I Love Guitar » fingers http://iloveguitar.net A guitar lover Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:02:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 When You Think of Learning to Play Guitar…? http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/when-you-think-of-learning-to-play-guitar/ http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/when-you-think-of-learning-to-play-guitar/#comments Sat, 11 Jun 2011 16:02:49 +0000 Guitar God http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/when-you-think-of-learning-to-play-guitar/ Another learn guitar question has come in this week. Let’s tackle it straight away:

Question: When you think of learning to play guitar, how do you approach it?

It seems many people want to be taught how to play a song, very literally. "How to play", like where to put my fingers and when, simply and only. It seems the guitar is viewed as a machine that when operated by a trained operator, makes certain noises. Is that true for most people’s views?

Do people consider that the guitar is there to use to create sound by a musician, based on music theory and notation? Like a piano. Do people wanting to play guitar con side learning how to read music and use music theory?

Like an artist with a canvas and brush. Rather than learning to replicate a Picasso, he learns the techniques of Picasso and others, and then makes his own representation of the artwork. Only with sound. Does that makes sense? And how many people do you think consider that when wanting to play guitar?

Answer: I looked at it like an oddly shaped piano when I started, since I already knew piano. It was just a matter of figuring out where the "keys" were. I already knew theory by that point, so there was no need to play by ear; or replicate as I think you’re insinuating. Although if the guitar is the persons first attempt at music, than I think they approach it mechanically and replicate other guitarists.
]]> http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/when-you-think-of-learning-to-play-guitar/feed/ 1 Question About Learning to Play Guitar…? http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/question-about-learning-to-play-guitar/ http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/question-about-learning-to-play-guitar/#comments Sun, 05 Jun 2011 16:02:56 +0000 Guitar God http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/question-about-learning-to-play-guitar/ Well here’s a question I just had to answering straight away:

Question: ok, this is a wierd question. i am starting to play guitar, and i learned my first two chords. i have been practicing transitioning between them and that has gotten better, but i cannot put my fingers on the first chord of the song without looking. does that make sense? my question is, is it important to memorize EXACTLY where to put your fingers every time without looking? like you could just be holding the guitar and without looking, know exactly where to put your fingers. for me, i have to put my fingers on a chord by LOOKING, and then i feel out the guitar for the other chords without looking. wow, this is a really confusing question, but do ya’ll understand? thanks
Answer: No I don’t a problem with doing that for the first chord. It’s simply a matter of experience. Sooner or later, your fingers will remember the basic pattern and position of the chords and you may be able to simply slap them on without looking. Open chords are easy to grasp but you sometimes have to look to check the positioning of power chords.

It’s not important as of such. It just becomes a habit to memorize it. It’s easy to remember the positioning of your fingers after a while but it’s a bit harder to memorize the fret where the chord is without looking. I’ve been playing for six years but I still sometimes need to look which fret to position my hand on.

It’s great you’re picking up the guitar. The guitar’s an amazing instrument on multiple levels.

]]> http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/question-about-learning-to-play-guitar/feed/ 4 I Want to Learn to Play Guitar, but My Hands Are Weird, Anything I Can Do? http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/i-want-to-learn-to-play-guitar-but-my-hands-are-weird-anything-i-can-do/ http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/i-want-to-learn-to-play-guitar-but-my-hands-are-weird-anything-i-can-do/#comments Sat, 26 Mar 2011 16:02:45 +0000 Guitar God http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/i-want-to-learn-to-play-guitar-but-my-hands-are-weird-anything-i-can-do/ We’ve had a reader question come in on the subject of learn guitar. Let’s take a look:

Question: My fingers have had "low tension" since I was born, and my pinkie fingers turn inward slight which makes them hard to control on a fret board. But I really want to learn to play the guitar well, is there anything I can do to work around this? Perhaps a style of playing that only requires the index, middle and ring finger or some kind of surgery that would fix my hand?
Answer: Everyone who wants to play an instrument starts off as a cripple.

Your brain can’t register where to go or how to do it. With practice it will become clear to your brain.

If you physically cant do it because of pins in your hand or some physical problem then you have two options.

Seek a new method of playing.
Ask medical help.

