Question Home

Position:Home>Performing Arts> Acoustic Guitar help needed BADLY!?


Question: Acoustic Guitar help needed BADLY!!?
Alright, so yesterday my neighbour let me borrow his well used guitar!. He said it was in fine condition and me, the unknowledgable beginner guitarist, trusted him!. Im watching videos on Youtube for beginner guitars and everytime they play something while holding the strings down, it sounds nice, but when I do it, it doesnt strum, it sounds like it doesnt when you hold ALL the strings down!. I watched the video a bunch of times placing and replacing my fingers exactly but it doesnt work!. Am I doing it wrong or is it the guitar!? Help!Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
It's really impossible to diagnose your problem without seeing you try to play!.

My recommendation is to sit down with your neighbor and have him tell if you're starting off right!.

In the meantime, something to try is playing a *very* simple chord!. Press down on the third fret, first string (the thinnest string)!. Then put your pick or thumb above the 3rd string and strum those 3 strings!. If it sounds muted or scratchy, you're not pressing hard enough!.
If it sounds out of tune!.!.!. well, it's probably out of tune!.
If it sounds musical, then congratulations, you played your first chord (a G major) :)Www@QuestionHome@Com

Make sure the strings are in standard tuning, EADGBE, and check the action!. If the strings buzz and such when you use the first few frets then there is nothing you can do unless you aren't strong enough to push them all the way to the fretboard!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

well, although I'm a little confused, I think what you're saying is you play a chord and it sounds flat, like there is no chord!.

1st thing you should always do before playing is tune your guitar!. Get a guitar tuner (I like Korgs Chromatic tuner) and tune the guitar standard!. Do you know the names of your strings!?

From the 6th (big string) string you have!.!.!.

Low E
A
D
G
B
High E

Even After Dinner Giant Boys Eat

Okay, now that your guitar is in tune!. When you play a chord, lets pick the D chord, your fingers should be on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd string!. You are only going to strum 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th string (which is open)!. As opposed to an E major, where you will strum every string!. E and G are your big chords (for beginners) that require a strum of every string!. If you strum every string on a D chord, it'll be a muddy mess!.

also, when you are strumming, make sure that the pads (fatty) part of your fingers are not touching any strings around it or else it will deaden the sound, ruining the chord and your tone!.

Another thing is, if the guitar is very well used and the strings haven't been changed in awhile, I recommend doing that!. I use Martin light M540 strings, they are really great!. Changing the guitar strings will make a big difference in the sound you are getting!.

Over time, strings become covered with dirt and oils from your fingers, these deaden the strings and affect your tone!.

When I change strings, I replace one string at a time!. Once they are all on, I tune them, give them a little tug and then tune them again!. cut off the excess after you tune!. If you have someone that can help you change the strings, I'd say get that help because string changing can be a real bear at first!.

Well, I hope I helped!. Just keep at it!. You will get it!. Playing is a lot of fun and it takes time and practice but its worth it!.

EDIT: I wanted to add too, I don't know what kind of chord mark is saying to try, but thats not an open G Major atleast!.

To play a G major, you take your third finger (ring) and fret the first string 3rd fret, your 2nd finger (middle) and fret the 6th string 3rd fret, then your 1st finger (index) and fret the 5th string 2nd fret!.

An easier chord than that is the Emin!. Fret the 5th and 4th strings in the second fret (using your 2nd and 3rd fingers) string and strum every string!.

When you place your fingers to form the chord, pluck every string in that chord to make sure each note is ringing out clearly!. Then strum the entire chord!. G can be kind of a stretch, I would really do the Emin, hit every string individually, once you got them ringing out clearly, strum the chord!.


Okay, good luck again!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Try: http://www!.tubestreamer!.com

Even youstreamer!.com
Youstreamer is the new sister site to tubestreamer!. Both are guitar websites!. One streams other videos, and youstreamer you can register for free and upload your own videos

This site for me has been really useful and has many resources!. I like it because of all of the videos, and video categories!. Plus it has a search function!.

It has everything with tags for "guitar" which make it easier finding guitar related material unlike other video sites like youtube!.

On http://www!.tubestreamer!.com you can find everything from the most basic of beginner videos, to advanced stuff, guitar reviews, amp reviews and more!. I found this site a while back and have been visiting it every day since then!. I go there to learn to play songs, get equipment reviews, and also to vote!.

http://www!.tubestreamer!.com sponsers someone off of youtube each week and posts them as the "weekly streamer"
http://www!.youstreamer!.com is also for bands, and youstreamer sponsers a band or a user once a month

This is kindof cool and gives people a change to make it off the youtube site and onto other pages as well, while going for the "guitar" content

I noticed when I first started going to http://www!.tubestreamer!.com a few weeks ago, that there were changes being made to the page every day!. I think the site is fairly new, but again has given me answers to most all of the questions I had that were guitar related!. If you don't see something you are looking for, just use the search!.

Some Main things on http://www!.tubestreamer!.com

1!. Acoustic covers and tutorials
2!. Guitar Lessons
3!. Tabs / Covers / Lessons / Workships
4!. Guitar information such as Repair / Reviews

http://www!.youstreamer!.com is REALLY new, and has been going through many changes as well!. It appears that the "backbone" of it is up and running, but not many users yet!. Make sure to head over and sign up for a free account!

YouStreamer has:
1!.Your Guitar videos that YOU upload
2!. Different categories for the different videos (Beginner, intermediate, and advanced) as well as some other cool categories also!.
3!. "groups" that can be used to display your band
4!. Audio section to upload your own music you have made, or your bands music
5!. ratings, comments and etc!.!.!.!.

The site looks great, just needs more users and content but I am sure that will come soon!.

For already completed content: http://www!.tubestreamer!.com

Content seems to be updated daily, search tags show new things so I don't get stuck on searching myself, or trying to find something I would like to learn!. I simply go to their page and get great suggestions!.

I have sent an email to the admin and got a fast personal response as well!. (Which is a good thing)

Something I really like to see!.!.!.!. Great page with great guitar content, of which most of the time has had exactly what I am looking for and more!.

I noticed there is also a new section that is a web forum area, and rumored a classifieds posting section for guitars and equpt coming soon!.

On the email reply I received from http://www!.tubestreamer!.com

I was told that there would also be another place added soon for everyone to upload their own guitar videos and tutorials!.

Definatly a website worth bookmarking in my browser, and hopefully it will be as much help to you!. It is web pages like this I think that really help out by keeping so much information in one place!. Thank you TubeStreamer!.com !

Sorry to sound like I am boasting this site, but I love it, and it has shown me a lot of new things and I have learned to play a lot of new songs this way!. Seeing a video is much easier to learn guitar!. (Even has some Piano stuff, and recording software stuff as well)

The newest area added is the forum, and though it doesn't appear that many people have signed up on it yet, I am sure it will not take too long for this site to take off!.!.!.Let's give some support to a great site showing dedication to bringing us great video information for free!

Visit, sign up for the forums, and browse around! Thank you for reading!

http://www!.tubestreamer!.comWww@QuestionHome@Com