Yeh first two chords, think I didn't have my fingers right. The dumb thin E chord is one I can't hold right either yet, but I'll get it. Practice. And just thought I'd take up a new hobby that would be worth my time. Bobby wants to learn too.
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Yeh first two chords, think I didn't have my fingers right. The dumb thin E chord is one I can't hold right either yet, but I'll get it. Practice. And just thought I'd take up a new hobby that would be worth my time. Bobby wants to learn too.
It will help me practice when I write music. Motivates me more. Though not sure what chord it is I put in the instrumental part. Just thought it sounded cool. LOL. Third and fourth strings held down.
Hidden In Him
Well-Known Member
If you just picked up a guitar you are doing exceptionally well. You've not only picked up two chords and a rhythm but you are singing lyrics the whole time you're doing it. Bless their heart, but I have some kids I have taught that still can't carry a tune even without singing, and that after I have taught them for months.
And yes. Practice makes perfect. One of my first lessons with the good ones is, "No pain, no gain," and prepare for your hands and fingertips to hurt if you want to progress. Not that you have to become the next Tosin Abasi, but as you learn more chords the muscles in your hands will have to accommodate them by stretching some so that the chords become comfortable to play. And your fingertips will literally stop you from playing numerous times until you build up some callouses. But if you don't want to stop playing you can always put a little Anbesol on them. That will deaden the pain some.
But another thing about learning more chords is this, and this is important as a singer. If you have a full range of chords you can play on guitar, you can transpose songs into whatever key works best for you vocally. That's when things get good. If you can put songs in your optimum vocal range you can really create like you want to.
Very happy to see you have a new hobby. :)
Hidden In Him
Well-Known Member
The cool thing about guitar is that you can easily create chords on it that are just as unnatural as all get out on keyboard, but beautiful ones. For instance, you can travel your hand forms up the neck to easily create intricate chords without even moving your hands much. Like if you take an E Major and just move your hands up the neck three frets, or five frets, or seven frets, etc. You are now playing legitimate new chords, but with variations in them that are very beautiful. Same with the A Major hand form and the D hand form.
The down side to guitar is keeping the darned things in tune, which can be frustrating. If I haven't played in awhile and then go to pick up a guitar it will invariably be out of tune, and then I'm like, "Gee thanks. Like I'm really gonna enjoy tuning you for the next two-three minutes before I can even play a note," LoL. But then I'm not a great tuner either. Some people are really good at it, even with the natural ear. I was watching a young kid who is close to the family and has heavily invested himself in music, and MAN is he good at tuning. He picked up one of mine and went through it so fast it made my head spin a little bit. But he's way beyond where I ever went on guitar already, and he plays every day. I usually only play if the Lord is calling me to serve, although I need to get back into it in my personal life at some point (Lord willing).
I use a phone app tuner. I have a pretty good ear, but I'll order a tuner when I order some picks. What happened here is how I held down the string I think. Because it sounded better after. Working on D right now. It is ringing a little bit, but when I try to transition, I lose it coming back. Finger exercises will help. Youtube is pretty neat.
Hidden In Him
Well-Known Member
Yeah. What you find is that too much tension on the strings will distort the chord and also pull the thing out of tune. But too little won't get the job done either, so it's a balance.
But don't let me tease you too hard. I think you have pretty strong hands, and mine are even stronger. That's why I end up with tuning problems. I'm more of a bass player anyway, cuz I can man-handle the thing and it doesn't come out of tune on me, LoL.
About your ringing, that could be two things, well three. Either the strings are old and need to be changed, or the neck needs to be adjusted for you, or (worst case scenario) the guitar is low quality and not really fixable. But it's likely gonna be #2 if it persists and your hand form is right. Just stick with it, and if it doesn't go away then maybe take it to a music shop and ask them to turn the neck because D is ringing on you.
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You are doing very well, though I don't know if your playing will ever compare to your voice. I am a big fan. Still!
Yeah. What you find is that too much tension on the strings will distort the chord and also pull the thing out of tune. But too little won't get the job done either, so it's a balance.
