Guitar Reviews

Beginner Guitar Lessons Offer the Basics

2010-09-29T15:26:00.001-07:00

Learning to play the guitar can be fun, no matter what your age, with beginner guitar lessons. As adults, we often put off or avoid learning a new skill because the idea of trying something new can be literally scary. However, online guitar lessons for beginners are convenient because you can learn in your own home, at your own pace, without being self conscious.

Necessary Materials

When you register for beginner guitar lessons, you will receive the materials you will need to get started. These will be available at the website for download or will be emailed to you, and will include the music or tabs for you to play for each lesson, and possibly some written theory, which helps you learn and understand the basics of reading music. You can print these as you need them, or print them all at once. They choice is yours.

Course Instruction

Because your lessons are delivered online, you have the freedom to repeat a lesson if you need to see it again, or to delay your next lesson until you master the skill you are currently working on. Each lesson is carefully spelled out, with step-by-step instructions and diagrams to assist in your understanding. Additionally, you will have access to videos of professional instructors demonstrating each lesson so that you can see someone use the technique being learned and you can hear what it should sound like.

Tabs or Music?

Signing up for an online guitar course, you will need to choose whether you want to learn to read music or to use guitar tabs. Beginner guitar lessons are offered using either method. Music is a universal written language that is applicable to all languages and all instruments; it is more detailed than tabs as well. However, learning to read music is time consuming; guitar tabs are only used when playing the guitar, but they are easier and quicker to learn, so you will be playing your favorite songs sooner.

Have Fun

As you make your decisions concerning which methods of music courses you wish to use, and what kinds of music you want to learn to play, the only person whose opinion truly matters is yours. It is for your personal fulfillment that you are embarking on beginner guitar lessons, and it is you who will benefit from the ability to play music. You may have notions of playing at parties and being the center of sing-alongs, and that is a realistic goal. However, even if no one ever hears you play, if you enjoy it, then it is worth the effort.

Looking for online guitar lessons with instructional tutorials, photos and videos included? Sign up for your FREE online beginner guitar lessons at http://www.TheBeginnerGuitarLessons.com

Sore Fingers from Constant Guitar Learning Practices

2010-06-24T20:34:00.001-07:00

For those who play the guitar, having sore fingers is part of life. For piano players, the soreness can extend to between the shoulder blades. For saxophone players, the tongue and cheeks. There is always a complaint behind every single playing instrument. For those who go through guitar learning scales, the soreness can last for a long time. The fear of a beginner player is that they think that if they don't practice long enough they won't make good players. However, that is simply not the case. If there is a soreness, the only way to get over it is not to traumatize it some more. The only answer is to rest the fingers. If it has to rest for a week, the do so. The ability to play won't disappear with the resting; it will simply come back when the guitar is at hand once again.

The belief of not resting probably comes from an old saying that if 'there is no gain if there is no pain.' Well, this has long been proven very false. If there is soreness, then there is an inflammation, and the only way to improve it is to make that area immobile for a while until it recovers.

There are stretching techniques of the fingers that are used by guitar players, piano player, even harp players. The fingers go through a series of stretching and bending that will improve its flexibility and strength. With these the fingers can prevent itself from overexertion.

It should never be forgotten that the fingers are made up of several joint, and if the cushions between these joints get over traumatized, then they could tear causing a lot of pain and misery on the guitar player. There are some cases where the tendons could tear and this could call for more drastic medical interventions.

If you are a professional guitar player, you should know these things. For those who are beginners, you should also know these things. With the flexibility of the finger joints compromised, the ability of playing the guitar fluidly could be lost, no matter how much trouble one goes through to develop a technique to improve the playing.

So if it hurts, give it a rest. This should not stop anyone from playing the air guitar which is also a good practice for the brain and the eye coordination to transmit their signals to the fingers which can play without the presence of a physical guitar.

You can make your guitar lessons easy and exciting if you will learn guitar online through http://www.greenguitarguy.com/learn-guitar-online-wheres-the-best-place-to-go/

Learn Heavy Metal Guitar from the Masters

2010-04-20T19:35:00.000-07:00

Many of the traditional music-tape producers have now converted
their analog tapes into the digital format and offer them as
amazing DVDs. This is a very popular format to learn heavy
metal guitar. These instructional aids will help you watch and
learn from your favorite master guitarist because the tablature
of the music he is playing is displayed. The probability of you
missing even a single note is almost zero! More often than not a
heavy metal DVD would contain the performances of the great
masters like a Marty Friedman, Vivian Campbell or a Def Leppard.
The technology behind making these DVDs allow split-screen
viewing, enabling you to zoom-in on the techniques of these
great masters. Sometimes additional special effects make it
easier to understand the right and left techniques on the
split-screen.

In a good quality disc you can find that the pitch sound will be
maintained at the same standard even in the slow motion
sections. Some of the DVDs may contain inspiring biographies of
great master guitarists. Invaluable booklets containing several
musical examples are usually included with the DVDs. These DVD
lessons are divided into several categories, ideally structured
for beginners and the middle-level guitarists. A basic
courseware studies the structure of the guitar; the materials
used to construct the guitar; lessons on how to read the
tablature, how to tune the guitar and how to hold the guitar.
The Techniques chapter would contain lessons on finger
placements; Sliding; Palm Muting; Picking with the Finger;
Improvisation and harmonics.

The lessons on the basics of Chords include construction of
chords, what are Barre Chords, Techniques of handling a Barre
Chord. They also contain chapters on Jazz Chords, chord
progressions etc. Purchasing such a DVD would be the best way to
learn heavy metal guitar playing.

Alternatively, those who do not have a dvd player at home or
want a faster alternative to getting your guitar lessons could
get online guitar lessons. In recent years, the internet
technology has developed so much that video guitar lessons,
softwares, ebooks and even iphone applications are available
easily. One of the best resources for beginners to learn metal
guitar is Phil Wheatlay's Learn heavy Metal Guitar course. This
is a fully downloadable course that allows the user instant
access to guitar lessons upon payment of a small fee. Which ever
method of learning the guitar that you choose, be sure to see it
through and not give up halfway. So go ahead and have fun.

About the author:
Check Out Learn
Heavy Metal Guitar Today. You Can Learn Learn Heavy Metal Guitar At
GuitarPlayerWorld.com

5 Benefits An Online Video Guitar Lesson Can Give You

2010-03-10T09:49:00.001-08:00

If you want to learn to play the guitar an online video guitar lesson is a great way to start. The more traditional way to learn is by joining a class at a guitar school or you can decide to take private tuition. You may even have a friend or a family member that is willing to teach you some basic guitar skills. But the internet as we all know is an incredible place to go if we want to learn something. Here are 5 benefits to learning guitar by taking an online video guitar lesson.

1 - You Can Learn At You Own Speed

We all have our own pace at which we like to do things and learning to play the guitar is no different. Some students will find certain aspects of learning to play really easy and others may struggle a slightly. By taking an online video guitar lesson forget about trying to keep up with the rest of the students or being rushed at whatever speed the teacher decides. You can learn at completely your own pace. Admittedly you will have to be a lot more disciplined with how and when you practice if you do want to progress faster but there will be no pressure or time limit placed on you as you are the one who is in charge.

2 - Learn To Play The Style Of Guitar That Interests You

If you become part of a class you will have to learn what style of guitar that teacher teaches. It will soon become boring and feel like a chore if it is not the sort of music that you wanted to learn. Every style of guitar that you can imagine is available for you to learn online and you can just chose what you would like to learn. From Rock to Jazz to classical, the tools are all available to you. With access to an online video guitar lesson you can learn the style of guitar you prefer right away.

3 - A Wide Variety Of Lessons To Choose From

One thing that takes the fun out of learning the guitar is going over and over the same lesson in the same book. But with an online video guitar lesson there are tons of sites with wide and varied lessons for you to choose from that will keep it fun and interesting. At first when you are learning to play it can be quite confusing. So being able to keep things fresh and interesting you will give yourself a far better chance of learning.

4 - Take A Lesson Any Time You Like!

Quite often we lead busy lives and just fitting in a guitar lesson once a week can be extremely difficult. Setting time aside in our hectic schedule to attend a class may just not possible. You can learn top play the guitar using the internet at any time of day. It's a 24/7 teaching system and you choose when you want to learn! Maybe one week you are little ill or you just don't feel like taking a a lesson. No problem, you just pick up where you left off when you do feel like it. When you take an online video guitar lesson you decide when you want the teacher to attend class! Cool huh!

5 - You Can See Exactly What To Do

For me the best part of an online video guitar lesson is that it is totally visual. You can see exactly how to do it. You can watch what the guitar teaches does and do exactly what they do. If you didn't quite get it the first time you can pause, rewind and play it back again. And even if you do still struggle to get certain things, it doesn't matter because this is one teacher that will never run out of steam! Books are great but by having a visual aid you can see just how to position your fingers or strum that chord to get the perfect technique.

The internet is an incredible place to go to learn things and an online video guitar lesson can help guitarists at every stage. From a complete novice to an advanced player you can now learn at whatever time of day you prefer, at whatever pace you decide and visually mirror every technique and step that the professional teacher shows you.

An online video guitar lesson is like having access to your own one on one teacher 24/7. But which course of the many available will suit you? Beginner or advanced, we've got you covered with our reviews of the 3 highest rated guitar courses available. If you are serious about improving your technique quickly click her NOW=>
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Here Is Your Systematic Strategy For Avoiding Guitar Practice Burnout

2010-02-11T10:27:00.000-08:00

In this article,you're going to discover strategies to avoid guitar practice burnout.

1.Enjoy the learning process:

Beginner guitar players tend to concentrate on negative aspects regarding their guitar playing skill level. Instead of being too hard on yourself keep in mind that all pro guitarists started off just like you. Learning guitar requires time, patience and practice.

Being a beginner, you shouldn't attempt to learn to play guitar too quickly. The reason is if you try to learn too quickly you will risk increased muscle strain. This will effectively reduce your playing ability.

A relaxed approach will benefit you best for long-term success. You are playing guitar for yourself, and don't have to impress anyone but yourself.

2.Only use quality guitar learning techniques:

We're fortunate, we're living in the 21st century. We have access to the internet. Long gone are the days when the only way to learn guitar was a private teacher. Private guitar lessons can be frustrating because of scheduled appointments. You can only receive instruction when it suits the teacher.

In the information age, you have access to online guitar lessons that teach a new and innovative way to learn guitar. It produces almost immediate and real results. Interactive guitar lessons make learning fun and hassle-free.

3.Learn to practice guitar at your pace:

When you're learning to play guitar, you'll find that there are days you're more inspired than other days.

On the good days you'll have lots of stamina. You're able to practice chord progressions without getting tired. This is common and if it's one of your "off days" take a break from a practice session. Rejuvenate your mind, body and soul.

4.Look to others for inspiration:

Seek other musicians with the same goals for help and assistance. Join a musicians group and online music forums where you can share tips, successes and troubles with other guitarists online.

You'll find useful tips among fellow musicians. When you've accomplished a difficult guitar technique, share it with others. Chances are, others will be inspired too and be motivated to persevere. Who knows you may even find your future band members there.

5.Avoid disillusion:

Many beginner guitarists loose the joy of learning to play guitar. The reason is they rush into trying to play their 1st song as quickly as possible.

Avoid disillusion by taking your time to learn the basics of guitar. Playing with skill doesn't happen overnight. It requires hard work and dedication.

Apply all these tips and you'll never become a victim of guitar practice burnout.

