As an RN and administrator for a larger healthcare system, one principle I’ve adopted is “standardize (where necessary), but customize (where able) “ So I love applying this concept to guitar playing as well. It’s nice to know we can adapt things to make it more comfortable or easier and yet maintain the integrity of playing! Great lesson for those struggling with any chords. The F chord is not a problem for me, but there are definitely chords I have adapted ❤😊
@@cheryldavidson-guitargal1 the problem is we added a step to the process so now it might be cumbersome- but it’s temporary we hope 🤣, just until one can get use to the chord shape. This morning my dog Bernice tried to play my guitar. I thought at first the swipe across the strings was just by mistake. But she listened and then repeated the motion a couple more times. (Listening in between) I think she will be playing that F chord in no time 🤣
@@guitarnotionsI actually taught Hughie to strum on command when he showed an interest in how I was getting music to come out of the guitar early on in my guitar journey. Maybe you can teach Bernice too! Hughie kept staring and staring one day, so I was like, “you wanna try?” I used another command he knows (paw) to get him to accidentally hit the strings a bunch of times. Before I knew it, he got the point of what to do and then I attached the “strum” command to it. He can’t play a song, but it’s a fun party trick! I’ve seen Bernice watching you play and unbox guitars on camera. She’s clearly interested enough where she might be able to learn to strum on command too. I’ve tried fretting and letting Hughie strum, but as a service dog, he’s not going to do it without hearing that “strum” command, which makes it a bit less impressive 😂 - he’s the type of service dog who has trouble breaking out of that command cycle and rarely relaxes because he loves to always be ready to help THAT much, lol. I have a feeling this dog will have trouble retiring when his time comes, lol. He doesn’t even play in a yard without me releasing him - I don’t have any clue why, lol.
@Cheryldavidson-guitargal1 that’s precisely what I’ve done for myself with lots of disabilities and medical issues to overcome. I realized early on that I might have to make some tweaks so I would be able to advance myself in other areas until my muscle memory and/or TBI caught up. And most of the time, when i revisited a trouble spot weeks or months later, I found it was much easier to do that thing. If I hadn’t made some tweaks like that along the way, I never would have progressed. So yes, try to use as many standard methods as possible, but it’s okay to tweak as needed. It just makes for our own unique flair anyway - so many professional guitarists don’t do everything the standard “correct” way, so why can it be the same for the rest of us?! It’s not just a lesson for guitar, but in every aspect of life. 😊
@@MashaT22 some of my animals definitely 'dig' music ... and are interested but I would never lend a guitar to my 350 pnds friend 🦍 (he probably (read: surely) will eat it ... 🤣🤣🤣)
This is something that I struggle with. This exercise looks like a great way to work on my technique. It makes perfect sense by the way you demonstrate it. Thank you!
I enjoy your videos. Your approach to guitar is so informative. I played guitar a lot as a youngster many years ago, then life happened and I didn’t play much during my “parent” years. Since I have retired I try to pick it up a few minutes a day. My playing has improved quickly in a pretty short time. Your videos have helped me significantly. You provide an excellent mix of theory and practicality to make the whole thing make sense. Thank you!
I am so glad you are back to playing! Sounds like you are enjoying your retirement! I am especially happy you are listening in! It makes my day to know the videos are useful! Thank you❤️
Hello Cindy. What a great video. I struggle with the F chord even after many years of playing. Your tip and way of approaching the chord is something I wish I had known 45 years ago. I keep telling you how much I value you and your teaching. I am looking forward to your videos of your road trip I certainly enjoyed the last one. Take care of yourself (no hitch hiking:) ). As the great G. Lightfoot said: I wish you good spaces in the far away places you go. Cheers and may God bless.
I love Elizabeth Cotton's Freight Train. I kind of wish I could play it upside down the way she did, just for fun, but I'm sure it would wreak havoc on my F chord forever! LOL
@@guitarnotions Another awesomely original guitarist: Maybelle Carter. She sometimes (often?) played melody on the bass notes with a thumb pick and played chords on the treble strings with a metal banjo-type pick on her index finger. Years ago I saw one of her guitars at the R&R Hall of Fame and felt like I should genuflect before it! 😄
@@julesV1223 if you visit Nashville, check out Fanny’s House Of Music. They have a beautiful mural celebrating guitar player greats like Mabell Carter, Elizabeth Cotton and Rosetta Tharpe. They sell a lot of vintage/ used guitars too.
