Recent comments in /f/Music

WeNeedToTalkAboutMe t1_j2f23ko wrote

Reply to Beginner on electric guitar. by Goldestwing

If you're left handed playing a right handed guitar, very few people can make that work (or vice versa). Try flipping it over and restringing it (because when you flip it, the thickest strings will be on the bottom) and see if that helps.

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CriticalCreativity t1_j2f1yog wrote

Reply to Beginner on electric guitar. by Goldestwing

Guitar teacher here.

-Playing righty is fine

-Remember to use the tips of your fingers most of the time

-Think about your overall posture

-Think very carefully about where your thumb is located and how much your wrist is bent

-Probably start with a method book learning to read sheet music (Mel Bay, Alfred, Hal Leonard, etc.)

-Don't start with chords. It seems to be a thing for players to try to start with them right away but they can be very technically difficult for beginners.

Most importantly, take your time and relax! You need to avoid unnecessary tension and developing bad habits which can be even more work to undo or worse, cause injury.

Happy plucking, and good luck!

Edit: sp

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No_Comfortable6029 t1_j2f1r0e wrote

Reply to Favorite albums by artists from your country by mysanthr0p1c

I've been doing something similar so hopefully this helps. Here are a few from around the world I've found over the last year.

Armenia - Tigran Hamasyan - Mockroot

Belgium - Black Flower - Magma

Brazil - Luísa e os Alquimistas - Jaguatirica Print

Denmark - Dizzy Mizzy Lizzy - Self-titled

France - FKJ - French Kiwi Juice

Japan - Kikagaku Moyo - Masana Temples

Madagascar - D'Gary - Malagasy Guitar: Music From Madagascar

Mali - Oumou Sangaré - Timbuktu

Morocco - Guedra Guedra - Vexillology

Nigeria - Fela Kuti - Zombie

Norway - Gundelach - Baltus

Pakistan - Jaubi - Nafs at Peace

Philippines - Eraserheads - Circus

Poland - EABS - 2061

Senegal - Seckou Keita - Transparent Water

South Africa - Nduduzo Makhathini - In the Spirit of Ntu

Spain - Cookin Soul - Good Job

Sweden - Meshuggah - Koloss

Switzerland - The Beautiful Now - Moes

Ukraine - Jinjer - King of Everything

Zambia - Smokey Haangala - Aunka Ma Kwacha

Zimbabwe - Thomas Mapfumo - Sweet Chimurenga

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FWGoldRush t1_j2f1jq6 wrote

Reply to Beginner on electric guitar. by Goldestwing

You're not gonna pick up a guitar and just be able to play it. It takes a long time to get the strength and agility to play a chord clearly. Keep at it.

And you might want to hold off on learning songs right now and work on finger exercises. You can find those on YouTube too.

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Shibbystix t1_j2f0nme wrote

Reply to Beginner on electric guitar. by Goldestwing

Hey there, fellow lefty who learned righty guitar. 1st off, good call, because you're gonna need to borrow a guitar at some point of your musical journey, and if you played a lefty guitar, you'd never be able to borrow.

2nd: you're just beginning. be comfortable sucking. you're gonna suck for a while. and that's ok. you'll get better slowly, and you won't always be able to measure the amount. but it will happen. the more you play, the better you get. the more time you put in at the beginning, I can tell you for a fact, you will shorten the length of time before you feel like you know what you're doing.

Keep it up and have fun. playing guitar changed my life, showed me the world, met amazing people, made my wife take interest in me, gave me an outlet to make something beautiful out of overwhelming depression.

The only bad part was I sucked at the beginning. And that's a small price to pay for a lifetime of enjoyment!

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thesaltwatersolution t1_j2f0dfu wrote

Reply to Beginner on electric guitar. by Goldestwing

Leftie that plays guitar right handed here.

I recommend doing the following things:

Learn Pixies bass lines- really simple but it will give you some special awareness of the guitar neck. Go get the bass tabs for Gouge Away, Gigantic and I Bleed and learn them off by heart so you can play them along to the song.

Then learn Oasis Wonderwall, because it’s really simple and only requires you to move a couple of fingers around while your third finger and little finger stay where they are. Just get used to throwing your other fingers around to land the chords.

Practice, go away for a bit and then practice again.

Try to play in front of a mirror or a reflection (I used to play in front of my window) because that way you can see what both hands are doing.

What’s the Frequency Kenneth? would then be my next step up. Lots of chords, a couple of quick chord changes to keep up with, fun song to play along to. Also Bm to keep you on your toes.

You will sound shit. You will suck. But you’ll get there. Just keep at it and then you won’t :)

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GLnoG t1_j2ezoh9 wrote

Reply to Beginner on electric guitar. by Goldestwing

I've been playing acoustic guitar for like 5 years now. I imagine chord digitation would be fairly similar with electric guitar.

You have to press the strings with the very tip of your fingers. But I really mean the very tip, so that the sides of your fingers don't touch the strings you don't want to press; when this happens, it causes weird vibrations in the other strings that make your chords not sound as-clean. You also have to press the strings with enough force, otherwise there's gonna be weird micro-bounces between it and the fret that aren't gonna let it sound clear. If you struggle pressing the strings too much, maybe you need softer strings (strings that require less force when pressed to emit sound, like nylon strings compared to metal strings).

A common thing I see happening with beginners is that they can't "open" their hands enough to digitate the chords. Their hands don't seem to be as-flexible, so they trip over themselves a lot; wich is completely understandable, flexible hands are something you acquire through practice. Just try to "open more" your hands, so that you don't touch strings you don't want to touch as you play.

Start with simple chords. Nobody's gonna start with f'ing jazz chords. The first thing you can learn is (chords) Am-Em or Am-E sucesions on the first two frets; that way you're gonna acquire flexibility and your hand is gonna get used to the positions.

Also, there's is a good chance your chords don't sound as-well because the distance between the strings of your guitar is too little, your fingers are too big, both, or your strings are too big and you need thinner strings. In either of those cases, you can either keep practicing pressing the strings with the very tip of your finger, or get a guitar with a bigger neck width.

Cheers!

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