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Choosing Your Guitar

Rick — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:32:46 +0000

Trevor Greenfield asked:

tarted to learn guitar is no different to learning anything else. The sooner we can start to sound half-way decent the better. All we want to do is go from that point of knowing little or nothing to becoming very familiar with the subject in the shortest time possible.

People get into playing guitar in lots of different ways and sometimes the way that you are introduced to guitar playing can have a big influence on the style you choose and how successful you become.

So let’s look at some of those processes and maybe give you some useful pointers to assist your guitar playing.

I guess quite a few of us get introduced to playing an instrument at school these days and have a reasonably open choice as to what style of guitar we choose.

Many adults, however, having decided to play end up buying a second hand instrument from a local classified ad without any real understanding of the different types of instrument and whether the one they have chosen is best suited to the style they want to play.

Choosing a guitar

There are many different types of guitar but they basically break down into acoustic or electric.

The Spanish or classical guitar is the oldest type of guitar and is an acoustic instrument. This means that it creates its sound by the vibrations of the string which are amplified inside the hollow body. It has nylon strings and has a smaller body than the other types that we will look at. It also has a much wider neck than the other types of guitar. This has some advantages when you are just starting out in that it makes it easier to play chords without the annoying buzzing or touching the wrong strings that are a real pain at first. The wider neck does also mean that you have to stretch your fingers wider to form the chords which can be difficult for children.

I personally think it is a good idea for everyone to start out on a classical guitar and learn the basics of chords, how to form them, some music theory and how to play melodies with both the fingers and a pick.

However, for those of you that want to play rock guitar with all kinds of electronic effects, starting out with a classical guitar will probably not be very appealing. All I will say here is that if you study the great rock guitar players as I have you will find that almost without exception they started out learning the basics on a classical guitar.

The steel strung guitar is also an acoustic guitar which is generally bigger in the body and has a longer neck. This is the style of guitar that folk singers and country singers tend to use. The strings are closer together making it harder to form clean chords and push down on the neck. When you are starting out you will get very sore fingers playing with these steel strings while the ends of your fingers harden off.

Finally we have the many types of electric guitar which generally have sold bodies and rely almost entirely on the electrification to create the sound which is pushed out through an electric amplifier.

I said that often the type of guitar we choose has an effect on our playing experience and this is true. As a guitar teacher, I often found that a child would come to me for lessons with a classical guitar that his or her parents had bought them and would get discouraged when it didn’t sound like Eric Clapton.

I had to explain that you can only play a certain style on a classical guitar but that learning the basics would set them up for life. Some of them accepted this and worked hard to improve but the majority who were impatient like most of us or didn’t really have a passion for it would quit.

The choice of guitar for you is really down to the style you want to play and the budget you have to spend. I would recommend that when you are starting out, you visit a large guitar store with lots of choice and knowledgeable staff to help you.

In the specialist music stores you will always find that the staff are not only very helpful but that most of them are good players too and will be able to demonstrate what the instrument is capable of in the hands of someone that really can play.

Go along, take your time to try some out and don’t worry that you sound like a beginner. We were all beginners once and the guys in the store won’t laugh at you.

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How do I heal my fingertip pain from playing guitar?

Rick — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:45:51 +0000

timespiral asked:

I’ve been playing guitar for a couple of decades and I’ve developed a pain on the fingertip of my index finger (fretboard hand). It is not the calous stuff. It’s deeper. Seems to be bone or nerve. Any suggestions on how to heal?

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Play Learn Guitar

Rick — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:04:24 +0000

Mark Andrews asked:

To play, learn guitar is perhaps one of the most rewarding hobbies, pasttimes that you could take up.

Playing guitar, learn to play guitar well and not only could it give you years of great pleasure but could even with enough practice, send you on your way into a new found career which will give you everything that you desire out of life.

The great beauty of learning to play guitar is the sheer number of options open to you. Perhaps no other musical instrument in the world is able to offer such an incredible diversity of sound, capturing just about every possible human mood and emotion as the violao, as it was traditionally know as.

The guitar, violao has been around for at least 5000 years, one can only imagine the mindboggling number of beautiful songs and sounds that have been created by the guitar in that span of time.

The guitar also give you a great number of choices, there is the classical guitar, the acoustic guitar, the electric guitar to name just three, each with their own unique sound.

