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  #16  
Old 02-06-2013, 12:31 PM
pete1960 pete1960 is offline
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Default Best way to teach a complete beginner?

Great advice already been posted.
I teach A. D and E. also E A and B7
I also look at R and L hand coordination under the guise of a warm up. The Spider on the high E.
E. F . F#. G. G#. One finger per fret.
It has to be fun so easy tune. La Bamba. Sweet Home Alabama( strumming ) and I've also found Hey Joe very useful. All the open chords.
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  #17  
Old 02-06-2013, 02:13 PM
Fatfingerjohn Fatfingerjohn is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JonPR View Post
I agree, although in my experience beginners find G and C hard.
A, D and E would make a better trio, for any song in the key of A.
This is always an arguable point. You want people to learn qucikly so give them easy chords and I agree that A, D and E are best. But the problem comes as soon as you want to introduce the complimentary minor chords which are then a bit of a problem. For this reason I prefer to start with G,C and D. And there's no reason why, if they have intial problems with the stretch on G and C, that you can't get them going with a single finger G (1st string) and a two finger C. I know the roots won't be there but a simple strum in the first few weeks with restricted chords gets them going. Then add the other fingers in a few weeks.

I'm sure there's no right way but I prefer to be able to get them into Am and Em to compliment G and they are esay minor chords.
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  #18  
Old 02-06-2013, 06:06 PM
2toss 2toss is offline
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Default Thanks for all the replies!

I really appreciate all the input, and I think I have a clearer picture of how to proceed. I've been working on all of the things Larry suggested and will also ask more questions. I'm not quite sure what my end goals are yet, other than to know that I like listening to acoustic guitar, and things like "Classical Gas" and Eric Clapton. I guess if I had to pick my favorite genre, it would be Blues or Blues/Rock. Although as a beginner, anything I could play that would be semi-recognizable would be fun. :-)

Thanks,
2toss
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  #19  
Old 02-06-2013, 06:46 PM
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Originally Posted by 2toss View Post
...Although as a beginner, anything I could play that would be semi-recognizable would be fun.
Hi 2Toss

That's a great attitude. I think when I started it was just fun to be able to play anything, and as I got better at uber-simple things, it was easy to apply what I knew to other songs as well.

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  #20  
Old 02-06-2013, 07:03 PM
Qplay Qplay is offline
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Thanks guys this thread helped me a lot it makes me feel more like I'm on the right track.Making the chords isn't the real trick it's changing them smoothly that's a little tougher But as I figure it out it sure puts a smile on my face.I can totally relate to anything recognizable is fun.I got The Complete Idiots Guide to Music Theory to kinda fill in the gaps on music theory when I get curious.
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  #21  
Old 02-06-2013, 07:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Qplay View Post
Thanks guys this thread helped me a lot it makes me feel more like I'm on the right track.Making the chords isn't the real trick it's changing them smoothly that's a little tougher But as I figure it out it sure puts a smile on my face.I can totally relate to anything recognizable is fun.I got The Complete Idiots Guide to Music Theory to kinda fill in the gaps on music theory when I get curious.
Hi Q...

An exercise to help you learn to change chords smoothly is to play the same two chords back and forth with a pattern consisting of two quarter notes followed by a half note. If you count out loud as you play, you will learn to keep it steady.

Instead of counting 1-2-3-4 count 1 - 2 - 3 - switch.

The pattern is downstroke, downstroke, downstroke - (switch chord)

When you hit the half note (switch), you have 2 beats to switch to the other chord and be ready for it. You don't have to wait till the last minute to switch the chords.

As you improve your ability to switch those two chords, play the exercise faster. Then find two other chords you need to learn to switch better/smoother and repeat the exercise.


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  #22  
Old 02-06-2013, 10:18 PM
Qplay Qplay is offline
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Thank you ljguitar I just figured out if you only do 2 chords at a time it really helps I'll try that count and see if it helps.I work on it regularly and I am getting better.
Do you know a drill to help when i do melody for learning to find proper strings.Sometimes I get the D and G string mixed up on either my picking or fretting hand.I don't look at my hands I'm reading music.It's getting better but I haven't eliminated the problem yet.If I keep playing does that usually work out or do I have to focus on it.
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  #23  
Old 02-06-2013, 10:33 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Qplay View Post
...I don't look at my hands I'm reading music.
Hi Q...

