Over the past few weeks I've been continuously practicing
with my guitar. It’s been a little over a month since I bought my own electric,
but I’m glad I can actually see some progress. I started practicing again so that I could
have a more ideal emotional outlet and time sink, but I have to be careful
about turning this newly found passion into an obsession.
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| Ceres |
It’s a good thing that this plan pushed through. I've been
reconnected with my old playlist, rediscovering music by listening to the lead,
rhythm, and bass guitar parts of the songs. Although I’m far from being good
enough to play all my favorite songs, it’s still fun to be able to strum along
or learn a few notes by ear. The thought of actually playing those songs
perfectly is very enticing, which is good since I get extra motivation to
practice.
There have been a few difficulties that I encountered since
I started. These problems can be quite discouraging, and I've seen, read, and
heard of beginners quitting because of them.
Barre Chords
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| F |
Back in high school when I first tried (and failed) to learn
how to play the guitar, this was the biggest obstacle. I tried repeatedly to
press the strings but it still sounded pretty dead. It also hurt my wrists a
lot.
I've only learned recently that applying a lot of pressure isn't necessary, but the proper application of pressure is. My wrist was
strained by the somewhat semi-awkward hand position and the fact that I used my
fingers to grip and squeeze the neck. When I tried pulling using my arm with my
thumb and wrist controlling the application of force, I found it easier to do
barre chords. They still sound dead sometimes, but that’s where practice and repetition
come in.
On a related note, the B chord can go die in a fire.
Picking/Plucking
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| So easy to misplace these things |
I’m not really one to give advice for this problem since I
still pretty much suck at it, I've noticed that a few changes in approach of
technique make practicing and playing more enjoyable and pain-free. I now make it a point to keep my right index
finger under my thumb when holding the pick to prevent it from snagging strings
during upstrokes.
Pinky Anchor
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This was recommended to me by a friend who has far more
experience playing the guitar than me. It’s supposed to help guide the player as
to where the pick or picking fingers are located. It helps develop a sense as
to which string the pick or finger is close to and how much distance is needed
for it to reach the corresponding string for the next note.
Using the pinky comes naturally for most people, but I find
it kind of restrictive. I end up using it as a stand for my right hand, which
applies unnecessary stress to the finger. I have to keep reminding myself that
I should keep it relaxed and use it only as a pivot and not a hand rest.
Neck Pains
For those times that you need to crane your neck around to
see if you’re not messing up the finger placement or planning for the next
chord progression. I’ve been having these pains a lot recently and I suspect it’s
because I have developed the bad habit of looking at the fret board at an odd
angle. Sometimes this habit also causes wrist pain because “lookers” like me
tend to hold the guitar at an angle to get a better view of things.
This problem can be prevented either by using a mirror,
which would also help develop a great sense of inverted direction, or by being
constantly aware of your playing position and making corrections when
necessary.
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There are a whole lot more obstacles one can encounter when
trying to master the guitar. Most are a bit more minor and some are only
encountered only when a certain amount of skill or knowledge is achieved.
Hopefully I’ll be able to tell these problems to go suck it when the time comes.
