I LOVE IT!!

[Amanda-Jane]

Simply beautiful. Oh, and the guitar looks nice too. Seriously, congratulations. Your new guitar will bring you hours of wasted time, erm, I mean enjoyment. I'm envious of your ability to play "a mean A chord." I couldn't play a decent A until I'd been playing for 3 or 4 years when an electric player friend showed me a cheat. You either have smallish hands or better coordination than I do. Maybe both. BTW, I didn't realize you were in the UK. The Tanglewood was the tip-off.

 

I do have smallish fingers The A chord is the only one I can strum clean without muting any other strings... so far

 

and I live in Ontario Canada.. just playing a guitar that is popular in the UK

[happy-man]

 

... I couldn't play a decent A until I'd been playing for 3 or 4 years when an electric player friend showed me a cheat. You either have smallish hands or better coordination than I do. ...

 

 

We must be similar. I finger A x0MIR0 M=middle finger, I=index finger, R=ring finger. If I do it the "normal" way x0IMR0 I mute adjacent strings, and I can't bend my joint backwards to do it the one finger method.

 

Scott O

[AugTPD]

Looks like you have yourself a really nice first acoustic! Enjoy it and always remember that playing guitar is more about just having fun than anything else.

[T.B.]

I do have smallish fingers The A chord is the only one I can strum clean without muting any other strings... so far and I live in Ontario Canada.. just playing a guitar that is popular in the UK

 

 

Congrats A-J. That's one purity ax, from your pic that guitar looks like it's comfortable to hold/play, hand in glove. Never heard of Tanglewood's until I saw them in Elderly Instruments catalog. Strum On!!!

 

Trina

[melandy]

 

...I can't bend my joint backwards to do it the one finger method.

 

 

I use the one finger method (index). It puts a lot of strain on the second knuckle, so sometimes I'll give myself a break and do a bar up on 5.

 

-m

[12Gauge]

Hey, that's great. Nice guitar. I'm happy for you:)

 

Sore fingers yet? They'll toughen up in time.

[Amanda-Jane]

yes.. my fingers are quite sore today.. 30 minutes in and I am wincing in pain tonight. Perhaps I overdid it yesterday?.. oh well..It will get easier I'm sure- I am proud of myself though, I am progressing nicely.. day two- I can clearly make 8 chords... with effort.. but I can remember 6 of them without looking at the reference sheet I made for myself.

 

Switching between chords is VERY slow, I worked on that today. I am practicing easy ones first... even if they aren't a good musical pattern- just technique- E to Eminor...ooooooo and E to Aminor...oooooo

I was also doing finger excercises.. hammer-ons..

first string 1-2-3-4

1-3

1-4

Second string etc..

This is not easy for me either..but easy comes with practice. I know this from other instruments.

 

I feel like the people who clean their house before the cleaning lady shows up..lol I am trying to learn as much as I can so that when I go the teacher I can show him what I have taught myself..people are strange indeed.

[Hamhand]

Congrats. That is a really nice first guitar. I still have mine 30 years later. PS. I was born in Guelph. But one day Jed was shootin at some food.....

[MattSkibaIsGOD]

Congrats on a great-looking guitar. Hope you enjoy it.

[Amanda-Jane]

Congrats. That is a really nice first guitar. I still have mine 30 years later. PS. I was born in Guelph. But one day Jed was shootin at some food.....

 

 

 

you know Jed too!!!!????!!! lol

[OldGuitarPlayer]

Simply beautiful. Oh, and the guitar looks nice too. Seriously, congratulations. Your new guitar will bring you hours of wasted time, erm, I mean enjoyment. I'm envious of your ability to play "a mean A chord." I couldn't play a decent A until I'd been playing for 3 or 4 years when an electric player friend showed me a cheat. You either have smallish hands or better coordination than I do. Maybe both. BTW, I didn't realize you were in the UK. The Tanglewood was the tip-off.

 

 

Tanglewoods are also sold here in Canada. I am in Ottawa Canada and before I bought my Taylor I tried out couple of Tanglewoods and they where a close contender and very reasonably priced for a good quality guitar. The ones I tried had solid cedar tops and the jumbo model I played had a really nice rich tone.

