subject: Guitar play by ear, for beginner acoustic guitarists [print this page] Guitar play by ear, for beginner acoustic guitarists
When you first start to learn to play acoustic guitar I think its best to start making music in the key of E minor. Find the basic E minor chord formation, and get comfortable with that.
I have witnessed fast advancement in students learning to play by ear. The key of E minor has a lot of open strings. You can easily search by ear where to put your fingers on the frets to make the notes sound right against the open stings.
Find notes that sound friendly on the first string all by your self that sound good against the other open strings.
Repeat this on the second string. Find all the notes on the second string that sound good against the open strings on your acoustic guitar, and so on. Remember I said when the open strings are strum on the guitar it is basically a E minor sound.
You may find some fret and string buzzing on your acoustic guitar, this is telling you that you are not using the tips of your fingers.
Mother nature of invention will speak to you. You will start playing two notes at a time on the top two strings.
E minor is a very enchanting key. It is a very easy key to play on guitar because there are many open strings for a beginner guitarist.
As you advance on your own you will start to find 3 note chord shapes. Learn by ear the 4, 3, 2 string notes that sound good in your favorite positions on the guitar.
Then the next step is to find the 3 note chord shapes on the 3, 2, and 1 strings. Use your ear. It takes your mind off of things. It becomes your journey.
I had one student in particular learn by ear come to me years ago. I asked him to play for me. I was amazed at how well he played in E minor. He knew the 3 note chords on all the different string groups, and licks that he found to connect them, to spice it up. He then played two sting melodic ideas. He really played some beautiful things. When I asked him to play guitar or songs he was lost. Thats why he felt it was time for a private teacher to help him find a guitar method to play guitar even better.
So yes this E minor method wont get you playing like Paganini or Mozart. Remember it is the start of a beginner acoustic guitar method to learn to play guitar, yes play guitar by ear. It is very inncocent, and enchanting, and teaches you so much. It trains your ear. It teaches finger movement and dexterity. It teahces you beginning compositional ideas. Do you know some of the most beautiful violin compositions every written are in the Key of E minor?
Think of your E minor investigation as your own little world where you go to feel good. Its like your favourite spot under a tree you love to go, or your favorite room. You will learn so much on your own.
By:Rick Washbrookcopyright July 2nd, 2010http://www.washbrookmusic.com http://www.articlesbase.com/tutoring-articles/guitar-play-by-ear-for-beginner-acoustic-guitarists-2768324.html
