The Art Of Practicing

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I have always believed that success, in practically any subject you can think of, is a direct result of “clear thinking”. That is, the ability to understand very clearly what needs to be achieved and the action to set about surmounting very necessary hurdles in order to reach those goals. Less than successful people are either not clear in their goals or for one reason or another give up along the way. It’s leveling that rough terrain, along with a clearly defined end result in mind that will get you there in the end. The success roadmap might go something like this:

Visualize goal => Surmount problems => Score

Sounds simple doesn’t it? However, this clear thinking is all very well but it’s usually the thought required before step 1 (visualization) that causes problems. Very often the goal does not manifest in mind because the process is so overwhelming.

And so it is with practicing the guitar, or any instrument for that matter. In more laymen’s terms it’s more like “What the hell should I be practicing?”.

Practice is a constant struggle for many people. There is so much to learn and often so little time to allocate to it. For the jazz musician, clear thinking can be as simple as “I really like that Charlie Parker 2, 5 - how does he do that?”. Then transcribing the line, practicing it in all keys and working the phrase into your own vocabulary. The ’score’ as I like to call it is the ability to work it in to your own playing. I want to talk a little about that in a minute.

First, I think the most important thing to talk about is how to make best use of your practice time. There was a time when I started playing where I used to sit in my room and allocate 15 minutes to practicing scales and arpeggios, 10 minutes on technique exercises, 20 minutes on sight reading and 1/2 an hour on practicing my classical guitar repertoire. Why? because my teacher told me I had to. Years later once I started to study jazz guitar on my own I didn’t feel the need to be practicing this way. It wasn’t really benefiting me fully. I started to have my own goals in mind that I wanted to reach. I wanted to learn to play like one or two of my heroes, but more importantly because I liked what they played. Even more under the microscope were certain melodic lines and licks that tweaked my ear and fueled me to transcribe or simply copy the way they phrased or ‘felt’ a phrase. Once I clearly had in mind what I wanted to achieve I could go about achieving it - I knew what I had to do.

It’s important to sit down to practice and be really clear about what you are going to do during that practice time. Now, one thing that helped me tremendously was when I made a huge commitment to scheduled practicing. In other words, deciding that every single day, no matter what, I would sit down and dedicate exactly one hour to working at this instrument. The amazing thing I found is that my regularly scheduled practice literally fueled my regularly scheduled practice! Does this make sense? What this means is that, the more I practiced, the more I wanted to practice. What started out as a committed hour turned into committed six hour sessions. Once I got into music college in London I remember waking up in the morning and practicing until I went to bed at night, remembering to eat on occasion. I was so fueled by the commitment to practice that the drive to play took over completely.

Regular practice clearly keeps your guitar technique on tip top form. There’s nothing like picking up the guitar and playing a few short runs and being on top of your game, simply because you are playing regularly.

The other wonderful thing about committing to regular practice is that it actually helps you to think much more clearly, because you start to see results. Once you start to see results the concept of learning is much less overwhelming and you are able to make decisions about what you want to work on much more easily.

So do yourself a huge favor, first, make the decision to want to get much better at your guitar playing. Then once you have decided that, make a clear commitment right now and allocate a certain time of day to your guitar practice. If you only have limited time then give yourself what you know you can afford. Once you get your teeth into this system, if you don’t have more time, trust me you will want to find more time. You might just want to wake up earlier. The drive to learn will take over.

Quality practice is key. I find now I am older that, if I let myself, I can get more and more distracted because there are so many other facets to my life. When I make the decision to focus 100% on my guitar problems and how I can surmount them, I find I can get completely absorbed for hours once I get going. Sometimes it helps to avoid those distractions from the outset. Maybe turn the phone off!

There is a huge difference between playing the guitar and practicing the guitar. I can play for days quite happily but am I learning anything new? Not unless I stop myself and work on my weaknesses. And there are plenty of those trust me! Many years ago I wanted to learn licks from my favorite players. I would hear a line and transcribe it. Many times I found that those musical phrases would not come out in my playing and I asked myself why. It dawned on me that there were three possible reasons:

1) I found the phrase too technically difficult to pull off.
2) It just didn’t feel like it belonged in my vocabulary.
3) I hadn’t fully explored the idea enough - perhaps I didn’t fully understand how to use it in a practical sense.

