Wednesday 29 April 2009

Popular Guitar Brands Your Guitar Heroes May Play

You can learn to play guitar on most any old instrument. This does not have to be the very best instrument out there. As you advance on your instrument you will naturally want to get a better guitar. Although the list of quality guitars is very long you tend to see the pros playing the same popular guitar brands over and over again. You will see Fender and Gibson guitars being played in nearly any style of music. On the acoustic guitar scene Martin guitars and instruments made by Guild are quite popular. This article will look at a few of the more popular brands of guitars you might see your heroes playing.

Almost anyone you can think of at one time or another has played Fender guitars. Leo Fender was way ahead of his time with the modern designs he put into his guitars. Go to any country music show even today and you will more than likely spot a Fender Telecaster guitar being played on stage. Fender guitars come in many different price ranges so most anyone can afford to own a Fender.

A lot of the all time great rockers play the Gibson brand of guitar. Almost everyone has played the Gibson Les Paul from Les Paul himself to Eric Clapton. The tone of the Gibson Les Paul has a large support group in love with the famous Les Paul growl. Many of these guitars are worth quite a lot of money.

Ask most any serious guitarist which guitar is the king of the all of the acoustic guitars and most likely you will get the answer of the Martin guitar. This brand of guitar has been made in the US since 1833. Spend the day at a major bluegrass festival and you will find performer after performer playing Martin guitars. These guitars are sought after because of the fantastic tone they have.

Although Guild guitars may not be as popular as some brands, they are fine quality guitars that are a joy to play. The jumbo models and the 12 string models are highly sought after guitars. Fender bought out the Guild Company in 1995 and continued to manufacture the Guild brand of guitar.

There are many more really good popular guitar brands available. Searching out that perfect instrument is half the fun of playing. Your style of playing will have a lot to do with what type of guitar you choose. Do your homework and pick out the right type of guitar for you. This may or not be the guitar your hero plays.

For more information on finding easy songs to play on the guitar try visiting http://www.your-guitar.com where you will find tips, advice and resources about topics such as how to strum the guitar

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

Monday 27 April 2009

The Different Avenues To Learn Guitar

Learning an instrument can be the dream of many people. And whether you’re a child or an adult, chasing those musical dreams can mean many hours of hard work and practice. The guitar has long been the most popular choice for those looking to learn an instrument. But in order to learn guitar, you must first decide what process will work best for you.

First and foremost, the guitar teacher is the classic way in which to learn guitar. A guitar teacher will either come to your home periodically or have you visit them in their home or classroom if they work through a school. Guitar lessons can be pricey but they can also be significantly beneficial for the student. A teacher can provide the level of motivation necessary in order to put in the long hours of practice. Because you are meeting with another person on a regular basis you become aware of the things expected from you and are more likely to deliver on those expectations. A guitar teacher will help you learn guitar by first teaching you finger placement and chord techniques before instructing you on basic songs. Once you master a few simple songs you will began to expand your technique from there.

With the growing market of technology available, there also exists CDs and DVDs completely devoted to those looking to learn guitar. CDs are helpful and can be listened to at your convenience. DVDs are exceptionally helpful as they are crafted after classroom lessons and can be played over and over again so that you can learn at your own pace.

Guitar tabs can also be used to easily learn guitar. Guitar tabs are much like sheet music but they are for those who can not read notes. They take each song and break it down by finger placement so that beginners can learn how to play a song easily.

Today’s resources offer more and more ways for beginners to learn guitar. Take a look at all the options and choose that which fits effortlessly into your time, lifestyle, and budget.

Sunday 26 April 2009

An Introduction To 8-string Guitar

8-String guitar comes with eight strings. There are many variants of this musical instrument guitar, one maybe invented from Russia along with the 7-string guitar alternative in the 19th century. The musical instrument 8-string guitar has started gaining popularity very recently, notably among jazz artists such as Charlie Hunter, The Special Purpose, Richard Scott, and Terje Rypdal and other metal artists like Meshuggah, Korn guitarist James “Munky” Shaffer also had also been appeared with 8 string guitar during occasional live shows.

