Private lessons
If you are wanting to get the best results in the shortest amount of time, getting a teacher is definitely the best form of guitar instruction available. Of course, I'm a teacher myself, so I would say that, wouldn't I? Well yeah, I would say that, and I just did. But let me tell you why it's a good move.
The first reason is that having a regular lesson each week will make you more disciplined about your practice in between lessons. A teacher can't practice for you, and you still need to motivate yourself and make a solid habit of it. A disappointingly large number of students will come in week after week and end up repeating the same lesson each time, because it's obvious that they haven't practiced properly in the time in between. However, if you are motivated to learn, having a weekly lesson to prepare for is probably the best sort of encouragement to stay on top of your practice and to make it a habit.
The second reason why private lessons are the best form of guitar instruction, is that a guitar teacher can spot shortcomings in your playing that you won't notice on your own. You might be angling the neck or positioning your hands in a way that makes it especially awkward to play. Maybe you're "cheating" by using fingerslides where you really should be doing a legato pull-off. A dvd or guitar magazine won't point this out to you, but a teacher will.
The other great thing about a good guitar teacher, is that they will tailor the guitar instruction to fit exactly what you want to learn. Any other guitar instruction material will, by necessity, be "one size fits all", and made to suit as many people as possible. A guitar teacher though, can ask you exactly where it is you want to get to, and plot out the steps you need to take based on that
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Playing your first chords
When you first pick up the electric guitar and are unsure exactly what to do with it, one of the first things you will generally learn are some simple chords.
So, just what is a chord, anyway?
Technically, a chord is a set of harmonically related notes, played simultaneously. To be less academic about it, a chord is what happens when you strum several strings together to create a pleasing sound.
The first chords you will learn here are known as Open Chords. These chords take advantage of the open strings.
There is another type of chord known as a Barre Chord. These chords involve pressing one or more fingers down across several strings. Because barre chords involve no open strings, the same shapes can be moved up and down the neck to create a chord in any key. In theory they are not any more complex to play than an open chord. However, they do require more strength in the fingering hand, which can make them frustrating for very new guitarists. This is only a problem for beginner guitarists, after a brief time learning electric guitar you will quickly have enough strength not to be bothered by having to barre a chord.
Chords are named after their root note. The root note is just what musicians the note around which the chord is built. They come in two basic varieties, major and minor. A major chord can be said to have a "strong", "bright" and "happy" sound, while a minor chord has a comparitively "darker" or more "melancholy" sound.
To start with here, for your first chords, we will play 3 different major open chords. For help reading the chord charts, see my post on how to read chord charts. And now, without any further ado, here are the chords:
To play an Open E, place your index finger on the G string at the first fret, place your middle finger on the A string at the second fret, and place your ring finger on the D string at the second fret. Then play every string and let the chord ring out. You've just played an open E!
To play an Open A, place your middle finger on the D string at the second fret, place your ring finger on the G string at the second fret, and place your pinky on B string at the second fret. Then play every string except for the low E.
To play an Open D, place your index finger on the G string at the second fret, place your middle finger on the high E string at the second fret, and place your ring finger on the B string at the third fret. Then sound the 4 high strings, leaving the low E and the A strings unplayed.
That's it, you now know three chords on the electric guitar! If they feel a bit awkward at first, that's okay. Keep playing through them so that they feel a bit more natural, and stay tuned for more posts on how to use these three chords to play a song
So, just what is a chord, anyway?
Technically, a chord is a set of harmonically related notes, played simultaneously. To be less academic about it, a chord is what happens when you strum several strings together to create a pleasing sound.
The first chords you will learn here are known as Open Chords. These chords take advantage of the open strings.
There is another type of chord known as a Barre Chord. These chords involve pressing one or more fingers down across several strings. Because barre chords involve no open strings, the same shapes can be moved up and down the neck to create a chord in any key. In theory they are not any more complex to play than an open chord. However, they do require more strength in the fingering hand, which can make them frustrating for very new guitarists. This is only a problem for beginner guitarists, after a brief time learning electric guitar you will quickly have enough strength not to be bothered by having to barre a chord.
Chords are named after their root note. The root note is just what musicians the note around which the chord is built. They come in two basic varieties, major and minor. A major chord can be said to have a "strong", "bright" and "happy" sound, while a minor chord has a comparitively "darker" or more "melancholy" sound.
To start with here, for your first chords, we will play 3 different major open chords. For help reading the chord charts, see my post on how to read chord charts. And now, without any further ado, here are the chords:
To play an Open E, place your index finger on the G string at the first fret, place your middle finger on the A string at the second fret, and place your ring finger on the D string at the second fret. Then play every string and let the chord ring out. You've just played an open E!
To play an Open A, place your middle finger on the D string at the second fret, place your ring finger on the G string at the second fret, and place your pinky on B string at the second fret. Then play every string except for the low E.
To play an Open D, place your index finger on the G string at the second fret, place your middle finger on the high E string at the second fret, and place your ring finger on the B string at the third fret. Then sound the 4 high strings, leaving the low E and the A strings unplayed.
