Shane

Thanks for the help man, i really like the idea of mindfulness meditation as i think it's greatly about me not use to listening properly, listening with a attention and really thinking about what i'm hearing. I remember in school in music i was asked to sing a D, and i had no idea whatsoever haha

So basically ever since i started venturing into playing guitar, i've realised more and more i'm far from a natural at it. In fact, when i started jamming a bit in college with friends, they would point out that my guitar is out of tune, and i wouldn't have even noticed. More and more i'm trying to recognise this, and it has improved a lot, but not there yet. I'm not tone deaf, i'm sure. I think it's something that's just hasn't come naturally to me at all. I practise when tuning my guitar, i get the E from my tuner then try the rest and sometimes i get it spot on, sometimes i don't. I also have quite a lot of difficulty trying to sing along (but that's a whole new subject possibly?) Sometimes it can go great, and i feel rather confident that i'm singing along fine, but then the next day it will all change and it seems like i've lost it all. In terms of hearing intervals, i'm pretty fine, it's just recognising what note is what etc. Is there anything i can do to help this? I think room acoustics could have a lot to do with it, i'm better when i'm in the kitchen, or sometimes when i play late at night i can hear the sounds more.

i've been playing acoustic for around 3years now, i play close to every day for at minimum 15minutes and obvious have callous built up, but still my fingers hurt when trying to learn new songs etc i guess because i'm trying harder and doing it for longer. Is there any little tips that are useful for stopping this?

ok so i'm a complete retard when it comes to tones, keys etc...but i'm becoming more aware of it, but the problem is i was writing lyrics long before i was playing guitar, and when writing them i already have it sung out in my head with the melody and what not. Is there any tips on how to put guitar to what i've already got in my head?

I've always loved music and dreamt about being in a band or something...but always distanced myself from the idea of writing lyrics. But then once i actually started to st and listen to lyrics in songs i loved a lot more, analyse them for meanings etc i guess was about the same time i began making lyrics up in my head. I couldn't help it; i'd hear a particular line in a song that stood out from me, and make up a line relating to that or something and go on from there. So eventually i just began putting these lines to paper and building off from them...and i guess what made me stick at it is it's quite tedious to manage to write a full lyric, but that's what makes it fun I've also got a lot on my mind, from family, friends, to just general political topics, so i tend to write about that.

Thanks for the info. I think it will be best if i wait til i can get back to my normal computer and buy a podcast mic, that way i can get guitar and vocals down on seperate tracks and put them together. I might get a recorder still though just for practicality and ease

Dream on - Aerosmith

Amy alternative ways of recording without a comp***

Hey I'm a student so I don't have much money at all and I'm looking for a very cheap and easy way of recording down some acoustic songs. I just want something where I can get guitar down easy and then see what lyrics/vocals match with it. I'm planning on getting a USB podcast mic soon which should be pretty simples but I don't have access to my computer ATM, is there any way of doing it without the use of a computer?

I'm a student which means i'll have a long time off soon. Not only just out of general curiosity, but whilst i'm off i'd like to find some inspiration. So which lyricists do you love, and why? My personal favourite is Matt Davies from the band Funeral for a Friend (more so their earlier stuff). He has such poetic and unique lyrics and some lyrics can give some fantastic imagery, such as "we're sitting half way, away from nowhere, praying for our lips to touch" and "your neonlight daydream will shatter and break". I also really like Dallas Green from Alexisonfire/City and Colour and Bert McKraken from The Used.

As said already, nothing wrong with unfinished songs. If you concentrate too muh on a song you could get too consumed and have a finished one thats just no good. Work on something new, completely unrelated to your unfinished song and it could spark some creativity and sudden ideas. Perhaps don't focus on writing so much neither, get on with everyday like and just think about it every now and again, sitting yourself down in a room with a pad can really fry your brain, so just tune out a bit.

She drove me to daytime television - Funeral for a friend

still havn't gotten round to getting one and remembered this post...so glad i looked at it as this ipod thing looks quite promising for my price range, thankyou

thankyou Whats your take on podcast mics? They pretty much made to be suitable for computers and home use, and seem rather cheap