Beginner musician, Intermediate Linux user here.

[kevinpaladin]

Heylo guys!

I'm Kevin from India. I came across this forum a month back and today I registered on the site. I am glad to meet some fellow Linux Musicians.

Some things about me - I am a beginner in playing the Guitar and the Piano, and I think I've figured out some basic musical concepts, thanks to the little black and white guys on the Piano keyboard.

My system : I use Arch Linux. I just came across this software called Linthesia. Looks cool. Looking ahead to practice the Piano using it.

As for the guitar story, I'm still working on getting my index finger to make all the strings ring clearer while playing the barre chords, especially the 2nd string of the `Big F chord`.

[apathity]

Hello Kevin,

Cool to hear about that. I am a guitar teacher in Austria and I use Linux in my lessons.

That F chord is a tough one! Do you play an acoustic or electric guitar? Happy practising!

- sebastian

[English Guy]

Hi, I am a guitarist as well. Linux has some useful things for guitarists.

I use 'play it slowly' to slow down tracks I am learning (it can also just play a short phrase at a time). You can write tab with tuxguitar (and print it, very useful for teaching), Hydrogen drum machine is useful, as it is best to practice with a beat, or you get a rude surprise when you finally try playing along. If you learn to use a sequencer, you can make your own backing tracks.

Even if you do not intend to do studio style recording the ability to record yourself is useful; it helps you work towards being able to listen to yourself objectively as if listening to another person.

(BTW: the trick I teach re bar chords is, instead of squeezing, put a slight twist on the neck as if trying to bend it back. When you have learned to achieved it, then learn to do it with as little pressure as possible, as it is the excess pressure that will slow you down; in fact, learn to do this with all your chords).

[kevinpaladin]

Hey Sebastian,

Good to hear that. I am practicing on an acoustic guitar. Never used an electric guitar before. I started out with my brother's classical guitar though (I used to strum only), before I switched back to the acoustic guitar a couple of months back.

Hi, I am a guitarist as well. Linux has some useful things for guitarists.

I use 'play it slowly' to slow down tracks I am learning (it can also just play a short phrase at a time). You can write tab with tuxguitar (and print it, very useful for teaching), Hydrogen drum machine is useful, as it is best to practice with a beat, or you get a rude surprise when you finally try playing along. If you learn to use a sequencer, you can make your own backing tracks.

Even if you do not intend to do studio style recording the ability to record yourself is useful; it helps you work towards being able to listen to yourself objectively as if listening to another person.

(BTW: the trick I teach re bar chords is, instead of squeezing, put a slight twist on the neck as if trying to bend it back. When you have learned to achieved it, then learn to do it with as little pressure as possible, as it is the excess pressure that will slow you down; in fact, learn to do this with all your chords).

Thanks for the list of software, English Guy! I will look them up. Regarding your advice on barre chords, that's a very good advice. I need to learn to apply the least pressure possible. My thumb is getting really tired after I hold the F chord for a few seconds. I hope it gets better in time.