Let’s talk about these briefly.

Sometimes a horn line does not necessarily fit under the fingers on the guitar. The line might sound just terrific on a sax but if I can’t play it on my guitar it’s not going to have the same effect. In fact quite the opposite! Everyone is somewhat limited technically (although there are a few players that keep my head scratching I must admit!), every player has a ceiling in their own mind and I think it’s perfectly OK to let some things go because they are just two gymnastic on the guitar. It’s of course relative to each player’s ability and comfort zone.

Occasionally I’ll try and work something into my music vocabulary and it just doesn’t feel like me. Some players sound great playing certain things and when I play them them they either sound too much like that other great player or I just don’t feel it. Music has to be personal, it’s OK to weed out stuff that you don’t want to use, even when those ‘weeds’ are a rose garden to others.

The last idea is something very important I think. That is the idea that when you work on some new vocabulary or a new harmonic idea, that you fully understand how to use it and just as importantly, how to work it into your playing so it comes out naturally. Let’s assume you are transcribing a lick on a CD you like. The first thing to do is to make sure you get the notes right. You might slow it down (there is plenty of software on the market that enables you to do this now). Whatever it takes, make sure the notes you are transcribing are correct. Then it is a matter of practicing that phrase so it feels good when you play it.

Now most folks stop right there and wonder why the phrase never shows up in their playing. The secret is to figure out exactly what chord (or group of chords) is being played underneath that line. After that, figure out what other chords could also be played underneath that phrase. Next, learn how to play that phrase everywhere on the fretboard, in different positions and keys. Finally and the most important, work the phrase into your own playing. To do this, start by improvising in any way that you normally might and focus on ways to connect that new phrase you want to play. The new phrase starts on a certain note and you will need to focus on that starting note in order to make a connection to it. Practice improvising freely and connecting to that new phrase, focusing on its starting note. Do this in all keys. Pretty soon you will know if the phrase is going to come out into your playing or not.

The art of practice is a huge subject and musicians have written complete books on it. But I do believe the real success starts with clear thinking. Make a decision to focus on something specific. Here is a more detailed roadmap to take on board:

1) Visualize. What do you want to work on - what do you want to achieve?
2) Plan. What exactly do you have to do in order to achieve that goal?
3) Action. Explore the subject in enough detail.
4) Surmount. Expect problems along the way - this is normal - don’t give up! Just level the terrain.
5) Score - making sure that the subject is fully absorbed and part of your new musical make up, unless you decide otherwise.

Great players really got to grips with practicing in the early stages. It became fascinating to them and the results they saw fueled more practice. It’s a self perpetuating phenomenon. By simply not practicing, the incentive to pick up your instrument diminishes over time. Then the excuses start to pour out in torrents. Then regrets. Then a very dusty guitar possibly in a dark attic somewhere.

Get practicing. Quality practice. Ask yourself questions. Look for the answers. Insist on results. This is the key to improving.

Chris Standring is a recording artist and the owner of Guitar
Made Simple.com Visit this website for free guitar
lessons and a truly ground breaking home study guitar course.

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Commitment is Key to Playing Expert Guitar

While it’s absolutely true that musical talent is generally either there or it’s not, when it comes to guitarists, developing screaming fingers is something they all have to work at. If a guitarist plays with their heart, has some innate talent and a desire to truly practice, screaming fingers are a possibility.

To be able to take a guitar and play hot licks like a pro, however, some conditioning will need to come into play. Screaming fingers are, after all, made and not born. This means anyone who expects to pick up a guitar and play like a pro within a few hours is probably fooling themselves. The process of learning will require some time, patience and practice.

To ensure the best development of screaming fingers for guitar players, a novice player will need to set his or her sights on a few things. Number one in all of it will be a desire to learn to play the guitar and play it well. In order to have fingers scream across the strings like they are on auto pilot, it will be important to have a very good understanding of chords, finger placement and the such.

Getting started on the road to success involves some time and practice. The first thing is first, however, learn the guitar! This means take lessons, either face-to-face or online, learn the chords and learn finger placement while practicing it on a daily basis.

