complete novice here just starting out, ive a question for all of ye! 

ive read that people convert alot of  regular guitar tabs to a 3 string cbg by dropping and substituting some chords! i know where to get chords for songs online for a regular 6 string guitar but how do i convert tabs to suit my 3 stringer?

ive zero music theory so can you explain as best you can, like explaining to a 2year old!lol

appreciate any feedback thanks!

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  • Just finished one for You Gotta Move. Does that classify as classic rock?

    http://www.learncigarboxguitar.com/content/you-gotta-move

    http://youtu.be/G0WmaSj6HCg

    • Great lesson!
  • Thanks for the info.I picked out a couple Alice In Chains songs w/ an open D,pretty easy if you already know the song.

    • Which Alice in chain songs? Defo be up for giving it ago!
      • Nutshell is the one.I tune from the heaviest string DADD.If you play guitar its really easy,find a tab off it then just tune your CBG to D and follow the root notes of the chords.

        I'll tell you the frets,I'm a slider but it shouldn't matter.I also use the bottom end strings from a pack,but it also works strung w/ the tops(thin)just do a standard D tuning.I think that one is DDAD,Just a basic power chord.

        The AIC is open-3-10-8-3-2-O.The 3-3-2-0 is kinda like a pull off,you don't strum it,just 123 open.Hope that helps I've never tried tabbing.

        If you know the groove of the song its pretty easy.

        I play a 4 banger but it'll work w/ 3.

        • You can substitute one of the D's for an F# if you feel so inclined,I just like the power chord sound on it.

  • Sounds like you learned it fairly quickly, Scruggy. If the wife seemed impressed then you're on to something! Yeah man share the video! Most folks will be gentle - we all remember what it was like starting out.

  • Just finished learning hurt played it in ful last night for the wife she seemed impressed seeing I only got into cbgs lately! I'll refined it another day or two and I might even upload the video if I grow the balls for it! Lol
    On average how longs does it take ye to learn full song? Must say I kinda surprised myself was only a day or two once I figured out the right chords!
    • Scruggy,

      Depends on the song, and your finger dexterity. You ain't gonna learn to burn like Yngwie Malmsteen in a day, for example. But going from nothing to sumpin' in a day or two is not unusual, if it's a relatively simple tune, and you have time to work the brain and the fingers. I been playing for 37 years, almost every other day for at least 30 minutes to an hour. When I first started, it was 3-4 hours every day. All those years of doing patterned finger dances, playing out at open mics and backyard jam sessions, and fear that I wouldn't measure up with other, better players has left me with the ability to pick up most tunes pretty quickly, if they are simple chord progressions. It usually takes me an hour or so now to learn an unfamiliar tune, but a week or more to get it under my fingers. The main problem for me is finding uninterruptible blocks of time, especially when songwriting.

      But good on yer. Impressing the wife is useful, especially when CBGs start piling up.
  • Not sure if this is right so can someone clarify!

    I was just checking tabs on that Ultimate-Guitar website and on the panal to the left there is a button called TRANSPOSE with an up and down arrow!

    It seems which ever key the song is in you can hit that button either up or down till its in the key that suits! for example if song is in C but you are tuned D you just hit the up arrow up twice half step at a time so one full step to D, then all the chords are rewriting in the key of D.

    So convert those to suit 3 or 4 string and your good to go?

    almost sure im right but and someone check to comfirm!

    thanks!

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