New beginner YouTube channel - Going (hopefully) from dreadful to decent

[ShawnE]

Day 1 Learning Guitar - What It's Really Like!

 

Hey all, I'm Shawn, 38 & fresh to the guitar.

 

The past 3 days have been my very first days of getting stuck in (probably spent a little too long at it - finger tips feel like I burned them on a stove!).

 

I've been awkwardly & awfully strumming between D & A chords, but hey, I'm excited for the months ahead.

 

Looking back on this first video I can already see I need to reallyyyy slow every thing right down & it reinforces the need to let things develop at its own pace.

Oh, and I need to get to grips with holding the pick properly.

 

I've started with online learning but also looking for a proficient local teacher.

 

I noticed there's not a great deal of content around showcasing absolute beginners but that's easy to see why - seasoned amateurs & pros tend to sound a lot better!

 

So, I decided to start this channel to not only periodically document my own progress (likely bi-weekly or monthly) from the very first day so I can look back at it years down the line, but also because I thought it may become intriguing/inspiring for other beginners who may come across it now or in the future.

 

A way to truly realise that we're not alone with this early frustration (& pain!) & wondering if things could ever possibly get better.

 

Well, I'm going to find out if they do, anyway!

 

It may also bring back fond memories for you pros of your own early days.

 

If you fancy offering motivation, encouragement, tips etc. do feel free to follow along!

 

New Life With Guitar

[Larryz]

@ShawnE, Welcome aboard and good luck with your 1st few days of learning to play the guitar.  It is a fun and life-long journey.  When you find that local teacher, have them check your guitar for its action and ease of playing.  It may save you some finger pain if the guitar is set up correctly.  You'll build callouses in a week or two which will ease the pain.  Just go easy at first and play a little each day.  The main thing is to have fun with it!  😎👍

[desertbluesman]

+1 on Larryz's comments above. Be tenacious and don't give up. get some lessons from a good player near you. Good luck.

[KTSs]

It's really great, reminds me of myself when I was just learning guitar (although I've been playing for 6 years now), but I'd still say it's best to control the amount of time you spend practicing each day if you're looking at it as a hobby to learn, and even the most fun things you do every day will gradually lose interest over time. Anyway, good luck and enjoy your musical journey.

[murphybridget]

Hi Shawn,

Exciting to see your guitar journey unfold! Embrace the learning curve – progress comes with patience. Your channel is a great idea to inspire others and track your growth. Keep strumming and enjoy the process!

[RABid]

Multiple 15 minute sessions will do more for you than occasional 1 hour sessions. Practice a little before work in the morning, then again when you get home. It is important to play at least a little every day. What guitar are you playing and how is the action? High action is much harder on the fingers. My first guitar did me in because the action was so high.

[surfergirl]

Welcome ShswnE. Enjoy the journey.

[ShawnE]

Quote

 

@Larryz Thanks Larry, yes I've quickly found out that going easy & playing a little each day is the best approach for now!

 

@desertbluesman Cheers for the words of encouragement!

 

@KTSs That's very true! So far I'm enjoying it way more than I even expected. I'm hoping that once I'm over these first few initial barriers I'll love learning & improving more & more.

 

@murphybridget Thanks so much for the welcome and the kind and wise words... big appreciation!

 

@RABid Yes! It's taken me 2 or 3 days to fathom that out but that's what I've now adopted - two or three small 10 minute sessions daily to start with. I have an Eastman E1-OM. I bought it brand new and the store I purchased it from set it up for me. I told them I'm a beginner so they said it's been set up accordingly, so hopefully it's just a matter of time before calluses and better hand mobility starts making things easier!

 

@surfergirl Thanks so much for the welcome!

[ShawnE]

 

One week update after my first 7 days of learning. I review the progress I've made on my D & A chord changes, get ecstatic about a slight advancement in the guitar pick I'm now using, highlight my new pitch pipe & royally screw up my strum reward.

[Caevan O’Shite]

On 8/7/2023 at 6:35 PM, ShawnE said:

Hey all, I'm Shawn, 38 & fresh to the guitar.

You're a kid,  and a late-comer (to guitar) at the same time!  

Seriously, welcome to the Guitar Forum, and welcome to playing guitar.
 

  

On 8/7/2023 at 6:35 PM, ShawnE said:

The past 3 days have been my very first days of getting stuck in (probably spent a little too long at it - finger tips feel like I burned them on a stove!).