Some famous brands of guitar include Gibson, Epiphone, Yamaha, listed in order of expensive guitar, middle of the range guitar and for a guitar on a budget suitable for a begginner, the Yamaha guitar.

Guitar styles and looks also vary a great deal, it is simply amazing the sheer number of guitar styles that you can choose from, truly there is a guitar suitable for everyone, no matter your gender, age or guitar playing experience.

Guitar prices range from just a few dollars to many hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Typically, for the guitar beginner, you don’t have to spend a great deal of money to buy a guitar suitable for your needs, anything from $20-25 upwards should do it, depending on where you buy a guitar from. It pays to ask around your family and friends plus your work colleagues.

Learning to play guitar does take time, as with anything, learning to play the guitar does have it’s own learning curve. The main things to remember are that persistence does pay off, so if you have the patience to learn the guitar, the dividend, payoff for you will be not only giving huge amounts of enjoyment to yourself but also maybe, to thousands of other people around you, throughout the course of your life. One of the great beauties of the guitar is that it can literally be played anywhere and it’s a great conversation ice breaker, when meeting up with other people perhaps for the first time.

Indeed, you can bet your bottom dollar that many a great lifetime friendship has started off by simply playing a guitar song in front of other people, guitar jamming together.

So why not pick up a guitar today and start a life of guitar music guaranteed to bring you years of pleasure and huge amounts of enjoyment?

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How can I insure that I have good "stage presence" while playing guitar?

Rick — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:59:53 +0000

Paul Hxyz asked:

I think I know SOME of what to do, but I am entering a blues guitar playing contest and one of the judging criteria is “stage presence”, which is a very abstract quality if you think about it. I’m interested in how others define it, or what they think it is, or how to improve it, etc. This could include many different aspects of performance, so I’m interested in hearing ANY suggestions, no matter how odd they might seem to somebody else. Thanks to all who answer! BTW: I am an experienced performer, but I really want to see this put into words because the concept really is VERY abstract and I want to do my absolute best EVERY time – thanks again!!!

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Finding The Best Way To Learn Guitar

Rick — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:19:35 +0000

Michelle Bery asked:

When it comes to learning to play an instrument, practice makes perfect. But if you don’t have the fundamentals on which to practice then there’s not much upon which to improve. Just as we take our lessons from school and incorporate them into studying so must we take the basics of playing an instrument and incorporate it into practice. Playing the guitar continues to be a popular desire of many a teenager and adult with rock and role dreams; but learning to play such an instrument requires more than hard work and natural ability. The best way to learn guitar is by seeking out the instruction of someone who is proficient in its use; the manner in which you do this can vary according to your financial and logistical needs.

For some people, the best way to learn guitar is through instructional videos that allow them to practice at times that are convenient for them. Because videos are also extremely affordable, this can be an inexpensive way to embark upon learning this instrument. The downside to the video instruction is that the material soon becomes dated. However, it may be a good way to start off your instruction.

There are books that are devoted to guitar lessons and for some this visual method is the best way to learn guitar. Just as some students learn better by the book then they do by the teacher, the same applies to learning an instrument.

But for most people, the best way to learn guitar is through a knowledgeable and experienced guitar teacher. This can mean private lessons or group instruction depending on your level of commitment and financial considerations. In either case, a person experienced in teaching guitar can observe your technique and give you hands-on instruction in order to improve your skills. For others, this commitment to another person increases their dedication to practice. If you know that you meet with your guitar teacher once a week then you may be more inclined to practice ahead of time.

Ultimately, the best way to learn guitar is to go with the method that works best for you and takes into consideration your availability, time for practice, and budget. Before long, you’ll be well on your to proficient guitar play.

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Does pick type really make a difference in your guitar playing?

Rick — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 23:04:52 +0000

sickest DB alivee 29 asked:

I play guitar and I know that smaller picks and bigger picks sound different but thats not what i am asking about. I’m wondering if picks from different companies really make a difference. Some picks cost much more than others but do they really differ from each other that much? For instance if i got a pack of Fender brand picks, and a pack of First Act picks (same thickness and size) would it make a difference in my playing?

Guitar playing

Acoustic Guitar Books – Learn To Play Guitar

Mathieu Cossec — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 20:09:10 +0000

The are lots of online alternatives for somebody willing to learn how to play the guitar. For instance, you can wish to study through acoustic guitar books. Numerous people would like to learn how to play this fantastic instrument. When you play guitar you can express yourself, your ideas, your feelings, etc.