If you want to learn more, there are these great eBooks that'll make you practically an expert, and it is up for grabs FREE at http://www.playawesomeguitar.com/free-guitar-e-books-downloads.html

Guitar Maintenance- What You Need To Know About Caring For Your Guitar

2010-02-02T06:34:00.000-08:00

Would you give up 3 minutes of your time to learn how to maintain your guitar and accessories? This article will discuss guitar maintenance comprehensively.

1. The strings:

The beginner guitar player should pay special attention to the strings. Properly maintained guitar strings are important, because changing strings during a chord progression is very annoying. If you play guitar frequently, changing strings will become second nature. You should tune the new strings to pitch and let them stretch before re-tuning and playing. You should never cut or trim a string installing and tuning it to pitch.

You will able to prolong the life of the strings after playing by wiping them with a clean soft dry cloth. Steel strings tend to absorb sweat. In time they rust and break. For this very reason you should wash your hands and dry them before you play.

I recommend that when an individual string breaks, you should replace them all. A new string will sound totally unlike the older strings. By replacing the strings often, they will retain their brilliance and intonation. Store your unused strings in a dry place.

2. The neck

The neck is a part that can damage very easily. Never place it upright against a wall. If the guitar falls over you will regret it especially if it's a Gibson or Fender. Repairing the neck is rather expensive and your guitar will never be the same. Psychologically you'll always know your guitar was damaged by your own negligence. After playing guitar put it away on a guitar stand. Put the guitar inside it's bag.

3.The fretboard:

The only thing you need to extend the life of the fretboard is a soft clean dry cloth. You should wipe between the strings and fingerboard thereby effectively reducing the wear on the frets and fretboard. The number one enemy of a guitar is dust particles combined with sweat residue. Make a point of it to clean before and after playing guitar.

4.Accessories:

Look after your foot pedals by storing them away from children. This also applies to your guitar and amplifier. If you play in the garage or basement, you must lock the room after jamming with your fellow musicians. Children are curious by nature and you should not have to suffer damage as a result of this. You don't want to be angry at your younger brother, sister or your own siblings. The only person to blame will yourself.

You must ensure that you don't tangle the electrical chords, thereby subjecting them to unnecessary wear and tear. If your guitar amp sounds horrible, call in an experienced technician to replace the tubes.

Conclusion:

Apply these tips and you'll have many joyful years of playing guitar. It is a remarkable instrument that must be respected. The guitar changed our dull lives for the better. To all guitarists past and present, we salute you. You wrote the soundtrack to our lives.

For more useful tips, download free guitar ebooks, go to http://www.playawesomeguitar.com/free-guitar-e-books-downloads.html

Online Guitar Beginner Lessons - 4 Informative Tips To Spot A Scam

2010-02-01T11:33:00.001-08:00

By: Kyle Hoffman

Online guitar beginner lessons sure are fantastic for learning
those basic skills to get you playing your first songs. They
provide powerful insights into how to hold the instrument,
strumming techniques, picking tips, and anything you might
consider with playing chords.

However, with their popularity soaring among beginners, these
online lessons are being copied in format and released to the
public as hoaxes that want to to claim your money for almost
nothing in return. Keep your head up though, because you can use
these 4 observations to identify a guitar lesson scam.

1. The sales pitch is raw and too pushy.

The definition for pushy might be a bit wide, but you can
understand if the tone you're receiving online from this lesson
site is quite strong. Compared to other web sites, instructors
that sell courses genuinely want you to feel at ease and
comfortable with your decision and purchase.

If a page appears to have a strong agenda of getting your money,
it's probably because that's all they have on their mind. Study
the agenda behind the words and if decide what they're really
trying to communicate with their message.

2. There's a definite lack of information.

Making the decision to get online guitar beginner lessons
shouldn't be on a whim. You should be able to study the claims,
gain all the knowledge you need on the program, and then put
down some reasonable money.

For web pages that are not willing to supply enough information
for you to make a good decision, they're not worth reading into
any further. Get out and look elsewhere.

3. The instructor is shrouded in mystery.

That sounds like the premise of a good novel or television show,
but it doesn't fly when looking for guitar courses. The
instructor should be someone who's very willing to show his
skills and accept feedback on his proposal.

An instructor that doesn't show his face or his personality may
be hiding the fact that they can't play an instrument. Look for
sites that give you solid information about the mastermind
behind the lessons.

4. Where's the money-back guarantee?

I always look for the money-back guarantee or I'm walking. Even
if they're selling you the elixir of eternal life with a letter
of authenticity, you make sure that you can get a refund.

Not offering a refund says two things: * I'm too lazy to
handle them.

* I don't want to give you the option.

Neither of these options should appeal to you and your back
account.

About the author:
Think about these tips when you're thinking about a beg
inner electric guitar lesson. For example, you can check out
this review and analysis of the very popular Jamorama guitar
system.

Beginners Guitar - 5 Strategies

2010-01-27T17:06:00.000-08:00

By: Richard Reynolds

Beginners Guitar Tip Number 1 - Don't just play the guitar.
Practice.

There is a great discrepancy between playing the guitar and
practicing the guitar. Usually when we play, we are simply
entertaining ourselves and in order to do that, most of us like
to play the things which we can play fairly well. Practicing
guitar involves performing things that we are not able to
accomplish and is normally quite demoralizing, which is the
reason why most student guitar players do not like to practice.
However, it is only by practicing the things that we are not
able to perform on guitar that we will improve.

Beginners Guitar Tip Number 2 - Pay Attention.

Playing guitar accurately takes a great deal of attention. After
you have played for some time, it will get more natural but you
will usually find that when working on a new technique or
complicated passage that it will necessitate concentrated
attention in order to master it. The more attention you focus on
a problem the more rapidly you will solve it.

Beginners Guitar Tip Number 3 - Stay relaxed.

If you struggle while you work on your music, then that stress
will continue to haunt you far into the future. The muscles have
a extremely good memory and they will remember all the stress
that you produced while mastering that new tune. If you would
like to play guitar easily, then you have to apply much less
effort right from the beginning.

Beginners Guitar Tip Number 4 - Play slowly.

You will need to work on your songs or pieces at a speed where
you can play them precisely and in a relaxed manner. Nearly all
of us practice way too rapidly. This leads to stress, which
tenses our muscles. We then learn our new tune with that stress
in our hands and fingers. It is much less difficult to master a
new tune by starting off relaxed than it is to try and get free
of that stress later on.

Beginners Guitar Tip Number 5 - Monitor your progress.

It is extremely encouraging if you can discover that you have
actually made progress in learning guitar. I suggest that you
keep a record of all the techniques that you are working on. On
this list might be such things as, chord progressions and
scales. You will then note on a daily basis metronome speeds,
etc. At the end of the week, you can examine your improvement.

Here is how you might use this technique. For example, if you
are having difficulty moving rapidly from a G7 chord to a D
chord, the very first thing to do is set a metronome at the
tempo where you feel at ease performing the chords. Then settle
on your target. Every day make a note showing your metronome
speed. You will then be able to examine your improvement. It is
extremely gratifying to see your metronome tempo progressively
increasing.

About the author:
Don't squander your time on ineffective guitar approaches. Learn
guitar correctly. Whether or not you are interested in folk,
country, rock, jazz, or any number of additional musical genres,
you will discover awesome tips and training at
www.how--to-play--guitar.com / Go to How to Play Guitar

Epiphone Les Paul Studio Review - The Perfect Beginner Guitar?

2010-01-26T11:38:00.000-08:00

By: R. S. Rasnick

Gibson's best-selling instrument is on a regular basis the Les
Paul Studio, which is understandable, since it permits its owner
many of the features of the more costly Gibson Les Paul at a
much more inexpensive price.

Since the Gibson Les Paul Studio is well over $1,000, it's still
out of the price range of many guitarists. The Epiphone Les Paul
Studio is an attempt to catch the spirit of the Gibson model at
a much more affordable price point.

Since it has a list price of only $349, the instrument will
easily find its way into the hands of many more guitar players.
Let's look at the instrument in closer detail, then.

Surprisingly, the guitar features a set neck rather than
bolt-on, which is rather odd for a guitar as low-priced as this
one. It also boasts a carved top, mahogany body and neck.

Other points worth noticing are the chrome hardware, rosewood
fingerboard, tune-o-matic bridge, stopbar tailpiece, and two
open-coil Alnico Classic humbuckers.

For the price, we found this guitar to be a superb
beginner-level instrument or even a guitar for an
intermediate-advanced player who's willing to supply a few
upgrades.

Once we set it to our liking, we though the action was quite
good; nevertheless, some buzzing was noticeable, though not
irritating.

The Alnico Classic humbuckers did a nice job of providing solid
blues and rock tones. The volume pots were a little scratchy and
could stand to be exchanged, as could the pickup selector switch.

The complaints, though, are moderately minor and not worth
focusing upon. A Epi Les Paul Studio goes for around $350 new
and $200, so there's really not much room to complain.

The bottom line: this is a nice beginning-level instrument at a
real good price.

About the author:
If you need to find the absolute lowest price of a used or new
Epiphone Les Paul Studio anywhere online,
then you've only got one place to look! Ray's Guitar Shop
offers the lowest prices on all used and new electric and
acoustic guitars for sale anywhere. Go visit their website now!

Left Handed Guitar Lessons

2010-01-26T10:01:00.000-08:00

By: Alan Fuller

If you are one of the 10% of the world's population who are left
handed then you will be quite used to the fact that a lot of
things in life can be a little more of a problem for you than
they probably will be for the other 90% who are right handed.
Left handed guitar lessons will likely be one of those
challenges for you.

That really should not be allowed to stop you though. You
perhaps even have the upper hand. There has been a lot of
research carried out at University College London which now
suggests that folks with a left handed orientation are quite
likely to be high achievers. Prominence in the realm of sport
and the arts is specifically noticeable. Embarking on some left
handed guitar lessons is quite probably then no problem.The
important factor is to be sure you have a
really good guitar tutor.

There are many examples of massively talented left handed guitar
players to take example from. Jimmy Hendrix, Sir Paul McCartney,
Tony Lommi and Mark Knopfler who is left handed but plays his
guitar right handed, to name but a few.

At the start your left handed guitar lessons will ask you a
question. Should I play guitar left handed or should I try right
handed? What kind of peculiar question is that you may well ask?
But if you look around perhaps as many as half of the otherwise
left handed guitar players really play their guitars right
handed. It will be contingent on what degree of left handedness
you have. Just what is the level of your handedness dominance?

If you are beginning from scratch then the consensus is that you
really should try playing right handed. There is good reason for
this You will find that almost everything for guitar is geared
up for the right handed player.That applies to the guitar itself
as well as most printed and recorded learning materials.

It is worth staying with this for two or three weeks but if
after a fair try you still find a problem in either strumming
right handed or fretting the proper string left handed then move
on to your left handed guitar lessons.

Many students starting to play the guitar find that at first
they get very sore
guitar fingers! If your fingers start to crack or hurt it is
best to stop playing for a while to let your sore fingers heal.
They soon toughen up as you continue to play your guitar..

If you can manage to buy or are able to find a left handed
guitar great, if not you can flip a right handed guitar and
restring it in reverse, thickest string at the top. Not the best
way but by far the cheapest alternative and if you see pictures
of Jimmy Hendrix and his guitar - that's how he preferred to
play it!

