Joined Guitar Class

I finally joined a Guitar Class and started practising immediately (27th Feb 2007)

Right now learning the E, F, G, B, C, D notes on the top frets of the first 2 strings.

Also practising the "Theme for Young Lovers" song by Shadows group.
Rediscovered the effects of bad posture on playing. Corrected that by finding proper height of chair and foot stool.

Posture in Guitar Playing

Last few days I've not practised so much on the guitar. Though I did manage to snatch a few moments from other more "pressing matters" (naaah!!) and practise the guitar tab.

Anyway I found out 2 things a bit luckily
1) I was playing guitar in the casual non-classical way and found that I could play the slow version of the tabs easily enough. When I tried to speed it up, my fingers were sticking to the fretboard. I recalled the principles of perfect practise for guitar and changed over to the classical posture. Immediately I felt the weight of the guitar coming off the left hand and onto the left thigh. "I flitted merrily over the notes and danced away like the children of the night!!" :-)

2) Getting a bit of a stiff back from sitting at my workstation for 8 hrs constantly I decided to do something about it. I started back strengthening exercises (Bhujangasana and Shalabhasana, followed by spine stretching Halasana (great - esp. between the shoulder blades) ).
After 1 week I found that I could sit up straight without any effort.
Normally I slouch a lot and though the above Guitar Principles say to 'Sit-Up-Straight', I normally didn't follow it. (It wasn't easy to do so many things .... )

It's helped me a good bit as I've got a sedantary life-style, computers, bike driving over slightly bumpy roads etc.
I hope that it'll help me improve my guitar playing as well.

Video of my First Cut at Playing "Theme for Young Lovers" by The Shadows

This video is for viewing how I played when I started out. SO 6 months down the line I want to look back at this. I've played LIVE ie. no preparation - warts and all.

Like the 'You never throw away the first piece of Pottery that you make' from Globe Trotter or Lonely Planet or something.

Here's the link to my website containing the .3gp ie RealPlayer video file.
http://www.geocities.com/guru_on_net/TheShadowsThemeForYoungLovers11-05-06.3gp.mp3

Geocities doesn't allow uploading/renaming the file with .3gp extension so just download the file and remove the URL's .mp3 keeping the .3gp as
TheShadowsThemeForYoungLovers11-05-06.3gp

Tablature for my first song on the guitar

This is the Tablature (Tabs) for the song -
"Theme for Young Lovers" by The Shadows

E||----------10--9--7--9--|--7----------------|-------------0-----0--|
B||-----------------------|-------------------|----------7-----------|
G||-----------------------|-------------------|----------------7-----|
D||-----------------------|-------------------|----------------------|
A||-----------------------|-------------------|----------------------|
E||-----------------------|-------------------|----------------------|



-------------------|----------10--9--7--9--|--7----------------|
--7----------------|-----------------------|-------------------|
-------------------|-----------------------|-------------------|
-------------------|-----------------------|-------------------|
-------------------|-----------------------|-------------------|
-------------------|-----------------------|-------------------|



-------------0-------|--0----------------|--------------------|
----------7----------|-------------------|---------------0----|
----------------7----|-------------------|----------2---------|
---------------------|-------------------|--------------------|
---------------------|-------------------|--------------------|
---------------------|-------------------|--------------------|



-----------0----2----|--0-------------------|-----------0----2----|
--3------------------|-----3------0----3----|--3------------------|
---------------------|----------------------|---------------------|
---------------------|----------------------|---------------------|
---------------------|----------------------|---------------------|
---------------------|----------------------|---------------------|



--5--2-----------2----|--5--------2----5----|--7----5--------------|
------------3---------|---------------------|------------7---------|
----------------------|---------------------|-----------------7----|
----------------------|---------------------|----------------------|
----------------------|---------------------|----------------------|
----------------------|---------------------|----------------------|



--0----------------|------5----7----9----|--10--------9----10----|
-------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|
-------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|
-------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|
-------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|
-------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|


--9--7------5----7----|--5------------------|--0--------------0----|
----------------------|-----------7---------|----------------------|
----------------------|----------------7----|-----7------7---------|
----------------------|---------------------|----------------------|
----------------------|---------------------|----------------------|
----------------------|---------------------|----------------------|



------------0---------|--0-------------------|--------------------|
--7--------------7----|------------0---------|--0-----------------|
---------7------------|-------7--------------|---------------7----|
----------------------|-----------------7----|--------------------|
----------------------|----------------------|--------------------|
----------------------|----------------------|--------------------|



---------------------|-----------0---------|--0-------------------|
----------------0----|----------------7----|------------0---------|
--7------------------|--7------------------|-----7-----------7----|
-----------7---------|---------------------|----------------------|
---------------------|---------------------|----------------------|
---------------------|---------------------|----------------------|



