Author Topic: Beginner's Thread (Read 190054 times)

Rolandson · « **Reply #50 on:** November 12, 2014, 01:22:52 pm »

at Tim Mason and Borodog.

Borodog is right. I still have to practice but I'm getting better

de_conne · « **Reply #51 on:** November 12, 2014, 03:22:07 pm »

@Rossco,

Very nice. First fingerpicking but sounds like you practiced it already a lot. Bum notes here and there but nothing a little practice won't fix.

Nice song btw, has Justin a lesson on this? Would love to do that also some day.

Keep it up!

@Rolandson,

Nice try at (according to Justin) one of the most difficult songs in the BS book. Like others said, you haven't got the rythm down yet, and I have to agree. Sure, It's a very difficult rythm, but Justin explains it well in the video. Most important advice I can give is to slow waaaaaay down, get the rythm right and then start to speed up again. That's the way I managed to get the rythm right. P.S. There are some pushed chords which doesn't make it any easier ;-).

But still, great effort!

regards,
de_conne

Rolandson · « **Reply #52 on:** November 12, 2014, 03:33:10 pm »

at de_conne

thanks. You right about slowing it down.
I don't know why but slowing a song down is pretty hard for me.

the strumming pattern I use right now is
Am G
D D DUDU

Tim Mason · « **Reply #53 on:** November 12, 2014, 04:37:30 pm »

Quote

I don't know why but slowing a song down is pretty hard for me.

Are you using a metronome?

BadOmega · « **Reply #54 on:** November 12, 2014, 04:51:31 pm »

@rossco Sounds good! not much practice huh? Can't wait to hear hallelujah.

@McLabraid I have never heard an unplugged bass, and it's been awhile since I heard Wild Thing, but it sounded neat.

@Rolandson So much better this time. It sounds like it's almost there. Woo hoo!

BadOmega · « **Reply #55 on:** November 12, 2014, 04:58:52 pm »

Quote from: Tim Mason on November 12, 2014, 04:37:30 pm

Are you using a metronome?

I'm not sure why Rolandson has a hard time slowing down a song but for me it's hard to strum that slow.

I set my metronome at 40-45 bpm which is about the max where I still change chords without pausing but the strumming feels like waiting waiting waiting okay STRUM! waiting waiting waiting... I don't know why that is.

Actually feels easier without the metronome but my rhythm is probably all over the place, because I think I am pausing a little when I change chords.

Greenish · « **Reply #56 on:** November 12, 2014, 05:09:06 pm »

I need a metronome to slow down, but even at 60bpm it's hard because my thoughts start to drift. 40-45bpm sounds impossible to me...

Borodog · « **Reply #57 on:** November 12, 2014, 05:26:01 pm »

Playing extremely slowly is indeed very difficult and can be counterproductive. Basically there is a point below which it is impossible for your internal clock to keep steady time.

stitch101 · « **Reply #58 on:** November 12, 2014, 05:33:45 pm »

@ BadOmega

When using a metronome that slow try counting between the beats 1 2 3 4and 1 2 3 4and start your
chord change on the and and hit it on the 1. Strum 2 3 4change Strum 2 3 4change. This will help with
eliminating the pause between changes.

Rolandson · « **Reply #59 on:** November 12, 2014, 06:55:38 pm »

@ BadOmega

exactly. Chord changing isn't the big problem besides changing from G to F. I wwill use a metronome tomorrow. Let's see how that works

Tim Mason · « **Reply #60 on:** November 12, 2014, 09:53:29 pm »

Quote

Actually feels easier without the metronome but my rhythm is probably all over the place

Yes and yes. I resisted using one (got nachrul riddim, innit) but should not have done so. Had to go back to basics on strumming.

BadOmega · « **Reply #61 on:** November 13, 2014, 04:35:43 pm »

Quote from: stitch101 on November 12, 2014, 05:33:45 pm

When using a metronome that slow try counting between the beats 1 2 3 4and 1 2 3 4and start your
chord change on the and and hit it on the 1. Strum 2 3 4change Strum 2 3 4change. This will help with
eliminating the pause between changes.

Thank you! I will try that.

@ Tim Mason- ha! Nachrul

. That's why I try to think like I don't know anything even when I really believe I do. A beginner's mind is an open mind.

@ Greenish- it certainly feels next to impossible, but most of this guitar stuff feels like that to me.

Rolandson · « **Reply #62 on:** December 01, 2014, 01:36:28 pm »

California Dreamin'

https://soundcloud.com/thewholedamntruth/california-dreamin

BadOmega · « **Reply #63 on:** December 05, 2014, 12:19:22 pm »

@ Rolandson
Doing better, I think. The stutters are less noticeable. I think you're at that place where it's good enough the improvements are going to be smaller.

It sounds pretty.

dbrx · « **Reply #64 on:** December 07, 2014, 05:55:00 pm »

Didn't really think I was ready for posting vids of me yet, but with an empty house this morning I thought "what the hell!" So just to make you all feel better about your singing, here goes...

Obviously, my signing is terrible (but luckily not very load) and I'm stumbling a bit on the changes still. This is mostly because I don't actually know the songs too well yet and I'm still having to read the lyrics and keep an eye on the chords.