@@guitarnotions I believe the origin of this song is still disputed and are the credits split between Elizabeth Cotton, Chas McDevitt and Bill Varley who copyrighted it ... Libba always claimed she had written it as teenager ... and that's what we want it to be ...
As I read the story back now I learned that James & Williams, middle names and pseudonyms for Chas McDevitt and Bill Varley published the song after they heard Peggy Seeger play it when she brought it to the United Kingdom ... and the copyright was eventually restored to Elizabeth Cotton.
Thanks for the tip. I typically play the F using the E-shape and full barre at fret one. I find this a bit tiring and slower to change to other chords. I'm definitely going to try your version out. I'm working on Blackberry Smoke's One Horse Town that runs Dm-F-C-G, so this will be a good test for faster chord changes. Also, looking forward to seeing you on your upcoming roadtrip ... always fun and interesting!
Thanks for all your tips. The one I like the most is to slow down. I am a fingerstyle guitar player and I have lost my index fingernail and my middle fingernail and they don't want to grow back. I'm still playing but with the tips of my fingers. My fingers are very well trained in fingerstyle so it helps but I sure would like for my nails to grow out. I'm taking biotin and using a nail moisture cream on them every night but no luck. I don't want artificial nails or finger picks. My thumbnail is perfect right now and I can use a thumb pick if I need too but it's frustrating to try to get these two nails to grow. Strings sounds so much better too. Thanks for the tip to slow down and I'm doing that now and it helps.
Now that has to be frustrating. Sounds like you found some alternatives while you wait. I am so glad you keep on despite the challenges! So glad you are listening in❤️
@@guitarnotions I've played the guitar off and on since 1978 and more recently have stayed with it since about 2007. After finding Pete Huttlinger, a very gifted fingerstyle guitar player, I followed his videos and he is a great teacher. He passed 2016 and is greatly missed. Pete played with John Denver a few years before John passed. Now I'm working on his arrangement of Amazing Grace and others too. The loss of my nails will be okay and know my fingers will adjust until I can get decent nails growing back. Thanks again for all your help.
A friend of mine has issues holding the F chord at the first fret ( the one barring the high E and B string ) he has these short thick sausage fingers lol…. I told him to just keep picking his fingers up off the strings and reapplying them a hundred times and he’ll get it 🤣 He keeps blaming the neck profile so I handed him like 4-5 different neck profiled guitars and it was still epic fail, I tried to say it nicely that it wasn’t the profile 😂 I’ll tell him to try your ‘rollover’ approach though for sure! 👍
Wish I could see how he is holding his wrist and elbow. If he pulls his elbow in the wrist will naturally pivot and should make that bar easier. Thanks so much❤️
I got a cheep guitar when i was 15 and that damm F chord made me quit I did not pick it back up till i was 18 and discovered the barre F Been using it ever since and as a retired sheet metal mechanic squeezing tin snips for 36 years grip strength and barre chords was never a problem I tend to be ham fisted when i play though but at 60 im still having fun and playing almost every day Peace to you and yours
That’s great! So glad you tried again. Having a guitar that is setup right is so important. It does not even matter if it’s an old beat up guitar. If it’s setup right and playable it is so much better! In addition you found the method that works for you and having fun! So nice to hear this. Thanks! Play on❤️
That’s ok keep trying and you will find it will improve. Sounds like you are on the right path to success 😀. Shake your hand out I between tries. See if that helps
I saw your 'peeping thumb' ... ohwmy ... 😂😇 Another chord that is 'struggling' to a lot of people is the basic B⁷ chord (on fret 1 and 2) When I show them that it is the same shape as A⁷ but then 2 frets up and barred they're always thankful, because this is usually not the way the chord is presented in their songbooks ...
