Tag Archive | "guitars"

Choosing Pickups For Your Favorite Electric Guitar


by Kyle Zoltowski

The harmonious and vibrant sound of electric guitars was the pinnacle of rock and roll. During the 1950′s, this inclusion of the electric guitar was being tried and then in the 60′s and 1970′s, that sound was made better until it lead the way to the most popular music of all time. The amazing sound that comes from an electric guitar is amazing. It is amazing to imagine where music would be today if it hadn’t been for the creation of the electric guitar; horrible to think of. A band without an electric guitar is like a child without its parents.

Electric guitars come in several different shapes, sizes, colors, and designs. Some think that it does not matter what electric guitar that is used because they all are the same thing. This is simply not true; brand, size, pickups, and neck all make a difference in the sound that spews from the guitar. Because of this, certain brands of electric guitars remained popular for decades because of the precision that is put into making them. However, the biggest contributor to the sound produced is the pickups.

Whether starting the next great rockband, jamming solo, or adding instruments to your band’s arsenal, you should be aware of the different types of pickups used in electric guitars prior to your purchase. Many stores will let you you testing them and can be very helpful in providing information and assisting one in choosing the perfect electric guitar. Make sure to get an explanation about the various pickup arrangements. Thestyles of pickups for electric guitars are:

* Single Coil Pickups – This type of pickup has a single coil. Single coil pickups are the oldest of electric guitar pickups. When strumming on single coil pickup, the sound is compromised by other frequencies in the area which make a humming sound. These types of pickups are not often seen today but are the choice of a few very well known rockers because of the blues-like sound they produce.

* Humbucker Pickups – This pickup has two coils wherein the unwanted hum of the single coil pickup is eliminated. Essentially, the coil carries two signals: one that the guitar is letting out and one that kills the humming noise. The actual piece that does this is called a Humbucker which was patented in 1954. The humbucker is basically the arrangement of two coils.

* Double Coil Pickups – This type in pickups, like the name, consist of two coils. But, for an unknown reason, musicians do enjoy the hum sound once in a while so the double coil pickup electric guitars sometimes come with a switch that can cancel the second coil.

There are many other factors that go into the sound an electric guitar produces. However, pickups are the sound makers. Other things for example: neck length, shape, material, frets, and tuners also play a part but not like the pickups. For decades, pioneers have been trying new things in hopes to finding the perfect guitar to make the best sound. Rock and roll has changed in some ways but in other ways it has stayed the same.

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My Enjoyment Of My Friends And Music


by Aimee Jones

Nowadays, if you would notice, our surroundings are full of noise. Noise coming from vehicles, people talking or shouting, the sound of a loud television, dogs barking and even fireworks on some occasions. And even if you’re sleeping, you can hear car engines still traveling at night or maybe your air conditioner inside your room, they make noises too. Sounds could be irritating or pleasing to our ears, and when we think of music, most of the time it’s nice to listen with it.

My mother and father are both member of a band, my mom was the vocalist and my dad was the drummer and sometimes the guitarist too. They said that its music that brought them together.

My sister and I grew up listening to their music most of the time. My mom would always record all of the songs that she has sung and give it to us to listen to. My father then would teach us how to sing them properly and make us record our own songs as well

Looking back at those times when we were still young, I realized that whenever you sing, just like my mother, you have to have feelings on it, and not just for the sake of you performing in front of a crowd. Mom would also tell us that whenever she sings, she would think of me, if it’s a different song then that would be for my sister and another for my dad of course. This only means that she thinks of us, her loved ones, and that is the reason why she performs well because it’s like dedicating the song to us even if we are not there.

Every weekend, my whole family would just sit around the house while doing karaoke, singing our hearts out while having some great snacks too. Sometimes we even have visitors which are more fun since most of them would like to sing the whole day too.

To have music in the family is a great way to spend and enjoy your everyday. You could be the singer or the drummer, the guitarist or the pianist, whatever your interest maybe, it will sure be fun for everyone.

With music around, you can be your self. You may not be the type who wants to create music but for sure, you can always listen. With so many kinds to choose from, you’ll definitely find one that can make you think of happy thoughts or memories even make yourself free from stress since music can make your mind relax, especially the classic ones.

My love for music will always be there as my love for my family as well. Music helps me remember good things about them and will always remind me wherever I go.

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Learning the Guitar on the Internet


by Matthew James

Teaching yourself with the ways and techniques of playing the guitar can now be as easy as dong your homework. With the many available guitar lessons posted in the internet, one can search the basic and the most complex lessons offered online. To learn a guitar online, one may search through different search engines to avail of the different lessons offered via internet. It is quite easy to understand the basics of guitar playing and with the help of some tips online; one can surely grasp the dos and donts of playing the guitar.

There are many guitar lessons online that beginners can use and it is so much easy to understand. You just have to have some patience and dedication in learning it and you find yourself tuning the chords in a short span of time. For you to learn a guitar online, you must search for the lessons that could give you the simplest way in knowing the chords in a short time. Moreover, since you are learning by yourself, without the dedication to stick with it, you will give up.