Once a basic understanding of the notes and finger placement is in place, the next step in developing screaming fingers involves a willingness to practice these things over and over again. For something to become second nature, it has to be practice. Just like learning to walk, ride a bicycle or write your name, screaming fingers will take repetitious learning to perfect and master.

The idea behind all the practice is to ensure that the mind drives the fingers exactly where they need to go when they play. The more chords are practiced, the more likely it is the movement to play them will become route. When this is the case, having true screaming fingers status is almost attainable.

The other major factor in creating screaming fingers is a willingness to exercise the fingers, as well. It’s important to keep hands limber and ready to play. Many guitar players who want to ensure they can pick up their axe and play it like it was made for them develop or follow an exercise routine for their hands. Whether it’s simply playing the guitar or working on limbering exercises during down times, keeping the hands moving and fast is an important consideration.

Going from beginner to guitar playing expert takes time and a little innate talent, it’s true. The fact is anyone with a heart for the instrument and an ear for music can learn to play and play well.

Developing screaming fingers, however, will require more dedication than just learning the guitar. To truly attain this status, a player needs to know the instrument about as well as they do themselves. The key here is time and patience.

Learn professional guitar skills with premier training tools:

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Learn to Play Acoustic Guitar - Acoustic Guitar Tips For The Beginner

So you want to learn how to play acoustic guitar? Do you have hopes and dreams of one day becoming a professional guitarist in a popular band? Perhaps you just want to play for the purpose of entertaining yourself, family, and friends. Whatever the case may be, I do hope the following article will help you achieve your goals as an acoustic guitar player.

The very first step in learning how to play the acoustic guitar, is of course to get a guitar. For the sake of argument, I am assuming you already own a guitar and are ready to start playing. If not, you may find it easier to purchase a second hand guitar in the beginning while you are practicing and learning the basics. You will also save some cash. When you get better you can always upgrade.

Whether you are buying a new or used acoustic guitar, you will save a lot of headaches if you do your research first. Visit free newsgroups and forums online to see what other guitar players have to say. If you are buying a used guitar make sure you are able to physically see and check out the guitar before buying. You will need to examine the entire guitar for any visible damage or other imperfections. You want your guitar to have the correct action, intonation, and pitch. Your best bet, if you are that lucky, is to find an experienced guitar player to take along with you before you buy.

Once you found your guitar, it’s time to start practicing. Learning the correct way to practice is probably the most important part of your acoustic guitar playing success. It is better to practice 10 minutes of quality focused exercises then to spend an hour on the couch messing around trying to learn a complicated song. The environment that you learn in is equally important. You will need complete silence and privacy. You should not have any interruptions at all if possible.

You will need to recognize the learning method that works best for you because everyone is different. The last thing you want to happen is for your guitar learning to become boring and monotonous. I think every one has come to that point at one time or another. You appear to hit a dead end where your guitar playing doesn’t seem to get any better. No matter how long you practice, no matter how many finger exercises or chords you learn, you cant seem to get over that hump. Your brain is not responding as well because it isn’t being stimulated. Definitely do not become discouraged by your lack of progress. Put down the guitar and take a break. Stimulate your brain by doing something else for a while, then come back to your guitar practice.

Don’t give yourself super challenging tasks to complete in the beginning. You are setting yourself up for some major disappointment. Start off slow and easy. Learn the easy stuff first then tackle the more difficult stuff later on.

Set easier goals for yourself. When you set easier goals that you know you are capable of doing, you are building confidence and you are making progress.

Think about the growing stages of a newborn baby. The baby does not come right out of the mothers womb and instantly knows how to run marathons. No, he learns to crawl first, then walk, then run. The baby has to develop his muscles first in order to support his body. The same holds true for guitar playing. If you want to be able to produce clean sounding chords or play complicated solos, you have to develop your muscles, and this only happens when you are patient in your practicing. Over time, you will begin to develop what is known as “muscle memory”. This refers to the body’s ability to remember, or automatically perform, a well practiced motion. If you ever watch a professional guitar player, you will see this in action as the guitar player plays complicated chords and solos without looking or even thinking about it.