I never liked playing the f# on the high E - b7 always sounded better to me just playing it like a Amaj7 only moved over 1 string😀. Thanks for sharing ❤️
@@guitarnotionswhen I Travis-pick 'Pour Toi' (Line Renaud '56) I want that pinky right there on the F# for sure ... the barred B⁷ just doesn't fit right there ...
Why are all the thumb and fingerpicks always too tight? Does anyone know if you can modify them to size with f.i. an hairdryer or something? (I think the plastics will .....)
Found this “To stretch a guitar thumb pick, you can dip it in boiling water to soften the plastic and then gently open it up. Once it's open to your desired width, you can cool it off in cold water”!
@@guitarnotions thank you ... that might work ... Not that my hands are shovel-like ... but these picks are here only available in size S M or L but when my fingers turn Smurf on L ... they are definitely too tight ... Have you ever tried those Spring-Action picks?
As an RN and administrator for a larger healthcare system, one principle I’ve adopted is “standardize (where necessary), but customize (where able) “ So I love applying this concept to guitar playing as well. It’s nice to know we can adapt things to make it more comfortable or easier and yet maintain the integrity of playing! Great lesson for those struggling with any chords. The F chord is not a problem for me, but there are definitely chords I have adapted ❤😊
@@cheryldavidson-guitargal1 the problem is we added a step to the process so now it might be cumbersome- but it’s temporary we hope 🤣, just until one can get use to the chord shape. This morning my dog Bernice tried to play my guitar. I thought at first the swipe across the strings was just by mistake. But she listened and then repeated the motion a couple more times. (Listening in between) I think she will be playing that F chord in no time 🤣
@@guitarnotions be aware she doesn't take over your vlog then ... 🐶
@@guitarnotionsI actually taught Hughie to strum on command when he showed an interest in how I was getting music to come out of the guitar early on in my guitar journey. Maybe you can teach Bernice too! Hughie kept staring and staring one day, so I was like, “you wanna try?” I used another command he knows (paw) to get him to accidentally hit the strings a bunch of times. Before I knew it, he got the point of what to do and then I attached the “strum” command to it. He can’t play a song, but it’s a fun party trick! I’ve seen Bernice watching you play and unbox guitars on camera. She’s clearly interested enough where she might be able to learn to strum on command too.
I’ve tried fretting and letting Hughie strum, but as a service dog, he’s not going to do it without hearing that “strum” command, which makes it a bit less impressive 😂 - he’s the type of service dog who has trouble breaking out of that command cycle and rarely relaxes because he loves to always be ready to help THAT much, lol. I have a feeling this dog will have trouble retiring when his time comes, lol. He doesn’t even play in a yard without me releasing him - I don’t have any clue why, lol.
@Cheryldavidson-guitargal1 that’s precisely what I’ve done for myself with lots of disabilities and medical issues to overcome. I realized early on that I might have to make some tweaks so I would be able to advance myself in other areas until my muscle memory and/or TBI caught up. And most of the time, when i revisited a trouble spot weeks or months later, I found it was much easier to do that thing. If I hadn’t made some tweaks like that along the way, I never would have progressed.
So yes, try to use as many standard methods as possible, but it’s okay to tweak as needed. It just makes for our own unique flair anyway - so many professional guitarists don’t do everything the standard “correct” way, so why can it be the same for the rest of us?! It’s not just a lesson for guitar, but in every aspect of life. 😊
@@MashaT22 some of my animals definitely 'dig' music ... and are interested
but I would never lend a guitar to my 350 pnds friend 🦍
(he probably (read: surely) will eat it ... 🤣🤣🤣)
Thanks so much Cindy,you make playing a real pleasure,have picked up a lot of tips,from your excellent teaching.
You are so welcome! So glad you are enjoying the channel❤️
This is something that I struggle with. This exercise looks like a great way to work on my technique. It makes perfect sense by the way you demonstrate it. Thank you!
So glad it helped! Thanks❤️
I enjoy your videos. Your approach to guitar is so informative. I played guitar a lot as a youngster many years ago, then life happened and I didn’t play much during my “parent” years. Since I have retired I try to pick it up a few minutes a day. My playing has improved quickly in a pretty short time. Your videos have helped me significantly. You provide an excellent mix of theory and practicality to make the whole thing make sense. Thank you!
