Fairly new to guitar and need some advice!

**Josey Wales** · 01-25-2011, 09:21 PM

yes, thats why i'm good witth replacing all my components in my strat i haven't messed with an amp yet, but give me a schematic and i'll be good to go

1/2-Fast Player · 01-26-2011, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by birry

That's a good idea. My Epiphone sounds worse and worse to my ear everyday I try to learn more about worship music styles and tones. I just can't get it to sound good. It just sounds thin and weak. Maybe some new strings would help, but I have a feeling that its more to do with the pickups or the overall quality of my particular guitar.

I doubt there's anything really wrong with your guitar. I have an Epi Paul and it sounds great on songs that need a humbucker sound. "Thin and weak" could be an amp problem, or just your amp settings.

If you're trying to match a sound from a recording, keep in mind that the guitar may be using delay and chorus fx for a thicker sound, and the part may be doubled as well.

When I want a thick, lush sound, I'll often use a chorus and heavy reverb.

Don't sweat the sound a whole lot right now, though. Just work on playing the parts. That takes time and practice. The final sound is something you can largely fix in a short period with a checkbook: fx pedals, different guitars, amps, etc.

birry · 01-27-2011, 04:17 PM

I might go ahead and have them (the local guitar shop) setup my guitar when I put new strings on it next week. I'll report back when I have that finished.

Now I'm just going through the difficult (but fun) process of learning everything I can about playing guitar.

1/2-Fast Player · 01-27-2011, 07:39 PM

That's a good idea. An even better idea is to learn to do it yourself. Get yourself a copy of the Les Paul Handbook:

The Gibson Les Paul Handbook: How to Buy, Maintain, Set Up, Troubleshoot, and Modify Your Gibson and Epiphone Les Paul [Book]

Have fun!

Bushman · 01-28-2011, 08:50 AM

Sounds like you're on the right track, birry...
I have a couple of suggestions if I might present them...
1. For sticking strings on a Les Paul (which is common) try using a piece of old guitar string to apply Carmex in the little white jar to your string slots. Just a little. I read that Joe Perry's Guitar tech used to do this. I did for years and it works. I use Big Bends Nut Sauce now. Kind of the same stuff, just has a great little syringe applicator.
2. For learning the small chord shapes you talked about (called triads) download the "Companion Workbook" and "Bonus Companion Workbook" HERE: Ben Gowell - PDF Downloads It's the material Ben Gowell talks about in his seminar workshops, (which are awesome BTW) and his Electric Guitar DVD. If you buy anything for learning Worship Guitar, Buy This. I have it and it's great!
3. To get you started on triads:
Major Keys: Lets say key of "A" "GB&E" strings- Root note "A" is on low "E" string 5th fret. So on fifth fret play an "F" chord shape (xxx655), skip two frets & play a "D" chord shape ( xxx 9 10 9), skip one fret and play a "B" chord shape (xxx 14 14 12), skip two frets and start over with "F" chord shape.
I'll post minor shapes and intervals later..

birry · 01-28-2011, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bushman

Sounds like you're on the right track, birry...
I have a couple of suggestions if I might present them...
1. For sticking strings on a Les Paul (which is common) try using a piece of old guitar string to apply Carmex in the little white jar to your string slots. Just a little. I read that Joe Perry's Guitar tech used to do this. I did for years and it works. I use Big Bends Nut Sauce now. Kind of the same stuff, just has a great little syringe applicator.
2. For learning the small chord shapes you talked about (called triads) download the "Companion Workbook" and "Bonus Companion Workbook" HERE: Ben Gowell - PDF Downloads It's the material Ben Gowell talks about in his seminar workshops, (which are awesome BTW) and his Electric Guitar DVD. If you buy anything for learning Worship Guitar, Buy This. I have it and it's great!
3. To get you started on triads:
Major Keys: Lets say key of "A" "GB&E" strings- Root note "A" is on low "E" string 5th fret. So on fifth fret play an "F" chord shape (xxx655), skip two frets & play a "D" chord shape ( xxx 9 10 9), skip one fret and play a "B" chord shape (xxx 14 14 12), skip two frets and start over with "F" chord shape.
I'll post minor shapes and intervals later..

Good thoughts. Thanks for the info!

I grabbed my guitar when you posted this and checked out those shapes. I see what you're doing there - its just all the same chord just different ways to play it. I've somewhat memorized about 10 different shapes for playing a B chord (I guess depending on what you're using it for).

Starting from low to high (in pitch), I've found these to be usable:

x-x-x-11-12-14 (doubling the 5th)
x-x-x-11-12-11 (3rd on top)
x-14-13-11-12-x (a full chord non-inverted major chord probably used when picking through a chord)
x-9-9-11-12-x (this one sounds good on my LP when distorted, probably because there's no 3rd!. Its got enough high to not sound muffled and enough low to not sound twangy)
x-x-9-8-7-7 (upper part of the bar chord)
7-9-9-8-7-7 (full bar chord)
7-9-9-x-x-x (bottom end of the bar chord)
x-x-4-4-7-7 (the exact same as the 4th one I listed, but in a different position)
2-2-4-4-4-x (the old power chord)

Most of you probably know all that by heart for every chord, but its still an adventure for me. I'm still learning where all these chords are and how/when to use them!

I appreciate the help on the setup info. I'm definitely a big DIY person (see earlier posts - I'm an engineer!), so I'll take a look at that stuff you posted about the setup. I can do slight things like intonation and putting strings on really well, but other than that - I'm pretty ignorant.

Bushman · 01-28-2011, 10:14 AM

Continued:
Minor Keys: Key of "A" "GB&E" strings- Root note "A" is on low "E" string 5th fret. So on fifth fret play an "Fm" chord shape (xxx 5 5 5), Skip two frets and play a "Dm" chord shape (xxx 9 10 8), skip one fret and play a "Bm" chord shape (xxx 14 13 12), skip two frets and start over with an "Fm" chord shape.
Start to see a pattern? The triad chords are the same, just Major or minor. The skipped frets or "Intervals" are the same, skip 2 - skip 1 - skip 2.
There are many other triad chord shapes, but these are a big start and very useful for "Frilling In" as somebody put.

birry · 01-28-2011, 12:48 PM

Very cool. I checked out that .pdf from Ben Gowell. WOW! Its loaded. It'll take me a year to figure it all out. Hopefully I can recognize some patterns soon. Thanks a lot, man.

1/2-Fast Player · 01-28-2011, 02:42 PM

Birry, that Ben Gowell pdf goes along with the video I pointed you to back on the first page of this thread. Order the video and you'll get a real jump-start on figuring the stuff out. It's simple when you see it done.

birry · 01-29-2011, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1/2-Fast Player

Birry, that Ben Gowell pdf goes along with the video I pointed you to back on the first page of this thread. Order the video and you'll get a real jump-start on figuring the stuff out. It's simple when you see it done.

I won't be able to buy anything until payday (which is coming up), so I'll try to see where I'm at then. I've also gotta get new strings and try to do some setup either myself or have them do it. Just the pdf alone is already giving me TONS of great info!