Hello community,
I have been playing guitar since 2019, a bit on and off tho, i play fingerstyle a bit more than strumming.
I still struggle with a chord that buzzes here and there in the middle of the song.
Is this normal? Since my reference is only justin and other pros on youtube.
Currently practicing: video games and flowers
The struggles are normal, Avleen. And all of us have our own set, majority of which are common.
A buzzing chord could be caused by a few things, but a likely cause is how you are fretting the chord. I suggest next time you hear it, you pause and take note of what chord it is. Stop playing the song and work on the chord. Be deliberate about that, plucking the strings one-by-one until you identify the source of the buzz. Then experiment to find the cause and fix.
If nothing resolves it then it could be related to the guitar set up eg action to low or neck relief.
Hi Avleen! You might want to adjust the trust rod to lower your guitar action. It makes your chords grips easier as you play fingerstyle, too!
Thank you for your thoughtful reply.
Basic chords changes like going to g chord or c chord were still buzzing, which got me to ask this question.
The guitar seems to be fine.
Since you mentioned that its normal, I’ll just practice and not worry about it.
Avleen - this really all depends on what you really mean by buzzing and whether the buzzing is coming from an issue in your chord formation or an issue with the guitar and its setup.
If you only ever hear the sound you’re alluding to when moving between chords, making chord changes and not when simply playing a single , static chord then it is most likely you have developed and not corrected a bad habit in your fretting hand somewhere.
Photos or a short video are needed to offer real help and advice.
Cheers
Richard
@DarkWillowTM Vincent, I think it is true to say that a truss rod adjustment will effect the action but it’s focus is on the neck relief, the curve of the neck in response to string tension. Checking relief is the first action in a guitar setup, followed by checking the action which is adjusted at the bridge. Then you might check the nut height. Finish with intonation.
What I suggest is firstly not to worry about it, because struggles are normal. But then to focus specifically on that and resolve the issue. We all encounter issues as we learn and the art of deliberate practice is to be highly focused to resolve issues, cure bad habits etc.
As some suggested, I will start with the guitar. Check any other guitar in the store for reference, it is not necessary you.
I have recorded a 15 second video. But i only find the option to share photos and not videos.
Can you help me with this?
You need to upload it to YouTube, it’s free, and then share the link.
This sounded OK to me. The tempo felt a bit uneven, but that can be improved with practice. However, sometimes your fingers seem to be a bit far from the frets which may make the chords more buzzy.
Thanks @Avleen
It is a little too short to really be able to offer much help.
on the G and C chords you seem to be pulling the string out of its alignment and bending it down which will make it sound sharp - not buzz, but slightly out of tune.
It could also be that your action is very high meaning to fret the thicker strings they have to be pressed quite a distance.
Your chord formation seems mostly good. On the very first G/B chord @ 2 seconds your finger is a little too much on top of the fret wire.
@Jozsef mentioned fingers too far from the frets. I saw one C chord where that was happening but the chord sounded okay, you don’t always need every finger to be right up to the fret.
I think the next thing you should do is post a longer recording and ask specifically if people are prepared to give you some constructive feedback. Use this section: Community Recordings - JustinGuitar Community
Post within the Beginners Safe Space topic if you like.
Post a link to this topic if you wish or explain in your new post what your background is and what issues you feel are an issue for you.
Cheers
Richard
Ok sir I will post the recordings there.
Just sharing a pic here of the guitar’s action.
I didn’t hear any buzzing or muting either.
Probably nothing to worry about.
Also, thanks for quickly providing videos when asked. It makes understanding what is actually going on so much easier!
@Avleen
I hesitate to offer full comment from a few photos.
It does look rather like you either have too much back bow or the bridge saddles are high.
The acion from the first fret towards the body seems to climb higher all the way along.
As I say, take that with a cautionary note, it is not so easy to tell from a couple of photos.
What guitar is it?
Do you have a local shop where you could visit and discuss with a guitar tech?
