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Hey Guitar Guys v2.0


Biff Mayhem

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41 minutes ago, Biff Mayhem said:

Okay @Shades of Deivi Cruz , what is the latest?

Well... not great...

I still practice regularly, but I've hit a wall of sorts in terms of progress. I work on a bunch of riffs (Seven Nation Army, Blister In The Sun, One, Come As You Are), but I don't get anywhere beyond that.  At one point I decided I was going to learn Knee Deep all the way through (I'm a big Buffett fan), but no part of that is in any way recognizable.

I can read and follow tabs just fine (mostly), but what I can't make sense of are chord charts (like this one). I get that I play a G for the first line, then a D for the second, etc, but without a strumming pattern or anything else to follow, I have no idea where to start. So I don't. 

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5 minutes ago, Shades of Deivi Cruz said:

I can read and follow tabs just fine (mostly), but what I can't make sense of are chord charts (like this one). I get that I play a G for the first line, then a D for the second, etc, but without a strumming pattern or anything else to follow, I have no idea where to start. So I don't. 

Can you play those chords and create your own strumming pattern?

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12 minutes ago, Shades of Deivi Cruz said:

I guess... but at what BPM? I have a hard enough time getting things to sound right when I have the full tab information. If I'm just supposed to make up my own pattern and pace until it sounds right, that seems way harder. 

I would work on strumming technique before I would concern myself with bpm. Learn how to strum, double pick, down pick, up pick and once you have the technique down, turn on the metronome. YMMV

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also..... learning songs are good.... but learning the instrument is also really important.  

I'd throw these two things into the hopper of suggestions on how to break the plateau:

1) CAGED

2) Minor pentatonic scales

just my $.02.   Those are 2 things that have really helped me over the years and also recently.  I've really only learned CAGED in the last year or so and it's revolutionary.

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31 minutes ago, Biff Mayhem said:

Accountability check......

I'm still shitty. I'm strongly considering some in-person lessons to help get me over the hump. Hard to justify the expense though. The online stuff is mostly all free, which is great but also not exactly working for me since I've had it for a year now and still really struggling. Once I talk myself into it, then I have to get it through committee... LOL!

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Lessons helped me a lot and I had already been playing for many years when I started them.   I think they're worth the money if you're all in on learning to play.   My lessons have made it much easier to pick up on free/cheaper content online too. 

I'd look for someone who will teach you about the instrument through learning songs, and not someone who will just teach you songs.     

I think mine are $35/half hour.

Edited by pfife
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One thing that I always struggle with w/ self paced guitar stuff is that I never know if I'm ready to move to the next step, or if I'm belaboring a step too long.    Coincidentally, I started taking a martial arts class, and there are a lot of interesting parallels esp around repetition to gain muscle memory.   The approach in those classes is a lot of different small things to learn/memorize/commit to memory over a longer period of time, rather than complete step 1 with intense thoroughness, move to step 2... etc.  

I think lessons would be helpful because you have someone there that's taught dozens of people before and can probably accurately evaluate where you are and when to learn new stuff and how to get over your specific roadblocks.

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1 minute ago, pfife said:

Lessons helped me a lot and I had already been playing for many years when I started them.   I think they're worth the money if you're all in on learning to play.   My lessons have made it much easier to pick up on free/cheaper content online too. 

I'd look for someone who will teach you about the instrument through learning songs, and not someone who will just teach you songs.     

I think mine are $35/half hour.

Yeah, there's a guy who does lessons out of the same building my daughter takes dance in, so it would be pretty convenient. Of course I pretty much only see kids coming in and out of there, but his website says kids and adults.

"All in on learning to play" may be over-stating it. It's certainly something I'd really like to learn, but I don't see myself performing or anything. Heck, I don't even really practice unless no one else is home. LOL!

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I bet you only see kids b/c you're there during non-school hours.   I have my lesson at 2pm on a weekday and the person before me in lessons is even older than my old ass.   My teacher has said it's difficult to do lessons during school b/c you end up working nights/weekends.  

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3 minutes ago, Shades of Deivi Cruz said:

"All in on learning to play" may be over-stating it. It's certainly something I'd really like to learn, but I don't see myself performing or anything. Heck, I don't even really practice unless no one else is home. LOL!

I am much the same way, I don't want to inconvenience anyone with my playing, I do a ton of repetition which would drive other people crazy.   One thing I do a lot is play electrics not plugged in, which is much quieter (electrics are easier on the digits too).   A middle ground sound-wise is a hollowbody electric, which will resonate a little bit louder but also play like an electric guitar (easier on the digits).    I would say that 90%+ of my playing is unplugged electric guitar.   I also have some headphone amp stuff that I use which gives me amplified sounds in my ears but outside still hears unplugged electric guitar.   There are times I have to do stuff at rehearsal/performance levels with my amps and then I ask for forgiveness or wait until no one is home.   My daughter has told me before that she actually likes hearing it in the background from the amp which I guess is cool but I still don't want to drive anyone else crazy ever.

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Not a guitar guy but as a midlife sax player I can relate a bit. First of all take a stab at lessons. It will give you some incentive to play and if the teacher has an opening during your daughter's dance class it will give you something to do besides running errands. If it doesn't work out what did you really lose?
 

I've got somewhat the same problem on "practicing". Moving from a house where I could play in the basement to a town home where not only my wife is around but the guy next door works from home. He has his daughter occasionally during the week as well so I don't want to disturb the neighbors. My wife spends most of her workday on conference calls or meetings so there is that as well.

I stopped playing a couple of years ago because of dental issues and just starting back in again playing from fake books. Unfortunately this area does not have the community concert band population as Metro Detroit and after asking around a bit starting one here seems to be a heavy lift.

I did get the horn out today (she's in Michigan for the week). Now that the weather is warmer maybe it will be some back patio playing. (Until the HOA calls)

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3 hours ago, pfife said:

 I also have some headphone amp stuff that I use which gives me amplified sounds in my ears but outside still hears unplugged electric guitar. 

This is my go-to when I want to play out on the back porch or when it is after 9:30 pm. Other than that, I will play with the amp at a reasonable volume unless no one is home because there is no duplicating moving air.

 

 

 

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