Buy A Used Guitar: Is It Smart For A Beginner To Buy A Cheaper Used Guitar?

A person who has just begun to learn how to play a guitar should own one. There are two options to own a guitar. The beginner can purchase a new guitar which is more costly or they can opt to buy a used guitar. Beginners are often advised to buy a used guitar just to get the hang of guitar-playing. They can purchase these in pawn shops and garage sales. They are also offered in various sites on the internet. However, it is advisable to purchase one from a pawn shop or online since the quality of the used guitar is often guaranteed since they won’t be available for sale if they were damaged.

There are many advantages and disadvantages involved when a person decides to buy a used guitar. Most involve the quality that the used guitar comes in. Others think about the additional expenses needed for repair. Whatever the pros and cons, the beginner should think carefully if the guitar is right for him or her.

The most obvious reason why people buy a used guitar is the cost. It is a known fact that new guitars are more expensive to own. Used guitars are often cheaper. However, it is important to examine the guitar before deciding to buy it because the guitar may have a few dents and scratches which would explain the low price. There is also the question of the quality of material that the guitar is made of. The guitar may be cheap because it is of low standard. That may also be the underlying reason why the previous owner decided to sell it in the first place. It is also important to do some research on the various used guitars out in the market. If you’re just going to use the guitar for practicing purposes then a used guitar is more practical.

In examining the guitar, since the beginner may not know how the guitar should sound in perfect or almost-perfect condition, it is important to bring along someone who does so that the person can be the one to test the guitar. Again, it is important to test the guitar since the quality may not be worth its price.

The cost of repairing the guitar is also something worth considering. You may end up spending more than you bargained for. Bring the guitar to a music store or to a place that repairs guitars. Have it estimated. If the cost of repairing the guitar costs more than purchasing a new guitar then opt for the new guitar instead.

A new guitar doesn’t come cheap. Oftentimes it is expensive to purchase one. This is why most beginners prefer to buy a used guitar. Since they are still at the early stages of learning, they don’t really have to purchase a new guitar. What they need to concentrate on is the guitar lessons themselves. Once they have mastered the guitar then they can think of purchasing a new guitar.

Tag : guitar,acoustic guitar,guitar lesson

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Should You Take Private Guitar Lessons Or Buy Guitar Lessons On DVD?

Some good reasons for taking guitar lessons with a private teacher?

Before there were guitar lesson CD's, one could buy videocassettes to learn to play guitar, and before that there were a choice of books.
The other more expensive option was to enlist the help of a guitar teacher. Personally, I am all for the idea of going to a guitar teacher for lessons.
When I first began to play guitar, the choice of learning materials where books and private tuition. I used both.
There are a number of good reasons to choose a private guitar teacher, amongst other things,
a guitar teacher will give you lessons to complete before your next class. This is good for discipline, so you don't goof off.
A good guitar teacher is great for motivation, especially when you get a positive response for the work you've already done.
Sitting with a guitar teacher for an hour, while you run over the lessons, can give you more than just the lesson itself as often they have great advice to give.
When you develop a positive relationship with a teacher, your desire to please them can have a good effect on your performance.
Another good thing is that any questions you have during the week can be answered in your next lesson.

Some facts about famous guitarists, and how they learnt to play guitar.

Many famous guitarists are self taught, sure there's guys like Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert etc, who went either to the Berkley school of music
or the Guitar institute of technology (GIT), but there's also guys like Eddie Van Halen who learned by slowing down old Clapton records and learning the licks.
I must say though that the guys who taught themselves how to play, seem to have a more distinct and recognizable style.
The list of guitarists who are self taught reads like a who's who of rock guitar legends, however, there are many excellent guitarists who went to schools.
Steve Vai, oddly enough, was a student of Joe Satriani. Who's a better guitarist? I'll let you decide.

Guitar lessons, who needs them?

The short answer is that you do. You see, all these famous self taught guitarists had to learn something from somewhere, whether it's Eddie working out those Eric Clapton solo's or a fully fledged and technically capable guitarist like Steve Vai, they all needed the right information to work with.
Somebody had to show them something.
If you want to learn guitar, the safest way is to get the right training. It's something we all instinctively know.
Those guitar greats are very talented people, and you may be one too, but they all had to learn their scales, chords, basic music theory etc.
To cut a long story short, everyone got guitar lessons from somewhere.

My heartfelt recommendation.

As I mentioned earlier, I personally have used both guitar instruction media and private tuition, but to be perfectly honest, my greatest advances as a guitarist have come from self-tutoring via books and video.
My guitar teacher taught me for six months, but I was hungry for knowledge and needed to learn what I specifically wanted to play. I was starting a band and didn’t have time to wait, while going along with lessons that weren’t tailored to my specific need.
The cost of a how to play electric guitar DVD (or acoustic guitar for that matter) is way less than one would pay for a few private lessons, and covers a heck of a lot more.
The interactivity of computer CD roms and DVD’s make learning the guitar so much easier nowadays, and successfully emulate the presence of a live teacher.
So there you have it, learn from them both.
By the way, you never stop learning how to play the guitar, you just rest in-between lessons.

One of my very good friends is a full time guitar teacher. When I asked him whether he felt threatened by all the guitar instruction media that’s available, his reply was “not at all”. He understands the value of his service, and supports the idea of people learning from other sources as well.

Tag : guitar,guitar lessons,bass guitar,guitar hero

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Classical Guitar - Is Playing The Classical Guitar More or Less Difficult Than A Regular Guitar?

The classical guitar is a difficult instrument to learn how to play. Purchasing a classical guitar can be a difficult task particularly if you are not yet an accomplished player. As you take guitar lessons either on your own or with a help of a professional guitar player, you are most likely to encounter guitar sheet music.

Instead of giving the guitar player in your life cash to go towards the lessons, you can contact the teacher and pay for the lessons up front, or have them give you a gift certificate. Guitar lessons are a great gift for the guitar player in your life because you can take them no matter which level you are at. A little discipline, regardless of whether you have an inborn talent or not for playing the guitar, can better your chances of becoming a good guitar player.

Have Discipline - The most important thing you have to do in order to advance in your skill with the classical guitar is to practice regularly. It is important to make sure that your equipment is in good order and that your guitar is tuned properly. The one drawback to online guitar lessons is that you don’t have a teacher right there in the room with you to help you place your fingers on the right strings and show you a specific chord.

However, while you can learn how to play the guitar quickly and easily on DVD, some would argue that it cannot compete with a private teacher. I don’t like to make the learning curve any harder than it is already and try to make life easier for myself so I find learning how to play the guitar DVD’s definitely make the learning process fun and entertaining. An important thing to remember when learning how to play guitar chords is that the movement of the right hand is as important as the movement of the left hand.

Aside from learning basic guitar techniques, these are the three most important things to work on to improve your guitar skills. This being the case, a guitar “course” must have several key elements, among them, short, well defined lessons that teach achievable and measurable skills, be tied to a computer, interactivity, have video content, and be fun with specialty games and exercises. These guitar tips will give you a headstart but remember that to play the guitar well it requires lots of practice and whatever you do, don’t give up.

Playing the guitar requires more than the requisite musical ability, dedication and practice. One of the most important aspects of playing the blues guitar is the ability to feel the music come from your soul and pour out through the guitar. A great way to holistically grasp the basics of electric guitar playing is to listen to great electric guitar classics.

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Effective Tips To Learn Guitar

Do you harbor a secret dream of one day becoming a great pop icon even it you have laid your hands on a guitar for the first time. Do you want to impress your friends by your progress on the guitar? Do you want to grab attention by playing simple guitar songs at a party or in social function? If you want to succeed at learning guitar, your dream may come true as these days learning to play the guitar is relatively easy.