There are constantly increasing the number of online musical instrument store and musical instrument store offering 8 string guitars, and a production eight stings is been released during 2007 by Ibanez. Some of the other main manufacturing companies of 8 and also 9 strings guitars are Novax Guitars launched by Ralph Novak and Conklin Guitars.

Advantages of 8 string guitars:

• Full range of bass notes appears from A an octave lowers than the 5th guitar string, and up to the drop-D string.

• Latest 19-century model smaller scale and thin neck facilitates access to all 8 strings, for even Barres.

• It has the ability to play 10-string range of Mertz, and 7-string Coste range.

• It has the ability to play Baroque transcriptions at actual pitch.

• It plays Baroque 8-course lute pieces from originals.

• Play drop-D pieces with contact to the usual 6-string and drop-D fingerings.

• Low D and A quiver understandingly with 2 open strings.

This period balanced 8-string guitar shaped by Reis in about 1840 is a hard surviving example of the multi-bass guitars. It is designed after the well-known Viennese builder Anton Stauffer, as many Viennese builders copied the same Stauffer's design. Note that the additional 2 strings are not fretted and they are only the open string could be played. The headstock is a usual figure 8 shape, where the gathering for the 7th and 8th strings is interlocked.

The musical instrument 8 string variations can also be found in classical nylon strung instruments. They are usually tuned with two additional basses, which differ in pitch depending on the piece being played. Another general variation is to add an additional bass and treble string. The additional treble is almost forever tuned to A, while the added bass string generally falls on A, B, or C.

Saturday 25 April 2009

Emg Guitar Pickups

EMG, Inc first started manufacturing guitar pickups back in 1976, known as EMG pickups. Over the years they have earned the reputation for quality, clear sounding pickups used by many professional artists. ESP guitars and Jackson guitars currently use EMG pickups as their standard pickup design. Their high output is preferred by hard rock and heavy metal guitarists because of the pickups higher gain output as opposed to most lower output pickups. Some of the bands and artists who currently endorse EMG pickups are Tom Morrello, Zakk Wylde, Stephen Carpenter, Metallica, Slayer and many others

The most common EMG pickups are the EMG 81 and 85. The EMG 81 is usually considered to be the lead pickup and is more commonly used in the bridge position, while the EMG 85 is mainly used as a rhythm pickup more used in the neck position. In my opinion, for the Les Paul 6 string guitar the EMG 81 is best suited for distortion and the EMG 85 for clean tones. The EMG 85 in the neck position lacked the clarity of the bridge position EMG 81 when it came to distortion sounds.

Personally, I have had great success with using EMG pickups in a Gibson Les Paul and 7 string ESP guitar especially if you are into heavier sounding music. The clarity, deeper tone, and added gain are what make the pickups more suitable. One negative thing about the EMG active pickups is the need for a 9 volt battery, but it's not much of a problem because the battery lasts for a long time. You just need to make sure you replace the battery at least every 6 months because of tone loss over time.

Installation for a set of EMG pickups is fairly easy depending on the type of guitar you have. With the right tools I was able to install a set of Zakk Wylde custom EMG’s in Gibson Les Paul in under an hour. As long as you follow the right installation diagrams for your type of guitar and have basic soldering skills you should not run into any problems.

Thursday 23 April 2009

Guitar Lesson Videos: Criteria You Must Look For Before Purchasing

Learning how to play the guitar is definitely becoming a craze these days not only with the kids but also with many adults of the adults looking to finally dust off that ol' guitar and learn something. But many people avoid learning how to play the guitar thinking that it's a quite difficult task.

Well this might be true but to a very small extent. There are various ways you can learn how to play the guitar. You can take private lessons or get an instructional book of some sort or the best way I recommend is to get the guitar lesson videos.

Taking a private instructor would be nice but you have to set a particular time and then again you might be one among 6 or 7 people being taught at the same time and of course you have to spend 25-35 dollars on average per lesson, which may amount to hundreds of dollars a month for private lessons.

