One of the most difficult things for a parent is to regress mentally to your child's age and try to understand that they do not have your experiences in life. Everything to them is new. Your job is to keep them safe from danger that they do not yet understand, but it is not to chart their course in life. Expose them to your principals, passions, interest and beliefs, but always allow them the freedom to make choices on their own within your parameters. As they grow pick and choose the times when you impose your will on them carefully. Once they reach adulthood, hopefully your example will serve them well. Bobby Tony
Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 New King James Version (NKJV)
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6 New International Version (NIV)
Thanks Bobby Tony for the information on proper fret construction.
I know that I need to learn how to play scales of individual notes, and I plan to, but I too am trying to turn all of this into money, and it has been one small stepping stone at a time. I am having to draw the blue prints to success each day as I struggle on. Kind of explains how long it takes for me to respond to this comment. I don't get to play the guitar much and it is slow learning, but I am learning a bunch of chords, and I never thought that would ever happen, like E flat. It was the one chord that I had never played when I learned "Unchained Melody". |
Stan, My learning process has been slow and often interrupted by the need to make a living, but I finally gained a modicum of knowledge if not the talent to play or make a guitar.
Classical guitars are not designed for bar chords but individual notes and finger picking styles. I always thought it was just Nylon vs Steel Strings. I did not realize this until I attempted to make my own guitar years ago and found that the fretboard radius differed between many different manufacturers and styles. I found that design and construction is much more than a body and neck and strings. I never got out of the batter's box but I did learn to appreciate a luthier's talent. As one whose skill set was basically anchored in "BS," I have always admired the craftsman who could create something from an image in his mind. "A radius is better for chords and flat is better for single note runs. A compound radius neck is a popular upgrade. Radius down at the nut gradually lessens toward the bridge." Here is a link on the life of a luthier guitar maker. www.artofmanliness.com |
You are right about the bar chording; however, I think I am close to mastering it, in fact, I play bar chords whenever I can, because:
1) I don't have long, elegant fingers, so, I can get more strings easier, faster with the bar chords; 2) Now that I have that muscle memory down (far better than a year ago), I can move from bar chord to bar chord easier faster than not using a bar chord. But you are right B.T., you do have to manhandle those bar chords, especially if you want to get decent sound out out of the base E string. |
I suggest a Fender Telecaster style knock off (pawn shop). It will play well and give you a chance to practice without investing a bunch. I think we have the same Yamaha Classical which I find difficult to fret using bar chords now.
Don't pick up a Martin to play unless you want to go into debt immediately. |
You know, I have a simple Yamaha, nylon string guitar, and I like its tone; however, as I am learning far faster than a year ago, even though I spend less time at it, I want more guitars.
I played my first electric guitar the other day, and I was shocked much easier it is to work the fretboard's far easy action. Don't get me wrong here, I will always love the sound of a well played acoustic guitar far more than an electric, but, I want an electric guitar ... and then I will probably want a 12 string. I damn sure have the calluses to handle that big boy. |
You are right. They have been called Guitalele to differentiate the six from the four strings. I use ukulele in the generic sense. This one is nylon strings. I could not tune it because of the party noise and some residual problem with "bombs bursting in midair." I have already in my Inventory a few real Ukes for them. I also have my eye on a Baby Taylor or Martin six string guitar.
If interest grows I will tune it in open G. so they can play with only bar chords to start. Maybe we will have another Mark Knopfler in the family. en.wikipedia.org |
Bobby Tony, that little guitar is not a ukulele, it looks to be a small guitar (I see 6 tuning knobs for 6 strings) with skinky steel strings. I have a history here too with my granddaughter.
Se got a little guitar like that one at Christmas from the other side of the family, and I was charge with tuning the guitar. The short story here: I broke the B string; restrung the guitar in nylon strings, tuned it as best I could with that incredibly short fretboard, and my 4 year old grandaughter has no interest as of yet. Lord knows that I can not play it with the strings so close together. My advice: Let them get older, buy them a real, but small guitar, and start by teaching them "House of the Rising Sun". |
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For the record, I don't play the scales either. Not because of a lack of time but I too prefer to learn songs rather than learn music theory.
On the subject of minutia, here is a sample for the readers to ponder.
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