Be persistent. I don’t care if takes you 6 months to learn two chords. Never stop trying. If you have the desire to become a good acoustic guitar player, then you will succeed. It is simply a matter of time.

Listen to as much music from as many different artists as possible. Do not limit yourself to only your favorite artists. There are a multitude of acoustic guitar players out there in a number of different genres including classical, folk, jazz, rock, etc. If you limit yourself to only one particular area, you are depriving yourself of some beautiful music. You never know what artist can influence your playing style. So be open to new styles of music.

I hope this article has gotten you excited enough to learn how to play acoustic guitar. Remember to keep practicing and to never give up, no matter how long it takes.

Click here to learn about the worlds most popular and effective acoustic guitar home learning course!

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A Brief History of Epiphone Acoustic Guitars by William McRea

Epiphone had its true beginnings in Greece where Anastasios Stathopoulos started out by making traditional stringed instruments such as violins, lutes, mandolins, and a Greek instrument called the lioutos. The family then moved to Smyrna in Asia Minor but later fled to New York due to persecution.

After moving to New York, Anastasios son, Epi Stathopoulos, inherited the family instrument making business. During the early years of Epi s running of the business, the company was called the House of Stathopoulos. But, Epi changed it from that to Epiphone. He filed for the change in advance, but it did not become official until 1928. The new company was named for Epi, the owner, and phonos, the Greek word for sound. At this point, it was called the Epiphone Banjo Company.

Epiphone launched their first guitars in 1931. They had a full line of what is known as the archtop style of guitar which are popular with jazz and blues players. After their launch they become one of the biggest guitar companies with Gibson being their main rival.

Things changed after Epi died of leukemia. He left the business to his brother Orphie and another brother, Frixo, became the president. This was not a lucrative partnership. The two brothers had a disagreement and Frixo sold his stocks in the company. After that, Epiphone fell on hard times both because of the war and because of poor management.

The fate of the company changed in 1957 when Chicago Musical Instrument, Gibson s parent company, purchased Epiphone. Now, the company is considered a subdivision of Gibson, though it maintains its own original line.

Epiphone has its own line of acoustic guitars as well as electric. The first instruments the Stahopoulos family created, after all, were acoustic instruments. The acoustic models include the Paul McCartney Texan, the Dove, the DR-100, the AJ-100, the AJ-200S, and the EJ-200. For more information and a more complete list of their guitars visit epiphone.com.

Epiphone also lists a lot of players who use their guitars on the website. They include Paul McCartney, Moby, Glen Maxey of Brother Cane, Tom Peterson of Cheap Trick, Chris Chaney of Jane s Addiction, and Marty Roe of Diamond Rio. The site doesn t seem to specify whether they play an acoustic or electric guitar.

Here is what one person has to say about their Epiphone acoustic:

About the Epiphone AJ-100 EB

Overall this guitar astonishes as a bang-for-the-buck item. So far superior than what was available to me in this price range than when I picked up guitar in the mid seventies. Computer-programmed, manufacturing has spawned some really accurate, cheap guitars. What a blessing really. I must commend the builders or factory workers as the case may be in making these instruments. Affordable, inexpensive guitars are better and more plentiful than ever. Overall, this guitar is good enough to warrant all the word I have spent glowing about it. I have written maybe three reviews in my life, because I usually don t bother.

Guitar Warehouse is your place to Buy Guitar and other musical gear. We also offer a wide range of Epiphone Acoustic Guitars and Free Guitar Lessons.

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Why You Need to Play a Hollow Body Semi-Acoustic Guitar by Shanzuguitars

Ok so you play guitar or are looking to learn….but which guitar do you buy? It’s a question that guitarists the world over ponder time and time again.

Sure there’s the ever greens such as the Fender Stratocaster or the Gibson Les Paul and their inexpensive copies. But that’s a well trodden path - what you want is a little character a little something that makes you stand out - what you want is a hollow body semi acoustic.

Why a semi acoustic?

