[I_Like_Plants]

OK so here starts a thread about doing something in the real world......

I went over to Gryphon Strings and signed up for the "just starting" guitar class. Since the first lesson was last week, I was one of those drop-in students. I'd showed up for the 5PM class but that one was full, so I was told I could drop in to the 8PM class. OK - went and got the money for the class, and came back about 45min. ahead of time, and settled down in the room with the electric guitars 'n' amps, and got down to practicing the chords learned in the first lesson. A.... E..... D.... hmm.... I worked on those hard, looking and fingering and strumming, doing each one as an arpeggio to make sure all strings were sounding clearly - always one or two or even three were not, my fat fingers would damp one or two or I'd not press that middle one in A hard enough. Around and around and around, A... D.... E.... A.... E.... D.... etc. Take a break, walk around, then sit down again and work away.... Gradually I started to look at the diagrams a bit less... Then class started and I got signed up, and we all settled in.

This class has students from age about 10 to one lady who's at least 60, I think older. In fact I think there are a few 60-somethings in there. There's also a United Nations of ethnicities, quite a group - shows how universal the guitar is in the Empire. My fingers were already nicely tenderized, and we got down to work. Turns out we're not just strumming each chord, we do a funky two-string walking bass thing and strum the highest 3 strings, plink-strum, plonk-strum, etc.

We went over the chords then onto some songs.... "Blowing In The Wind" at very slow speed, ha, with a pause every chord change. Fun, fun. I sure don't think I sounded any better than anyone else! Then some song I don't know with lots of chord changes. Oh and old Bobby McGee, those songs are a workout when you're new! We also learned a bit about tuning a guitar, or at least I think we did - frankly I think the teacher's explanation of that was clear as mud. Good thing I'd learned that part from a mel bay book when I was a teenager. One more go at a song and that was it, the guy behind me was really shaking his fretting hand and I muttered to him "I know the feeling" lol.

So why am I taking a pansy-ass class like this? First, because I'm a pansy-ass beginner. Secondly, because I'm so busy I think I need something that I have to go to each week to keep me going at at least a basic level. Also, this place (Gryphon) is a sort of gathering place for folk, blues, etc guitar, banjo etc in the area, and one class can lead to more, and poeple to jam with, etc.

The class is $160 for 10 lessons, an hour each, anyone who knows guitar lessons knows that's not bad.

I got done and went and had a coffee, and noticed that sure enough, I have a nice blister going. So no more fooling around on the guitar until tomorrow anyway.

Blowing In The Wind and etc may be pretty lame songs, but it's a start. Even the basic strum'n'sing method is pretty cool to listen to if it's done well. I fully expect to go to the local farmer's market and set up and play and see if, just as an exercise, I can make back the $$ for the class.

So, I guess I will keep a sort of little "learning the guitar" diary here.

[Aaron]

http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/

http://www.gieson.com/Library/projects/utilities/tuner/

Welcome...

[I_Like_Plants]

Thanks! Got a tuner, and all the chords I can handle.

I have to admit, if you want to learn an instrument, there's by far the most help out there for guitar. There are tons of free lessons on YouTube, chord charts galore, etc. So the lesson is being taught by some metal head with his hat on backward, (that's one guy with a ton of stuff on youtube) the info is good and the givers of it are helpful.

I played a bit more today hanging out at the local music shop, ran over the chords and messed around with stuff. I don't want to do too much at once and tear my fingers up as opposed to building them up. I already sound better than I did yesterday.

[snowshoegal]

Hooray, ILP! Cheering you on.

I take courage from seeing forum posters take action in real life now to make things a little bit better in the future. That currently is this doomer's only hope. You'll be welcome at my campfire anytime.

[PenultimateManStanding]

lol! Like the story plants. Calluses are what you want. I used to have them from constantly playing on a steel string guitar. Speaking of chord changes, check out this:


Michelle
Lennon/McCartney


F Bbm7 Eb6 D0 C G7-9 C
Michelle, ma belle, these are words that go together well, my Michelle
F Bbm7 Eb6 D0 G7-9 C G7-9 C
Michelle, ma belle, sontles mots qui vont tres bien ensemble, tres bien ensemble

Fm Ab7 Db
I love you, I love you, I love you, that's all I want to say
C7 Fm
until I find a way
Fm Fmmaj7 Fm7 Fm6 Bbm/F C
I will say the only words I know that you'll understand.

Chorus

I need you, I need you, I need you, I need to make you see
oh what you mean to me
until I do I'm hoping you will know what I mean

Chorus

I want you, I want you, I want you, I think you know by now
I'll get to you somehow
until I do I'm telling you so you'll understand

F Bbm7 Eb6 D0 G7-9 C G7-9 C
Michelle, ma belle sont les mots qui vont tres bien ensemble, tres bien ensemble
F Bbm7 C Fm C F
I will say the only words I know that you'll understand, my Michelle

[nemo]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PenultimateManStanding', 'B')eatles stuff

[I_Like_Plants]

Yeah gotta learn all those chords so I can play that juicy stuff.

Agree, mcCartney is a twat, but it did come up with some good stuff.

I think I'm going to find an excuse to hang out over at Gryphon and just happen to take my chord stuff from the class, and see if I can whang a while on one of their nylon string jobs, since that will be practice but not quite so hard on the fingers, I want to play a LOT but I'm trying to keep a small blister on my index finger from becoming a large one.......

[Pops]

Kinda cool though when you finally play a tune that sounds like a tune to your ears.

Needle and the Damage Done on the back deck, at about midnight, about 25 years ago was mine.

I get out the box and try to flatpick Arkansas Traveler or Turkey in the Straw every now and then -- haven't got far though.

Doc Watson I ain't...

[jboogy]

good luck, I could never focus enough for long enough to develop ANY proficiency at all .in the beginning i think it's a lot of work , but once you reach a certain level I hear it's like a switch gets flipped and you can start to enjoy what your hearing/doing.