Guitar Thread

[Onholiday(somemightsay)]

I own 3 guitars, bought my first one in the early 80's, still can't play. Pretty disgusted with myself really. I learn a few tunes and then don't practice for years and forget it all, one of my biggest regrets in life that I'll probably carry with me to the grave.

Easier said than done but surely it's not too late now is it?

Get a new set of strings on your favourite of the three, start (re)-learning songs that you get enjoyment from and go from there.

It can be such a rewarding pass time..............

 

[blumoonrisen]

Easier said than done but surely it's not too late now is it?

Get a new set of strings on your favourite of the three, start (re)-learning songs that you get enjoyment from and go from there.

It can be such a rewarding pass time..............

I bought new strings 4yrs ago from a music shop that was shutting down. They were a fiver and a spur of the moment thing.
I've never got round to fitting them and they're still in a drawer.
My problem is I've never had my own space to play, wife, kids and that. I agree it would be rewarding.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

Currently exploring a few different tunings which is both semi-exhilerating and annoying at having to re-tune guitar's as I don't have enough to go around.

What tuning(s) has really 'unlocked' the guitar for you in either playing style or methodology.

Has anyone stumbled across any particular tunings that aren't particularly known or recognised?

Happy Sunday morning everyone............ ;-)

I've played just about every different tuning you can think of but my favourite this last year or so has been open C (CGCGCe).

I occasionally go back to open E or G or DADGAD or whatever else but I always go back to C.

I own quite a few guitars but the one I pick up and play nine times out of ten is a shitty 3/4 size nylon string guitar I paid £15 for a decade or so ago. Maybe it's the combination of the cheap MDF body, nylons and downtuning a full two steps but I could sit there playing the same melody for hours.

My dad's insisted on me playing Little Martha at his funeral (hopefully a way off yet) so I'll no doubt slip back into another open E phase very soon.

 

[Onholiday(somemightsay)]

I bought new strings 4yrs ago from a music shop that was shutting down. They were a fiver and a spur of the moment thing.
I've never got round to fitting them and they're still in a drawer.
My problem is I've never had my own space to play, wife, kids and that. I agree it would be rewarding.

My daughter's complain like fuck at me playing my acoustic when they are trying to watch Gabby's Dollhouse or the like (reference for the really FOC's there ;-) ).

Do it mate, pick it up again and get it re-string. You have also really lit a fire under me as your last sentence scared the living daylights out of me!

'one of my biggest regrets in life that I'll probably carry with me to the grave.'

For something that is completely avoidable (again, always easier said than done)...............

 

[mancity2012_eamo]

I own 3 guitars, bought my first one in the early 80's, still can't play. Pretty disgusted with myself really. I learn a few tunes and then don't practice for years and forget it all, one of my biggest regrets in life that I'll probably carry with me to the grave.

I was getting decent enough on acoustic but due to lack of appreciation, ahem!, at home while practicing, I haven’t picked it up in years.

It is still sitting in the corner of the room though.
I refuse to put it away, as that would mean it would never be picked up again.

 

[Resurrection Joe...]

I've played just about every different tuning you can think of but my favourite this last year or so has been open C (CGCGCe).

I occasionally go back to open E or G or DADGAD or whatever else but I always go back to C.

I own quite a few guitars but the one I pick up and play nine times out of ten is a shitty 3/4 size nylon string guitar I paid £15 for a decade or so ago. Maybe it's the combination of the cheap MDF body, nylons and downtuning a full two steps but I could sit there playing the same melody for hours.

My dad's insisted on me playing Little Martha at his funeral (hopefully a way off yet) so I'll no doubt slip back into another open E phase very soon.

I can hold me own in an EADGBE scenario....little bit wary of other tunings...a la Keef ...be like starting all over again no?...chord shapes / scales etc?

 

[Tugay One Cup]

I can hold me own in an EADGBE scenario....little bit wary of other tunings...a la Keef ...be like starting all over again no?...chord shapes / scales etc?

Sort of. Some basic open chords are as good as impossible to play in open tunings but the reality is that it's so easy to double up on octaves, use the root note of whatever key you're in as a drone or even figure out alternate shapes for those same chords.

If you've already got the basics of playing EADGBe in place then you won't have much of a problem other than trying to unlearn the muscle memory of expecting certain notes to be at certain frets. That being said, the nature of open tunings makes it easy to figure everything out.

It's frowned upon by online music snobs because it's so easy to do to a basic level. You can essentially play entire songs with one finger on the fretboard.

But once you really get to grips with them alternate tunings open up a whole other world of sound and melody.

 

[supercity88]

My daughter's complain like fuck at me playing my acoustic when they are trying to watch Gabby's Dollhouse or the like (reference for the really FOC's there ;-) ).

Do it mate, pick it up again and get it re-string. You have also really lit a fire under me as your last sentence scared the living daylights out of me!

'one of my biggest regrets in life that I'll probably carry with me to the grave.'

For something that is completely avoidable (again, always easier said than done)...............

That's the reason I don't play much. I had the electric out with the amplifier but the kids kept playing with the volume and all the other knobs and buttons. When I play acoustic usually they want to play too and it's pointless!

 

[Resurrection Joe...]

Sort of. Some basic open chords are as good as impossible to play in open tunings but the reality is that it's so easy to double up on octaves, use the root note of whatever key you're in as a drone or even figure out alternate shapes for those same chords.

If you've already got the basics of playing EADGBe in place then you won't have much of a problem other than trying to unlearn the muscle memory of expecting certain notes to be at certain frets. That being said, the nature of open tunings makes it easy to figure everything out.

It's frowned upon by online music snobs because it's so easy to do to a basic level. You can essentially play entire songs with one finger on the fretboard.

But once you really get to grips with them alternate tunings open up a whole other world of sound and melody.

I see...saw a doc with Keith R explaining his love for open G tuning....even removing strings completely to facilitate....it's all about less is more with him!...plus I think some of the old blues cats did it...I may try when I get a 2nd acoustic...rather than fannying around tuning and retuning the same one.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

I see...saw a doc with Keith R explaining his love for open G tuning....even removing strings completely to facilitate....it's all about less is more with him!...plus I think some of the old blues cats did it...I may try when I get a 2nd acoustic...rather than fannying around tuning and retuning the same one.

Yeah I pretty much started in open tunings when I was a teenager because I wanted to learn how to play with my thumb and index like RL Burnside and Junior Kimbrough. Son House was another who used a lot of open G.

It is pretty quick to detune and retune to whatever tuning you want to use. I'd recommend it, as much of a pain in the arse as it is at first, because it will help train your ear as well.

You're downtuning in open G as well so there's far less chance of snapping a string.