OK. Here is my first upload. I was planning to have my first upload be a very polished and impressive performance but I figured I could get more help from posting a work in progress, warts and all. I have been working on this song for about a week and it still needs alot of work but I had a few specific items items I wanted some input on.
#1 - The Bridge or Chorus - AS you have already or will see I am having a lot of trouble with this section of the song. The Tab doesn't seem to be helping and I just need some outside input. Any advice?
#2 - Noise from sliding on the strings- I am getting a significant amount of noise when changing positions on the neck from my fingers sliding on the strings. I tried to remove my fingers from the strings more but it seems to slow down my changes and I find it harder to keep my place. I didn't notice this as much previously but as my callouses get thicker and harder it seems to be getting worse. Any Advice here.
#3 - Lastly just looking for overall thoughts and impressions of my playing. I know I am using alternate fingering from Neils tabs but I just have a bear of a time with the Bar Chords so I got creative.
Thank you all in advance for your opinions and advice.
Bill
My First Upload - Tears in Heaven - Need help with Bridge and more
Very good job Bill. Nice and steady with just a couple of rough spots that will smooth out as you continue to work on this song.
I know what you mean about those damn squeaking strings. What works for me is I use a little device called "The String Cleaner" (you can find it online). It cleans all sides of the strings not just the top of the strings. I also use it to apply "TONE Finger-Ease". It is a guitar string lubricant that greatly reduces the 'string squeak' without deadening the sound.
Great sound on your guitar. The only advice I have for your playing style is to rotate your right wrist slightly to point your thumb more toward the headstock. I had the same problem and following Neil's advice really helped my fingerpicking.
Thanks for posting your video.
Bill
I know what you mean about those damn squeaking strings. What works for me is I use a little device called "The String Cleaner" (you can find it online). It cleans all sides of the strings not just the top of the strings. I also use it to apply "TONE Finger-Ease". It is a guitar string lubricant that greatly reduces the 'string squeak' without deadening the sound.
Great sound on your guitar. The only advice I have for your playing style is to rotate your right wrist slightly to point your thumb more toward the headstock. I had the same problem and following Neil's advice really helped my fingerpicking.
Thanks for posting your video.
Bill
Hi Bill, I think the playing is quite good. The picking is good and your chord changing is certainly way better than what you described. Since you played it for a week, there is still a bit of work, but it is only the practice that we enjoy so much.
I think you would benefit from a straighter position when playing. Right now your back is curved toward the guitar and you fret board is being held by your left hand. Your elbow is resting on your leg forcing you to bend your wrist quite a bit sometimes. Having a more upright position and maybe held the guitar with a strap or use a foot rest under the right foot would balance better the guitar. Your hammer on would gain a lot of power if you forearm would be straighter with your wrist, lowering the thumb behing the fretboard.
Regarding the strings, some strings were recommended here and I personnally use nanoweb style which have a coating on them and minimize the squeeking. Regular phosphor bronze string are more prone to that but hey, Neil uses them and he doesn' t squeek.
Thanks for sharing
Marc
I think you would benefit from a straighter position when playing. Right now your back is curved toward the guitar and you fret board is being held by your left hand. Your elbow is resting on your leg forcing you to bend your wrist quite a bit sometimes. Having a more upright position and maybe held the guitar with a strap or use a foot rest under the right foot would balance better the guitar. Your hammer on would gain a lot of power if you forearm would be straighter with your wrist, lowering the thumb behing the fretboard.
Regarding the strings, some strings were recommended here and I personnally use nanoweb style which have a coating on them and minimize the squeeking. Regular phosphor bronze string are more prone to that but hey, Neil uses them and he doesn' t squeek.
Thanks for sharing
Marc
Good post first up Bill for sure. I have a few ideas on the questions you specifically asked:
1. Only advice on the bridge is to keep practicing it, there's no other way that I know of.
2. I worked on the song "Sister Golden Hair" for the specific aim of improving my barre chords, so recommend that, but also when playing the barres I got the feedback that I was not releasing sufficiently between chords, which is both tiring and does tend to create that noise you are referring to. You don't have to take your fingers off to slide, but concentrate on taking off the pressure between chords.