For your left handed guitar lessons the materials used are just
the same as for right handed players. It is how you translate
that information that will be different as you will reverse the
visual features as you come across them. Left handed players do
not normally seem to have difficulty with this and will absorb
the material with the same rapidity as their right handed
counterparts.

Elements of any left handed guitar lessons which use video
recordings will not present any difficulty as to a left handed
player what they are viewing is an exact mirror image of what
they will be playing.

Particularly for those interested in left handed guitar lessons
a comprehensive home study course makes a great deal of sense.
As it could possibly take a little more time to first get the
hang of chord position and reading tablature then as an
alternative to normal face to face lessons a home study course
can give you the ability to repeat each lesson as many times as
you find necessary.

The question often gets asked can you self teach guitar from a home study course? The
number of such courses that are purchased today certainly
suggests that the probability of success is there for those that
take action and give it a try!

As soon as you sense the time is right and the opportunity is
there then if you have been playing a flipped guitar replace it
with a dedicated left hand model. Now with a new guitar your
left handed guitar lessons will move on in leaps and bounds and
your enjoyment in learning and playing it will skyrocket too!

About the author:
GuitarAccord.com is a website dedicated to the promotion of
guitar learning. Looking at a diversity of guitar styles we
recommend appropriate methods of learning to play the guitar. If
you are looking to start playing the guitar then start by
looking at http://www.guitaraccord.com where you will find the
best courses available to you today.

Easy Acoustic Guitar Lessons for Beginners Online

2010-01-26T08:59:00.000-08:00

By: Frank Walker

If you're simply learning to play the guitar, or if you've had
lessons and desire to get back to playing, Jamorama can be the
best method to learn guitar. These acoustic guitar lessons for
beginners online offer up step by step instructions on reading
music as well as tabs, playing by ear, fingering and chords. The
lessons are presented in a movie format together with terrific
supporting software. You can study at your own pace and play the
music you want to play. You will find hundreds to chose from.
You can also receive info and help if you desire it, any time
you need it.

Of all the online guitar lessons for beginners, and there are
dozens, the Jamorama guitar course includes the most detailed
program we have found. Their lessons cover both acoustic and
electric guitar and demonstrate many different kinds of music,
for instance rock, jazz, folk and more. Their video guitar
lessons are sharp as well as straightforward to follow.

If you want to know how to learn guitar tabs, it's covered in
this course along with how to read musical notation. While we
think that these are the best acoustic guitar lessons for
beginners online, guitarists at the intermediate level will find
the lessons valuable too. The music theory and chord lessons
will aid any musician play "by ear", without tabs and
musical notation.

One of the most remarkable features of Jamorama is the price.
There is so much included in the program and yet is merely
$49.95. We've observed many courses that charge more while
featuring less in terms of resources and directions. We
recommend these easy guitar lessons to anybody interested in
learning to play the guitar.

With personal teachers you'll spend a lot of time on finger
exercises and with book work on music theory. With this course,
you can play along with your favorite music and forego those
boring exercises. The training includes text, video guitar
lessons and audio training to help you enhance every time you
play.

If you're a novice you may think that you can study from free
beginner guitar lessons online offered at YouTube and other
blogs. These lessons can be pretty simple and the videos usually
last less than two minutes. How can you learn to play an
instrument in two minutes? You can't, of course. You may study a
few basic chords, or how to play a few notes, but that's all
these free videos can educate you.

Jamorama includes two eBooks for immediate download, as well as
148 video lessons. The videos give step by step instructions
with professional quality recordings. Additionally, Jamorama
includes their own ear training game named "GuitEarit"
that teaches students how to recognize and recognize chords, so
that you can play songs you hear without music.

Another game included in the Jamorama deal of beginner guitar
lessons is the "Jayde Musica". This game teaches you
how to learn guitar tabs as well as sheet music. Learning this
way is easy and fun instead of dull and tedious.

You will get the twenty six Jam tracks that teach easy chord
progressions and the software program which will help you tune
your guitar. There's also software which will help you
understand tempo with instruction on a few additional advanced
tricks when you're ready for them.

If you weren't interested in studying the guitar, you wouldn't
have located this Jamorama review. Consequently if you're
serious and prepared to put in some time and effort, you need
good beginner guitar lessons offered. In our view, that's
Jamorama. No other acoustic guitar lessons for beginners online
study course serves up as much as this package. Many cost more.
Personal tutors demand upwards of $25.00 every thirty minute
lesson and they do not offer the flexibility to move at your own
pace and enjoy yourself while learning. Jamorama gives real
value with outstanding directions and everything you need to
learn to play the guitar.

These really are the best beginner guitar lessons available
anyplace and you can not beat the price tag. Easy guitar
lessons, affordable cost and everything you need to take it to
the next level. If you want to learn to play the guitar, you
need to get the Jamorama acoustic guitar lessons for beginners
online deal and get started.

About the author:

In Depth Course Delivers Video Acoustic Guitar Lessons
for Beginners Online Makes Learning Acoustic Guitar Lessons
for Beginners Easy.

Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster Review - Vintage Inspired, Modern Design

2010-01-26T06:52:00.001-08:00

By: R. S. Rasnick

One of my favorite guitarists has always been Eric Johnson, and
I've always respected his natural sense of superb tone. Eric is
unapologetically a tonal perfectionist, and he demands the best
from all of his guitar gear.

When I discovered that Fender was releasing an Eric Johnson
model Stratocaster, I knew that it would have to live up to
Johnson's strict criteria.

Since Johnson prefers a 1957 Fender Stratocaster as his main
instrument, the company used that as the basis for the Eric
Johnson Stratocaster, where the talented Mr. Johnson would have
final say on everything from the screws to the pickguard.

For starters, the EJ Stratocaster has an ultrathin, Custom
Shop-quality nitrocellulose lacquer finish, which ultimately
results in more resonance since you don't have a thick coat of
paint "choking" the sound.

The neck is also a thing of beauty, since Johnson decided on a
one-piece, quartersawn maple neck. The 12" radius results in
outstanding playability, and the thin-skinned glossy lacquer and
vintage tint give the neck a gorgeous appearance.

The pickups bear the same level of detail and care. The Fender
team (with Johnson's input) previewed nineteen kinds of pickups
before settling on the final model. Though it took some time,
the payoff was worth it in the end. These pickups are
world-class and some of the most fascinating pickups we have
heard.

The wiring configuration mimics Eric's preferred Strat
modification, so the tone controls affect the neck and bridge
pickup, not the usual neck/middle configuration.

Johnson also dislikes string trees (he believes they negatively
affect tuning), so his signature model uses staggered tuners,
eliminating the need for string trees.

Though it seems like an unusual request, EJ also insisted that
the tremolo cavity not have a cover plate. Furthermore, he
wanted the cavity left paint-free, insisting that this helps the
vibrant qualities of the guitar.

All of these special modifications and suggestions leave us with
a guitar as engaging as the artist who inspired it. Though it
pays homage to Fender's vintage past, it nonetheless is a
soundly modern instrument in many ways.

Of all the intriguing qualities of the guitar, the things that
stick out the most are P & P ("pickups and playability"). The
Eric Johnson Strat has a sound that is uniquely its own and has
a smooth ease of play that makes it one of the greatest
instruments I've ever reviewed.

Matched with the vintage-style case, you're left with a
world-class instrument that bears the mark of its world-class
designer. You can't go wrong with an Eric Johnson Stratocaster!

About the author:
If you want to find the most competitive price on a new or used
Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster, then you
need to visit Ray's
Guitar Shop today! Ray's Guitar Shop offers the best prices
on all used and new electric and acoustic guitars, including
Fender guitars and basses. Visit their website today!

How To Buy An Affordable Acoustic Guitar

2010-01-25T20:54:00.000-08:00

By: Marius Vosloo

Buying a decent acoustic guitar is the best investment you'll
ever make in your musical career. For the inexperienced buyer,
however it can be a minefield. You have to buy with caution,or
end up disappointed. The wrong acoustic guitar can frustrate
you. As a beginner guitarist you need all the good luck you can
get. The good news is there are decent acoustic guitars on the
market. I've identified my 5 favorite acoustic guitars for
beginners.

1.Fender CD60 Dreadnought:

No lenghty discussion is needed, it's a Fender! Fender is
associated with quality and versatility. Fender has been around
for almost 60 years. This acoustic guitar has a relatively low
action which make it suitable for newbie guitarists. It's shaped
to bring out the low sounds so that your chords sound deep and
rich. It is a value for money guitar which comes with a standard
hard-shell case. It sells for around $200.

2.Takamine s34 NEX Cutaway:

The Jasmine by Takamine S34 NEX Cutaway is an immensely popular
guitar for beginner guitarists. It sounds great considering the
affordability aspect. It features includes a spruce top, nato
back and sides, 21-fret mahogany neck, dark-stained rosewood
bridge and fretboard, and covered chrome tuning machines. Its
tone is good and it plays loud. You'll be amazed by its
affordability and playability.

3.Yamaha F335:

An excellent guitar for the beginner because of its low action.
Action is defined as the space between the strings and the
fretboard and a low action is much easier to play for the
beginner. It sounds awesome for the low price.

4.Hohner HW-90LH:

It sells for around $200. Hohner is an established brand and
known for quality and durability. Nice medium low action guitar.
It has a vibrant sound with good bass. A good choice for your
first guitar.

5. Martin 000X1:

In terms of an affordable acoustic for a beginner guitar player
then the 000X1 model is one of the best beginner acoustic
guitars because of its quality and affordability. In fact, all
the acoustic guitars from Martin's X series suit beginner
guitarists. The Martin brand receives good reviews on the
internet.

Conclusion:

Buying your first guitar does not have to be difficult. We live
in the information age, we have access to the right information.
Do a bit of research, talk to other guitarists and buy a decent
acoustic guitar. May your musical journey be a blessed one.
Don't be afraid to take that crucial first step towards a great
lifestyle.

About the author:
If you found this article informative and need more tips,go to
http://www.playawesomeguitar.com Free guitar ebook downloads at
the above mentioned site.

7 Ways to Practice Guitar Effectively

2010-01-22T07:55:00.000-08:00

By: Laurie Lea

It makes no sense to spend a lot of time practicing guitar if
you're all over the place and playing things that do not get you
closer to your goals of becoming a better guitarist.

Here are 7 methods to practice effectively and take your playing
to a whole new level:

1) Always follow a plan. You didn't go to school and just kind
of "wing it". The nice people that taught you how to read and
write and do arithmetic had a plan or a curriculum for you. To
become an excellent guitarist you need to develop a plan to
follow, master it and then modify it so it challenges you and
keeps you moving forward.

2) Never put off practicing. To learn to play the guitar you've
got to practice and the more you practice, the better you'll
get. When you set up your plan, you most likely set specific
times to practice. Never assume you'll "get around to it"
because most people will never come back to it and will have
missed their session for the day. Make it a habit to just get
into your practice time when you're supposed to.

3) Don't limit yourself to one genre of music. A rock guitarist
can learn an awful lot by checking out what great players in
other genres are doing. Learning a few jazz or country licks
will really spice up your playing.

4) Do have a great place to practice. While it doesn't have to
be anything fancy, it should be comfortable enough to allow you
to practice in peace and quiet. It also needs to have the proper
tools like a music stand and light, a metronome, a stool or
something to sit on and a TV and DVD player if you're learning
from a DVD program. Avoid the TV unless it is being used to
learn from.

5) Change up your curriculum. This is not boot camp and it needs
to be fun. Some people do not enjoy learning and memorizing
scales and modes so it's nice to slip in some fun break time
playing in between the more tedious tasks just make sure to get
back on track after a short break.