The best way to learn how to play the guitar is the guitar lesson videos. These guitar lessons have become very popular as they are quite accessible and you can learn to play the guitar at your own home at your very own pace. There are different types of guitar lesson videos. There are the ones for beginners which start from the basics like how to choose a guitar, how to hold it, the basic cords and scales and what each string does or even how to start playing songs.

For Intermediate players there are videos on how to progress with more complicated techniques and arrangements. For advanced players, the sky is the limit on where you can take your playing so make sure you choose the right video for yourself. Quality video guitar lessons generally provide detailed step by step instructions to smoothly guide you through exercise.

When choosing a guitar lesson video make sure you are able to view clearly the way the instrument is being played. With the different camera angles. Make sure there are easy to follow instructions and a clear picture of the finger placements.

Many guitar lesson videos are available online. You can surf the internet and find the perfect online guitar lesson for you. When you're searching for an online site you can use the help of a friend who knows to play the guitar to check out the site before you start using it.

These videos are a very effective way of learning how to play the guitar in the comfort of your own home. All you have to do is first watch the video for 20 min then try and play along with the video once you get it then you practice. Before the next lesson makes sure you are comfortable with the first lesson, if not, watch the video of the first lesson again. Make sure you follow the instructions given carefully and don't skip steps.

The right guitar lesson is extremely effective in making you a confident skilled guitarist. You can definitely have some great fun and try out new stuff of your own once you get the hang of it. Just make sure you practice and get it right. Its nice having someone watch your fingers while you play but is definitely better that you do it alone.

By: Antone Williams

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

Friday 17 April 2009

Guitar Chords: Develop Your Guitar Skills

Many people today, especially young ones are getting very interested in probably the most popular musical instrument today, which is the guitar.

Although many are also intrigued and attracted to learning how to play the piano, the guitar is the musical instrument, which is next in line. As pointed out earlier, teenagers are the ones who are very adventurous when it comes to trying out new things.

This is also the reason why this is the age group, which is participating more in learning how to play the guitar.

Usually, teenagers show their adventurous side when they do not stick with the traditional way of learning how to play the said instrument. Instead of finding their own personal instructors, or enrolling themselves in a music school, most of them just opt to get to know the instrument better on their own. And in doing so, they usually rely on resources such as books and several guitar chords.

As many people know, guitar chords are the essential resource that guitar players need, whether they are just beginners learning how to play the instrument, or they are beginners learning how to play a new song. One concern is that if the beginner does not know how to read these chords, aside from another concern which involves the person's inability to position his/her fingers on the guitar.

The truth is, if a person wants to learn how to interpret these guitar chords, he/she can just surf the Internet and search the basic mechanics. First of all, a beginner must be informed that not all guitars have the same number of strings but the most commonly used guitars have six strings. When the user is sure that he/she has the appropriate guitar chords for his/her guitar, then everything will then fall into place because it will be easier to learn how to interpret the chords.

When a beginner has finally found a guide to help him/her with regard to how he/she will play the instrument with the help of the chords, he/she will definitely be oriented with the necessary terms and concepts used in most guitar chords.

Examples of these terms and concepts are frets, chords, inverted chords, major chords, minor chords, and many different notes. Not only will these guides orient its users with the mentioned concepts but it will also teach the beginners how to read the actual chords. When they are already familiar with how these chords should be interpreted, the next thing that the guides will teach the beginners is how the notes and musical chords are going to be played on the actual instrument.

Of course, this part will be a little detailed since fingerings, positioning, strumming, and even plucking will be involved in this part of the tutorial.

Truly, these guitar chords are a great help whether amateurs or professionals use them. And the thing with learning through these chords is that the method by which you try to understand them does not really matter. The true important thing is the determination that a person has in trying to do so.

About the Author

For tips on learning how to play the guitar and free guitar lessons online visit: http://www.GuitarDisplay.com

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

Monday 13 April 2009

Shopping For Used Electric Guitar

Music lovers get attracted to music instruments invariably, but guitar is most preferred by many music lovers. Guitars are prominent from ancient times, and now with the addition of wonderful instruments like electric guitars it has also become a fantasy learning it. A new instrument to any fresher is not advisable as they lack awareness of handling it meticulously.