There are so many acoustic guitar books on the market it’s confusing. And most of them claim to be the best. The whole process of guitar playing with guides is effective because you can obtain all the needed information so that you can learn without problems and effectively.

There are some advantages and cons in using acoustic guitar books. Some people just do not like books. They feel like they are back to school..Before you purchase any acoustic guitar books, make sure that you first look into these advantages and disadvantages.

Pros:

- The acoustic guitar books are usually easy to read and full of information

- Courses most of the time begin with the common fundamentals of playing guitar

- You will also be taught advanced guitar lessons on the later section of the book

- You are free to stop at any level once you’re already pleased with what you’ve learned

- Theory guides also offer training exercises to develop your playing skills

- The most familiar mistakes are listed

- Guides are usually quite cheap

- Acoustic guitar books can be found online or in a bookstore

- Total control, you choose when to learn

- You can study comfortably through the books

Acoustic guitar books the disadvantages:

- Often people will buy a book but not use it

- If you’re not motivated enough and you’re rather an impatient individual, you can’t learn through the use of theory books

- Sometimes it is tough to stay focused

- Reading a book is sometimes tedious for some people and so they can’t focus their attention to learning the essentials of guitar playing

- Using books is not that fun

- No physical demonstration

- You can’t obtain any feedback and so you can’t monitor whether you’re improving or not

- No help support

It is completely up to the person whether he or she will use a book to study guitar playing or not. However, you definitely must consider the advantages and disadvantages mentioned a bit earlier. You see, there are also other alternatives that you can turn to if you think that you can’t study with the books.

Luckily, the best packages contain several resources. Of course they will include one or two acoustic guitar books but they will also propose video tutorials, audio tracks, games and software. You should pick a course that include different kinds of learning resources, it’s a lot more fun and it makes the learning process easier and faster.

Simon Mourrain has been a guitar player for over 10 years. Visit his website http://acousticguitarforbeginner.info and get a HUGE head start on your Acoustic guitar books learning. Click Acoustic guitar books to find free videos as well as information on guitar theory.
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Do You Fancy A Pink Acoustic Guitar ?

Nico Davenport — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:27:10 +0000

You might be a bit taken aback if your tween daughter has been pleading with you to get a pink acoustic guitar. You probably associate guitars with moody teenage boys, not young girls who used to pretend to be princesses and play dress-up just a few years ago. You will probably think it best to buy an inexpensive guitar in case your little girl loses interest. However, before you let her give it up, you should try and encourage her to keep at it.

It is a popular idea nowadays for a girl to want to play music and you should encourage this. This can be because of TV shows like Hannah Montana, who is a young girl pop star. There are good things and bad things about a girl wanting to be a star. As parents, you can use the desire your girl has for a pink acoustic guitar and turn it into a viable interest.

Guitar playing gives young girls a wonderful means to express their feelings in a healthy way. Young people, and specifically young girls, face a huge amount of peer pressure than in previous times. They face social expectations, worries about body image, pressures regarding sex and stress about performing well in school. Girls seem to turn pressure or pain inward on themselves with often drastic results. By supporting girls in their efforts to express their feelings, both good and bad, through playing guitar, this can help them make sense of their emotions while still retaining their privacy.

When your daughter is alone, she can write songs about all the things that matter to her, like first (or second) love and the associated heartbreak. A girl should only have to make her guitar songs public if she wants to. You can be encouraging by asking her to play after dinner. This can show you an indication of what she may be thinking or feeling that you might not know about otherwise.

There are certain things that need to be taken into consideration when it’s time to buy the first guitar for your daughter. First, this isn’t the time to pinch pennies. Don’t purchase just any old pink acoustic guitar from the dollar store or from the toy section. Even people who have been playing the guitar for awhile have a hard time playing an inexpensive guitar. Your best option is to shop locally at a music store, preferably a store that specializes in guitars.

There are various guitars that are visually appealing to girls. The Daisy Rock is a popular company that specializes guitars designed just for girls. It is with a good reason they call themselves The Girl Guitar Company. They sell a variety of guitars from plain pink acoustic guitars to heart and butterfly shaped guitars.

Rather than making your little girls first guitar a surprise gift, take her to the store with you when you shop for it. Each guitar is a little bit different so each pink acoustic guitar is not made in the same way. By allowing your daughter to choose her own guitar, she will get the one that feels best in her hands and the one that sounds just right to her and it will earn a special place in her heart.