6) Warm up your hands. Many people overlook this when learning
to play the guitar but it's very important. There are light hand
stretched you can do before you ever touch the guitar that will
limber up your hands and get blood flowing to the finger tips.

7) Share your skills. The best way to learn is to teach as it
tests what you do know. You can either hook up with another
guitarist once in a while or you can even give lessons to
someone else. This will make it very clear what you do and do
not know and you can adjust your learning from the

About the author:
For more great tips and advice on playing guitar go to
http://budurl.com/a7bm Hope you enjoyed the article.

Develop Your Own Guitar Playing Style

2010-01-21T07:54:00.000-08:00

By: Laurie Lea

Learning to play guitar is rewarding and fun. All the hard work
pays off when you can confidently rip through other people's
songs as though you wrote them yourself. But, how do you go
about developing your own individual sound? It really would be
pretty boring to just sound like everyone else.

There are two schools of thought when developing your own sound.
The first is that to some degree, you ARE going to sound like
everyone else. If you were to take all of your influences, the
guitar players you admire and have been learning from, and mix
them all together the sound that comes out would be you plus
your own flavour.

To go from here and develop your own sound from it, you've got
to be open to new things. You're going to start out emulating
all of the guitarists whose playing you admire and you'll learn
all of their songs and licks. Without realizing it, you
automatically put your own twist on things which leads to
developing your own particular style and sound.

As you go through some lead passages, the original guitarist
might have used all down strokes with the pick, while you may
decide to alternate pick. This will create a slightly different
sound. Developing your own sound comes from your preferences and
the choices you make, including picking as mentioned, but also
the way you hold the pick and how aggressively you pick the
strings.

If you take one of the guitar greats and have him play on a
totally different guitar and amp setup, it will still sound like
him, with his signature sound and playing style. While you may
not notice it right away, the same will be true for you. If you
play on anyone else's gear, it will still sound like you.

To develop your style, listen to players in other genres and
decide what you like or think might work for you. A country
guitarist can take ideas from a rock guitarist, or jazz, or
blues. As you build your bag of tricks based on what sounds and
licks sound good to your ears, you'll start to hear your own
sound come through and it will be made up of all your
preferences over the years of playing.

About the author:
If you enjoyed this article go to http://budurl.com/a7bm for
more great tips and advice on playing guitar.

How To Learn The Guitar Fretboard - Easily Find Notes and Scale Patterns

2010-01-20T15:53:00.000-08:00

By: Graham Pett

For many guitarists, learning the guitar fretboard can seem like
a daunting challenge. Unlike instruments such as the piano, one
note can often be played in a number of positions and the
difference between natural notes and accidentals is not
obviously marked. Even allowing for the fact that the fretboard
repeats after the twelfth fret, there are still 72 note
positions to learn on a standard 6-string guitar! No wonder,
many guitarists quickly give up learning the fretboard out of
frustration, yet developing a thorough knowledge of the
fretboard will vastly improve music reading and improvisation
abilities and so it's well worth the time spent to learn both
the notes on the fretboard and the relationships between those
notes so that you can navigate the fretboard quickly and
fluently.

So what's the best way to go about improving your fretboard
knowledge? I'd suggest breaking it down into chunks by learning
a subset of the notes on the fretboard, along with navigational
patterns to help you find other notes from those you already
know. I'd follow a programme along these lines:

1) If you don't know them already, ensure that you can
instinctively name the notes at the open strings: E, A, D, G, B,
E (low to high). Remember that these are repeated at the 12th
fret.

2) Learn the five root shapes. These are the patterns that allow
you to navigate from one note to other notes with the same note
name. They're based on the positions of the roots in the
standard open chords C, A, G, E and D. For example, the roots in
the C Major chord are on the 5th string 3rd Fret and 2nd string
1st fret. So for a note on the 5th string, you can find the
equivalent note on the 2nd string by going down two frets.
Similar patterns can be found in the other four chords.

3) Learn to spell out the natural notes on the fretboard. The
natural notes are A, B, C, D, E, F, G. You can find them by
counting up from open strings, or by using the root patterns to
navigate from notes that you already know. When counting up, you
move up two frets to go up to the next natural note, except from
B to C and E to F where you only move up one fret. Focus on
learning the positions of the natural notes on the 5th and 6th
strings and using the root patterns to find the others. Also,
try to learn the notes at the 7th fret to give you another
baseline for navigating.

4) You get accidental notes by moving up one fret for a sharp or
down one fret for a flat.

5) To properly learn a scale, start with its formula. The
formula defines the spacing between each note of the scale in
terms of half-steps (1 fret), whole-steps (2-frets), etc. For
example, the formula for a major scale is "Whole, Whole, Half,
Whole, Whole, Whole, Half". Start by counting up the scale on a
single string.

6) Once you can play the scale on a single string, you need to
be able to play it across the fretboard, so you need to know how
to make whole step and half step jumps between strings. Usually,
to move up a whole step as you move up a string you move down
three frets, and for a half-step you move down four frets.
However, when moving from the 3rd to 2nd string you move down
two frets for a whole step and three for a half-step. Use this
knowledge with the scale formula in order to find scale patterns
across strings whilst moving your hand as little as possible.

7) Repeat this process for other scale formulas. For example,
the Natural Minor scale formula is " Whole, Half, Whole, Whole,
Half, Whole, Whole"

Hopefully this has given you some pointers for how to go about
learning the guitar fretboard. With anything like this
repetition is key so try and build in 5-10 minutes of your
practice time every day to practice finding fretboard notes and
working out scale patterns.

A useful tool that can help you with learning the fretboard is
the GuitarCo
urses.ws Fretboard Trainer. This software provides lessons
in learning fretboard patterns, but more powerfully includes a
practice section that allows you to easily practice the guitar
fretboard patterns on a virtual fretboard so you can practice
any time, even without your guitar.

About the author:
GuitarCourses.ws is an
online directory of guitar courses helping guitarists to make
the right choice when choosing an online guitar course. We also
help guitarists to learn
the guitar fretboard with our free and innovative Fretboard
Trainer Software. ©2010 GuitarCourses.ws - Reproduction
permitted with this bio text intact.

Guitar For Beginners - How To Get Started

2010-01-20T13:51:00.000-08:00

By: Jason Jones

There's more to learning to play than just picking up a guitar
and getting to it. It's important to start out with the basics,
know what your goals are, and have a good learning program.
There are a few things you can expect to learn in just about any
beginners' guitar course. They'll be necessary for moving on to
an intermediate one. Here's an overview of what you should learn
during your guitar studies.

After you have completed your guitar for beginners course you
should have enough information to let you decide which guitar
genre you might want to learn. You can choose from rock guitar,
classical guitar, country and folk guitar, jazz guitar and many
other types of music. But every one of these guitar specialties
starts out the same, using the same basic lessons.

You'll learn the difference between steel strings and nylon, and
when you want to use each one, what kind of neck flexibility
works for which kind of playing, and how guitar shape affects
sound. You'll find out what different strumming techniques do,
and the difference betweeen upstrokes and downstrokes. Most
players just learning to strum will start with a few basic
chords: C, G, D7 and F. Be sure you can find out how the chords
are constructed and how they interact with one another.

Finger picking is another style you'll learn in a guitar for
beginners program. It might seem too advanced or like it might
be a better choice for a different type of music, but it's a
talent well worth learning. you'll learn how to use both hands
and have a good amount of dexterity with both. It's much better
to learn some extra techniques that you end up not using than it
is to not know how to do something you'll need to accomplish
your goals.

you'll start your guitar for beginners program by learning the
different parts of your guitar and the way they work together,
what makes a guitar good as opposed to bad, and how you should
look after your guitar. Knowing these things will make it much
easier for you to get the kind of sound you want out of your
guitar.

Tuning and knowing how each chord works with each key are also
important skills to have during your guitar for beginners
course. You'll start off using open tuning and then try barring,
which is pressing down the strings across the fret and
completing the chord using the rest of your fingers.

If you'd like to learn to
play the guitar online, it can be tempting to jump right in.
Don't! Instead, take the time to get a good grounding in the
basics and become a skilled player. You'll be able to do a lot
more when you move onto advanced techniques. Anyone who really
wants to be skilled with the guitar has to take time and learn
those beginning techniques - even the professionals. They might
sound great now, but they were once beginners just like you.
It's amazing what a little bit of practice can do.

Learning scales are part of guitar for beginners lessons too,
because they're the foundation of almost all guitar playing.
When you learn your scales you will begin to progress much more
rapidly.

About the author:
Jason Jones loves to write and give tips about learning the guitar for
beginners as well as helping people to shorten their
learning curve.

Online Guitar Lessons: Learn At Your Own Pace

2010-01-19T14:21:00.000-08:00

Online guitar lessons are a great way to learn guitar. Cheaper and more convenient than private studio lessons, the technology is now at a point where the difference in quality is nonexistent and actually has many advantages.

Many guitar instructors are limited to a certain style. With the better online courses the styles and musical genres are practically unlimited. There is no boredom factor involved either. Many students quit guitar lessons if their teacher doesn't know the songs,artists or type of music they like. The top courses cover all the bases. If you don't like certain musical styles, don't play them and go on to something else more interesting.

The most comprehensive online guitar courses have something for everyone, from beginners to advanced. You're an advanced guitarist and want to explore exotic scales? You'll find lessons on them. Decent player who wants to find ways to increase fretboard speed and accuracy? There's a ton of different exercises available. Don't want to play lead guitar and want to become a master at chord work? Go right to it.

Perhaps the single biggest advantage of online music courses is the convenience. You don't have to get to a regularly scheduled lesson every week. You can learn at your own pace. You have a twenty four hour day to use also if you work shifts that make it hard to get to regular lessons. If you're a quick learner and want to put a lot of time and practice in to get good fast, you can do it. That's something that would be almost impossible anywhere but online lessons.

The best guitar courses online will have a number of different instructors all with their own videos and software tools to help you master your instrument. One canned software product is not good enough to learn properly. Most of these courses are incomplete. Look for programs that have plenty of tools and instructors and that will interact with you for help if you get stuck.

The most comprehensive guitar course online is GUITAR SUPERSTARS. They get bigger and better all the time. Check it out AND there is a guarantee if you're not satisfied.

Guitar Lessons DVD - 4 Tips for Beginner Guitar Lessons

2010-01-19T11:50:00.000-08:00

By: Jim Farlow

If you are just getting started with the guitar it is vital that
you choose specific beginner guitar lessons that have the proper
tools geared towards rapid advancement.

Here is some of what you will learn once you have choose the
correct guitar lessons DVD.

When you look at online guitar lessons you will find that many
of them are geared towards helping more advanced players to
reach a higher level. The problem for those who are new to
lessons is that every lesson promises the world for both
beginners and advanced players.

The truth of the matter is that there are only a handful of
qualified guitar lessons that are geared towards beginners and
have the tools that are extremely important if you expect to
advance quickly with the guitar.

There are a few other factors to consider when choosing the
correct lessons.

What is the specific type of guitar you want to learn? Acoustic,
electric or bass. Another question is the type of music you are
looking to play. There are many instructors specific to jazz or
blues yet those instructors many times are not qualified to tech
hard rock. There really is a major difference and I have seen
many guitar instructors with beginner guitar lessons who are
excellent teachers with their specific music and for that reason
try to guide their students towards that type of music.