You'll have that, at first. You'll build up some callouses, and your fingers will become more accustomed to playing. Over time, eventually, you'll likely have less need for callouses as you develop a lighter, defter "touch". It's very common to start out with a G.I. Joe Kung Fu Death-Grip on the guitar, coupled with being a little tense and nervous about it (I sure did! ). This is ultimately counter-productive, as it causes muscle fatigue and hampers changing from chord to chord, note to note, phrase to phrase... Pretty much everyone goes through all of that. Relax. Pace yourself. Allow yourself the freedom to make mistakes as part of the whole learning process and the experience itself. You might even occasionally stumble upon a great little musical idea- or even a great big one...
 

  

On 8/7/2023 at 6:35 PM, ShawnE said:

Oh, and I need to get to grips with holding the pick properly.

Try a lot of different picks. One type that I liked was the Big Stubby from Dunlop. Personally, the heavy 3mm and 2mm ones, though they come in lighter and lighter yet gauges. They have a sculpted shape that has a textured round, concave divot in the middle on each side, that makes them easier to grip and hold. They're just one of MANY examples of variations on picks out there.

Keep a few of whatever picks you like in your pocket, and get one out and hold it in your fingers like you're going to play guitar; fiddle about with it, maybe kinda sorta like some people do with those "fidget spinners". Doing this will help the whole thing with the picks become more 'second-nature' to you. Tap on tables and counters with 'em, alternate-pick and tremolo-pick, say, the edge of a watch-band or table-top or whatever. Get percussive. Seriously. You'll feel like the pick is an extension of your fingertips in time.
 

  

On 8/7/2023 at 6:35 PM, ShawnE said:

I've been awkwardly & awfully strumming between D & A chords, but hey, I'm excited for the months ahead.

Hey! Those are still a couple of my best friends, D and A chords! Throw in an E and you're headed to town with I IV V progressions for Blues, Country, Rock, all kinds of great stuff...  Sincerely. Try strumming A, D and E chords in an oversimplified way along with "Rock and Roll" by Led Zeppelin and tell me you don't start to feel some adrenalin surge and get excited about playing!

Then play a D chord, but with your 4th finger, your "pinky", fretting the 1st-String at the 3rd-Fret (a "G" note), producing a Dsus4, aka D Suspended 4th- which means that the 3rd of the Chord, typically Major or minor, has been suspended (not played), with the 4th of the Chord replacing it.

Then lift up that 4th finger to have that note that your 2nd/Index finger is holding at the 2nd-Fret (F#, the Major 3rd of the D Chord) ring out. Tension! Release! Drama! Easy to play! You've heard that move many, MANY times...

If you've already covered these things, if they seem obvious, forgive me- I'm just trying to toss some fun little moments your way, that are easy to play- to encourage you, keep you chomping at the bit, and lead on to discovery and progress....

[ShawnE]

@Caevan O’Shite Haha thanks Caevan! Yes, I'm relating to alotttt of what you said right now. Fingertip soreness is gradually subsiding which is leading me to a few extra short daily practice sessions but only at the expense of the hand & forearm muscle fatigue you speak of!

Doing as you say & ensuring I remain as relaxed as possible & working at a comfortable (but marginally progressive) pace - unless it becomes too progressive & I decide to backtrack a little! Thanks for all of your input!

I've settled on a thin & forgiving .46mm nylon pick for now - I started with a .38mm but quickly felt the turning point where that seemed too thin after just a few days.

 

I think I have another week or so nailing through these trusty D & A's, but should then be working on adding an 3rd & 4th chord the repertoire to start opening up the doors to all those tuuunneeessss.

Thanks again!

[surfergirl]

On 8/14/2023 at 3:22 PM, ShawnE said:

I've settled on a thin & forgiving .46mm nylon pick for now - I started with a .38mm but quickly felt the turning point where that seemed too thin after just a few days.

Besides different sizes, trying out different materials is a lot of fun. Every material gives a different sound. I have a drawer full of different thicknesses and materials. Now I use a .80 acrylic almost exclusively. I also use a 1.5 acrylic and some 1.0 Dunlop primetone. The primetone are faily reasonable and have a good grip. The great thing about picks is, it doesn't cost to much to experiment.  Although it can add up if you get to carried away. 

