Play an instrument?

Ekin · Post by **Ekin** » 13 Apr 2009 09:23 pm

I tried piano but it got too hard, too inconvenient and too expensive to continue so i've decided to try guitar.

I think i've decided on the yamaha f310. Its cheap, sounds good and comes with a nice package of starter extras.
http://www.allansmusic.com.au/productli" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... 134260&r=1

Any guitar players here?

Vince · Post by **Vince** » 13 Apr 2009 09:52 pm

Bass guitar here.

flipswitch · Post by **flipswitch** » 13 Apr 2009 10:05 pm

Geetar player for well over a decade( doesn't mean I'm good though

)

unfnknblvbl · Post by **unfnknblvbl** » 13 Apr 2009 10:27 pm

if you're just starting on guitar, you'll probably want to go for either an electric guitar or a classical guitar.

Regular steel string guitars have quite beefy strings that have a habit of ripping your fingers to shreds if you're a noob. Electric guitars tend to have much lighter and softer strings that are a lot easier on noob fingers.

Classical guitars have nylon strings that are really soft on the fingers and wider necks that may or may not be easier for the noob to play.

I've been playing electric for years, and my fingers still get ripped up by my acoustic

Mavy · Post by **Mavy** » 13 Apr 2009 10:59 pm

The only way to get your fingers used to it is to play regularly on a steel string acoustic. Even then the calluses will be constantly breaking down and rebuilding. I haven't played for months after playing for more than 12 years. Must get back into it but just kind of lost the want a bit.

You should make sure the guitar you get has a low action. Means the strings are close to the frets all the way along the neck of the guitar. This will be better for your fingers as well as your hand. You'll get less cramps. Makes them easier to play too as your fingers feel like they're not getting tangled in the strings.

You can sometimes shave the bridge down a bit to lower the action but talk to the guy at the shop about it.

The type/brand of strings you buy also effects how much your fingers hurt while playing. The general rule is though that softer strings won't last as longer as hard strings.

Get yourself a tuner and a chord dictionary. A capo too. Play along with songs you know/like and you'll find you'll get an ear for working out chords to songs and you'll also be more interested since you're playing stuff you're interested in. Most songs stick to fairly standard chord structures so once you know what chords go in which key you'll be set. The capo will allow you to change the key of the song without transposing or play using easier open chords for those tricky keys.

Good luck!

Texas · Post by **Texas** » 13 Apr 2009 11:11 pm

Skin flute. In the High C position.

BruceCamblzChin · Post by **BruceCamblzChin** » 13 Apr 2009 11:17 pm

skin flute! lol, havent heard that one for a while.

unfnknblvbl · Post by **unfnknblvbl** » 13 Apr 2009 11:55 pm

My axe in its current form:

Part of my Rudd Money is going to fund a pair of these pickups;

Then later down the track I'm getting a MIDI interface installed, complete with custom switching between the high and low strings (because no MIDI interfaces support all seven strings)

Ekin · Post by **Ekin** » 14 Apr 2009 12:23 am

Good advice! Someone also told me start with an electric guitar like the Yamaha Pacifica but price is holding me back. I think a cheap acoustic guitar should be fine to learn the basics with for now.

To avoid finger shred cant i just play with a pick?

Nice guitar unfunk.

unfnknblvbl · Post by **unfnknblvbl** » 14 Apr 2009 01:05 am

Thanks

Finger shredding occurs on your fretting hand. You build up calluses, but as Mavy said, they constantly break up and rebuild.
It doesn't matter what type of guitar you play, you're going to have to put up with shredded fingers on your fretting hand.

The Pacifica is actually quite a nice guitar for the price. It's definitely a starter guitar though; after a while you'll want to move up to something that plays a little nicer. This of course is something that's different for each person. Where I have a taste for Ibanez, you may want a PRS or Fender or something.

My axe is actually Ibanez's lowest-end Seven (it 'only' cost the thick end of a grand), but fuck me dead if it doesn't have a nicer neck than any 7 I've played (and I've played quite a few).
It's all about personal tastes though. Some people might hate the neck on my 7, or hate the lightness of my RX.

Try before you buy! make sure you play every guitar in the shop, whether it's in your budget or not. You may be surprised at something that's going cheap (my RX was $200 new, and sings a mighty sweet tune!), or you may find something for an extra fifty or hundred that simply outclasses everything else in your assumed budget. In those cases, it's definitely not worth it to not buy it then. There's always lay-by.

Everybody else: Post pics of your axes!

Mavy · Post by **Mavy** » 14 Apr 2009 09:20 am

I used to freak people out by tapping my finger tips on the table.

Ah memories!

Texas · Post by **Texas** » 14 Apr 2009 11:33 am

So, can us DJ's show our wares as well?

@Unfunk: mate of mine is a lefty Steve Vai freak. He got the RG 7 string they did in a limited LH run a few years ago and got DiMarzio Blaze II's installed. And yeah, it does sound a hell of a lot like a Universe.

Shaneus · Post by **Shaneus** » 14 Apr 2009 11:52 am

Only ones that don't need a computer to DJ

Texas · Post by **Texas** » 14 Apr 2009 12:04 pm

How many years have you been playing, Junior?
And did you start with Records? No?

Respect your elders.