-----------0---------|--5-------------------|--5-------------5----|
----------------7----|-----7-----------7----|-----------7---------|
--7------------------|------------7---------|---------------------|
---------------------|----------------------|---------------------|
---------------------|----------------------|---------------------|
---------------------|----------------------|---------------------|



--7----5--------------|--0----------------|------5----7----9----|
------------7---------|-------------------|---------------------|
-----------------7----|-------------------|---------------------|
----------------------|-------------------|---------------------|
----------------------|-------------------|---------------------|
----------------------|-------------------|---------------------|



--10--------9----10----|--9--7------5----7----|--5------------------|
-----------------------|----------------------|-----------7---------|
-----------------------|----------------------|----------------7----|
-----------------------|----------------------|---------------------|
-----------------------|----------------------|---------------------|
-----------------------|----------------------|---------------------|


--0--------------0----|------------0---------|--0-------------------|
----------------------|--7--------------7----|------------0---------|
-----7------7---------|---------7------------|-------7--------------|
----------------------|----------------------|-----------------7----|
----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|



--------------------|---------------------|-----------0--------|
--0-----------------|---------------------|--7-----------------|
---------------7----|--7------------------|--------------------|
--------------------|-----------7------7--|--------------------|
--------------------|---------------------|--------------------|
--------------------|---------------------|--------------------|





--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|
--------------------|--8--------7--------|--------------------|
--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|
----------7------7--|--------------------|----------7------7--|
--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|
--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|



--5--------3--------|----------5------5--|--2----------------|
--------------------|--------------------|-------------------|
--------------------|--------------------|-------------------|
--------------------|--------------------|-------------------|
--------------------|--------------------|-------------------|
--------------------|--------------------|-------------------|



----------10--9--7--9--|--7----------------|-------------0-----0--|
-----------------------|-------------------|----------7-----------|
-----------------------|-------------------|----------------7-----|
-----------------------|-------------------|----------------------|
-----------------------|-------------------|----------------------|
-----------------------|-------------------|----------------------|



-------------------|-------------0-----0--|-------------------|
-------------------|----------7-----------|-------------------|
--7----------------|----------------7-----|--7----------------|
-------------------|----------------------|-------------------|
-------------------|----------------------|-------------------|
-------------------|----------------------|-------------------|



--------------------|-------------------|--------------------|
--------------------|-------------------|---------------0----|
----------7----7----|--6----------------|--------------------|
--------------------|-------------------|----------7---------|
--------------------|-------------------|--------------------|
--------------------|-------------------|--------------------|



-----------0---------|--0-------------------|-----------0---------|
----------------7----|------------0---------|----------------7----|
--7------------------|-----7-----------7----|--7------------------|
---------------------|----------------------|---------------------|
---------------------|----------------------|---------------------|
---------------------|----------------------|---------------------|



--5-------------------|--5-------------5----|--7----5--------------|
-----7-----------7----|-----------7---------|------------7---------|
------------7---------|---------------------|-----------------7----|
----------------------|---------------------|----------------------|
----------------------|---------------------|----------------------|
----------------------|---------------------|----------------------|



--0----------------|------5----7----9----|--10--------9----10----|
-------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|
-------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|
-------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|
-------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|
-------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|



--9--7------5----7----|--5------------------|--0--------------0----|
----------------------|-----------7---------|----------------------|
----------------------|----------------7----|-----7------7---------|
----------------------|---------------------|----------------------|
----------------------|---------------------|----------------------|
----------------------|---------------------|----------------------|



--5--------0----2----|--0-------------------|--------------------|
---------------------|-----3------0---------|--0------------3----|
---------------------|-----------------2----|--------------------|
---------------------|----------------------|--------------------|
---------------------|----------------------|--------------------|
---------------------|----------------------|--------------------|


-----------10--9--7--9--|--7----------------|-------------0-----0--|
--3---------------------|-------------------|----------7-----------|
------------------------|-------------------|----------------7-----|
------------------------|-------------------|----------------------|
------------------------|-------------------|----------------------|
------------------------|-------------------|----------------------|



-------------------|----------10--9--7--9--|--7----------------|
--7----------------|-----------------------|-------------------|
-------------------|-----------------------|-------------------|
-------------------|-----------------------|-------------------|
-------------------|-----------------------|-------------------|
-------------------|-----------------------|-------------------|



-------------0-------|--0----------------|--0----------------------||
----------7----------|-------------------|-------------------------||
----------------7----|-------------------|-----------------------0-||
---------------------|-------------------|---------------------2---||
---------------------|-------------------|-----------------0-4-----||
---------------------|-------------------|-------------------------||