3. My overall impression is that it started out fantastic, then you had a couple of hiccups as you already said yourself. Neil's fingerings are usually very logical, but in the end it's up to you what fingerings you use.
Keep working on it mate. It's going great.
1. Only advice on the bridge is to keep practicing it, there's no other way that I know of.
2. I worked on the song "Sister Golden Hair" for the specific aim of improving my barre chords, so recommend that, but also when playing the barres I got the feedback that I was not releasing sufficiently between chords, which is both tiring and does tend to create that noise you are referring to. You don't have to take your fingers off to slide, but concentrate on taking off the pressure between chords.
3. My overall impression is that it started out fantastic, then you had a couple of hiccups as you already said yourself. Neil's fingerings are usually very logical, but in the end it's up to you what fingerings you use.
Keep working on it mate. It's going great.
Hi Bill,
This is coming along really well. On the bridge, all I think you need is to keep practicing and you'll have those transitions down more smoothly.
Personally, I like sound of sliding strings in this song. It's such a distinctively human and acoustic sound and fits so well with the character of the song. You could try cleaning the strings, as the other Bill suggested, or switching to coated strings, as Marc mentioned. But I wouldn't worry about this. It will also be less prominent as you work on the song and increase the volume.
Overall, I thought it was great and doesn't need anything other than more time and practice. Please do post again in a few weeks. I'm sure it will be beautiful by then.
Marc mentioned that you might try playing in a more upright posture. I've noticed in some of my own videos that I also have this problem. Although you may not be conscious of it when you're playing -- and it doesn't seem to affect the music -- letting that elbow down on your left knee really does restrict your hand and force some awkward bends of the wrist. I've tried a strap, but what I find works best is to raise my right leg -- either by resting that foot on my guitar case or by playing with my legs crossed. You might experiment with this to see whether it makes things any easier.
-Stuart
This is coming along really well. On the bridge, all I think you need is to keep practicing and you'll have those transitions down more smoothly.
Personally, I like sound of sliding strings in this song. It's such a distinctively human and acoustic sound and fits so well with the character of the song. You could try cleaning the strings, as the other Bill suggested, or switching to coated strings, as Marc mentioned. But I wouldn't worry about this. It will also be less prominent as you work on the song and increase the volume.
Overall, I thought it was great and doesn't need anything other than more time and practice. Please do post again in a few weeks. I'm sure it will be beautiful by then.
Marc mentioned that you might try playing in a more upright posture. I've noticed in some of my own videos that I also have this problem. Although you may not be conscious of it when you're playing -- and it doesn't seem to affect the music -- letting that elbow down on your left knee really does restrict your hand and force some awkward bends of the wrist. I've tried a strap, but what I find works best is to raise my right leg -- either by resting that foot on my guitar case or by playing with my legs crossed. You might experiment with this to see whether it makes things any easier.
-Stuart
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neverfoundthetime
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Hey Bill, I thought that was an excellent first video posting, welcome to the club! I really enjoyed it. Sounded very smooth and nicely timed for at least half the video. Then you hit the bridge which obviously needs more practice but you kept going to show us where you're at with this. I can't play this yet so I can't give any technical comments, I'll leave that to the master. So kudos and pizza to you for this wonderful first post. I'm really looking forward to Neil's video response to this... we can all learn a little more.
Bill,,luuuuuvvvee it a,,enjoyed your playing very much,great sound,,i don't wanna say more couse why to repeat all the good advise aboven,,keep practising only the section where you have trouble and in no time you can sing to it.lol..thanks.
Hi Bill
Good first video.
I don't know why you have trouble with the bridge. This part is probably easier than the rest of the song, so it could just be that you haven't practicised it as much as the rest of the song.
Maybe play just the bridge over and over.
For the squeaking I use the Elixir coated strings.
Good first video.
I don't know why you have trouble with the bridge. This part is probably easier than the rest of the song, so it could just be that you haven't practicised it as much as the rest of the song.
Maybe play just the bridge over and over.
For the squeaking I use the Elixir coated strings.
Bill, I really liked the Video. The 1st half was really great, then it fell apart. I can't give you any specific advice (I have not learned this one yet), I am sure it will come together. I am sure Neil will give you some tips. Keep on strumming, Beaker.