For complete newbies.. Guitar tips

Discussion in 'Beginner's Q&A Forum' started by esgallindeion, Sep 29, 2003.

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  1. esgallindeion

    esgallindeion Minstrel Knight

    This is for those people who have yet to start or have been playing for a very short time (1-4 months)...

    First of all, you must understand, especially if you have an Indian classical music teacher, the sa re ga ma's wont help u much in this internet era. You'll have to get into the c's, d's, e's etc... Ok?

    The very first note of your guitar (in standard tuning), ie, the open note of ur 6th string (the thikest string) is 'e'. Got that?

    Each successive fret represents a half distance. So, logically speaking, if I ask you to move 1 whole/full distance on ur fret board, it would mean jumping two frets. Simple, isn't it?

    This is the way the notes are progressed throughout all the frets in your fretboard -

    ">" represents a half distance and ">>" a whole distance.

    E>F>>G>>A>>B>C>>D>>E...

    As you can see its only the 'e' note and the 'b' note which must be moves through a half distance to attain the next natural note.

    The 5th fret of ur 6th string represents the open note of ur 5th string, ie, 'a'.

    The 5th fret of ur 5th string represents the open note of ur 4th string, ie, 'd'.

    The 5th fret of ur 4th string represents the open note of ur 3rd string, ie, 'g'.

    The 4th fret of ur 3rd string represents the open note of ur 2nd string, ie, 'b'.

    The 5th fret of ur 2nd string represents the open note of ur 1st string, ie, 'e'.

    This is also the basics of tuning ur guitar.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    I guess that's the least bit of knowledge u shld have. If I find time, I might post something on scale and chord theory.
     
  2. sonal_neo

    sonal_neo New Member

    More

    Hey. How about some more stuff here huh? I need serious help with learning the guitar.
    I have joined a class, but the teacher is onto the sa re ga ma stuff n it's tough to reltae to all that these days especially with the net notes being differen.t
    Since I have already paid for the class, I might as well continue, but wudn't hurt to start onto something that you cud teach me :)
     
  3. esgallindeion

    esgallindeion Minstrel Knight

    Well... if you honestly want my opinion... unless you'd rather play the melodies of hindi songs and ragas and stuff (which is completely your choice) you would do better to ask for a refund and leave that class as soon as possible.

    I haven't got much idea about Chandigarh, but I'm sure there'll be at least a few really decent guitarists.

    Anyway, I'll try to post a few more stuff soon.
     
  4. Zeus

    Zeus New Member

    I posted a few check it out....
     
  5. euphorian_4ever

    euphorian_4ever New Member

    hi guys am fairly new to this froum..esgallindeion(yaar ur name is very diff..)..dnt take tht seriously..fine lets talk some serious stuff..
    i am learning guitar..but am out of practice at the moment..actually i had joined a class at my native place for 15days or so..but left it coss of college..!!i study in ahmedabad..stay in indore..so at the moment am surviving just on the net learning!!
    have fair biot of idea of the english form of guitar..the a,b,c...g's stuff..and have just started practicing the chords..also sing and am learning classical music in college..
    so wht i wanted is some idea of chords and how do i go about practicing them..should i start them with songs directly,,or with individual ones and then try fastening the shifts..!!
    plss suggest..
     
  6. prash_rocks

    prash_rocks Over the Hills & Far Away

    Esgallindeion is away for awhile and we don't know when he joins in. I think with his experience he's the best to answer such questions, but meanwhile may I share my experience?

    It's been only some 6 odd months since I've been learning and all I've learnt from is the internet: I've had no teacher so far, and now feel confident to be able to go a long way before I'll need one, and that too is for the more intricate techniques involved especially in the electric guitar.

    I began simply be learning chords - the basic open chords to begin with, and proceeding to some of the more difficult barre chords. And almost for the first 1-1/2 months I hadn't learnt a single song but had only been practising chord changes, increasing the tempo gradually. Only afterwards I started learning songs and learning newer and more complex forms of the basic chords. Now, I can play almost any song as I'm now familiar with all the chord shapes that exist and even can shift rapidly between those.

    Not to mention, I was also learning a lot of the music theory behind these.

    I'm not sure if any personal experience suits others but I think mine was a good way with a solid foundation.
     
  7. scot_hacker

    scot_hacker New Member

    Guitar Lessons

    [To sonal_neo]

    Hey. I'm a beginner as well when it comes to the Guitar and I've been learning since three months. Learning without a teacher is a bit daunting but quite comfortable. You could have a look at https://www.guitarnoise.com and check out the articles there by David Hodge and Co. It's quite a nice place to spend your days on.

    As far as Chandigarh is concerned I've heard a lot about the Pracheen Kala Kendra but sweetie, tell you seriously, the Guitar doesn't figure in Indian Pracheen Kala ;)

    Don't confuse yourself with Hindustani and Western Music at the same time. Though they're essentially the same thing it helps to focus broadly on either one. Also by experience I would say you'd be far well-off learning the guitar if you have a considerable amount of experience with other instruments such as a keyboard. Your theory could be strengthed anyway with the help of the tons of the websites that crop up on the net everyday.