Now let's take a minute to look at just a few of the tools you
as a beginner need to make sure you have within your lessons.

* Jam Tracks - An excellent tool for beginner guitar lessons
which allows you to play along with your favorite artist and
songs.

* Guitar Lessons DVD - Having a DVD to look at with the many
lessons that include frets notes and other instruction will help
you to advance quickly. For whatever reason though many online
lessons do not offer DVD. I have found that those that do not
offer their lessons on DVD simply have not put the time into
their lessons.

* Online Support - This is an added benefit that I have found
with some of the top beginner and advanced lessons. This of
course allows you to interact directly with the instructor and
other advanced students that can answer your questions within a
private forum which can be a Hugh plus. Most online lessons
though do not offer this benefit. If all the other criteria are
met this benefit may not be necessary but it again is a nice
plus..

* Experience of Instructor - I cannot tell you how many lessons
out their are given by guitar players who have very little
experience. This is actually one of the biggest problems if you
are not careful when seeking the correct lessons for you.

When I first started seeking guitar lessons DVD I went through
many lessons that did not make sense and certainly did not offer
the proper tools to help me advance as I wanted.

It was only after going through several lessons and getting so
frustrated I was ready to quit that I finally found lessons that
had me playing my favorite songs in less then a week.

Guitar Lessons DVD in most casses should be a must. While I have
seen a few lessons that were qualified enough not to have a DVD
it again helps to see what you are doing right and what you are
doing wrong.

About the author:
If you are a beginner or simply looking to advance your skills
Click Here to review the top online guitar
lessons that use the tools mentioned within this article. A
review is the best way to look at what is available and which is
best for you and the type of music you want to play. By choosing
the correct lessons you should be playing songs you enjoy within
a few days.

Guitar For Beginners - Do You Want To Learn?

2010-01-19T07:49:00.000-08:00

By: Craig Mooney

There's more to learning to play than just picking up a guitar
and getting to it. It's important to start out with the basics,
know what your goals are, and have a good learning program.
There are a few things you can expect to learn in just about any
beginners' guitar course. They'll be necessary for moving on to
an intermediate one. Here's an overview of what you should learn
during your guitar studies.

When you get through your guitar course, you should have the
information to decide what kind of specialty you want to take
up. There's rock guitar, classical guitar, jazz guitar, country
and folk and many other options. But all these styles start off
with the same basic lessons.

First you'll learn the parts of your instrument and the way they
interact, what makes a good guitar vs. a bad one, and how your
guitar should be maintained. This information will make it
easier for you to achieve the kind of sound you want.

Finger picking is another style you'll learn in a guitar for
beginners course. It might seem too advanced or like it might be
a better choice for a different type of music, but it's a talent
well worth learning. you'll learn how to use both hands and have
a good bit of dexterity with both. It's much better to learn
some extra tips that you end up not using than it is to not know
how to do something you'll need to accomplish your goals.

Guitar tuning and familiarizing yourself with the ways each
chord works with each key are important skills as well. Your
guitar for beginners lessons will start you off with open
tuning, then work up to barring - pressing down the strings
across the fretboard and completing the chord with your other
fingers.

Your guitar for
beginners course will show you the difference between steel
strings and nylon, along with when you will want to use each
type. It will teach you what kind of neck flexibility works best
for different types of playing, and how the shape of a guitar
can change the sound it produces. The lessons will also teach
you about what different strumming techniques do and how
downstrokes are different than upstrokes. A lot of people just
starting to strum begin with some basic chords like C,G,D7 and
F. Your guitar for beginners course will teach you how chords
are played and how they work together.

Learning scales will be on the agenda, as well. After all,
scales are the basis of almost all guitar playing. Your ability
to progress on the guitar will soar once you master your scales.

When you're eager to learn
to play the guitar online, jumping in without preparation
can be tempting. Don't do it, though. Get a firm mastery of the
basics and become a skilled guitar player instead. If you start
with the basics you'll be able to play more skillfully when you
move into more advanced guitar techniques. Even professional
guitarists took the time to learn the basics, and so must
everybody else. The guitar professionals sound really good now,
but they started out as beginners, just like you. They're a
great example of what a little practice can do.

About the author:
Craig is a guitar enthusiast and plays in his spare time. He has
reviewed some of the best guitar for beginners programs
available and is constantly trying to improve his own guitar
skills. For more tips and tricks go to
http://www.guitarblaster.com

Easy Guitar Lessons Online - Learn How To Play In Record Time

2010-01-18T19:49:00.000-08:00

By: Dean James

The Internet is a growing place for musicians to gather, offer
advice, inspire one another, and even give lessons. Technology
is taking music further than it has ever gone before. The
question is not whether music will survive this thrust of
technological advancements, it's how it is going to affect it.
So what happens if you are a musician, or a want to be musician
who is looking for a place to get better? It used to be that in
order to get easy guitar lessons you would have to find a local
teacher who could fit in with your schedule and budget. However,
with this push of technology at our fingertips we are able to
find easy, and even free information with the push of a mouse.

If you want to know how to get easy guitar lessons, all you need
to do is search for it. Within a few seconds you will be given
many different websites that offer a number of different
services depending on your skill level, musical interests, time
commitment level, or any number of other possibilities. Once you
figure out what you are looking for you simply move forward at
your own pace.

Easy guitar lessons can be done on your time frame and at your
pace. With you setting the pace there is nobody pushing you too
hard or fast. If you missed something in the online lesson then
you simply pause the video and go back. Along with video there
are usually various other tools that accompany the lessons. This
can include, but is not exclusive to, music books, practice
CD's, or even other web links with other information on them.
You will be surprised with just how effective this kind of
training can be.

Once you have mastered or feel comfortable with this level of
training you can move on to the next level. With music there is
always some place else to go and learn. Easy guitar lessons
might be where you start, but where you end up is completely up
to you. The possibilities are literally at your fingertips and
waiting for you to click on them.

About the author:
With this FREE 10 Part Course you can master basic guitar skills
quickly and discover the best place to take EASY guitar lessons online
at => http://www.LHGuitars.com

Learn to Play Fast Guitar

2010-01-18T14:45:00.000-08:00

By: Laurie Lea

A lot of guitarists long to be able to play blazing fast or
"shred" guitar and we all know it's no easy task. Not many
beginner players (or even many advanced guitarists) can just sit
down and play smoking fast lead lines that tear up the fretboard
and sound really impressive.

If you've ever tried to play fast and you just weren't ready, it
would have been very obvious right from the start as all the
notes would sound jumbled together and just sound like a
confused mess.

What you are thinking right now is most likely "Well, then how
do I get to play fast too?" You've heard the saying "you've got
to walk before you can run" Well, like it or not that is true in
this case too, but there are a couple of little shortcuts for
you to take to help you get shredding sooner rather than later.

The first thing you need is a metronome. They come in various
styles but the simplest one to use is the simple electronic one
with a small built in speaker, whose speed or BPM (beats per
minute) can be increased and decreased one BPM at a time.

The next thing is you'll take a super simple exercise like the
standard 1234 warm up exercise, where the 1234 represents
playing the first, then second, then third and then forth note
on each string starting with the 6th string and then moving onto
the 5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd and finally the first.

Now, instead of playing this exercise using all down strokes of
the pick, you'll want to incorporate alternate picking. As you
may recall, alternate picking is where you pick one note using a
down stroke and then the next with an upstroke and then you just
alternate back and forth. This is a very efficient picking
method and it is essential to master it if you want to play fast.

Begin with a slow metronome setting like 80 BPM or so and see
how it feels and work your way up from there.

You should be picking a note every time the metronome ticks. Do
this perfectly and adhere strictly to the alternate
picking...down-up-down-up-down-up etc., making sure to stay
exactly in time and being careful to avoid playing sloppily.
When you feel comfortable that you can easily pick every note
clearly and perfectly at that speed, write it in a notebook and
increase the metronome BPM slightly. Keep repeating this process
and before long, you'll notice you're ripping up the notes at a
high rate of speed of 150 BPM or more!

Repeat exactly the same exercise on any scales you may know as
well as the 7 modes. Clean, deliberate alternate picking is the
thing that will help you become a fast player that people want
to hear.

About the author:
For more great tips and advice on playing guitar go to:
http://budurl.com/a7bm

Learning Guitar? Accelerate your Playing

2010-01-18T11:43:00.000-08:00

By: Laurie Lea

Learning to play guitar can, at the beginning, be very
rewarding and fun but can also be frustrating especially if
you're expecting results too soon.

We all know it takes time to become proficient (or even really
"good") at anything, deep down we all just want to be awesome
guitarists and we want it super fast, right? There's one slick
tip I can share with you. It'll accelerate your playing very
quickly if you stick with it and incorporate it into your
playing. It'll also set you apart from other players and enhance
your own sound, because you're creating totally new sounding
riffs and licks that your friends and other players around you
simply aren't playing.

The secret tip is:- to play things backward. That's right...take
every scale, mode and exercise that you play and play it
backward. It will seem difficult and unorthodox at first, but
trust me, and give it a go. Let's say you were playing a warm up
that started on the first fret of the 6th string and moved to
the second then 3rd and then the 4th fret and then repeated on
the 5th string , then the 4th, 3rd, 2nd and finally the first.

It would look kind of like this...

E|1234 B|1234 G|1234 D|1234 A|1234 E|1234

But instead, you are going to start on the 6th string and play
it backward starting with the 4th fret on the 6th string or the
G# and descend each string down to the 1st fret before moving
onto the 5th string and so on. It would look kind of like this...

E|4321 B|4321 G|4321 D|4321 A|4321 E|4321

Now a great exercise to do if you were doing the conventional
1234 warm up would be to carry on up the neck and on the 6th
string play the next 4 ascending notes starting with the F# on
the 6th string but we're getting crazy here so you're not only
going backward, but also upside down!

After you play the 4321 run from the 6th string on up to the
first string you're going to end on the 1 which will be the 1st
fret on the 1st string (or F for the keeners following along ?).
Rather than jumping back up to the 6th string on the guitar
simply slide your index finger from the 1st fret, 1st string up
to the 2nd fret on the first string (F#) and play the next
ascending run which fret numbers would be 5432 so that is going
to look like this...

E|5432 B|5432 G|5432 D|5432 A|5432 E|5432

Keep repeating this exercise until you've reached or passed the
12th fret. How the heck is this supposed to accelerate your
playing you ask? It will teach your fingers to work way more
independently and make it easier to play difficult runs with
weird fingerings and I would bet most of the other local rock
stars aren't even thinking about going backward in order to move
forward!

Rock on!

About the author:
If you enjoyed this article go to http://budurl.com/a7bm for
more great tips and advice on playing guitar.

Guitar Classes For Adults

2010-01-18T10:02:00.000-08:00

By: Paul Gian

Who says learning the guitar has an age limit? For adults who
have been thinking about pursuing their long time goal of
playing the guitar for years but never got around to it, guitar
classes for adults may be just the thing to teach you the skill.
Guitar classes for adults are targeted specifically at teaching
working professionals how to learn the guitar.

Adults learn differently than children. Adults are able to make
judgments based on past experiences, they are better experienced
at taking criticism, and they tend to be more patient and
willing to ask questions as they learn. Learning in the same
environment as children can be de-motivating and frustrating for
adult learners. Making sure that adults learn with their peers
is the best way to facilitate a desire to learn the guitar which
will help the adult in following through with his or her goals.