But don't let me tease you too hard. I think you have pretty strong hands, and mine are even stronger. That's why I end up with tuning problems. I'm more of a bass player anyway, cuz I can man-handle the thing and it doesn't come out of tune on me, LoL.
About your ringing, that could be two things, well three. Either the strings are old and need to be changed, or the neck needs to be adjusted for you, or (worst case scenario) the guitar is low quality and not really fixable. But it's likely gonna be #2 if it persists and your hand form is right. Just stick with it, and if it doesn't go away then maybe take it to a music shop and ask them to turn the neck because D is ringing on you.
I don't know about guitar qualities. I found it at a pawn shop. I think it has a sweet sound, but I've never played the guitar in the past. There were electric ones too, but I love the acoustic and how it sounds. This is a good beginner guitar. I think it is just being new at it and not sure how to position my fingers. Which by the way, my finger tips on my left are as hard as a brick. They feel weird. LOL.
I've been singing forever though and was a music education major with vocal emphasis. I took four years of piano, but I never got into it. I have been super into learning this though, so hopefully I'll get good at it. It will only support my vocals :)
Hidden In Him
Well-Known Member
Yes, I know you did. :) That's a good idea, btw. You can get them cheap there, and until you know for sure that you are going to want to be playing, there's no need in investing in an expensive quality guitar.
Me, too. :) I've owned electrics in the past, but they just never appeal to me. Not my thing. Acoustic is prettier.
LoL. That's good. With the kids (even the boys), they turn all pansy on me and quit playing to suck on their fingers, LoL. But I understand it. It does indeed hurt until you build up callouses. And if you quit playing, you will lose them again. Just one of those wonderful quirks in the body that God designed to help us adapt. ;)
Well good thing, is they don't hurt. Just hard. LOL. Feels weird. Plus I lost my only pick someone gave me, so I'm gonna have to order more. That does hurt a bit to strum without a pick. I've been practicing that way though. A little each day.
Hidden In Him
Well-Known Member
Just as well (if you lost a pick), and I'll explain why. Instead of simply ordering more, go to a local music store. When you get there, they will have a box of picks in different gauges. Some picks are super thin, and some are super thick. The super thick ones sounds very abrasive on acoustic guitars. The thin ones sound soft and pretty, only if they are too thin it gets hard to get much volume from the guitar. So what you want to do is try out a bunch of different gauges and see which ones you like best. They also have some that essentially have two different size gauges on each end, so that you can switch from one to the other - kinda like two picks in one - and they will likely also have more decorative picks and stuff, that will say "Jesus Rocks!" and stuff like that, LoL. Well, avoid flashy and go for comfortable to your fingers and that gives you the right sound and feel you like best.
You can also try out some other guitars while you're trying out picks. You'll start to get a feel for what is a good, well-crafted instrument and what is a not so good one.
Anyway, picks are actually a big deal to how well you play, so go check it out. And yes, you lose them all the time, LoL. When you decide what you like, buy about 5-6 of them at least. :)
I recently wrote a song that has multiple names of God in it.
I was thinking about, "El Shaddai" and that I didn't know what it meant.
I went to, "Ancient Hebrew .org" and learned that it meant, "mighty teat."
I wonder how it would go over if I was leading and between songs, said, "I praise You, Big Teat in the sky?"
Do you think they'd ask me back?
If they did, would you think that I should go?
Will I ever be able to play this song without cracking up? :)
I was thinking about, "El Shaddai" and that I didn't know what it meant.
I went to, "Ancient Hebrew .org" and learned that it meant, "mighty teat."
I wonder how it would go over if I was leading and between songs, said, "I praise You, Big Teat in the sky?"
Do you think they'd ask me back?
If they did, would you think that I should go?
Will I ever be able to play this song without cracking up? :)
Haha. Though the translation is unclear I like the translations "God Almighty," or "God is enough" a whole lot more. He surely is. I would say, "God is enough, in us." He isn't just impersonal in the sky God. He is Holy Spirit living in me. More then we could ever need, do, or desire.
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