| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| silvereel |
Posted - 04/19/2006 : 19:25:01
I am trying to learn guitar, and I wanted to try a frank black song. Any musicians out there got advice on which one to attempt?
Happy Holidays everybody!!
I joined the Cult of Something Not Right/Just out of mind and memory |
| 34 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| mimory |
Posted - 08/14/2006 : 18:43:53
As a beginner I can say that "Here comes your man" is probably the friendliest song to play and has only one barre chord (Bm).
But if you want non-pixies FB song - "Honeycomb" is a good one - no barre chords whatsoever and you have to switch between open chords rather quickly so it's a good practice.
"Cold heart of stone" is the easiest and has two or three moveable barre chords but timing is generous. All three are easy to sing while playing too.
My first Pixies song was probably Caribou and it was killing my wrist! - good song to develop some barre chord muscles :)
have fun! |
| Carl |
Posted - 06/24/2006 : 07:54:00
That's what playing too many barre chords does to ya!!
--------
"Leguman...Leguman!" |
| fbc |
Posted - 06/24/2006 : 03:25:42
Just the words, Carl. Kim wrote the music.
That's a bloody good guess, stu, but it's actually the air guitarists killer C major. |
| Carl |
Posted - 06/23/2006 : 18:33:17
The easiest FB song to play is Three Blind Mice.
Didn't Frank write that? ;)
--------
"Leguman...Leguman!" |
| pixiestu |
Posted - 06/23/2006 : 16:37:17
Jeremy Beadle's hand?
"The arc of triumph" |
| fbc |
Posted - 06/23/2006 : 16:27:43
What's this?
 |
| speedy_m |
Posted - 06/23/2006 : 15:21:15
Indeed, that's a C. He's using his thumb to mute the low E string.
he's back jack smoking crack find him if you want to get found
|
| fbc |
Posted - 06/23/2006 : 14:55:27
You're not wrong there, steve, but the thum looks like it's hooked over, which was more my point, I think. My post confuses me. Kfs, this is the tab to the alt. barre shape I tried to explain:
e.g. F chord
e]-----
g]--1-- index finger
b]--2-- middle
d]--3-- pinky
a]--3-- ring
e]--1-- thumb
Put on The Holiday Song and try this F shape out (here's the verse chords just in case you need them: Am C F C). Definately keep practising your barre chords. They open up so many doors it's unbelievable. You'll get there soon enough. If you can get hold of an electric, give it a try, but if you can master barre chords with an acoustic, well you can take on the world. Sort of.
have fun! |
| PixieSteve |
Posted - 06/23/2006 : 10:32:26
fbc, that photo is an open C, not a barre chord, surely..
FAST_MAN RAIDER_MAN - June 19th |
| kfs |
Posted - 06/23/2006 : 08:48:41
Wow! Thanks, you guys!
I feel better. Gotta go home and try all that tonite.
So I should practice on the electric? Somehow I thought that if I practiced on the electric I wouldn't be as good on the acoustic because it's harder to play. I guess you've gotta start somewhere! I appreciate the suggestions... I don't have any guitar players around that can help me like this. Thanks again! |
| fbc |
Posted - 06/22/2006 : 15:30:01
What these two said. Plus...
barre chords took me a while to play, kfs. Trying to stretch the fingers into position was something they never wished to do. I think I found practising on an electric guitar easier, maybe because of a thinner fretboard. It took some practise, but before I knew it, a barre chord was played. Hurrah!
There are variations you can play. Slightly easier.
This hand's hooked it's thumb over to play the low E string instead of using the index finger as the barre (I use my little finger (pinky?), too, unlike handy here). You can actually not play the bottom two strings (B and high E) and instead play nice major/minor chords. e.g:
e] ----- -----
b] ----- -----
g] --3-- --2--
d] --4-- --4--
a] --4-- --4--
e] --2-- --2--
major minor
Just keep picking up the guitar when you get the urge, and learn some lead instead  |
| Doog |
Posted - 06/22/2006 : 15:19:16
Try working on the following strength building exercise:
-5-6-7-8-------------------------------------------
---------5-6-7-8-----------------------------------
-----------------5-6-7-8---------------------------
-------------------------5-6-7-8-------------------
---------------------------------5-6-7-8-----------
-----------------------------------------5-6-7-8---
One finger per fret, so your index finger does fret 5, middle finger does fret 6 and so on. Try the reverse too, so you start on fret 5 of the fat E and work up to the 8th fret of the thin E string.
