RelaxedMikki wrote:Just gonna say that. Heh, all this has reminded me of when I first got a guitar as a kid, and reading one of those "teach yourself" books I was stunned to find out that you don't strum all the strings all the time. |
How easy is it to learn guitar? • Page 5
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Psiloc 6,366 posts
Seen 20 hours ago
Registered 14 years ago -
Psiloc 6,366 posts
Seen 20 hours ago
Registered 14 years agoAnd yeah for chords that miss E I usually mute it with my thumb. Thinking about it I'm kind of avoiding it while also muting it as a failsafe; kind of a habit I suppose.
Ds etc. no real choice except improving your aim. -
Psiloc 6,366 posts
Seen 20 hours ago
Registered 14 years agoActually I've got something I'd like to bring up since this thread got bumped and I thought about it recently. Power chords. Now there's an area where your strumming hand needs to be precise. Or does it? Anyone mute some of the other strings? Do you barre all the strings or just finger what you need to? What's everyone's technique? -
Cappy 14,393 posts
Seen 57 minutes ago
Registered 16 years agoI just hit the strings I need to hit and seldom mute anything, is that weird? -
@monkman76 If you are using your thumb, try different angles of attack, I tend to play with the bit just adjacent to my nail. Strumming with the flat part of the thumb tends to sound a bit more muted and less precise. Although I do sometimes do that too but I always find that sort of strumming more tiring.
Regarding plectrums, I never use one myself but I'm a finger picker so they aren't necessary. Even when playing my electric I still don't bother with them. There is nothing that says you have to use a plectrum.
One habit to try to avoid early on is over pressing on the strings, try lightening your grip until you get string buzz and then adjust it more until you are playing lightly but getting little string buzz.
You are doing the right thing by the way, concentrating on strumming techniques first is the best way, all that chord stuff will come later but strumming and picking techniques are where the magic is. You should probably try just Am D E and just play with those as they are fairly easy and reasonably harmonic then worry about learning some actual songs and stuff.
Edited by Mr_Sleep at 20:16:38 25-05-2017 -
LionheartDJH 20,303 posts
Seen 2 weeks ago
Registered 12 years agoAs a relative beginner myself (a year-ish in), the missing the top strings while playing D, A etc. is just something that has come with time (and I occasionally still slip up!). As others have said it's quite easy to avoid on the up strums, on down strums I find it a matter of just making a more conscious effort to be more accurate and start your strum a little lower.
I concur with Mr Sleep that nailing rhythm and strumming technique is more important than chords, and I've refocused my learning to concentrate much more on those aspects. You can learn as many chords as you want, but if you can't play in time, lack a sense of rhythm or can't do anything beyond up down up down up down, then it doesn't matter how many chords you can play, it still won't sound great.
Better off focusing on that with a few of the basic open chords in my opinion, plenty of songs you can learn that only use 3 simple chords.
Although I've recently started seeing a tutor, JustinGuitar beginner's course is a great place to start.
The boring bit is basically practice practice practice, it can take a while to learn some things, and be frustrating, but when you find yourself gradually getting better at something you've struggled with then it's a great feeling.
Edited by LionheartDJH at 21:55:53 25-05-2017 -
Psiloc 6,366 posts
Seen 20 hours ago
Registered 14 years agoFuzzyDucky wrote:
I get that this is right on paper. But personally I struggle to strum the fuck out of a fast song while aiming for three strings without any muting or barring. Just me?
Fret the desired strings for power chords. Need to be accurate with the strumming as playing alternate strokes is impossible with sloppy technique. -
Duffking 16,964 posts
Seen 13 hours ago
Registered 15 years agoFor power chords you shouldn't have to think about muting. Just fret the 2/3 notes and let your index lie lightly flat over the strings instead of arching it like you might do on a regular chord, it'll naturally mute the g/b/e without even having to think about it. If the root is on the a string just rest the tip of your index against it to mute it lightly.
Power chords are about good fretting really, then you can thrash away as stupidly as you like on the strings, hitting as many or few as you like:
Edited by Duffking at 10:46:10 26-05-2017 -
Dirtbox 92,595 posts
Seen 21 hours ago
Registered 19 years ago -
Psiloc wrote:
As I use power chords almost only in high gain situations, I must mute strings because the slightest movement will produce noise. The underside of my little finger (3-string power chords) / ring finger (2-string) stays in touch with the next string to mute it.
Actually I've got something I'd like to bring up since this thread got bumped and I thought about it recently. Power chords. Now there's an area where your strumming hand needs to be precise. Or does it? Anyone mute some of the other strings? Do you barre all the strings or just finger what you need to? What's everyone's technique?
If I'm powerchording with the base on the A-string, and the low E-string has to be muted (and I'm not palm muting), my fretting hand's middle finger rests lightly on it.
Edited by DrStrangelove at 16:02:27 27-05-2017 -
Duffking 16,964 posts
Seen 13 hours ago
Registered 15 years agoWhy don't you just lay your index flat and mute all the unused strings regardless of the fingers used? Your index can mute literally anything that needs muting unless the root of your chord is on d or lower.
Both those situations can be handled by your index without even having to think about.
Whatever works for you of course but that sounds really bloody weird and overcomplicated to me and I'd never even consider doing it that way. Power chords should be practically the simplest and easiest thing?
The last thing anyone should be worrying about with power chords is strumming accuracy. Your index is supposed to mute anything that's not supposed to ring out no matter what so you can just strum like a madman on as many strings as you like since it won't matter.
The whole point is that you can keep your hand the exact shame shape for any power chord. Middle finger never gets involved. Unless I'm missing what you're saying I'd suggest watching the video I linked before! What you're doing sounds like a genuine nightmare for switching between e and a roots, as well as 2 and 3 fingers.
Edited by Duffking at 16:24:40 27-05-2017 -
Trying again now, and I'm not sure anymore what I do. It seems I do different versions or a combination of them. I just never think about it, I just do something... and I'm probably doing it differently when not paying attention.
Maybe I should pay more attention and add some consistency/remove sloppiness. -
Duffking 16,964 posts
Seen 13 hours ago
Registered 15 years agoI'd it works for you it works but I'd recommend watching that video as I'm sure you'll find it easier than what you're doing currently. After breaking the habit obviously. 😛
Edited by Duffking at 16:26:10 27-05-2017 -
Tried more, apparently I'm doing that unconsciously most of the time, adding the middle finger to make sure when the E string may not be quite muted enough (touched with fingernail/producing pinch harmonics/etc).
Still a bit sloppy/confused. Definitely something I should work on.
Edited by DrStrangelove at 17:04:57 27-05-2017
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