Jump to content

IWTL How to play acoustic guitar.


charmender

Recommended Posts

  • Members

 

I've tried multiple instructional dvds, YouTube videos, etc.. I'm having trouble learning chords, but more importantly transitioning from one chord to another. In-person lessons seem out of my price range.

 

Hi Charmender and welcome to HCAG. I don't know what songs or genre of music you are trying to play but something that might help is to think of many modern music styles as consisting of just three chords. In western music this is often the so called one, four and five chord (there is some theory behind the name, don't worry about that now). The important thing is that these three chords sound good together and many many many songs can be played by just switching from one to the other.

 

The starting chord (the roman numeral I chord) is the "key" of the song. In the key of E the three chords would be E, A and B. In the key of C they are C, F and G. Some of those chords are more difficult to play than others (the B can be pretty hard, as is F) but if you work on just transitioning within a key you will be able to play many western, rock and other popular songs.

 

Adding the minor 6th chord (Am for the key of C) gives you a nice jazzy chord. Changing the V chord to the so called "dominate 7th" gives the progression a bluesy feel - in the key of C that would be C, F, G7. With just those three chords you can play a lot of blues.

 

My point is to simply practice the chords that work together - back and forth between C and F, then C and G (or G7) then F to G

 

Here is a little theory to help you understand what I'm suggesting

 

https://www.guitar-chords.org.uk/chords-key-c.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Have you priced lessons locally? When I took them (30 years ago?) they were about $10/ half-hour, but you had to pay for the month's lessons (4 lessons) in advance, so it was $40/month. I really, really recommend some kind of in-person lessons for all beginners! It's very easy to fall into bad habits while learning to play, and it can be difficult to fix them later.

 

What a lot of people don't understand is that there is a very real physical, almost athletic, hand/muscle memory that's part of playing guitar. Think of it like training to run a marathon. It's not going to happen in two weeks or even two months.

 

The learning curve for guitar is steepest at the beginning. Which means getting started is the hardest part. Learning guitar happens at several levels...the first bit simply learning and memorizing things like the notes of the strings, which notes at which frets, chord shapes, ect, ect....

 

Then there's what I call "finger memory" - your hands and fingers have to be taught to play the guitar too! I suspect this is what's frustrating you, but there's no real shortcuts. You've just got to do the work.... Learn three chords to start out. I'd suggest C, D and G. I remember this stage of learning, it's brutal. "This finger goes on this string, this finger goes here, this finger goes here..." . Work on your chords until you can play them cleanly without buzzes and rattles.

 

Then, once you have those three chords semi-mastered, you can work on changes. Make a C chord. Strum it. Now make a D chord with your fingers. Strum it. Now, back to the C chord. Strum. Keep repeating this. Concentrate on playing cleanly and accurately. Go as slow as you need to to play accurately.

 

Work SLOWLY. Speed will come later, with practice. With lots of time and repetition, eventually your hands will learn the chord shapes, and forming chords on the guitar will be 'automatic' and come without thinking.

 

In addition to finger/muscle memory, you also have to develop some finger and wrist strength to finger chords and notes cleanly. Especially on acoustic guitar. This will also come over time, with practice.

 

Try to practice every day or nearly every day. I'd try to practice at least 20 minutes a day but not more than an hour.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
.. Learn three chords to start out. I'd suggest C' date=' D and G. I remember this stage of learning, it's brutal. [i']"This finger goes on this string, this finger goes here, this finger goes here..."[/i] . Work on your chords until you can play them cleanly without buzzes and rattles.

 

Then, once you have those three chords semi-mastered, you can work on changes. Make a C chord. Strum it. Now make a D chord with your fingers. Strum it. Now, back to the C chord. Strum. Keep repeating this. Concentrate on playing cleanly and accurately. Go as slow as you need to to play accurately.

 

C, D and G are the IV, V, and I chords of the key of G. Probably the easiest to transition between and again, the basis for a great many songs.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I've tried multiple instructional dvds, YouTube videos, etc.. I'm having trouble learning chords, but more importantly transitioning from one chord to another. In-person lessons seem out of my price range.

 

A DVD, YouTube video, chord chart or book can show you what positions to put your fingers... but you're right - becoming fluid at repositioning from one chord "shape" to another is challenging. And unfortunately there's no real secret trick that I'm aware of to getting good / fast at it. What it takes is repetition. You're trying to build up muscle memory, so your fingers go from one place to another easily and quickly, and without really having to give it any conscious thought.

 

The way I did it, and everyone else I know did it is to just do it - a lot. In the beginning, you will need to do it very slowly. Start by learning how to play the open first-position G chord, C chord, and D chord. Those are the three primary chords in the key of G. Once you learn how to play the G, practice going from that to the C chord. Position your hands on the G chord and strum slowly two or four times, then reposition to the C chord and strum slowly (at the same tempo) two or four times, then switch back to the G chord and strum two or four more times. Do the strums at whatever (slow) rate you need to in order to have time to reposition for the new chord in the space between strums without having to delay the next strum on the new chord, and so that you can play the chords "cleanly" without buzzes or unwanted muted strings. This will help not only with the muscle memory, but it will also teach you how to keep time and play at a constant tempo or pace too.

 

If it takes you five seconds to reposition between chords, then strum at a rate of one strum each five seconds. As you get more comfortable with positioning your hands to the proper chord shapes you'll be able to do it faster - it might only take you two seconds to switch between chords, so when you get to that point, use a tempo of one strum each two seconds... but stick with a slow, steady tempo at first until cleanly switching between chords becomes second nature. Then go a bit faster and keep practicing until you master the changes at the faster tempo, then speed it up a bit and keep practicing until you can master it at the new speed.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...