Friday 28 November 2008

Get Your Guitar Lessons in One Click!

Guitar lessons are what you will actually need to jump start a great career in guitar music. Self-help books may be suggested but they cannot guarantee actual expertise, and no one will be able to assess your progress from time to time. More so, a self-initiated drive must be mustered for an online lesson, just because if you get lazy in a while, you may not be able to finish the lessons that could change your guitar playing forever.

Guitar lessons online can be a great alternative to learning the best guitar tricks, and it saves you the effort in finding a teacher around your community for days. What's better, is that you can take your lessons at your convenient time. There are a variety of guitar lessons online that can be suited to your needs as a beginner. They come with different features that will teach you some worthwhile guitar skills.

These guitar lessons, are however, not free. They can cost you as much as it will cost you with a real guitar instructor, and some sites can be scams if you are not wary of them. Scams include paying for the lessons beforehand, without getting actual lessons that are worth taking after all, or worse, you get none at all after payment.

There are some free guitar lessons online written or taught by the worlds greatest guitarists that can also start you with your guitar dreams. All you need to do is decide on the best alternatives which will benefit you the most.

If you're really looking to find the perfect guitar lessons online, why don't you get your free e-book at http://freeguitarguide.googlepages.com/ and perfect your guitar playing overnight!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ellen_Tayana

Tuesday 25 November 2008

How to Learn Guitar Theory on the Fretboard

All guitar players may have different ways of thinking about music theory initially, but they all end up applying musical concepts to the guitar fretboard in a similar manner. This is because the fretboard is a grid and learning it properly requires mapping out chords and scales in the forms of shapes and patterns. So the end result is the same. Today's guitarists can focus on this end result without dwelling too much on the details of written notation or traditional theory. This guitar specific application of music theory, which focuses on the guitar fretboard, is called guitar theory.

Guitar players make many attempts to learn more about how music works. They study notation, learn about the circle of fifths, memorize step formulas for certain scales, and the list goes on and on. What good does all this do in terms of affecting how guitarists play? Not much. There's more to it. Without following through to the guitar fretboard new musical information is useless.

Traditional thought has corrupted the teaching of guitar for too long. Guitar players shouldn't base their studies on methods created for other instruments, like the piano or orchestra instruments. Good musicians prepare themselves to understand and play their instruments specifically. Modern guitar players need to focus on mapping out guitar scales, chords and progressions on the fretboard and this is precisely what guitar theory will teach.

Guitar theory will focus on properly visualizing shapes, patterns and how they connect on the fretboard. Good guitar players understand how musical components relate to each other by the way these pieces fit together. Taking a hands-on approach to learning guitar theory can save players from much frustration and literally add years to their musical development.

Play Until Your Fingers Bleed!

Mr. Desi Serna

Author of Fretboard Theory

http://www.Guitar-Music-Theory.com


Sunday 23 November 2008

Buying A Bass Guitar – Parts Of A Bass Guitar You Should Know About

Buying a Bass Guitar – Parts of a Bass Guitar You Should Know About

So you feel that you are ready for buying a bass guitar, but your not quite sure where to start? Well before you just walk into a guitar store and buy the first bass guitar they give you, it would be wise to gather up a little knowledge about the different variations you will likely encounter.

Here are some important terms and features that would be a good idea to get familiar with before you choose your first bass.

Scale Length

The scale length is measured in inches and refers to to vibrating length of the bass strings. The longer the neck is on the bass will mean that the scale length will be longer. A bassist with small hands will want to look for a smaller scale, because large scale bass guitars have more distance between each fret, and this will make it difficult for them to stretch their fret hand far enough.

Most Common Scale Lengths For Electric Bass

Xtra Long: 35+ in.
Long (Standard): 34 in.
Medium: 32 in.
Short: 30 in.

Check The Nut Width

The nut is usually a whit colored plastic component with grooves that guide the strings to the tunning pegs. The nut width is simply the width of the neck at the nut. Again, a wider nut will only give the small hand people a disadvantage.