Guitar classes for adults are usually available through
traditional institutions, independent tutors, or distance
education tutorials. Traditional institutions include colleges,
weekend / night schools, and brick and mortar guitar studios.
These places will put on regular guitar lessons at pre scheduled
times in one central location. Tutors and private instructors
are usually people who are self employed and passionate about
the guitar. A tutor / private instructor may or may not be
affiliated with a larger school. Most guitar instructors do the
job on the side in order to make a few extra bucks a month. Few
guitar instructors / tutors can do their job full time. A third
option for adult guitar students is correspondence courses.
Correspondence courses can be taught at a distance and can be
delivered in a variety of platforms including the Internet,
snail mail, videos and DVDs. These courses will be most
difficult for beginners because they will have no prior
experience to base the lessons off of. The down side to learning
an instrument through correspondence courses is that there is
nobody else available to let you know if you are doing something
right or wrong. Questions cannot be asked and matters cannot be
clarified. Correspondence courses are best to be used as
refresher courses for people who already have a basic
understanding of guitar principles.

No matter the type of format used to learn the guitar, a person
can never be too old to learn how to play.

About the author:
Find Out More About Guita
r Classes For Adults? You Can Learn Guitar
With Free Lessons Here.

Learning Disciplined Guitar Practice

2010-01-17T22:47:00.001-08:00

By: Laurie Lea

Many guitarists start out with the dream of becoming a great
guitar player. It's well within the reach of anyone willing to
put in the work to learn their craft but all the hard work is
what stops many people. Practice won't always be exciting and
will sometimes be downright boring if you don't go at it with a
plan and some discipline . When you first start to play guitar,
it's easy to practice because you're basically just sitting
around noodling away and getting to know the instrument. You
have no real direction or agenda and things are pretty simple.
Sooner or later you're going to see or hear other guitar players
that are playing things a little beyond your current ability and
you'll want to ramp your skills up so that you play as well as
they do.

The good news, realistically, is that everyone starts at zero
and builds on their skills from there. How quickly you excel or
how far you can go is entirely in your hands but you can rest
assured that having disciplined practice will allow you to go
further faster.

You'll want to pick definite, specific times for practice.
Choose times when you can concentrate in a focused way on the
task at hand without anything interrupting you. Have all of your
household chores and duties completed and out of the way,
homework done, dog walked, and everything else that could
possibly interrupt and interfere.

Work out a practice plan and stick to it until each topic is
completely understood and you can play it very fluidly and
easily. You can break practice up into categories like this for
example:

- Warm up - Major Scales - Free jamming - Minor scales - Riffs
from songs you like

- Warm up - Major Scales - Free jamming - Minor scales - Riffs
from songs you like

...and so on.

The point is to stick to the plan every day until you've
mastered the topics. Play slowly and cleanly and with the use of
a metronome if possible.

Resist the urge to want to play fast too soon. It will come with
time, but you'll become a much better guitarist if you take the
time and effort to cleanly pick every note.

So, you want to practice regularly and with a plan, as well as
playing everything you learn very deliberately so as to get it
perfect before you move on. Once you're confident that you've
got it down, move onto something else to keep challenging
yourself.

About the author:
Enjoyed this article? Go to http://budurl.com/a7bm for more
great tips and advice on playing guitar.

How to Buy a New Guitar without Getting Ripped Off

2010-01-17T22:41:00.000-08:00

By: Laurie Lea

If you're looking to buy your first guitar, upgrade the guitar
you have or add to your growing collection, you'd be very wise
to do your research first to make sure you get a decent
instrument that you'll be happy with. It makes no sense at all
to rush the process. You may wind up hating the guitar you get,
you'll never play it, be angry with yourself that you wasted the
money and you might lose money on it when you go to re-sell it.

Most people will suggest that you to go down to your local music
shop and try what they have. We'll get to that point, but there
is some fun and easy legwork you need to do before you ever set
foot in a music store, especially if it's one of those that are
crawling with commissioned sales people.

You'll need to narrow down exactly what type of guitar it is
you're looking for. The two basics types of guitars are acoustic
(hollow body) and electric (solid body). After you've picked the
basic type you also need to consider what you want the guitar to
look like. While this makes absolutely no difference to how the
instrument sounds, you're going to have it for a long time and
you want to be proud of it. What the guitar looks like is an
extension of your personality so don't be ashamed to make the
look of an instrument a priority.

Guitar magazines can be great sources of information as they
usually have monthly reviews of guitars and equipment. Be
careful with these though. While most guitar magazines will give
honest and unbiased reviews of instruments if you flip through
the magazine you'll also notice that the magazine has full page
ads for most of the top companies. The companies pay the
magazines big bucks to run those ads so obviously saying their
instruments are junk in a review wouldn't be good for business
would it? The good things is that most companies now make entry
level guitars as well as many levels above, so a magazine is not
likely going to bother reviewing guitars that are likely to be
terrible. Next you'll want to check out the web. Go to
www.google.com and type in forum:guitar and you will get a whole
list of forums that are based on guitars. Of course this will
cover all aspects of guitar playing, guitar lessons, and even
guitar players but it will give you a starting point to find
forums that contain honest user reviews.

After you've trawled the forums and found some reviews you
should be narrowing down the choices and reading up on a few
models. Before you head to the music shop to try them out, check
out what your favorite guitarists are playing. Many have
signature models which generally cost more but they've
customized them based on years of experience and trial and error.

Armed with all of this knowledge you'll be able to make a very
informed purchase and hopefully buy a guitar that you'll be
happy with for years to come!

About the author:
Enjoyed this article? Go to http://budurl.com/a7bm for more
great tips and advice on playing guitar.

Epiphone Les Paul Special II Review - Solid Quality, Low Cost

2010-01-12T19:17:00.000-08:00

By: R. S. Rasnick

Because the market for novice guitars is so popular, you're
beginning to find beginner-level instruments everyplace you
turn. Even retailers like Target and Wal-Mart have gotten in on
the action.

However, the old proverb "you get what you pay for" applies when
purchasing a musical instrument at the same place you can buy
motor oil. Obviously, it's difficult to buy a substantial,
beginner guitar without wasting your money.

Look out, then, for the Epiphone Les Paul Special II! It has a
street price of less than $170, so it's moderately obvious that
this instrument is aimed at budget-conscious consumers. Despite
the low cost, you get rather a bit for your money.

There's no shortage of instruments in the budget market, and the
Epiphone Les Paul Special II is a worthy entry into this growing
marketplace with its killer rock sound and ease of play.

The Epiphone Les Paul Special II boasts two open-coil humbucking
pickups (the 700T and 650R), which translates the acoustic tone
from its basswood body. The guitar features a bolt-on neck
(mahogany) and a rosewood fretboard. A tune-o-matic bridge with
stopbar tailpiece are standard, as are dot inlays.

A 3-way selector switch along with master volume and tone
controls allows you to set your sounds. The guitar's
specifications include a 24-3/4" scale and 1-5/8" nut width.

Upon our first review, we did have to make a few little
adjustments such as intonating the guitar, adjusting the action,
and tightening up the tuners. The pickup selector was also a bit
scratchy.

After we took care of these minor problems, we were extremely
pleased with the overall quality of the guitar. The finish is
moderately thin, so you do have to be cautious, but the wine red
finish was well done overall.

We were encouraged with the action and tones, which are simply
superb for a guitar as budget-priced as the Les Paul Special II.
We did observe a couple of dead spots on the neck, but what do
you want for $170? We still enjoyed the instrument very much.

Given its price, we strongly recommend the Epiphone Les Paul
Special II for anyone seeking a budget-level instrument that is
both playable and good-sounding.

About the author:
If you are looking for a great price on a guitar for beginners
or for a wonderful budget-priced guitar, you should definitely
consider the Epiphone Les Paul Special II. For the
absolutely lowest prices, look no further than http://www.raysguitarshop.com">Ray's
which offers the best prices on all used and new electric and
acoustic guitars on the Internet.

Line 6 POD X3

2009-10-24T23:06:00.001-07:00

Beatles Rock Band Outselling Guitar Hero 5

2009-10-21T15:18:00.000-07:00

This is interesting from Rolling Stone:

"As album sales soften and the industry turns to alternate ways to get music to fans, the battle between the big music video games has become increasingly heated, and new sales figures indicate The Beatles: Rock Band has a bit of an edge on Guitar Hero 5.

The Beatles: Rock Band sold 595,000 copies following its September 9th release, while GH5 moved 499,000 units since it hit stores on September 1st. In all, both games help fuel a revenue increase of 72 percent for music video games compared to September 2008."

It seems that more people pretend to play guitar than actually take the time to learn how. I think, though, that it does get get some interested in taking it further.

Guitar Maintenance

2009-05-04T09:57:00.000-07:00

By: John Brown

Any serious guitarist respects his instrument as something very
high in value to him. He does not treat it as a toy that is
thrown around and left lying around if it is slightly
inconvenient for him to put it way. What entails taking care of
your guitar in the proper way? Well, let me tell you!

I always like to keep my instrument well taken care of. I'm even
a little hesitant to let other people play in fear they may
accidently chuck it across the room or set it on fire. Well,
maybe not but I definitely don't want them to drop it and knick
it.

I'll start with the first thing you should do, even before you
pick up your guitar. Wash your hands. I'm serious here. The oil
from your hands not only corrodes the strings but it shortest
the life of the guitar neck (the wood). You're also going to
want to wipe the guitar strings down when you are done playing
to remove any dirt or oil from your hands that was left on the
guitar when you played. This will greatly increase the lifespan
of your strings, which is recommended to be changed about once a
month but will always differ depending on how often you play and
how clean you keep your hands and the strings

Keep you guitar in an environment that will be free of constant
temperature and humidity change. That means don't keep it in
your garage because it clutters up your room, as it can warp and
damage your guitar.

Every time I change my strings I like to wipe it down with a
nice coat of wax that I bought at a guitar center. This will
help keep it clean and will also give it a nice shine to show
off its beauty. It will also give it a semi protective coat.

If you're looking to keep all the scratches off your guitar I'd
suggest investing in a back guard. When you stand up and play
the back of the guitar rubs all over what you are wearing, and
if you're wearing a metal belt buckle that could result in some
nasty gouges on the back of your guitar. Considering guitars can
be very expensive, that would be most unfortunate.

It can also be good every once in a while to put some type of
oil on your fret board when you're changing your strings. I've
seen some older guitars with dry dry fret wood, and it isn't a
pretty sight. Try to keep it moisturized with a lemon oil to
keep it from becoming rough or even worse, cracking.

Other than keeping all the nuts and bolts snuggly tightened,
that about does it for basic guitar maintenance! Keep those
guitars in good shape so they can keep on a blazin'.

About the author:
For more information on saving yourself from guitar mistakes and
frustrations, visit http://www.readguitartabs.com

Warped Tour 2009

2009-04-01T16:56:00.000-07:00

Warped Tour 2009 opens tomorrow, 4/2 in Los Angeles.

Here's the lineup:

A Day To Remember, Aiden, Alexisonfire, Anti-Flag, Architects, Bad Religion, Bayside, Big D and the Kids Table, Bouncing Souls, Chiodos, Dance Gavin Dance, Dear and the Headlights, Escape the Fate, Flogging Molly, Forever the Sickest Kids, Gallows, Hit The Lights, I Set My Friends on Fire, Less Than Jake, Lovehatehero, Madina Lake, Monty Are I, NOFX, Outernational, P.O.S., Saosin, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, Senses Fail, Silverstein, Streetlight Manifesto, The A.K.A.s, The Ataris, The Devil Wears Prada, Thrice, Underoath, Valencia, Westbound Train, A Skylit Drive, Attack Attack, Black Tide, Breathe Carolina, Brokencyde, Cash Cash, Dirty Heads, Every Avenue, In This Moment, Innerpartysystem, Ivy League, Jeffree Star, Lights, Longway, Meg & Dia, Millionaires, Red Car Wire, Settings, Shad, Shooter Jennings, Sing it Loud, TAT, TV/TV, The Maine, The White Tie Affair, There For Tomorrow, Therefore I Am and Versa Emerge.

