Hello

7645slug
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Sat Jul 05, 2014 6:40 pm

Hi Lynnie,
Thank you for the welcome. :)


michelew
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Location: Sydney, Australia
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Sat Jul 05, 2014 7:50 pm

trcorbett170950 wrote:
Hi. Thank you so much for the advice, especially about the picks. I am going to get some felt ones. I do want to learn finger picking as well. Hopefully, I can hang on to the felt pick. The first thing I did upon receiving the guitar was drop a pick in the hole.LOL. It seemed like it took forever to get it out. The second thing I did, was breaak a string trying to tune it. Of course, I had no clue how to put a string on nor did I have any strings, So I took it to the music store and they put one one for me. It looks very complicated to do, but I will have to learn.The original sstring are tied on, but the music store sold me some with little balls on the end, they seem much easier. I like the Zac Brown Band too. I will stick with the classical for awhile, and whhen the time is right purchasse a steel-string. Thanks again for the advice. It is nice to meet you.
I'm really glad to hear you're sticking with the classical. The important thing at this stage is to just start applying the things that Neil has in his beginners' course.

Have fun trying out the felt pick. You'll absolutely be able to hold it better than a standard pick. Actually, I suggest you try a range of different picks and see how you like them. I find that fun in itself, exploring the differ guitar paraphernalia that's around. :) If you strum lightly, there's much less chance of scratching the front of your guitar anyway. Actually trying to control the pressure of your strum will help you get it together too.

I have to admit that the felt picks aren't really my cup of tea. But I know they work for some people. Another thing you can try is just brushing down with your index finger and brushing up more lightly with your middle and third finger. Neil shows than somewhere. Maybe Dermot knows where and will include a link. I will too if I find the lesson.

Losing your pick in the sound hole is a rite of passage for all guitar players. Join the club. :) that's one good thing about fingerpicking, it's hard to lose your fingers in the sound hole. :)

Nylon strings with a ball on the end are a great idea. That will make it much easier. One thing to be aware of with nylon string is that you need to keep tuning them a lot for the first week or so while they stretch into the right length. You should absolutely get a tuner, which you'll need anyway. I like the Planet Waves one that sits on the head of your guitar (where the tuning keys are) and uses the vibration in the neck to gauge the note rather than the sound. Get yourself a capo too, planet waves also makes a good nylon string capo.

http://www.daddario.com/pwNSMicrotuner.Page

This is a newer model to the ones I have, but looks pretty similar.

http://www.daddario.com/pwProductDetail ... uitar_Capo

Regarding guitar size, I started at TG with a dreadnought, a Yamaha FG415 or something like that. I found the body size was fine, but perhaps a little too big for me and the neck too narrow for how I play. I now have a Larrivee OM-V model, which has a smaller body and a wider neck (than a dreadnought) and a cutaway to help access high up the neck towards the body. It sounds beautiful and feels just right for me. I'm about 170 cm.

The best thing to do is go into a store and just sit down with a heap of guitars and just see how they work for your size. Don't worry that you can't play yet, just strum lightly anyway to see how it feels. Ask the salesperson to play them for you so you and hear what they sound like. Absolutely get a strap and if the guitar doesn't have strap buttons (that the strap locks onto) then get them put on. It will only cost you an extra $10 or may not cost anything.

Dreadnoughts are louder than other models and are most suited for lots of strumming and flat picking (using a pick to pick out notes). But, the important thing at this stage is how it feels to you. If it feels too big, you're not going to play it as much and you're less likely to stick with learning.

But as others have said, just start playing and have fun.

Keep popping into the forum. Heart is very cool. I'm pretty sure Vanessa will pop in again and rave a bit about them later. :) :) :)

See you around.

Michele


tombo1230
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Sat Jul 05, 2014 9:41 pm

trcorbett170950 wrote:
Hi Tom,
Thank you for the encouragement. I am looking forward to learning. I will definitely ask for advice, before purchasing a steel string guitar. I was looking at some online last night and I
am already confused. In the first video Neil discusses different sizes of guitars. One he mentioned was called, I believe, a Dreadnought, which was bigger. I don't know the difference between that and a full size. I like the size of my classical. I think it is perfect for me, but I will have to figure out what size that translates to in the steel string. There is a lot to learn, but I am enjoying it. I am from the US btw.


Here is a video about guitar body sizes. My daughter has been playing since secondary school, she is 5 foot 6 inches in height and prefers a medium guitar because of it's comfort she says. I mostly play a Grand Auditorium which is comfortable and sounds good, but I have smaller and larger guitars which are fine also for different occassions and uses. You really just have to try them to see/hear/feel what you like.

Tom N.


willem
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Sat Jul 05, 2014 11:44 pm

Thanks Michele. The guitar came with a tuner, I put it on and( if I am using it correctly), it displays the what the note is. But, I have to say the low E doesn't sound right to me. I tried a couple of tuner apps, but have no clue how to use them. I must admit I had to Google capo. I will have to watch some videos about tuning. Thanks again.


willem
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Sun Jul 06, 2014 5:48 am

trcorbett170950 wrote:
Thanks Michele. The guitar came with a tuner, I put it on and( if I am using it correctly), it displays the what the note is. But, I have to say the low E doesn't sound right to me. I tried a couple of tuner apps, but have no clue how to use them. I must admit I had to Google capo. I will have to watch some videos about tuning. Thanks again.
Mmm the low E,, what says the tuner display ?

