My guitar dilemma.

blastingas10 · 03-30-2012, 03:40 PM

I guess I'm just not really satisfied with the stuff I have written so far. I always end up thinking my chord progressions are garbage. I guess I might just not be trying long enough before I abandon an idea and move on. That's usually how my songwriting goes - partially written songs and then abandonment. As I stated earlier, one of my biggest problems has been strumming patterns. I always tend to use the same pattern on each chord of the progression and it gets really boring.

Neapolitan · 03-30-2012, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blastingas10

But I guess what I'm saying is, It would be helpful to know how to form a chord progression, what chords sound good together, What scales go good with certain chords. I tend to have trouble with my strumming patterns. Sometimes I tend to use the same strumming pattern on each chord of the progression. That gets really boring. I tend to struggle with chord progressions in general. My lead guitar playIng is better than my rhythm.

To understand the connection between chords and scales I recommend Mel Bay "Guitar Fringerboard Harmony" (or a similar book) I think that is a good place to start.

Each genre has its own style of playing rhythm so I wouldn't know where to begin. But if you want a good example on how to voice chords differently using the same chord progression and vary the way chords played check out Jimi Hendrix - Wind Cries Mary.

good luck!

blastingas10 · 03-30-2012, 06:19 PM

I know how to play the wind cries Mary. It's a beautiful song. But what exactly do you mean? Voice chords? I think I know what youre saying but I'm not sure.

Anyone ever read this? I'm thinking about investing in it

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/082584..._d_detail?pd=1

Or what about this one?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/095954...=aw_cr_d_books

Dr_Rez · 03-30-2012, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blastingas10

I know how to play the wind cries Mary. It's a beautiful song.

Lets see that ****.

blastingas10 · 03-30-2012, 06:56 PM

If i had a way to record I would post it. I'm sure you can play it. It's pretty easy but it sounds really great.

mr dave · 04-01-2012, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blastingas10

But what exactly do you mean? Voice chords? I think I know what youre saying but I'm not sure.

I am a HUGE fan of chord voicings. It's a way to play the shape of one chord to create the sound of another. It's a slight return to barre chord theory.

I'm assuming you're familiar with the traditional E and A shaped barre chords and how they move up the neck. The intervals are always the same 2 frets between A and B, one fret between B and C, 2 more to get to D, etc.

Now if you change the chord shape you form with your left hand moving backwards through the alphabetical chord shapes and their respective intervals while moving up the neck you end up with a bunch of different voices for the same chord. Here are 5 Emajor chord voices starting with the traditional open E shape and moving backwards.

e-0--4--4--7---12--
B-0--5--5--9---9---
G-1--4--4--9---9---
D-2--2--6--9---9---
A-2-----7--7---11--
E-0------------12--

I only show 5 because traditionally there are only 5 shapes to major chords (A, C, D, E, G) B and F simply being their previous chords moved up a fret. So from the start you have E, the E hidden in the shape of D, then C, then A, then G.

Something else a lot of guitarists who use alternate voicings seem to enjoy doing is including open strings into the chords to accentuate the particular voice even more. You could most definitely still sound the open low E on all of those shapes and have it sound 'right'.

Also, just because you feel like you're struggling with the guitar and think you might prefer a bass doesn't mean you necessarily have to abandon one for the other. If anything learning a different instrument and band role helped me better understand and approach all instruments.

blastingas10 · 04-01-2012, 03:11 PM

I'm definitely not going to abandon anything. I enjoy playing bass too, so I want to get one.

And I think I get what you're saying. It's pretty much like a chord variation? That's what I've called it at least. When I started learning some piano I realized there were a lot of uses of chord variations. I'm pretty sure the Lennon song "imagine" uses a few variations. It's like you're playing the same notes of the chord, just changing the shape up a bit.

If you're jamming with someone, you can play the same chords as them and spice things up by doing some variations, or voicings.

Is that what you mean by voicings? It seems Like that's what you're saying, I've just always referred to it as variations.

mr dave · 04-02-2012, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blastingas10

It's like you're playing the same notes of the chord, just changing the shape up a bit.

If you're jamming with someone, you can play the same chords as them and spice things up by doing some variations, or voicings.

Is that what you mean by voicings? It seems Like that's what you're saying, I've just always referred to it as variations.

EXACTLY!

blastingas10 · 04-03-2012, 09:48 AM

Ive used voicings before. They're a great way to fill some holes I'm your songwriting. But now that I really think about it, it is a awesome technique adds a lot to your playing.

venjacques · 04-03-2012, 02:03 PM

You cannot be creative if you're afraid of being wrong.

03-30-2012, 06:19 PM	#13 (permalink)
blastingas10 Music Addict Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 2,126	I know how to play the wind cries Mary. It's a beautiful song. But what exactly do you mean? Voice chords? I think I know what youre saying but I'm not sure. Anyone ever read this? I'm thinking about investing in it http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/082584..._d_detail?pd=1 Or what about this one? http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/095954...=aw_cr_d_books Last edited by blastingas10; 03-30-2012 at 06:35 PM.

04-03-2012, 02:03 PM	#20 (permalink)
venjacques Groupie Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 48	You cannot be creative if you're afraid of being wrong. __________________ It's just another day.

03-30-2012, 03:40 PM	#11 (permalink)
blastingas10 Music Addict Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 2,126	I guess I'm just not really satisfied with the stuff I have written so far. I always end up thinking my chord progressions are garbage. I guess I might just not be trying long enough before I abandon an idea and move on. That's usually how my songwriting goes - partially written songs and then abandonment. As I stated earlier, one of my biggest problems has been strumming patterns. I always tend to use the same pattern on each chord of the progression and it gets really boring.

03-30-2012, 06:56 PM	#15 (permalink)
blastingas10 Music Addict Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 2,126	If i had a way to record I would post it. I'm sure you can play it. It's pretty easy but it sounds really great.

04-01-2012, 03:11 PM	#17 (permalink)
blastingas10 Music Addict Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 2,126	I'm definitely not going to abandon anything. I enjoy playing bass too, so I want to get one. And I think I get what you're saying. It's pretty much like a chord variation? That's what I've called it at least. When I started learning some piano I realized there were a lot of uses of chord variations. I'm pretty sure the Lennon song "imagine" uses a few variations. It's like you're playing the same notes of the chord, just changing the shape up a bit. If you're jamming with someone, you can play the same chords as them and spice things up by doing some variations, or voicings. Is that what you mean by voicings? It seems Like that's what you're saying, I've just always referred to it as variations.

04-03-2012, 09:48 AM	#19 (permalink)
blastingas10 Music Addict Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 2,126	Ive used voicings before. They're a great way to fill some holes I'm your songwriting. But now that I really think about it, it is a awesome technique adds a lot to your playing.