My First Complete Song "Theme for Young Lovers" by The Shadows

Things I learned while learning to play this song:
a) Learned to Time moving from 1 string to another and plucking the strings.

b) Learned to play 'Arpeggio' i.e plucking individual string with the Thumb and first 3 fingers.
In this style the Thumb plucks the 6th, 5th, 4th strings (Bass Strings),
the Index finger plucks the 3rd string
the Middle finger the 2nd string
and the Ring finger the 1st string (Melody Strings 1st, 2nd and 3rd strings)

c) Learned to cover the whole octave from the 1st to the 12th fret.
12 notes/4 fingers ie. cover the whole octave with 3 movements across the fretboard.
ie
+ Index finger covers the 1st, 5th, 9th, 12th frets
+ Middle finger covers the 2nd, 6th, 10th frets and
+ the Ring finger covers the 3rd, 7th, 11th frets

d) Re-Learned the importance of good Body position and classical stance to reduce unnecessary tension while shifting from fret to fret. In the classical stance the left hand doesnt take up the weight of the guitar. This allows it to move freely over the fretboard avoiding stickiness.

e) Learned how to use the strings Vertically. Its natural to play the scale horizontally on a string ie up and down the string. By playing the Same note but on adjoining strings produces variety in playing the scale!!

Bass runs and fills

The bass strings are used as fillers while the left hand is changing chords.
Some times the strings are unfretted for ease-of-use, but sometimes one of the left-hand fingers is used to fret the bass string also.

Major stuff (or How I started understanding the minor things)

When I first read the book "The Guitar Handbook" by Ralph Denyer the terms C Major C#, D-flat etc jumped up at me... I'd heard these terms from childhood as in Beethovens Symphony in Eminor (or whatever!!)

The first basic 15 chords given in the book talked about A major, minor, seventh. It really puzzled me. Why are they named like that? Finally I managed to work it out.
I Think!!

Scales - Moving horizontally down a string :
Major scales are 2 tone:1 semi:3 tone:1 semi in hop-step
Minor scales are 1 tone:1 semi:2 tone:1 semi: 2 tone in hop-step


Chords - Moving vertically across the strings :
The chord A minor consists of 3 notes A-E-C.
If you look at the hopping pattern : A to C (1 tone:1semi) C to E (2 tones)
Isn't this just like the start of the Minor scale shown above '1 tone:1 semi:2 tone:1 semi: 2 tone'

The difference between scales and chords is that in scales A, C and E are seperated by time and in chords they sound at the same time.

Its like many single stringed instruments playing at different parts in a scale simultaneously.
With player1 playing 'A' player2 playing 'C' and player3 playing 'E' (the order doesn't matter)
They're playing in A minor together

Earlier I'd got confused with the usage of terms like major seventh, minor third, fifth etc...
usually they're used normally (mathematically) to mean a fraction ie. one-third, one-fifth etc.. This helped in confusing me as to the complexity I'd have to work with... The only thing that helped me through this phase was the fact that most guitarists would not be good with fractions anyway!! SO there must be an easy way to understand this. Finally I found out that these terms mean Not fractions but intervals as in "fifth note" from current note.

About the book :
One of the good things about the book is that its a complete treasure house of stuff on the Guitar.
BUT it's NOT a book which explains the terms it uses. You'll find the explanation elsewhere in the book. That means that you've to

a)Skip over things you don't understand in the hope that you'll come across the explanation later.
b)Remember the missing pieces and hunt them down across the book.
c)The Links between concepts are NOT explicitly stated i.e relation between scales and chords is mentioned but the case-study is not emphasising neither the relation nor the Reasoning behind the theory. Many things are inserted as givens. So you need to work out stuff on your own and re-create the links between concepts explicitly.
While this ensures that what you learn you'll retain it's not a good thing to do to children ie beginners!! :)

From Midi to Tabs to First Song

April 14th around 10:30 PM I said to Bhallu,
"You're absolutely right!! We need to learn a song as a starting point. I've been fooling around with the guitar exploring its concepts for last 2 months. Need a kernel for the Real playing."

As luck would have it Bhallu was playing the Shadows song "Theme for young lovers".
As children we'd slipped away into cosy sleep on the gentle Shadows tunes with the Niagara Falls NightShade revolving in the dark room.

Its Single string playing with little complexity made this the ideal song to learn.
Also an old haunting childhood favourite. Just what we needed.

We needed the Tablature i.e the finger positions on the Guitar fretboard.
GuitarPro 4.0 converts midi input to tabs.
AmazingMidi a GPL Freesoftware converts wav file to midi.
But we only had mp3. I Used winamp to convert the mp3 to .wav.
Converted that to midi, albeit not a good midi.

