Learning to play acoustic guitar

[eg8r]

Hello all,

I have been taking lessons on acoustic guitar for the past 2 months and seem to be catching on to some things quickly and others are taking longer.

My biggest issue so far is my right hand and getting the correct rhythm. I have been learning chords, chromatic scale, individual scales, etc and the fingering of those has been quite easy, but memorizing different rhythms (while playing chords) is proving a lot tougher. Has anyone else had the same obstacles and what did you do to overcome them? Repetition?

One thing that I find entirely boring is the music and lessons. I read music very well so this is not something that we cover in my lessons, but the lessons to learn the fingering are very basic and I am bored to tears playing quarter and half notes. /ccboard/images/graemlins/smile.gif I told my instructor that my metronome is going to be ticking to a lot faster beat than the suggested beat.

eg8r

[dg-in-centralpa]

Ed,
You may want to look for another instructor. I had the same problem years ago when I wanted to learn piano. I could read music quite well at that point, being a trumpet player and playing in the band,etc., I was reading the music faster than I could play it. Also I had trouble forcing myself to practice everyday. I quit after 6 months. My instructor was my church choir director, and while she could play, she was not a very good teacher. Hope you have better luck.

DG

[eg8r]

Well, I think the instructor is doing a good job, I have learned a ton. I definitely had to let him know that when we "reconvened" I would definitely be playing the music much faster than what was written. He was quite happy with that. He even thought it was funny that while I was playing the music in time with him (he accompanied me) I was speaking out loud 3 to 4 measures ahead. /ccboard/images/graemlins/smile.gif

eg8r

[SKennedy]

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote eg8r:</font><hr> He even thought it was funny that while I was playing the music in time with him (he accompanied me) I was speaking out loud 3 to 4 measures ahead. /ccboard/images/graemlins/smile.gif
eg8r <hr /></blockquote>
Sounds like you would have made an excellent drummer....except for the rhythm thing. /ccboard/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Gayle in MD]

Good for you, Ed. Stay with it. And yes, repetition, I was good at that, /ccboard/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ccboard/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ccboard/images/graemlins/wink.gif

My piano provides many hours of pure enjoyment. I think it's great to be able to play music. I'm teaching my grand daughter now, as she learns her notes in school, playing her recorder. My hubby, and son-in-law play guitar, so we're a very musical family. My daughter, and my grand daughter have beautiful voices. It's all good.

Glad to hear you're learning a new instrument.

Love,
gayle

[eg8r]

Thanks for the encouragement, it has been a long time since I was excited about playing music but every time I pick up the guitar I feel it coming back. /ccboard/images/graemlins/smile.gif

My wife definitely prefers the low sound volume of guitar practice over my trumpet practice. /ccboard/images/graemlins/smile.gif

eg8r

[Qtec]

[ QUOTE ]
My wife definitely prefers the low sound volume of guitar practice over my trumpet practice.

eg8r <hr /></blockquote>

Think we believe that! Knowing you, she probably wrapped that trumpet round your granite-like skull. LOL /ccboard/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Q /ccboard/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[bsmutz]

When I was a kid, I played the trumpet, my older brother played clarinet/sax, and my younger brother played the bagpipes. Talk about a cacophony!

[eg8r]

It is safe to say, she has probably thought about that a million times by now. /ccboard/images/graemlins/grin.gif

eg8r

[eg8r]

Wow, bagpipes? I did not expect that when I started your post. /ccboard/images/graemlins/smile.gif

eg8r