If you have a mental block and cant move your fingers where you want then get a friend to push your fingers in place. Yea playing guitar dose hurt your hands a little at first. Sometimes i get pains up my arm but thats because i play like an idiot :P Same with keyboard, i badly hurt my tenants because of the way i played fast scales.

]]> http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/i-want-to-learn-to-play-guitar-but-my-hands-are-weird-anything-i-can-do/feed/ 3 When Starting to Learn Bass Guitar…? http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/when-starting-to-learn-bass-guitar/ http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/when-starting-to-learn-bass-guitar/#comments Tue, 18 Jan 2011 17:02:53 +0000 Guitar God http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/when-starting-to-learn-bass-guitar/ Another learn guitar question has come in this week. Let’s tackle it straight away:

Question: I’ve literally just started to play bass about a week ago, and right now I’m working on fretting exercises, and it’s still really uncomfortable for me especially for my fingers and my wrists, although I can do what my instructor has told me to at a pretty fast pace. Should I keep practicing the same exercises until I’m completely comfortable with them, or will that just come with time?
Answer: Yes just keep going, double check each week with your instructor that your placement of hands & such is correct (ie no thumb hooking/jutting fret-wrist). Foundations foundations, you need them to build on stuff its why so many self-taught fall flat on their face 1yr or so into their playing, they cannot get over the rut.

The reason its hurting your fingers is basically where they’re learning muscle memory & fine-movement & increased flexibility, it goes away with the excercises & pretty fast (10 mins practice, 2 weeks roughly maybe less).
The wrists is more than likely where you are gripping too hard, that may be due to your flexibilty being weak in your fingers & so to stop them sliding on the frets you are gripping too hard, that will go away in time. Its also more than likely where the muscles are developing in your forearm & tendons are increasing stamina.

All part of the s*itty start every instrument player has to put up with on their instruments :)

]]> http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/when-starting-to-learn-bass-guitar/feed/ 1 Should I Learn to Play the Guitar with a Pick or My Fingers? http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/should-i-learn-to-play-the-guitar-with-a-pick-or-my-fingers/ http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/should-i-learn-to-play-the-guitar-with-a-pick-or-my-fingers/#comments Fri, 17 Dec 2010 17:02:31 +0000 Guitar God http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/should-i-learn-to-play-the-guitar-with-a-pick-or-my-fingers/ What’s this week’s question? Let’s dive straight in…

Question: Should I Learn to Play the Guitar with a Pick or My Fingers?
Answer: definitely both.. cause theres so many different styles of music.. you know. like it’s hard to play a song like.. uh… hey there delilah or something like that with a pick. and obviously, a song with a more rhythmic song like.. taylor swift and stuff with your fingers. start using your fingers first though. just for the sake of strengthening them. but alternate a bit. i’m sure you’ll like using a pick much better in the beginning.
]]> http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/should-i-learn-to-play-the-guitar-with-a-pick-or-my-fingers/feed/ 2 Will I Get Anywhere Practicing the Guitar 1 Hour Everyday, Taking Private Lessons Weekly? http://iloveguitar.net/guitar-lessons/will-i-get-anywhere-practicing-the-guitar-1-hour-everyday-taking-private-lessons-weekly/ http://iloveguitar.net/guitar-lessons/will-i-get-anywhere-practicing-the-guitar-1-hour-everyday-taking-private-lessons-weekly/#comments Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:02:53 +0000 Guitar God http://iloveguitar.net/guitar-lessons/will-i-get-anywhere-practicing-the-guitar-1-hour-everyday-taking-private-lessons-weekly/ Well here’s a question I just had to answering straight away:

Question: Im in my 5th month now and practice 1 hour everyday, and my fingers don’t move as fast as I want, and also switching from bar chord to a open chord is still not smooth.
Answer: That’s a reasonable goal to set for yourself. Practicing guitar is sort of like working out. You get the best results from doing it regularly.

Even 20 minutes a day would be better than 3 straight hours once or twice a week.

