Guitar help

Pressure

Pressure

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Well, it's been one whole month since I started playing guitar :). I progressing at a nice pace I think. I could hardly paly it when I first got it. Now I know all my major and minor notes and can switch between them at a moderate pace but not fast enough to put together a song lol. I'm working on that though. I'm learning some of the popular major/minor 6th and 7th cords and some power cords.

I've been going on mxtabs.net to get some tabs to play around with when I'm not practicing other stuff. There are a few things I need help with while playing some of the songs. The thing I have the hardest time with is palm muting. Either I mute it too much and the cord sounds awful or not enough so it sounds the same. Could anyone give me some advice on effective palm muting?

I would also like to know some bands that play easier songs so I can practice those until I get better. Even intermediate songs so I have something to work for. Just looking for some suggestions because I want to get better :). I practice practice practice but I also wanna have fun lol.

One thing I am proud of, and don't laugh at me, is that I can play part of Master of Puppets. I can't play the whole thing because it gets hard but I'm working on it. Metallica is like my favorite metal band after all :).

I've only been playing a month and I don't know how I compare to others that are just learning but I think I'm moving forward at a fairly moderate pace. So if anyone could just help me out with what I asked and possibly give any other helpful advice I'd really appreciate it.
 
Hmm...I found palm muting really easing, it came natrually and accidentally when I first started up. You say you either do it too much or too little, it really shouldn't be hard to just slightly adjust the pressure (get it?? :LOL:....ahem). Try doing it nearer the bridge where the strings are tighter.

The Vines have alot of easier songs, look at some of their tabs (if you like them, I don't really anymore, but they were a good start to power chords).
 
I think I got palm muting down. I've got a pretty decent handle on it now.

Do you know where I can get some print-out tabs? The ones I print from the site are so tiny I can't read them and Word just messes them up.
 
LOL u go to mxtabs right?
ok theres a thing that say PRINTABLE VERSION and if thats too small u can go to the printable version select all copy and paste into a new text or word doc and u can adjust the size that way.....as for power chords those are really easy and you should be ablle to play some cool songs soon...keep it posted on your progress
 
How about that. I didn't even see that tiny little printable version button lol. Thanks for pointing that out.
 
Metallica have tons of great riffs to start with, and Iron Maiden too. I guess those are pretty obvious choices though ;)

I have one advice. Don't be a fool like me and start to play too hard songs too early. I've played for pretty long now (well, not that long, three years actively), but in my opinion I suck, heh. That's because I never take the time to learn things perfectly, and I move on too fast. Sometimes I get really depressed when I record some stupid crap and listen to it and it sounds horrible. I think "that can't be me! that's awful!"

Also, what guitar do you have?
 
hmmmm u shouldve gotten like a strat or ibanez to start with....the les pauls are a little harder to learn on....idealy u shouldve started on acoustic but still awesome guitar.....and if u want to play a cool song thats easy with power chords try no more lies by iron maiden but just skip the solo
 
Actually I've grown to like the Les Paul. My friend has a strat, he's also just beginning too, and I don't like how his feels compared to the les paul.

I'm looking at the song and it looks pretty easy. The problem is I've never heard the song so I wouldn't know how to play it.
 
I think Les Paul is a good choice, strat is just so dull.

I have an ESP by the way
 
The Les Paul is heavy comapred to other guitars and that's what I like about it. When I hold a Strat it feels like I'm holding a pencil taped to a sheet of paper, it's way too light. Plus the one I played didn't sound near as nice as my Les Paul :).
 
I don't know if you're allready aware of this site called Guitartricks , but it's really good. The forums seem a bit quiet though

They've got instructors that cover different styles of playing, and there are probably thousands of neat little licks and tricks tabbed. There also used to be free sound files, but now you have to pay to listen to them. Registering is still completely free though. There are also a few pretty useful lessons on guitar technics and music theory
 
I can play guitar but I never learned how to read the music
 
I played for abit, with a few lessons from my mate i got an acoustic and tried, but life caught up.. other things, so its been left for ages and i only pick it up and have a play of something when i really have nothing else to do. Easy bands to play, and i mean easy... even i could do a few of their songs...

Oasis, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Greenday, Blink 182 and REM.
 
Pressure said:
The problem is I've never heard the song so I wouldn't know how to play it.
Click to expand...
Ok make sure the RIAA isnt listening..........DOWNLOAD IT!!!!ROFL
 
i have a week playing the guitar, barely.

i've known and played the piano for 4 years now, so it's easy to learn new stuff, and i use it a lot to play stuff just for fun (the killers, rammstein, anything i like).

practicing guitar is a little frustrating, because i feel that the notes are more distributed in the guitar, and you have to "travel" far away to play a note that would otherwise be an inch away in the piano.

anyway, i guess practicing and patience gets you there, just like any other thing.
 
MarcoPollo said:
Ok make sure the RIAA isnt listening..........DOWNLOAD IT!!!!ROFL
Click to expand...

First off that's illegal ;). Second, college connection = no go on BT.
 