Ok for starters a Semi Acoustic looks the business. Take a look at a Gibson 335 with it’s smooth double cut away design and it’s elegant curves. When you step on the stage with a semi acoustic people notice. Take a look at a Strat or a Les Paul then take a look at a Semi - there’s a stark difference first off, semi’s are big but more importantly they are much lighter than their solidbody, comfortable to play and pack a punch in the sound department.

Their sound

Coupled with it’s looks hollow-bodies have a great range of tone and musical capability. From the Epiphone Casino’s beautiful Jazzy tone to the Epiphone Wildkat that packs a rockabilly punch theirs a broad range of tones that can be generated. Hollow bodies traditionally come with two Humbucker pickups. Typically the bridge pickup can produce some great rock and roll tones whilst the neck pickups are great for jazzy Charlie Christian licks.

Their price

Although for a fully fledged Gibson 335 you may need several thousand dollars, these days there are a variety of budget alternative hollow body guitars. For example Epiphone make the Epiphone Wildkat which features a Bigsby style tremolo system for around $500. Other manufacturers such as Vintage and Ibanez all produce very good imitations of their more expensive counterparts at a much reduced price. If you shop around you’ll surprised at what you can afford.

Versatility

Hollow bodies are extremely versatile and lend themselves to a wide range of musical styles for example - Chuck Berry style Rock and Roll (Gibson 335), BB King style Blues (Gibson 335), Chet Atkins Country (Gretch Country Gent), Alt-Rock Noel Gallagher (Epiphone Sheraton) and finally 60’s Pop (John Lennon - Epiphone Casino) semi’s lend themselves to a range of musical styles.

Their tradition.

Hollow body guitars were some of the first electric guitars manufactured. Epiphone were making adjustable pole pickup semi acoustic guitars in the 1930’s so they have a long and proud history.

So the next time your thinking of getting a new guitar - sure a Stratocaster is nice and a Les Paul has finesse but if you want a great guitar, with great looks sound and versatility look no further than the hollow-body semi acoustic guitars at your local store.

ShanzuGuitars.com . The site offers the latest guitar news, resources, tools and tips for budding guitarists everywhere.

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Art of Acoustic Blues Guitar Lessons: Handful of Riffs, Part 1 Clip

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Beginners Guitar Lesson Video The Beatles Hey Jude

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Acoustic Guitar Lesson Hotel California By The Eagles

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Acoustic Guitar Video Lesson Green Day Good Riddance Time of Your Life

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Great acoustic guitar tapping songs video.

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Acoustic Guitars - Laminated Wood Versus Solid Wood

Acoustic Guitars - Laminated Wood Versus Solid Wood
By Ken Searcy

A lot has transpired through the years in the debate over acoustic guitars in the area of laminate versus solid wood construction. It is not a secret that the type of materials and craftsmanship affect the quality, durability, sound and price of acoustic guitars. However, there is probably no other discussion bigger than this.

The question that many players ask themselves is whether a solid body is worth the price? Despite the better sound, they require care and regular maintenance to prevent cracking. When using laminated you run the risk that it will separate over time. There is no clear answer to this question and as long as there is a discussion about acoustic guitars, it will always be at the forefront.

Laminated is several pieces of wood glued together and solid body is exactly that, one piece. There are pros and cons to both kinds. It is a fact that laminate is known to produce a ‘dead’ sound that does not sustain or project sound very well and the one-piece body is known for its richer tone. Laminate is more used because it is more durable and less sensitive to humidity and change in temperature. A body that is made from one-piece timber is very sensitive to humidity and climate change. The top is like a sponge that you can’t let dry out.

A Bit Of History

Years ago the debate was not about sound quality or durability, it was about price. The one piece timber body guitars were very expensive so many musicians did not have a choice but to buy one made of laminate. A one piece is coveted because of its rich and beautiful tone that only seems to become better over time. However, times have changed quite a bit in the world of laminate including the craftsmanship. Better quality laminate is being used and more detailed craftsmanship has been applied so they are sounding better and better everyday.

It is evident why this debate is becoming less spectacular, but the fact will always remain the same that a laminate will never be able to sound as good.

