want some hints on playin an acoustic guitar?

Question

az in am gettin a guitar and i want more hints on playing it

Answer 1

Oh, I get it now. It is you that wants hints on playing an acoustic guitar.

Here are a few:

1. Keep your guitar clean and polished. Sliding your hand down a dirty neck hinders action on your part.

2. Keep your guitar in its case when you're not playing it. If in a corner, it risks damage by children's hands, dirt, dust, and humidity changes in temperature levels.

3. Learn as many chords as you can and the progression patterns in each key. Learn different rhythm patterns, such as four-four, three-four, cut-time.

4. Try to relax while holding your guitar. Tenseness doesn't help. Keep the guitar slightly canted so you can readily see the fretboard, but not as much as you would if you were playing a steel guitar.

5. Play with other guitarists and any other instrumentalists and singers.

6. It helps to sing the songs you enjoy playing.

7. Don't be overly concerned about learning to be a hot lead guitarists. It comes with time and much practice.

8. Learn music theory with the guitar. It is an essential part to opening the door to more music advancement.

9. Change strings often--perhaps once a month if you play every day.

10. Don't loan out your guitar to anyone unless you're right there with it.

Happy pickin' n grinnin'!

Answer 2

When you get your first guitar, take it out of the case and place it somewhere where you will be sure and see it. Playing a guitar is like starting a friendship. Your guitar has to be a close friend, not your best friend (at least at first) but more than a hi - bye friend. If it's sitting in the case, it is filed away and easy to forget about. The case is to get it from one place to another.

When you push the strings down for the first time, they are not going to be comfortable. You have to build callouses and that takes a couple of weeks. Start with many short periods of practice and build your endurance slowly. Nylon strings are easier to push down than steel strings, so if you start with steel be patient with yourself

When you first pick up the guitar, lay the fingers of your left hand across the fingerboard. Lay your first finger across the first fret, second finger across the second fret, third finger across the third fret and fourth finger across the fourth fret. Next, move the fingers up slightly until they are just above the frets. (closer to the tuning pegs) All of your fingers except the fourth one should hang well over the fingerboard. Curl your fingers up until the fingertips each touch a string. This is how you should try to keep your fingers more or less as you play. Your right thumb should rest against the sixth string, your first finger against the third string, second finger against the second string, and third finger against the first string. Try going back and forth:

Thumb, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3 Thumb, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3

P - I - M - A - M - I - P - I - M - A - M - I

P = thumb
I = index finger
M = Middle Finger
A = Ancillary Finger

(There are Spanish names for these but those will help you remember)

Let's learn your first chord

E minor seven with a suspension

Don't put any fingers down on the left hand and strum across the strings lightly with your right hand - fingertips down - - thumb tip up. If you do it that way, you will get a pretty good sound without tearing any fingernails. If you use a pick, you don't need to worry about that.

Next, E minor Seventh Emin7 or Em7 ( 6/0 5/2 4/0 3/0 2/0 1/0 )

Put your second or third finger down on the second fret of the fifth string 5/2
(first number is the string, second number is the fret)

Next E minor E min or Em ( 6/0 5/2 4/2 3/0 2/0 1/0 )

Put your second and third finger down (the order depends on what is more comfortable for you with your finger length) on the second fret of the fifth and fourth strings 5/2 4/2

Next E Major E MAJ or E ( 6/0 5/2 4/2 3/1 2/0 1/0 )

Put your second and third finger down on the second fret of the fifth and fourth strings, then put your first finger down on the first fret of the third string
5/2 4/2 3/1

Next, A minor Amin or Am ( 6/0 5/0 4/2 3/2 2/1 1/0 )

Put your second and third finger down on the second fret of the fourth and third strings, then put your first finger down on the first fret of the second string. (In other words, shift all of your fingers over one string)
4/2 3/2 2/1

You now know five chords. E minor seven with a suspension (The hardest chord in the world to say, the easiest chord int he world to play)

E minor Seven 5/2

E minor 5/2 4/2

E major 5/2 4/2 3/1

A minor 4/2 3/2 2/1

Move between chords, back and forth until you can do it smoothly

Try other variations

E seven 5/2 3/1

A minor seven 4/2 2/1

A seven 4/2 2/2

C Major 5/3 4/2 2/1

(later on try 6/3 5/3 4/2 2/1)

Try these chords with strumming and with the P - I - M - A right hand fingerpicking

This is the first lesson I teach my students more or less. I stuck a few links underneath that may help you as well. If you need anything, let me know.

Answer 3

relax then get a simple chord book and learn the 3-chord pattern you can start playing most tunes in no time.