Educate me- adult beginner acoustic guitar

[WyoBull]

Beautiful guitar, Bill! I played some years ago but hit a plateau, career got in the way and I have not played in a long time but I am getting inspired by this thread to pick it up again. At the time, I had an Ovation guitar but sold it to a friend who is a very good player to this day.
Geez, I may have to think more serious about this!!!

[ThisLadyHunts]

Lady, I hope you are still interested in joining the picking and grinning ranks like our new recruit Bill, so go grab that ukulele I suggested and join the party!

I’m sure I will. I’m just waiting for my nails to dry...

[3ChordTruth]

I’m sure I will. I’m just waiting for my nails to dry...

It is said “"A woman is only helpless while her nail polish is drying."

Lady, I have prudently decided to not in any way test your abilities while the ethyl acetate evaporates. I will only again encourage you to join Bill and me and the many other TBH guitar players rocking out our tunes. Playing guitar is a blast, just ask Bill!

[ThisLadyHunts]

It is said “"A woman is only helpless while her nail polish is drying."

Lady, I have prudently decided to not in any way test your abilities while the ethyl acetate evaporates. I will only again encourage you to join Bill and me and the many other TBH guitar players rocking out our tunes. Playing guitar is a blast, just ask Bill!

Hah! Alright, I’ll keep moving forward in my quest.

[Bill]

Educate me- adult beginner acoustic guitar

I went to the guitar store today where ai bought it. My wrist problems stem from sitting comfortably in the coach and tilting the neck back too far so I could see the frets. When I practice sitting up with the neck vertical, no adjacent string buzz or pain.

They also said if I want a larger guitar, they’ll give me full credit for the GS mini. I hope to keep it though.


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[Bluesman]

I went to the guitar store today where ai bought it. My wrist problems stem from sitting comfortably in the coach and tilting the neck back too far so I could see the frets. When I practice sitting up with the neck vertical, no adjacent string buzz or pain.

They also said if I want a larger guitar, they’ll give me full credit for the GS mini. I hope to keep it though.


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I agree with the guitar store advise. Sit in an upright chair and anchor the guitar on your right thigh. This will help vision wise. Keep your back as upright as possible.
If you're gripping the neck too tight you will limit your finger dexterity and the result is not using the finger tips. Wrist issues may happen as well.
The couch will come later.
Finger tips x 10.
A good exercise is to pick an open string then press the first fret, then 2 thru 4 and back down. 1234, 4321. Change strings and repeat. Study what needs to happen with your thumb grip as you get over to E, the 6th string. The thumb position will follow much the same when you play an E chord.
I don't think a larger guitar will help much.

[Shane]

A larger guitar body wouldn't help much, but a wider neck could possibly help. Wider string spacing makes more room for thicker fingers. The little 3/4 size guitars can be a bit cramped. They're a better fit for small hands.

[Bill]

Thanks again. It’s going better now.
Still not playing Amarillo by mornin’, but give it time.


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[3ChordTruth]

Thanks again. It’s going better now.
Still not playing Amarillo by mornin’, but give it time.


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Bill, the key change in “Amarillo by Morning” reminded me to ask if you got a capo yet. If not, get one and it will allow you to “move” the chords you are learning to match the key of recorded songs, or to match the key of thousands of song backing tracks available.

[Bill]

I’m not at the stage I need a capo- I’m learning basic chords. But hopefully in the near future.


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[ThisLadyHunts]

Bill, the key change in “Amarillo by Morning” reminded me to ask if you got a capo yet. If not, get one and it will allow you to “move” the chords you are learning to match the key of recorded songs, or to match the key of thousands of song backing tracks available.

What is a “song backing track”?

[3ChordTruth]

What is a “song backing track”?

Bill, you are 100% right to learn those chords first, keep at it.

Let me try to answer Lady. Backing tracks provide “music accompaniment” while you practice. Think having musicians playing tunes in the room with you. You will learn playing on the beat, chord changes, picking lead riffs, etc. etc. much quicker and better using backing tracks.

Go to YouTube, search for “backing tracks” and stand back because you will see about a million results. You can then add to your search pretty much any type of music or artist you can think up, and there will likely be backing tracks. Blues, Jazz, 50s Rock, Cajun, Bluegrass, Heavy Metal, Gospel, etc. etc., there will be song backing tracks in a lot of keys. Try it, and I believe backing tracks will make practice more fun, and make you a better musician. Good luck.

[ThisLadyHunts]

Bill, you are 100% right to learn those chords first, keep at it.

Let me try to answer Lady. Backing tracks provide “music accompaniment” while you practice. Think having musicians playing tunes in the room with you. You will learn playing on the beat, chord changes, picking lead riffs, etc. etc. much quicker and better using backing tracks.

Go to YouTube, search for “backing tracks” and stand back because you will see about a million results. You can then add to your search pretty much any type of music or artist you can think up, and there will likely be backing tracks. Blues, Jazz, 50s Rock, Cajun, Bluegrass, Heavy Metal, Gospel, etc. etc., there will be song backing tracks in a lot of keys. Try it, and I believe backing tracks will make practice more fun, and make you a better musician. Good luck.

Great explanation as I understood exactly what you are saying.

Are there such things as tracking backs that isolate certain “sound groups;” say, vocals, so that you can distinctly hear the different harmonies (I.e. all three of a three-part harmony) or the percussion group where you can pick out the bass, the snares, and the toms individually?

[3ChordTruth]

Great explanation as I understood exactly what you are saying.

Are there such things as tracking backs that isolate certain “sound groups;” say, vocals, so that you can distinctly hear the different harmonies (I.e. all three of a three-part harmony) or the percussion group where you can pick out the bass, the snares, and the toms individually?

Bill, I know these posts are about your new guitar, but please allow me a quick response to Lady. And Bill, look into some of the info I describe below, and you will be singing “Amarillo by Morning" harmony right along with King George!

Lady, there are some really good vocal coaches on YouTube. Several of these vocal coaches give excellent examples of how to “separate” and sing three part harmony, usually into “lead”, “tenor” and “bass” vocals. There are also great examples of choir SATB (soprano, alto, tenor and bass) harmony, and even Barbershop vocal harmony. YouTube is your friend. I do not have any information about percussion tracks, sorry, but I would be greatly surprised if there was none to be found on YouTube.

[ThisLadyHunts]

Bill, I know these posts are about your new guitar, but please allow me a quick response to Lady. And Bill, look into some of the info I describe below, and you will be singing “Amarillo by Morning" harmony right along with King George!

Lady, there are some really good vocal coaches on YouTube. Several of these vocal coaches give excellent examples of how to “separate” and sing three part harmony, usually into “lead”, “tenor” and “bass” vocals. There are also great examples of choir SATB (soprano, alto, tenor and bass) harmony, and even Barbershop vocal harmony. YouTube is your friend. I do not have any information about percussion tracks, sorry, but I would be greatly surprised if there was none to be found on YouTube.

Very good suggestions.

And thanks, Bill, for graciously allowing me to appropriate this thread in the interest of my musical growth.

Now, I expect to hear a little “Bill and George” fairly soon, now that you’ve got that limp wrist fixed!