Guitarists - Help needed

[Sez]

My first guitar was a 3/4 size nylon strung acoustic. I love it and it's my most travelled guitar. I also have a full size steel strung acoustic, but I find the strings too much for my fingers to take. It's also got a slightly warped neck which makes it almost impossible to keep in tune for longer then ten minutes at a time! It was my brother-in-law's guitar that he took all over Europe, and he was going to leave it behind when he moved house, so hubby rescued it for me! However, my baby of guitars is my electric Les Paul lite! I spent months paying for the d**n thing and tried so many guitars before settling on it. It's purple with a marbled effect on it, is so much lighter than any other guitar I've held, including my dad's 1970 Telecaster which he thinks is very light , and has a beautiful rich sound.

I have a hard case for my baby acoustic, because it got damaged travelling in a soft case, a stand for the full size (it's more for display than playing) and a gigbag for my electric. I have a set of plectrums, some that live in the gigbag (for the electric) and some live in the storage box in the hardcase for the acoustic, then general stuff like straps, electric tuner with pitch pipe, and all the gear that goes with the electric, like wires, practise amp, gig amp, etc. I don't have any books, as when I can afford lessons again, all the info goes in a guitar folder, and I have a song folder full of tabs and chord lists downloaded from the net, and things I've composed myself in an exercise book.

[Retro]

A plectrum holder isn't really a must, you can always sit your pick in the strings (if you know what I mean).

Electrics are definately easier to play than acoustics because the strings are lower to the fretboard.

Whatever you do play acoustic/electric nylon/wire be ready to have sore fingers for a while until they toughen up or callous.

I need to invest in a tuner, I used to just get my Dad to tune my bass coz he could do it by ear!

Oh, don't forget to try out different picks because they're all different and some might not suit you.

Lindsey

[mindsquatter]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate it!
OK, so far my shopping list is:

a tuner (what are the pros/cons of electric vs pitch pipe?)
Plectrums
poss. a plectrum holder
Lefty tab book
scale book
some actual music

I'm really excited now - tomorrow's the day! My fingers are already starting to toughen up from where I've been playing though, and I'm not quite used to having to keep my nails so short yet, but that's nothing

Michelle

[firefairy]

U can sit ur plectrum in the strings - i do that its how i loose them all and why i reccormended the holder my hubby has cause he doesnt loose them also u can keep more than one in there so if u like diff sorts its easier to get to.

Thats possiblt more my problem though but i constanly have 2 get new plectrums cause iv lost the last ones. Could be the fact i play bass though

[lil_miffy]

there are left handed guitars available to buy if you go to a good shop.
also i know a few left hand guitarist who actually find holding the guitar upside down so its in right position for left hand play but strings are back to front. they seem to prfer this method. althou it makes learnign a bit more difficult

also with you hms you might find holding a pick difficult. ive never used a pick cos of this and strum with my fingers. i find this is a much nicer sound. also use low gage strings (thinner strings) as you wont need to press down as hard on them

[Tiz]

Paul McCartney is also a left handed guitarist, he can be seen in a lot of the Beatles videos playing an upside down right handed guitar, but I think he restrung his.

[BEGM]

You got a capo on that list of things to buy?

Ive never understood the need for left handed guitars. Us violinists have to put up with sticking it on our left shoulder irrespective of what hand we use.....(im right handed btw lol)

Im also a pianist too so that may be why i dont see the need oh and teaching myself the guitar at the moment.

I love music if you hadn't guessed.

It's challenging but oh so rewarding

If you can already read music and have a working knowledge of the guitar there are numerous 'free tab' sites out there via google that have all manner of songs on to self teach. From basic jigs and reels to Cavertina and beyond. (www.ultimate-guitar.com is a great site and free to use).

hope that helps and hope you enjoy learning! x

[lil_miffy]

i was asked to play cello on an album recording last week so i dug it out the loft and had a go. within 5mins 2 fingers dislocated and my back locked up.
guess im better off playing the penny wistle

[elliewelly]

Plenty of lefties play the right-handed way, in view of the fact that both hands are so busy it doesn't make much difference. I think that is the general consensus with bowed strings btw. With guitars though it seems to depend on the individual. I'm pretty ambidextrous and still a rubbish guitarist!

[flexinett]

following on from the topic of ultimate-guitar.com, it is truly an awesome site. ive been using it for all my tab needs to learn my fav songs on guitar, and once you have the basic understanding of how it works and what means what on the tab, then your away.

ive recently started a band with some friends (unfortunately they are the non flexi type) and find the program guitar pro invaluable. it works in-line with the website, and gives you all the music sections to a song (drum, violin, guitar, bass, piano etc) and whatsmore it also makes sure what every1 is playing works together to flow

although im a guitar girl at heart my fingers do indeed fail me so ive been voted drummer, and am currently learning.

has to be said, if ever you're feeling abit pants have a bash on some drums, totally has a feel good factor!



nett

xxxx

[Athran]

How are you getting on with the guitar?

I'm gonna try playing one too, an electric one since my dad has one he no longer plays. I want to take advantage of the advantage of having such bendy fingers. The claw-hands effects is meant to be a big plus for those who play guitar and piano instruments.
My dad is in the process on re-stringing the guitar and tuning it. I hope I like playing it.

[Sez]

Athran, I bet once you start, you'll never stop!
My baby acoustic has been retired as my gorgeous boyfriend bought me a custom painted Tanglewood Drednought for our anniversary. It's utterly gorgeous and since I got it, I've started going out and performing at acoustic nights There's a picture here but if you get eye-strain easily, I'd recommend not clicking! I always get comments from people when we're out and about that it makes them feel like they've drunk more than they have!

I've just taken up the violin as well (first lesson next week) so I'm praying that my hands will hold out this winter. I've felt the change in the weather already and my fingers are getting stiffer and more painful, and the stupid bit of my thumb that keep dislocating and poking out seems to have made a permanent appearance

Flexinett, I use ultimate-guitar.com as well It's a great site and I've found some favourite, but little known, songs on there.

[Athran]

Okay, I've started now. Already owwwww with pressing the frets, to be expected. Learnt A and C major chords, just need to practice moving from one to the other so it comes naturally and flows.

But the F chord. Having trouble. Pressing high E with the thumb, Low E and B with the first finger, G with the second, but I can't seem to reach A and D, my hand and fingers just don't seem long enough, even though I can spread my fingers across 6 frets easy enough on the same string.

Gonna check out ultimate-guitar.com.

I hope I won't be able to stop and get good at something. Good luck with the violin, Sez. Has he --> given you inspiration? XD

[Blaadyblah]

Athran, I mentioned your post - he laughed and said "everyone has trouble with that!"

I never could get my head round guitar - I did spend a few weeks with a violin but I don't remember it. I enormously admire those who can play stringed instruments, particularly where it's been taken up in adulthood.

[Athran]

Thank you for the advice, sr_71.

I'll go through the exercises you explained step by step. Likely, there will be other things that I'll have trouble with. Mind if I ask your advice from time to time?
Bad habits are very hard to correct, let's avoid them to begin with.