Hello Totally Guitars

raywhit
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Thu Oct 02, 2014 11:00 am

Hello Everybody

My name is Lee and I have been playing guitar for about 3 years. I used to be a decent singer but a bout with cancer left me without a tongue or larynx and as such I am unable to speak let alone sing. So after a long long recovery I decided to take up guitar to continue with my love of music.

Since I can't sing I tend to learn towards the lessons that are either chord melodies or just have such distinctive riffs that the song is immediately recognizable. I have been a member for about one month and I have worked on the chord melody versions of Waiting on a Friend, Nights in White Satin, Spooky and also Hearts Crazy on You and the Silver Wheels intro. Love the site, I fine the instruction here much better than other sites and even better than the couple of real life teachers I have tried. I would rate my level of play somewhere between a beginner and intermediate.

My main guitar is a Taylor 113ce and I also have a Guild D-15 from the mid-eighties that I find much harder to play but I'm hanging on to it as I'm told by those more knowledgeable than myself that it is a "sweet" instrument and I will appreciate it when my playing improves.

I do find that while I can certainly learn and play even some of the more difficult lessons here I still often make a good deal of mistakes and even when I don't I seem to lack that touch or feel that really makes my playing flow. Now I am not going to ask how long it will take me to develop that kind of "touch" as there are way too many variables and the only real answer would be "well the depends on ......... ". What I would ask the group though if you care to respond is to share your personal experience as to how long it took before you turned the corner and what practice routine you used to get there.

Well if you got this far thanks for reading, very cool site indeed.

Lee


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Music Junkie
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Thu Oct 02, 2014 11:15 am

Lee:

Welcome to the site from Ventura, CA. Sorry to hear about the cancer... :( I love the attitude about continuing with your love of music! It sounds like you are jumping right in and making some progress.

I have been playing for about 6 years now, and I am still a beginner for the most part. That is mostly due to my lack of discipline in practice. There are others who have been playing less time and are far better players. You are correct in your approach. It REALLY does depend.... If you stick with it, you will start clearing hurdles on a regular basis. I would highly recommend the Acoustic Genius Series along with those songs you are working on. There is some solid information to build on in there. Also, ask any questions you may have in the forum. There are always good folks hanging around who love to help out.

So glad you decided to join, it is a great place.

Cheers!

Jason


RicksPick
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Thu Oct 02, 2014 11:26 am

Hello Lee

Welcome to TG
Glad you found a new passion

You say you have played all those songs within a month? Whilst we are all different we all need time on a tune to start to get some "feel"
for me once I have got all the parts in memory and then spend some more time the feel starts to come,
for example I have been playing a simple tune for a year now and can play it in my sleep, now I am starting to try and add vibratto and other embelishments.

I dont see why your Guild is harder to play, maybe it needs a set up.

Now that you have found us don't be a stranger ;)

RicksPick in the UK


raywhit
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Thu Oct 02, 2014 11:58 am

Well I am in the process of learning all of them, I tend to like the variety of working on several things at once. To be hpnest I was learning Crazy On You well before joining the site, I could not begin to pick-up something that difficult in a month at my level, and also I am not even attempting the fills yet so other than the into I am playing a dumbed down version of the lesson. Spooky I'm just getting started on, so I hope I didn't mislead that I am better than I am.

As for the Guild, the neck is narrower and I probably need to get lighter strings and have the action set a little lower but I haven't gotten around to it because I enjoy my Taylor so much, eventually.


kelemenj
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Thu Oct 02, 2014 12:08 pm

Hi Lee,
Welcome aboard. I don't think you could find a better guitar website than this one. Your skills and repertoire should dramatically increase.
Don't be a stranger on the forum. It really is a supportive community full of great people.
John


leeson
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Thu Oct 02, 2014 12:25 pm

Hi Lee,

Welcome to TG. You have found the right place. You will look back at this day as a milestone in your guitar development. At least I do. One thing I have figured out though is that just around that corner you are looking for.... is another corner. :laugh: :laugh:
Just enjoy the ride.
Peace.
Bill


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neverfoundthetime
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Thu Oct 02, 2014 5:14 pm

Welcome Lee! so sorry to hear of your loss of voice but so happy to see you have found a way to re-connect with your love of music. Good for you!