Once you're comfortable with seperating the fingers and the idea of "finger per" fret, try the above exercise, but don't move each finger off the previous string/fret until you need to use it, if you get me. Keep the fingers clamped down on the fret until it's "turn" comes again in the sequence. This builds up finger strength, something you need for barre chords.
Specifically for barring, try just doing a one fret barre across say, fret 5, making sure none of the strings are laying in the creases of your finger joints. The thumb is probably one of the most important things in barre chords, you're basically squeezing your index finger and thumb together but push down with your WHOLE finger, not than just the fingertip- you wanna all of the frets ringing out, not just the first 2 or 3 strings.
Hope that helps slightly? :/
------------------
www.myspace.com/doog = solo choons
www.myspace.com/casabonitaband = noisey stuff
www.myspace.com/weevilknievel = surfrockpop geekery
www.myspace.com/ukpixiestribute = Nimrod's Son |
| Suicide_Samurai |
Posted - 06/22/2006 : 15:08:40
Don't be disheartened, you know you don't have to do barre chords. Just substitute the barre chords with power chords for now. Learn all the notes on the first two strings up to say...the 7th fret, and that's all you need to know to be able to jam along with Frank. |
| kfs |
Posted - 06/22/2006 : 13:55:26
Barre chords are hard so I've lost a little of my enthusiasm. Plus, my guitar teacher has left me hanging and gotten another job. Any words of wisdom? |
| Carl |
Posted - 06/06/2006 : 12:06:06
Yeah, Frank uses a lot of barre chords....or at least those four-finger kind of extended power chords. When I discovered he used them a lot, I was in hog heaven!!
 |
| fbc |
Posted - 06/06/2006 : 12:02:03
Learn to play barre and open then you'll be asking yourself what Frank song is hardest to play.
How are you getting on, silvereel? |
| scott_in_dupont_WA |
Posted - 06/05/2006 : 22:44:58
Caribou for bar chords, and holiday song for open strings. |
| barbarella |
Posted - 05/11/2006 : 12:32:48
Well I'm not sure if "Handyman" is the easiest song to play. But I love to listen to it, even if I'm still learning how to play this song.
http://www.napster.com/player/tracks/16297553
I can still learn how to play this song just by listening to it from Napsterlinks. You can do the same as well. You can click on the link above, and put in your email address and log-in name. |
| fbc |
Posted - 05/10/2006 : 09:10:21
That's the best news i've read all day!
GO KFS!! |
| kfs |
Posted - 05/10/2006 : 03:10:15
My first tune on the guitar...I just learned that bit at the beginning of 'Here Comes Your Man' |
| number 13 |
Posted - 05/02/2006 : 14:01:32
quote:
Originally posted by mrgrieves1971
quote:
Originally posted by Carl
quote:
Originally posted by mrgrieves1971
Not Frank Black, but I learned how to play guitar with a Doolittle songbook.
I have that-and the Trompe one!
 
I have both of those, although I don't think the Trompe one is very good. That album is very riff-y. Doesn't do Subbaculcha justice. Thank God for the internet with OLGA, Harmony-Central and all those other great guitar tab sites.
I've never seen a tab transcribing The Sad Punk's "soft" chorus, when the song is slowing and mellower. And I haven't all the notes by ear... What a shame !
If you want to learn some songs, start with Cactus. Basically bluesy chords style with a binary strumming. Here Comes Your Man too. And Gouge Away after these ones. Wave Of Mutilation would be a little bit too hard 'cause there are only barre chords. |
| kfs |
Posted - 05/02/2006 : 13:51:03
I have so much to learn! When I finally learn to play a song, I am sure it will be one of Frank's! |
| jtjcp88 |
Posted - 05/02/2006 : 12:31:48
I found "Where is my mind" to be a good song to learn to play guitar. The lead that Joey plays was what led me to begin learning the guitar. At the time i just remember being mesmorised by that simple little riff. Fucking amazing. |
| mrgrieves1971 |
Posted - 04/20/2006 : 13:37:39
quote:
Originally posted by Carl
quote:
Originally posted by mrgrieves1971
Not Frank Black, but I learned how to play guitar with a Doolittle songbook.
