Tips for an old guy trying to learn guitar

Williams 728
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have always said, "it's the poor craftsman who blames his tools"

but gotta say, a nice guitar sure does make it easier to learn
 
7s!! I'd break those damn things just trying to tune it!

I've played a couple of vintage Gibsons before, and even a Washburn form the 30s. I've never been big on vintage ones, I guess because I'm so rough on my guitars, and I know if I bought an older one I'd destroy it in no time. I have seen some older J-45s go for very good prices on ebay and craigslist, though I'm not exactly certain of the years, maybe 800-1200 bucks? Shop around you might be able to find a deal. I love those guitars, but I MUST have a cutaway on mine, I'm strange that way. I am hoping that my Gibson will last me 10 years, at the rate it's going I am having my doubts though. It's so hard to make a guitar last if your playing it all the time and carrying it around.

I truly believe Epis are the best bang for your buck in that price range, I intent to buy one for my little girl when she's a bit older, and if she keeps showing interest. Having a nice guitar does help to learn some, it gives the player some really good positive feedback. They are generally easier to play as well too, and can be a source of pride for the owner, encouraging them to play.

This cheapie is riding shotgun with me today, and should help pass the time during short breaks.

20160303_094114.jpg
 
estricklin said:
7s!! I'd break those damn things just trying to tune it!
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Funny story. My Epi has 10s on it right now...except the high E, which is a 12. The reason? I had never put 10s on before and my brain is not quite yet to processing music automatically. So, I put the 10s on, and was tuning the guitar. My 7 year old daughter was fascinated by how the tune was changing as I tightened the high E string, and she got right up on it while I was tuning.

Problem is that my Snark Tuner was telling me the string was registering at F# and my brain said "damn, keep tightening, almost there...".

That little girl will never again be in the same room as me while I'm tuning a guitar...I can guarantee you that.

Only had a 12 to replace it.
 
Ok, back to actual tips. I look up chords to songs and then try to get the strumming pattern down. I know you experienced guys will say "screw strum pattern, feel the song". I'm game for that, but how? How do you develop your ear to better "feel" the pattern or rhythm for your right hand?
 
I guess personally I have a handful of different strum patterns I resort to depending on the song or the feel I want. I started with DDUDU as my go to, then added DDUUDU. Sometimes I'll just use all down strokes, other times I'll pick the top string then strum up/pick the bottom couple strings.

To me it mostly depends on the beat and if I'm playing with another instrument.
 
HarborTownBrewing said:
I guess personally I have a handful of different strum patterns I resort to depending on the song or the feel I want. I started with DDUDU as my go to, then added DDUUDU. Sometimes I'll just use all down strokes, other times I'll pick the top string then strum up/pick the bottom couple strings.

To me it mostly depends on the beat and if I'm playing with another instrument.
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I do those same patterns to see if it sounds right. Often it does. Other times, no. Right now I'm working on Take It Easy, by the Eagles. I use DDUUDU on the intro, which sounds right (I know that technically, it starts on the upstroke after the 4th beat, but that's beyond what I'm working on now). When I hit the verse, I break into DDUDUDU. I just can't really get the cadence right or something...just doesn't sound right to me.
 
Ridire said:
Ok, back to actual tips. I look up chords to songs and then try to get the strumming pattern down. I know you experienced guys will say "screw strum pattern, feel the song". I'm game for that, but how? How do you develop your ear to better "feel" the pattern or rhythm for your right hand?
Click to expand...

your question is partly the answer. You develop the feel you develop the skills, through thoughtful practice in rhythm and tempo. A little story I was taking lessons with a quasi famous teacher one of his best students is bill Frizzell, we were playing a Samba rhythm that was more like The DaVinci Code and I asked him kind of the same question you asked and he said you work on it you practice it you develop it, it grows on you and you begin to embody it. Well something like that. I have neglected strumming patterns a little myself. Like harbor I have a few that I default to. But I have other specialized ones like samba and bossa nova. The best tip for you is to use in ancient Indian method of practicing music. Start very very slowly and play it at that speed then play it as fast as you can then slow again then fast etc. I'm okay with getting paid in homebrew
 
Ridire said:
Ok, back to actual tips. I look up chords to songs and then try to get the strumming pattern down. I know you experienced guys will say "screw strum pattern, feel the song". I'm game for that, but how? How do you develop your ear to better "feel" the pattern or rhythm for your right hand?
Click to expand...

I'll try to post something more helpful tomorrow when I have more time. I would say that listening to the drums/bass can be a big help, or just listening to the song in general. Also, try to watch covers of other people on youtube if your not sure. Look for a live performance from the artist as well.
 
Give him a decent axe and a small amp(or better...a Line 6 Amp simulator)...and let HIM do what he will do...there is no formula, there are no rules....let Him be Himself...
Wife just walked in with a 6'er of Jai Lai...gotta go....
 
One more thought here ridire i didnt think of (how do you pronounce )

Practice with left hand resting (muting) strings so you are basically playing a rhythm likr instrument like a drum, you therefore can practice the strum w out extra element of chord changes. Focusing only on rhythm adding chords later
 
MFWINZLOW said:
Give him a decent axe and a small amp(or better...a Line 6 Amp simulator)...and let HIM do what he will do...there is no formula, there are no rules....let Him be Himself...
Wife just walked in with a 6'er of Jai Lai...gotta go....
Click to expand...