[ShawnE]

On 8/16/2023 at 10:50 PM, surfergirl said:

Besides different sizes, trying out different materials is a lot of fun. Every material gives a different sound. I have a drawer full of different thicknesses and materials. Now I use a .80 acrylic almost exclusively. I also use a 1.5 acrylic and some 1.0 Dunlop primetone. The primetone are faily reasonable and have a good grip. The great thing about picks is, it doesn't cost to much to experiment.  Although it can add up if you get to carried away. 

Yeah I'm looking forward to trying out different materials! You're right I'll have to get a batch of different ones (though I'll keep them all super thin for now haha)..!!

[ShawnE]

 

For week 2 I continued just strumming between D & A chords but also introduce some music to the practice sessions! Makes the D & A chord change practice far less tedious... for the last few days I've introduced the E chord as well but think it'll be a good week or two before I get onto practicing three chord tunes... it'll be E to A to E to D to A to D to E ad infinitum for a while first.

[ShawnE]

 

Few days late getting this on here.... but for week 3 I got a lovely new leather guitar strap (I've since shortened it so it's being worn properly now for sit-down practice!), start learning & practicing the E chord... &... wait for it... I play through (butcher) my first full proper song.

[Caevan O’Shite]

1 hour ago, ShawnE said:

I got a lovely new leather guitar strap (I've since shortened it so it's being worn properly now for sit-down practice!)...

Playing position makes a HUGE difference. Bad form can even lead to injuries.

Rock, Metal, etc. etc. etc. players are famous for wearing guitars and basses waaay low ("Knuckle Dragger", "Low Rider" ). It does look cool, buuut... Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin, but you knew that, right? ) wore his exceptionally low, but he also, proportionately, seems to have freakishly long alien arms, as well...  Me, I wear mine fairly high, sitting or standing, similar to what many Jazz or Classical players might do, maybe a little lower (somewhere between "The Middle man" and "The Obeyer" below ;))... I try to adjust my strap so that the given guitar will be in about the same position whether I'm sitting or standing.

                                  

[Winston Psmith]

With my solid-body Electrics, I try to keep them so the Neck PU is more or less over my Solar Plexus, what Martial Arts practitioners would consider the center of Chi. FWIW, it feels like the shortest path for energy to travel, as if I were projecting my strength directly out of my body through the Guitar.

 

Having your Guitar slung down below your belt buckle means wasting a LOT of energy just reaching for the thing. Unless you can scratch your kneecaps without having to bend down even a little - go ahead, try it - probably not the best position.

 

Having it tucked up under your chin does much the same thing; you waste a lot of energy, and blood flow, holding your hands up above your heart. Fine if you play Arco Strings or Bluegrass Mandolin, not so good if you have a Les Paul, or a deep-body Acoustic.

[Larryz]

@Caevan O’Shite, +1 on the Obeyer position in the chart. I seldom use a strap and play sitting down.  When I do use a strap, I like to be able to stand up or sit down without having to readjust the strap.  I can't play with the guitar slung low as it puts unwanted pressure on my wrists...that's a cool chart!  😎👍

[surfergirl]

I like it so my forearm comes straight out to the neck.

@ShawnEstraps are another trap🙂. You buy one and before you know it you have a dozen. I'm not sure how many I have and I only use one. 

[KuruPrionz]

7 minutes ago, surfergirl said:

I like it so my forearm comes straight out to the neck.

@ShawnEstraps are another trap🙂. You buy one and before you know it you have a dozen. I'm not sure how many I have and I only use one.

This is why I generally find a strap I like for a particular instrument and then screw it onto the guitar/bass with washers so it stays forever. 😇

[ShawnE]

@Caevan O’Shite Hahah judging by that chart I'd say I'm a folkie right now. True about playing position though! So difficult to not hunch the neck over when you have no clue where your fingers are... trying to mix up angles a bit so it's not so taxing all in one spot... have introduced a little late night closed eye chord changing as well to try to get better which should then eventually start helping with posture!

 

@surfergirl Funny you should say that because I almost walked out of the store with two despite only just realising I probably needed one 😂

 

 

[ShawnE]

 

One month update… I take a look at the progress I’ve made during my first month by comparing clips from day one through to week four. Continued working on D, A & E while also introducing a cheeky upstrum or two to a couple of my practice songs this week.

[ShawnE]

 

A little run through update of the "easy" songs I've been going over (& over & over) to drum these 3 chords into my unmusical brain - Of course, I've still been doing all of my slow daily technical practice (probably up to around 45-60 minutes of total practice per day on average) & often practice these songs at a slower tempo, certainly at first.

