Let's see your guitars

[nonobaddog]

The main reason I am learning guitar is to accompany myself singing. So I'm learning songs that I like to sing. Currently working on Me and Bobby McGee. I'm struggling with some chords because my fingers are so short. I need to stretch my fingers.

Its out of season right now but water skiing might help.

 

[Leo]

The main reason I am learning guitar is to accompany myself singing. So I'm learning songs that I like to sing. Currently working on Me and Bobby McGee. I'm struggling with some chords because my fingers are so short. I need to stretch my fingers.

That is one of the songs I can do from memory. If you are learning it in key of "C" it should be pretty straight forward. Here is a tip, if a chord is giving you problems, look up the chord on the internet. For example, the C7 can be played about 10 different ways, find the one that suits you. It is like shooting pool, make it easy planning the next shot. For example, if you play the open G chord with your 2nd, 3rd, and pinky finger, you simply drop your index finger on the f note and lift your pinky and you did not have to move your whole hand to catch the G7. Especially when singing, you also do not have to strum all the strings. you just need to touch a root, 3rd and 5th to carry the key. Many times I only strum the top three or the bottom three strings and that is enough, even though I can play the whole chord fine, the song does not need that strong of chord. . Good luck, have fun.

 

[Twangbanger]

Leo gives some good advice, above. Don't think you need to play "all" the notes in a chord. If your fingers can't hold down all the notes, just deaden them and sound the ones you can. Someday you may find that your fingers "grew" and you start hitting them, but if not, no worry.

Also, check out a book called the Troubadour Guitar Chord Book by Harvey Reid. You can buy it from Elderly's music shop in Lansing. * He only presents chords that are useful to a singer accompanying themselves on guitar. It's still more chords than you can use in a lifetime, but just open it to whatever key you're in, and you're sure to quickly see a pictorial diagram of something easier to finger than whatever you're using now, or something that's a smaller jump to the next voicing, etc.

A bari uke may also be your calling, too, because it's like a tiny guitar with the lowest two strings cut off and the distance between frets is a lot smaller. Everything you learn on guitar carries over to it, it's just that you're only playing 2/3rds of the instrument. There's just a lot less "there" there . Use the same chords as guitar, just ignore everything on the bottom two strings.

* (Edit - drat, looks like you'll have to get it from Jeff Bezos instead...)

 

[Snapdragon]

. Many times I only strum the top three or the bottom three strings and that is enough, even though I can play the whole chord fine, the song does not need that strong of chord. . Good luck, have fun.

I'm doing this with the F chord right now (different songs). I was having trouble with C, but I've just about got it nailed. Barre chords are out of the question right now.

 

[Snapdragon]

Leo gives some good advice, above. Don't think you need to play "all" the notes in a chord. If your fingers can't hold down all the notes, just deaden them and sound the ones you can. Someday you may find that your fingers "grew" and you start hitting them, but if not, no worry.

Also, check out a book called the Troubadour Guitar Chord Book by Harvey Reid. You can buy it from Elderly's music shop in Lansing. * He only presents chords that are useful to a singer accompanying themselves on guitar. It's still more chords than you can use in a lifetime, but just open it to whatever key you're in, and you're sure to quickly see a pictorial diagram of something easier to finger than whatever you're using now, or something that's a smaller jump to the next voicing, etc.

A bari uke may also be your calling, too, because it's like a tiny guitar with the lowest two strings cut off and the distance between frets is a lot smaller. Everything you learn on guitar carries over to it, it's just that you're only playing 2/3rds of the instrument. There's just a lot less "there" there . Use the same chords as guitar, just ignore everything on the bottom two strings.

* (Edit - drat, looks like you'll have to get it from Jeff Bezos instead...)

I'll check out the book. Sounds awesome. Still thinking about the bari uke. Might pull the trigger on one.

 

[ancjr]

I have to have my basses set up specifically for me to be able to play them as well as I can.

 

[littletommy]

If anyone is looking for a cheap headphone amp with effects (or at least a gain channel), I've found the small ones most of the amp manufacturers make for cheap are surprisingly good. I have the Boss Katana Mini and Orange Crush Mini, and the Boss sounds so good on its effects channels that I suspect they priced it so low as a sales tactic to sell their larger amps. And the Orange functions passably well as a Bass amp. I think these things were 40 bucks last I checked, and totally worth it. I have them laying all over the house and there is a definite convenience factor. They are the size of a can of wet wipes, and more durable than the things that plug into your guitar output jack (I've found all those to not last any time at all).

