Understanding Guitar

One Beginners’ Efforts

My wife and I got back from vacation last weekend.  We had gone to Mexico for 8 days and for the entire 8 days I didn’t touch a guitar. I had a surprising desire to play and fiddle on a guitar. Ultimately, I did make it the entire eight days without going though guitar withdrawal.

Now that the vacation is over, I’ve been trying to get back in to the groove of daily guitar practice. Even though while I was on vacation I wanted to play guitar, it has been a challenge to go back to my guitar routine (not to mention my work and general-life routine).

I started by re-practicing most of my “harder” material. I only had to go back a few pages in my book. I started with a slower tempo and was able to play though the Ode To Joy without a problem. The Ode To Joy was a milestone marker for me. I quickly worked the tempo back to what I was playing it at — 95 BPM.

After Ode To Joy, I picked up where I left off. I progressed further and I’m now in to playing the High E, B, G and D strings while sight reading whole, half, quarter and eighth notes. That is amazing progress for myself. A few weeks ago I had huge trouble with just the High E and B strings (while sight reading)… I was always fumbling either my fretting or picking hand and screwing something up.

I am also suppose to memorize the following pattern as it is suppose to help with finding chords and other musically important information.

A C E G B D F

In upcoming posts, I’m hoping to be able to explain why memorizing this pattern is useful. From what I understand right now, it has to do with chord theory. Keep an eye out for more in this.

Most of my practice time has been spent on learning how to read sheet music while playing — not something that is coming easy for me. Thus far, I’ve worked my way up to the D string (from high E). It has taken me about four weeks to get to there. In retrospect, I think that is terrible… I wish I had gotten further faster…

Anyway, tonight after I finished going over about 45 minutes worth of note reading practice and some finger work [this exercise] I spent time looking at barred chords. Right now, as I write this my left hand is hurting me… I really worked the barred chord. I spent about 10 minutes playing a Bm, A, G, Em progression.

After which I started playing a A, G and then a D, C progression. I was playing these using the following chords.

I believe that this is good barred chord practice. Using the A, G progress as an example I was playing:

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4/4 A / / / | / / / / | G / / / | / / / /|
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Repeat that 4 times and then play the same rhythm for D, C progression.

Another simple song you could learn to play is “Hurt” which was originally by Nine Inch Nails, but Johnny Cash re-recorded his own version of the song. I’m with the group that feels that this version is superior — not that I didn’t like the NIN version of the song, I just really like how the guitar goes in this version.

Below are the videos for both versions. First, Cash’s version then Reznor’s. If you’ve never heard this song before, be aware that the song is of a dark nature. The Reznor video is particularly “dark”…

Cash:

Reznor -- Live:

You Play It

Now that you’ve seen the video, below are the links to the internet guitar tabs. I believe these tabs are correct, otherwise I wouldn’t post them. This song does use barred chords during the chorus so it can be a little difficult but it is manageable.

http://www.fretplay.com/tabs/c/cash_johnny/hurt-tab.shtml

http://www.guitarmasta.net/c/cash,_johnny/234354.html

Over at  “A Guitar Teacher’s Lesson Notebook” (a blog), Robs interpreted and published chords and rhythms (strum patterns) to a bunch of songs:

http://www.heartwoodguitar.com/WordPressBlog/?p=103

Some of the songs include

• Barenaked Ladies – If I Had a Million Dollars
• Johnny Cash – Ring of Fire
• The Raconteurs – Steady As She Goes
• Many more!

A while ago, I started writing a post on Let Her Cry by Hootie and the Blowfish. I never finished it but I decided to re-write and publish it.

I love the Hootie song “Let Her Cry” and it’s actually fairly easy to play. I’ve been able to play every part but I’ve never fully put it together. I just don’t have the confidence to play it. But I wanted to share it with others out there as you might want to give it a try.

Following are web sites that have published the chords and rhythm for the song. Give the song a try:

• http://www.guitaretab.com/h/hootie-and-the-blowfish/8545.html
• http://www.ibreathemusic.com/forums/showthread.php?p=88626

Update: Here is the Music Video for this song from YouTube