Need a Plan and a Quick Win or 10

[firefocks2k]

Hi All,

Firstly, Thanks Mojo, I have really enjoyed your site so far and it's great that people like you do stuff like this.

Secondly Arrrgghhhhh (Frustration) and Ouch (Pain).
Last summer whilst the wrong side of a bottle of brandy I mentioned to my darling wife that I might like a go at the guitar, well she's called my bluff and bought me a very basic acoustic for Christmas - so I have have been the proud owner for exactly a month now......

Did I mention OUCH!

I am well over 40, never played anything really and father of two kids, 2 and 6, who now think that Daddy can play a guitar and are telling people so. I knew teaching them to talk would backfire.

Whilst I have now managed to work out how to get my fat little fingers to play about 6 chords still can't make the damn thing play anything that sounds even a bit right. So here is what I need / would like.... A PLAN! and a couple of quick wins to show that I am really trying.

I have not wanted something this much for a long time, my wife thought it would be in the bin now or at the very least gathering dust and its not. I pick it up 2 - 3 times a day.

Really Ouch - although the sore fingers thing is getting better.

As I said the Guitar is basic and really hurts, with a soft case is cost about £60 from an online retailer but for now its all I have. I can pluck two tunes, the smoke on the water thing and "Mary had a little lamb"

Guys, Girls can you help.

Much appreciated and thanks in advance.

Yours humbly,
Dave.

[Happy Jack]

Jan 25, 2010 16:52:59 GMT -5 firefocks2k said:

Hi All,

Firstly, Thanks Mojo, I have really enjoyed your site so far and it's great that people like you do stuff like this.

Secondly Arrrgghhhhh (Frustration) and Ouch (Pain).
Last summer whilst the wrong side of a bottle of brandy I mentioned to my darling wife that I might like a go at the guitar, well she's called my bluff and bought me a very basic acoustic for Christmas - so I have have been the proud owner for exactly a month now......

Did I mention OUCH!

I am well over 40, never played anything really and father of two kids, 2 and 6, who now think that Daddy can play a guitar and are telling people so. I knew teaching them to talk would backfire.

Whilst I have now managed to work out how to get my fat little fingers to play about 6 chords still can't make the damn thing play anything that sounds even a bit right. So here is what I need / would like.... A PLAN! and a couple of quick wins to show that I am really trying.

I have not wanted something this much for a long time, my wife thought it would be in the bin now or at the very least gathering dust and its not. I pick it up 2 - 3 times a day.

Really Ouch - although the sore fingers thing is getting better.

As I said the Guitar is basic and really hurts, with a soft case is cost about £60 from an online retailer but for now its all I have. I can pluck two tunes, the smoke on the water thing and "Mary had a little lamb"

Guys, Girls can you help.

Much appreciated and thanks in advance.

Yours humbly,
Dave.

You gonna have to suffer like the rest of us ;D

From another over 40 year old starter

Learn A D and E and you can play Wild Thing and Gloria to start with ;D

[firefocks2k]

Thanks for that - Suffer it is then but I still need a quick win.
I can play the chords you suggested but then when I try to make it sound right I guess its the strumming thats letting me down.

There not a deal in internet land about strumming - or so it seems, but maybe thats not whats wrong.

Regards
Dave

[nashvegas]

All beginner lessons from a working musician.

justinguitar.com/en/BC-000-BeginnersCourse.php

[lesblues]

Hi Firefocks2k
I know what you mean about the strumming, you can play the chords but not in a way that sounds right. I found it really hard to do too and I've been playing for 2 years now, like you a late starter.

This web site has some really cool songs that you will be strumming very quickly. The guy gives very clear and easy to follow strumming instructions. Look in the "tab" section.
www.davejonesguitar.co.uk/

Hope this helps.

[WhiskeyHotel]

Cool. Thanks for that site. Even an old hack like me can learn a few thing from that.

[firefocks2k]

Thanks Guys,

I had already seen Justin's stuff and it seems really good although as I said I can play the chords and Justin's Peggy Sue although "simple" is way too hard for me - that said his site is great and it's for free or donation.

I had not come across Dave Jones but his different approach has let me knock out a few notes that even others have recognised! Still not strummed though.

Lesblues thanks for your comments, how is your playing now. How hard did you have to work for how long and what methods did you use? Did you get help?

Has anybody ever tried getting advice or lessons over Skype. It seems to be a growing industry.

Fingers are still sore.

Once again thanks all.

[lesblues]

Jan 28, 2010 7:13:30 GMT -5 firefocks2k said:

Lesblues thanks for your comments, how is your playing now. How hard did you have to work for how long and what methods did you use? Did you get help?

Hi Firefocks, my playing has definitely improved since I started but I don't consider myself to be particularly good (I posted some vids of my playing on this forum just after Christmas, so you can see what I mean)

I have to work very hard to learn to play anything new. I don't find it easy but it is satisfying when it finally comes together. My methods involve using Mojo's videos, DVD/CD tuition, you tube vids, finding tabs of songs I like and just persistently practising over and over. It drives everyone in the house mad but it is the only way to learn. If you can, find someone to jam with as it is more enjoyable playing along with someone else. I have a friend who is a good guitarist and we meet up now and again. When I first played with him I just played the chords for some 12 bar Blues while he solo'd all over it. That helped my timing and strumming and he was very encouraging which helped too.

There is no quick fix - I know I've looked the important thing is to enjoy what you are doing. For me in the beginning it was important to find a song I liked and new how it should sound and that used the chords I new how to play. I just belted that out a lot. My strumming never did sound like the record but it was identifiable as the song and that was good enough for me. If you go back to the DaveJones site and check his vids you will see that in some of them he does tell you the strumming pattern and he keeps it simple. Are you able to change chords easily yet? As that will obviously have a bearing on how the tunes sound.

Don't give up, you will get there and you will feel great when you do. As somebody wiser than me once said "It's the journey that's important not arriving" or something like that ;D

Les

[Happy Jack]

As somebody wiser than me once said "It's the journey that's important not arriving"

Leslie Less Wise ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

That would have been me ;D

The journey is more important then the destination

[Mohikanas]

Hey Firefocks2k, I know exactly what you mean ^^ I've been playing a basic acoustic guitar over a year now.. And, well after suffering the pain in total agony I don't have sore fingers anymore. It is great that you pick up and play your guitar often, keep it like that and you shall see how you progress yourself, that's exactly what happened to me If you're interested you can check my recordings in songwriting section, it may lift up your motivation a bit, couse I absolutelly don't have any teacher or a friend who can play along with me, it's basicaly me and my guitar... and Mojo ^^. I think that everything is possible and actualy quite easier that it seems in the first place. My advice to you would be: pick and play often it doesn't matter now what you play... just play