Q. My mother bought me a guitar last Christmas and I recently went out and bought some beginner books to learn to play as I now have a lot of spare time on my hands. I'm using Mel Bay's Modern Guitar Method Grade 1 book at the moment.
The book is filled with sheet music which I can read as I played piano for many years, I'm just learning what string is which and where notes are but I'm at a slight predicament.
I'm starting with the E string and learning the notes E, F, and G. However do I just pluck that one string or am I supposed to be strumming them all from top to bottom?
It says;
E(Open)
F(1st Fret, 1st Finger)
G(1st Fret, 3rd Finger)
I'm playing the 1st-String Etude in the book;
It goes EEE F G E G(2 count) FF F(2 count) EEE EEE F G E G(2 count) FF GG E(2 count) E(2 count).
If it doesn't say 2 count(half note) beside it, its just your basic quarter note.
I've been strumming all the string while holding down the string I'm supposed to in the right places but it sounds so busy...just plucking the E string while playing those chords sounds more music refined but that just seems so simple?
Maybe I'm looking to much into it, but are you supposed to be strumming all the strings or just plucking the one?
A. Hello there,
The particular exercises you mention seem to be single note exercises and not chord strumming exercises. In the exercises, of course you play what ever strings they say to play. Overall, whether you play single notes or strum 2 or more strings depends on the sound you want. The options are many and that is what makes playing so versatile. You can create a great many sounds to work into your music. Do keep up with the exercises in the books. However, give this a try also. Here is a link to a video lesson at Youtube. This guy has a series of 12 video lessons and you can find them all there at Youtube. He covers the basics very well. He uses an electric guitar in the lessons, but most of the material translates very well to the acoustic. Oh by the way, he talks about sending you lessons and going to his website. You no longer need to do that. All 12 lessons are now on Youtube. He used to email the lessons to you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxhxIV0I5T8&feature=related
Also, you need to learn to read tabs. Tabs is a shorthand method of writing guitar music and is widely used these days.
http://www.howtotuneaguitar.org/lessons/the-basics/how-to-read-guitar-tab/
Here is a chord chart. Down load this PDF file to your computer. It is handy when you need to see how some chord is played.
http://www.guitarnotes.com/guitar/notes2/ultimate11.shtml
We used to have to buy chord books to get this information. Now it is available free on the internet.
Later,
can anyone teach me how to play "always by atlantic star" on the ukulele?????!!!!!?
Q. pleaseee i need help on this one. i need to play this song on the ukulele before august 9th,08!!! its my friends bday and i promised her that i would play this song for her. please someone help me
pleaseee i need help on this one. i need to play this song on the ukulele before august 9th,08!!! its my friends bday and i promised her that i would play this song for her. please someone help me..
theres a video of this song played on the ukulele at youtube. type in "sonnyb always atlantic star"
A. Ohsofresh01,
http://www.learnsongs.com/music/Atlantic_Starr/Atlantic_Starr.asp
These are in piano, but if you've got they have chords with the music it shouldn't be a problem.
Need a ukulele chord chart?
http://www.meleukulele.com/PDFs/UkeChart.pdf
Better get a move on. Aug 9th is just around the corner.
Have fun,
CowUkeA
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Title : Am I supposed to strum all the guitar strings or just pluck the one?
Description : Q. My mother bought me a guitar last Christmas and I recently went out and bought some beginner books to learn to play as I now have a lot ...