I have found that repeated practice really improves my touch and timing immensely. Big help for me was playing very very slow at first then speeding up as the movements began to sit. Works really well. Flow is important. Sitting a repeatedly playing a part over and over really helps. even do this while watching TV, helps to make it automatic. I am working on Gypsy by the Moody Blues and its taken a few weeks but it is finally starting to flow and sound good at last... was worth the slowed down practive and constant repetition

Hope you have a ball here... don't need your voice to speak up on the forum! :)

Chris


tombo1230
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Thu Oct 02, 2014 11:01 pm

neverfoundthetime wrote:
Welcome Lee! so sorry to hear of your loss of voice but so happy to see you have found a way to re-connect with your love of music. Good for you!

I have found that repeated practice really improves my touch and timing immensely. Big help for me was playing very very slow at first then speeding up as the movements began to sit. Works really well. Flow is important. Sitting a repeatedly playing a part over and over really helps. even do this while watching TV, helps to make it automatic. I am working on Gypsy by the Moody Blues and its taken a few weeks but it is finally starting to flow and sound good at last... was worth the slowed down practive and constant repetition

Hope you have a ball here... don't need your voice to speak up on the forum! :)

Chris
welcome Lee,
I agree with what Chris has said, slow playing at first keeps the mistakes to a minimum and gets your timing right. I would advise using Guitar pro or equivalent, all of the chord solo lessons come with a file. you can play the files at a reduced speed and you can get the timing smooth playing along. if you have a problem with a particular section it is good to isolate it and play just before it, through it, and past it slowly. Play your guitar every day and make time for some theory.

Good luck on your guitar journey. :)

Tom N.


willem
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Fri Oct 03, 2014 6:31 am

tombo1230 wrote:
neverfoundthetime wrote:
Welcome Lee! so sorry to hear of your loss of voice but so happy to see you have found a way to re-connect with your love of music. Good for you!

I have found that repeated practice really improves my touch and timing immensely. Big help for me was playing very very slow at first then speeding up as the movements began to sit. Works really well. Flow is important. Sitting a repeatedly playing a part over and over really helps. even do this while watching TV, helps to make it automatic. I am working on Gypsy by the Moody Blues and its taken a few weeks but it is finally starting to flow and sound good at last... was worth the slowed down practive and constant repetition

Hope you have a ball here... don't need your voice to speak up on the forum! :)

Chris
welcome Lee,
I agree with what Chris has said, slow playing at first keeps the mistakes to a minimum and gets your timing right. I would advise using Guitar pro or equivalent, all of the chord solo lessons come with a file. you can play the files at a reduced speed and you can get the timing smooth playing along. if you have a problem with a particular section it is good to isolate it and play just before it, through it, and past it slowly. Play your guitar every day and make time for some theory.

Good luck on your guitar journey. :)

Tom N.
welcome Lee

To save typing me words I agree with those two posters for the practice..practicing is not really playing the guitar but is something you have to learn too for keeping the timing and such,,the greatest thing I learned is practicing at a slow speed even when the music sits and get's his flow I go back to slow speed what also works as a warming up.

Willem


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auntlynnie
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Fri Oct 03, 2014 5:57 pm

Welcome from Washington, DC, Lee!

Practicing regularly and having a little discipline about it is a good idea - not that I'm disciplined myself. I work on several pieces at once, too.

As for turning a corner. That seems to happen at every level because there is always that next goal/skill/song about which you say, "when I can do that, I'll be_______________" fill in the blank "be a good player" "be satisfied" whatever. But I find that I'm always aiming for that next "corner". And sometimes it happens unexpectedly. Like I'll practice really hard for several months, then a month or two after that, things will seem easier. Hard to explain, but for me it doesn't always happen directly.

Anyhow, welcome, welcome. It's a nice bunch of people.

Cheers,
Lynn


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