[Pizhew]

I recently joined up here and was wondering if anyone is willing to teach me
a thing or two on where to begin. My step-uncle tells me I should learn by
playing chords first but I don't know where I can get a chord chart nor do I
have a reliable mode of transportation into town. (I live 80KM out from Sudbury)
Anyways, if anyone is willing to give me chords that are in the style of tabs
would be greatly appreciated. I got my guitar on Christmas and I love it. It's
a GK acoustic and has an acoustic/electric sound when played.

Any help will be appreciated.
Laters.

[billy16]

you can find chords online.

try here,

there's one on here too. just go to browse artists and over to the right you'll see something along the lines of online chord reference. that has all the chords you'll need if your starting out.

[Pizhew]

Thanks Billy16. Very much appreciated.
Anyone with recommendations on EASY acoustic songs?
Primarily interested in Metallica, OLP, Disturbed, Seether and whatnot.
I don't really care what songs are suggested so long as they are easy
to play and don't involve any hammer-ons or pull-offs since I am having
difficulty doing them but I am in the process of learning how to do them.

[dadfad]

Your uncle is is right. There are lots of good chord sites on the net so you should have not trouble (just make sure you hold them the correct way with the correct fingers.). A good beginner tune I often recommend is a simplified version of the tune done by Jimi Hendrx, "Hey Joe", because it can be done simply to start. As one's skill-level increases it can be made more complex and uses all the near-the-nut chords. The progression is G-C-D-A-E.

[G]..... [C]Hey Joe,....[D]where you [A]goin' with that [E]gun in your hand?

(The rest of the lyrics are easily found and played in the same way.)

CODE

X32010=C
XRMOIO

320003=G
MIOOOR

X00232=D
XOOIRM

X02220=A
XIRMO

022100=E
OMRIOO

I means index finger, M is middle, R ring and P is pinky. X means un-played (or muted) and O is open (unfingered but played). There are different ways to hold chords sometimes (like G als can be MIOOOP or RMOOOP), depending on where you're going next, the application and skill-level, etc, but those are good fingerings for a beginner.

(If this post was too basic, I apologize but I don't know your skill-level. And welcome to GTU.)

[billy16]

if you like seether, check out broken, its 3 chords, C Em D, and it'll help with your strumming.

another easy one that is easy is times like these by the foo fighters. its...5 chords, D Am C Em G. but really, its 6, because there is a quick G6 thrown in before the Em in the verse, but since your just starting, it doesn't matter.

another pretty easy one is house of the rising sun. the F chord is a bit challenging, i still have trouble with it myself.

This post has been edited by billy16: 17 January 2005 - 08:45 PM

[Pizhew]

Thanks guys.
If you're all wondering what skill level I'm at, I just got my guitar on
Christmas and I've begun playing ever since. (Not even a month yet :/)
Anyhoo, what type of lessons should I look up here? Rythms? I don't know
as of yet (silly me).
The first little song (key word little) I learned was Yankee Doodle, then
the James Bond Theme, then Sanitarium's rhythm fig.1 and the chorus part
in Darkness by Disturbed.
I'm looking forward to learning how to play the guitar better and returning
home to Shoal Lake to jam out with my cousins (cause I always just sit there
and wish I was able to play )
Laters.

[dadfad]

Like your uncle said, learning a bit about chords is the place to start. Learn chords and you can play a tune. Learning little snippets and parts of riffs (like lots of guys start with) and all you can play is.... er.... little snippets and parts of riffs! Learn those basic "open" chord shapes above. When you can play them solidly and without too much trouble changing between them, then start on barre-chords (That F mentioned above by Billy is a basic barre-chord. Not too tough, but challenging at first. Rising Sun is a great tune to start getting into it with too.) Anyway, start with the open chords, and then the simpler barre-chords. Learn how to make the more basic changes to them, like from major to minor or seventh. Just those simple open chords C, A, G, E and D, will let you play a great many tunes, at least in their simpler forms. Chords are definately the best place to start.

[billy16]

the F you have to play in the house of the rising sun is like x03211. i'm not sure exactly how to do it.

the barre chord is a little hard because its so close to the nut and you have to put a little extra pressure on it. my action on my guitar is a bit off, so maybe thats why its harder for me.

This post has been edited by billy16: 18 January 2005 - 03:16 PM

[dadfad]

the F you have to play in the house of the rising sun is like x03211.  i'm not sure exactly how to do it.

the barre chord is a little hard because its so close to the nut and you have to put a little extra pressure on it. my action on my guitar is a bit off, so maybe thats why its harder for me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'd play it like this... XORMII. If you want the bassier sound of the chord, just add your thumb and play it TORMII. The open 5-string is the "third" of an F chord, so unlike most barre-chords you can leave it open if you want. Often when playing those E-shaped barre-chords (like the F, etc) using your thumb on the 6-string makes them easier to hold than putting your index-finger all the way across the whole fret. It seems a little clumsy at first using your thumb, but it quickly gets easy to use, and in the long-run gives you more playing options because it frees up one more finger to use in other ways when you need to.

[billy16]

thanks dadfad.

i have another question, is there a way to replace the nut on my acoustic?

i mean can it be replaced with one from a lefty guitar, because with it on, its throwing my action a bit off, because the low e sits on the part where the high e should be, and my high e is dropped a bit lower than it should be.

oh, and can frets be sanded down a bit? cause i'm getting a few buzzs on my strings when i play. i'd adjust the truss rod, but i dont' know what i'm doing, so i'll leave that for someone who does.