Help on how to hold notes for longer

heyjoe
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Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 6:26 am
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Wed Jan 26, 2011 3:12 pm

Hi All

I'm finally back playing guitar after what seems like months away and I've noticed that when I play, a lot of the notes ring for only a short while..they are..what I believe is called staccato ( feel free to correct me if I'm wrong).

Its something I've noticed over the years, but havent thought much about, but I'd like to rectify it as it makes my playing look and feel rushed.
So, good people of TG, are there any exercises etc that you can recommend to help me hold onto my notes for longer,to make my changes sound better and to make the songs I play sound smoother.

Joe

p.s I'm not sure if this makes any difference, but my wife says that my breathing totally changes when I play guitar. Apparently my breathing becomes very short and shallow. Could this be the reason?


wiley
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Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 7:26 am
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Wed Jan 26, 2011 11:07 pm

Staccato means, more or less, 'separate' or 'distinct'. It's usually notated by a dot ABOVE the note signature.

Your 'problem' may stem from several reasons. To begin, how good is the 'sustain' on an 'open' string? IOW - pluck or pick an open string and how long does it ring out by itself?

Of course, (in most case) the better the guitar, the more sustain it should have. Having said that, a 'too close' set up, meaning the strings are set close to the frets, will cause a loss of sustain. Even 1/64th of an inch can change this. You may want to check your bridge or saddle also for any defects, that's where the vibration from the strings is transferred to the body of the guitar. A cracked saddle or a 'cheap' one will also effect sustain. You may want to change your saddle to a Graph-Tech or Bone, same for the pins. They too can help with sustain or break it down.

I also want too include the fact that different type tonal woods react differently. The Seagull is Canadian Cherry sides and backs, Cedar top while My Gibson is Maple, all around. The sustain on the Seagull on the bottom end (low pitch) is actually longer than the Gibson's lower end. Exactly the opposite for the upper end, by a long shot.

As for 'physically' you might not just plain old holding down long enough, or even too hard. Seems weird but the physics of the guitar actually works better when we use only enough pressure against the fret to create a note. Easy to say, not so easy to do though! Add in the fact that when greater pressure is used, it can slow down the action of your fingers moving around, your mind says something like "OK, gotta hurry up and get to the next note!! Get them fingers up NOW!"

Watch the video of Neil's lesson with Tom Selleck and pay attention to where Neil talks about worrying about only the NEXT note, the next one ONLY!

The only 'exercise' I now of to improve on the amount of pressure you are using (this is going to sound outrageous) is to do something along the lines of playing scales and removing your thumb from the back of the guitar. That's right, no backup pressure, only the pressure from the finger you are using to push down. It seems this would work in the opposite direction but, for whatever reason, it's taught me to try and use only the amount of pressure needed to sound the note, just enough. Try striking a string with your finger barely touching the string, then, as the string vibrates, push down until it rings. That's the amount of pressure you are looking for, just enough. Most of us do what's called 'killing the wood' and it's natural. You may find the string doesn't even need to touch the wood, I know I have.

Another idea is a certain practice called 'spidering'. Try playing a Chromatic Scale and, as you move up the scale, keep your fingers in place. Play F on the first fret of the sixth string, using your first finger( AKA 'i'). Then, without removing that finger, play F# with finger number two (aka 'm'). Keep both fingers down, then play G on the third fret with the third finger (aka 'a'), do the same playing G# on the fourth fret using the pinky. Then move over rinse and repeat the same pattern on the fifth string. Rinse and repeat until all six strings have been played, then move 'up' the fretboard one fret and repeat all over again. Use a metronome and try not to place the next finger down until just before you hear the 'beep' - "ON the beat" (These metronome Thingys are always making some kind of eternal beeping, clickity-click noise and seem to slow up or speed up all on their own).

Once you have the pattern down you can change the pattern of which fingers you are using in sequence from 1-2-3-4 to something like 2-3-4-1, and then 3-4-2-1, or 3-2-4-1 and so on. Then the fun begins, keep that first finger on the first fret (F) and move only the 2-3-4 pattern across the strings. Mainly slow down, let the note ring before moving that finger. I do the spiders because of the way my pinky has been broken (my left pinky actually curls 'under' my others as I play) helps in getting it to do what I want. I set the metronome at usually around 80bpms and then play each note on the 'beep' like a quarter note. I can now, after almost a year of doing so, can stretch the pinky/1st finger from the sixth fret to the 12th with little effort.

Honestly, it's probably in your guitar or in the set up. By the way, whens the last time you changed strings??


slinger
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Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 2:53 pm
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Thu Jan 27, 2011 1:03 am

Hey Joe, where you goin' with that guitar in your hand? B)

wiley has many good suggestions
....I can only add relax, breathe, slow down and " listen to the duration" of your notes when practicing.
Remember in 4/4 time
whole note hold for 4 beats
half note hold for2 beats
quarter note hold for1 beat
1/8 note hold for half beat etc etc

you may already know this, but just make a conscieous effort to hold notes and listen when practicing scales or chromatic exercises


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