Pressure said:
Well, it's been one whole month since I started playing guitar :). I progressing at a nice pace I think. I could hardly paly it when I first got it. Now I know all my major and minor notes and can switch between them at a moderate pace but not fast enough to put together a song lol. I'm working on that though. I'm learning some of the popular major/minor 6th and 7th cords and some power cords.

I've been going on mxtabs.net to get some tabs to play around with when I'm not practicing other stuff. There are a few things I need help with while playing some of the songs. The thing I have the hardest time with is palm muting. Either I mute it too much and the cord sounds awful or not enough so it sounds the same. Could anyone give me some advice on effective palm muting?

I would also like to know some bands that play easier songs so I can practice those until I get better. Even intermediate songs so I have something to work for. Just looking for some suggestions because I want to get better :). I practice practice practice but I also wanna have fun lol.

One thing I am proud of, and don't laugh at me, is that I can play part of Master of Puppets. I can't play the whole thing because it gets hard but I'm working on it. Metallica is like my favorite metal band after all :).

I've only been playing a month and I don't know how I compare to others that are just learning but I think I'm moving forward at a fairly moderate pace. So if anyone could just help me out with what I asked and possibly give any other helpful advice I'd really appreciate it.
Click to expand...

Congrats dude! I hope your enjoying it. I was like you, I got a guitar and experimented for a month, but now its your decision and I dont wanna hear that bullshit from you or anyone about how you dont need a teacher or need to know music theory.

Now that you have had your experimental stages if guitar is something you really want to continue and keep forever (you dont need to want to start a band or be famous) but just to play forever and enjoy. Get a teacher. Thats the first step. Second, is make sure you get a descent dose of music theory every lesson. Music theory is key to doing ANYTHING on guitar. You wont need to memorize any chords if you know your theory.

Now to just basics and stuff, palm muting, it all depends on guitar and hand but on most hands and guitars i find it easy to measure when I feel part of the metal bridge on my palm (your palm cant be so skinny that it doesnt touch both bridge and strings). BTW I been playin like 8-9 months so I kinda know this stuff if your wondering if Im a joke or not lol.

Next, you want an easy song, however you need an easy song that gives you a challenge so that if you practice it for a week you learn something new. ENTER SANDMAN by your favorite band is the first song I learned and the perfect song for what your looking for. Its easy, you practice you palm muting, and you get some rythem lessons and sliding lessons. Get a good tab for this one and dont worry about any guitar solos at this point.

I would say the Unforgiven would be the next step up after you learn and you can play Enter Sandman with no mistakes over and over again. You learn some more rythem, Hammer ons and Pull offs, and finger picking. More sliding is involved.

Now that you got your song part of you satisfied...time for some theory. Start scales and practice them every day for 5 minutes minimum. Use proper finger positions and pick patterns, meaning, down up down up down up down, no down down down down down picking. In Enter Sandman you need to get that down up thing working so you move to certain notes quicker, if the next note is the string above your finger, you pick up so your pick is already hitting the note and moving to the next one at the same time.

I found it easy to start with Cmajor/Aminor scales as when you get a teacher, he will teach you how you move your scales to other notes. Its easy because the scale shape stays the same, you just move it somewhere else.

Im tellin you man you will thank me in the end if you get a teacher that you know will teach you theory. But if your just playing guitar just for fun, once to 3 times a week, then you dont need any of that. But if your serious and you want to solo and even make your own songs, teacher with music theory is the way to go.

And thats the end of my ultra long post, I hope you read it because you asked for it lol. And for those about to rock, we solute you! (also a good song to learn)

By the way this advice would work for all you guitar noobs out there lol, you too adriend! :D Night guys I hope I helped!
 
I read your entire post :).

I'm probably going to get a teacher when I feel like I'm ready for it but for now I'm gonna keep practicing the basics.

I'm still getting use to the palm mute and my hand resting on the bridge of the guitar. It doesn't sound good when the guitar is clean but maybe it sounds good with distortion.

Enter Sandman was wa great suggestion. I looked up the tabs and they look very playable and I'm very pleased with it. I'm going to be practicing it for the next week or two until I get it just perfect :). I'll probably record it to see how it sounds lol.

As for The Unforgiven I'll wait until I'm perfect on Enter Sandman :).

I'm just starting to practice scales. I'm trying hard to use proper picking technique and I'm almost out of the habit of doing down down down down down down down lol.

I kinda hold the pick weird. Most people I know use their thumb and their index finger when holding the pick but for some reason I use my thumb and middle finger because thats what I'm most comfortable with. I dunno if that has any effect on my playing or not.

I'm thinking about getting a teacher later on though.

Any more advice would be appreciated.
 
I like yourself Pressure am a great Metallica fan (some say to much) :)
I have been playing guitar for 10 years (only 17) and I have NEVER had a teacher! Learn by yourself, you can do what you want, when you want and you will (usually) always remember what you've learnt better.
My first 'tallica song was Master Of Puppets. I struggled with the intro (the bit where Hetfield cuts in before the verse riff) but now I can play the whole thing and sing (being a lead singer) it too :)

Basically...guitarist rock! lol
Keep at it like me and hopefully you'll be greatly rewarded :)

Good luck!