Ekin · Post by **Ekin** » 14 Apr 2009 01:41 pm

Ok, after some research i've decided on an electric guitar. Wasnt easy to find a half decent one for $249 but i think i did it

Washburn x10

Ben · Post by **Ben** » 14 Apr 2009 02:34 pm

I played Saxophone for probably close to 10 years, and started learning Cello a few years back but didn't get too much further than the learning stages. Can still play the Sax pretty proficiently but it's been a while since I've given it a crack now.

Ram · Post by **Ram** » 14 Apr 2009 04:43 pm

I play guitar,been playing for years but im not that good.
My brother is wicked on the guitar,he was over here at xmas staying with me.We had a few guitar sessions,so much better to learn from someone rather than from tabs all the time.

Im on the lookout for a new Axe,Looking for a second hand Jackson but need to sell my Washburn Maverick first.

BOOMY · Post by **BOOMY** » 14 Apr 2009 06:03 pm

Get yourself the best stratocaster style guitar you can afford, a yamaha pacifica is perfect - After getting the grips of things on a borrowed nylon string, I got myself a second hand pacifica 112 that I used for like 7 years before upgrading. They play and sound well enough that you wont need another guitar until you wish to gig/record.

Go for acoustic if you aim to buy an electric soon after as you will get stronger fundamentals on an acoustic having to work that much harder to get a sound; I practice on my acoustic so that when I do fire up my electric its that much easier. If thats not for you then yea get a semi decent electric straight out - that way you can play clean to learn acoustic guitar stuff and you wont be limited; you'll have the sustain and chunk of overdrive/distortion for when you want to play more rocky stuff. And try get the most expensive instrument you can afford, it really will make a difference getting a squier affinity strat or yamaha pacifica over, lets say, an ashton starter strat.

You'll also need to get a practice amp to jam along with, try to get one with a nice meaty distortion rather than a fuzzy/noisy distortion(that means brand names). trust me, no distortion pedal no matter how good will save a crap amp from sounding crap.

This is my Ibanez RG 320QS. It has a double locking floyd rose (i.e. a whammy bar that 'floats' and can be pulled up and as well as pushed down for some killer dimebag screams) and a super low action; its an absolute shred machine. Behind is my beast, the Hughes and Kettner Vortex half stack. Its an extremely versatile sounding amp and it fucken rips when it needs to.

My BC rich Kerry King Signature Vee. Its the cheap-o model unfortunatley so no fancy tremolo system but it is a the thing looks fricken lethal.

I'm in the market for a new guitar soon and will likely get some ridiculously shaped custom jobby made up with a floyd rose system.

BruceCamblzChin · Post by **BruceCamblzChin** » 14 Apr 2009 06:19 pm

fuck. i wish i played guitar, i feel like a bum just listening to metal but not playing it, pics are sweet,

Hercy · Post by **Hercy** » 14 Apr 2009 07:25 pm

BruceCamblzChin wrote:fuck. i wish i played guitar, i feel like a bum

Well at least you don't look like one. Jeez.

Dj Flextacy · Post by **Dj Flextacy** » 16 Apr 2009 01:18 pm

I play guitar and drums, as well as dj decks,

Guitar wise i have a jackson <not sure of model but was over 1000> and a Peace drum kit with pearl double kick, been playin guitar since 96, drums sorta here n there, i also recently got a electric violin and i'm keen to learn that, i have a boss digital 64 track recording studio which is awesome lets you record each iinstrument separately and also change their effects, as it has 2000+ guitar effects, 1000 vocal effects including a really good voice changer, and a built in drum machine/tuner ..

jahooley · Post by **jahooley** » 17 Apr 2009 01:53 pm

I've been playing guitar/bass for about 8 years. I first picked up the bass - and as mavy suggested, began learning the (bass) parts to all my favourites tunes... Metallica, Nirvana, ACDC, RHCP (although Flea is insane, I still can't play like that) and most notably RATM.

Through this I developed my musical ear and was able to learn and play rhythms after only hearing a song once or twice.
Then I got my acoustic, learned the basic chords/bar chords and there you have it. I'm no accomplished player or anything. I rarely look up tabs for songs, I simply listen. Thats why I've always thought of myself as a Malcom Young type player - no super fast technical playing, just a solid rhythmic guitarist.

I'm soon to be buying my first proper electric too. I tried this puppy out earier today :

I'll post pics of my other axes later. Oh yea I also have decks at home I like to play around with

unfnknblvbl · Post by **unfnknblvbl** » 17 Apr 2009 03:26 pm

you don't have an electric? I'm surprised!

jahooley · Post by **jahooley** » 17 Apr 2009 03:34 pm

I do... its just so cheap and shit. My bro has had for the past few years.

Ekin · Post by **Ekin** » 18 Apr 2009 01:31 am

So i got the Yamaha F310 acoustic and im loving it

Cant play anything, fingers are sore, still trying to wrap my fingers around to do a D chord but i cant stop practicing. I find it hard to play but i was told its actually not bad for an acoustic guitar. The strings are low to the fret and not too hard.

Pretty good for a 249 guitar not that i really know but it sounds nice. Its a great starter pack, comes with strap, gig bag, picks, strings, capo, tuner, string tightening thing.