Used electric guitars are really beneficial to learners. Speaking of benefit, the used electric guitars come in a more affordable price than the new ones. Students or people who begin learning may discontinue due to various reasons like health, hobby, education, transfer or due to boredom of learning and mastering it as it is time consuming to master it. Procuring a used one gives the learners an opportunity to learn it without fear as they have not invested huge amount on an instrument that they may discontinue on their accord.

Playing the electric guitar involves endurance, firm determination, constant rehearsals, training, and performances. There are numerous brands and styles of electric guitars available in the music market. One has to deftly choose an electric guitar. As a first instrument, learning and practicing is best done on a used electric guitar.

Purchasing a new Electric guitar can be termed as luxurious and pricey.

Acquiring a new electric guitar sometimes turn to be a futile investment as suddenly few realize they are not interested in it as they believed they were. During such circumstances the huge amount just lies in a dump or in a closet accumulating dust.

Purchasing used electric guitars should be done keeping in mind few points like determining how much they have been used. Soundboard is another important factor to be considered in purchasing a used electric guitar. Soundboard that bears more scratches indicates frequent playing of the instrument and a better investment. If a used electric guitar involves replacement of sound board, it is a pricey bargain. Checking for indications of breaking or rupturing of the instrument is essential as it affects the balance of the instrument, and this is one of the primary reasons for new guitars to become a used electric guitar. Observing that the strings are at an equal distance to the entire length from the board is also important as it speaks on the sound produced. Ensuring the tuners on the used electric guitars are good enough to withhold the stress of the strings is necessary as a used electric guitar may weaken over a span of time resulting in getting out of tune.

Used electric guitars are available on the local music stores or pawn shops. Nowadays, websites like eBay are encumbered with used instruments like the electric guitar. Buying a used electric guitar serves as multipurpose as it saves money and assists learning. Though the music markets are flooded with electric guitars it is difficult to find big difference between any used and new electric guitar but for the price. Possessing a new one is advisable only when one is proficient in playing the electric guitar.

Sunday 12 April 2009

A Guitar Lesson to Help You Develop Your Vision

Have you ever done any of the following?

1. Made excuses for not practicing because you “didn’t have time”?

2. Practiced the same licks and exercises that you did last year?

3. Felt like you had hit a brick wall in your progress?

4. Felt unsure as to what to practice?

Unless your name is Steve Vai, chances are you’ve done at least one of the above!

They are all symptoms of having a lack of vision.

What do I mean by vision? Vision in this context is having a clearly defined picture in your mind’s eye of how you would like to play. It must be a crystal clear, exciting and inspiring picture!

Without an absolutely clear picture of what you would ideally like to sound like, you
will not know what you need to practice in order to realise that vision. You will also
probably lose the drive and motivation to practice daily for many years until you can
play like your vision. You may even start using the loser’s mantra which is “I don’t
have time to practice”.

Exercise One:
Think about how you would like to play in 10 years time. Close your eyes and try to
see yourself playing exactly how you would like to play. Write down what you see now.

Make sure that it is detailed. What techniques are you a master of?
What songs can you play? What bands are you in? How many students do you
teach? How does it feel when you play like you do?

Exercise Two:
Now write down what areas of your playing you will need to start
working on in order to reach your vision. What techniques do you need to start
practising? What chords do you need to learn? What music theory do you need to
start learning about? Do you need to start doing ear training? What books, teachers,
CDs and other tools will help you realise your vision? How much time every day do
you think you will need to practise in order to play like you want to play?

Exercise Three:
Spend 10 minutes a day for the next 30 days imagining yourself playing exactly
how you would like to play. Do this with your eyes shut. Don’t worry, it won’t make
you want to start eating tofu or go around the neighborhood hugging trees!

At the end of every time you do this, write down one small new detail about your
vision. By the end of 30 days you should be feeling so excited that you'll want to practice 24/7!