That's it, you now know three chords on the electric guitar! If they feel a bit awkward at first, that's okay. Keep playing through them so that they feel a bit more natural, and stay tuned for more posts on how to use these three chords to play a song
Understanding neck joints on an electric guitar
The neck joint is the point on a guitar where the neck meets the body. The neck and the body on a solidbody electric guitar can be joined in a number of different ways, each making for different tonal and playing characteristics.
Set Neck
The first solidbody electric guitars featured set necks. These are necks that are glued to the body, in a way not too dissimilar to the neck joint on an acoustic guitar. A set neck offers a fairly smooth heel, with good access to the upper frets. Set neck guitars come in "short tenon" and "long tenon" varieties, which refers to how deeply into the body the neck is attached. Longer tenon guitars are said to have more sustain.
Popular Set Neck guitars include the Gibson Les Paul and the PRS Standard.
Not long after Gibson started commercial production of solidbody electric guitars, Leo Fender came up with his own take on the instrument. His guitars joined the neck to the body using screws and a screw plate. These guitars are much easier to make, and thus much cheaper to manufacture. It also makes for easier repair: when a bolt-on neck gets damaged, it can be easily removed entirely, and replaced with another one.
A bolt-on neck has more attack and snap, and is often said to have a slightly brighter tone. Popular bolt-on guitars include the Fender Stratocaster and the Jackson Dinky.
Through Necks
This type of neck joint is much rarer than the other two, and is typically only found on high end instruments. A "neck through body" guitar involves a neck that runs the entire length of the guitar, with the neck essentially forming the core of the body. Two "wings" are then attached to either side of the neck. This leaves no need for a heel, allowing superb access to the upper frets, and excellent stability and reaction to playing dynamics.
Some of the more common Through Neck guitars include the Jackson Soloist and certain models of the Ibanez RG.
Please be aware that the type of neck joint is only part of what gives an electric guitar it's own particular Attack, Sustain and Decay characteristics. The scale length makes an even more important difference.. longer scale lengths give more sustain, as well as more "snap" and bite, while shorter scale lengths make for a smoother tone. The type of wood will make a difference, as will the density of the particular piece of wood, and the sheer amount of it that is used. Two bits of wood from different parts of the same tree can sound different, even if they've been cut to exactly the same shape. The material that the nut and the bridge are made of will make a difference to the attack characteristics as well, as will the type of frets and the sort of pick you use.
Set Neck
The first solidbody electric guitars featured set necks. These are necks that are glued to the body, in a way not too dissimilar to the neck joint on an acoustic guitar. A set neck offers a fairly smooth heel, with good access to the upper frets. Set neck guitars come in "short tenon" and "long tenon" varieties, which refers to how deeply into the body the neck is attached. Longer tenon guitars are said to have more sustain.
Popular Set Neck guitars include the Gibson Les Paul and the PRS Standard.
Not long after Gibson started commercial production of solidbody electric guitars, Leo Fender came up with his own take on the instrument. His guitars joined the neck to the body using screws and a screw plate. These guitars are much easier to make, and thus much cheaper to manufacture. It also makes for easier repair: when a bolt-on neck gets damaged, it can be easily removed entirely, and replaced with another one.
A bolt-on neck has more attack and snap, and is often said to have a slightly brighter tone. Popular bolt-on guitars include the Fender Stratocaster and the Jackson Dinky.
Through Necks
This type of neck joint is much rarer than the other two, and is typically only found on high end instruments. A "neck through body" guitar involves a neck that runs the entire length of the guitar, with the neck essentially forming the core of the body. Two "wings" are then attached to either side of the neck. This leaves no need for a heel, allowing superb access to the upper frets, and excellent stability and reaction to playing dynamics.
Some of the more common Through Neck guitars include the Jackson Soloist and certain models of the Ibanez RG.
Please be aware that the type of neck joint is only part of what gives an electric guitar it's own particular Attack, Sustain and Decay characteristics. The scale length makes an even more important difference.. longer scale lengths give more sustain, as well as more "snap" and bite, while shorter scale lengths make for a smoother tone. The type of wood will make a difference, as will the density of the particular piece of wood, and the sheer amount of it that is used. Two bits of wood from different parts of the same tree can sound different, even if they've been cut to exactly the same shape. The material that the nut and the bridge are made of will make a difference to the attack characteristics as well, as will the type of frets and the sort of pick you use.
Learning Electric Guitar will help you play acoustic and bass guitar
The electric guitar and acoustic guitar are basically the same instrument. There are differences, of course. Acoustic guitars tend to have heavier strings, and less upper fret access. They also don't really get the same sweet singing tone of an electric guitar plugged into an overdriven amp. However, you can play the same notes and chords on the same strings and frets, provided they're both tuned the same. A bass guitar is also similar to an electric guitar. Basically, if you take the bottom 4 strings of an electric guitar, tune them an octave down, and put them on a much longer neck, then you will have a bass guitar. The left hand technique is much the same. Bass guitarists often use fingers instead of a pick, however knowing the guitar will make the bass easy to approach
If you want to know more about this articles, You can go and them at
guitar5day and thenLearn Electric Guitar
If you want to know more about this articles, You can go and them at
guitar5day and thenLearn Electric Guitar
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