embarassed to ask...

Traceypeer76349
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Mon Mar 13, 2017 3:04 pm

so...just started learning to play and wondering if looking at the strings as I'm learning them is ok...or should I begin with trying to play by feel ...
thanks!


spinland
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Mon Mar 13, 2017 3:12 pm

There are some amazingly experienced folks here who will impart sage advice from the perspective of professional teachers. I bow to their wisdom.

As a comparative beginner, myself, my opinion is to walk before you run. That means you'll need to look at them at first, I don't know that anyone could play "eyes off" right off the bat. Then, once you're comfortable with where the fingers go for a couple of chords, and you want to, then you could try practicing bouncing back and forth between them, first looking and then try looking away for a couple of beats to see what happens.

Just my Zwei Pfennig Wert. :side:

Mark


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daryl
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Mon Mar 13, 2017 3:45 pm

I've been playing guitar for 53 years and I still look at my hands. Eventually your fingers will just naturally go where they are supposed to go. I supposed now, I just watch my fingers for the pure joy of watching them "do their own thing"!

My 2 cents of wisdom is to do what you feel comfortable with. Playing guitar is supposed to be fun.

And BTW never be embarrassed to ask a question. How else are we to learn?


unclewalt
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Mon Mar 13, 2017 5:34 pm



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auntlynnie
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Mon Mar 13, 2017 5:47 pm

Welcome!
I can't imagine being a beginner and NOT looking at my hands.
I still do when I'm learning a new song, and even when I'm not, when I'm playing difficult songs (it is pretty darned hard not to).
Eventually, you won't have to look, and that's helpful for later when you are strumming chords and reading lyrics at the same time. Or performing, but that's not something you have to worry about now.
Good luck and don't be embarrassed about any questions - we've all probably had them at one time or another.
Lynn


dtaylor
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Mon Mar 13, 2017 8:14 pm

All sage advice above, but I noticed recently that as I was relearning a song I'd forgotten, I could only play it without looking at my fingers, as soon as I thought about where to place them visually, I drew a blank and had to look away to be able to play it. Anyone relate to that, or is it just me?!


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daryl
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Tue Mar 14, 2017 7:06 am

dtaylor wrote:
All sage advice above, but I noticed recently that as I was relearning a song I'd forgotten, I could only play it without looking at my fingers, as soon as I thought about where to place them visually, I drew a blank and had to look away to be able to play it. Anyone relate to that, or is it just me?!
I've had similar problems. For the life of me I could NOT remember how to play a (TE) song I've played a gazillion times. I could start the "A" section, but after a couple measures there was nothing. Gone. No matter how hard I looked or not looked. A total blank. So I skipped over that part and started playing the next part that I did remember (say the chorus) when I came out of the chorus and back into the "A" section that I forgot how to play, there it was. No problems. No missing pieces. A truly weird experience. The brain is amazing.


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auntlynnie
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Tue Mar 14, 2017 8:32 am

Daryl describes a situation that occurs sometimes for me, too. That of playing a song that I've know for years and suddenly getting to a part and it has totally disappeared from working memory, from muscle memory.... just gone. Then, playing it again, even 15 minutes later, it has reappeared - usually via muscle memory.
Yes, brains are weird.
Lynn


Traceypeer76349
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Tue Mar 14, 2017 12:42 pm

Thanks, everyone! I just wanted to make sure I wasn't reinforcing a habit that could hinder my playing later...sounds like it's something I will eventually move on from as I learn...


unclewalt
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Tue Mar 14, 2017 10:27 pm



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