Four String, Five String...?

The very first bass was a four string bass and for many decades, it stayed that way. Today, a bass guitar is available in 4, 5, 6, all the way to 12 string. The four and five string bass are the two most common configurations, but it will depend on what style of music you play. The difference between the four and five string bass is that the five string adds a lower string. Here are the tuning for each:

Four String Tuning:

E(top)-A-D-G(bottom)


Five String Tuning:

B(top)-E-A-D-G(bottom)

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Friday 21 November 2008

Learn And Master Guitar - Steps To Guitar Success

Beginner? Buy a Used Guitar

If you are a beginner in the guitar world, then it is very important that you start off with a used guitar. Not only are they cheaper, but you reduce the chances of messing a new guitar due to the many hours of practice that you will put in.

Make sure that you find a quality guitar that has a used price. If you can find a brand new guitar at used price then buy it! Just avoid spending tons of money on a beginner’s guitar that you can possibly break in a matter of days.

Two Guitar Categories

There are two types of guitars, Acoustic and Electric. It is definitely best if you start off practicing with a simple acoustic guitar. Not only is this better because you will be able to play anywhere, whenever you want to, but you will also get a better feel on how to tune your instrument.

Electric Guitars as we all know are the loud type. They use “pick-ups” in order to convert the vibration of the steel strings into electrical current. This vibration is then converted and makes a sound through an electric amplifier. This type of guitar is used with many different types of music, no only rock

Remember That There Is No Age Limit

There is no age limit when it comes to learning the guitar. Whether you are six or sixty, you can start playing the guitar today! Make sure that you start practicing everyday, and remember to patient as well. The number one cause of failure while learning the guitar is a lack of faith and persistence.

Remember that anyone has the capability to learn how to play the guitar. The best way is to find a guitar professional in your community to give you step-by-step lessons. By doing this, you will ultimately achieve guitar success.

Are You A Beginner And Want To Learn The Guitar With Ease?
Do You Want To Play By Ear? Or Have the Ability To Ready Sheet Music?

Read Free Here: Jamorama - Easy Guitar Lessons

Larry Gordo has been observing & playing guitars for 10 years and has even seen the worst guitar beginners turn into extraordinary talents.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_Gordo

Wednesday 19 November 2008

Playing Bass Guitar Made Easy With Bass Guitar Tabs

You need a manual to operate a new appliance. You need to read the rules before you play a new board game. Learning to play the bass guitar is no different. You’ll have a manual like no other – the tablature.

Guitar Tablature

Learning to play the bass guitar is made easy with guitar tablature. Anybody who has a guitar and is willing to spend some time learning the rudiments can get along fine. If you are new to guitar lessons, do not be confused about tabs and tablature. They mean the exact, same thing in guitar lingo.

Bass guitar tabs or other guitar tablature provide visual interpretation of the guitar’s fret board so formal training is not necessary to understand guitar tabs. Bass guitar tabs are also easy to read and interpret; hence, application is faster and easier. Bass guitar tabs are musical notations that look like a written music document. Instead of the usual dots spread on a 5 line stave to show a specific note, the frets are numbered on a six line stave. The line represents a guitar’s string. Therefore, the six lines are the six strings of the guitar. Bass guitar tabs are also read from left to right.

If you have a four-stringed bass guitar, the bass guitar tabs will show four horizontal lines representing the four strings. The topmost string is the G string, followed by the D string, the A string, and lastly, the E string. If you see two numbers (one above the other) on one string, it indicates that the string is to be played simultaneously.

Wake up those fingers

If you are reading bass guitar tabs, you will notice that you won’t be determining the position of the fret board where you have to play the note. The bass guitar notes can be played in various left hand positions and on diverse strings. Bass guitar tabs are also easy to understand because the notations are clear. Instead of learning how to study the pitch, you are learning where to place your fingers.