Technology has revolutionized the world. There are thousand ways you can learn how to play simple guitar songs. If you are not confident of learning to play by yourself, seek professional help. You can take lessons from a local tutor. This has one very great advantage. It gives you personal guidance and your teacher will be able to correct your mistakes as you go along. Thanks to internet it is now possible to take guitar lessons online. But you have to practice as much as you can. However, no matter how much you practice, you might not be getting the full benefit of the time you are putting in. Most beginners understand that practice is the key to learning how to play the guitar like an expert, and the more practice you put in the better you will be, but there are ways in which you can make that practice more effective.

There are plenty of websites offering lessons on guitar on the net. You should choose the website from which to seek guidance with care. The website should be one which adds new songs regularly. With their help you can learn to play a large number of songs. Today a plethora of DVDs are also available which will help you to learn the right songs.

Learning from a video on the Internet is both cheaper and more forgiving than learning from a private teacher. Because there is usually only a one-time fee associated with online resources, the amount of bang for your buck is much greater. You have the freedom to learn on your own time, and progress at your own speed. This fact alone makes it a lot easier to stick with your guitar, rather than giving up.

There is plenty of other guitar knowledge that you should build up to facilitate your progress in playing the guitar. Typically, learning guitar online with the proper resources can really give you a head start since you would be able to learn at your own pace and time. A final piece of advice, always remain positive and stay focus when learning something new. A proper mindset in learning will enable you to overcome challenges in playing the guitar.

Tag : guitar,guitar hero,learn guitar,guitar lesson,guitar picks

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Select the Right Guitar Camp For Your Child With These 10 Tips

If you have a child between 8 and 14 years old who plays the guitar, chances are he is asking to go to Guitar Camp this summer. With all the guitar camps to choose from, how do you know which camp is right for YOUR child?

1. Why does your child want to go to guitar camp? If your child is participating in a beginner guitar camp to see if it is something she likes, think about the potential "next step" after camp. If you might want to continue with guitar lessons after camp consider a guitar camp that is managed by a local business so that your son can continue learning from the same teacher(s) he got to know in camp. If she is going to guitar camp because she wants to play in a band, does the camp offer a year-round program with a performance component that she could enroll in after camp?

2. Type of music. There are many different genres of music. One guitar camp may focus on jazz guitar while another focuses on rock music. Be sure you ask. If your daughter doesn't like jazz music, she won't enjoy the experience.

3. The staffSome teachers are educators. Others are musicians. Musicians tend to have more "street cred" with the kids. Will your young musician enjoy guitar camp more with teachers or with musicians and how does that match up with the background of the instructors?

4. Accountability Does your child want to learn something at guitar camp or is it just something to do during the day while you work? Whichever answer it is for you and your child, be sure that matches up with the expectations of the camp.

5. Individual attention. Individual attention is critical for a student's ability to learn as a musician. What is the student-to-teacher ratio in the guitar camp you are considering? Also ask if the instructors are with the campers at all times. I know of one guitar camp that has the kids work together in a group for hours at a time with no teacher in the room because the instructor is going from room to room and group to group.

6. Skill level required to participate. One of the most frustrating experiences for a young musician is to be in a group with other kids who are at a different level of experience. If the guitar player is a beginner and there are more advanced kids in her group she feels like she's holding the group back. If the guitar player is advanced and there are beginner guitarists in the group, he gets bored. Question how the campers are grouped in any guitar camp you consider.

7. Academic approach or playing approach? Some guitar camps teach through a music education curriculum which means your child learns the elements of playing a guitar before actually playing a song. Others teach the elements through teaching songs from the beginning. Neither is right or wrong. It's simply which style is best for YOUR child.

8. Who runs/owns the camp? Some guitar camps are "traveling camps" which rent space in your town and hire local people to run the camps. Other guitar camps are offered by established music schools in your community with their year-round teachers running the camps. I believe there's more accountability with the latter. After all, you can't "return" your camp experience if your child doesn't like it and chances are you won't be able to get into a different guitar camp that same week if your child is having a less-than-desirable experience.

9. Time commitment to Guitar Camp. Are you looking for a one- or two-week camp? Are you looking for an all-day or a half day guitar camp? If camp is over before you get off work, what arrangements can you make for your child to stay at camp until you are finished working?

10. Specialization Are you looking for a guitar camp, specifically, or a music camp which includes guitar? Both have their benefits. I believe specialization is the way to go for beginners because everything discussed at camp helps them learn how to play the guitar. Specialization is also valuable for those young musicians wanting to significantly advance their guitar playing ability over the summer. If the kids are going to guitar camp to meet other musicians that they might form their own band with or just to be able to play music at the level they already play at, then the multiple-instrument music camp will be sufficient.

There are no right or wrong answers. The thing that makes it "right" is how it matches up to what you and your child are looking for. Selecting the right guitar camp for your child can mean the difference between a lifelong interest in playing a musical instrument and never picking up an instrument again. Learning is supposed to be fun.....especially when learning to play the guitar.

Tag : guitar,guitar camp,guitar less0n,learn guitar

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How to Play Guitar - The Easier and More Affordable Way

Millions and millions of people around the globe want to learn how to play guitar but only a small percentage of these beginners are successful and can play some decent guitar riffs or songs. The rest of them are either dreaming to be a guitarist but don't want to spend energy, time and money, or learning guitar the wrong way. If you think that taking the private guitar course costs you a lot of time and money and still getting nowhere, you'd better forget about it and look somewhere else. If you searched all over the internet and learned the guitar yourself by referring to lots of guitar guidance's, tablatures, notes, scales and chords but still had no idea how to relate all of them and improvise in order to make musical sense, you'd need to stop wasting your resources too. There is always a better way to learn the guitar. You don't have to do it the hard way.

So what is the most fun, time-saving, effective, economical and easiest way to learn guitar? The professional online guitar course. You may have heard of this before but your concept about it may be wrong. It's not some low quality and free guitar lessons that you can find on the internet. It's an all-in-one, high quality, well-organized and affordable guitar course. Some of them are web-based where you can learn guitar online in front of your PC while others come with DVDs, books and CDs. Both types of courses include instructional videos, chords library, guitar tabs, jam tracks, sheet music, online guitar community forum etc. If you would like to have a metronome or tuner, a few of the courses provide free metronome and tuner softwares.

So basically, you don't have to waste your time searching for each and every item on the internet yourself; instead, you can start to learn guitar as soon as you have the access to the course. In my opinion, it's practically the same as private guitar lessons and better than guitar class where the teacher is unable to pay full attention to you because there are other students in the same class. Most guitar class only lasts for an hour so by the time the teacher gets around to showing you the lesson is over. While you can have all the attention you need in private guitar lessons, it's relatively more expensive than online guitar lessons. If you're on a tight budget, you may consider the latter as the better option.

I personally enjoy learning guitar from videos which are professionally shot, clear and have close-ups on both hands. It's just like a private lesson! I can rewind the videos as many times as I want without worrying about missing or forgetting any part of a lesson. Also, it's way cheaper than private lessons which would cost me about at least $ 30 to $ 40 per hour. If there were 4 hour lessons per month I would have to pay at least $ 120 to $ 160 per month excluding materials and registration fees. With online lessons, I can pace myself, giving myself as much or as little time as I need to complete the lesson. Another good thing is, I can learn from the comfort of my own home.

Tag : guitar,guitar lesson,guitar chords,learn guitar

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Home Guitar School Using Guitar Software

The decision to go to a guitar music school or university, instead of learning with guitar software, is the most common way to learn the guitar for serious aspiring students seeking a high quality guitar education. The desire to gain a strong guitar and musical knowledge is a serious educational pursuit and there are many levels of music theory curriculum, fretboard logistics, musical application and much more that non professional musicians do not realize until they have experienced many years of frustration trying to learn the guitar.

