Strumming Problem?


Ryanmcl2491
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Ryanmcl2491
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05/18/2006 9:28 pm
I believe I have a strumming problem because when I strum, it doesn't seem proper. It doesn't sound like the chord I am trying to play because when I try to play songs, it sounds nothing like what im trying to play and the sound seems to be all cracky and just loud noise..

What am I doing wrong and what can I do to change?
# 1
jimmy_kwtx
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jimmy_kwtx
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05/18/2006 9:51 pm
Ryan,

With out actually hearing what your describing as a "problem" it is hard to pin point a way to help. But I feel that with the wealth of Knowledge that is found here your problem will be solved. ;)

Couple of questions.

1) How long have you been playing?

2)Teaching yourself?

3) Taking Lessons?

4) Desrcibe in more detail the "cracky" sound.

5) Chords causing the problem?

6) Single string/notes causing the problem?

The biggest "problem" beginning guitarists face is more of a strenght issue in the fret hand. Strumming is rarely a problem since it is more of a natural thing for you to do.

Remember air gtr when you were a kid( I still do it and "it was good"-- What Movie?) Your "pick" hand always found a way to resemble the song rhytms but your "fret" hand just did this weird floppy fish hang about 1/2 way from your body do this weird shaking thing?!?!?! ;) when the solo comes you just wiggle your fingers and bring your hand closer to your hip?

What I am trying to get across -- Depending on the answers you provide above will help determine the best way to help, albiet finger exercises, strumming exercises, "proper" pick technique, proper postuer when playing the guitar (this does cause problems)etc.

**Thinking**

When you play an open C or F Chord (full chords hitting all 6 strings) do you only hear about 1/2 of the notes and the crancky sound is more of a......."chnk" sound with a resembles of a actual note? "Loud noise" and the notes you do hear are clear and ring out?

or when you play the chords is it you hear the attack of the note and it rings clear but has no sustain/Kinda peters out or stops abruptly?
Like a "TKN...TKN...TKN...TKN...TKN...TKN...TKN" Actual note tone can be heard but the "finsh" just isn't there?

The first problem is more of a fretting hand issue and can be fixed with strength exercises and the bottom would be more of apicking problem caused by Palm Muting, "im-proper" pick technique.

Welcome to the wonderful world of GTR!

I'll get off my soapbox now.
[FONT=Comic Sans MS]I reject your reality and substitue my own[/FONT]

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[FONT=Comic Sans MS]But it goes to eleven....[/FONT]
# 2
Ryanmcl2491
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Ryanmcl2491
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05/19/2006 12:39 am
um...


all of that happens...

i dunna what my problem is


:(

like, i know how to play Smoke On The Water, in the note form, but when I try and play both strings together, 1.) I don't know which strings to strum, and 2.) I don't know how to strum them because it doesn't sound good and its just like a loud obnoxious noise that is all distorted..
# 3
jimmy_kwtx
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jimmy_kwtx
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05/19/2006 3:40 am
So would I be correct in assuming that you are fairly new to playing--like at most a couple of months? Your playing on an electric guitar or acoustic?

Lets try this and give it a go for about 1 week.

1) Picking-- Hold the pick lightly not with a death grip. Hold it comfortably. If you cruise around this sight you should find a video or picture to show you a good proper way to hold it. There are many different ways just find what is comfortable for you.

2) When you pick you really want to only have the very tip/edge of the pick to hit the string. When playing chords you want to use a sweeping motion with your hand and wrist like you were brushing dust off your shirt or jeans. And the pick should "drag" across the strings. DO NOT try to use the pick as a "tool" to grab the underside of the string and yank it off or try to dig a groove in the wood/pick ups under the string. remember FLUID MOTION.

3) Now do not try to play a chord or anything but strum all 6 strings open and let each string ring. What you are trying to do here is see if you are dragging the fleshy part of your palm across the strings when you strum or resting it on the strings.

This will cause the notes to sound but they do not keep "sounding" becuase you are stopping the vibrations with that darn fleshy part. Which can cause a funky sounding ---- "nooooootechzzzzzzzzz(buzzing)-------------Silence" .

If this happens focus on keeping that fleshy part away from the strings. Sometimes we tend to rest that part of our hand right in front of the bridge of the guitar and this will cause "palm muting" or "dead strings". If this does not happen you should hear all 6 strings ringling clearly.

Please don't take this in the wrong way but if you do not know what the bridge is-- it is that small thin metal bar that is located an the "bottom" end on your Guitar close to where your strings are set (the balled ends). This would be for the electric guitar. Depending on the acoustic, this is the bar that the strings come out of.

Once you locate if this is the cause try this exercise.

Play all 6 strings open and be sure to strum them all.

Tap your foot to 4 beat rhythm.

Now play this pattern on each tap of the foot.

Strum(1) Strum(2) Strum(3) Strum(4)

Strum(1) NO strum(2) Strum(3) NO Strum(4)

**On the No Strum let the notes ring for that beat.**

Repeat this over and over again until you are so sick and tired of it (for that day) or someone yells from the other room to "STOP" :eek:

While playing this you want to focus and pay atention to the sweep of your hand, the fleshy part of your palm (where is it?) and the "attack" of the pick (Fluid not ripping off strings). Also you want to listen to make sure each string is sounding loudly and clearly.

If after you try this and you do not hear the "problems" you were having while playing using your fret hand then you do not have a strumming "problem" (such a nasty word). It may be more of a fret hand issue and there are a bout a ga-gillion different exercises to help you get that fixed and some key things to focus on while fretting.