Copyright©2005 by Craig Bassett. All Rights Reserved.

Craig Bassett (The GuitarSolutionsExpert) is a professional guitarist, guitar tutor and author.
http://www.pentatonic-guitar-lessons.com

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

Saturday 11 April 2009

Give Me Back My Guitar

“GIVE ME BACK MY GUITAR” .

This is the frustrated grasshopper yelling in continuation of the famous fable “Ant and the grasshopper” .

After starving in the winter, the grasshopper learnt his lessons the hard way. He hung his guitar, put a stop to his singing and dancing. He started leading an ant’s life, carrying heavy loads on his back the whole day.

This way, he could gather plenty of food but after a while he just could not take it any more. He did not want to continue leading an ant’s life. He wanted to go back to playing his guitar and dancing the whole day.

This grasshopper wanted his guitar back but what about us?

Many of us continue to lead an ant’s life. We all have left behind what we enjoy due to our conditioning right from childhood. We in turn impress upon our children that they have no option but to lead a life based on the “ant’s philosophy”, which articulates that:

Hard work is the key to success. Life is not about enjoying but toiling and struggling.

Every second counts. A second wasted is a second killed.

Worrying about the future is more important than enjoying the present moment.

Ancient Indian wisdom strongly disagrees with this philosophy. It advocates a radically different approach. It urges you to ask

Is it possible for the grasshopper to lead a life which it enjoys and still be successful?

The answer is an emphatic yes. In fact Ancient Indian Wisdom goes a step further and says that this is the natural and correct way to live and the easiest way to succeed.

Truly great and successful people are perfect examples to whet this out. Ask them and they will tell you that they have never worked hard, even for a single day.

Day after day, Year after Year, they keep putting more number of hours than most of us but never feel the load. Many of us complain even if we work for a fraction of that time. .

Some of the fables that we have grown up with have been written more than 2500 years ago. In today’s context, some messages might have become irrelevant or even misleading.

To take another example, the moral of the “Hare and Tortoise” story is, Slow and steady wins the race. If the chastened Hare were to race the tortoise again, would you bet on the tortoise?

I would not. After his defeat, the hare is sure to realize that he lost the race due to his own fault and not because the tortoise was slow and steady. This time he would not repeat the mistake of taking a nap before completing the race, leaving the poor tortoise absolutely no chance.

However the fact remains that for generations, these bedtime stories are immensely popular all over the world. There will not be many children or parents who do not know these stories or have not enjoyed reading them together.

It is the popularity of these stories that makes it possible to deliver more powerful and relevant messages.

Hence, this book, which attempts to capture the powerful messages of “ancient Indian wisdom” and conveys it methodically through a set of six all time favorite fables .

GIVE ME BACK MY GUITAR was originally created and shared with my daughter . The stories and their messages had a significant impact not only on her but also on us .


The experience confirmed my view that Bed time stories are highly effective in inculcating the right values in our children and not just for putting them off to sleep . I personally believe that imparting this wisdom is the best gift that we can give to them. The sooner we start , the better.

This is what prompted me to share it with others . While these are bed time stories , the messages are not limited to children but applicable to everyone irrespective of age , gender , religion and nation . It has been my attempt to write this book in a manner that the whole family can enjoy it together

Also , I want the reader to understand that I am neither the origin nor the custodian of this wisdom but just its communicator. It is my humble effort to pass this wisdom to our children.

I am confident that your investment in this book will endear you to the “ancient Indian wisdom “ and subsequently have a significant impact on the quality of your lives .

I have exercised considerable freedom in changing these stories . Also the conversations amongst Sanghamitra ( my wife ) , Sahaja ( our daughter ) have been edited . Not all conversations have actually happened . This has been done to give the whole book a continous flow and highly readable while giving the apt messages .

I urge you to go ahead and indulge in the contents . Please judge for yourself whether this book is useful or not .

I would be grateful for all feedback positive or negative . I intend to continually improve this work based on that .