Then Bhallu hit upon the idea of searching for online midi versions of the song.
He found a Shadows fan website "http://www.antioch.com.sg/edgar/memory/"
from where he downloaded the readymade midi with multiple tracks for each instrument.

Also got some intro to Shadows - who they are etc. Never knew this before. We'd just heard the music never knew much about the band itself.

GuitarPro converted the midi into tabs in a snap. It also played back the midi while displaying the sheet-music, the positions on a guitar live.

Problem!! The melody strings ie treble strings are shot or out-of-tune.
No problem I told GuitarPro to just transposition to lower octave. Thats it!! We can play some part of the song on the bass strings.

It was a great feeling for me to strike the first notes from a song and tab.
The whole process might have taken 1-2 hours.

Bharat then tried his hand at it and started improvising by using Hammer-ons and pull-offs instead of normal fretting.
So now we're set on the road to our first song!!

Root Notes

Please refer to Principles of Correct Practise for Guitar by Jamie Andreas "http://www.guitarprinciples.com/". It instructs on how to learn guitar and avoid the bad habits which stop you from becoming a great guitar player.

These are some of the notes on My Experiments with Guitar.

+ If the guitar is vertical it is more balanced. The weight of the guitar goes towards the ground i.e the vertical component of vector is maximised. This makes the guitar feels weightless and light as a feather,which minimises muscle tension and allows for effortless playing.

+ Adjust the Spread of the legs enough (esp. the right leg) to make a firm nesting place for the butt of the guitar.

+ Lay the feet flat against the ground for firm support

+ Sit on as flat a surface as you can find (the Flat edge of a bed, the Flat edge of a chair, avoid slope of the chair or bed). A sloping surace causes weight to be transferred behind your backbone. You end up holding on to the guitar as if clinging to a pole.

+ To avoid back strain don't lean forward too much. Keep the back straight.

+The head weighs 3 kg. Balance changes drastically as the head moves forward. If you move it too far from in between the shoulders the balance transfers to in between the knees.

+ Longer nails interfere with string pressing and you may get a buzzing sound as strings will be incompletely pressed. Only tips apply pressure and the meat of the finger doesn't come into play.

+ Let the fingers latch-on and dangle from the on to the fret-board with the rest of arm hanging free in space between guitar neck and your ribs.

+ Try to straighten the non fretting fingers, if they curl tension is creeping in.

+ Keep the strumming fingers straight, avoiding sympathetic tension.

+ Correct any twist of guitar (a few degrees) due to right elbow jutting ahead of guitar. The twist has to be countered by the playing fingers.

+ To find the positions of chord on individual string a) Take the thumb off the neck and use only fingers to find the chord positions b)Caress each finger on each string, trying to keep the finger as straight as possible and try to form as solid a finger formation as possible (unity is strength) c)Once all the fingers are in position, rest them some more on the strings. d) Then only wave the thumb around in air under the neck until it falls into the most natural position. e)When shifting from one chord to another do the thumb waving exercise to find the best thumb position for the new chord. (moving from chord to chord becomes very easy with this exercise)

+Finding right amount of pressure strength from High to Optimum or Low to Optimum
I)High pressure Exercise:
a)Close your eyes
(focus on touch and feel of strings and the sound)
b)Press a chord with a bit of force
(focus on the tension in the fingers)
c)Strum
(feel the tension of the strings with the strumming hand)
d)Start releasing the pressure bit-by-bit with fretting fingers
(Note how the strings are curved in between the 2 frets)
e)Note that sound becomes flatter due to reduced tension in the string.
(This is more apparent in the thin strings than the thick ones).
f) Soon the strings start buzzing.
This is due to the empty space between the string and the fret.
(Pressure becomes too low to anchor string to fret properly).
g)Now try to increase pressure bit-by-bit until note sounds true again.
h)Go back and forth with this exercise reducing pressure to arrive at the least amount of pressure.
i)Base strings require more pressure and produce different feel than the Treble strings. Find the least pressure for all the chords.


II)Low pressure Exercise:
a)Lightly Rest the finger in chord position
b)Strum
c)The note sounds flat
d) Increase the pressure until chord sound true.
e) Keep trying to find the least pressure for true chord sound.


+ Strumming position
upper part of sound hole - base sound
sound hole - resonant sound
below sound hole - treble sound


+ Left shoulder and side of chest may get lifted in the process of applying more pressure. In effect you're trying to get on top of the strings and force them down on to the fret board.

+ The elbow may jut out from the side. This is a sign of excess pressure on strings as you try to "get on top of the strings and force them on to the fret-board"

+ The elbow squeezing in on to the ribs is a sign that the guitar is being twisted. The guitar neck towards shoulders and guitar butt away from the stomach.