Posted on 17 September 2009. Tags: guitar, Guitar Articles, guitar speed, hobbies, improve guitar speed, music, musical instruments, performing arts, play fast guitar, playing fast guitar, recreation, string instruments
If you’ve been playing the guitar for awhile and can’t seem to get any more speed on your licks, don’t worry because this happens to almost every guitarist. Some guitarists just have more time than others to hash out these skills while you’re left there wishing you could play faster.
You might like playing the guitar as much as the next person, but getting to a professional level of speed sometimes sounds intimidating. Take it one step at a time with these effective tips to start playing fast guitar better.
1. Give your forearms some exercise. If you have weak forearms, you might be looking at the reason you can’t seem to speed up your progress. Take yourself out to the gym and start pumping up those forearms to get that speed increase you need.
2. Do other finger-intensive exercises. Playing fast guitar might be in your mind when the instrument is in your hand, but there are plenty of other things that can improve your finger movement throughout the day. Take up some other skills that involve intensive finger movement like typing or playing the piano in order to keep your fingers working hard.
3. Typing tests are very helpful. If you like to type, then you’re on the right track to improving your guitar-playing speed. Check out some typing test on the internet and actually measure how fast that you’re typing. You’re actually working out your fingers in the process.
4. Cracking your knuckles won’t help you. If you’re the type of person that cracks their knuckles often, you might be paying for it later in life. You could be developing problems in the movement of your fingers and wrists. Try to keep away from this if you want to be playing faster guitar later.
5. Practice electric parts on the acoustic guitar. Maybe you have a couple riffs that you’re playing somewhat fast on the guitar. Transfer them over to the acoustic and try your hand. Your muscles will learn to adapt to the harsher conditions of the acoustic while the speed of playing on the electric guitar will slowly begin to increase.
6. Set reasonable speed goals. You can’t expect to reach goals that sound absolutely crazy and that’s most of the reason guitarists give up on themselves. Set goals that are challenging, but possible to ensure you stay on track with your skills.
It’s a hard business to start playing faster guitar riffs, but it can be accomplished by dedicating yourself to every practice and being consistent with your strategies. Put these 6 tips to the test and see if you can start increasing your guitar speed.
Kyle Hoffman has been a guitarist in a number of accomplished hardcore and rock bands for years. Get your hands on his important tips to playing fast electric guitar absolutely FREE at his well-known guitar blog, How To Guitar Tune now!
Posted in Guitar Articles
Posted on 16 September 2009. Tags: Calluses, Consistency, Continuous Sound, Contrary, Death Metal, death metal guitar, death metal guitar lesson, Fingers, Fret Board, Genres, guitar, Guitar Articles, guitar chords, Guitar Lesson, guitar metal, guitar neck, hobbies, Index Finger, metal guitar, music, musical instruments, musicians, performing arts, Playing The Guitar, Power Chords, recreation, Riff, Riffs, Smooth Style, string instruments, Three Strings
Death metal guitarists really have a way with flying all over the guitar neck during a brutal song. They can give you a lesson in going between chords and riffs effortlessly while putting on a great show too.
Even though some of the methods and tricks for playing death metal guitar chords are challenging, they are important to learn since most of the skills are easily transferable to rock and jazz playing. If you want to develop better skills of pounding out awesome chords for metal, try these 6 effective tips to play metal guitar chords.
1. Put your fingers near the frets when pressing on strings. When you first started playing the guitar, you may have learned to place your fingers in between the frets on the fret board. Something you may have not learned is that your chords are more effective when they are nudged up against the lower fret marking of the fret your finger is occupying.
2. Put your fingers in a position that prepares them for the next riff. Throughout a death metal song, you’re going to encounter chords and riffs of varying difficulty, so you need to be prepared. Be mindful of where you play each chord so that you can be in the best position to execute the next riff that’s coming.
3. Transition your chords smoothly by sliding. As brutal as metal might sound to the audience, it is still an action of creating a very continuous sound between a group of musicians. Help that consistency along by sliding between each chord in a very smooth style.
4. Prepare for more calluses. If you’re playing death metal guitar, you’re most likely playing in one of the drop tunings of ‘D’ or ‘C’. With these tunings you’ll be laying your index finger across three strings at a time to create power chords. You’ll find out soon enough that more calluses will begin to form along the length of your finger.
5. Play your chords ugly and proud. Contrary to other lessons you may have learned about other guitar genres, death metal is as ugly and evil as it gets. Don’t be afraid to create dark chord progressions of only three chords that are adjacent to each other. If you can get them to grind, then you have made something brutal.
