Getting started with difficult chords

Arai

Hi there,

I'm sure this has probably been discussed elsewhere, so my apologies if this is asking the same thing again. Any help at all would be really appreciated.

I've just started getting into the style and am loving it so far. Learning about and trying to replicate some of the subtleties of a 'simple' pompe is fascinating.

My big problem is with all these new chords - covering multiple strings without muting others, using the thumb - it feels like I'll never get the hang of these, let alone actually be able to play them in a song. I'm not a very experienced guitar player to start with, so I've got a lot of work to do.

Just wondering where is the best place to start in terms of exercises, or lessons or techniques that might help me in the beginning stages with GJ chords? My teacher tells me not to give up on the harder ones - the do sound lovely when I can manage them - but just wondering what other people have done that helped them in the beginning?

Thanks for any help,

pickitjohn

Hey Arai,

As you said there has been MANY threads about chords, books, online schools, and getting started.
You can use the search engine above and find them.

Depending on how you learn best you can use any or all of the above materials.

Answers I found most useful for me are

Book
Gypsy Picking, Seems to always come up first in the threads:

http://shoppingcart.djangobooks.com/Item/gypsypicking

I learn best play the Gypsy Chords to songs I already have played only with the Gypsy Voicings.

If that works for you also I would suggest DC music school.
The Gypsy Jazz Rhythm with Hono Winterstein series is great you get it in three forms. Visual, Audio, and Paper PDF.

http://www.dc-musicschool.com/tagged/gypsy-jazz/

There's actually a Campaign going on to raise funds to produce new material and you can pick up some perks of this and other series.

Check out Tcha Limberger's instructional video in welcome Forum

http://www.djangobooks.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=11629

"Pick on" pickitjohn

Jim Kaznosky

For rhythm, I'd suggest looking at the Hono course as mentioned and at Denis Chang's Art of Accompaniment first. When the Nousche course is released to the public in a few weeks, that should be something to consider, as I understand it contains a tiered approach. Also check out gypsyjazzschool.com...you can purchase individual courses on rhythm.

Michael's Gypsy Rhythm is a virtual bible of rhythm guitar for this style.