I also introduced Am & Em chords last week & a couple of new "easy" riff practices to get my fingers working in new ways.

As of yesterday I've also introduced the Dm chord, a simplified version of the spider finger exercise to ease me into that & a slightly more difficult strumming pattern to work with (the "old faithful" - missing one downstrum for the first time - D-D-U-x-U-D-U).

Of course, with these new minor chords I have a few new practice songs added as well - I have a LOT of different things in my routine now so will see how I get on over the next week & will then look to condense the exercises & songs in the routine so as not to overwhelm myself with a ton of different things every day - maybe split things up into alternating daily exercises &/or pause things I'm more comfortable with & focus more on what I feel needs work. I'll reassess & see.

Could be a good few weeks before I'm comfortable enough to progress onto a new chord & such - Will put together a video update of all of this in the next week or two.

Thanks for watching!

[Larryz]

@ShawnE, I'm going to suggest a different fingering for your A chord formation.  You can do it the way you are doing it, but maybe try this suggestion from time to time. I know you may find it useful someday...

 

where 1 = your index finger, 2 = your bird finger, 3 = your ring finger and 4 = your pinky finger

 

considering what I see you doing is 2 1 3  (2 on the 4th string), (1 on the 3rd string) and (3 on the 2nd string).

 

I suggest you try 2 3 4 (2 on the 4th string), (3 on the 3rd sting) and (4 on the 2nd string) for your A formation.

 

Now switch from your A to Aminor back and forth.  Switch from your A to D back and forth, switch from A to E back and forth, and see if you like it?

 

😎

 

[KuruPrionz]

32 minutes ago, Larryz said:

@ShawnE, I'm going to suggest a different fingering for your A chord formation.  You can do it the way you are doing it, but maybe try this suggestion from time to time. I know you may find it useful someday...

 

where 1 = your index finger, 2 = your bird finger, 3 = your ring finger and 4 = your pinky finger

 

considering what I see you doing is 2 1 3  (2 on the 4th string), (1 on the 3rd string) and (3 on the 2nd string).

 

I suggest you try 2 3 4 (2 on the 4th string), (3 on the 3rd sting) and (4 on the 2nd string) for your A formation.

 

Now switch from your A to Aminor back and forth.  Switch from your A to D back and forth, switch from A to E back and forth, and see if you like it?

 

😎

 

Larryz Is suggesting more efficient habits starting off so you don't have to unlearn something to get there. 

I'll add another biggie although I haven't watched your videos. 

I've seen many guitarists playing a G chord in the first position with the 1st finger on the 2nd fret of the 5th string, the "bird finger" on the 3rd fret of the 6th string and the 3rd finger on the 3rd fret of the 1st string.  When playing songs, you will often change from G to C (or A minor) and now you have to reposition all of your fingers because you need the first finger for the 1st fret of the 2nd string. 

Early on a good friend showed me a G chord fingering that is much easier to transition to other chords. 2nd finger on 2nd fret 5th string, 3rd finger on 3rd fret 6th string and pinky finger on 3rd fret 1st string. If you are not doing that already, now is a good time to try it and change if possible. Shifting to a C chord is as simple as moving the 2nd finger to the 2nd fret 4th string, the 3rd finger to the 5th string 3rd fret and adding the 1st finger to the 1st fret - 2nd string. You can either leave your little finger on the 3rd fret 1st string or remove it for an open 1st string, both are correct. 

This will really make that switch easy. 

[ShawnE]

@Larryz Thanks for the input Larry, appreciated as always! This was also mentioned to me recently by somebody else so it's something I have started playing around with! I've been taught to finger the A chord this way as a beginner so finger 1 acts as an anchor on the 3rd string between each of the A, D & E chords. I haven't found any problems with it thus far (well, apart from the first couple of weeks learning it) but understand there's merit in also getting to grips with the way you mention as it could be useful when it comes to transitioning to & from other chords (perhaps some more complex ones) in the future.... would that be correct? I am guessing that learning both ways over time would eventually arm me with the ability to choose which way I want to best finger the A based on the next upcoming chord in a song... I guess this could also be the case for a number of other (all?) chords...

 

@KuruPrionz That makes sense & I guess again all comes down to the chord that is to be transitioned to next.... I haven't reached the point of learning the G or C chords yet so unsure as to how I'll be taught (though it's all online lessons thus far so I can easily skip ahead to quickly check), I suspect I'll reach those within the next month or so. Will certainly bear all of this in mind, though! Much appreciated!