Therefore, going to a guitar school or university of some type to obtain a music degree with an emphasis on the guitar obviously makes sense, because a music school does not have the time, money, resources, or ability to attract high paying students with a program that is of the same low quality as the fifty dollar online guitar lesson downloads available on the internet.

Learning guitar in school isn't just simply about memorizing some chords or scales but requires a significant base of knowledge, study and practice. Without going to a music school the guitar player is faced with a plethora of online and other various computer programs and books with teaching programs that are consistently fragmented and "hyped" teaching methods that give you some information to get you on some learning path but never come close to fulfilling the term education. The term guitar education represents a serious study with university level and real world methodologies that provide the content of a music school. Education should also give you cutting edge methodology, teaching and practicing systems.

Guitar software offers you a chance to obtain an intensive, guitar education and musical application using methods that will turn you into the kind of knowledgeable and skilled guitar player that you have been hoping to acquire over the years without satisfactory success.

It is truly exciting and historical that with good guitar software you can bring the guitar university into your home in a complete instructional and practice center without leaving the house. Previously students of the guitar have not had the technology to be able to have total control of their learning and practice environment, even when going to a school computer lab.

Guitar students need structure, which is why they go to music school. Programs are structured to provide logical study paths and attainable goals. They need integrated courses that work together to give a big picture of what they are learning. This is why the music school provides a broad series of courses. And just as important the student needs interactive, musical practice to apply what they are learning. Often times a music school will have courses or labs for doing this. Therefore, a good guitar software program needs to provide all of these things for a student to have the real option of learning at home versus going to a school.

Few people have the opportunity to get the right teaching and tools to learn and master their guitar. For the guitar player who is serious about learning and is looking for something that will deliver more than just a lot of marketing and fragmented teaching, than it is possible to obtain a software program of a high caliber that will teach the guitar better, more thoroughly, and with more knowledge, than he or she ever dreamed about.

The level of guitar education a music university has to offer is important for your progress and it is nice to have this kind of education from home with software.

Tag : guitar,guitar school,guitar software,guitar lesson

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A 5 Tip Guide To Choosing The Right Guitar Lessons Website

How would you like to learn to play lead guitar like a modern day rock and roll star? Do you want to be able to bust out incredibly intense solos? If you answered yes to both of these questions then you should really consider taking lead guitar lessons from a reputable teacher or source.

I have been playing guitar for over 20 years now, and if there is one thing I know for sure, it is really better to have some sort of guide; in the form of formal lessons or getting an instructor to mentor you. Learning it on your own can be trial an error like groping in the dark trying to discover the styles and scales by yourself. What's worse is, you might be learning the wrong way and developing bad playing habits that you may have a hard time getting rid of later on. Habits that will hinder you from ever getting any better.

The best approach is to find a reputable teacher or a reputable source to learn lead guitar from, and one of the most convenient ways to learn guitar today is through video tutorials on the internet. But what should you be looking for in a website that offers guitar lessons aside from the lessons they provide?

Personalized Plan

Different people have different ways of learning, and often when they start learning guitar, they have different playing levels; some are absolute beginners; others have a little bit of playing ability; and some who can already play well are looking for a way to improve their skills.

Find a guitar lesson site that doesn't give you a "one-size fits all" deal, because one size simply does not fit all. No one can learn to play the same way. Find a site that can provide you with a personalized lesson plan to match your playing level and to allow you to learn lead guitar at your own pace and give you clear direction.

A Variety of Genres

Many of the best guitarists and musicians claim that one of the things that made them really good at what they do, is the exposure to various musical genres and the opportunity to jam with artists of different music styles. Many guitarists in fact become more versatile and well rounded if exposed to a variety of styles and genres.

When finding a site to get lessons from, find out if they are limited to teaching just one style or genre, or if they offer a variety of playing styles that you can also learn.

Learning Tools

A great guitar lessons site does not just give lessons, but is dedicated to you really learning how to play guitar; and will provide you with all the tools and resources you need. Most of these tools are actually software that members can access over the internet, they could be in the form of digital guitar tuners to help you tune your guitar, a metronome to keep you in time and help you maintain pace and rhythm, a guitar jam feature that allows you to play along with your favorite songs and take care of the guitar parts; and many more. All these contribute to helping an aspiring guitar player, get better. If you are looking for lead guitar lessons that will help your soloing ability, you need these tools.

Teacher Support Online

Many years ago I was listening to this old Scorpions song and the guitar solo had this part which sounded very different from all the other notes. I kept playing the guitar line over and over and trying different ways to get that sound I heard. I tried different ways of striking, plucking, until i finally gave up after several hours of trying to figure out what it was. Some weeks later while fooling around on the guitar I accidentally hit a string with my guitar pick and in that downward stroke, the outer edge of my thumb slight muted that that same string. I thought I heard the sound I was looking for and kept at it, picking the guitar string at different parts. I had finally discovered after several weeks, what an experienced guitar teacher could have taught me in a couple of minutes.. a pinch harmonic. Don't waste time figuring things out, when someone can quickly help you out.

That being said, find a guitar lessons site offers online support, with a guitar teacher ready to take your questions and get your out of that dead end that you find yourself in.

A Free Trial

Guitar lesson sites are like guitar instructors, they each have their own methods, and their own ways of teaching. Before you commit yourself to a site and whip out your credit card to pay for these lessons, find a site that would be happy to give you a free trial. This is your chance to find out if you are comfortable with their setup, and if it is something that you feel would be worth your money.

Finally, regardless of how you learn to play guitar or from what site or who you learn from, remember that the lessons do not make you a better guitar player, you do. The lessons can only show you the way, show you what needs to get done; and how committed you are to doing what is required will decide whether you become a really good guitar player.

Tag : guitar,guitar lessons,learn guitar,guitar website

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How To Play Jazz Guitar – Become a Smooth Jazz Guitarist

Jazz is an excellent language of communication for discerning guitarists. Jazz guitar has its own unique style and form of guitar playing. It is also a very popular form of music that you can play. Then if you let your creativity take over you can even create your own jazz licks. You can definitely emulate the likes of Joe Pass, Charlie Christian, George Benson, Wes Montgomery and many other great guitarists if you devote yourself seriously into practicing and learning jazz guitar. You can get paid lessons or you can even learn jazz guitar online. All you need is a guitar and determination!

First Thing First

The first step on the way to learning jazz guitar is that you should have a good jazz guitar. Although if you have opted to take guitar instructions from a music school which may have guitars for their students, learning to play jazz guitar is a demanding discipline and to be proficient, you need to be practicing at home also. One important point in getting a guitar for yourself is that instead of shopping for a cheap jazz guitar, you should buy a guitar, which has good sound characteristics, has excellent aesthetics and is durable. It is always advisable to buy guitars from reputed guitar manufacturers. They may not come cheap, but they are worth the money you pay for them.

Jazz Guitar Lessons

You can explore many avenues if you wish to learn how to play jazz guitar. You can learn jazz guitar online, as there are many websites that have free online jazz guitar lessons. You can opt for an electric guitar or learn acoustic jazz guitar. There are also many people who are willing to give guitar lessons to ardent students free. You can explore your locality to see if you have some guitar enthusiast who can teach you the basics of jazz guitar.

Learn Jazz Guitar Online

The goodness about online jazz guitar lessons is that they are accessible to you 24/7. You can have access to them at all times, night or day. There are many good online jazz guitar instruction sites where you will learn the basics of jazz guitar, basic and advanced chord construction theory, guitar licks and riffs. Although online guitar lessons should not be a substitute for one-to-one guitar instructions, if you can access to a good jazz guitar instructor, they are excellent for people who are short of time and money.