But from the guitar side I'm pretty happy. It was less than 3 weeks ago I found this site and picked up the guitar!

BadOmega · « **Reply #65 on:** December 07, 2014, 07:41:51 pm »

I don't know why a seemingly simple thing like strumming is so hard? I've been working on I walk the Line for about a month and it hasn't gotten any better for the last two weeks at least. I think it may be time to let it go and focus on something else. Then, magically, when I come back it will be easier, right? (Or not so magically, actually a lot of hard work.)

When I'm strumming it sounds like I have dead notes but when I stop and pick it out they are all ringing so I think it's the strumming that's the problem. I'm also hitting too many strings sometimes on A and D and I can hear a hesitation at at least one point during the changes. What else?

https://soundcloud.com/vanillomega/i-walk-the-line

Cataract · « **Reply #66 on:** December 07, 2014, 07:57:47 pm »

@BadOmega

Well I dunno, but yours changes seem to be smooth and even. Of course there is a lot to improve, but it is not as bad as you think it is.

I practice scales, chords, songs, techniques etc everyday and I can tell you that everything is connected, so if you find playing same thing all over again, you can try something else and you will still improve in that earlier things as well (in my opinion at least).

BadOmega · « **Reply #67 on:** December 07, 2014, 09:29:54 pm »

@ Cataract

That's what I'm hoping since I seem to be stuck on this one. Doing something different will unstick it. At the very least I will have progress on something else.

Cataract · « **Reply #68 on:** December 07, 2014, 10:39:51 pm »

@ dbrx

It's very nice for just a 3 weeks! I won't say a word about your singing, cause I don't do it myself and I honestly have no clue how to improve it (beside of practising it, lol), but from a guitar point of view it's good. I've seen that you don't even need to look at your hands when you change chords, and it's a huge achievement in such short time!

One thing you may consider - try to tap your foot, it helps with rhythm.

BadOmega · « **Reply #69 on:** December 07, 2014, 11:05:04 pm »

@ dbrx

That is really good for three weeks. I can't actually hear the singing, but the playing is good.

SiegeFrog · « **Reply #70 on:** December 08, 2014, 04:55:38 pm »

@dbrx

Sounded pretty good to me. Echoing Cataract, you should be tapping your foot, it will help your rhythm. You appear to be pausing a little at the bottom of your downstrum. This might be because of the slower tempo, but you want your strumming hand moving evenly throughout the motion.

@BadOmega

Strumming is not as easy as it seems. I think that's why Justin emphasizes keeping it simple for the first few stages. 4 downstrums per bar. Keep it simple. Keep it even. Keep your hand moving. Tap your foot. I know for me that it wasn't until about Stage 4 that I had an epiphany with strumming that smoothed it all out for me. One day it just kinda clicked in place. I didn't do anything different; it just started working better. Part of it was getting faster with the changes definitely. Really, I think it was relaxing and not worrying about it too much. When I stopped stressing about the changes, they came easier and didn't distract from my strumming. Also, you'll find it's easier to strum at 80-100 BPM than at 60 BPM. This assumes your changes are up to speed. The phrase I used to tell myself was Right Hand Rules. This was to remind myself that the right hand was more important than the left. Getting the chord change right is important, but strumming in good time is more important. Keep practicing, but realize it's not as easy as it seems, and it may take a little longer than you think to get it right. When you do, you'll know.

In the meantime, here's some food for thought:

http://justinguitar.com/en/QT-008-ItsALLAboutRhythm.php

http://justinguitar.com/en/BC-145-ForcingChanges.php

Rossco01 · « **Reply #71 on:** December 08, 2014, 08:34:17 pm »

@DBRX for such a short period playing it sounds very good, particularly as you're singing as well. Keep practicing and recording look forward to tracking your progress in coming months

Rossco01 · « **Reply #72 on:** December 08, 2014, 08:36:48 pm »

@bad omega all sounds fine to me given where you are. Nothing different to my early stuff. It'll soon feel a lot more natural.

BadOmega · « **Reply #73 on:** December 09, 2014, 02:54:23 am »

@ SiegeFrog

Thank you! My changes are only at ~ 50 per minute for these chords. People keeping pointing out forcing the changes maybe I should start listening and give it a try. Right Hand Rules-- I like that!

@Rossco -- I actually went and listened to your Three Little Birds before posting. I think you were doing better than me but hearing your progress helped me keep my chin up yesterday. Thanks.

Drubbing · « **Reply #74 on:** December 09, 2014, 03:10:00 am »

Quote from: BadOmega on December 07, 2014, 07:41:51 pm

I don't know why a seemingly simple thing like strumming is so hard?

Simple doesn't always = easy.

AC/DC rhythm riffs are a good example. A lot of simple open chords, not any challenging strumming. But they're tricky rhythms and fast changes. None of it really difficult. Til you try and put it together as they do.

For me, learning songs via strumming patterns was like pulling teeth. I went the old school way and listened to the rhythms played and then tried to copy them by ear, rather than analysing where the downs and ups were. I realise the way Justin teaches it is to get people started, and that seems to work for most. That 'mechanical' approach just made me stutter.