EDIT: btw i also have a Les Paul, a good guitar, but I prefer my SG :p
 
Evil^Milk said:
practicing guitar is a little frustrating, because i feel that the notes are more distributed in the guitar, and you have to "travel" far away to play a note that would otherwise be an inch away in the piano.
Click to expand...

not really, the furthest you would ever have to go is 5 frets away, the notes will proceed in order on the string above.
ie

D-------------------------1-2-3-4-5
A--------------1-2-3-4-5
E--0-1-2-3-4-5

etc. :p
 
I suggest trying to get in the habit of holding the pick with your thumb and index, its not MAJOR but it will help in the long run when you will pick two notes at the same time using your pick and middle finger, you can live without it, but its so ****ing annoying to put the pick down, finger pick, then pick it back up.

Im surprised scottie, see scottie is one of the not so many people who can really teach themselves. However most people are not like that unfortuanately. Then again scottie has been playin for 10 years, i dont know how he plays but maybe he could have been just as good as he is now 5 years ago if he had a teacher, but thats just saying like I dont know him. Maybe scotties the next hendrix!
 
Seeing as it's a thread about new guitar players, what about this combo for a beginner; yamaha pacifica 112 + a roland cube-15?

I've done quite a bit of reading (reviews, books etc.) and I'm pretty sure you can't go wrong with them for a newbie, but more opinions wouldn't do any harm :)
 
the best resource for guitar lessons is at ur local music shop....hang around wait for friendly guitarist that is good ask for a free lesson trust me it works lol
 
MilkMan12 said:
Im surprised scottie, see scottie is one of the not so many people who can really teach themselves. However most people are not like that unfortuanately. Then again scottie has been playin for 10 years, i dont know how he plays but maybe he could have been just as good as he is now 5 years ago if he had a teacher, but thats just saying like I dont know him. Maybe scotties the next hendrix!
Click to expand...

LOL - im left handed! :D (possibly the next Tony Iommi ;))
The only reason Ive taught myself is beacuse I hate being told what to do (v.rebellious me) and I want to do my own thing. I possibly may of improved quicker with a teacher, but it jus depends what your like with them.
After 10 years, im not amazing, but i can take on some of the better players with a bit of practice, but saying that, im one of the rare ppl that can play fast and sing...not many ppl seem to be able to do that. Soz im pimping myself to much :p

My advice is if you can stand a teacher get one, but i think learning on ur own is more rewarding in the end...you never kno, u mite find it easier to sing if u wanted to do that.

Good luck, and apologise if this post seems egotistical :)
 
I need help getting this stupid pedal to sound right lol.

I got a Boss MT-2 and I don't know how to work it right. I wanna get the metal sound so I can play Enter Sandman on it but I dunno where the knobs go on the AMP and on the Pedal lol.
 
Pressure said:
I need help getting this stupid pedal to sound right lol.

I got a Boss MT-2 and I don't know how to work it right. I wanna get the metal sound so I can play Enter Sandman on it but I dunno where the knobs go on the AMP and on the Pedal lol.
Click to expand...

I don't know if this is what you mean, but plug your guitar into the pedal's input jack, and your amp into the pedal's output jack

Guitar -> pedal input jack -> pedal output jack -> Amp input jack :rolling:

I think I had the same pedal, in fact I still have it, and sometimes it may be frustrating to get the sound you want. I never got "the sound" with it, so I bought a new pedal. Now I use Zoom505II, which I like, but it seems that with Zoom pedals you either love it or hate it. They don't seem very popular in the "guitarist circles" but I'm happy with it

edit: Well I just realised you probably didn't mean how to connect the pedal to your amp and guitar. Anyway if you don't get the right metal sound, don't get frustrated. It might be impossible with some equipment.

One thing that could help is tuning down treble and adding more bass. The pedal I had sounded really "thin" even with bass turned all the way up
 
I know how to connect it to the amp, it's quite obvious :).

I just have troubles getting the right sounds. My friend has an amp called the Line 6 Spider II and it has preset distortion features that you turn to like Metal, Grunge, Blues and others. When you turn it to metal or grunge that's the sound I'm looking for. I guess this pedal doesn't work as well lol.
 
My friend also has a Line 6 Spider II amp....personally, i dont like its preset sounds. Tell him to get a Peavey Bandit 112 - perfect metal amp (i shud kno :p)
I think ive got a Boss dist. pedal somewhere, but ive never used it coz the Peavey has a dist. sound/effect built in.
I guess the only thing u can do it trial and error.

What knobs or buttons does the pedal have on it? (i mite b able to help coz ive got about 6 Boss pedals)
 
A little early for a pedal eh? Jesus you dont need it to sound exactly like it. On my begginner pack amplifier i can get the sound to where its unnoticably different, i just push the button for overdrive, get some tone in there, and its perfect. I dont even have a pedal...lucky bitch...
 
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