It's a bit more, but the Vox Mini 5 Rhythm gives you drum tracks to play along with, without the need for a drum machine pedal. That was something I used for a long time, until I got the next toy...

Change in gears but I have to give a shout to the Moises app. I just started playing with it, and for a free app it is amazing. You download any song using a Youtube IRL link, and in about 5 minutes it processes the song with AI technology and returns the processed file into your cloud library. It separates it into 4 or 5 tracks (Vocals, drums, keys, guitar, bass). You can selectively change the volume of each track infinitely down to zero, allowing you to isolate a track or eliminate it from the mix and play along with the rest. What is really great is you can change the playback tempo without changing pitch (some Boss software used to have this, but the audio was horrible if you changed the tempo). If you're trying to break down a guitar solo or figure out a tricky hi-hat rhythm on drums, it is incredible for that purpose. It also analyzes what key the song is in. It allows you to set a "count-in" of a predetermined number of beats, and also set the song to auto-repeat. It is great for drummers; I set it to auto-repeat with a 4-beat count-in between each repetition, and you can jam out a song 6 or 8 times in a half hour and build your endurance. I have found on certain songs it can't isolate all frequencies perfectly well, but as long as the mix isn't too busy it's quite good and for a free app you cannot beat it. You have to upgrade to the $3.99 per month version to process songs longer than 5 minutes...it's frustrating me because every time I try to buy the premium version, it routes me back to a page promoting the free version. If you haven't tried the free version yet, I think you will love it.

Thanks for the info about the Moises app! I have probably 75-100 old songs I did back in the 80s and 90s. Fortunately I burned all but a few onto cds in the early 2000s, but every time I listen to any of them, I always hear things I want to change, mainly levels. I can do that with Moises! I’ll be spending a lot of time on that app in the coming months.

Oh, and there’s also a version of it for a PC, as well.

 

[BJHay]

What I do can't really be called playing but I enjoy. Glad to read the guitars of others.

 

[ancjr]

What I do can't really be called playing but I enjoy. Glad to read the guitars of others.




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I have a Katana and I don't have an electric guitar!

 

[Twangbanger]

I have a Katana and I don't have an electric guitar!

Such a good amp. I know I'm not keeping up the GAS spirit of the thread here, but you can go buy something for $130 off craigslist, and that amp will make it sound good if the action is setup decently.

 

[ancjr]

Such a good amp. I know I'm not keeping up the GAS spirit of the thread here, but you can go buy something for $130 off craigslist, and that amp will make it sound good if the action is setup decently.

That's exactly what I've been doing, keeping my eyes peeled for a local bargain.

 

[Twangbanger]

I'm doing this with the F chord right now (different songs). I was having trouble with C, but I've just about got it nailed. Barre chords are out of the question right now.

Snap, if you're having trouble with barres, get some (or have GC string up your guitar with) Martin "Silk & Steel" strings. They are way easier on your fingers, and are a secret weapon for students that most people don't know about.

Barre chords will give you a big expansion in the number of chords you can play for the type of songs you're doing, and the flexible core in these strings will make it much easier to do them.

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Martin...m=arecs&productId=1500000297998&recPosition=2

 

[ancjr]

I have the opposite problem. When I try to play guitar, I feel like I'm going to break the strings.

 

[Snapdragon]

Snap, if you're having trouble with barres, get some (or have GC string up your guitar with) Martin "Silk & Steel" strings. They are way easier on your fingers, and are a secret weapon for students that most people don't know about.

Barre chords will give you a big expansion in the number of chords you can play for the type of songs you're doing, and the flexible core in these strings will make it much easier to do them.

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Martin...m=arecs&productId=1500000297998&recPosition=2

I will look into those, but I still feel like my fingers are just not long enough. By the time I cover the first fret with my index finger, my other fingers won't reach the rest of the strings.

 

[phylodog]

I will look into those, but I still feel like my fingers are just not long enough. By the time I cover the first fret with my index finger, my other fingers won't reach the rest of the strings.

