Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by MichaelS Country Boy Guitars on April 20, 2011 at 2:44am

Re reading all this and I like Fitzhughs explaination for the 12 bar, and Matts just play it with 3 chords. I would like to add one simple thing my guitar instructor told me. You have to make the guitar sing the song.  What I mean is when you play the chords, barred or whatever, you need to get a strum pattern going that sounds like the song.  You can strum down on the I IV V all day long and untill you chang up your pattern it wont sound like much. This slowed me down when starting out with a 6 string.

Practice strumming, down up down up, down down up down, etc. Make up strum patterns.  It should be fun. I hope this makes some sense, maybe some seasoned players can add to what I'm saying.  Make your guitar sing!

Permalink Reply by Michael Glenn on May 2, 2011 at 6:14pm

Man, this is an awesome thread!  I like all the info on blues playing, and the idea of just learning 3 chords and playing 3 chord songs.  The only problem is for people who have no musical background, they'd have to transpose a lot of songs they google to whatever key they're in - and that's not easy for a beginner.

 

I started on ukulele about two years ago, and just very recently built my first CBG and I'm diggin' it.  But I'm also struggling to just "find" stuff online that I can play along to, and I know that a lot of people if they're not having fun from the start, they won't stay with an instrument for very long.  So I'm putting a list together of easy, 3 chord public domain songs with simple I, IV, V notation over at http://101cigarboxguitarsongs.weebly.com.  (No this is not shameless promotion.  I'm putting this out here because I need help finding songs, and I want to help other people find songs.)

 

Problem is, I've only found 2 public domain songs so far that I think would sound okay on a CBG.  So I was hoping some more experienced players could help me identify more fun, easy songs for beginners?  I'd give full credit for contributing a song to the site, plus a link back to your website or youtube channel.

 

 

Permalink Reply by Mark Bliss on May 2, 2011 at 7:07pm

Micheal, just looked at the site, shows promise-keep up the good work.

I left a comment for you, didnt expect it to show up as a public comment, but sharing your yearning for a Banjolele, I wanted to let you know they are indeed made by several (many actually) manufacturers. Gold tone, Lanikai, Kala, come to mind right off the bat.

Another note about the site, on your tunings page you need more definition. You have two areas, "Open tuning" and "standard tuning". Both need more definition, as there many multiples of either. Open= 151, 515, etc etc, and "standard"? The chords you show will not work unless you define your "standard" tuning!

Just meant as constructive critisism! Keep it up!

Mark

Permalink Reply by Michael Glenn on May 2, 2011 at 7:46pm

Mark, thanks for the feedback.  Standard tuning the way I use it means G-B-E, the way the 3 highest strings on a guitar are tuned.  (So, standard guitar tuning, maybe?)

 

And I'm pretty sure the chord shapes are the same for any open tuning but maybe someone could verify that?  I guess I should make it clearer anyway.  It's just a start anyway - something I just threw together whilst waiting for my arrival of more cigar boxes.  I hope to use it as a resource for beginners when I get into selling CBGs.  Sort of, "Oh, by the way, this site has a ton of songs written out for cigar box guitar, so when you get home check it out." 

 

I also want to put chord diagrams for 4 strings, I just have to sit down and work it out.

 

Anyway, please keep the criticism coming.  If it seems confusing to you, it's probably even worse for a total beginner.

 

And the banjoleles do look cool.  I'd only seen the Mahalo "shaped like a banjo" uke, didn't realize other manufacturers were making the real thing.  But I'm gonna make my own now, anyway.

 

Thanks again,

Michael

Mark Bliss said:

Micheal, just looked at the site, shows promise-keep up the good work.

I left a comment for you, didnt expect it to show up as a public comment, but sharing your yearning for a Banjolele, I wanted to let you know they are indeed made by several (many actually) manufacturers. Gold tone, Lanikai, Kala, come to mind right off the bat.

Another note about the site, on your tunings page you need more definition. You have two areas, "Open tuning" and "standard tuning". Both need more definition, as there many multiples of either. Open= 151, 515, etc etc, and "standard"? The chords you show will not work unless you define your "standard" tuning!

Just meant as constructive critisism! Keep it up!

Mark

Permalink Reply by Mark Bliss on May 3, 2011 at 5:48am

Yeah, for beginner purposes the open playing advice is a good start, a barre chord is a barre chord in the end.

But as a player progresses to more advance stages, then there will be fundemental differences.

 

For now I would recommend adding a definition to your "standard tuning" description and build on what you have. I recognized the chord patterns, but many wouldnt.

 

I will watch for your site to build out and develop, a bunch of songs would be great.

 

And yeah, I dig the banjolele's, banjitars, tenor banjos, pretty much anything unusual.

I know a guy that does "colonial re-enactments" with a lute tuned as a guitar, its cool!

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