Thursday, August 17, 2006

Tips on How to Play the Slide Guitar

Making a slide requires good execution. This is a technique where a guitarist can create a loud wailing sound on the guitar. Here are some tips to make a perfect slide.

1. The tuning of the guitar must be replaced from its regular chord tuning of E-A-D-G-B-E to a more open tuning; with the chord alignment on the D major arranged as D-G-D-B-D. The change should be from the sixth string up to the first string.

2. He can make a slide by moving the fingers of his left hand. The execution should follow the correct positioning of the chords. A smooth and slow slide would be perfect to accurately play the new chords.

3. Make a gentle grip on the neck of the guitar and expose the end finger to have a feel on the strings. In this way, you can easily make the slide with simple finger movement.

4. To create a wailing sound, it is necessary that you must only cover the strings that are needed for the slide. Sometimes the guitar will produce an unwanted noise from the strings if the slide is not properly done, so be sure that strings are properly covered by the fingers.

5. Always remember to have a slide vertically aligned straight to the strings. This will allow you to exert effort when making a slide than the normal way of holding a guitar.

6. You can make a little movement along the strings with the fingers. It must be executed with smoothness and gentleness. A hard press or tight hold might create distracting noises on the fret.

7. You can execute a slide on the first and second string making E and B chords and a D-major key on the twelfth fret of the guitar.

8. Then execute the slide going toward the bottom from the D-major key, which is in the twelfth fret for a G-major key in the fifth fret. That would give a loud wailing sound because of the slide.

9. You can make a slide going back on the A-major key, which is in the seventh fret and then release your fingers removing the slide and make an open twelfth fret to create a D-major sound.

To have a perfect execution in sliding requires more practice. It is easy to learn sliding by practicing with an open tone because all of the strings will have similar chords when they are strummed. If the strings are set up with their regular tones, the player needs to make sure to cover the right strings when sliding.

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Gibson Guitars are Timeless

By: Max Cane

Gibson guitars have been around for decades, and this is partly
attributed to the fact that they emit a great sound. Gibson
guitars are also very durable, meaning that guitars from 50 and
60 years ago are still playing like they are brand new. These
two factors alone have gone a long way in ensuring that Gibson
guitars still have a place in today's music industry.

Used Gibson guitars are one of the best buys in the world of
music. They offer a quality sound, and can be had at a great
price if you know what type of model to purchase. Buying used
Gibson guitars has also turned into a hobby for a lot of people.
Gibson guitars, in particular the sunburst Gibson guitars, have
become a popular collectors item over the past couple of years.
Even though the sunburst has become popular, it seems that most
collectors prefer the Gibson Les Paul guitars. They have been
around since the early 1950's, and are still very popular in
today's day and age. Even though the Les Paul is still being
produced, the older versions are just as popular. A piece of art
like the Gibson Les Paul 57 Gold Top or an original 1960 Les
Paul are true collector items.

Over the years Gibson guitars have changed a lot. If you are a
collector you will be able to easily identify the changes. But
for the average person, it can sometimes be difficult to
determine what year a guitar is from. If you are trying to
determine the make, model, and year of your piece you may want
to go online, or stop into a guitar store for some professional
assistance. This will allow you to get a top notch appraisal
from somebody that is experienced in the industry.

Overall, Gibson guitars are timeless pieces of music history. If
you are looking for a great guitar to play, or just to collect,
you should consider purchasing a Gibson guitar. It's more than
just a buy, it's an investment!



About the author:
For more information about Gibson guitars, other guitars, and
equipment please visit www.guitarheadz.com, the
complete guide for anything you want to know about guitars and
related gear.

Friday, August 04, 2006

Learn Guitar on DVD

Learning How To Play The Guitar Could Be Quicker and Easier
Using Tutorial DVD's

By: Gary Wilkinson

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

About the author:
I have a very popular web site jam packed with lot's of tips and
resources to help you learn how to play the guitar and I am
giving away my best selling book, "How To Play The Guitar Like A
Pro" completely FREE. Visit my web site to get your free copy:
http://www.learntheguitartoday.com