Playing the bass guitar is taxing. It requires speed, and with all the slapping and sliding, the fingers should be exercised regularly to perform well. In addition, your fingers should be able to take the impossible chords and switch chords with ease and agility. Practicing the hand is basic in bass guitar playing. You have to achieve speed without losing accuracy with each pluck. You also have to get used to the sensation of holding the guitar without using your left hand. As you go along, you will discover that you won’t be depending on your left hand to prop the guitar. Master this, and play all bass guitar tabs with ease.

Apart from the bass guitar tabs and acquiring fingering speed, bass guitarists have to learn the tapping, slapping, and popping techniques. These techniques support the song context, making the notes more appealing and distinctive.

Get those bass guitar tabs

The Internet has made it possible for almost everyone to get guitar tabs. They can choose the songs they want to play, or even entire albums of their favorite rock bands. Bass guitar tabs can be downloaded anytime. E-books and CDs on all guitar tabs and playing styles are also available for a minimal fee. Joining guitar forums can also boost your knowledge about bass guitars – tabs and all. Indeed, master the manual and you’ll master the instrument.

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Tuesday 18 November 2008

Guitar Players: Why Not Guitar Synth?

Guitar Synthesizers have been around for years. I remember seeing a picture of Pete Townsend of The Who back in the early/mid-seventies with an ARP.

Since then it has come a long way and still needs tweaking but it is usable.

The technology is there. Use it. If you do not, you are missing a lot.

Checkout Pat Metheny and others.

You can't just plug your guitar's output into a box and get great synth sounds. You need a 13-pin connection. This is achieved by using a specially designed hex pickup that attaches to your guitar (Roland, Axon) or use a guitar that has it built -in already. The guitar option also comes in two versions-Hex pickups or piezo. The hex pickup is the same as the external pickups. The piezo version has piezo transducers in the bridge. The piezo built -in version is better, more accurate. It will also gives you an acoustic sound via the piezo transducers. This is a great option to have because you can have an acoustic sound through an amp without bringing an extra guitar to the gig or rehearsal and you can combine this sound with the electric tones and synth sounds. This is huge sound on stage!

Coming from the pickup is a 13-pin din cable that plugs into a converter box. Again, Roland and Axon are the main companies with Axon being on the cutting edge for midi conversion

Depending on the box, you can get some with sounds, without sounds or USB connection for computer recording.

Once you have this setup, you would have to tweak the settings in the box to how you play. Each guitar player is different. Each guitar is different. One guitar player could use different techniques (finger picking, hard picking, very soft picking, tapping, etc). Sensitivity, tuning, feel/picking are some of the settings to look at.

Imagine recording a guitar track, then adding piano, bass, drums, strings, sax and more right from the guitar. Using a 13-pin guitar to access synth or samples sounds opens a whole world for expression, composing, recording, inspiration and more. It allows you to control software sounds in your computer that you already have but can't use unless you play keyboard. A lot of guitar players do not want to play keyboard! You can input notes into tab or notation. Play it back and print it out. A great tool for teaching!

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Monday 17 November 2008

Choosing a Vintage Guitar

The Vintage Guitar has been in the market for the past 25 years and it covers a large family of brand-name guitars - Alembic Guitars, Aria Guitars, Armstrong Guitars, B.C. Rich guitars, Benedetto Vintage Guitars and many more.

The Alembic Vintage Guitar has been popular with both performers and audiences. Created by Ron and Susan Wickersham in 1969, the Alembic Vintage guitar went on to become famous and by 1972 improvements were being made on the product and resulted in the making of a bass guitar for Jack Cassady of Jefferson Airplane. The Alembic Vintage guitar is, however, hard to obtain today. Another famous maker of vintage guitars is Aria. Since the 1970s, Aria have been famous for classy, high quality and innovative guitars and have produced famous models such as XX, ZZ and U-1. Another famous maker of vintage guitars is Carvin, a firm started in 1946 and which by 1970 had started to make custom-made guitars. These guitars are easy to find and can be purchased at many music shops.

