Guitar Help!!!???

Question

I recently started learning to play the guitar and am in the proccess of buying one but for now I am having to play on my brothers little kiddie starter guitar which is just like a regular guitar except it is much smaller- it is called a "First Act" guitar. The problem is, it is on a different key or something than a regular guitar and so all the chords sound like chords, just not the RIGHT chords- so when try to play songs they dont go with the right key that the song is actually in- I know that some of this is probably me just being new to the guitar but I think its mostly the guitar itself-

any advice, other than buy a real guitar??? thanks!

Answer 1

Often the kiddie guitars are tuned lower than the standard parlor or dreadnought guitars because the strings are more prone to break.

Your narrative leads me to believe that the small guitar is tuned to sound like a chord (G) when playing the open strings. That is possible since the younger crowd isn't usually ready for more than one chord.

My first thought stands, however. I think the kiddie guitar is simply tuned lower or higher than other guitars. To correct the problem would mean to retune the instrument to standard pitch. The strings, unless they are old, may withstand the tuning.

But moving to chords beyond the fifth fret will sound out of key because of the way the guitar is built. You usually won't have true tuning for chords higher on the neck of a smaller guitar.

Answer 2

If tuned properly (with a tuner) all guitars would be in the same key, no matter what size the guitar. Chords you are reading out of a music book may be different than the chords the actual band or musician plays. Many "fake books" are out there and have chords that are EASIEST to play rather than the actual chords the musician plays. You can change keys easily by using a capo if you find that a song is out of your range. Good luck!

Answer 3

well it could be your style of playing, the size of the guitar, and the tuning. or all 3
any way you do need to tune it depending on what the song is on regular, drop d, or down a half step etc. you will need a tuner seeing as you said your a beginner i don't think you'd have an ear to tell when its correct and if you do thats great, can help out alot. with your style try and make sure that your fingers don't mute out the other strings, and the size of the guitar could be putting you in an uncomfortable position to play in. and if you do get good enough to play a fast song, always remeber that it matters how fast or slow your pick is going and not your fingers.

Answer 4

Short scale guitars like that are tuned a 3rd higher, so everything you are playing is correct by position, but not pitch. If you tune it correctly, the strings will probably flap too much. Go spend $100 for a cheap Squire Strat and you will be happier.

Answer 5

I know you said to give advice other than getting a new guitar hon, but First Act guitars are s.hit. I'd suggest for a *real* starter guitar either a Dean or an Ibanez. Again, sorry to give advice you didn't really want, but you just flat need a new guitar.

Answer 6

Yeah, just buy some more strings and restring it, or if you don't know to do it take it into a music shop and ask them to restring it and tune it for you... I would reccomend the shop thing, thats what I did when my guitar acted really weird lol.

Answer 7

you should try tuning it and changing the strings. you can get these at guitar center or a local music store. the average prices are.

Tuner: $20 USS
Strings: $5 USS