 

Way to go Amanda! I am sure with all the practicing you are doing your teacher will be very impressed

[Hoddy]

Very !

[Amanda-Jane]

To save from double posting- I have a question in the lesson loft.... ;)

[garthman]

 

yes.. my fingers are quite sore today.. 30 minutes in and I am wincing in pain tonight. Perhaps I overdid it yesterday?.. oh well..It will get easier I'm sure- I am proud of myself though, I am progressing nicely.. day two- I can clearly make 8 chords... with effort.. but I can remember 6 of them without looking at the reference sheet I made for myself. Switching between chords is VERY slow, I worked on that today. I am practicing easy ones first... even if they aren't a good musical pattern- just technique- E to Eminor...ooooooo and E to Aminor...oooooo I was also doing finger excercises.. hammer-ons.. first string 1-2-3-4 1-3 1-4 Second string etc.. This is not easy for me either..but easy comes with practice. I know this from other instruments. I feel like the people who clean their house before the cleaning lady shows up..lol I am trying to learn as much as I can so that when I go the teacher I can show him what I have taught myself..people are strange indeed.

 

 

There will come a time, in approx 2 months, when your fingers will "remember" the chords, viz. you will not need to think about putting this finger here and that finger there, they will just go. It's a wonderful moment, as good as the joy of getting your guitar. Practise, practise. And start learning to fingerpick NOW.

[Amanda-Jane]

There will come a time, in approx 2 months, when your fingers will "remember" the chords, viz. you will not need to think about putting this finger here and that finger there, they will just go. It's a wonderful moment, as good as the joy of getting your guitar. Practise, practise. And start learning to fingerpick NOW.

 

I look forward to that day. I can't even come close to playing along with a song. But I have been using some easy country songs to help direct my chord changes. Strumming in different patterns, but mostly DDUUD

I have been playing now since thursday..lol.. That is almost all I have done.

 

Anyway- a few days in and already my fingers are less sensitive to the strings.. which is a very big plus now it's even more enjoyable.

 

I do want to learn how to fingerpick..

I go for my first lesson tomorrow evening. I am looking forward to it. I wonder what he'll teach me. They are half hour lessons each week.

[Juan more time]

Hey AJ,

Just wanted to let you know that I pretty much started to play the same day as you,you're not the only one with a little frustration and some sore fingers!

 

But,I'm making some progress and am really psyched,it's on my mind all the time.

 

I seem to be able to handle playing maybe 10 or 15 minutes at a time before my fingers and hands tell me to take it easy,but my left hand is finally starting to do what i'm telling it to do.This weekend I've played about 4 times a day this way,I'm hoping I can build up to a half hour or hour pretty quick.

 

I feel like an effin wuss! I'm a 200 pound construction worker,work with my hands all day,and thought I had some tough hands and fingers,I guess I've never used them like this though.

 

Best of luck to you!

[Amanda-Jane]

Juan-

its cool we started at the same time- we can learn together

 

my fingers are numb..lol

I have been playing on and off all day and in my spare time during my workdays..

I even took it to work with me on Saturday since I was the only person working in a very quiet (not busy) office..

 

It hurt more yesterday than today.. I hope its a sign of toughing up ..

still hurts if I hold a chord to long.. like playing D, and practicing strumming patterns..

 

What are you playing? What do you hope to play?

Progress seems to be coming quickly for me too- chords are becoming easier to remember, without looking at the sheet. I am beginning with 8 chords

 

I go for a lesson tomorrow. Will you be using a teacher?

[MePeel]

I learned to play by picking a song out of a songbook, and flailing away at it until it didn't sound Gawd-Awful anymore. Then I would pick another song to torture for awhile. I eventually developed an ass-backward way of fingerpicking as well. Keep pluggin away!

 

Mel

[Juan more time]

Juan- its cool we started at the same time- we can learn together my fingers are numb..lol What are you playing? What do you hope to play? I go for a lesson tomorrow. Will you be using a teacher?

 

Yeah, that's way cool.

 

I'm going to go at it for another 10 minutes before I go to bed,maybe 2 times (I keep it next to the bed).

 

You know,right now I don't have any goals or limits,I just want to learn to play.I can't get it out of my head.I went to a kids birthday party last night and was pissed I got out of there late (don't these kids EVER go to bed?) I wanted to get home and play-too late,had to wait till morning.

