Help me start out with acoustic guitar

[loffer]

My regards to the community. I already have a taste of music as I played Saxophone for 6 years and sang in choir for 5. I want to have my fingers going on an acoustic guitar. I already own 2. . I was wondering if anyone could tell me a good way to start out. What should I be doing, etc... That kind of stuff. Any advice would be great.

Thanks

[Malcolm]

First things first. Let's talk about what we will be doing with our guitar.

Any song has three levels of sound. The top level is the melody, the second level is the harmony, and the lower level is the beat or rhythm.

You and your guitar can do all three.

The upper level - melody - is done with scale notes - single note sounds.
The middle level - harmony is done with chords - two or more notes sounded at the same time.
The lower level - beat & rhythm is provided by the strum pattern.

Lets learn how our acoustic guitar can furnish the harmony, beat and rhythm, and our voice can furnish the melody.

So....... We need some chords. Not a lot right at first. Ten to fifteen chords will let you play hundreds of songs. I suggest what are called open string chords first and these specific ones will get you started.
A, Am & A7
C & C7
D & D7
E, Em, & E7
F -- you will hate the F but just one of those things we have to learn.
G & G7
If the song calls for a chord you have not learned go to your handy dandy chord generator and look it up. Here is a good one:
http://www.looknohands.com/chordhouse/guitar/index_db.html

Next you need some sheet music. Right now "fake chord" is what you are looking for. A Google using these key words"
Guitar chords, "name of the song"
will call up songs you would like to play.
This is what fake chord looks like:

I [D] tried so hard my dear to show that you're my every [A7] dream

[A7} Yet you're afraid each thing I do is just some evil [D] scheme

[D] A mem'ry from your lonesome past keeps us [D7] so far a-[G] part

Why [A7] can't I free your doubtful mind and melt your Cold, Cold [D] Heart.

Grab a D chord and a 4/4 strum and strum away till you get to the chord change word "dream" change to the A7 chord and keep strumming until you get to the next chord change word. Yep, simple as that. That is a little Hank Williams, Sr. I picked it as Hank's songs are dirt simple and easy to learn on.


What next -- strums - remember our strums provide the harmony and the beat or rhythm. Here are five strum patterns that can get you started"
1. All down strums will be OK right at first, however, you are missing that drum beat. Here is how you furnish that.
2. Waltz time 3/4 songs use a bass note & chord & chord for a boom, strum, strum. Pluck a bass note with your pick - and yes - use picks. Which bass note? Form the chord then sound the lowest string used in the chord.
3. Fox trot 4/4 songs. use a bass note & chord & base note & chord for a boom, strum, boom, strum.
4. Alternate the boom between the lowest string and the next to lowest string.
5. Some like a boom, strum, strum, strum, help yourself to any or all.

Remember in Acoustic backup that boom or drum beat is important when it's just you and your guitar. When you have others playing with you - a bass guitar and or drums - they can furnish the boom and you can get fancy with up-down strums, palm muting, etc.

OK you've got your chords, you know how to get sheet music, you know five strums only thing left is to sing the melody. We sing as we play for several reasons, the main one is so we know when to change chords and we need something to help keep the tempo and rhythm. Singing the lyrics - under our breath or as backup to the lead vocalist is the best way I know of to accomplish this. Hard to do and like that F chord you will hate it, but, just something you must learn how to do.

Good luck, ask questions someone will help.

Say hello to Abrianna for me.

[shaini]

If you want to learn acoustic guitar (http://www.hotstrings.net/order.php?cat_id=2)I think that the best going would be to get an online source.



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