For jazz musicians, there is the Benedetto Vintage Guitar. These guitars are handmade and they have been noted as making sound impact on the musician as well as music. Introduced in 1968, the Benedetto Vintage Guitar became famous with the listeners who enjoyed the harmonic sounds that it produced. This guitar is appreciated by both beginners and seasoned musicians and is one of most eminent Archtop-guitar types.There are many different things that you can access from the internet for learning Guitars. Guitar tab plays important role in playing Guitar.

Peter Gitundu Researches And Reports On Guitar. For More Information on Vintage Guitar, Visit His Site at VINTAGE GUITAR. You Can Also Post Your Views About Vintage Guitar At VINTAGE GUITAR.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Gitundu

Sunday 16 November 2008

Let The Guitar Become A Natural Extension Of Your Hands - Start Learning Acoustic Guitar Today

Learning how to play acoustic guitar is one of your dreams? If so, there are a few basic methods you can try that will definitely get you on the right track to learn acoustic guitar fast. The acoustic guitar is a very unique product. The sound they produce play an important part in any group or band.

The first thing you need to know is that playing the guitar is quite simple. However, and this is true foe a lot of new things, you need to apply the right techniques right from the start so that you can make quick progress. For instance, you need to make sure you respect the correct amount of fingers on the strings. This is actually one of the most common causes of poor sound quality.

Guitar players very often practice chords and finger placement- Even when they are not with their guitar. They practice their finger placement to be really efficient when playing the guitar. They often do it in front of the TV.

Learning how to read guitar tabs is also an essential component of learning how to play acoustic guitar. In any guitar book you can access guitar tabs. You can also lookup a particular song on the internet and look for the corresponding tabs. Reading guitar tabs is simple. 5 lines put horizontally represent the five strings of the guitar. The vertical lines are for the frets and the numbers are placement indicators for your fingers on the strings.

You will find that once you get used to the basics, you get more comfortable and can move on to more complicated pieces of music. Learning how to play the acoustic guitar is a fascinating journey. Undertaking that journey brings you closer to who are, as a musician, as playing the guitar is the most natural thing you can ever do.

You want to play acoustic guitar fast? Find out new tips about how to play acoustic guitar easily and start learning today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sophia_Munoz

Saturday 15 November 2008

Teach Yourself How to Play Guitar - The Best Way to Do It

It was not long ago that if you wanted to teach yourself how to play guitar, you would have had to spend hours pouring over books and charts without feedback to tell you whether you were getting it right. Now, there are other options for the independent learner.

If you want to teach yourself how to play guitar you may want to consider online guitar lessons. It can be the best and easiest way for you to learn on your own. By doing online guitar lessons you can take yourself through the lessons from beginner to expert. Guitar lessons online vary, but most of the better lessons offer step by step instructions that will teach you how to hold your guitar, where to place your fingers, how to read music and then actually playing guitar. It makes learning fun, easy and anyone can do it.

Unlike piano, you do not have to start with "Mary had a Little Lamb". There are some great songs that require only a couple of chords. With some of the great guitar lessons online you can be playing your favorite songs in a short time.

Of course, before you start to teach yourself how to play guitar, you have to have the right guitar for the music you want to play. You can learn to play on an electric guitar, but you can learn to play rock with an acoustic, too. Ask a knowledgeable salesperson to help you find the right guitar for your musical choice if you don't already have one.

The only way to truly teach yourself to play guitar is through practice and taking things one step at a time. That is one of the reasons why online guitar lessons are so great. You can practise at your own time and can learn at your own pace. Dedicate yourself to learning the guitar and you will succeed.

To find out more information on teaching yourself how to play guitar and if you would like to learn how you can play songs on the guitar in less then a week check out http://www.easilyplayguitar.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kenn_Bell

Monday 10 November 2008

Guitar Solo Techniques

If you have seen guitar groups and have often wondered what roles the guitars play, the answer is one plays the bass lines of the songs, another carries the rhythm and the other is the lead guitarist who plays the solos. Guitar solos were an integral part of jazz and blues but we generally think of rock and roll as being the breeding ground of virtuoso electric guitar players. Your average guitar solo is made up of groups of notes called "licks" and "riffs". Licks are patterns of notes that can be the basis for a solo in any key, and a riff is a short melody which is repeated throughout a song.