    Happy Strumming,
    Sushant
     
  8. sonal_neo

    sonal_neo New Member

    thanx a ton for all the help guys.
    I'm gonna lay off the guitar for a while. Lets leave it tot he pros till i know enough about it :)

    *sonal*
     
  9. Redalert

    Redalert New Member

    sonal u should check ur bday thread

    go here - https://indianguitartabs.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=562&highlight=happy
     
  10. sonal_neo

    sonal_neo New Member

    hey

    thanx for letting me know.. silly ol' me would never have realised that such a thread existed :)

    *sonal*
     
  11. alli

    alli The Best Ever

    me too learn on my own..andi personally do feel so muhc more better doing it on my own..nice to know they're more ppl. lke me around ...prash and scot...

    and thats how i started too..learnt the basic chords..then went onto the barre chords..and then i keep practising to make my fingers move faster.... and to get the hang of it all....
    i had to give it up becoz of my coll. for a few months ...but now its over..and im getting bck to starting learning it almost al over again coz i lost touch of alsmot everything i had done ...

    prashy ! ... hearing a pro lke u has gone the same way ..is even better... kewl !

    prash rocks
    :nw:
     
  12. prash_rocks

    prash_rocks Over the Hills & Far Away

    uh uh alli, me not a pro at all... oh no! u probly get that impression from what i write... ok, i've worked hard at it, i've probly learnt more than would people in all this time (i knew NOT A THING bout the guitar or music before june last year - that's when i got my first real six string).

    but i've talked to essi and heard some of his stuff... and u probly dunno how well that guy does it. awesome! and jayanth too... with all the gear and accessories and his band experience, he's got to be there among the best on here too...

    ps. and from now on, i think i'll include this as part of my standard closing signature so that all u peep neednt take the trouble:

    prash_rocks!!!
     
  13. alli

    alli The Best Ever

    oh yea..essi...right up there .... awesome knowledge...

    jay too .... i guess u just kik-ass once u reach the level of having ur own band..and hes done tht ... altho the learning never stops...


    but u know a lot too!! stop being so damn modest .... i wuld put u guys up there as the best on this site...



    :cool: :cool: :cool:
    the 3 monkeys as we call a trio ..heh
     
  14. janjua

    janjua New Member

    i need to practise but dont know wat to play
    i downloaded some songs and their tabs
    the rpoblem is that i dont know the combinations for all the chords eg: wats a e7, or d7???
    can some send me r tell me where i can download some kind of e-book r software which can help me with this problem?
    i did check out guitar noise..its a pretty cool site for newbies like me but i need the same thing in indi or paki songs if someone has em..thanks a lot all
     
  15. guitar_gal

    guitar_gal New Member

    welcum aboard, janjua... chek out dis thread...

    https://indianguitartabs.com/showthread.php?t=1535

    n since u r a beginner, try usin da dictionary iv posted der. its pretty simple n wud hav all da chords u wud need. :beer:

    da strings r arranged in order of thickest 2 thinnest. n X means u dun play dat string. n 0 means u play dat string open.

    if u got ne probs, juz ask..
     
  16. chitra

    chitra New Member

    hey .. I am a beginner ..just bought a guitar last week.
    I have learnt some chords ...C G D etc....and was looking for some easy songs..
    i found a lot of songs in this wonderful site...
    but i am confused abt one thing...

    when chords are written like...
    C G
    Happy birthday to you...

    how do u know how to strum the chords and what the rhythm should be ??
    I'd greatly appreciate some help..
    thanks.
     
  17. jackdaws

    jackdaws New Member


    hi dude i wont recommend getting into intermediate chords like the 7ths etc early on...practice ur minors and majors and make sure you can make smooth and fast transitions between all the majors and the minors....once u can do that then u can move to the 7ths, diminished etc...in most cases the major and minor chords suffice...some practice excercises could be to try out different chord combinations...check some of these out..

    a) Am G F G Am

    b) Am C G F Am

    c) Em D C G Em

    Practice these chords at different positions like...for instance play the barred C in the third fret or the barred C in the 8th Fret etc...that way you will gain dexterity in playing across the fretboard...this will be more helpful than trying to learning all the chords but not be able to fluently move on the fretboard...of course this is just my personal view...

    good luck playing....
     
  18. jackdaws

    jackdaws New Member

    chitra the strumming for each song depends on the beat for the particular song...personally i listen to the song a couple of times and then get the rhythm from that....once ur able to navigate between chords my suggestion is practice different beats....thats my suggestion....
     
  19. Iffily

    Iffily New Member

    man i thought this thread will help me.... :((
     
  20. DrSaurabh

    DrSaurabh Wh@+s Up D0C

    i guess i have to agree with some people here....when it comes to guitar u r better of learnin urself, personally i had just 1 day of professional training.....u just hafta learn urself.......things which u dont understand u can ask pros...but u gotta learn on ur own
    best wishes sonal
     
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