6. Partially palm-muted chords make the guitar growl. If there are sections in a song that seem like they need to strike hard but with some eerie reverberation, then maybe you want a partial palm mute. Get into a palm-muting position with your strumming hand, release the pressure by 25%, and then strike a chord for a hard hit followed by a low hum.
Death metal has a very rigid and brutal style about it, and mastering its characteristics is how you truly master the genre. Put these tips to some good use and see if you can really amp up the power and control of your chords.
Kyle Hoffman has performed in a number of successful bands as an experienced guitarist with enthusiasm in the rock and metal genres. To learn his valuable tips on learning fast electric guitar for FREE, visit his popular guitar blog, How To Guitar Tune!
Posted in Guitar Articles
Posted on 15 September 2009. Tags: acoustic electric guitar, Guitar Articles, guitars, hobbies, instruments, music, string instruments
Guitar maintenance need not feel like a boring chore. If you are passionate with your art, then making sure your guitar is always in its top condition should be a natural reaction from you. Anyway, keeping a guitar in tiptop shape is still an easy task to say the least.
If you are still new in this things, it can be quite confusing, especially with all the cleaning products for the guitar out there. Some are formulated to keep the cords in shape. There are others created to clean the fretboard. Read on and learn how you can lengthen the life of your guitar and continue to make music from it.
Dust that accumulates in your guitar hinders its performance and also affects its quality as well. Wipe the dust off you guitar and do so at least once a week. It is by far the simplest thing you can do in raking care of your guitar.
Do not use fancy cleaners if you want to save some cash. Use a guitar solvent instead. They cost around $2 a bottle while fancy guitar solutions are priced at $10 per bottle.
You must also polish the wooden part of your guitar. This will not only give your guitar that shiny look, but polishing also improves the quality of the wood and preserving it in the process. But do not just get wood polishers. Make sure you use the polish designed for guitars.
The strings of your guitar is also a major point of maintenance. Most guitarists prefer to change strings once every two months as this is the general rule of the thumb. The basic step in installing the strings is attaching both ends to their proper places and tune them until you get the right note.
Guitars require some tender loving care aside from deft finger tips for them to last for years. They do not come cheap and even if they do, you still need to take care of them. Preserving and maintaining your guitars pristine condition should be one of your main concerns if you want to continue playing with it.
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Posted in Guitar Articles
Posted on 14 September 2009. Tags: Acoustic Guitar Tab, Acoustic Tabs, Bends, Dots, Easy Tabs, Fingerboard, Fret, guitar, Guitar Articles, Guitar Strings, Guitar Tabs, How To Read Tabs, Metal Bars, music, Music Notation, Musical Notation, Musical Pitches, Notates, Open String, Simple Tune, Slides, string instruments, tabs for acoustic guitar, tabs guitar
You can play acoustic guitar without learning how to read notes. You will use tabs for acoustic guitar which is simpler and more instinctive. Tab is a form of music notation showing where to place you fingers rather than musical pitches. Tabs are used for the largest part of the string instruments.
This variety of musical notation is tabs for acoustic guitar, or tablature. Each chord is notated with one tab, a small chart of the guitar strings themselves. The string at the top of the figure is the one furthest from your body as you hold the guitar. On each of the rows, or lines, the numbers designate the fret you are expected to be playing. A 0 (zero) is used to specify an open string, while an X indicates a muffled string.
If you’re not sure what a fret is, it’s the area between the metal bars on the neck, or the fingerboard of your guitar. Most of the time there will be anywhere between 21 to 24 frets on the acoustic guitar. Their dots are just there to help you in positioning your fingers.
Take a look at the acoustic guitar tab and if all of the numbers are listed one after the other and all on one line, the numbers designate the fret to use on that string; only pluck that particular string. On the other hand, if you notice that the numbers are stacked one on top of the other (in a vertical way) on the individual line, the acoustic guitar tab is instructing you to play these notes all together, strumming all six strings at the same time
When reading tabs for acoustic guitar, you may come across things like, hammer-on, pull-offs, bends and slides. The letter “h” notates hammer-ons. This might be noted on a line as 7h9. Pull-offs are noted in the same way by the letter “p”. Bends are notated by “b” s and slides, “/” (slash).