In the early days of rock and roll there were guitar instrumentals played by groups who did little or no singing. The Ventures and The Del-Tones, led by Dick Dale in the USA and The Shadows in England had many hit records and inspired many teenage boys to become guitar players. Unfortunately the music industry preferred to sell records that featured vocalists so now instrumentals rarely find their way into the charts.

The guitar instrumental groups of the nineteen sixties were pioneers of electric guitar music. Dick Dale was largely responsible for the use of reverb in rock and roll music and Hank Marvin of The Shadows was constantly experimenting with guitars and effects. Other guitarists who have made the guitar a feature of their music are Eric Clapton, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and Mark Knopfler.

If you know a little bit about playing guitar solos it is possible that you will want to show off all your knowledge every time you take a solo. It is just the way some people are. If you have the urge to show off listen and watch some solos by Mark Knopfler. With all those Dire Straits numbers, less is more. Even Sultans Of Swing with its two solos, there is no pyrotechnics, just simple elegance.

Take a look at the way you structure your guitar solos. Do they have a beginning, a middle and an end or are they all climax? Loudness and intensity have their places but if you are still learning how to play the guitar, you need to expand your skills and interests. If you love to grab the guitar and improvise a solo, try to improvise a quiet solo. Kill your inner Angus Young, you do not need him for this experiment. Listen to Freebird by Lynyrd Skynyrd, the climax comes at the end. The rest of the piece gets your attention then the fireworks hammer you.

Speaking of hammer-ons, have you thoroughly grounded yourself in the basic guitar solo techniques. Most people have their favorite ways of playing and tend to neglect the techniques they do not enjoy practicing. Go through in your head the techniques you have learnt: scales, hammer-ons, pull-offs, tapping the fretboard, string skipping, upstrokes, downstrokes, using the index finger to augment your picking. You cannot be excellent at ALL of them.

By: Ricky Sharples

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Thursday 6 November 2008

Learn to Play Lead Guitar With the Jamorama Download Guitar Course

Have you ever wanted to play lead guitar like the pros? Using the Jamorama instant download guitar course helps you learn lead guitar and is a fundamental stepping stone to teach you to play smooth lead lines and creative improvisation.

So what is lead guitar and how does Jamorama actually help?

Firstly lead guitar is the ability to play Melody's and instrumental lead breaks in a song by using and understanding scales, double stops and various specialized left handed techniques such as hammer on's, pull off's and slides.

To get an idea of what some of these ideas and techniques can take you, think of slash's solo of sweet child 'o' mine or perhaps Clapton's 2 minute lead breaks on "crossroads" and you will begin to understand just how exciting and satisfying playing lead guitar can be. Not only does playing lead guitar sound great but you also get to be in the limelight (which to be honest is what you really deserve)

Jamorama lead guitar Is a perfect start for beginning lead guitarists. Jamorama takes you from the very fundamentals of naming the strings and basic strumming to some very advanced key/chord relationships and modal ideas.

In my opinion as a guitar teacher this is one of the best lead guitar learning methods on the market today.considering the amount of in depth information and tutoring you receive versus the price you pay Jamorama simply cannot be beaten.

For a full review of the jamorama download lead guitar course and other resources on lead guitar click the link below.

Http://www.OnlineGuitarGuide.com

Dave Barnett is a Gutarist and singer who has been writing pop songs for the last ten years, He is also a music teacher and has been involved in various musical groups.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Barnett

Monday 3 November 2008

Guitar Lessons - Guitar Vibrato

Playing a guitar without vibrato is like eating Mexican food without salsa. Vibrato is one of the most definitive techniques in defining your musical style, your own personal unique sound. No two players have the same vibrato sound. Some play slow and wide while others play narrow and fast, and that’s the beauty behind spending a lot of time learning different vibrato techniques. It’s like eating different salsa’s every time you go to your favorite taco stand. Enough talk about food, lets talk technique.

