i have win- amp with the pitch fork to slow the song down, but i still have problems, any tips ? or programs that may help? thanx.biggest road block
im pretty much limited to basic chords, and power chords, but there are tons of songs which revolve around basic chords. Now my problem is, songs that do revolve around basic chords which i can play smoothly, switch smoothly i still have a very hard time picking up rhythm, and strumming, which makes it near impossible for me to play the song.... a good example would be, mother by pink floyd, or cover me by candelbox. These two songs in particular are centered around chords i can move back in forth to flawlessly but i just cant figure out the correct strumming to i have win- amp with the pitch fork to slow the song down, but i still have problems, any tips ? or programs that may help? thanx.
i have win- amp with the pitch fork to slow the song down, but i still have problems, any tips ? or programs that may help? thanx.
# 1
Since you already know how to finger the chords, and how to change smoothly, you can put that aside for a while.
Mute all of the strings with your fretting hand. You aren't going to play any notes or chords, just lightly rest your fretting hand across all of the strings so that they don't make much sound.
Now, stroke down across the strings with your pick. Don't chop at them like a farkin' novice - stroke them, rolling your wrist as the pick slides down across the strings. The lower edge of the pick nearest the tip of your thumb should be the only part to touch the strings. If the pick hits the strings flat, it sounds like something little kids used to do, putting bits of cardboard on their bicycles to flap in the spokes. You don't want that. Stroke the strings with the lower, outer, edge of the pick.
Now do the same thing on the upstroke, with the upper edge of the pick that is closer to your wrist. Again; stroke, don't chop. Upper edge of the pick, not the flat face of it.
OK?
When that feels right, put on some music and strum along. No notes, no chords - keep those strings muted. Just keep time with your pick hand. Don't try to get fancy right away. Just keep basic time with your pick hand, strumming on those muted strings.
Chuffa-chuffa-chuffa-chuffa....
When that's comfortable, you can emphasize some of the beats by strumming a little more firmly. No chopping - you always stroke the strings, just a bit more firmly on the beats you want to emphasize.
OK; you're on your way. Have fun with it. Spend a day pretending to be a drummer. You can go back to playing chords later.
Mute all of the strings with your fretting hand. You aren't going to play any notes or chords, just lightly rest your fretting hand across all of the strings so that they don't make much sound.
Now, stroke down across the strings with your pick. Don't chop at them like a farkin' novice - stroke them, rolling your wrist as the pick slides down across the strings. The lower edge of the pick nearest the tip of your thumb should be the only part to touch the strings. If the pick hits the strings flat, it sounds like something little kids used to do, putting bits of cardboard on their bicycles to flap in the spokes. You don't want that. Stroke the strings with the lower, outer, edge of the pick.
Now do the same thing on the upstroke, with the upper edge of the pick that is closer to your wrist. Again; stroke, don't chop. Upper edge of the pick, not the flat face of it.
OK?
When that feels right, put on some music and strum along. No notes, no chords - keep those strings muted. Just keep time with your pick hand. Don't try to get fancy right away. Just keep basic time with your pick hand, strumming on those muted strings.
Chuffa-chuffa-chuffa-chuffa....
When that's comfortable, you can emphasize some of the beats by strumming a little more firmly. No chopping - you always stroke the strings, just a bit more firmly on the beats you want to emphasize.
OK; you're on your way. Have fun with it. Spend a day pretending to be a drummer. You can go back to playing chords later.
# 2
LATS advice was good, my guitar teacher also taught me that it's good to sit in front of a metronome and strum chords, if you have a standard 4/4 beat you can strum along to the metronome and also pull triplets and doubles with the beat to kind of get a hang of it. Also you may think that you can change really smoothly but if u do that with a metronome then your forcing both hands to keep in time and it's suprising how u realise that even if your fretting hand is half a second off it can relly screw up your picking hand.
Whenever i'm playing chili peppers songs and it gets to the open chords and bar chords i don't usually strum along exactly with frusciante but rather improvise a bit and just feel the beat of the song, make it your own! as long as you're playing the right chords and you're doing the transitions at the right times then you can experiment with strumming in different rythm to the recorded version of the song.
Whenever i'm playing chili peppers songs and it gets to the open chords and bar chords i don't usually strum along exactly with frusciante but rather improvise a bit and just feel the beat of the song, make it your own! as long as you're playing the right chords and you're doing the transitions at the right times then you can experiment with strumming in different rythm to the recorded version of the song.
# 3
thanx alot for the response,, while this will help me with timing, and strumming, i still have a problem deciphering exactly when they move to another chord,,, what ive been doing is just waiting for the down stroke of the new chord,, and assuming thats where the change is. but alot of times i just cant get the right sound.
# 4