Kirk Hammett Guitar Lessons

2009-03-22T18:19:00.000-07:00

Tips For Buying Guitars and Equipment

2008-10-06T12:52:00.000-07:00

By: Dave Long

A guitarist's equipment is an important investment for someone
that wants to learn to play blues guitar. There isn't a "best"
of anything, it all will come down to personal preferences. In
the end, it really does come down to trying things out and
finding what is best for you.

Acoustic Guitars

Acoustic guitars are one of the easier things to purchase. All
you really need to do is pick it up and see if it feels good and
it sounds good. Even if it has pick-ups (usually piezo),
generally an amplified acoustic guitar is only done so to make
it louder, not as an inherent part of the instrument, which
makes the interaction between the guitar and the amp less
important of a factor.

Electric Guitars

Electric guitars are a bit harder to try out than acoustic
guitars. For one thing, the amp is actually just as big a factor
in the tone as the guitar itself. A guitar plugged that sounds
great in a high end boutique amp at the store isn't going to
sound the same when you take it how and plug it into a practice
amp. Comfort is still important and should be the main thing you
look for when getting an electric guitar. If it isn't
comfortable to you, it isn't worth worrying about whether it
sounds good. Also, unlike an acoustic guitar, it is possible to
change the sound of the guitar by putting in new pick-ups.

Amps

As a note, there are separate amplifiers designed for acoustic
and electric guitars, while they can be switched, generally you
want to match them up because they are designed slightly
differently.

With an acoustic guitar amp, basically you are looking for
something that retains as much of the original acoustic guitar's
sound, just a louder version of it.

Electric guitar amps, on the other hand, are just as important a
part of the sound as the guitar itself. Playing around with the
amp before buying it is quite important to get a feel of if the
tone is one that suits your needs.

One thing to keep in mind is amp wattage only vaguely reflects
the approximate volume, it isn't an exact measurement of it.
Despite the rumors, tube amps are not louder than solid state
amps with the same wattage.

Changing volume does have an impact on tone, and on many tube
amps, the more desirable tones tend to be at higher volume
settings than on solid state amps, but they are not actually
louder.

Other Pieces of Equipment

There are two more pieces of equipment that every guitarist that
wants to learn to play blues guitar really should have.

The first is a metronome, which is important to developing a
good sense of timing, a skill important to any musician.

The second is an electric tuner (as a note many have microphones
so they can be used with acoustic guitars as well). Playing in
tune is critical, especially early on. Tuning by ear still
requires carrying something around for a reference pitch, an
electric tuner simply saves time and reduces the amount of error
for a starting guitarist.

About the author:
Don't miss out on more great guitar tips at href="http://www.learningacousticguitar.net/buying-guitars">Buyin
g Guitars

Dave Long is a contributor to
http://www.LearningAcousticGuitar.net where he provides free
guitar tips and advice.

Jamorama Acoustic: 7 Top Tips On How To Be A Better Guitarist

2008-09-06T20:39:00.000-07:00

By: Jem Rhodes

Article:
Teaching yourself to play the acoustic guitar can seem like an
impossible task at times. Find out how you can turn the boredom
of practice into fun learning by using Jamorama Acoustic. You'll
be amazed at just how fun practising the guitar can be. Read on
to find out more about my 7 quick tips on how you could become a
better guitarist today...

Jamorama Acoustic: Quick tips to becoming a better guitarist...

1) Think about what sort of guitarist you want to be. Do you
want to play in a band? Become a singer songwriter? Or simply
play the guitar for fun? It's always a good idea to have a
clearly defined goal before you start to learn, so you know what
you're aiming for.

2) Play with other musicians, especially those who are better
than you. You'll find that you'll instantly pick up new
techniques and sounds. Playing with others is often a great way
to stretch yourself as a musician, as you'll be taken you out of
your musical comfort zone and forced to perform in front of
others.

3) Use you ears. I know this sounds obvious, but you'll be
amazed at how many musician who don't. Your ears are your most
powerful tool as a musician, so make sure you really listen to
the Jamorama Acoustic audio clips and try to recreate the sounds
as accurately as possible on your guitar.

4) Practice. Again it sounds so obvious, but many guitarist
simply don't practice and then wonder why they don't ever get
any better, dumb huh? Try not to play the same old things over
and over again. In order for you to improve, you must learn how
to stretch yourself as a guitarist. Jamorama Acoustic will add
structure to your practice schedule and vary what you practice
so it doesn't get boring.

5) Record yourself as often as possible. When you listen back
you'll either a) be amazed at how good you sound, or b) be
shocked at how terrible you sound. Listening back to your own
playing is a great way to identify the parts of your playing
that need more practice. If you regularly record yourself you'll
also be able to see how much and how quickly you improve. Many
musicians fall to pieces when the record button is pressed,
because of the pressure that's instantly added. If you regularly
record you'll never be afraid of the record button even if you
are in a recording studio.

6) Listen to a wide variety of music. The more you hear the
guitar the better your understanding will be. Don't be afraid to
try and work out some of your favourite songs on your guitar,
even if it means you have to listen to them over and over again
to figure them out. The Jamorama Acoustic game GuitEarIt will
teach you how to use you ears to their full potential and make
it so easy to learn your favourite riffs by ear.

7) Using a Guitar Program like Jamorama Acoustic will always
make learning the guitar much easier. You'll learn the things
most self taught guitarist miss out on and you'll always have
something new to practice or play along to. There are so many
games, audio clips and video clips that you'll never be bored
again, ever.

About the author:
To find out even more Click Here to read the href="http://www.jamoramaacousticreview.com">Jamorama Acoustic
Review

Line 6 POD X3 LIVE

2007-10-21T14:21:00.000-07:00

Pod X3 Live includes every input and output you need to practice, perform and record. No stone was left unturned for connectivity. Use the 1/4" instrument input for guitar or bass and the XLR microphone input for vocals and more. During practice, use the stereo headphones output to keep the noise down. For performances, plug in front of your amp or directly into the P.A. Use the stereo effect loop to add in your favorite stompboxes and other effects as well. When you connect a Line 6 Variax® guitar via the Variax input on your POD X3 Live, you can instantly recall POD X3 Live's amp, cab, and effect model settings matched with the perfect electric or acoustic guitar model all by stepping on a single footswitch. When you're ready to record, use the stereo balanced line outputs or digital S/PDIF output for traditional recording. Or use the new USB 2.0 connection for pro-level multi-channel computer recording.

Line 6 POD X3 Live Guitar Multi Effects Pedal Standard

Whether you choose to recreate the sounds of the past or turn tradition on its ear, POD X3 Live comes fully-loaded with the most inspiring collection of POD-quality amps and effects for your live performances, studio recordings, and everywhere in between.

Features & Benefits

Electric Guitar
POD X3 Live offers a whole new level of control over your guitar tone.

Plug straight into any one of the 78 ear-shattering guitar amp models for pure, unadulterated guitar tone.
Combine amp and cab models with the mouth-watering collection of 98 stompbox and studio effect models to build out your rig.
Take your sound to the next level by blasting your guitar through two guitar rigs at once to create a massive wall of sound that even guitar heroes of the past would respect.
Or plug POD X3 Live in front of your favorite stack or combo to pile on up to nine simultaneous effects, including vintage overdrive, scorching distortion, beefy fuzz, vibey delay, lush reverb, ethereal chorus, irreverent flanger, wah-wah to name just a handful.

Acoustic Guitar
Whether miking up an acoustic or plugging in an acoustic-electric guitar, POD X3 Live will showcase the natural warmth and beauty of your instrument.

Warm up your acoustics with the high-end tube mic preamp and compressor models to bring out the natural tone of your acoustic six or twelve string. Apply a touch of color with a full palette of reverbs, choruses, delays, EQs, and other essential effects.

Bass Guitar
Whether you seek stadium rock, a Motown groove, or modern grind, look no further than POD X3 Live.

Dial in classic bass tone using the 28 incredible bass amp and 22 bass cab models.
Bring a direct sound to life by using the modeled mic preamps and high-end compressors instead of traditional bass amps and cabs.
Add a combination of the 98 stompbox or studio effects to tweak your bass tone to perfection for practice, performance, or recording.

Vocals
POD X3 Live includes an XLR input for your microphone and an amazing set of effects for your vocals.

Six studio-grade vintage and modern microphone preamp models are included capture the natural warmth and richness of your vocals.
Smooth out your sound with studio grade compressors, EQ's, gates and de-essers.
The comprehensive collection of studio-quality post effect models at your disposal include rich reverbs, vibey delays, lush choruses and more.

Songwriters
POD X3 Live is the ultimate sonic toolbox for the creative songwriter.

With its massive set of models for guitar, bass, and vocals, POD X3 Live will elevate your creative sketches to polished works of art.
When inspiration strikes, record your guitar and vocals all at the same time to capture the magic of the first take.

Harness the Power and Flexibility of POD X3 Live

Computer Recording
POD X3 Live fits right in with whatever computer recording solution you use.

With USB 2.0, POD X3 Live can send processed and unprocessed signals to your recording software, so you can always change your tone and fix it in the mix.
POD X3 Live can record 2 fully-processed instruments at once.
Split your guitar signal and record each virtual rig on separate stereo tracks to create rich, layered sounds.
With on-board, real-time processing, POD X3 Live takes the load off of your computer and eliminates annoying latency.
Use the S/PDIF digital output to plug into ProTools systems and other pro-level audio interfaces to add legendary POD tone to your recordings.

Play in front of an amp
Use POD X3 Live as the ultimate pedal board with your favorite combo or stack.

With 98 stompbox and studio effect models, you have more freedom over your tone than even the largest, heaviest pedal board could ever offer.
Stomp - Fuzz, Distortion, Overdrive, and more.
Mod - Chorus, Flanger, Tremolo, Rotary, Phaser, and more
Delay - More than one of each type of delay: Analog, Digital, Tape and a mix of specialty echoes you won't find anywhere else.
Reverb More than one of each type of reverb: Room, Hall, Chamber, Plate and Spring models.
Miscellaneous Compressors, Gate, 4 Band Semi-Parametric EQ, Synth and Filters, Wah and many more.
Use up to 9 effects simultaneously to build the sound you're looking for.
Create rich blends of two entirely different effect chains to create a screaming wall of sound.
Plug into the PA
Plug POD X3 Live directly into the PA system for bullet-proof live sound that rocks.

Leave your back-breaking mountain of gear at home, and make set up and tear down easier than ever.
Take the guess work out of getting a great live sound every time.
Use the XLR outputs to plug directly into the mixing board without a direct box.

Reasons to Upgrade from POD XT Live
POD X3 Live delivers a ton of new features to inspire your music and simplify the creative process more than ever.

POD X3 Live comes fully-loaded with the most comprehensive set of POD® amps, cabs, and effects models ever. Includes models of 98 guitar amps, 24 guitar cabs, 98 effects, 28 bass amps, 22 bass cabs, and 6 vocal preamps.