Vibrato is sometimes confused with tremolo. Basically it is just a technique of vibrating the string sharp and flat around a root note. For example if you are playing the 7th fret on the 3rd string with your 3rd finger on your fret hand you can just push the note up slightly and them pull it down slightly. Do this in quick succession so the over riding effect is a “wobbly” tone around the root note you are playing. Use your hand, wrist, and arm to make the movements. Never just wiggle a finger. Some people use a technique of pulling the string down towards the floor and then releasing back up.

Try this in a variety of speeds and levels of bending during your vibrato. The trick is to be consistent and smooth with your motion. If you are playing a slow blues riff then you may want to slow down and make a wide circular motion with the string, or if you are playing a fast rock lick you may just ad a fast narrow vibrato to accent the final note in a run.

It is possible to add vibrato using any finger you play with, but it is most commonly done with the first and third finger on the fret hand. Using your first finger is a bit trickier. I usually use my first finger for fast vibratos similar to BB Kings style. I will literally lift my other finger far off the fret board, press down and just “vibrate” the string as fast and as open as possible. That’s funny the work vibrato is a lot like vibrate, because that’s actually what you are doing vibrating the string.

When you combine vibrato with string bending, harmonics and legato techniques you begin to discover the musician inside of you. Playing guitar is about discovering your inner flow of creativity and having the techniques to be able to express them. Vibrato is one of the more personal and effective techniques. As with all aspect of playing guitar you need to experiment with these techniques, and most of all have fun!

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Sunday 2 November 2008

Guitar Basics - Tuning And Playing A Guitar

Playing Guitar - How Easy Is It?

There is more to playing guitar than just learning the basic chords and strumming along to your favorite tune. If you have the talent, determination, and ability, you can make playing guitar a very profitable career option. However, that path can accommodate just a few of the most dedicated souls. Therefore, for most of us, playing a guitar remains a great hobby, at best.

Regardless of whether you are thinking of playing guitar professionally or as a hobby, it is best to undergo the complete learning experience - not just about the different chords and grips. Let us take a look at a critical aspect of playing the guitar - tuning it.

Playing Guitar - The Importance of Tuning

A very important aspect of learning how to play the guitar is to know how to tune it. A guitar usually goes out of tune ever so often, owing to a number of external factors - the quality of the guitar, the weather, etc. An out of tune guitar will never produce the exact sound required.

Visualize this: Your friends have gathered at your home for the evening. They know you are learning the guitar, and want you to give a small demo of some of the stuff you have learned. You are eager to show off your knowledge and newly acquired skill to your friends. You pick up the guitar and sure enough, it is totally out of tune. You have no clue how to tune it. What do you tell your friends?

Did you know?

A variety of different tuning methods are used today. The most common by far is known as "Standard Tuning" (EADGBE)

Things to Know About Tuning Before You Start Playing Guitar

Playing guitar so you produce the right sound depends, to a large extent, on how well you tune your guitar. There are several different ways to accomplish this task. Universally, tuning the guitar involves using another source of sound at the same pitch as the reference pitch. The sound you reference your guitar to is usually the E note. The E note of your guitar should sound exactly the same as the in-tune reference sound source.

Initially, playing guitar can seem a much easier task than tuning it; the best option available would be to get a hold of a friend who plays the guitar to tune it for you. If this option is not viable, an even easier option for tuning is to use a reference source that produces a fixed sound for each note, and does not go out of tune. You could use a pitch pipe or, even better, an electronic tuner or a synthesizer/piano, both of which are sources that produce fixed sounds for each note that do not go out of tune.

You can start playing guitar comfortably once you have tuned it. The next step, after you have learned how to tune the guitar, is to learn the different chords. Any tutorial will start off with the simple chords or beginner chords, as they are called, and go on to more complex chords.

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