hey

this isn't my first time posting...but i posted a long time ago. i've been playing for less than an year i guess...i dunno, maybe 9 months. im having a lot of fun with random lead lines and riffs, i've been playing a lot of bach sonantas and stuff. i've been working on metallica's call of ktulu for the past month maybe, and i more or less got the riffs down, and i wanted to start on the solo but it seems like way too much right now. my main problems stiill seems to be chords, i can play open chords and stuff when im just practicing, but in a song they always sound bad, even power chords sound bad when i play in a song, and i've been working on barre chords for months and i don't think im getting anywhere.

anyways...comments, suggestions, flames...all welcome.

Welcome back to GT :).

So, what is it about the chords that sounds bad? Is it that you find that some of the notes in the chords sound "dead" when you play them at the song's speed (I used to, and occasionally still do, have that problem)?

Originally Posted by: jiujitsu_jesusWelcome back to GT :).

So, what is it about the chords that sounds bad? Is it that you find that some of the notes in the chords sound "dead" when you play them at the song's speed (I used to, and occasionally still do, have that problem)?

yeah..it's that, but its not just that. i dunno how exactly to explain it, they chords sound like they don't fit when i play it...i do find that i play some chords, like power chords, really sloppily, and i can't seem to just hit the two strings i need to. also, i dunno how to alternate strum on power chords...

No worries mate, I was in the same situation as you not long ago. It sounds like it's as much a co-ordination thing as an articulation thing - and many people start off with this problem. Making your chord sounds cleaner is a bit of a drudge - it basically involves a hell of a lot of fine-tuning and practice of your finger positions. Play the chords that are giving you trouble (barre chords, for example) and keep adjusting your finger positions until you can strum the chord and hear all of the notes ring as clearly as possible. Practice taking your hand off the fretboard and replacing it in the proper position, and also moving your hand around in various chord positions.

Most importantly, FORGET SPEED TO BEGIN WITH. It sounds like you're a Metallica fan :cool:, but if you are eventually going to play like James Hetfield, it's best to start slow. Make sure that you can play various chord changes as well as possible before you build up speed. That way, when you eventually begin playing at the same speed as the recordings in question, your guitar work will sound crisp and precise.

Making chords "fit" into songs is a bit more fun. Get yourself a metronome (or go to the online one - sorry, I forget the web address :o), set it to a slow tempo, and practice playing a chord progression along with it. Slowly build the tempo up to the speed of the recording as you improve your fluency. When you start writing your own stuff, it also helps to get a drum machine, so you can base your rhythmic ideas on the drum beats.

I don't know whether that was of any help to you, or whether I just told you a heap of stuff that you already know :o, but I hope you were able to make some sense of my gibberish.

thanks, i guess i need to pay more attention when i play. and im gonna force myself to practice just chords alone a lot more.

on a side note, anybody have any, or know where i can find any, sonatas and stuff? or classical tabs in general, i really like playing those. or even rock/metal tunes that have the same effect

and btw, and i do love metallica....

just keep in mind that most songs will sound weird when they arnt played at their intended speed. that doesnt necesarrily mean you are wrong.

uh, if you sign up for high bandwith theres some great classical songs here. I printed out a tab for Bach's Toccata and Fuge- lots of fun.