[AxSlinger]

OK, so here's the deal. I've been playing for a little over 3 years, but I started on a classical. From there I moved on to an electric. Besides playing a few power chords, I never really worked on my rhythm or never have moved too far past the basic open chords. I can play things like Incubus - Drive (I'm ok at it I guess) and Save Tonight, but I wanted to improve my technique. I'm going to be getting a regular steel string acoustic soon, but I want to be able to play a progression of chords well, and with good rhythm.

Any tips or cool songs to check out?

Thanks in advance,

[HighInfidel]

Learn barre chords, other chord voicings for the open chords, and then 7th, 9th, 6th, major, minor and other altered chords.

work on building chord melodies, where the chord plays a rhythm part for the melody, a solo you play for instance.

learn familiar chord progressions. work on your right hand rhythm technique.

[AxSlinger]

thanks.....

Do you know of any songs that would help me with all this?

[dadfad]

thanks.....

Do you know of any songs that would help me with all this?

HiInfidel is right, especially about the other voicings and variations. I recommend playing blues. Not necessarily as the genre you're into, but as an exercise. I don't mean a specific tune even, but the I-IV-V 12-bar progression. At moderate (or fast or slow) speeds the basic progression can act as a well-defined framework around which you can hang and substitute chordal variations within each particular position of the 12-bars, always with a well-defined rhythmic and musical framework as a guide. A 12-bar blues is pretty simple to keep mental-time with. As you go through the major chord of each position, you can add and experiment with lots of changes within that position. Take... whatever.... key of E. As you play the E(I)-position, within that time-space you can add/change with 7ths, 9ths, 6ths, dims, etc of the E-chord, always returning back to E in time to make the change to A (and then do the same thing within the A time-space). The same thing applied to the B(V) position. The B time-space, being shorter, allows less time in the progression itself but lets you experiment within a turnaround, etc. So the simple framework of the 12-bar blues is an excellent practice vehicle, allowing you to go as far as you want with voicings, frags, runs, fills, etc. Maintaining a drone-note on the open E-6-string (with your thumb) can keep an ever more positively-defined structure as you make changes on the other five strings. Same with the open A 5-string in the IV position. So you can really go off into where ever your experimentation will take you, while at the same time developing tight rhythm-skills. But you always know where "home" is, and how to get back home when you want to.

[epearson]

Great advice Dadfad, except I'll just throw in something for the sake of a beginner (I think) a I-IV-V progression can sometimes seem like a foreign language. This refers to the note in that key. So say the key is E major, then you look at the E major scale, E-F-G#-A-B-C-D. Not only are these the notes you could play over a chord progression in E, but it's also the chords you use for a progression. So the IV refers to the fourth note in the scale, A, and V would be B. I may be mistaken, this scale could be wrong for all I know (though I doubt it) and you may know this already, but I just thought it would help because it was a long time till I began learning scales and anything involving roman numerals.

[AxSlinger]

Great advice Dadfad, except I'll just throw in something for the sake of a beginner (I think) a I-IV-V progression can sometimes seem like a foreign language.  This refers to the note in that key.  So say the key is E major, then you look at the E major scale, E-F-G#-A-B-C-D.  Not only are these the notes you could play over a chord progression in E, but it's also the chords you use for a progression.  So the IV refers to the fourth note in the scale, A, and V would be B.  I may be mistaken, this scale could be wrong for all I know (though I doubt it) and you may know this already, but I just thought it would help because it was a long time till I began learning scales and anything involving roman numerals.

Haha, thanks for that, but I already knew that. Those are the first things that I read whenever learning scales and such, but thanks.

Once again, thanks a lot dadfad, it was great advice.

[deamhain]

One of these days I'm going to do a Dadfad on Dadfad:

He'll open the front door and there'll be this strange bloke with a rucksack, guitar bag and Scottish accent.."Jock, Jock, goanny show me some stuff aye?"

He'll know it's me by the several beer barrels containing all the pints I'm due him for his unfailing advice!

Well done again John.

[HighInfidel]

Aye deam, I know what ya mean.

Take one of those Dadfad sabaticals looking for the masters. Show up on the doorstep and beg for lessons.

Ax, any song will work. Part of getting the timing of a tight rhythm is to tap your foot. Get some drum tracks and start jammin'.

I recommend Olav Torvund's Guitar page. He has some lessons on common chord progressions that is well worth the time to look into.

That, along with Dadfad's advice, should get you going.

[SRVfan2004]

aye olav torvunds page is a cracking site although its a bit bitty and disorganised. another one is www.cyberfret.com they have some progressions although i think that site is more lead orientated ken. ah well just keep lookin min

[dadfad]

Thanks for the (largely un-deserved) kind words!

.......there'll be this strange bloke with a rucksack, guitar bag and Scottish accent..... He'll know it's me by the several beer barrels....