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Which is the Best Way of Learning Guitar?

Rick — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:06:45 +0000

Muna wa Wanjiru asked:

A guitar is a fabulous musical instrument that has revolutionized the dimensions of musical industries. Guitar fanatics are used to knowing every bit of the Guitar. There is plenty of information available on the internet relating to any kind of query. One can find any information providing WebPages dedicated entirely to Guitars on internet. Most of the people think that it is difficult to learn a Guitar without proper guidance. However, you will shortly find out that these are just some common misconceptions.

However, you will find that there are plenty of resources available that can teach you to play guitar in the comfort of your home. Internet is the best way of learning Guitar. Tremendous information is available on the internet for learning Guitar. Information related to various parts is also easily available on the internet.

There are many different things that you can access from the internet for learning Guitars. Guitar tab plays important role in playing Guitar. There are different tabs that used to arrange in proper sequence so the noise comes good. If you need more information on the Guitar tab, one can refer www.guitartab.com. It is easy to find information from this site. At the top of this site, you will get Guitar Tab. In the left panel, there are different links like TABROBOT.com, Acoustic Guitar Tabs, A-Z Archive, Guitar Chords and Lyrics, All-Guitar-Tabs.Net, Caption Swap. In the middle of the website, it is provided with Top Tabs which mainly visited by users.

Allguitartabs.com gives information about many tabs; there may be acoustic, amazing grace, batman theme song, hey there Delilah, hotel California, jingle bell rock, silent night, smoke on the water, sweet home, sweet home Alabama.

If you try to open 911tabs.com, you will find it to be full with nearly 1,739,318 tabs. The count is displayed on the top of the page. Guitar tab is the Third option, first tab is Home, second is Fresh tabs, third tab is Guitar tabs, fourth tab is Bass tab, fifth tab is Drum tab, sixth tab is Piano tabs, seventh tab is Guitar pro tabs and last one is Power tabs. Just next to all tabs search engine is provided, which need Brand name or song name according to that it search for tabs. Top 7 Guitar Tab are uploaded there on the website which are Foo Fighters, Guns N Roses, Plain White T S, Colbie Caillat, the Red Jumsuit, Rihana, Plain White T S. This site is also provided with top 100 tabs. Use Band names while browsing to simply the search.

www.e-chods.com gives information about all the guitar tabs and makes it is easier to download all the tabs. Once can select easily the tab that is need at the time.

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Guitar Playing Secrets – Break Out Of Your Slump And Work Towards Being An Awesome Guitarist

Kyle Hoffman — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:43:11 +0000

There will always come a time when a guitarist gets a little frustrated with their progress and can’t seem to improve their skills. It’s at this point you might begin looking for the real guitar playing secrets that can change the way you play forever.

I hate to break the news to you however, but any powerful secrets to turn you into a guitar master in minutes or seconds just doesn’t exist. It really takes hard work and concentration to master the guitar. Try out these effective tips for good guitar playing to try to turn your slump around.

1. Gain some guidance in a band. A good way to gain a lot of information that you couldn’t get by yourself is from other musical individuals. By joining or creating a band, you can learn valuable secrets about responsibility, working on music with others, and playing the guitar with better technique and sensitivity.

2. Try out another guitar. A lot of the time when you can’t pull off a lick or riff that should be simple, the guitar might not be right for you. Try to research what kind of instrument is best for the genre that you’re attempting and buy at the best price.

3. Practice with other people for a change. If you can’t learn any new riffs and licks by yourself a good way to learn is with other guitarists. Make a schedule of guitar practices with a friend where you both play together and you maybe you’ll discover the secret to a couple riffs that you couldn’t play before.

4. Turn easy songs into challenging ones. When the songs you play become just too easy, maybe you can put some critical thinking and song-writing abilities to the test. Try to remake them into something more challenging and appealing and in the process you might pick up some new skills.

5. Open mike nights can break you out of your shell. Take a little more focus on important skills by signing up for an open mike night performance. Not only will you develop your live-playing skills, but you can learn new techniques by watching other performers in action.

As much as you might wish that there were some quick guitar playing secrets to solve all your problems, you’re out of luck. Try out these simple tips, along with your own discretion, and start improving and playing better.

Kyle Hoffman is known as an experienced guitarist that has been performing in popular musical acts for years. Learn his important tips about playing fast electric guitar FREE from his acclaimed guitar blog, How To Guitar Tune!