After understanding how to read tabs, surf online for easy tabs for acoustic guitar and pick a familiar but simple tune and exercise performing it. Even if it might take a while for you to feel fully comfortable reading and performing tabs for acoustic guitar, you’ll feel a great sense of accomplishment when everything falls into place.
Listening to a melody while you are trying to learn it makes it simpler to learn. Details and rhythms that you think you remember will pop out and help you. It can be exceptionally fun to study how to play a guitar when you utilize acoustic guitar tabs. Before you realize it, you have many melodies in your repertoire that you can play at parties to impress friends, or for your sole pleasure.
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 Tabs for Acoustic Guitar learning. Click Tabs for Acoustic Guitar to find free videos as well as information on guitar theory.
Posted in Guitar Articles
Posted on 14 September 2009. Tags: Break, Concentration, Critical Thinking, Easy Songs, Genre, Guidance, guitar, Guitar Articles, guitar improvement, Guitar Master, Guitar Playing, guitar playing secrets, guitarist, hobbies, improve on guitar, Lot, music, Music Guitar, musical instruments, Night Performance, Open Mike Night, performing arts, Playing Guitar, Playing The Guitar, recreation, Riff, Riffs, Shell, Slump, Song Writing, string instruments
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!
Posted in Guitar Articles
Posted on 13 September 2009. Tags: guitar, Guitar Articles, guitar improvement, hobbies, improve on guitar, music, musical instruments, performing arts, string instruments, tips to play guitar
You can remember learning guitar riffs and licks without much practice or focus on technique, but things may have started to slow down. It might take you a couple weeks to perfect something whereas it only took you a couple days before.
If you think that your skills are going through a dull period, don’t worry. Here are some simple and fast tips to play guitar that can get you out of the slump and learning faster again.
1. Owning an electric and an acoustic is a good idea. Some techniques are easily executed on the electric guitar, but maybe not as smoothly on the acoustic. Try your hand on both types of guitars to give your fingers a real workout and force them to adapt to new situations.
2. Friends and relatives might be hiding some guitar secrets. Your relatives might bug the heck out of you every now and then, but you could surprised with some of the knowledge they have. If any of them have played the guitar, ask their advice and trade some tips to play guitar.
3. Watch professionals in action. How are you going to know how the pros play the guitar if you don’t see them in action? Go to shows or watch television specials of your idols to see what their favorite licks are and how they’re executed.
4. Browse for some guitar tutorials online. Everybody wants to be known as an authority on playing the guitar these days and lucky for you, you can gain great information from it! Browse the internet for only a half hour and you should be able to discover dozens of great tutorials and tips to play guitar that suit you.
5. Trade skills and tips with other guys at a jam session. If you learn that a jam session is going on in your area at a coffee shop or art show, get in on that! You can learn so much information from seeing guys just like you strutting their stuff in a convenient little circle all just for fun.
Playing the guitar can be frustrating at times, but everything has a moment that’s going to test your dedication. Try out these tips to play guitar and see if you can’t get yourself blasting out the jams once again.
Kyle Hoffman has been playing the guitar for years in a number of successful bands and wants to help YOU discover how to be a better player! Read his FREE valuable tips on finding the best fast electric guitar lessons at his popular guitar blog, How To Guitar Tune!
Posted in Guitar Articles
Posted on 12 September 2009. Tags: entertainment, guitar, Guitar Articles, guitar improvement, guitar motivation, hobbies, improve on guitar, music, musical instruments, performing arts, string instruments
There might be a time when playing the guitar might seem like a little too much work. The idea of getting out the music and going through scales just sounds boring and dull.
Well, you might be caught in a slump, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t kick yourself out of it. Here are some very simple strategies to jump start your guitar practices and get yourself some guitar motivation.
1. Don’t beat yourself up. The worst thing that you can do is tell yourself that you can’t do it, because that’s not true. If you have good work-ethic and the drive to succeed, playing the guitar will be enjoyable and enrich your life in new and exciting ways.
2. Schedule time to practice. If you don’t make a conscious effort to interrupt the normal layout of the day to fit in some guitar practice time, you might never get your guitar motivation back. Plan out, in your mind or on paper, when and for how long you can spare time to practice the guitar. Even ten or fifteen minutes can get you into the groove again.
3. Practice where you want. If you don’t like to practice in front of other people because it makes you nervous, then don’t do it! Pick the most personal place where you can truly let loose and don’t let anything hold you back on that guitar.
4. Play what you like. Another point for guitar motivation is to make the decision that you’re going to play whatever you want. If you think that you need to practice some scales, but that just sounds awful, then lay off the scales. Whip out some of your favorite licks and go to town.