It can get frustrating but your elbow, wrist, hands and fingers will get more flexible with time. Don't be afraid to reposition the guitar if needed to get where you need to be. I recently started working on a song and the only way I could get my left hand to manage it was to sit the guitar on my lap with the neck pointing straight up at the ceiling. After a couple of weeks I can now manage it without repositioning the guitar, it isn't perfect yet but it'll get better with practice and more than likely I'll use a similar position at some point learning a new song and I'll be glad I went through the hassle.

My Dad loves music and has an acoustic Fender be bought years ago. I keep trying to get him to start working on it but he always says he's sure his "sausage fingers" won't allow him to do it. I've played more than one video of Kingfish Ingram for him, if finger shape was a deciding factor no one ever told Christone about it until it was too late. This dude is something else, I'd love to see him live some time, he is amazing.

 

[Slapstick]

I will look into those, but I still feel like my fingers are just not long enough. By the time I cover the first fret with my index finger, my other fingers won't reach the rest of the strings.

It takes time and practice but unless you have hands smaller than a chipmonk you can do it! Barre cords are something that most people starting out should avoid until they can play the open cords well. Why? Because they can be very frustrating until you develop the hand strength and coordination needed to play them and getting a good foundation in playing the open cords helps tremendously.

I recently starting playing again after close to a 40 year hiatus so I'm back to the early stages of being a beginner. While I remember some of the Barre cords I don't really play them yet since I have to train my hands again. So, my advice for what it's worth, concentrate on playing open cords, hand movement, coordination and building hand strength so it's easier to preform more complex movements later on. Oh, and have fun!

 

[Snapdragon]

Thanks, guys. I'm even struggling with a C chord right now. Hitting other strings with my fingers, and by the time I put my fingers up on their tips, they are not long enough to reach. I'm sure it will come with time and practice. I just need to stick with it past the unpleasant part instead of bailing, which I tend to want to do.

 

[Leo]

Thanks, guys. I'm even struggling with a C chord right now. Hitting other strings with my fingers, and by the time I put my fingers up on their tips, they are not long enough to reach. I'm sure it will come with time and practice. I just need to stick with it past the unpleasant part instead of bailing, which I tend to want to do.

I do not know how you hold your guitar. If you try holding your guitar like a Classical guitar player, that is in between your legs with the guitar neck somewhere between vertical and 45 degrees from your face, you might do better.
Also, where is your left thumb? Some people hold the tip of the thumb at or over the top edge of the neck. I was fairly successful with that hold, but I have bigger hands. Once I got in the habit of having my thumb on the middle of the back, I was able to span 4 fret chords more easily and even span a lot of 5 fret chords.

When you exercise your fingers, just move them without trying to pull at them with your other hand or leaning against a table. You fingers are delicate and need to be articulate. Not like lifting barbells for the biceps.

 

[Snapdragon]

I do not know how you hold your guitar. If you try holding your guitar like a Classical guitar player, that is in between your legs with the guitar neck somewhere between vertical and 45 degrees from your face, you might do better.
Also, where is your left thumb? Some people hold the tip of the thumb at or over the top edge of the neck. I was fairly successful with that hold, but I have bigger hands. Once I got in the habit of having my thumb on the middle of the back, I was able to span 4 fret chords more easily and even span a lot of 5 fret chords.

When you exercise your fingers, just move them without trying to pull at them with your other hand or leaning against a table. You fingers are delicate and need to be articulate. Not like lifting barbells for the biceps.

I can't reach anything if I hang my thumb over. I have it directly behind the neck. I will try the classical guitar positioning.

 

[Slapstick]

Thanks, guys. I'm even struggling with a C chord right now. Hitting other strings with my fingers, and by the time I put my fingers up on their tips, they are not long enough to reach. I'm sure it will come with time and practice. I just need to stick with it past the unpleasant part instead of bailing, which I tend to want to do.

I promise all that goes away, just don't give up. One day you'll pick it up and realize that you're not hitting other strings and that troublesome C cord will ring true. You won't even be sure of whats changed you'll just know that it has. So will the other cords with practice.

You'll develop your own style of how to play them that fits your hands. That's part of the fun I'm having with it, I remember what I could do in my 20's but not so much now that I'm in my 60's with old arthritic hands so I have to start over and try other ways until I find one that works and you WILL find a way if you stick with it. Besides, who cares if your having fun.