Unless I'm mistaken, this forum is probably best used for Fender talk (for which people have been very helpful as I learn my way around my Strat). I'm still a beginner teaching myself at the moment. I wondered if there's any great site or forum similar to this where questions about playing and learning the instrument can be asked. Any suggestions?

Hi dedario: try this one. We're nice to beginners here.

What are your questions?

Cheers - C

Well I definitely appreciate it. I have a ton of questions. But I guess I could start with these below. First, I should mention where I'm at. I've gone cover to cover through an absolute beginner's book. I've been very patient because I don't want to jump ahead until I nail the basics. I know about 15 chords, can read sheet music and tabs, can play notes, and have been practicing C major and A minor scales. I feel like I can move around the fret board and strings pretty well, especially for teaching myself. Here's what I'm wondering now:

1. What's the next step in learning? I'd like to continue teaching myself for a bit so what lessons should the next book/video teach me?

2. I feel like I have a lot of pieces but I have no idea how to make the jump into playing actual songs. Any tips? Or am I too far away from that still?

3. Also wondering about my hand when I fret. I feel like I need to really wrap my hand underneath to hit a few strings (B and G mainly) so the tip of my finger is right on the string and I don't rub against the others. It seems much more effortless when I watch others play. Is there no concern for rubbing against strings that aren't played? Some look like they wrap their thumb onto the top of the neck but I can't play that way. And when I reach under to avoid hitting other strings I sometimes feel a weird clicking/nervy sensation on the back of my hand. Just wondering if my technique is troublesome.

I hope I didn't ask too much. I really appreciate any input. I'm just loving how far I've gotten and want to keep moving forward.

Thanks!

http://www.justinguitar.com/ This site will possibly help some.Check out his posture and right and left hand positions in the beginners section. Anytime you have pain or weird feelings in that fretting hand your doing something wrong Hope this helps you.......... Mike

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The blues ain't nothin but a good man feelin bad.

Lots of neat instructional DVDs around these days, which we'd have killed for when I was beginning. Just for starters, choose what type of music you are into and take a look around www.licklibrary.com . Just for example.


See above.


If you were learning properly and based upon a classical technique you'd be required to put the tip of your thumb right in the middle of the back of the neck most of the time. In turn it lifts your hand above the fingerboard so that the fingertips can come down cleanly on the strings.

Even for electric guitar players this position makes things like barre chords much easier.

Still, it's not how most of us play most of the time. You'll see the thumb coming over the bass side of the neck a lot, sometimes because it is comfortable and sometimes because we occasionally use it for "thumbing" notes on the bottom E string. Very Hendrix.

Options.

And like cherokee says: if it hurts it probably ain't right.

Good luck - C

EDIT: for dopey typos...

I am with Ceri ,go check out licklibrary as it is my favorite guitar site by far and I have been a member since 03. From beginner to pro there is stuff for any player.

ask

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

Thanks guys. You've been helpful already. I won't have any shortage of questions coming up.