I have that-and the Trompe one!
I have both of those, although I don't think the Trompe one is very good. That album is very riff-y. Doesn't do Subbaculcha justice. Thank God for the internet with OLGA, Harmony-Central and all those other great guitar tab sites. |
| pixiestu |
Posted - 04/20/2006 : 12:33:00
I have most Oasis tab books (I don't have Definitely Maybe). It was Oasis that made me want to start playing the guitar. It seems alot of people's first song to learn is Wonderwall (really easy). I don't have any Pixies books though.
"The arc of triumph" |
| Steak n Sabre |
Posted - 04/20/2006 : 12:28:39
Ya, I'll second that - Ed Is Dead is about as easy as it gets, U-Mass too.... Are You Headed My Way is another.
 The Cult of Frank : Gimme Gimme Gimme...I Need Some More |
| Carl |
Posted - 04/20/2006 : 12:28:21
Definitely maybe not! ;D
|
| fbc |
Posted - 04/20/2006 : 12:20:17
I have never before seen these in my life.
Want to swap one for Definately Maybe? |
| Carl |
Posted - 04/20/2006 : 12:13:32
quote:
Originally posted by mrgrieves1971
Not Frank Black, but I learned how to play guitar with a Doolittle songbook.
I have that-and the Trompe one!
|
| fbc |
Posted - 04/20/2006 : 10:39:49
Man of Steel
http://www.frankblack.net/tabs/song.asp?song=bside-nc-manofsteel |
| fbc |
Posted - 04/20/2006 : 10:21:54
i know exactly what you mean. the urge to strum for just a second is too great. the first thing i grab before heading to the shitter is a guitar. My hands have a mind of their own. They just want to play. I even strum the god damn (and damn it god. damn it to hell) steering wheel while I drive. |
| pixiestu |
Posted - 04/20/2006 : 10:01:56
I'd agree with the Holiday Song. Whenever I pick up my guitar it's always the first thing I start to play. I just feel compelled. It's really fun too!
"The arc of triumph" |
| fbc |
Posted - 04/20/2006 : 09:55:01
Jumping Beans.
A lot of Frank's later songs (Catholic onwards) are hugely influenced by open chords with a barre chord thrown in. I Burn Today/Horrible Day are great examples. He seems to love his open C and F barre chords.
The Holiday Song (again, not frank but..) is a nice tune to learn. A killer song and can be adapted to play all with open strings. Let the tempo take you and have some fun with it.
verse (well sit right ...): Am C F C
chorus (this ain't no...): G F (repeat verse) G F D
-0- -0- -0- -3- -2-
-1- -1- -1- -0- -3-
-2- -0- -2- -0- -2-
-2- -2- -3- -0- -0-
-0- -3- -0- -2- -x-
-x- -x- -x- -3- -x-
Am C F G D
The F and G chords are normally played as barre chords, but not in this thread.
Plunder the TABography. It's a goldmine. |
| mrgrieves1971 |
Posted - 04/20/2006 : 05:57:12
Not Frank Black, but I learned how to play guitar with a Doolittle songbook. I think the first song I learned how to play was Here Comes Your Man. That Bm sure was tricky. Debaser taught me how to do barre chords.
Frank Black songs are actually (I think) kind of tricky for an absolute beginner. I had a tough time with barre chords at first and he uses a lot of C#m and G# which require barre chords. You could always use a capo to make the # and b's easier to play. Six Sixty Six might be a good beginner song to learn Just G C & D.
I think the best way to learn is find a relatively simple song with a few chords and learn how to play it. After I learned Here Comes Your Man I knew the D A G Em and Bm chords. After Debaser, I expanded to F Bb and Gm. In my opinion, these might be some good songs to try to learn:
666
Dog in the Sand
Don't Ya Rile 'Em
Headache
Old Black Dawning
Fiddle Riddle
Calistan
You Ain't Me
Horrible Day
Sing For Joy
I Burn Today
Ed is Dead
Where is My Mind?
Cactus
Head On (I like playing this real slow. Just a mellow C-F-G)
UMass
Here Comes Your Man
Strange Goodbye
Just keep at it. As long as you are trying to learn songs that you know and want to play, it will be fun.
Remember, it's never going to sound just like the album, so don't try to make it. Just find your own groove with it. |