The Main Problem

When building a guitar you want the soundboard, better known as the top, to be as lightweight and strong as possible. Creating this ratio with laminate is often difficult because in order to make it strong it ends up too heavy. The wet glue used to secure the pieces of timber together can become to heavy when too much is used. Unfortunately, when too little of the glue is used, the timber pulls apart. Recently new adhesives have been introduced that have helped to solve this problem and ensure lightness. This is one of the ways that laminated construction is becoming more popular and competitive.

Necks, Sides & Backs

Acoustic laminate necks are very common and widely accepted. This has become a popular way to make the neck stronger. Hybrid guitars are also extremely common. Many models are made with one piece body tops and laminate sides and backs. The sound quality is 90% dependent on what the top is made of, so as long as the soundboard is one piece the rich sound will be present. This is also a great way to make solid body tops affordable.

How Do You Tell The Difference?

Depending on how dark the timber or stain is, telling the difference between them can be a difficult task. First, you need to look at the inside edge of the sound hole on the top of the body. If the edge has a natural finish it is a one piece body and if it has two or more layers it is made of laminate. To determine what the back and sides are constructed with you need to first look at the back of the guitar. Next, look inside the sound hole at the same spot on the back and see if the wood grains are the same. If they are the same it is a whole body. You can do this same technique with the sides.

It’s a Wrap

Everyone’s opinion is different. Many believe that there is no need to buy an acoustic made of laminated timber when solid bodies are so affordable now. Others believe that the sound quality of laminate bodies on their own and in a hybrid model is comparable. Each individual needs to evaluate the pros and cons of both, and decide what makes sense for them. For example if you travel often, perhaps it makes sense to purchase a laminate model for its durability. When buying there are always a lot of questions that need to be answered, this is just another one.

Ken Searcy is the host of http://www.the-guitar-guide.com where you will discover invaluable advice and tips on how-to choose and buy electric guitars, the perfect acoustic guitar, guitar lessons, guitar amps and guitar accessories.

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Guitar Tips - Learning to Play Acoustic Guitar

Guitar Tips - Learning to Play Acoustic Guitar
By Anthony Lee

When a musician plays on stage, the people are moved by the music. There are those who wish to do the same but the truth is, not everybody is talented in playing a musical instrument. It takes talent and skill in learning how to play an acoustic guitar.

Here are a few tips for those who want to give a shot at it.

1. The first thing to get to will be the guitar. There are specialty stores that sell brand new ones while there are also those that are pre-owned. It is advisable to get an old one first to get a feel then just buy a better one later on.

2. One should learn how to read the notes before going any further. Students will soon realize that putting the finger on one string sounds different when this is placed on another.

This is similar to touch typing in the computer’s keyboard so the student should be able to know which string matches the one on the musical book. The instructor can tell later what was wrong or this can be recorded and played back for corrections to be made later on.

3. Finger exercises should be done so that the muscles in the hands can be exercised. Some musicians are able to play fast while other play the same rhythm all throughout the song. The student should be flexible and fast so that any song can be played using the acoustic guitar.

4. It was one thing to listen to a CD of a favorite musician. It’s going to be a bit different now especially when one is learning so that changes in pitch can be studied and analyzed. Getting the song in DVD format can further enhance the student’s observations as the fingers move up or down.

Nobody became a great guitarist overnight. Those who wish to be like the best should learn the basics first before playing other songs. This can only be achieved by understanding rhythm, strumming and finger patterns so that one could possibly become an icon in the music industry.

It is only in practice that students become masters which has been the tradition that is always passed on to the next generation.

To learn more tips on guitar playing, please visit http://www.guitar-playing-tips.info/

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Learning To Play The Acoustic Guitar Using Tablature

Learning To Play The Acoustic Guitar Using Tablature
By Evert Du Toit

The acoustic guitar evolved from classic guitars. The strings of an acoustic guitar are typically made from steel rings, as opposed to the nylon or catgut strings used for classical guitars. That is why an acoustic guitar is sometime called a steel-stringed guitar. Acoustic guitars have a clearer and louder sound due to a much stronger construction than other guitars.

A acoustic guitar is usually played using a guitar pick, also called a plectrum (plural plectra), made from plastic, metal, ivory or other materials. The guitarist strums or strikes the guitar strings with the pick, which he will often hold between the index finger and thumb. Other guitarists do not use a pick, but play with their fingernails or bare fingers strumming or plucking individual notes on the guitar.

