Some More Annoying Questions from me! :)

[zbalz]

hey im back with a few more annoying questions! sorry to bother you all..just curious with a few things.

1. Metronome! I can buy one of these from a store correct? How much do these go for? Is it like a little black box that makes noise or something?

2. Been doing some more work in the ole' "Guitar Fitness" book. Its been a lot of help lately. Section 1 Part B-D. It says I should keep certain fingers remaining in the same place. I am having a LOT of trouble keeping my ring finger and pinkey stationary. Should I worry about it being in the same place right now or just go with the flow for a while and let my fingers spread.

3.I heard pickinngrinnin talking about "Tears in Heaven" a little while back and I decided to look at the tab (http://www.tabcrawler.com/ftp/tabs.cgi?get&e/eric-clapton/tears_in_heaven.tab). It seems as if hes picking two strings at a time that are on opposite ends. (B and low E). How exactly is this done. Does he pick with the thumb and index and hit the B string with his pinkey or something? Or am i just crazy...

4. In the technique section I posted about right hand positioning and tips for resting it. Just still wondering about any ideas.

Well thats about it. I apoligize for any inconvenience. Any feedback is appreciated

Thanks

-ZBalz

[StoneDragon]

Hey zbalz,

Don't sweat asking too many questions... that's what this site is here for.

Anyway...

Metronome - yes you can and need to buy one. A metronome makes a clicking sound at whatever tempo you set it to (beats per minute) so you can practice playing in time with the beat. Check out this one (http://service.bfast.com/bfast/click?bfmid=5607334&siteid=19880391&bfpid=210251&bfmtype=gear) for some good features for $19.99. You don't need anything too fancy... just something to mark time and beats for you. This one is good because it makes a thunk sound rather than a digital watch type beep. Those that beep don't work very well because it can be hard to distinguish the beep from the notes you are playing.


Exercises - I don't have that book, so I can't give you specifics. Maybe MrSamson will jump in here. As far as drills and exercises go, there is usually a very good reason for telling you to do it a specific way. It's ok to cheat so long as you continually try to play it correctly. In fact, you're better off just sticking to how the book says to do it. Learning technique is not about whether you can play the exercise... its about whether or not you work on the exercise. If you could already play the exercise without difficulty, then there would be no reason to be exercising http://www.zentao.com/ubb/smilies/wink.gif

Tears in Heaven - If I'm not mistaken Clapton plays this using just his fingers (fingerpicking... no pick at all). Use your thumb to play the bass notes on the E and A strings and your index, middle and ring (sometimes you can throw in the pinky too) for the chords on the high strings. Chords that require all six strings can be strummed with your thumb or the finger nail on your index.

Right hand - oops.... I thought I answered that post http://www.zentao.com/ubb/smilies/redface.gif Must have been a fig newton of my imagination. I'll answer that one over in the technique forum.

[MrSamson]

The book is designed to play each note per 1/4 beat...in 4/4 time.

You will notice that everything in the book in in "4s" of everthing.

So, set it at 60 (metronome) and see if you can do the exercises on each click, hitting each note on each click.

DO NOT try and rush things...allow the metronome to slow you down at first so you are doing it correctly...because although fruststrating at first...that accuracy later down the line will REALLY pay off.

You should eventually be able to cruise through the exercises with the metronome at 180!!! Keep with it, that is the bottom line.

What I like about that book, is it tells you what exercises to do, and simply gets the fingers moving...not necessarily chromatic in nature or anything like.

Very soon you will be skipping strings, etc...with extreme accuracy...and that is very cool.

You may outgrow the book someday, and make your exercises of actual scales instead, but I have yet to outgrow the book's exercises.

I find them EXCELLENT to do with electric guitar unplugged while watching the television, I do them EVERYDAY as a minimum, and the fretboard is hot when I am done...

But, who knows, like I said before, you may outgrow them, but for beginners, it is excellent.

I now do the melodic interval exercises that Stone mentions in advanced lessons with the different modes...but I still have not outgrown these exercises.

Anyway, keep strumming!!!

http://www.zentao.com/ubb/smilies/devil.gif

[pickinngrinnin]

I enjoy playing "Tears in Heaven". It is a fingerpicking tune, but it's really not that difficult for me to do and still sound decent. I certainly don't sound like Eric, but I enjoy playing the tune.
One thing I have learned is that there are particular songs that I enjoy playing more than others even though I may like both songs. It probably has to do with the ease of playing it or just the sound(vibe) I get from playing it. Heck, who knows?
Anyway, it's nice to be in good company.
Enjoy!

[MrSamson]

This was emailed to me...and I believe this person is correct...keeping me on my toes....woops...but I also included my response...names withheld to protect the innocent...http://www.zentao.com/ubb/smilies/unsure.gif

Sent to MrSamson:

Mr. Sampson...I also use the Guitar Fitness book but there are no 1/4 note exercises. They are all 1/8 note (2 notes per metronome click). Refer to page 2, last paragraph.

My Resonponse:

Thank you, you are correct....

I am relatively new to the whole music notation thing...but for some just starting...treating them as all 1/4 notes is not bad...at least that is what I did...that way you can play one note per click....I would rather see that then someone giving up on the metronome all together...but your point in being correct is well taken...thank you for keeping me on my toes..

MrSamson

http://www.zentao.com/ubb/smilies/devil.gif

Heheheheheeh...almost got kicked out of my own practice room!!!!
http://www.zentao.com/ubb/smilies/movingeyes.gif

[StoneDragon]

That was a good reply. Well put.