There are many available guitar lessons online that you may want to learn, some of which comes with a video clip to let you learn how to play guitar faster. You just have to find the perfect guitar lesson online that can give you the basics of guitar playing as a starter before you can move to a complex guitar lessons. Many websites offer videos and tips so be careful which you choose.

With so many websites on the internet, you are going to find many options to learn the guitar. For visual learners, there are many video websites out there. Sites like Youtube, Vimeo, and Garbage band all have people offering free tips and tricks on how to play the guitar. These lessons are free and will cover all the things you need to know about learning a guitar. Moreover, you can learn at your own pace which is a good added benefit.

After you know the good places to learn the guitar, you can read all the information you need at your own pace. One of the advantages of learning the guitar online is that you can learn it at your own pace. When you are learning the guitar online, you have the advantage of going at your own pace. In a class, you can go very quickly and if you can’t keep up, you’ll fall behind. If you are a slow learner, hiring a teacher can be costly. However, learning at your own pace for free can solve all of those problems.

Learning the guitar online is a great and easy way for people to learn this musical instrument. If you don’t have a lot of time or just really like to learn on your own, this method is great for you. Remember though that you need a lot of dedication, otherwise you won’t be successful. Learning on your own is hard and learning on the internet is even harder. However, if you are dedicated, you’ll succeed.

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Advice on Learning to Play a Guitar Quickly


by Matthew James

In today’s modern world, no one wants to spend time doing a lot of things. We are conditioned to have instant gratification. This applies to learning a music instrument. People want to learn the guitar but they want to learn it fast. If you want to be great at the guitar, it will take a long time to learn the instrument but there are ways to learn the basics fast.

Guitar players are very popular nowadays thus many people especially teenagers are interested into enhancing their musical talents. Mastering this art can very much rely on talent. However, if you put your heart into the learning process, you can find it easier to absorb the skills necessary in playing the guitar. Even if you are learning the guitar fast, you will be able to pick it up more easily because you will have a natural talent.

Nowadays, concerns on how to learn guitar fast has been facilitated by vast selection of instructional guides. You can even find systematic guides on how you can achieve the professional level of playing the guitar. Learning the guitar would definitely require you to understand the basics of how to use the instrument. This would definitely relate to handling the instrument while you play such as finger positions and producing simple chords.

The guitar that you will use for your lessons is very important. You should be comfortable in using your instrument of choice so that you can easily apply the ideas that you have learned from the instructional guides. A guitar that can last for a very long time is a great choice when it comes to giving the learning procedure a serious thought. However, if you just need to master a few tricks and only need to have the capacity to play some tunes, renting a guitar is a more plausible option.

You may want to learn guitar fast on your own through educational materials such as instructional DVDs. You may acquire the knowledge that you need as if you were being taught inside a classroom. These videos can be played back repeatedly which makes it a very effective tool when learning finger positions with accuracy. Additionally, if you need to take a break, you can simply hit the pause button and come back later.

Learning the guitar is hard work but there are many ways to speed up the process. The next time you are looking to learn the guitar don’t get dismayed by the fact it takes a long time. You can learn many of the basics of playing a guitar on your own and at your convenience. This is great for people who don’t have much time. So go get a guitar and start rocking!

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A Guitar Players Guide to Purchasing Their Next Electric Guitar


by Kyle Zoltowski

Live Rock gigs were the rage in the 60′s and they drove numerous kids to buy their first electric guitars. In this day and age, video games like Guitar Hero World Tour are having nearly the same effect.

The heart of all classic rock music doesn’t just lie with the words; it also lies with the electric guitar and the various sounds that it can produce. There are so many kids across the block who would give anything to play like David Gilmour,John Petrucci, Carlos Santana, Angus Young etc. These men are not just some of the best guitarists of their times, they are legends.

If you are interested in discovering how to play the guitar then the first thing you will need to buy is a guitar. A lot of people start with an acoustic and graduate to the electric guitar. It is usually quite difficult for someone new to choose the appropriate guitar right off the bat since there are 100′s of makes out there on the market. If you’re getting an electric guitar then you’ll need to also pick up an amplifier, pick-ups, picks, a tuner, perhaps an effects pedal etc.