The type of construction and the materials used influence the price and sound quality of an acoustic guitar. A guitar with solid sides, back and top will be more expensive than one with laminated sides and back. The solid type guitars are generally made using maple, mahogany or Indian rosewood, whereas cheaper guitars are build with laminated woods. The neck and fingerboard are made with denser woods like cedar and ebony. The tone of the guitar is defined by the combination of woods used in the manufacture. To make the guitars a little less expensive, some manufacturers use alternative materials such as graphite and plastic.

A guitar tablature is a diagram of the strings with finger positions indicated by numerals corresponding to the appropriate frets. Tablature is sometime referred to in the short form “tab”. Learning to play the acoustic guitar can be greatly eased by using tablature it corresponds more to how you actually play the guitar than standard musical notation.

Vertical lines on the tab represent the strings, horizontal lines represent the frets and the dots show the finger positions. For an acoustic guitar it is a six line staff with the lines numbered. Take note that the tablature is written “upside down” with the higher notes at the top and lower ones at the bottom to correspond to standard music notation. The numbers indicate which fret should be used.

Guitar tabs are standardized, but various publishers of sheet music may use different styles writing guitar music. Guitar magazines, songbooks and journals will provide a legend to specify the style they are using.

The six line guitar tab has several advantages over standard musical notifaction that use a five line staff for learning to play acoustic guitar. It is much easier to interpret guitar tab and new players can pick it up quickly. So go ahead, get some of your favourite songs in tab format and play away!

Get more Learn guitar music tips and resources at http://www.guitarmusicinfo.com, including How To Start To Learn Lead Guitar

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How To Change Your Guitar Strings

How To Change Your Guitar Strings
By Kathy Unruh

Changing your guitar strings might make you feel a litte uncomfortable if you have never done it before, but it’s really quite simple and should become a regular part of your guitar care routine. Before you do anything, first take time to make some personal observations such as:

1. Which way do you have to turn the tuning keys to tighten or loosen the strings?

2. How are the strings aligned from the nut to the bridge?

3. Which is the heaviest string?

Taking mental notes will probably save you some frustration and make the job much easier.

Below you will find some helpful steps to follow for changing your strings. Once you’ve changed your guitar strings a couple of times your confidence should begin to grow and you won’t need to refer to these steps any longer. I like to remove all of the guitar strings in order to give my guitar a thorough cleaning, but you can remove and replace them one at a time if you prefer.

Guitar Care and Maintenance Tools:

- Needle-nose Plyers (to cut string ends)
- String Winder
- Soft Cotton Cloth
- Guitar Cleaning Polish (do not use furniture polish, oils, or wax)

REMOVING THE STRINGS

Acoustic Steel String Guitar-

1. Using the string winder , begin slowly loosening the string(s) until completely slack.

2. With the needle-nose plyers, carefully grab the string from the capstan (the part it winds around) and pull through the hole until it is free.

3. Taking the string winder again, use the cut-out at the end of it to grab the pin at the bridge. Gently pull the pin until it comes out of the hole.

4. Continue this process until all the strings are removed.

5. Clean guitar surface thoroughly.

Classic Nylon String Guitar-

Follow steps one and two above. When you come to step three, take your needle-nose plyers and carefully loosen the figure eight knot at the bridge. Pull the string free.

Electric Guitar-

Follow the same procedure as described for an acoustic steel string guitar. However, if you have an electric guitar with a movable bridge you may want to take it to your local music store and have them show you how to do it safely. If the bridge is moved from it’s correct position you will not be able to tune your guitar after restringing it.

RE-STRINGING YOUR GUITAR

Acoustic Steel String Guitar-

1. Bend the ball end of the string slightly and place it inside the hole below the bridge. Some steel string guitars do not have pins. When this is the case, just pull the string throught the hole.