May God Bless you and your children with lasting happiness , the ultimate purpose of life .. …..

Wednesday 8 April 2009

Guitar Tuners

Tuners are vital for guitarists. Whether tuning by ear or using computer software or a pedal, tuning is necessary before one can maximize performance of his/her instrument and perform at his/her best. Normally, if you play your guitar only on a daily basis your strings will not get out of tone. But if your guitar is rarely used or is in a bad condition or your playing is extremely hard, then most likely you'll need to tune your guitar always. Tip: TUNE your guitar EVERY TIME you pick it up.

For professional tuning, you MUST use electronic guitar tuners. These devices allow tuning with the use of pedals, little boxes, or rack mounted units. There are a number of manufacturers who specialize in these sophisticated gadgets

ELECTRONIC GUITAR TUNERS

• Boss, a division of the Roland Corporation (big japanese company), employs its proven technology in musical equipment and accessories to develop sophisticated tuners - known for their accuracy and superb functionality. One of its renowned inventions is the TU - Series tuners technology, which incorporates tuning accuracy in an ultra convenient tompbox design...ideal to take them into the guitar case everywhere.

• Korg. This world's favorite tuner started introducing excellent tuners in 1999. It came out with the DT-7 GUITAR/BASS chromatic tuner, the first guitar tuner to feature the legendary Buzz Feiten Tuning System. The critically acclaimed DT-7 could be one of the most accurate tuners in the market ever, featuring an ultra - wide tuning range. Later on, Korg introduced the extremely flexible GT-12 GUITAR & BASS chromatic tuner and the OT-12 designed for Orchestra.

Other models that came out were Korg GA30 Guitar & Bass Tuner which features a pitch reference tone and quinta-flat tuning while maintaining functionality and convenient tuning functions in Ultra - Compact bodies.

The Korg CA30 Chromatic Tuner and the Korg TM40 Chromatic Tuner/Metronome; Tuner with Metronome which can function simultaneously or independently, its large LCD-type needle delivers both the accuracy of an LCD and the excellent visibility of a needle indicator. It also has LED indicators that show pitch deviation or blink to indicate the tempo, thus, making the TM-40 a highly visual tool. The superb functionality and the highest accuracy have made Korg tuners a worldwide favorite.

• String Master, is another respected manufacturer. String Master produced the world's first motorized guitar tuner featured in the Guitar One and Guitar Player Magazines. This guitar tuner is very innovative, convenient and could be the friendliest tuner ever invented

• The Qwik Tune QT-11 is the next generation's automatic guitar tuner. Featuring an electronic pitch pipe with an internal speaker it plays E, A, D, G, B, and E tones for tuning reference. It also includes an Off-Meter tuning mode, which detects the string which the user is trying to tune (even if the guitar is severely out of tune). This portable battery operated Guitar or Bass tuner features an 'electric pitch pipe' that plays the note for the user. The user can tune each individual string while the display tells her/him which string is being tuning and whether the note is sharp or flat. The highly sensitive built-in microphone & spèed metering allow easy tuning.

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TUNING WITH COMPUTER SOFTWARE

Tuning via use of software abounds. Free or for a fee you can find various guitar tuners in the internet. These softwares eliminate the need to tune a guitar with an instrument or the conventional tuning by ear. All you have to do is to listen to the sound from the software, play it on your guitar and adjust the tuning machines tension until your guitar produces the same note as the tuner software.Keep in mind that the basic requirement in tuning is to get the same note as the tuner, not the sound because the difference in thickness of strings may cause varying frequencies and sound...just listen to the pitch.

Listen to the tuner and tune your guitar until you hear almost the same sound, though, it might be deeper. This is specially true when you get new strings and tune your guitar immediately after putting them on. Your stings have to adjust to the pressure applied to them so initially your guitar will not make the right tuning, it will sound detuned. But after exposure to a certain limit of stretch, they will hold on to a certain tone. Tip: Tune your guitar and leave it alone for a few hours then tune again and...that's it. After each playing session the strings tend to mantain the pitch with better accuracy and stability.

