# I Don't Understand my Guitar **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 29, 2010, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-my-guitar/526917 "2010-01-29T17:37:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kevlaw](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kevlaw/32/2281_2.png) [@kevlaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevlaw)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-my-guitar/526917/21 "2010-01-30T02:53:14Z")
> [@Scarlett67](#): > > I don’t mind C but I’m having a really hard time with barre chords (and I’m convinced that F is called that for a reason. 🙂 ) Gotta just keep trying and building finger strength, I guess. I struggled with Barre chords for about a year. Then I got a new guitar and they were easy 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-my-guitar/526917/22 "2010-01-30T02:57:12Z")
Every Bad Girl Deserves An Enema was the one I was taught. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-my-guitar/526917/23 "2010-01-30T02:59:40Z")
Honestly? I don’t know theory in any structured way - I remember reading some quote from Joe Satriani where he said something like (and I am sure I this makes no real music theory sense, but it sounded kinda like) “if you get to a dominant in a pent minor and don’t realize you can switch to Mixolydian mode, you are so limited.” Now, to be fair, I get the gist of that type of comment, but (dammit) that is NOT what guitar is about. You know what guitar is about? Sex. Feel. Groove. It doesn’t have that straight-up mathematical Bach translation that a piano has (fwiw, I studied advanced engineering calculus and love Bach - I am in no way disrespecting the power and beauty of either). Knowing how to make a Stones song come alive is not about theory. Knowing how to make a Muddy Waters song come alive is not about theory. Knowing how to make a Ramones song come alive is not about theory. Knowing how to make an Yngwie Malmsteen song come alive is…well, okay, that’s about theory. 😉 And that’s my point. **kevlaw** , you have asked smart questions about learning guitar in previous posts and you seem like you are doing all the right things to further your playing. If focusing on theory helps you - totally cool, disregard what I just typed and go for it - whatever works, works. But learning different “families” of rock grooves and licks - the Chuck Berry Group, the Hey Baby Group (the old Ted Nugent song that sounds like dozens of other songs), the Ramones Group, the AC/DC Group - man, it’s more about street smarts and not being afraid to smack the crap out of the guitar than it is about understanding that a flatted II would follow up the V chord in that specific spot. this is clearly my $.02 and if a jazz-head gets on or a classical player, etc. then everything I said goes out the window. But before I start playing, I don’t check to see if I have my charts out - I try to make sure that the guitar is strapped on low enough to cover my Boys and that I can hit a Windmill chord comfortably… ;)😃 ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-my-guitar/526917/24 "2010-01-30T03:08:27Z")
Also, keep in mind that Keith Richards screws with his tunings a lot. (Open D’s and G’s for instance) Just file that away in your “memory banks” **kev**. You don’t need to know that yet! 😉 Q ---
**Author:** ![kevlaw](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kevlaw/32/2281_2.png) [@kevlaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevlaw)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-my-guitar/526917/25 "2010-01-30T03:40:47Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > **kevlaw** , you have asked smart questions about learning guitar in previous posts and you seem like you are doing all the right things to further your playing. If focusing on theory helps you - totally cool, disregard what I just typed and go for it - whatever works, works. But learning different “families” of rock grooves and licks - the Chuck Berry Group, the Hey Baby Group (the old Ted Nugent song that sounds like dozens of other songs), the Ramones Group, the AC/DC Group - man, it’s more about street smarts and not being afraid to smack the crap out of the guitar than it is about understanding that a flatted II would follow up the V chord in that specific spot. Thanks for the encouragement! I don’t want to learn theory for theory’s sake. I just want to know what I am playing 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-my-guitar/526917/26 "2010-01-30T04:19:36Z")
Easter Bunnies Get Drunk At Easter. My teacher was a little eccentric… ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-my-guitar/526917/27 "2010-01-30T04:37:14Z")
Pete Huttlinger’s dvd’s have always been very good. > **[Amazon.com: Pete Huttlinger's Wonderful World of Chords : Pete Huttlinger, Happy...](https://www.amazon.com/Pete-Huttlingers-Wonderful-World-Chords/dp/B0016ZW560)** > > Get ready to give your left hand a workout! Pete Huttlinger has created a video chord library that's a must-have for every serious guitarist. This crash course is designed to show you all the important chords and fingerings you'll need, from the... > [@](#): > > This crash course is designed to show you all the important chords and fingerings you’ll need, from the easiest shapes to some challenging finger-twisters. Pete has developed a unique and effective study technique he calls Say It and Play It. This is an powerful way to memorize root notes by playing chromatic scales and applying chords to the root location. It’s like your personal GPS system on the fingerboard, helping you lock in exactly where you need to be on the neck. The lesson grows in complexity and sophistication, leading to chord changes for Sweet Georgia Brown and All Of Me, as well as tips on all kinds of music - from folk and blues to pop, country and swing. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2010, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-my-guitar/526917/28 "2010-02-01T03:33:55Z")
> [@Scarlett67](#): > > Thanks for that! I’m a beginning guitar player also (and also coming into it from a piano background, and having the same troubles as the OP) and am having the darnedest time remembering this. The other mnemonic I’ve learned is “Every Angry Dog Growls, Barks, Eats.” But I always forget “Eats” (even though I know the outside strings are the same :smack: ). Eddie’s sad story is much more memorable. > > Thanks also to everyone else for their tips, which will help me too! Nice to learn new mnemonics. The one I know, I can’t really use when teaching others: Every Adult Dick Gets Big Easy. > [@](#): > > I don’t mind C but I’m having a really hard time with barre chords (and I’m convinced that F is called that for a reason. 🙂 ) Gotta just keep trying and building finger strength, I guess. Don’t forget your hand positioning. That’s half the battle fought and won with barre chords. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmundex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e19adc/32.png) [@Sigmundex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmundex)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2010, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-my-guitar/526917/29 "2010-02-01T06:28:56Z")
…and Every Apple Does Go Bad, Eventually. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2010, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-my-guitar/526917/30 "2010-02-01T06:46:49Z")
Every Acid Dealer Gets Busted Eventually. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-my-guitar/526917.md?page=1)