2. Line up the string with any grooves in the pin. Insert the pin into the hole, making sure it is secure.

3. Take the other end and insert into the hole on the capstan.

4. Pull the string through leaving a fair amount of slack between the capstan and the bridge.

5. Bend the string at the point it comes through the capstan to keep it secure.

6. Watching out for your eyes, begin turning the key with your left hand. Once you get it started it may be easier to use the string winder. (For safety reasons, you might want to cut off any excess string. I usually wait until after they’re all on to do this).

7. As you are winding, apply some tension to the string with your right hand to help keep it taught. Make sure you are winding in the right direction! On the bass strings you will be winding counter-clockwise (away from you). On the treble strings you will go the opposite direction.

8. Continue to wind each string until all the slack is taken up. Do not worry about tuning yet.

9. Cut off all excess string length.

Classic Nylon String Guitar-

1. Put the string through the top of the hole found just below the bridge.

2. Pull about 3 inches through.

3. Bringing the string up over the tie block, pass it underneath itself at the original point of entry.

4. Come down over the tie block again and wrap the end of the string around itself in a figure eight type pattern.

5. Insert the other end of the string down through the hole on the capstan.

6. Wrap the string around the back and then underneath itself in order to secure it in place.

7. As described above, begin turning the key with your left hand while maintaining some tension with the other until all the slack is taken up. With a classical guitar you will wind clockwise on the bass strings and the treble strings.

8. Keep the string as straight as possible as it continues from the capstan through the nut and down onto the neck.

9. You should not have any excess string length, but if you do, cut it off.

Electric Guitar-

Follow the same procedure as described for the acoustic steel string guitar.

I hope you found this information to be helpful. Remember, establishing a good guitar care routine will insure many long years of musical fun and enjoyment!

FREE Reprint Rights - You may publish this article in your e-zine or on your web site as long as you include the following information:

Kathy Unruh is a singer/songwriter and webmaster of ABC Learn Guitar. She has been writing songs and providing guitar lessons to students of all ages for over 20 years. For
free guitar lessons, plus tips and resources on songwriting, recording and creating a music career, please visit: http://www.abclearnguitar.com

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The G Chord on the Guitar - Relearning It

The G Chord on the Guitar - Relearning It
By Lee Griffith

In the mid 1970’s, after I had played guitar for about ten years, I took a few lessons from Mick Martin, an incredibly fast and versatile flatpicker.
It was these lessons that put me on the right path toward getting those fiddle
tunes to sound crisp and lively on the acoustic guitar.

I was told I had to “unlearn” a number of habits in order to get going in the right direction. The first thing he told me I had to do was to change the way I played the most basic of all chords: the
G chord!

I had spent ten years playing G the way many people play it. You know, your second finger is behind the third fret of the sixth (low E) string, your first finger is behind the second fret of the fifth (A) string, and your third finger is behind the third fret of the first (high E) string. What could be easier?

But being easy wasn’t the point. I had to learn something that was going to be very hard at first, in order to make a lot of other things much easier down the road. Here’s what I had to do: I had to put my THIRD finger behind the third fret of the sixth string, my SECOND finger behind the second fret of the fifth string, and MR. PINKIE behind the third fret of the first string. THE FIRST FINGER WAS NOT EVEN GOING TO BE USED IN THE CHORD!

I tried and it was so unnatural. It was PAINFUL. I couldn’t even push the high E string down with my weak pinkie. What could possibly be the purpose in all of this? Mick told me to discipline myself to learn this and the purpose would become apparent. How true his words were!

After weeks of learning to play G in this new way, I found that I could switch to the C chord with much more speed that ever before. I also found that when I switched to the C chord, I could, at will, just leave my pinkie behind the third fret of the high E string, which gave the C chord an entirely new dimension. Then I could leave it on the same way and go right back to G. I also found that playing the G this way left my first finger and my other fingers in an ideal position to go quickly into lead licks. Why not try this yourself? Take the time to get it down and you’ll never go back!

Copyright © 2007 Lee Griffith. All rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lee Griffith is an avid acoustic guitar player and a vintage instrument enthusiast. He invites you to receive a FREE REPORT on a revolutionary acoustic guitar lesson kit, along with his weekly newsletter via email.

Just click on http://optin.flatpickpost.com

Check out Lee’s blog, “The Flatpick Post” at http://flatpickpost.com

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