Nylon, Steel and Electric - finger memory

Squonk

I have been playing my Nylon for the past 2 weeks and haven't touched the Electric or Acoustic guitar at all...
Until yesterday when I had to do some recording for the Weekly Comp.

Boy did I feel like an amatuer, I think my fingers had adapted to the Nylon and battled at first to come to grips with the Acoustic. It took about 20 minutes of an intense workout before I felt comfortable to attempt recording. Finger memory? different size frets etc.

I dont seem to have this problem when ignore the Nylon for awhile, I can always easily adapt.

How do you guys keep the flow between the different guitars, or dont you have this problem? :-[

aja

I swap between acoustic with 12's and electric with 9's.

Try play some scales on each guitar type every day. That way you will stay accustomed to the different strings.

I push way too hard on the electric if I haven't played it in a while

DonovanB

Maybe you just needed to warm up a bit.

Do you play the same style on both guitars? I know with my Nylon string I play a completely different style to when I play electric guitar.

Squonk

I do play a different style on the Nylon, I play it a lot harder and more percussive.

The Acoustic - I try to tone it down a bit, because it doesn't respond the same way. I find the sustain is quite different, especially after playing the Nylon.

I dont think the problem is the style of playing, it's just my fingers have forgotten the size of the Frets, going from Nylon to Acoustic. But then again it was a bit chilly last night, maybe a warm up was needed. ?

Usually I play the Nylon, Acoustic and Electric a bit each day, but for the last 2 weeks only played Nylon. I had no desire for the steel strings!

Hope I am normal? ???

DonovanB

normal is left out of the T&C of this forum...

AlanRatcliffe

They are all different and require different approaches, so it's just getting used to it and keeping in practice. It gets easier the more you do it.

I rarely play steel acoustic so I always suffer and struggle when I do, but can swap between different electrics (even an electric 12, which is my only Gibson scale length guitar) and nylon with little adjustment time.

Matt-White

Alan Ratcliffe wrote I rarely play steel acoustic so I always suffer and struggle when I do.

Alan struggling? Impossible!!! Shock and horror....

[deleted]

Matt White wrote
Alan Ratcliffe wrote I rarely play steel acoustic so I always suffer and struggle when I do.
Alan struggling? Impossible!!! Shock and horror....

That's a relative term. :?

Carmen

I've got both Nylon and Steel on my guitar:
3 Steel, 3 Nylon... ?

Squonk

Carmen wrote I've got both Nylon and Steel on my guitar:
3 Steel, 3 Nylon... ?

Carmen you have got it made ?

Carmen

Ya, for now. I find the thick steel strings easy to play on...it's the thinner ones that hurt you. I've tried to play on a guitar that's just got steel strings. The last three strings hurt my fingers...

[deleted]

Could some one please explain, Nylon, Acoustic? I thought an acoustic is a guitar that is non-electric, that can have nylon or steel strings.

And while we're talking about steel strings, do you use the same plucking tecnique as nylon strings, or is it prefreble to use a pick? I know there's obviously no right or wrong, but maybe the nails make a grating noise on the strings.

Squonk

Hi Viccy

In the context of what I was talking about.
Acoustic guitar - would be a steel string guitar, Can be plugged in but then transformed to Electro Acoustic
Nylon - Nylon stringed guitar, Classical Guitar

You can use the same plucking technique, or a Pick or even a combination of both.
I dont use a Pick on nylon or acoustic(steel String).

[deleted]

Cool thanks. Is there any differencein the pressure you have to apply to the steel strings(LH)?

aja

Viccy wrote Cool thanks. Is there any differencein the pressure you have to apply to the steel strings(LH)?

The steel string guitars (acoustics) need lots more left hand pressure than the nylon strings, which is good and bad, depending on what tone and techniques you like

AlanRatcliffe

Matt White wrote Alan struggling? Impossible!!! Shock and horror....

Guitar has always been a struggle for me. I've never been a natural player and approach it more as a rhythm instrument that I also make pitched noises on. Still don't think I can play it anywhere as near as well as I should. Fortunately it's not neccessary to be a great player to play great music and enjoy yourself.

I've especially never been much of a steel player - I went from nylon to electric and stayed there. I have a badly neglected steel string (and even that's a classical-sized parlour guitar), but that's more for the tone when needed than playing enjoyment.