5. Celebrate your practice with a reward. Not only will this help to get you through the practice, but you’ll feel better about starting up the next one. When you’re done with practice, get some ice cream or something small to remind yourself that you did well.
Your guitar motivation might have been waning last time because you didn’t get to practice what you wanted, and that can stink. Plan on doing things your way the next time so that playing the guitar is a fun experience again.
Kyle has played the guitar in a number of successful bands giving him years of valuable experience as a musician. His progress in the Ohio music scene has deemed him an authority figure on playing guitar.
Posted in Guitar Articles
Posted on 10 September 2009. Tags: death metal guitar, death metal guitar lessons, entertainment, guitar, Guitar Articles, guitar metal, hobbies, metal guitar, musical instruments, performing arts, string instruments
A lot of guitarists might enjoy their jazz, country, rock, or blues, but some of the most technical and interesting riffs can come from a death metal guitar lesson. For some, there’s nothing better than that intense grinding break-down or shredding intro riff in a metal song.
Even though more than one type of metal is known in music, death and black metal are considered extremely intense and brutal compared to others. Take some time to try out these easy but effective tips as part of a short death metal guitar lesson.
1. Learn more by watching. When it comes to guitar skills, seeing usually means believing. Whenever you get the chance, watch a short video online about your favorite artist, their band, or skills that are explained well in a tutorial.
2. Separate your hands. This tip isn’t exactly how it sounds, but you should actually try out skills and techniques with just one hand at a time until it feels comfortable. You might not really get any cool sounds out of it, but your hands will definitely learn to fend for themselves a bit quicker.
3. Find out how your favorite musicians make their distortion. If there’s something about the tone of musician that really catches you off guard, try to find out what they’re using. Check out their web page or forum and look up their equipment list to find out their secrets.
4. The more fingers you use, the faster you can play. One of the most effective ways to slow your progress down when learning new guitar skills is to neglect some of your fingers. One way or another you’re going to need to use four fingers on the guitar neck and you don’t want it to be a shock when that day comes.
5. Learn a couple songs from your favorite metal artists. There’s only so much that you can learn from guitar lessons and courses about death metal, but there’s a lot more you can obtain from actual songs. Research a few easy metal songs and try your hand. You might realize that some techniques are more valuable while others are worthless.
Learning to become a good metal guitarist with a vast array of skills can make you quite marketable as a musician. Put a few of these tips into action and you’ll see your guitar skills begin to improve.
If you’re looking to push your brutal metal guitar skills past all the competition, check out Kyle Hoffman’s FREE report on the bestfast electric guitar courses for a limited time!
Posted in Guitar Articles
Posted on 09 September 2009. Tags: entertainment, guitar, Guitar Articles, hobbies, how to guitar play, improve on guitar, musical instruments, performing arts, play fast guitar, playing fast guitar, string instruments
When you begin as a guitarist, there might come a point when it starts to become difficult to improve on guitar. You may have exhausted all of the same skills without advancing onto anything more challenging.
You can’t let this sort of negative thinking get you down however, because you can still become a professional guitarist. Here are some simple tips that can start some major improvement on the way you play guitar.
1. Explore the guitar neck with one riff. If you seem to be playing the guitar all in one area of the neck remember, there’s a lot more fret board to be explored! Take one of your favorite guitar licks and move it around the guitar neck for a bit more of a challenge.
2. Play with finger resistance. Purchasing a cheap set of finger weights can be a very light but effective resistance to your fingers. After a week or two of playing, take them off. You might just be astounded by how quickly your playing has improved on the guitar.
3. Take online lessons. There’s a wealth of information available to you on the internet and that include dozens of online courses. Do some research for a course that’s guaranteed to teach you the skills you want and get busy learning.
4. Trade the electric for the acoustic. The acoustic guitar has a way of taking everything that was fast and glamorous with the electric guitar and making it even more challenging. Try your normal pull-offs and hammer-ons and you’ll begin to push yourself just a bit more during practice.
Everyone who plays the guitar wants to improve quickly, but sometimes it’s not that easy. Take some time to focus on what your true goals are and work diligently until they are met.
Kyle Hoffman has been playing and loving guitars for years with a number of successful musical acts to his name. Before you sign up for any online guitar offers read Kyle’s FREE report on finding the best fast electric guitar courses online from his blog, How To Guitar Tune.
Posted in Guitar Articles