[Larryz]

@ShawnE, Leaving your 1st index finger as an anchor on the 3rd string can work for the D and A chords, but not the E.  You'll need to move the 1st finger down one fret when playing your E chord in order to get the Ab note.  Remember that you are playing in the "open chord" area of the fretboard where you are able to let some of the open strings ring out with the chords.  "In the future" you will most likely want to learn barre chords so that you can move the same open chord patterns (like A Am and E Em) up and down the fret board using your 1st index finger to barre across all of the strings and your other 3 fingers to play those same patterns that you are using in your open chords.  I'm just throwing out a little tip for now so that you don't have to tie up that index finger when using your A open chord fingering. 

 

You are doing a great job and are showing dedication and perseverance...keep up the good work but don't forget to have fun with it! 😎👍

 

ps. that Ab note is also known as a G#

 

 

[ShawnE]

@Larryz Awesome, cheers Larry - I'll 100% dabble with the alternative formings of the chord behind the scenes so it's not foreign to me later down the line. I'll still mostly use the finger pattern I've first learned so as to not deviate too much from what the lessons I'm following are teaching me but can fully understand how I'll benefit later down the line by introducing alternatives now. Much appreciated! Plenty of fun being had thus far!

[KuruPrionz]

2 minutes ago, ShawnE said:

@Larryz Awesome, cheers Larry - I'll 100% dabble with the alternative formings of the chord behind the scenes so it's not foreign to me later down the line. I'll still mostly use the finger pattern I've first learned so as to not deviate too much from what the lessons I'm following are teaching me but can fully understand how I'll benefit later down the line by introducing alternatives now. Much appreciated! Plenty of fun being had thus far!

The having fun part is the essential thing. Guitar is my favorite inanimate object, it allows me to speak in a variety of musical languages. 

Enjoy and welcome!!!

[Caevan O’Shite]

On 9/13/2023 at 12:24 AM, Larryz said:

"In the future" you will most likely want to learn barre chords...

☝️ 👆  THIS- indeed.  👈

And not just the typical barre chords where the 1st-Finger barres across all six strings and the remaining fingers form chord voicings- though those are very useful and excellent- but also partial barres, and barre-forms where two or even three 'mini barres' using 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th fingers to hold two or more strings down... 

A little two-chord example:

Play a 2nd Position B Chord, barring across the first five Frets (or all six, but don't play the note on the 6th-String) at the 2nd-Fret with your 1st Finger, and barring across the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Strings at the 4th-Fret with your 4th-Finger or 3rd-Finger (whichever works best for you, probably less of a stretch for your 4th/"pinky"). Two 'barres'.  |  X 2 4 4 4 2  |  Compare this Fingering/voicing to the Open Position A chord that you're already friends with; it's effectively the same thing, but up two-frets.

Then play a 2nd-Position EMaj7 ("E Major 7th") by barring across five strings at the 2nd-Fret, the 1st through 5th Strings, leaving the Open 6th ("Low E") to ring out, unfretted; while also barring across the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Strings at the 4th-Fret.  |  O 2 2 4 4 4  |  Compare to an Open Position DMaj7 (barred across the same three strings at the 2nd-Fret with the 4th and often 5th Strings played Open) that you may not have shook hands with yet...

Play these two, the B and EMaj7, back and forth. Finish by playing an F# Barre Chord  |  2 4 4 3 2 2  |  (compare to F or Open Position E chords), and Resolving to that B.

You may note that these are I, IV, and V chords (1, 4, and 5); in this case, in the Key of B. The basic progression is heard A LOT in Blues, Country, Rock and other such songs. A LOT. Throwing in that Major 7th chord brings a little introspective, moody, dreamy, even a bit Jazzy vibe to the progression, while not going all the way with all three chords being various 7th Chord voicings.

And don't let it bother you if it's a little difficult at first to play any Barre forms; it's a hurdle for EVERYONE. EVERYONE. Early on when dinosaurs had propellers and airplanes ruled the earth, I swore that I would never use barre chords, and only play everything in ways that didn't require a barre.

Now most of what I play seems to involve barres!
 

  

On 9/15/2023 at 1:29 PM, KuruPrionz said:

The having fun part is the essential thing.

  ☝️ 👆  And THIS, INDEED, TOO!