Tech: question for guitar players....

Subject: RE: Tech: question for guitar players....
From: Steve Benbows protege
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 06:03 PM

If you find bar chords hard to learn buy a set of the hand grips. I sat for hours playing with those things but I must stress that they have helped me emensly. You should really stick at learning the proper bar chords but you can cheat on them! Instead of playing the full bar put your first finger on the first srting (Instead of all the way across) and then carry on with the chord shape. I must stress here do not use this technique forever. Use it untill you can play the full bar without your hands aching and then find the most comfortable way for you. I play bar cords with three fingers for jazz and that is all you need, but in time you will discover all of this. If I can be of anymore assistance please dont hesitate to send me a p.m.
All the best and good luck!!
    Pete.

Subject: RE: Tech: question for guitar players....
From: Don Firth
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 05:59 PM

Not if you keep your thumb behind the neck, Fred. In the barre, the thumb and forefinger operate like a clamp. Easy.

Some years ago, I had a girl student with the very small hands. She wanted to learn some classic first, then folk song accompaniment. When we got to chords, I normally play the first position G chord with my 3rd finger on the 6th string, 2nd on the 5th, and 4th on the 1st. I started to show her the G with her 2nd on the 6th, 1st on the 5th, and 3rd on the 1st. She got it. But next week when she came for he lesson, she was doing it the way she'd seen me do it. Quite a stretch for her, but she got it. Like me, she used either fingering for the chord, depending on what went before and what was to come after. Some weeks later she was doing barres all over the neck. 'Course she was pretty diligent and she worked at it, but she got pretty darned good.

A wide classic fingerboard is no problem even for small hands, provided you keep your thumb behind the neck. This obviates the use of the thumb on the 6th string, but in fifty years, I've never found an occasion when I needed it.

But . . . whatever works.

Don Firth

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Tech: question for guitar players....
From: Sam L
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 05:41 PM

On the other hand, many nylon string guitars have a wider neck, which can be difficult for barres. If you like the sound of steel strings, I have an Oskar Schmidt (by washburn) which is a good "beater". Very cheap, sounds okay, stays in tune up the neck, very easy action. Above fret twelve there are some frets that buzz. But I filed a couple just a little, and don't get above that for many things. Even if you get a better guitar, I really like having one I can kick around with more casually.

Subject: RE: Tech: question for guitar players....
From: Don Firth
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 05:32 PM

Good advice from Frank. Probably not much he doesn't know about folk guitar.

My two-bits worth:-- First of all, you want to decide on whether you want a steel-string guitar or a classic nylon-string guitar. This might depend a lot on the kind of music you're interested in. A good classic guitar with nylon strings has a rich sound that goes well with ballads and such songs. But not necessarily that appropriate for, say, bluegrass. Nylon strings are a lot easier on the left hand (less that half the tension), and if you hold your left thumb behind the neck instead of wrapped around it, reaches will be no problem, even for fairly small hands.

Don't put nylon strings on a steel-string guitar. It won't hurt the guitar, but the sound will be pretty anemic. Do not, under any circumstances, put steel strings on a classic guitar. Lightly constructed, the steel strings can pull a classic guitar apart.

If you feel that what you want to play demands the sound of steel strings, it's possible to equip the guitar with low-tension or silk-and-steel strings that are a lot easier on left hand. The sound you get will depend on the guitar, but generally they sound pretty good on almost any reasonably well-made instrument. One possible route to go would be to use low tension or silk-and-steel strings until your hand develops some strength, and then shift to regular steels.

I've played nylon-string classics for fifty years, but I'm primarily a balladeer.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Tech: question for guitar players....
From: Frankham
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 04:47 PM

Hi Mary,

All guitars can be made with lower action unless the neck is irretrievable warped. The best guitars are usually the ones you have to pay more money for. A lot of that is subjective. Everyone has an opinion as to what the best is for themselves. The best thing you can do is hit every music store you can and try as many instruments out as possible. Then decide. My opinion is that playing any musical instrument well is not going to be easy but it is doable. When first starting out, many beginners are often impatient when they can't get a clear sound out of their chords. It takes a while to build callouses on your fingertips but the main thing is not to be discouraged. The chords will get clearer. There are all kinds of tips you will receive as to how to do this, but the only way your playing is going to get better is by consistently playing and not give up. Don't be confused by so-called "short cuts" because there aren't any. There are some physical patterns that can be built up for classical guitar but for the most part, folk guitar is trial and error. The reason for this is that folk guitar picking is highly "individual".There is, however, a correct way to place your left hand fingers on the strings of the
guitar. Always start with the finger on the thickest guage string first and then consecutively place the others down on the less thickest at a time. This keeps your wrist from wobbling around. Eventually all fingers will arrive together where they're supposed to be.

Frank Hamilton

Subject: Tech: question for guitar players....
From: GUEST,Mary V.
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 04:32 PM

I'm looking into buying a new guitar.
Could anyone share with me...
what the best guitar with the lowest action...

I think...bar chords are hard to learn..
but I am...learning them, and have
found, with my guitar the strings are as low
as they can be...
but there must be more expensive guitars
that would make it even easier.
Thanks from Mary