Tag : guitar,jazz guitar,guitar picks

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Classical Guitar is the Perfect Instrument for a Child to Learn

There is no arguing with the fact that teaching a child to learn an instrument is something that can potentially bring him or her a lifetime of joy and enrichment. But keeping a child interested in practicing can be a challenge. Among all the instruments that a child can learn how to play the classical guitar is among the best. Here are the reasons.

The classical guitar takes advantage of the allure of the rock star. Every child is familiar with pop music and every child who is interested in playing an instrument would probably take very quickly to playing the guitar. Any child would be quick to brag to his or her friends that he is learning to play the guitar. It is a highly romanticized instrument and this is what I call the allure of the Rock Star. You can take advantage of this attraction to popular music by teaching a child to play classical guitar.

Playing classical guitar is a bit different than playing pop and rock but there are some distinct advantages to classical guitar. The child will learn the fundamentals of sound music theory and will focus on learning how to read sheet music. Along the way the child will learn the basics of classical music.

But he or she will not lose interest in playing because while the classical guitar is a good instrument for learning theory, history, ability, and classical music, it is also an instrument that offers an incredible range of pieces to play in many genres. With the ability to play classical guitar comes the ability to play in every other genre that the guitar is played in. He or she will be able to play pop, rock, easy listening, country, jazz, blues, or any other type of music where a guitar is used. It is because of this wide variety of music that will be available to the student that he or she will be much more prone to continue practicing and continue playing. And this is another great reason why the classical guitar will bring a lifetime of enjoyment and enrichment. As the child grows and his musical tastes change the guitar can be right there through all the changes.

There are also some very pragmatic reasons for the classical guitar

Portability: The classical guitar is something that can be carried to and from lessons and to and from a friend’s house. Classical Guitars are also made in half size and three quarter size which gives young children the ability to play on an instrument more suited for their small hands.

Expense: professional guitars can be very expensive and run into the thousands of dollars but with the popularity of the guitar as an instrument there is a tremendous selection of inexpensive yet well made guitars. An adequate first guitar can usually be found in the fifty to a hundred dollar range.

Quiet Instrument: the classical guitar is an instrument that can be played in a room without the music being intrusive to other people in the house.

What if there is no classical guitar instructor in your town or city?

Upon the surface or during an initial look this may be true; there may be no official classical guitar instructors available to you but there is no doubt a large list of teachers who teach rock guitar. And one thing about the genre of rock and rock guitarists is that they have a reverence for classical guitarists because classical guitarists are renowned for their technical ability -classical guitarists are simply great guitarists and any rock guitarist can probably name his favorite classical guitarists.

To overcome the lack of an official classical guitar instructor you can simply ask rock guitar instructors if they are willing to take on a child that wants to learn classical guitar. Many of them will jump at the chance because it will also broaden their horizons and musical ability.

But there is one question you should ask any potential rock guitar instructor. Make sure that he or she can read sheet music reasonably well. This is of paramount importance for learning classical guitar. Some instructors may not fit this requirement because rock guitarists often learn their craft through ear training and using tablature, which is a notation form of music. This type of instructor wouldn’t be suitable for a student of classical guitar.

The classical guitar sometimes has the reputation of being a bit of a high-class instrument. But it is an instrument that crosses all genres of music and if you are considering the classical guitar for your child I applaud your decision. It is an instrument that can bring him or her a lifetime of musical enrichment and enjoyment.

Tag : guitar,classical guitar,learn guitar,guitar tuner

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Guitar Hero Metallica Ps3: Finally Has Some Metal

Everyone must be loving the Guitar Hero Series. There's no way that anyone who has held that GH guitar hasn't loved every minute of jamming out. Age does not come into the attraction of these classic tunes. Kids from 8 to 80 and beyond are what this game was born for.

Guitar Hero Metallica for the PS3 is by far one of the best in this series. With incredible tracks to rock out to on this amazing game49 to be exact 28 incredible Metallica hits and an additional 21 that were hand picked from other artists by the band themselves. Really people, how could this go wrong?

Now, for all of you who keep saying that we dont need anymore of these games, with each new game comes a new set of music selections and improved graphics and game play. I mean how many times can you really rock out to the same songs? It is the diversity of these new selections that keeps this game one of the best and most evolved games of our time.

Finally metal freaks can get into the game, literally with this new edition. The hard metal sound has attracted a whole new following for GH. This packs the traditional hard rock that has been missing so far in GH, and we have been waiting for this moment. This game started out good, it stays at the forefront with constant adaptation of the new.

If you want to rock out this series offers so much that anyone can find what they like. There are people out there that don't know the tunes of classic and metal rock. Thanks to GH now they can get a taste of it.

Of course metal heads are expected to flock to this game. The songs picked just for their pleasure. Even if your new at GH you will have a blast with this. It also has extremely advanced play to challenge pros. It definitely provides gaming that will blow you away!

By: Patrick A Daniels

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

Tag : guitar,guitar hero,bass guitar,learn guitar

Tips For Learning to Play the Electric Guitar

The electric guitar is one of the most powerful musical instruments today. It dominates every popular genre and style of music in the modern world. The sheer flexibility of the electric guitar in terms of volume, tone and sound quality makes it an ultimate musical instrument.

The electric guitar is an instrument of power or finesse, of speed or subtlety, but definitely, it is an instrument of musical glory. For those people who would want to learn how to play the electric guitar, here are some noteworthy tips:

1. Use a nylon guitar first

If one is thinking about learning how to play a guitar by using an electric guitar, he should think about it twice. If one is just learning how to play the guitar, he shouldn’t do it with an electric guitar. Electric guitars use steel strings which can be very uncomfortable for beginners. Besides, learning the basics from an acoustic guitar teaches one to use a holistic guitar playing approach rather than relying on the effects and features of an electric guitar. Electric guitar playing should come subsequently after learning how to play using an acoustic guitar.

2. Know your electric guitar

If one already knows how to play a guitar and is thinking of buying an electric guitar, he should know the different features and qualities of the electric guitar. The same thing goes for people who are using an old electric guitar. Playing with the knobs and controls of the electric guitar will give one an idea of how to mix everything properly to be able to get an optimal sound. Electric guitars are not plug-and-play instruments, they require a lot of sensitivity in terms of mixing sounds and tones together.

3. Buy a decent amp

An expensive electric guitar will sound crappy on low quality amps on any given day. When getting an electric guitar amp, make sure to test the amp at the store. If possible, turn all the knobs to the highest value and listen to the sound that the amp will produce. There are also amps out there that have a built-in distortion option which can be switched on and off. This feature is especially useful for people who have no money to buy an effects box since a distortion feature is the most essential for any electric guitar.

4. Buy a decent effects box

An effects box is a great tool to have when playing an electric guitar. One can make all sorts of sounds using an effects box. The basic tones that one should look for in an effects box are: good distortion sounds, chorus, reverb, amp simulator and easy adjustments modules.

5. Get durable cables

Cables are also an integral part of the whole electric guitar system. Cheap and low quality cables are not worth investing into because they will wear out soon.

6. Listen to electric guitar tracks

A great way to holistically grasp the basics of electric guitar playing is to listen to great electric guitar classics. Many lessons are learned just by listening to different riffs and tunes that are produced from electric guitars.

Electric guitars are somewhat different from unplugged guitars. There are skills that are needed to play the electric guitar properly aside from the basic ones. Practice is always the best way to learn how to play the electric guitar.

Tag : guitar,electric guitar,guitar hero,acoustic guitar,guitar lesson.guitar chords

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

Learning How To Play The Guitar Could Be Quicker and Easier Using Tutorial DVDs

When you pick up your guitar you want to start to be able to play your favourite songs as soon as you can. Let’s face it - learning to play the guitar should be fun and not boring or frustrating.