]]> http://iloveguitar.net/guitar-lessons/will-i-get-anywhere-practicing-the-guitar-1-hour-everyday-taking-private-lessons-weekly/feed/ 0 Guitar Questions… People That Learned to Play from the Internet!? http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/guitar-questions-people-that-learned-to-play-from-the-internet/ http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/guitar-questions-people-that-learned-to-play-from-the-internet/#comments Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:02:24 +0000 Guitar God http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/guitar-questions-people-that-learned-to-play-from-the-internet/ Well here’s a question I just had to answering straight away:

Question: I wanna play Acoustic Guitar so I can sing whilst doing it .. I am 13 and today I have been looking up videos and stuff for beginners, also we have a old guitar that has 2 strings so I have been using it today to just hold and place my hands. I am hoping to get a guitar for Christmas… But is it possible to learn for the internet or do I need lessons? I am finding it hard to figure out where to put my fingers and stuff from learning online.. or will I get it soon….? should I ask someone I know to help?
Answer: Hey,

Learning how to play guitar can be much easier with lessons because an experienced guitarist can correct you and give you pointers on what do. If you don’t want to spend money or time on lessons sure, go for it, try to find some good online lessons. Once you know how to play basic chords and notes, you can go to JamCenter.com to practice improvisation and soloing. You could also go to websites like 911Tabs to learn how to play songs using guitar tabs and chord sheets. Here’s a link that could help you for now: http://guitar.about.com/library/weekly/aa071200a.htm

Hope it helps! :D

]]> http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/guitar-questions-people-that-learned-to-play-from-the-internet/feed/ 2 I Started Taking Guitar Lessons but Having Trouble Reaching the Strings Cuz I Have Three Short Fingers HELP? http://iloveguitar.net/guitar-lessons/i-started-taking-guitar-lessons-but-having-trouble-reaching-the-strings-cuz-i-have-three-short-fingers-help/ http://iloveguitar.net/guitar-lessons/i-started-taking-guitar-lessons-but-having-trouble-reaching-the-strings-cuz-i-have-three-short-fingers-help/#comments Thu, 27 May 2010 16:03:51 +0000 Guitar God http://iloveguitar.net/guitar-lessons/i-started-taking-guitar-lessons-but-having-trouble-reaching-the-strings-cuz-i-have-three-short-fingers-help/ What’s this week’s question? Let’s dive straight in…

Question: I recently started taking lessons for the electric guitar and I’m having trouble because I have 3 short fingers that can’t reach the strings to well and I have heard that there are some finger objects that can help people with short finger play guitar by lengthening the finger a bit with a plastic or foam of some sort more so it won’t be as difficult does any one know what the correct term is for it I heard it was called finger picks but I’m not sure if that’s right and I also wanted to know if I can get the info to where it is they sell them at please and thank you guys really appreciate it would make my life easier
my fingers from my left hand are missing a segment so they look like i had my fingers cut of but i was actually born this way is there anything out there for people with fingers like me so we can be able to play the guitar? the fingers on my right hand are normal its only my left fingers
Answer: Hate to burst your bubble but that is a total myth! There is no prosthetic available to "lengthen" your fingers unless you have actually had your fingers damaged by some kind of accident (lawn mower cutting off tips is the usual problem) Tony Iomni of Black Sabbath has used custom made metal tips for his fingers due to a similar accident when he was a kid.
The problem is not your finger length, it is how you are holding your hand on the neck. Proper guitar technique requires placing the thumb in the middle of the back of the neck. This allows the wrist to sit "below" the neck, not "behind" it. If you have ever taken piano lessons you know that the teacher insists on keeping your "wrist up and fingers curved!" The idea is the same for the guitar, just backwards! hold your arm out and let the wrist fall with the fingers just hanging there naturally. Now "flip" your arm over so that the wrist is pointing up. This is the proper hand position. When you are playing you must remember to maintain this position.
I have been teaching for a long time and I have small children who can effectively play and they have very small hands. I myself have somewhat smaller hands and I have no trouble at all playing (check out my link). With a bit of practice, and remembering to use proper technique, than you will be able to play effectively also.
A thing to remember: when we learn to play we are putting our left hand on the neck, and our right hand is doing the strumming. If you stop to think about it, this means we are putting our "stupid" hand (left) on the neck doing the much harder job! Our right hand is the smart one and we are using it for the "easy" job! Our left hand is much less coordinated than our right hand (in right handed people) It has a very tough time just doing a simple task, much less trying to figure out how to play the guitar! We usually only use our left hand to hold something and we use our right hand to affect whatever our left hand is holding! (we grab the jar with our left hand and open the top with our right hand, etc.) Be patient with your self and with your left hand! I tell all of my beginner students that "You are not stupid! your left hand IS!" This lets them know that it is very normal to have trouble doing the most basic task with the left hand, such as getting the fingers to properly reach the strings. Another thing I have my students do at first is to practice for about 10 minutes and then set the guitar down for a few minutes. After a few minutes of rest than pick it up again and start over. Do this several times for the first week or two. The reason is that the left hand has very little "mechanical memory". That means that after about 10 minutes it starts to "forget" how to do what it was just doing! This is very frustrating, but very normal. You may have already experienced this while practicing. After a little while it seems like your left hand is getting worse, not better! This is due to exhausted mechanical memory. Put the guitar down and come back to it in 5 minutes or so and do another 10 minutes. Your hands build mechanical memory much faster this way and retain that information longer. After a few days to a week you will notice that your hand is not having as much trouble as it was, and you can increase your practice time.