I am so glad you are back to playing! Sounds like you are enjoying your retirement! I am especially happy you are listening in! It makes my day to know the videos are useful! Thank you❤️
I am so grateful that I found you. I really need those chord charts to help me and your wonderful teaching style. Thanks for you being you.
Wonderful! Glad you have found the videos to be useful! That makes my day😀
Hello Cindy. What a great video. I struggle with the F chord even after many years of playing. Your tip and way of approaching the chord is something I wish I had known 45 years ago. I keep telling you how much I value you and your teaching. I am looking forward to your videos of your road trip I certainly enjoyed the last one. Take care of yourself (no hitch hiking:) ). As the great G. Lightfoot said: I wish you good spaces in the far away places you go. Cheers and may God bless.
And it’s “Time For A Summer Timr Dream” 😀. Blessings to you too❤️
@@guitarnotions and always 'walk away like a Movie-star' ... 🌟
I love Elizabeth Cotton's Freight Train. I kind of wish I could play it upside down the way she did, just for fun, but I'm sure it would wreak havoc on my F chord forever! LOL
Especially interesting to me is she played the bass notes with fingers and played melody with her thumb😮. ❤️
@@guitarnotions Another awesomely original guitarist: Maybelle Carter. She sometimes (often?) played melody on the bass notes with a thumb pick and played chords on the treble strings with a metal banjo-type pick on her index finger. Years ago I saw one of her guitars at the R&R Hall of Fame and felt like I should genuflect before it! 😄
@@julesV1223 if you visit Nashville, check out Fanny’s House Of Music. They have a beautiful mural celebrating guitar player greats like Mabell Carter, Elizabeth Cotton and Rosetta Tharpe. They sell a lot of vintage/ used guitars too.
@@guitarnotions I believe the origin of this song is still disputed and are the credits split between Elizabeth Cotton, Chas McDevitt and Bill Varley who copyrighted it ...
Libba always claimed she had written it as teenager ... and that's what we want it to be ...
As I read the story back now I learned that James & Williams, middle names and pseudonyms for Chas McDevitt and Bill Varley published the song after they heard Peggy Seeger play it when she brought it to the United Kingdom ... and the copyright was eventually restored to Elizabeth Cotton.
A very positive and practical video.
Thanks. Glad it was useful ❤️
Thanks for the tip. I typically play the F using the E-shape and full barre at fret one. I find this a bit tiring and slower to change to other chords. I'm definitely going to try your version out. I'm working on Blackberry Smoke's One Horse Town that runs Dm-F-C-G, so this will be a good test for faster chord changes. Also, looking forward to seeing you on your upcoming roadtrip ... always fun and interesting!
Let me know how it works for you. (It might slow you down at first)
I have got a deep understanding, Because of you thank you God Bless you💙💙💙💙💙💙💙🙏
Awesome! God bless you too! ❤️
Thanks for all your tips. The one I like the most is to slow down. I am a fingerstyle guitar player and I have lost my index fingernail and my middle fingernail and they don't want to grow back. I'm still playing but with the tips of my fingers. My fingers are very well trained in fingerstyle so it helps but I sure would like for my nails to grow out. I'm taking biotin and using a nail moisture cream on them every night but no luck. I don't want artificial nails or finger picks. My thumbnail is perfect right now and I can use a thumb pick if I need too but it's frustrating to try to get these two nails to grow. Strings sounds so much better too. Thanks for the tip to slow down and I'm doing that now and it helps.
Now that has to be frustrating. Sounds like you found some alternatives while you wait. I am so glad you keep on despite the challenges! So glad you are listening in❤️
Joywyse: have you tried the Alaska fingernail-piks?
@@guitarnotions I've played the guitar off and on since 1978 and more recently have stayed with it since about 2007. After finding Pete Huttlinger, a very gifted fingerstyle guitar player, I followed his videos and he is a great teacher. He passed 2016 and is greatly missed. Pete played with John Denver a few years before John passed. Now I'm working on his arrangement of Amazing Grace and others too. The loss of my nails will be okay and know my fingers will adjust until I can get decent nails growing back. Thanks again for all your help.