Welcome

Willem from Zwolle NL


michelew
Posts: 87
Joined: Sat Aug 22, 2009 5:43 pm
Location: Sydney, Australia
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Sun Jul 06, 2014 6:39 am

trcorbett170950 wrote:
Thanks Michele. The guitar came with a tuner, I put it on and( if I am using it correctly), it displays the what the note is. But, I have to say the low E doesn't sound right to me. I tried a couple of tuner apps, but have no clue how to use them. I must admit I had to Google capo. I will have to watch some videos about tuning. Thanks again.
Hi there me again. What would you like us to call you by the way?

If you haven't watched it already, check out lesson 2 of Neil's beginner's blue print series, part 8 - strings and tuning. You'll hear what you should be tuning each string to and of course what it should actually sound like too.

If you have an iPhone or iPad you could also try some of the tuning apps. I like Cleartune. It's easy to use and is pretty intuitive. The problem with it as with most tuners that listen to the sound of the guitar is that it picks up noises around you, so the needle can move a little too much at times. You definitely can't tune in front of the tele or in a room with people talking. When you're on a note the needle is green, when you're not it's yellow. You can dampen the needle it stop it jumping around so much. Actually it has quite a lot of functionality, most of which I never used. But I love carrying a guitar tuner in my phone. It's sort of cool. :) It also tells you the actual frequency which ... Is cool too. :) (and what it's called on the piano). That will tell you whether you're actually tuning your low E to the correct E, as in the right octave (E2 - 82.4 Hz). I guess there's a chance you've got the wrong one.

Don't worry about not knowing what a capo is. There's a heap of things that you'll discover, which are guitar or music specific. A capo will become a VERY good friend to you, especially when you start to sing as it will allow you to change the key of a song REALLY easily.

Off to play.

Late alligator.

M


TGNesh
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Location: The Netherlands
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Sun Jul 06, 2014 11:00 am

I can totally relate, HEART ROCKS!!!!!!! :cheer:

Actually I'll be finally seeing them in November, for which I CAN'T WAIT!! :woohoo:

Silver Wheels (which is the intro to Crazy On You) is of course a fantastic piece to play and yes it'll likely fit the steel string a bit more! ;) Nancy is súch a COOL guitarist!!!!!

And yes, the community is very international, few folks from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Switserland, Israel, the Netherlands and the US of course, it's pretty amazing! :ohmy:

Anyway, hope you're enjoying the guitar-ride and very nice to meet you too! (Michele's got a point, what would you like us to call you, if I may ask?)

Cheers,

Vanessa



trcorbett170950 wrote:
Hi Vanessa,
Wow! I had no clue this site would be as popular or international as it is. That's great! I am from the US. My favorite group is Heart and so my ultimaate goal would be to play the intro and accoustic part of Crazy on You. That is how I learned about Totally Guitars. I stumbled upon a preview of Neil's lesson. I like a variety of music though, so I am eager to learn a lot of things. Eventually I would like to get an electric as well. Nice to meet you.


Chasplaya
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Sun Jul 06, 2014 2:03 pm

Hi and welcome to TG from Chas in New Zealand. Loads of great advice already, main thing have fun with the guitar. Persevere but not to the point of frustration, if that creeps in... back off, pause, slow down and try again ....maybe take a break, have a look through the site for similar issues the forum has heaps of advice for most challenges we come up against.

Enjoy your journey and before long I suspect you will have G.A.S.

Slainte

Chas


michelew
Posts: 87
Joined: Sat Aug 22, 2009 5:43 pm
Location: Sydney, Australia
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Sun Jul 06, 2014 6:31 pm

tombo1230 wrote:
trcorbett170950 wrote:
Hi Tom,
Thank you for the encouragement. I am looking forward to learning. I will definitely ask for advice, before purchasing a steel string guitar. I was looking at some online last night and I
am already confused. In the first video Neil discusses different sizes of guitars. One he mentioned was called, I believe, a Dreadnought, which was bigger. I don't know the difference between that and a full size. I like the size of my classical. I think it is perfect for me, but I will have to figure out what size that translates to in the steel string. There is a lot to learn, but I am enjoying it. I am from the US btw.


Here is a video about guitar body sizes. My daughter has been playing since secondary school, she is 5 foot 6 inches in height and prefers a medium guitar because of it's comfort she says. I mostly play a Grand Auditorium which is comfortable and sounds good, but I have smaller and larger guitars which are fine also for different occassions and uses. You really just have to try them to see/hear/feel what you like.

Tom N.
Tom I just watched this video. I couldn't see it on my iPad.

Great info! He explains it so well and I love that he points out the effect on the tonal range.

Cool.

M


tombo1230
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Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2010 8:27 am
Status: Offline

Sun Jul 06, 2014 6:52 pm

michelew wrote:
tombo1230 wrote:
trcorbett170950 wrote:
Hi Tom,
Thank you for the encouragement. I am looking forward to learning. I will definitely ask for advice, before purchasing a steel string guitar. I was looking at some online last night and I
am already confused. In the first video Neil discusses different sizes of guitars. One he mentioned was called, I believe, a Dreadnought, which was bigger. I don't know the difference between that and a full size. I like the size of my classical. I think it is perfect for me, but I will have to figure out what size that translates to in the steel string. There is a lot to learn, but I am enjoying it. I am from the US btw.


Here is a video about guitar body sizes. My daughter has been playing since secondary school, she is 5 foot 6 inches in height and prefers a medium guitar because of it's comfort she says. I mostly play a Grand Auditorium which is comfortable and sounds good, but I have smaller and larger guitars which are fine also for different occassions and uses. You really just have to try them to see/hear/feel what you like.

Tom N.
Tom I just watched this video. I couldn't see it on my iPad.

Great info! He explains it so well and I love that he points out the effect on the tonal range.

Cool.

M
Not sure why you can't see it Michelle. I am viewing it ok on a laptop and it's just a link to a youtube video direct. :S :blink:

Tom.


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