Could really use some advice

Feel free to get outside the box here.
abbenormal
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Thu May 13, 2010 9:30 pm

Hi Everyone...I finally learned Romanza by heart and am doing ok with it except for the barring on the 7th fret. I have to use a little cheat which I hate, but I only play for me so I guess that is ok. I still am practicing my barring every day until I can get it.

I wanted to learn a new song so I got the Beatles I Want You and I'm having a hard time making my fingers move around the way they are supposed to. Then I saw somewhere where someone said it is a level 5. Can someone tell me what that means? Does it mean there are different levels of difficulty? If so, then maybe I'm trying songs that are too hard for me? I feel really lost and a bit discouraged as I can't seem to get this one as fast as Romanza. I also wondered if any of you here are from Vermont?

Ok...I look forward to the advice you all always give so freely. Can't wait to get into Target and am working hard towards that goal. Thanks for any and all help. Jeanne


haoli25
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Thu May 13, 2010 10:37 pm

Hi Jeanne. Yes, Level 5 refers to the difficulty of the song to play, the higher the number the more difficult. But "Romanza" is a Level 8...a much more difficult song to learn than "I Want You". It sounds to me like you are doing just fine. Try learning "I Want You" at about half speed. After some time and practice your speed will increase as the 'muscle-memory' takes over.



Bill


mcfingers
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Thu May 13, 2010 10:37 pm

Hi Jeanne, A level 5 song would be intermediate level. If you have been working on Romanza that's a level 8, advanced, song. How long have you been playing. What level do you consider yourself. Each player will encounter their own unique problems when learning songs. The level of difficulty expressed by the number system is a general reflection of the difficulty of the song. However, it has been my experience that what may be a challenge to one player may not be so for another player of the same level of experience.
Don't get discouraged. I find the if the desire to really want to learn a song is there then it will come. Sometimes later rather than sooner but your dedication to learning a piece is the real key. Generally, song 1-3 would be beginner, 4-6 intermediate and 7 and up advanced. But your mileage may very.
I hope that helped. If I have misstated anything someone will be along shortly to correct the mistake.

Cheers,
Steve


abbenormal
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Thu May 13, 2010 10:54 pm

Thanks guys. I don't know what I would state my level at. I've been picking the guitar up and laying it down for years. I just picked it up again after about five years of not touching it. I tried to take lessons a couple of times years ago, but never made it past the third one. Can't seem to learn to read music.

I started by teaching myself chords from charts and then friends who could play would teach me different things. Just little things like the bass line to Hey Joe, the moving bar chords to Heartbreaker (Grand Funk) House of the Rising Sun etc. Then I would pick out melodies to songs I really like, Walk Don't Run..Apache...etc. But I don't know how to put them together fingerstyle, which is why I'm here. I've fallen in love with Fingerstyle and want to learn it so badly. But I really know next to nothing about the guitar. I just know how play a little. I just recently found out that something I do in a song has a name...a Hammer on. LOL So you see, I'm pretty ignorant about what I'm doing.

It's funny because although the barring in Romanza is a real bugaboo, I didn't really find the song that difficult to learn. But on I Want You, I'm having trouble doing the DM chord and then moving my third finger up to the top string 3rd fret in the moving bassline part. So I'm having trouble right from the beginning. Also my little finger keeps muting the string below it on the DM. I just can't seem to get that chord arpeggio right. But the Dm chord isn't one that I've ever played much. Maybe that has something to do with my difficulty? I'll keep trying though. I may not know what I'm doing so much, but I'm awfully stubborn when I want something. Thank you for your encouragement. I guess it would have been better if I had taken lessons as I probably do most things wrong. Sorry...didn't mean to write a book. :)


AndyT
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Fri May 14, 2010 1:45 am

Once you get into Target, you can post a video of you playing and we will be able to see things you should correct. Until then we will offer you all the general advice we can.


mark
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Fri May 14, 2010 3:45 am

Barre chords are difficult for everyone at first. Keep practising and they will eventually get better.

Romanza is a mixture of difficulties. Section 1 is really a beginner level except for the barre chord which you are strugling with. Section 2 is a lot more difficult and has more barre chords and lots of big stretches.

The best thing you could do is join the target program. There are loads of fingerpicking songs all at different levels of difficulty.


abbenormal
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Fri May 14, 2010 3:59 am

Thank you Mark! That explains it. I only have learned the first section. I wondered why everyone kept saying it was difficult. LOL I guess I'm a Beginner then. I can't join the program. I think I'll just keep on trying to learn from videos and not get too caught up in it. I know I'll never be very good but I am only playing for my own enjoyment so I guess I can live with that. Thanks everyone.


tovo
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Fri May 14, 2010 4:08 am

I wouldn't get too hung up on numbers. If you are struggling with barres then you need to work on barres. It's really that simple. Various techniques will give you trouble until you master them through sufficient work. It's well documented here that my bogey tune is a level 2. I couldn't care less what number it is, it gives me grief. From your post, I don't think you are fixated on the level of difficulty represented by the number which is great. Who is going to walk around boasting about being able to play a level 10 song? Nobody outside of TG would have a clue what you are talking about!

I think you should be fixated on practicing your barres (and again you said that you are practicing them each day which is great). Don't get discouraged. Instead, when barres are no longer a problem for you, remember how much work you had to put in to achieve that, and be proud of your effort. If it were easy, it wouldn't be worth doing. Stick with it and good luck.


abbenormal
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Fri May 14, 2010 4:14 am

Thanks so much for the encouragement. I'm going to try playing both of the songs on my Acoustic instead of my Classical. Maybe I'll have better luck with the barre chords on a narrower neck. The Classical is so W I D E LOL


sws626
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Fri May 14, 2010 8:19 am

Hi Jeanne,

You've already gotten some good advice here. I wouldn't get too hung up on the difficulty levels. If it is a song you want to learn, you'll get there. The higher level songs may take longer, but will also push you to pick up some new skills along the way. There's no better way to learn as long as you aren't too hard on yourself, break the song down into manageable sessions, and practice at a snail's pace before trying to pick up the tempo.

Nor would I worry too much about not being able to read music. I'm not going to say it's unimportant, but if it were a requirement to read music to play the guitar then there wouldn't be many guitarists around.

"I want you" is a beatiful song and quite tricky in some parts. I don't know if non-Target members can access the student videos from within this site, but you can see them on the YouTube channel at Target Student Videos. Beaker uploaded a very nice version of this song not long ago and Neil responded with some comments that go beyond what's in the short lesson and that you might also find useful.

-Stuart


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