(Mom-fad hears a knock at the door and peeps through the window........ Calls into the house....)

"Honey, there's someone at the door. Looks like one of your friends...."

[dc197]

So say the key is E major, then you look at the E major scale, E-F-G#-A-B-C-D.

The E major scale is
E F# G# A B C# D# E

E = I
F# = II
G# = III
A = IV
B = V
C# = VI
D# = VII
E =VIII (octave)

[AxSlinger]

Aye deam, I know what ya mean.

Take one of those Dadfad sabaticals looking for the masters.  Show up on the doorstep and beg for lessons.

Ax, any song will work.  Part of getting the timing of a tight rhythm is to tap your foot.  Get some drum tracks and start jammin'.

I recommend Olav Torvund's Guitar page.  He has some lessons on common chord progressions that is well worth the time to look into.

That, along with Dadfad's advice, should get you going.

Looks like a cool link, thanks HighInfidel.

Don't have time to look through it now (at school) but I'll definitely take a look at it later tonight.

[annoying_2001]

Thanks for the (largely un-deserved) kind words!

.......there'll be this strange bloke with a rucksack, guitar bag and Scottish accent..... He'll know it's me by the several beer barrels....

(Mom-fad hears a knock at the door and peeps through the window........ Calls into the house....)

"Honey, there's someone at the door. Looks like one of your friends...."

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

mom-fad...that's great stuff.

[deamhain]

mom-fad...that's great stuff.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[/quote]


Look, it's sickening the amount of credit he gets about his guitar knowledge without us going and calling his better half "great stuff" as well!!

[wannalearn01]

Find a chord progression you like and start strumming. lol

It is something that come naturally to some, others have to work hard on it.

I used:
C-Em-Am-G-C(repeat)

Those chords are well used in other songs so its good practice too.

I came up with about 4 different variations for that one, including picking etc

My new one is:
Am-Dm-C-G-Am

Practice is the only way to get good...

T^roy

[SRVfan2004]

soloing is where its at my friend

[deamhain]

soloing is where its at my friend

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not sure I entirely agree. The ability to play solo is undoubtedly valuable but the ability to play well with others, to hear what they are doing and where they are going, to play - quite literally - to the beat of someone elses drum, these are the things that make the difference between someone who can play an instrument and a musician.

Given that I only started to learn guitar this year and that I'm no spring chicken any more it's rather doubtful that I'll ever play guitar in a band but I look forward to at least being able to jam with a few friends.

Almost 20 years ago I used to sing with a band and while Steve, Malc and Eric (bass, guitar and drums) could solo at the drop of a hat, there was no better feeling than getting through a new song, start-to-finish, all fitting in with each other and as the last chord died away just looking at each other with a smile, a wink or a nod knowing it worked. If all the guys could do was solo, those magic moments would never have been.

[dadfad]

soloing is where its at my friend

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not sure I entirely agree. The ability to play solo is undoubtedly valuable but the ability to play well with others, to hear what they are doing and where they are going, to play - quite literally - to the beat of someone elses drum, these are the things that make the difference between someone who can play an instrument and a musician.

Given that I only started to learn guitar this year and that I'm no spring chicken any more it's rather doubtful that I'll ever play guitar in a band but I look forward to at least being able to jam with a few friends.

Almost 20 years ago I used to sing with a band and while Steve, Malc and Eric (bass, guitar and drums) could solo at the drop of a hat, there was no better feeling than getting through a new song, start-to-finish, all fitting in with each other and as the last chord died away just looking at each other with a smile, a wink or a nod knowing it worked. If all the guys could do was solo, those magic moments would never have been.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, the ability to work with others who are also skilled and have become so close as a group that a new tune can be performed from start to finish through all the changes merely with a few side-long glances at each other is a great feeling, and all too rare. I think a guitarist should be equally comfortable in either a lead or rhythm position. I'm not a believer in the old "worst guitarist plays rhythm" school of thought. I even tend to think the other way around. A bad lead-guitarist can blow a solo, but a bad rhythm player can blow a tune. A good rhythm player can actually control the complete "feel" of the tune, depending on how he chooses to accompany it. The bass and lead guitarist can play identical notes, etc and the rhythm player can make it sound like a rock, blues, jazz or country tune at his will, depending on what and how he chooses to play. And of course the ultimate goal being to play a tune that is pleasing to one's self and the listeners, the ability to perform solo, including self-accompanyment in lead and bass, is almost like a Rosetta Stone for the acoustic guitarist. Once he has that ability, he can work well in any of those capacities playing with others. One should try to become a "total guitarist".

[weebenjy]

Guitars are made to play chords. You want to play a melody line you get a violin or a saxophone.

[dadfad]

Guitars are made to play chords

My mind is boggled by that statement......