Technique

Rich Cohen

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I think it would be great if us members of LTG talk about technique a bit. After all, we gush over our Guilds, rightfully so. However, after is said and done, it's about playing and enjoying our guitars, whatever they may be. I must admit, I've allowed my passion for Guilds to transcend my dedication to improving my technique....not that I haven't improved over the years playing Guilds. But, isn't it finally about making some progress in technique and increasing our joy and satisfaction for playing our guitars? Thus, let's hear your opinions and suggestions!
Rich
 

GAD

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Learn that Bm7 chord. It's worth it *.






* I assume you already learned the F. :happy:
 
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walrus

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Well, that's an interesing topic, I'd say. Not sure this counts as "technique" but here goes.

I play mostly vintage rock stuff, but also some jazz tunes like "Quiet Nights" and "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat". I have found that I can play easier (and better) with lighter strings, so I have extra lights on my Guild, and also on my PRS. I am a flatpicker, so I also have been using a "beveled" pick - Dunlop Flow .73 - which helps me play more fluidly. So I guess I'm saying I have set the guitars up and their "accessories" to increase my ability to play as well as I can. Then the rest is up to me!

I have been taking video lessons from Paul Gilbert (ArtistWorks.com) and my vibrato technique has gotten much better. I just did a lesson with him for "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" (speaking of Abbey Road!) that has a lot of vibrato, and it is a blast! If you don't know that song, Lennon is playing guitar to mimic his singing - actually a very jazz guitar-ish technique (think George Benson!).

I'm not sure I'm getting any "better", although I might be. But I am learning to do some things better that I didn't know how to do very well before. Technique-wise, I could still improve on my timing, and my use of dynamics while playing.

walrus
 

dapmdave

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Learn that Bm chord. It's worth it *.






* I assume you already learned the F. :happy:

I think the F is overrated, frankly. I prefer to just skip it. Something else that I like better usually comes along pretty quickly.
 

GAD

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Bm should have been Bm7. I fixed it but I’ve been quoted so my shame can live on.
 

dreadnut

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I have finally gotten to the point where I can fingerpick my acoustics with my bare right hand thumb and fingers. I have built up the callouses to make it work. Especially nice when playing and singing through my Fishman Loudbox Mini.
 

GAD

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Let me know when you're ready for some '80s shredding.

51286c382922f17f352d1da8b0de66b8.jpg
 

walrus

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A great "technique" quote I always loved from John Lennon:

"I can't play guitar, but I can sure make it howl".

walrus
 

walrus

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I have finally gotten to the point where I can fingerpick my acoustics with my bare right hand thumb and fingers. I have built up the callouses to make it work. Especially nice when playing and singing through my Fishman Loudbox Mini.

Ah, I wish I had this skill! Never been a good fingerpicker, and I am always impressed by guitarists who don't use a pick at all.

walrus
 

dreadnut

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When I play some barre chords I like to play the "7th" version; i.e., the barre "E" is a two-finger E7, the barre "Am" is a 2-finger A7, freeing my ring finger up for adding other notes. So when I play a Bm I barre the 2nd fret and play the Bm7 chord and so on. Seems like this "7th" approach works for 98% of all the songs I play; when I do Blues in the "7th" pattern, I can use my ring finger to hammer on and off supplemental notes.

Speaking of Blues, probably my most "go-to" progression is in the key of "A" and I only use two finger positions to play the rhythm. Barre E7 on the 5th fret gives you "A", open C7 on the 3rd fret gives you the D7, slide that up to the 5th fret and you have your E7. Complete Blues in "A" with only two fingering positions.
 

walrus

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When I play some barre chords I like to play the "7th" version; i.e., the barre "E" is a two-finger E7, the barre "Am" is a 2-finger A7, freeing my ring finger up for adding other notes. So when I play a Bm I barre the 2nd fret and play the Bm7 chord and so on. Seems like this "7th" approach works for 98% of all the songs I play; when I do Blues in the "7th" pattern, I can use my ring finger to hammer on and off supplemental notes.

Speaking of Blues, probably my most "go-to" progression is in the key of "A" and I only use two finger positions to play the rhythm. Barre E7 on the 5th fret gives you "A", open C7 on the 3rd fret gives you the D7, slide that up to the 5th fret and you have your E7. Complete Blues in "A" with only two fingering positions.

Nice! Although I'm flatpicking/strumming vs fingerpicking, several of the songs I know have open string chords, which always sound great!

walrus
 

Guildedagain

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When I play some barre chords I like to play the "7th" version; i.e., the barre "E" is a two-finger E7, the barre "Am" is a 2-finger A7, freeing my ring finger up for adding other notes. So when I play a Bm I barre the 2nd fret and play the Bm7 chord and so on. Seems like this "7th" approach works for 98% of all the songs I play; when I do Blues in the "7th" pattern, I can use my ring finger to hammer on and off supplemental notes.

Speaking of Blues, probably my most "go-to" progression is in the key of "A" and I only use two finger positions to play the rhythm. Barre E7 on the 5th fret gives you "A", open C7 on the 3rd fret gives you the D7, slide that up to the 5th fret and you have your E7. Complete Blues in "A" with only two fingering positions.

Ohhhh yeah!

Dyad chords have been resonating with me for a year or so, all these and some other things based on Am. Writing terrific music with this stuff, arpegiatted, played at breakneck speed, or anything in between, good old Country tunes.

And this, I supposed it must have influenced me, but a long long time ago, and again now;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8BTlPbOgRA
 
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Stuball48

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Hope this is close. My routine before I play (and I use play kindly) old country, old gospel, and some bluegrass is warmup the fingers on fretting hand. Beginning on fret one with finger one and finger two on second fret. And I advance a fret when I get to the bottom and top of the strings. I go up and down about eight frets with these two fingers then repeat with fingers two and three, then fingers three and four (my fourth finger/pinky is my mentally and physically challenged finger-always lacks the proper timing and strength).
Then I go to three fingers - fingers one, two, and three up and down the strings for eight frets. Then repeat with four fingers (much slower when pinky involved).
I am a flat pick guy but working hard on learning finger picking.
After 18 months of once a week lessons I am making progress--I have gone from absolutely horrible to just plain terrible.
Try and practice an hour a day.
 

dreadnut

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I played with fingerpicks ever since I started playing banjo, transferred the technique over to the guitar. But after I had carpal tunnel surgery on my right hand (thumb and first two fingers) my middle finger doesn't work with a pick any more. It works fine with the bare finger though. So I've ditched the finger picks. I've also grown out my right hand fingernails to help with the pickin'.

I still do a lot of flatpicking too.
 
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