Nowadays there are so many methods to teach you how to play the guitar and you should find the one that works best for you. If you find it boring learning from a book and you can't afford a private guitar tutor, then I recommend that you learn how to play the guitar with a professional guitar DVD.

Where Do You Get A Guitar Tutorial DVD?

The good news is that there are many DVDs available on the market today that can teach you how to play the guitar. Many of them are created by real guitar pros of all ages. You can find these DVD’s in music stores or you can order them from a virtual music shops on the Internet or ebay.

Before you buy though make sure that you choose a learning program that works for you. If you're purchasing it online, a great tip is to look for reviews and feedback from other buyers. My advice is that it is better to choose a learn guitar easy DVD that has a 90-day money back guarantee so that you can send it back if you are not satisfied. Most professional online tutors will have this option proudly displayed on their websites. If you are buying it from a music store, then the staff will usually be very helpful and can recommend you one that suits your current level.

Are There Benefits To Learn To Play The Guitar Using These DVD’s?

If you are like me and find it easier to sit and watch a tutor in action rather than just reading from a book then you will indeed benefit from a guitar tutorial DVD. Some DVDs are excellent and really will make it easier to learn how to play the guitar quickly and easily.

The good news is that they are not very expensive and most of them offer a no quibble money back guarantee if you find they don't meet your learning needs (such as being too advanced or too basic). A big bonus is that you get to practice in your own home, as often as you want, without wasting time on travelling to guitar classes and you can keep watching a certain part of the DVD over and over again so that the information really sinks in without having to be embarrassed by asking a tutor to repeat the exercise.

I don’t like to make the learning curve any harder than it is already and try to make life easier for myself so I find learning how to play the guitar DVD’s definitely make the learning process fun and entertaining. It is usually more successful in keeping you focused and interested than learning from a theory book, which can be heavy and hard going. Guitar DVD’s show you exactly how to play and demonstrations on how you should sound like which is a big, big plus!

Are There Any Disadvantages To Using How To Play The Guitar DVD’s?

On the whole I would say not. They are usually very good value for money and will help you to be able to play the guitar much more quickly than if you were trying to learn to play by yourself.

However, while you can learn how to play the guitar quickly and easily on DVD, some would argue that it cannot compete with a private teacher. For example a DVD provides a standard teaching program and is not customized to suit your individual learning style. It is more generic for a large audience whereas a teacher can design the method he/she uses to meet your learning needs and requirements.

Another thing to consider is that although it shows it how you should play, a guitar tutorial DVD cannot tell you when you're making a mistake and how to correct it. A guitar teacher can only really provide this kind of constructive feedback. A guitar tutor can be truly inspirational and offer positive feedback when you're progressing which will keep you motivated and dedicated to continue playing your guitar, but a guitar ‘how-to’ DVD won't know if what you're playing is good or bad.

So there you have it. If you can afford it, I’d recommend a private tutor as it is probably the most recommended learning strategy by all of the experts but a guitar tutorial on DVD can is definitely an acceptable compromise for people like me who get bored with theory books, but don't have the time and money to pay a professional guitar teacher.

Whichever method you choose, make sure that you enjoy it. Make it fun and continue to practise as often as you can and I promise that you will learn to play the guitar much more quickly than you first imagined.

Let me know how you get on.

Best wishes

The Guitar Pro

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

Building A Good Relationship With Your Guitar

The guitar is considered the friendliest musical instrument there is. It is because the guitar is the handiest musical instrument that could stand on its own. A group can enjoy music with just a guitar even without the accompaniment of winds and percussions. The term “acoustic” is referred to, in the music context of today, the rendition of songs in all the glory of guitars. No percussion and piano and other instruments needed, just guitars. Sometimes, it can be the jamming of more than just one guitar. Acoustic is a favorite type of music today because of its relaxed and soulful rendition of songs.

The guitar can be carried everywhere and is one of the easiest instrument to be learned in no time. All you need is a songbook or song hits and you’re ready to take the stage and perform to your heart’s desire. It may sound so easy and can be done in a snap, however, playing a guitar is an art that needs to be perfected with constant practice. There are basic steps you need to know before mastering playing the guitar.

Basically, a guitar is like a friend you need to familiarize yourself with. Get to know the guitar and you’ll be able to make good music together. For beginners, the first lesson starts with getting to know the guitar and its parts. Some examples of different types of guitars are the electric guitar, the base guitar, the 12-string guitars and the non-electric acoustical guitar.

Parts of a guitar:

Head – is where the tuning keys are found. The strings are wound up around pegs which can be twisted to loosen or tighten the strings.

Tuning Keys – are the keys which hold the strings. These keys are twisted to adjust the tones of the strings

Nut – found at the edge of the fret board on which the strings pass before wrapping around the tuning keys

Fret board – is where pitch and expression of the tones are controlled.

Frets – 19 divisions on which fingers are placed

Little Metallic Bars/Fret bars – thin metallic bars dividing the frets

Neck – accommodates the fret board

Sounding Board – the body of the guitar

Sounding Hole (Rosette) – sounds produced are resonated. This serves as the amplifier of the acoustical guitar

Strings – are of different sizes made up of either steel or nylon which are the foremost cause of sounds

Bridge – the part where the strings are attached opposite. It is found at the body of the guitar.

Tuning the guitar is the next thing a guitar player should know. It is where he can further intensify his mastery and familiarity with the guitar. It is a gift if a person has the remarkable natural ability of hearing. He can determine if the guitar has good quality through hearing its tune for the first time. However, there are people who do not posses that certain gift. But there are other ways of tuning the guitar. One way is the ordinary method.

The first step to the ordinary method of tuning the guitar is finding a tuning instrument like a piano or an organ to base the tune.

• The E chord or the 6th string should be based on the sound of the lower “mi” key of the piano or organ.
• Press the same string on the fifth fret, which makes it the A and base its sound on the sound of the “la” key of the piano or organ.
• Press the 5th string on the fifth fret, which makes it the D and base its sound on the sound of the “re” key of the piano or organ.
• Press the 4th string on the fifth fret, which makes it the G and base its sound on the sound of the “so” key of the piano or organ.
• Press the 3rd string on the fourth fret, which makes it the B and base its sound on the “ti” key of the piano or organ.
• Press the 2nd string on the 5th fret, which makes it the e and base its sound on the higher “mi” key of the piano or keyboard.

Make sure that every string’s tune sounds just like the sound of its corresponding key on the keyboard. And with that, you now know how to tune your guitar!

Knowing the parts of a guitar and learning how to tune it are vital aspects in picking or choosing very good quality of guitar. In choosing your own guitar, you must first try the accuracy of the frets. To do this, you must tighten all the six strings and check to hear a full tone when strummed or plucked.

Then do a complete scale for each string by, first, plucking the open string, then press the 2nd fret (of the same string), then the fourth fret, fifth fret, seventh fret, ninth fret, eleventh fret and twelfth fret. Each scale must produce the exact sound of the musical scale: do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do. The sound when the twelfth fret is pressed must be one octave higher than the sound when the open string is plucked. This process is called the mechanical test.

After completing the mechanical test, the next step is tuning the guitar. Since you already know the process in tuning, what you must achieve is to look for the fullness or roundness of the tone and not the loudness.