To clarify part of your question; Finger picks are for your picking hand and are usually used on a banjo. There are plastic thumbpicks also, that are for guitar or banjo. Both of these are essentially rings that fit on the tip of the finger with a picking edge that extends from tip to strike the string. These are ONLY for the picking hand (right) and are not an "extension" for the left hand fingers.

With practice you WILL be able to effectively use your fingers to play. Your teacher should be able to help you with proper hand positioning.
Good Luck!

]]> http://iloveguitar.net/guitar-lessons/i-started-taking-guitar-lessons-but-having-trouble-reaching-the-strings-cuz-i-have-three-short-fingers-help/feed/ 3 I Want to Learn to Play the Guitar, but I Know Close to Nothing About It, What Should I Know? http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/i-want-to-learn-to-play-the-guitar-but-i-know-close-to-nothing-about-it-what-should-i-know/ http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/i-want-to-learn-to-play-the-guitar-but-i-know-close-to-nothing-about-it-what-should-i-know/#comments Wed, 19 May 2010 16:04:06 +0000 Guitar God http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/i-want-to-learn-to-play-the-guitar-but-i-know-close-to-nothing-about-it-what-should-i-know/ We’ve had a reader question come in on the subject of learn guitar. Let’s take a look:

Question: before I begin taking up this hobby? Acoustic, by the way. All I know is that it hurts my fingers in the beginning and I have really soft hands so is there any way to minimize the pain while still getting great sound from the strings?
Answer: Start off by using Elixer strings, they are softer than most other strings, so it won’t hurt as bad. also, if you usually lotion your hands, stop that for a while. You can tell you really start building up callouses when you can start peeling the excess dead skin from your finger tips. Next, take lessons. Learning from a person who can give you feedback is way better than using a book or learning online. Good Luck!
]]> http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/i-want-to-learn-to-play-the-guitar-but-i-know-close-to-nothing-about-it-what-should-i-know/feed/ 4 I Just Bought a Guitar, is Their a Way I Can Learn Online Free? http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/i-just-bought-a-guitar-is-their-a-way-i-can-learn-online-free/ http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/i-just-bought-a-guitar-is-their-a-way-i-can-learn-online-free/#comments Thu, 06 May 2010 16:02:15 +0000 Guitar God http://iloveguitar.net/learn-guitar/i-just-bought-a-guitar-is-their-a-way-i-can-learn-online-free/ Keep the learn guitar questions coming! I liked this one:

Question: Hi, i am new and i started to play my fingers already hurt and i can do notes but chordes and barre chordes give me problems, i was wondering if anyone knew a site online that tought the basics
Answer: Here are some links that I use:
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/ (songs and lessons)
http://www.chordie.com/ (songs)
http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/ (chords and scales)
http://www.storytimesongs.com/guitar.html (kids songs)
http://www.freeandeasyguitar.com/ (videos)
http://www.justinguitar.com/ (videos)
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