One of the common (and free) tuners available in the internet is the DGT or digital guitar tuner. DGT is windows software, which allows you to accurately tune your guitar using direct input or microphone. Another free software is AP Tuner3 which supports an improved detection algorithm for low notes for bass and piano. It has a helpful Harmonics Graph window to see the harmonic content of any note. PitchPerfect can also be downloaded for free. It also provides a highly accurate professional tuner with a very simple to use interface. There is more flexibility in the PitchPerfect software because it automatically detects the note you're playing and therefore, you're not limited by standard tunings.

Apart from free downloads on your personal computer,you can also download tuners on your pocket PC or on your ipod. An example of this is the 4Pockets Guitar Tuner. Because it can be downloaded on your pocket PC, you can take the 4Pockets Guitar Tuner with you on your gigs . A high precision real - time guitar tuner,this Guitar Tuner can accurately determine the frequency,musical note and octave for each of your strings. The ability to estimate the note and octave makes this a very useful tool in musical notation and musical learning.

The iRocker is another convenient set of tools for guitarists which you can load on your iPod. iRocker is produced by Talking Panda,the makers of iBar.A great help for beginners, the iRocker includes not only a virtual book with 200 chords and fingerings but likewise a guide to scales. It also provides 5 different chord progressions/riffs that you can play along. Moreover, it contains a set of guitar tuning recordings with a variety of tunings and a basic 10 - speed metronome.

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WICH TUNER IS RIGHT FOR ME?

Your choice of tuner would depend on your needs – amateur or professional use. You might use a tuner for practicing at home or gigs with friends or you might need the tuner for a larger audience - like performing in a big concert. Regardless of your need, convenience and accuracy, tuners are of foremost importance...you can avail of a wide range of guitar tuners, free or for a fee.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/guitar-tuners-136041.html

Monday 6 April 2009

Learning The Guitar Is So Different Today

Those who know how to play the instrument want to explore ways to improve their playing skills. When learning how to play the guitar you will here guitar jargon, these types of words were created so guitar people are able to communicate with each other in their own context.

The speed and confidence you have in making chord changes is key to mastering the guitar and successfully playing the instrument. You must make yourself comfortable with the position so that you will be able to execute correctly while playing the guitar. The pinkie is not used since it is the shortest finger and is not conducive to playing the guitar. Playing classical guitar is more inclined to figure work and plucking.

Whatever the reason you’ve got the guitar, learning to play online is a must. Let’s face it learning to play the guitar should be fun and not boring or frustrating.

Many people can not learn or find it boring to learn from a book, and many people find that private lessons are much to expensive, there is an alternative learn how to play buy DVD course or by learning online. When practicing playing the guitar each time your practice you will see how it the practicing paid off and maybe one day you will be a great guitar player.

When you first start out learning the guitar the positioning of your hands will feel strange and it will feel like you can’t move your hands correctly, to make this easier it is ok to look at where your fingers are positioned and as time goes on you will no longer need to do this. Learn how to play the guitar the correct way the first time and this will make it easier in the future, if you try to take shortcuts this will not help and actually make it harder for you to learn.

The remedy for this is of course to practice reading the sheet music without looking at the fret board. However, there are many learning processes going on at the same time when you practice on your instrument. A beginner should practice tuning the guitar so that he can become better and better at it. You will need to practice often, try to create a schedule by looking at a calendar and make a plan and stick to it. Most people like to make an appointment so it seems like you cannot miss it. Essentially, effective guitar practice consists of taking four elements of playing the guitar and incorporating them into your practice routine.

When you make preparation, timing, and warming up a part of your routine of how to practice the guitar effectively, you will see how quickly you improve your skills. Please, whatever you do, don’t take up the guitar if you are only going to practice the last hour before your lesson. But it does mean you need to set aside time to practice and commit to actually it.

When first learning the guitar the beginner should begin with the common chords, this will be the easiest way to begin. We've all been there soon after we get hold of our first guitar we know that to play anything people are actually going to listen to we need to "learn a few chords".