This is not piano lessons. You can look at your hand all you like, and in fact I recommend it. As you become experienced you may find yourself able to look elsewhere, but there is certainly not any principle or rule with guitar (as in piano) to dictate not looking.

In fact if you look at your first fret and then your 13th fret, you will see the 13th fret half as big, and every fret in between them is gradually smaller. It's preferable for you to hit the right notes as you learn, so looking so you hit the right ones is a good thing.

If there's anything you can look away from, it's the notes on the page. Just memorize them.

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  #24  
Old 02-07-2013, 04:53 AM
JonPR JonPR is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fatfingerjohn View Post
This is always an arguable point. You want people to learn qucikly so give them easy chords and I agree that A, D and E are best. But the problem comes as soon as you want to introduce the complimentary minor chords which are then a bit of a problem. For this reason I prefer to start with G,C and D. And there's no reason why, if they have intial problems with the stretch on G and C, that you can't get them going with a single finger G (1st string) and a two finger C. I know the roots won't be there but a simple strum in the first few weeks with restricted chords gets them going. Then add the other fingers in a few weeks.

I'm sure there's no right way but I prefer to be able to get them into Am and Em to compliment G and they are esay minor chords.
Fair point. The idea of chords on top 4 strings (which all full chords can be reduced to) is certainly a good way to ease them into chords. I do that for students who have real problems stretching, or sometimes for kids with short fingers (on full size guitars).

I also use what I call "lazy G":

-3- ring or pinky
-0-
-0-
-0-
-x- mute with finger below...
-3- middle or ring

- and my own preferred shape for a C chord:

-0-
-1- index
-0-
-2- middle
-3- pinky
-3- ring

- looks more complicated (and a little more of a stretch), but means you don't have to avoid or mute the 6th when strumming, and also makes a good pair with G if you keep ring on the 6th.

Playing "lazy G" with ring and pinky also lets you add an occasional "C/G" with index and middle (keeping 5th muted).
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Last edited by JonPR; 02-07-2013 at 04:59 AM.
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  #25  
Old 02-07-2013, 04:58 AM
JonPR JonPR is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ljguitar View Post
Hi Q...

An exercise to help you learn to change chords smoothly is to play the same two chords back and forth with a pattern consisting of two quarter notes followed by a half note. If you count out loud as you play, you will learn to keep it steady.

Instead of counting 1-2-3-4 count 1 - 2 - 3 - switch.

The pattern is downstroke, downstroke, downstroke - (switch chord)

When you hit the half note (switch), you have 2 beats to switch to the other chord and be ready for it. You don't have to wait till the last minute to switch the chords.

As you improve your ability to switch those two chords, play the exercise faster. Then find two other chords you need to learn to switch better/smoother and repeat the exercise.

Great advice. I do a very similar thing with my students, with actual chord sequences too. The idea being to make sure to hit the new chord in time on the beat, however much space you need to leave beforehand.
It's a myth that chord changes need to be lightning fast. What matters is keeping time, and the ear will usually forgive some faking or open strings between beat 4 and the next 1.
Changing in one beat will still be impossible for most beginners, but leaving 2 beats (or even more) is OK to start with.
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  #26  
Old 02-07-2013, 10:47 AM
Irish Pennant Irish Pennant is offline
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When I was a beginner (just a few years ago) I got a chord book and learned a handful of chords and practiced switching smoothly between them whilst building up the tips of my fingers. Then I took lessons. The first instructor was a blues musician and had a system where he would layout the 12 bar blues in a grid with each space being one bar, seemed to be a good method for the blues and for teaching the uneducated as well as for getting quick results. With his system you could learn to play the blues but not read music or learn theory. The second instructor was a finger style musician and by the time I went to him I was ready for him. Through him I was exposed to chord theory, music theory and a numbering system for playing scales. I've finally learned enough to know how little I know. I use what I learned from the second instructor almost every time I play and I believe it's a good foundation for me. If you're not getting what you think you need from your instructor then change instructors until you find one that's a good fit for where you're at in your playing.
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