have to think about what your left hand is doing, the more you can think about your right hand and your voice.

I picture it like this: left hand = mathematical/logical brain. Right hand = intuition from the gut. Let it just doing its thing. It'll come naturally. Singing = emotions/straight from the heart.

I find all of this so exciting! I (heart) guitar!
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  #29  
Old 07-28-2022, 07:46 AM
Chas007 Chas007 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jacot23 View Post
Record EVERYTHING and delete as needed.
You'll get over stage/ fright real quick.

Where in TN?
Thanks for the advice. Yes the record button puts a lot of pressure on me. I've recorded a couple of strumming things for my Facebook friends; no way to count how many takes I did. 🙂
Union City, TN for me. About as far northwest as you can go.
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  #30  
Old 07-28-2022, 08:40 AM
Chas007 Chas007 is offline
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Just one more thing to add.
I'm 62 yrs old and can't sing, but with just the rhythm guitar part it doesn't really seem like the song if you don't put the words with it.
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