Bad Habits


maser
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Joined: 01/29/01
Posts: 85
maser
Member
Joined: 01/29/01
Posts: 85
02/22/2001 10:22 pm
I've been playing guitar for only about a year and I haven't taken any formal lessons. What are some of the basic 'bad habits' that are developed by beginner players and how does one break them. Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks!

-Mai Zure
Mai Zure - So overdriven, he sh*ts distortion
# 1
Lordathestrings
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Lordathestrings
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Posts: 6,242
02/23/2001 4:51 am
When I first started, I didn't have my own guitar, which meant I was moochin' minutes on any axe I could lay my hands on. 'Trouble is, I had no concept of the importance of correct positoning of my hands. To make things worse, my hands weren't as strong as they needed to be. Most of the guitars I had access to were acoustics with heavy bronze strings, so I got used to cradling the neck in the web between my thumb and forefinger. I still do that unless I make a conscious effort to put my thumb at the centre of the neck, where it belongs.

I've been playing for over thirty years; the best way I know of for breaking bad habits is to identify and correct them as soon as they appear. Teaching yourself is not going to do this for you. Get some lessons from someone who has the experience to recognize potential problems before they become habits.
Lordathestrings
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# 2
Joseph
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Joseph
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02/25/2001 2:38 am
Alot of the times we are worried about whether or not we are forming certain chords properly, and if we will ever be able to play our favorite guitar solo with ease. It all depends on your will to learn something new everyday, and not being afraid to make mistakes along the way (especially when you feel like everyone is watching your every move, (and sometimes they are, :D.)

There are three fundemental factors that are often responsible for making or breaking a practice session: location, materials, and time allotment. What it all comes down to is where you practice can often be just as important as what you practice. One of the hardest things to overcome are distractions when you're first starting out, and its very important a all costs to do your best to maintain your enthusiasm, and sometimes its just the littlke things that can keep your mind focused, (like listening to your favorite cds beforehand.)

The worst habit that comes to mind, is when you become afraid to go with your instincts. You have to realize that the art of improvisation requires confidence, creativity, and an outmost intuitive grasp for musical flow. Just do your best in preparing yourself for many musical situations, where once you know what really inspires you in forms of music you won't feel the need to hold yourself back.
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# 3
jake sommers
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jake sommers
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Joined: 03/09/00
Posts: 442
02/25/2001 5:20 am
My only bad habit or habits are when i'm really thinking about playing guitar or over concentrating i make my 5 chords with only 2 fingers, and still don't know how to make a barre chord like X57775 i make it with three fingers, two fingers holdin' down the three strings in the middle and one to barre the strings. Can some one tell me how to make that certain chord? But a lot of chords i don't care how i make like G, i've seen people make G with middle,ring, and pinky finger, i don't know if i'm backwards, but when i see it it looks awful uncomfortable.
"Take my hand boss"
# 4
Lordathestrings
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Lordathestrings
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02/25/2001 9:33 am
The barre chord you called up, I ususally form with my index for the 5th fret barre, with my pinky barring the three strings on the 7th fret. The 'X' is accommodated by selectively not strumming the 6th string. But that's only because my ring finger refuses to do the job that my pinky performs without complaint. There is no one 'right' way for a lot of the stuff we play.

I had a friend who barred the first three strings with his index finger for any D chord formation, because he had broken his middle finger at a crucial point in the development of his style. You work with what you have.

I finger the G chord based on what I will have to do next. I try to free up fingers to form the next chord before I actually need it. This allows smooth transitions, and to me, 'smooth' is the goal.
Lordathestrings
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# 5
John O'Carroll
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John O'Carroll
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02/26/2001 2:35 pm
Hey Jake. Most players make the x57775 chord (a.k.a. the A chord form barre chord) with the index finger barring the fifth fret (and add the tip muting the 6th string when you're comfy) and the ring finger barring the DGB strings on the 7th fret. The trick is to learn to "curl" the bottom of your ring finger off the high E so that the 5th fret tone is sounded. Learn to use the ring finger barre first (don't worry about sounding the high E till you learn the curl), then add the curl and the mute. Or just continue doing it your way. We won't mind at all.

As for the G chord, the alternate fingering you mention will allow for smoother transition to and from a C chord. Your middle and ring fingers work the bass notes (maintain same position just move both up and down a string), the pinky does the G on the high E for a G chord, your index finger the C on the B string. Give it a try. When I first saw someone doing this I made light of it until I tried it. Now I use it when it makes changes easier.
# 6
maser
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Posts: 85
maser
Member
Joined: 01/29/01
Posts: 85
02/27/2001 2:28 am
Thanks for your insight Joseph! Much appreciated! Take it easy.

-Mai Zure
Mai Zure - So overdriven, he sh*ts distortion
# 7

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