Wednesday 1 April 2009

What To Look For In An Internet Guitar Lesson

Purchasing products online can require a little extra care and research to ensure that you are receiving the best product possible. Some people still feel apprehensive about shopping over the Internet, but it really is very safe and provides access to things you simply cannot find anywhere else. For example, a new and exciting trend is online education services, particularly those for playing musical instruments.

If you are interested in discovering some of these innovative and accessible programs, then you are making a smart choice. Here are some tips and ideas about what to look for to make sure that you find the program perfect for you. By ensuring that the program you choose meets these criteria, you will know that you are receiving the best guitar lesson possible.

The first requirement is that the program have been designed by a true musical professional. It is very important that the instructor not be an amateur because as a student your skill level will be limited by that of your teacher. This is why you need to make sure that your guitar lesson package has been written and designed by a pro.

The second requirement that you need to verify is that the instructor is not only a professional musician, but also a professional music teacher. There is a very big difference between knowing how to perform a skill and knowing how to teach others to do the same. A professional will understand that different people have different learning styles, and will be able to provide a guitar lesson to suit every learner.

The third requirement is that you consider how dynamic and creative the program is. It is next to impossible to learn how to play an instrument well from a text based book. Instead, a good program will offer interactive features such as visual aids and audio files. Your guitar lesson package should provide you with clips and examples that teach you how to play by showing you rather than simply telling you.

Finally, an online musical education program will not be effective unless it gets the student playing right away and keeps them playing every step of the program. Learning how to play an instrument is dependent upon becoming comfortable with the actual playing. This is why without active playing, no guitar lesson can be effective.

One system that meets all of these requirements and more is the Express Guitar learning program. This program was created by professional musician and teacher Mike Hayes. As a true master of this instrument, Mike Hayes knows what it takes to turn students from amateurs to pros. Visit http://www.guitarcoaching.com to learn more about this system and other great offers. By finding a program that meets your needs perfectly, you too can become a master guitarist in no time at all.

http://www.guitarcoaching.com located in Queensland, Australia, Hayes is passionate about his work and dedicated to helping students in guitar lessons.

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Tips to learn How to Play Guitar More Quickly

Once you have decided you want to play guitar, you want to learn fast. While nothing happens overnight, you want a way to play guitar as quickly as possible.

While you will still have to work at your lessons to learn how to play guitar, here are some tips that may help you catch on more quickly and see more progress.

Have a Chord Chart Reference

When you are learning to play guitar, you should always have a chord chart reference nearby. Most guitar shops have these for sale. Some are a single page that has been laminated. On it are a series of pictures that show where your fingers need to be in order to play a note. While you will be learning these chords in lessons, it helps to have a visual reference as you try to play guitar between lessons.

Focus on Your Hand Positions

The most important thing to get right when learning to play guitar is the locations of your hands on the guitar. This can take some time to get them right, as it always feels odd to put your hands in the positions necessary to play properly. Take your time and keep looking at your hand positions to make sure they are correct.

Pace Yourself

Don't get frustrated if you aren't able to play guitar as quickly as you would like. Like all things, learning to play guitar takes time. You need to be patient and allow yourself adequate time to learn.

Also, don't try to learn too much too fast. If you push yourself too hard to learn to play guitar, you may make it harder to learn. You should work on each thing you are learning until you have it down perfectly before moving to something new. Trying to learn too many things at once can become confusing.

Listen For Guitar Sounds in Music

While you go about your daily activities, listen to other guitars. There are always guitars being played in music. You should listen to these to learn guitar sounds. Study what other musicians are able to do with their guitars. There are different ways to strum a guitar. There are also numerous other sounds that can come out of this instrument. The more you listen to other guitars the more you will begin to understand the sounds you will be able to make with yours as you continue to learn.

About The Author:
Guitar Lessons Singapore is the Only Guitar Agency In Singapore. Master The Guitar Quickly And Easily. Fun & Inspiring Guitar Lessons. Call Audrey @ 6844 8985. Learn more at http://www.guitarlessonssingapore.com

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