Lastly, the next thing you must consider in finding the best guitar for you is the comfort you will achieve while playing it. Choose a guitar that would require you to exert minimal pressure in pressing the frets in order to produce a full and booming sound. In this way, you would avoid blistering your fingertips which would make your practices easy, enjoyable and painless.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ismael_D._Tabije

DVD Guitar Lessons That Rock

Do you find yourself short on practice time? Do you struggle with making time for regular guitar lessons. Well...you're not alone! It is hard to commit to attending a weekly guitar lesson, and even harder to find time to practice the exercises and techniques a guitar tutor will demand of you. Self-paced learning is often a more effective way to pick up a new skill. With DVD guitar lessons, you can get the same results from your TV screen that hundreds of dollars, and months of music lessons will yield.

Affordable:

DVD Guitar Lessons may cost anywhere from $10-$40. Some of them come in a series of progressive discs, and others just teach one concept or technique. Consider that a month's worth of guitar lessons (four, 30-minute lessons) might cost you $75. That is two hours of instruction for $75. You can easily purchase a series of instructional discs with up to six hours of lessons that costs only $25. It's a $50 savings for three times as much information. DVD guitar lessons will save you time and gas money, as you will not spend time waiting for an instructor, rescheduling missed lessons, and driving to and from a music studio.

Versatility:

Do you like many genres of music? DVD Guitar Lessons give you the flexibility to study whatever genre you are interested in. It is sometimes challenging to find a teacher that can help you with rock and classical, but when you are studying with a DVD, you can choose any style that fits your mood. If you forget something, or want to see it again, just hit rewind and you have a custom review session at your fingertips.

Repetition:

For a beginner musician, repetition can be the most important tool in developing new skills. You will need to practice certain chord patterns again and again before they feel natural, and it might be helpful to have the visual stimulation that DVD guitar lessons provide handy. At any given moment, you can pause or restart your lesson, just to make sure you are getting everything just right. You can also slow more technical patterns down if you want to take the lesson at your own pace.

Self-Directed:

With guitar lessons on DVD, you will pick and choose what you want to study. If you already know about strumming patterns, you can skip that part of the lesson and move on to a more advanced subject. If you are not interested in music theory, you can avoid it and learn by listening and emulating what you hear instead. You will be in charge of your own progress!

DVD Guitar Lessons are ideal for families with multiple children who may want to learn to play, former musicians returning to the field, or absolute beginners who just want to rock out. They provide a sense of affordability and versatility that no teacher can give, and with the knowledge that your learning is self-directed, you can feel proud of your accomplishments. The lessons come in all levels, and will keep you challenged for many years to come.

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Buying Your First Guitar - How to Choose the Right Guitar to Give You the Best Value For Money

INTRODUCTION
Buying the right guitar to start learning on is an important step that should not be rushed. You need to consider a range of factors. I will go into detail on each factor I believe you should consider when buying your first guitar.
For many people, starting a new hobby is like trying out a new car before buying it. They aren't sure if they will like it two, three, ten years down the track and it is hard to guess if you will like it. Many people who start to learn the guitar will give it up after a short time for different reasons. For this reason, a lot of people don't want to spend too much money that they aren't sure will go to good use. One option you could take is if one of your friends or relatives owns a guitar. You could ask if you could borrow it for a short time to get an idea of whether you like the idea of playing it or not. If after a while you feel that this is the right hobby for you, come back here and read this article to give you assistance in buying the right guitar for you.

BUDGET
This is the most important issue to consider for most people. Guitars can range all the way from cheap $20 acoustics found in garage sales all the way to prestige guitars costing thousands upon thousands. You should think about how much you want to spend and stick with it. Salespeople will give you plenty of reasons to pay more than you want to, but understand that you can get a good guitar for even low prices. Consider the following points and how they will sit within your budget.

STYLE OF MUSIC
If you have in mind what musical direction you want to take, it will influence the type of guitar you buy. If you really want to play heavy metal or similar styles you wouldn't buy a nylon string acoustic because it won't help you reach that goal. Likewise if you want to play soft ballad type songs that you can sing along while playing, an electric guitar may not be the right choice for you. If you have a certain style in mind, find out what type of guitars musicians of that style play. Have a search for your favorite artist's gear to see the type of guitar they play, don't look at the model or brand of the guitar (because famous artists normally buy the top of the range products that are extremely expensive).
If on the other hand you are not sure what direction you will be taking or want to play a range of styles, the type of guitar you buy won't be as important to your decision in regards to style. Instead, focus on the below points to find out which guitar will be best for you.
Remember: you can always buy another guitar later on, so don't worry if you change directions after you buy your first guitar.

PLAYABILITY

STEEL STRING VS NYLON STRING ACOUSTICS
For a beginner, how easy it is to play the guitar will make a big impact on the rate you improve and the skills you develop. If you start off with a steel string acoustic for example, you will quickly notice that is hard to push the strings down and may hurt your fingers. Many females (and some males) will have a lot of trouble starting on a steel string guitar because it takes a lot of finger strength to play. If you are worried that this will be a problem for you, maybe you should consider a nylon string acoustic instead. Nylon string acoustics are much less of a strain on your fingers when pushing the strings down. For this reason, most teachers will recommend students start on nylon strings so their first month or more won't be too painful.

ACOUSTIC VS ELECTRIC
There is a big difference between starting on an acoustic guitar and an electric guitar. Many teachers don't recommend starting on an electric guitar for the following reason. Electric guitars are easier than acoustics to play. For many people this is a good thing. The problem with electric guitars being easy to play is that you will get comfortable playing the electric so much that when you pick up an acoustic and try to play the same music, it will most likely be a major strain. Many guitarists who only play electric guitar struggle to play acoustic. It is very hard to swap from playing electric to acoustic. Likewise, it is very easy to swap from acoustic (especially steel string) to electric. This is because of the strength acoustic guitars build up in your fingers. Once you switch to electric guitars, you will find your fingers can play with ease. So have a think about this issue and if you want to play both electric and acoustic, start off on acoustic. If you want to only play electric guitar, then the choice is simple. Later down the track if you decide you want to play acoustic as well, you may find it difficult at first, but with practice playing an acoustic can improve your playing.

QUALITY
There is a great range in the quality of guitar available today. It is similar to the car industry: you can buy a super high quality Ferarri, you can buy a rundown second hand Toyota and everything in between. What you should aim for is to buy the best quality guitar within your budget. But don't be fooled into thinking that only high price guitars are high quality. You will be surprised at the quality of guitars available at low prices. Your best choice is to bring a friend or relative (who are competent players) in with you to test out the guitar you are thinking about. As I explain below, you shouldn't rely solely on the music store salesperson's advice. Remember to stick to your budget.

BRAND
Many guitarists suffer from 'brand loyalty'. This is when they are so devoted to a particular brand that they will never buy or play a guitar with a different brand name. Don't be one of those people. It is okay to prefer a certain brand because you like the style of their guitars, but don't get sucked into thinking that one brand is better than all the rest. Every brand has their advantages and disadvantages.
Just like in supermarkets where you can choose between 'brand name' products and 'home brand' products, guitars will have well known 'brand name' guitars and unknown 'home brand' guitars. Sometimes the only difference between the guitars is the name that is printed on the guitar headstock. People pay big dollars for guitars that have the names fender, Gibson, Ibanez, PRS, Martin printed on the headstock. Although buying a brand name guitar will most likely give you a very high quality guitar, it can be a very expensive choice. My suggestion is to find a guitar that you like regardless of the brand name. If it is good quality and within your budget: go for it. Don't buy a guitar solely because it has fender written on it. If on the other hand you prefer the security of buying a quality guitar from a reputable brand, it's okay to buy one for that reason.