Great advice! That's how I learned all 7 modes in all 12 keys. That's how i learned to play jimmy hendrix and john coltrane. Thats how i learned to play reggae as well!. If ridire was 4 years old you could be onto something.
 
RIP, Sir George Martin

a lot of what I learned on guitar came from listening to The Beatles and playing along
 
My dad has a Ditto Looper, and after about 14 months it stopped working right (the tracks would overlap incorrectly and it would stop recording before he pressed the button). He contacted TC Electronics (manufacturer) and they gave him a hard time since the warranty was expired but eventually they sent him a new one after they tried to repair his (found an electrical issue within the looper).

So he plugs in the new one and it does the same exact thing to him. They say there's no way, so who knows if he'll ever get a good one again. Pretty strange.

Anyways, if you've never played with a looper before: It's a great challenge which shows you how uncoordinated you are, despite what you may think. Freakin' tough!
 
applescrap said:
Really just gave you 4. Double each half. Second rhythm interesting reggae like
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I can play all those patterns you've posted, and those are my normal "go-to" strumming patterns. But I'm talking about identifying the pattern and learning to change the patterns based on listening to the song. I want to stop sounding like a metronome.
 
Ridire said:
I can play all those patterns you've posted, and those are my normal "go-to" strumming patterns. But I'm talking about identifying the pattern and learning to change the patterns based on listening to the song. I want to stop sounding like a metronome.
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You want to swing the rhythm, there's a story that Gil Evans wrote a bunch of music in like 64ths trying to get an exact feel, the band members quit because they couldnt play it, see the 64ths arent really written music as much as it's feeled. swing is more of an oval than a circle I hope that helps you. Be certain you are playing those rhythms in tempo
 
Find a song that you love....and then listen to it.
Then try to play it (tuning to the band/ song is a great idea..where is "E"?)
And then pay it again.
And then play it some more.
And then get the sheet music - or tab - and then, you guesed it, play it some more.
Then practice.
Then practice some more.
Turn it up to ELEVEN...
Then get yelled at for being too loud...
The turn it to 10.5 and continue the shannanigans...
 
What's fun & informative is trying to figure out a song on your own. I have tried on a couple, one I found a pretty easy way to play it, and then saw a live performance where they played the song and it wasn't anywhere near how I played it. I thought mine was easier, but the original had the correct sound (I played it higher on the neck on the higher strings, original is low on the top strings, and of course, it sounds richer, fuller, & more resonant that way) so of course, I learned it the "correct" way, and now I have no idea how I played it before.

FTR - the song was "Driven Under" by Seether.
 
pretty much how I learned to play Rush and Judas Priest songs

from the FRONT EFFING ROW :rockin:

slym2none said:
What's fun & informative is trying to figure out a song on your own. I have tried on a couple, one I found a pretty easy way to play it, and then saw a live performance where they played the song and it wasn't anywhere near how I played it. I thought mine was easier, but the original had the correct sound (I played it higher on the neck on the higher strings, original is low on the top strings, and of course, it sounds richer, fuller, & more resonant that way) so of course, I learned it the "correct" way, and now I have no idea how I played it before.

FTR - the song was "Driven Under" by Seether.
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MFWINZLOW said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDveDuHo3qo
Click to expand...
 
The thumb should be directly under the middle finger and follow it everywhere. However depending on Style that may change. I have humongous hands and grew up learning to play Jimi Hendrix so my thimb likes to creep out, but if you don't have huge hands like mine that really won't be a good position. Also I was self-taught to begin with don't make that mistake and learn to play right. Am I going to start getting paid in home brews? Yeah what a voice that Judas Priest, thanks i enjoyed that! I love to play music like that and then ask people how many strings im playing. The answer is two. See some people only play that style and there's nothing wrong with that. In fact many have made Millions doing that. I wish I would have done something like that. I can play many styles and am often confused on picking one. Right now I prefer to play Travis pick Style blues and country. But my neighbors may be getting an earful of metal later today
 
Hi, my name is Psylocide.

I used to play in a few bands, now I don't even own a guitar and wouldn't have the time to play if I wanted to.
 
I've owned several guitars, started on a Peavey Raptor and a hand-me-down Martin from my cousin, that was bought heavily used.

Then I bought a Mexican Stratocaster and played that for a few years before purchasing my favorite guitar of all time, my American Telecaster.

Now they're all gone and I cry about it sometimes.
 
this one was stolen.

twice.

never got it back the 2nd time.

I LOVED this guitar. was my 2nd Les Paul and I've only seen 2 others like it (before the Raw Power version of the 90s), natural finish, with no sunburst

836.jpg
 
Tips for an old guy:when you play a guitar you like but are afraid the wife won't approve, just get it.

I played a $199 Squire tele and by gosh that thing played like a dream. Better than any of the other 500+ dollar guitars they had.

But, the wife won't allow it. I should have bought it and hid it in the closet
 
HarborTownBrewing said:
Tips for an old guy:when you play a guitar you like but are afraid the wife won't approve, just get it.

I played a $199 Squire tele and by gosh that thing played like a dream. Better than any of the other 500+ dollar guitars they had.

But, the wife won't allow it. I should have bought it and hid it in the closet
Click to expand...

Or just get a new wife. Either way.
 

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