Electric guitars can be bought in a huge variety of colors and designs with the aerodynamic designs being some of the most popular. Don’t go for the first guitar you see. You need to spend time looking around and check out the various prices and vast array of models before you buy one. In fact, one of the coolest ways to choose a guitar is by the brand or by the style. Here’s our take on the 4 basic styles:

Stratocaster – This certainly is a show stealer and has a typical style. The most famous is the red and white color combination, which was used regularly by Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits. The Stratocaster is from Fender and has a neck sturdily bolted to the guitar body. Apart from this, it has twin cut away sides, 22 frets accompanied by a tremolo bar and 3 pickups. Fender designed the first Stratocaster in the early 50′s. Some of the popular designs are:

* Deluxe Strat: Approx $600 * American Deluxe Strat HSS in Rosewood: Approx $1350 * Fender Standard Stratocaster Electric: Approx $400 * Fender Standard Strat Electric Guitar: Approx $750 * Strat Eric Johnson Signature model: Approx $1950

Telecaster (Also known as the ‘Tele’) – The Telecaster is another great guitar from Fenders. It is more than just another electric guitar; it is more like a complete orchestra. It is a solid body electric and comprises of twin pick-ups. The first Telecaster was manufactured by Fender in the 1940′s and has a mono cutaway body. It doesn’t have the wammy bar but has two different single-coil pickups. Some of the popular Telecaster models include:

* Fender American Telecaster HS: $900-$1150 * Fender Standard Telecaster Electric Guitar: $300-$550 * 63 Tele Relic Solid Body Electric: $2500-$3250 * Fender 72 Tele Custom Guitar: $750-$800

Gibson Les Paul – This phenomenal electric guitar was designed by Gibson for some of the stars of the day. The salient feature of a Gibson Les Paul guitar is its set neck, which means there are no joints. The body is a single cutaway. It is equipped with dual pickups as well as a raised scratch-plate. If you want to play twisted sound then the Les Paul will provide you with a huge range. Some of the well known guitarists who use the Les Pauls include Kirk Hammett (Metallica) and Carlos Santana. Some of the famed Les Paul models include:

* Les Paul Custom Electric Guitar: $3050-$3500 * 1959 Les Paul Standard Electric Guitar: $5550-$6000 * Les Paul Vintage Mahogany Guitar: $700-$850 * Les Paul Classic Electric: $1800-$1900

Gibson – This is one of the most well known brands in all of guitar and all their guitar models are absolute classics that can’t be compared to the others. Gibson guitar company was actually incorporated in 1902 by Orville Gibson and has been singly accountable for giving us some of the most innovative acoustic and electric guitars. A couple of the famous models include the arch-top L5 model and the Flying V etc. Some of the well known shredders who have played a Gibson or are still using it include Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) and Toni Iommi (Black Sabbath) to name a couple. Some of the most popular Gibson models include:

* Gibson Flying V: $500-$600 * SG 61 Classic Electric Guitar: $1500-$1600 * Faded SG Special Electric: $550-$600 * Gibson Explorer Pro Guitar: $1100-$1200

These are the best brands of guitars. The other aspects that will help you to pick up a guitar include the shape of the fretboard, the pick-ups, and the body. Full-bodied electrics are generally preferred as they can produce some of the best noises that you will ever get to hear.

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The History of the Guitar


by A. Nutt

The guitar is perhaps one of the most recognized musical instrument apart from the piano. What many people dont realize is that this symbol of rock and roll has been around for over 4,000 years, in some form or another.

Origins The first real guitar-like item to be discovered was the tanbur. One of these was actually found in Egypt, near Queen Hatshepsuts tomb. The tanbur was built of polished cedar and had a soundboard made of leather. Though featuring just three strings, it resembles a crude guitar. The tanbur can be seen in the Archeological Museum in Cairo and is about 3,500 years old.

Shortly after the tanbur was popular in Egypt, the lute was developed in Europe. This instrument was made up of a rounded body with a very short neck. Many historians say that this developed into a completely different line of musical instruments and has nothing to do with the guitar, while others claim it does.

What we do know is that there are a number of inventions throughout history around the world that utilized the basic idea of a soundbox body, long fretted neck and varying numbers of strings, including the sitar, setar, and the chitar, a four stringed musical device that was renamed ‘chitarra’ or ‘guitarra’ when it reached Spain.

Early Guitars The original versions were rather stumpy in appearance, with just 8 frets above the soundbox and most had only four strings. These were popular during the 16th century, but by the following century, the instruments had evolved to have six strings and 12 frets along the neck.

During the 1800s, the guitar was in essentially the same form we see it today, only smaller in size. The form of the body was fairly curved. In the 1850s, a Spanish instrument builder named Antonio Torres took the initiative to create a larger body, changed the proportions, and invented the top bracing pattern that gives todays guitars more volume, in a fan shape. However, just a few years later, a German by the name of Christian Frederich Martin designed a version with an X brace. When steel strings began to appear in 1900, the older, fan shaped brace was unable to stand up to the tension provided by the steel strings. Martins design took hold, as it was far stronger and held the guitar together very well, withstanding the far louder steel strings. This version has changed very little in the intervening decades, the design was finally settled.

Altering a Classic Once the basic form was established, people began to come up with their own versions. Orville Gibson developed an arched top guitar with sound holes, Lloyd Loar altered that design further to create the jazz guitar with f-holes, cello tail and a floating bridge.

Then, in the 1920s, the electric guitar was built, without the need for a soundbox since it had electrical pickups. This form didnt become popular for another couple of decades, but then a number of variations were made on this, as well.

The guitar has a long and varied history. Still, it has fascinated people for centuries and we probably havent seen the end of the variations on the basic form.

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