SALESPEOPLE TRICKS
This section is to warn you of potential issues when dealing with music store salespeople. This isn't to scare you off or to insult salespeople, it is to protect you from the people looking to make a high commission rather than give you what you want. Hopefully you will deal with an honest salesperson who genuinely wants to help you. Just be aware that they aren't all honest.
My first point you need to consider is that the people working in the store are normally excellent guitar players. So good that they can make every guitar sound good no matter how poor quality it is. In a future lesson I will explain how you can make any guitar sound great. Just be aware that a salesperson can make the dodgiest guitar in the store sound better than the $2,000 fender in the glass case. This is why I recommend that you have a go playing the guitar if you can play at least something simple and even better bring a friend or relative who can play. If they know what they are doing they should be able to tell you the problems with the guitar.
It is well known that audio salespeople use a trick to make a stereo systems sound higher quality by turning the volume up slightly louder than another one. Salespeople may use a similar trick when comparing two guitars. By plugging the guitar they want to sell to you into a high quality amp and playing it loud, it can make it sound fantastic. Some people may try this to get you to spend just a little bit extra. Don't think a great sounding guitar will automatically make you sound great. It takes a lot of work to be a competent player. Great players can make any guitar sound great and bad players can make any guitar sound bad.

My experience with buying a first guitar:
I was unaware of many of these issues when I bought my first guitar. Luckily the salesperson we dealt with genuinely wanted to help us out and made sure we got a great guitar at a good price. I had been playing my dad's old beat up acoustic guitar for a couple years and my parents bought me an electric guitar. It is a good quality guitar and I still use it today for recording and performing. So if you make a good decision, the first guitar you buy will be useful for a lifetime.
Because I started off on an acoustic guitar, the transition to electric was incredibly simple. Consider buying an acoustic even if you want to play electric guitar down the track.

SUMMARY
I have pointed out a few important issues for you to consider when buying a first guitar. There are many more factors you should consider but these I believe are the most important issues. If you take your time to find out what your best option is and then shop around for the best deal, you will save money and hopefully end up with a great instrument that can last you a lifetime.

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

How To Clean A Guitar Fretboard

A dirty, uncared for guitar fretboard is a sight to be avoided, but many guitar players clean their guitar fretboard too much. The dirt that builds up is old grease and dead skin cells which is not a good look if you pass your guitar to someone else to play.

The fretboard of you guitar is made from a hardwood that is meant to stand up to all the punishment your fingers and your storage and transport methods can hand out. Dark woods are used for the front of the neck so that marks form oily fingers don't show up. It is especially chosen to resist abrasions. A finish applied to the wood in the factory would wear out from use very quickly so when you get your guitar, the neck is unfinished.

If you have a cheap guitar, you might find that your neck looks blotchy. This is because some of the cheaper guitars are painted with a coating to make the look nice and shiny. These kinds of finishes are just window-dressing and don't last longer than a year or two.

A guitar fretboard absorbs moisture from the air when the weather is humid and the water goes back into the air when the weather is dry. The fretboard is glued onto the guitar neck so the underside is protected fro the action of moisture in the air by the sealing quality of the glue.

So one side of the fretboard is expanding and shrinking because of the moisture and the underside stays stable because it is protected. This can eventually lead to the fretboard warping and cracking and the whole neck is vulnerable to warping.

So we are left with the need to seal the fretboard against the danger of warping and cracking. There is a range of preparations made for the purpose of protecting the fretboard. Most of these should be avoided. The general rule for looking after a guitar fretboard is to clean it when it is dirty. Never use polish of any kind. A little liquid soap will clean grimy areas and if your fretboard looks dull, use some kind of fretboard cleaner like Formby's or Fret Doctor.

Some preparations like lemon oil will leave a layer that attracts more dirt. Don't clean your fretboard until you can see the dirt. For most people this will mean about once a year. Use a "magic eraser" type cleaning pad and perhaps a little naptha on it.

By: Gyorgy Huba

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

Buy a Guitar Online - Top Ten Things to Look For When Buying a Guitar Online

In this day and age where purchasing things can be done over the internet, it is sufficient to say that even guitars can be purchased in this manner. If a person wants to buy a guitar online, all he or she has to do is to search online for the particular guitar model and brand that they want. When the search results are displayed, they often show where this guitar can be purchased and offer options regarding modes of payment and delivery. However, there are a few things to be remembered in choosing to buy a guitar online.

The first thing to do when you buy a guitar online is to do some research. There are many types of guitar out in the market. It is important to scout around. Different stores have different prices.

The second thing to do is to enlist a friend's help in buying a guitar. Your friend should know a lot about guitars especially when it comes to a guitar's ideal specifications. If you're on a budget, he or she can guide you in selecting a guitar which fits into your price range and yet sound amazing.

The third thing to do is know the advantages of buying a guitar online versus buying a guitar in a music store. When you buy a guitar online, you won't be able to perform some test runs on it to see how it sounds. You also won't be able to determine if it is comfortable enough for you to handle. This is one advantage that buying in a music store has over buying a guitar over the internet.

The fourth thing to know when you buy a guitar online is to know the warranty periods that each guitar manufacturer or distributor has for the guitars. This is done so as to avoid having to pay any extra fee if, by some unforeseen circumstance, you find yourself getting a damaged guitar.

If you're still stuck on which guitar to buy, then the fifth tip should come in handy. This tip involves reading guitar reviews made by users who have had the experience of owning a particular guitar. User-reviews often detail what the user likes and dislikes about the product. It is important to read these user reviews so that you'll know what you're getting yourself into once you purchase the guitar.

The sixth tip is to choose a guitar which suits your purpose. An electric guitar is lighter and more portable than a classic or acoustic guitar. However, it does have some other accessories which are also important to own and set-up. If you're just planning to play the guitar for recreational purposes then you might be better-off having an acoustic guitar.

After choosing your guitar, you can continue to purchase it online. This is the seventh tip. There may be differences in the prices when comparing a guitar bought online to a guitar bought in a music store. It is said that some online stores don't charge the customer any sales tax. There are a few others who do though.

The shipping method is something to think about as the eighth tip. Instruments have to be handled with care. However, not most shippers, or rather employees of shippers, understand that. In order to make sure that your guitar arrives undamaged, it is important to choose a shipper with a good reputation.

The ninth tip also deals with shipping. If you are not too sure about the shipper, then make sure that your guitar comes professionally packed in order to avoid damage.

The tenth and final thing to do when your guitar arrives at your doorstep is to examine it carefully for any damage. If there is some damage, make sure that you are still within the warranty period as this enables you to return the guitar to the manufacturer. However, the shipping and returning fees may be costly.

All in all, there are certain things to look out for when you decide to buy a guitar online. There are also certain risks involved. A person should gauge the situation carefully in order to decide which buying method is right for him or her.

Want to find the best deals when you buy a guitar online? We offer the best deals online for buying guitars, accessories, amplifiers, and more! Come to http://www.Bargain-Guitars.com to get your guitar for the limited sale prices!

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

Beginner Guitar - Tips to Help the Beginner Guitar Player

Most people who are interested in music often have the urge to be a beginner guitar player. They are influenced by the musicians they see on TV, what they hear on radio, or by their favorite music. There are some who just want to be able to reproduce or sing along with their favorite song. Others have more personal reasons such as wanting to impress someone with their guitar playing skills or dreaming of becoming famous. For those interested in beginner guitar, here are some tips to help you get started.

The first thing that a beginner guitar player should do is to decide which type of guitar he or she wants to play. There are different types of guitars and also different types of musical genre. There is the classical guitar which has a wider staff compared to other guitars. This is the guitar most preferred by those into classical music as this allows for a more flexible picking of notes. Using this type of guitar doesn't require any need to use an amplifier. There is also the acoustic guitar which is available for any kind of music. There is also the electric guitar which is the type mostly used by rock bands. The bass guitar, which is available in both acoustic and electric versions, is used for lower notes. This usually has four strings although there are also bass guitars with 5 or 6 strings available.