 

Right now,I'm learning with some online lessons.Real simple stuff,but it just gives me what I need,a direction for something to practice over and over till I can do it well enough to move on to the next simple thing. I don't think a teacher would really matter to me right now,I just have to do it,over and over till my fingers start to listen.

 

My guitar? Don't laugh,but I bought a Zager.I understand that they aren't really beloved around here,but I like mine so far.It looks nice,it has a nice sunbust finish.Seems to play much easier than this $90 beater that I've had around for 10 years that has scared me off every time I've tried to get into it.As far as sound,don't ask me,it sounds fine.You know,I could have spent a week in a music store and not known the difference from one to the other,plus I think I would have been a bit intimidated searching music stores that way.But it's funny how I've made progress this week,I know that my ears are SO much keener now,I can hear and notice so much more right now.

 

I subscribed to the Zager online lessons,I like it so far,well explained,encouraging and very interesting,kind of gets you right into playing chords and songs,I'm starting to see the reasoning.

 

You know,I think I saw an old post where you said you played another instrument.Well,when I was a kid,I played the trumpet.I couldn't play that thing for {censored}.Was ready to give up. Then I had that break through.Two years later,in the school band,I was sitting all the way to the left.First seat,trumpet section,lead and solo.I know the breakthroughs and triumphs that playing an instrument can bring.That was when I was a teen ager. It's been 25 years since I picked up anything and played it.I'm looking for that magic again.

[Fred Fartboski]

Here is some pics... and me on the first day with my new git.... notice how I've picked up the lingo...lol

 

 

Very nice! Cheers! Play and sing your heart out!

[Amanda-Jane]

Yeah, that's way cool. You know,I think I saw an old post where you said you played another instrument.Well,when I was a kid,I played the trumpet.I couldn't play that thing for {censored}.Was ready to give up. Then I had that break through.Two years later,in the school band,I was sitting all the way to the left.First seat,trumpet section,lead and solo.I know the breakthroughs and triumphs that playing an instrument can bring.That was when I was a teen ager. It's been 25 years since I picked up anything and played it.I'm looking for that magic again.

 

I do. I play saxophone and in school I played bass and alto clarinet. Mostly Bass Clarinet for the band. I loved music then and still do. I have a piano and keyboard.. but I don't play much at all..

 

The sax is loud for the house..lol.. so I have to wait until I am home alone to practice. I was thinking of joining a band (still considering it) in order to utilize my playing. Other than that, its just for me.

 

The guitar is a new challenge- Its one of those things that you always want to do and never did... and now wonder why you waited so long..

just strumming a few chords is magic. I have been looking at www.justinguitar.com so far its been very helpful- but alot of the very beginner videos are. The strum - pick out - strum technique is great for making sure your not muting any notes... on a few I would lay one finger down- pick it to have it ring out- next finger - pick etc then strum.. then pick each note..and get a feel for how it should be.

 

There will be no laughing at your guitar from me.. I don't know what a Zager is.. so good on ya- you like it, you enjoy it.. its perfect

 

I know the magic of a solo part... the difference between making noise/notes and making music.... I look forward to it as well with the guitar. I like to sing too. Something difficult to do while you play the sax. Not that I am any good but I like it.

[ESL94]

very nice!

[Gary Palmer]

Hi Amanda,

 

Your new Tanglewood is an example of a guitar you can expect to grow and improve as your own playing advances as your range improves. I've had a TW15NS and a TW1000 for quite some time now and they're both sweet sounding instruments.

 

One book you could pehaps consider as a learning aid - something I found very useful when I began - is "The Complete Guitar Player" by Russ Shipton. It comes with a CD (Mine had a cassette tape ) and is split into four sections which take you from absolute beginner and through to advanced playing, but (More importantly) has you playing tunes from day one. He also gives advice on singing along as you play - although I tend to keep away from singing because I was known in the school choir as "Who the hell is that?"

 

One song you could try strumming and picking is "Scarborough Fair" with chords Am, E, D and G, but - just as with any instrument - try not to be discouraged if things don't gel as quickly as you'd like. It all comes with practise.