:eek: Man I'm writing a novel.

Try this little thing first and lets try to work each possible "problem" out step by step.

Good luck!
[FONT=Comic Sans MS]I reject your reality and substitue my own[/FONT]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS]BYAAAAAAAAAAAH![/FONT]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS]But it goes to eleven....[/FONT]
# 4
Grambo
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Grambo
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05/20/2006 9:20 pm
Hi Ryan, reading between the lines, it could be that your bridge is not set up correctly - if this is the case almost everything played will sound horrible.
String length adjustment is best done with an electronic tuner, in England they cost about Ā£15 and the best ones have a needle display.
Basically you tune the open string say low E and then you press the string down on the 12th fret( a higher E ) - if both notes bring the needle to the middle position then the string length is correct - you repeat the procedure for all the strings and adjust if neccesary - when set up correctly all your chords should........SING
if you always take the lazy route
The Devil knows your every move ![COLOR=RoyalBlue]
# 5
shai8181
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shai8181
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05/26/2006 3:53 pm
I learned to play awesome using a program called Jamorama by Ben Edwards.
Click here. it is the best guiatr teaching program I have seen
# 6
jimmy_kwtx
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jimmy_kwtx
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05/26/2006 3:56 pm
Congrats! :)

I'm glad you were able to find something that helped you get over that "hump"!
[FONT=Comic Sans MS]I reject your reality and substitue my own[/FONT]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS]BYAAAAAAAAAAAH![/FONT]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS]But it goes to eleven....[/FONT]
# 7
Ryanmcl2491
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Ryanmcl2491
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06/04/2006 6:42 pm
what? i am still having the problem..
# 8
Grambo
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06/04/2006 6:54 pm
Hi Ryan, if your having trouble with your gutar set up. the chords at the lower end of the neck will sound OK, but the further you climb the neck, the worse it will sound - a good guitar shop will set it up for you for a small charge - in England it's about Ā£25.

When you play chords do you get like a harsh sound
if you always take the lazy route
The Devil knows your every move ![COLOR=RoyalBlue]
# 9
Ryanmcl2491
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Ryanmcl2491
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06/04/2006 6:59 pm
i think so? it just doesn't seem right..

i am trying to play Phantom Planet - California right now, and I can play this part just using notes:

e|----7--9--7--9-----7--9--7--9-----7--9--7--9--11--7--
B|--9--------------9--------------9--------------------
G|-----------------------------------------------------
D|-----------------------------------------------------
A|-----------------------------------------------------
E|-----------------------------------------------------

but my problem is how would I strum this, and would I strum all the chords. I tried strumming every chord but it sounds REALLY bad because the E,A,and D strings seem to take over all the sound(they are louder) and strumming it doesn't sound good because it sounds like a mess, when i try and play the next chord(technically its a note) it hasn't really finished the last one and they just run together and sound as if I were just strumming like crazy or retarded..
# 10
Grambo
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Grambo
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06/04/2006 7:05 pm
Ok. as a general rule if you look at your bridge - the thick bass E string should be the longest and the thin E string should be the shortest - the other 4 could be anywhere in between....
if you always take the lazy route
The Devil knows your every move ![COLOR=RoyalBlue]
# 11
Ryanmcl2491
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Ryanmcl2491
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06/04/2006 7:11 pm
isn't it the opposite?

i have seen MANY guitars in my life, and the thick bass E string has always been up top(closer to me) and the shortest, while the thin E string has always been at the bottom(farther away) and the longest..



**congratz on 300 posts ;)
# 12
Grambo
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Grambo
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06/04/2006 7:17 pm
I've just tried playing the song and your right the other strings don't gel - did you work it out from tab ?
if you always take the lazy route
The Devil knows your every move ![COLOR=RoyalBlue]
# 13
Ryanmcl2491
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Ryanmcl2491
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06/04/2006 7:20 pm
huh? i got the tab online..

guitartabs.cc
# 14
Grambo
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Grambo
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06/04/2006 7:25 pm
Ok, the bass E string closest to your chin should be the longest string ( it's normally adjusted with a screwdriver ) at the back of the bridge - what guitar is it ?
if you always take the lazy route
The Devil knows your every move ![COLOR=RoyalBlue]
# 15
Ryanmcl2491
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Ryanmcl2491
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06/04/2006 7:27 pm
the bass e string(closest to my chin) stops first at the head of the guitar(where you tune it), and the bottom e string stops last..
# 16
Grambo
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06/04/2006 7:33 pm
Ok, the other end , on the body is the bridge - this is where the string lengths are adjustable
if you always take the lazy route
The Devil knows your every move ![COLOR=RoyalBlue]
# 17
Ryanmcl2491
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Ryanmcl2491
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06/04/2006 7:35 pm
ok, how do i check?
# 18
Grambo
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Grambo
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06/04/2006 7:43 pm
To do it properly you really need an electronic tuner, but normally the Thich E string is longest and the thin string is the shortest.
If you look on any acoustic you'll see it has a fixed bridge and it lies on an angle - such that the above is true.
This adjustment is extremely important - if it's not set up properly all your fretted notes and chords will be out and it will sound horrid
if you always take the lazy route
The Devil knows your every move ![COLOR=RoyalBlue]
# 19
Grambo
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Grambo
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06/04/2006 8:05 pm
Seiko and Epiphone make needle display tuners - I cannot recommend Kwiktune
if you always take the lazy route
The Devil knows your every move ![COLOR=RoyalBlue]
# 20

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