Another thing that a beginner guitar player should do is to decide if he or she wants to study playing the guitar with a teacher or by himself. Although it is less costly to learn the guitar yourself, the guidance given by a guitar teacher is valuable because they have also undergone years of training and experience with regards to guitar playing. Also, they will be able to correct you if you're doing something wrong such as improper hand movement and posture.

Some people forget to do this but it is important to remember to take your time. Learn the basics in guitar 101 and the easy songs first. These fundamentals include knowing the parts of the guitar and how to tune the guitar strings. Beginner guitar players should also study the different guitar theories as this teaches them how to read notes and do scales. This is especially important if you're interested in playing classical music as these music pieces often require a guitar player to read notes. Other genres of music also incorporate note reading as a requirement to guitar playing. Strumming is also an essential part in guitar playing as this allows you to accompany most of the songs heard once you know the basic guitar chords.

Beginner guitar players should also remember that there is such a thing as good posture which matters in guitar playing. Many may not know it but there is a proper posture being taught by music teachers with regard to guitar playing. It is advisable for the guitar player to sit in an armless chair with the guitar resting on his lap. Some musicians even use a foot rest so as to be able to prop the guitar on one knee for added support and ease of use.

A beginner should also use the right pick. These picks come in various styles. It is important to choose the pick which you are most comfortable with and which isn't hard on the hands or fingers. A beginner is advised to choose a soft pick first so that you can strum quicker. You might also want a firmer one since it is said that firmer picks produce a richer quality of sound. You should also remember to grip it firmly but not too tightly.

Probably the most important tip for beginners to remember is to practice. Practice makes guitar playing easier for the beginner. It'll also help you memorize notes quicker. If you have a guitar recital coming up, it is important to be comfortable with the piece you'll be performing.

Beginner guitar players don't have to be afraid of the instrument. All they have to do is to practice, be comfortable, and to have fun. This is the reason why most people choose to play an instrument in the first place. They want to have fun and enjoy music at the same time.

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Gibson Les Paul Guitars - Americas Favorite Electric Guitar

Gibson Les Paul 2008 Standard: Gibson's newest version of the Les Paul Standard was released August 1st 2008, and it features built-in lock on strap buttons, a larger neck tenon, with an uneven neck contour to make for a comfy neck, frets leveled by Plek machine, and locking Grover tuners with an improved ratio of 18:1. The newest 2008 guitar Gibson has introduced their weight relief chambering, which has included routing chambers in precise areas of the mahogany slab body as specified by Gibson R&D. Before the 2008 release, Les Paul Standards were holy like it had holes routed into the body, but it was not chambered like most of the guitars now are.

Gibson 1961 Les Paul SG Guitars: Gibson experienced a huge fall in electric guitar sales mainly because of their high prices and huge competition from Fender's equivalent but much lighter double-cutaway design in 1960 on The Stratocaster Guitar. Gibson then made changes to the infamous guitar line. The 1961 guitar was thinner and much lighter than the previous guitars, with two sharply pointed cut-aways and vibrato system. Nevertheless, the revamp was done without Les Paul's knowledge...ooops. The musician saw the guitar, he gasped, and he asked Gibson to remove his name from the guitar and he said goodbye to Gibson. Even though this separation happened in 1960, Gibson had a huge stock of Les Paul logos and truss rod covers, and so they continued to use the Les Paul name until about 1963. That is when the SG guitar's name was finally altered to SG, which stands for Solid Guitar. Plus the SG line, Gibson continued to issue the less expensive Les Paul Jr's and Les Paul Specials (and the Melody Makers) with the newer body style. These were the standard Gibson electric models until the reintroduction of the Les Paul Standard Goldtop and the Les Paul Custom guitars to the market in 1968.

Gibson Les Paul Recording Guitar: This guitar is often shunned by guitar purists who consider it to be too full of gadgets and buttons. The Recording features low-impedance pickups, many switches and buttons, and a highly specialized cable for impedance-matching to the amplifier. Less noticeable changes included, but were not limited to, maple fingerboards (1976), pickup cavity shielding, and the crossover of the ABR1 Tune-o-matic bridge into the modern day Nashville Tune-o-matic bridge.

Gibson Les Paul Deluxe Guitars: The Les Paul Deluxe was in the midst of the newest 1968 Les Pauls. This guitar featured "mini-humbuckers", also known as "New York" humbuckers, and did not at first demonstrate to be very popular. The mini-humbucker pickup fit in to the precarved P-90 pickup cavity having an adaptor ring developed by Gibson, actually just a cutout P90 pickup cover, in order to use a supply of Epiphone mini-humbuckers left over from when Gibson moved Epiphone production to Japan. The Deluxe was introduced in 1968 and helped to normalize production among Gibson's USA built Les Paul guitars. The 1st materialization of the Deluxe featured a one-piece body and three-piece neck. The body was a thin layer of maple sandwiched by two layers of Honduran mahogany. Later a small volute was added. 1969 Les Paul Deluxe's mark the Gibson logo devoid of the dot over the "i" in Gibson. In 1970 the dot over the i had returned, with a new Made in USA stamp on the back of the headstock. By 1975, the neck construction was changed from mahogany to maple, until the early 1980s, when the production was returned to mahogany. Vintage, new and used Gibson Les Paul Guitars can be purchased on sale and a great bargain can be had online.

Gibson Les Paul Studio: In 1983 The Les Paul Studio guitar was introduced and is still being made today. The planned market for this guitar was the professional studio musician. Consequently, the design features of the Studio were for optimal sound output. This guitar kept only the elements that added to the tone and playability, together with the carved maple top and standard mechanical and electronic hardware. Nonetheless, the Studio design left out many stock Gibson decorations that did not affect sound quality, including the binding on the body and neck. A notable exemption to this is the Studio Custom, a guitar in the mid 1980s that incorporated body and neck binding, though with dot fingerboard inlays instead of more ornate trapezoids.

Gibson Les Paul Robot Guitar: The Gibson Les Paul Robot Guitar was released in December 2007. The guitar has a computer built into the guitar body with a master control knob next to the volume knobs, which can be pulled out, turned, or pressed to issue different commands to the guitar. One of the more memorable features is the capability to tune the guitar to standard tuning simply by pulling out on the master control knob and strumming the guitar, while the tuning pegs amazingly adjust themselves to standard tuning. Another use of the master control knob is to be able to tune the guitar to alternative tunings, such as drop D, by pressing on the control knob to fit the setting. The Les Paul Robot Guitar has a new custom silverburst blue finish. While the guitar was advertised in the American as a world's first, similar systems, some external, have been in use for decades.

Gibson Les Paul Dark Fire Guitars: Just recently on December 15, 2008 Gibson publicized a new interactive computerized guitar that produces more sounds and it is named the Dark Fire. The guitar has a computer built into the body and controlled by the Master Control Knob or also called the MCK. The MCK gives guitar players the skill to change the pickups and coils, fine-tune each tone and tunings automatically and at once, even while a song is being played. Similar to the Robot Guitar, the Dark Fire Guitar features the capability to tune the guitar, nonetheless, enhanced over the Robot Guitar, the player can tune it up to 500 times per battery charge, letting the tuning pegs adjust themselves to different tuning styles. Using the Chameleon Tone Technology Gibson says this guitar will produce every imaginable guitar sound. In addition to the enhanced and advanced tuning features, the guitar has 3 various types of pickups, which includes: Burstbucker (humbucker), a P-90 single-coil and a bridge-mounted piezo acoustic--all of which add to organic blends of original sounds.

http://music-memorabilia-posters.com/ Vintage, new and used Gibson Les Paul Guitars can be purchased on sale and a great bargain can be had online.

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