A friend of mine has issues holding the F chord at the first fret ( the one barring the high E and B string ) he has these short thick sausage fingers lol…. I told him to just keep picking his fingers up off the strings and reapplying them a hundred times and he’ll get it 🤣
He keeps blaming the neck profile so I handed him like 4-5 different neck profiled guitars and it was still epic fail, I tried to say it nicely that it wasn’t the profile 😂
I’ll tell him to try your ‘rollover’ approach though for sure! 👍
Wish I could see how he is holding his wrist and elbow. If he pulls his elbow in the wrist will naturally pivot and should make that bar easier. Thanks so much❤️
I got a cheep guitar when i was 15 and that damm F chord made me quit I did not pick it back up till i was 18 and discovered the barre F Been using it ever since and as a retired sheet metal mechanic squeezing tin snips for 36 years grip strength and barre chords was never a problem I tend to be ham fisted when i play though but at 60 im still having fun and playing almost every day Peace to you and yours
That’s great! So glad you tried again. Having a guitar that is setup right is so important. It does not even matter if it’s an old beat up guitar. If it’s setup right and playable it is so much better! In addition you found the method that works for you and having fun! So nice to hear this. Thanks! Play on❤️
Something I struggle with! Rolling the hand and elbow in helps...I'll keep trying..still some dull string sounds yet.
That’s ok keep trying and you will find it will improve. Sounds like you are on the right path to success 😀. Shake your hand out I between tries. See if that helps
Jerilyn ... your last name sounds very Dutch (birdsong) ...
perhaps you could have some roots here?
@@rikaap866Yes, it is Dutch Indonesian
@@dr.jerilynvogelsang3922 nice to meet you ...
@@dr.jerilynvogelsang3922 Hoi, leuk om je hier te ontmoeten ... 😇
(Hiya, nice to meet you here ...)
Roll Over Beethoven. 🙂❤️
“…gotta hear it again today” 🎼🎶🎶
@@guitarnotions Absolutely. 🎸 :))
Do you own and play electric guitars?
@@jimgodofbiscuits I don’t own an electric- I have a couple of hybrids. Emerald and a Acoustasonic Jazzmaster
@@guitarnotionsIs it a consideration? In my humble opinion I see you with a strat. :)
I have one - a circa 2013 Epiphone Les Paul std pro.
@@jimgodofbiscuits I guess I would have to try it to know. 😀
I saw your 'peeping thumb' ... ohwmy ... 😂😇
Another chord that is 'struggling' to a lot of people is the basic B⁷ chord (on fret 1 and 2)
When I show them that it is the same shape as A⁷ but then 2 frets up and barred they're always thankful, because this is usually not the way the chord is presented in their songbooks ...
I never liked playing the f# on the high E - b7 always sounded better to me just playing it like a Amaj7 only moved over 1 string😀. Thanks for sharing ❤️
@@guitarnotions that sometimes depends on the song ...
@@rikaap866 you have a good point😀
@@guitarnotionswhen I Travis-pick 'Pour Toi' (Line Renaud '56) I want that pinky right there on the F# for sure ... the barred B⁷ just doesn't fit right there ...
@@rikaap866 🤣not for us old folk… comfort is my middle name now🤣
Why are all the thumb and fingerpicks always too tight?
Does anyone know if you can modify them to size with f.i. an hairdryer or something?
(I think the plastics will .....)
Found this “To stretch a guitar thumb pick, you can dip it in boiling water to soften the plastic and then gently open it up. Once it's open to your desired width, you can cool it off in cold water”!
@@guitarnotions thank you ... that might work ...
Not that my hands are shovel-like ... but these picks are here only available in size S M or L
but when my fingers turn Smurf on L ... they are definitely too tight ...
Have you ever tried those Spring-Action picks?
@@rikaap866 Black Mountain and they are good. They now have several sizes too. I think I used one in one of the recent videos.