Designed for gigging musicians, the rugged, stage-ready design features heavy duty metal footswitches and a racecar-inspired Wah/Volume/Expression pedal.

Split your guitar signal and run it through two amps or two guitar rigs at the same time to create entirely new sounds that will blow your audience away.

Use the XLR input or _" instrument input to play or record two instruments simultaneously each with its own independent tone processing.

Add studio-quality POD tone to your acoustic guitar, bass guitar, vocals or any other instrument you mic up for incredible recordings and live performances.

Use the stereo effect loop to integrate your favorite stompboxes and other effects into your setup.

The new, enlarged display shows a complete end-to-end signal chain for each tone at a glance. Change amp or effect settings on a single page for quick and easy editing.

Use the USB 2.0 connection for professional multi-track channel recording with your favorite computer recording software. Simultaneously send a dry unprocessed signal and wet processed stereo signal for each instrument/input to your computer for convenient and flexible computer recording options.

Use the S/PDIF digital output to record digitally into Pro Tools and integrate smoothly with other audio interfaces.

Full speccs can be found here:

Line 6 POD X3 Live Guitar Multi Effects Pedal Standard

Led Zeppelin Reunion

2007-10-08T05:41:00.000-07:00

Classic rock giants, Led Zeppelin, are reuniting for the first time in almost twenty years. The occasion is a tribute and benefit concert for Ahmet Ertegun, founder of Atlantic Records, who passed away last year. Ertegun benefacted many up and coming acts in his time and Zeppelin was one of his biggest hits. The concert will be Nov. 26 at the 02 arena in London.
More: Led Zeppelin Reunion

Accoustic Guitars: Back To Basics

2007-10-07T21:08:00.000-07:00

Acoustic guitars have been the standard by which all other instruments are judge for decades now, and they seem to show no signs of diminishing in importance. Before the invention of modern amplification systems, the acoustic guitar was not universally the preferred instruments of songwriters. Acoustic guitars, after all, are relatively quiet when compared to a banjo or an accordion. Nowadays, however, you can play guitar acoustic music as loudly or as quietly as you wish. Although everyone recognizes the sound of a guitar, it never seems to get old. From folk to rock to jazz, guitar is probably the best place to start.

Once you have advanced a little bit, guitar playing gets a lot easier. When you are first starting, however, it is extremely difficult. The first few times you play acoustic guitars, it can be very frustrating. Your fingers hurt when you push down on the strings, the chords don't sound like they should, and nothing works out right. Persevere! Acoustic guitars aren't popular simply because of their melodious sound. It is an open secret that they are extremely easy to play compared to many other instruments.

Of course, before you even start playing, you have to pick out your acoustic guitar. This is a subject of some debate among guitar experts. Should you buy a beginner guitar, or should you go all out and get something more expensive? Many people believe that beginner guitars are the way to go. That way, if you don't like playing, you haven't wasted too much money. Other people believe that you shouldn't confine yourself to cheap acoustic guitars. If you have the money, you should buy a really good ax. That way, it will be a joy to play. The better it sounds, the more you're going to want to play it!

In my opinion, the best approach is a compromise. Whether you are getting acoustic electric guitars, nylon string classical guitars, or some other kind, it shouldn't be the bottom-of-the-line. Get something that is decent, but not overly expensive. You can usually find acoustic guitars on sale for less than 200 dollars. Take someone who is experienced along to help you pick it out. Choosing the right guitar, after all, is crucial. You will be sticking with that instrument for months or even years to come, so you had better choose carefully. The wrong instrument will be hard to play and will not even stay in tune.

A Beginner's Guide To Learning Guitar

2007-07-02T18:10:00.000-07:00

By: Peter Finlay

As an absolute beginner looking to learn the guitar, getting on
the right track can be quite confusing. More likely than not,
you will be confronted with a variety of conflicting information
about who to see and how to start learning guitar. With everyone
trying to offer you their own advice, keeping focussed on your
end goal can be difficult, although is essential if you're
looking to learn how to play the guitar proficiently. So where
do you begin when trying to learn the guitar? And how can you
ensure your guitar learning experience is as fruitful as
possible.

Before even beginning to learn the guitar the first step is to
consider whether to learn on your own basis through a book or
online, or whether to learn with a tutor through individual or
group lessons. This can be an important decision, and one that
is crucial to your ability to learn how to play the guitar. If
you find self-motivation and dedication easy, you may find
learning on your own to be a more cost-effective way of picking
up the guitar, and one that proves to be more rewarding in the
long run. Alternatively, if you find the prospect of learning
quite daunting, it may be a better idea to get in touch with an
expert guitar tutor, who will hold your hand through the
learning process, and keep you on track to build on your guitar
playing abilities. Either way, it is important to ensure you
practice everything you cover, and to play at every opportunity
to improve your skills and technique, which will provide more
stable foundations for becoming a great guitarist.

The first thing to consider when learning to play the guitar is
how often you are going to practice, and from where you will
access your guitar. As a beginner, it is desirable to pick up a
second hand or cheap first guitar. There's no point spending
hundreds, or even thousands, on a new top of the range guitar
when there is no guarantee that you will be able to play it.
When selecting a guitar, you should look for something that is
sized appropriately for you, and that sits comfortably when
playing. A Spanish or classical guitar is slightly softer on the
fingers, although the acoustic guitar is better for smaller
hands initially. Obviously each type of guitar has its own
specific advantages for more advanced performance, but as a
beginner it may be wise to put consideration into the actual
size and shape of the guitar and how it fits with you.

Learning to play the guitar can seem like a mammoth task for the
complete beginner, but with a few tips in the right direction it
doesn't need to be out of reach. With the means to learn and
some form of guidance, either through a book, online or through
a tutor, learning the guitar can be a fairly straightforward
process, and one which can prove to be very rewarding in a short
period with drive and determination.

About the author:
Peter Finlay, a proficient writer, writes for www.online-guitar-le
sson.uk.com. The author writes articles about electric guitar lessons and guitar lessons online.
Supplementary editorials that were written by Peter Finlay about
rock guitar lessons are accessible on the internet.

Jamorama Guitar Learning Package: Review

2007-06-30T17:23:00.000-07:00

Here's a very good review of Jamorama. This package may be the best online product as far as getting new guitarists up to snuff quickly.

Learn To Play Guitar Online - Jamorama Review

Learn To Play Guitar Online - Jamorama Review
By Matthew Crawford

Like anything that requires a learning curve, the guitar requires discipline and an endless resource of enthusiasm. But people can all too easily fall into a defeatist attitude when they hit hurdles. It gets hard, it's frustrating when you can't coordinate, and concentration, people push themselves but it only ends up at breaking point where they throw down the axe and say "right that's it, I give up!"

It's especially hard when others seem to make it look so easy. But there's one tutorial that goes at your pace, doesn't patronize you, and moves comfortably enough so you never want to throw your guitar out the window.

Jamorama is a simple but powerful way of learning, incorporating audio and video to aide you. It is one of the biggest and most popular "learn to play" programs available today, and is the blueprint for most other programs.

The Jamorama Learning Kit is packed full of games and e-books to take you through the learning process step by step, making fast learning for reading and transcribing music. The kit includes GuitEarIt! - a program designed to help you work a song out by ear, and to hone and tune your ear for music; Guitar Tuner Pro and How To Tune Your Guitar; JaydeMusica Pro; The Jamorama Metronome; and Advanced Learning Techniques for Guitar.

Everything in the program is professionally designed in order to make playing enjoyable and rewarding, developing the students' key skills in becoming a better musician. I'm a teacher myself with over 12 years of experience, and I must admit that the lessons were certainly an inspiration. I've often struggled with getting a student's attention, or being able to break down an exercise enough for them to pick it up with ease. In fact teaching can be as frustrating as learning at times! But this gave an approach to musicianship that was as clear as day and I'd recommend it to any of my students any time, especially if they were struggling with my lessons!

Free online consultation is available for customers, and there is also a forum where students can discuss specific difficulties. Jamorama is 100% fail-safe, scam-free and risk-free program with only your playing in mind.

Matt Crawford is an experienced musician with nearly a decade of experience. He has recently established a website called My Sound Clinic in order to pass down some information that he has picked up over the years. Here you'll find hints, tips, reviews, and articles on playing guitar and the world that surrounds it.

For more information on Jamorama and other guitar learning kits, visit my lens: here

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matthew_Crawford
http://EzineArticles.com/?Learn-To-Play-Guitar-Online---Jamorama-Review&id=745585

Become A Better Guitarist By Developing Your Ear

2007-04-08T12:39:00.000-07:00

By: Peter Edvinsson

Can you hear a melody and then play it on your guitar? To have a
good ear will help you a lot in your musical endeavors. Let's
see how we can improve this ability!

Learn to know your guitar

To be able to pick up your guitar and play any melody you hear
would be nice I guess!

To understand the relationship between the melodies you hear and
the frets and strings you have to use to play these melodies is
something you can practice in different ways. Here are some
suggestions:

1. Play around with your guitar. Yes, that's right! Have a nice
time with your guitar! First of all because it is fun and you
probably play the guitar first of all for this reason.

This means that you try out things on the guitar. Play notes and
listen how they sound. It doesn't really matter if it is
fantastic melodies you create. The important thing is that you
gradually will learn how notes, strings and frets relate to each
other.

2. Learn scales. Scales can be played for many reasons. One way
is to develop a better understanding of the fretboard.

To accomplish this you should as soon as you have learned to
play a scale on the guitar try to use it, experiment with it,
try to create melodies with it, play patterns and so on.

3. Learn music theory. Well, this sounds a little bit
intimidating maybe. But music theory can be as simple as knowing
the names of the notes on the guitar. Take a few notes at a time
and practice playing them on the guitar as you say the notenames
aloud.

4. Learn easy melodies. Yes, very easy melodies like Mary Had A
Little Lamb and other melodies with few notes in them. Then try
to play the melodies starting on a different place on your
guitar fretboard. This is a very effective way to learn to
understand the guitar.

5. Transpose songs. You will develop your ear and your
understanding of the relationship between chords by transposing
the chords of the songs you can play by heart to different keys.

Let's take the song Tom Dooley as an example. It contains only
two chords in it's most common form. If you play it in D-major
it will be D and A7. If you play it in E it will be E and
...well you can figure it out by yourself.

Try to play Tom Dooley in the key of C and see if you can figure
out the chords.

To hear a melody and then be able to play it on the guitar is
really both fun and of great use to a guitarist. By trying these
tips you might find yourself a little bit closer that goal!

About the author:
Peter Edvinsson invites you to download your free sheet music,
guitar tabs, ebooks, music lessons and read his music blog at http://www.capotastomusic.co
m

Guitar Playing: What About Motivation?

2007-04-06T10:56:00.000-07:00

By: Peter Edvinsson

What can you do to stay motivated as you practice on your
guitar? How can you increase and maintain the joy of playing?
Here are some tips on how to keep that joy that made you start
playing the guitar in the first place!

What can you do before setting goals?

The reason why we don't keep our guitar playing goals might be
that we haven't been honest with ourselves before the goal
setting process.

Before actually setting goals you have to decide why you want to
play guitar or want to be a better player. Make an honest survey
of your assets and wishes in the area of guitar playing.

Your inner wishes will probably conquer your goals if they are
not the same.

How to set goals

In order to set goals that you will actually work towards you
might ask yourself:

Do I really want to accomplish these goals?

Will I really feel good when I reach my goals?

I guess you will agree with me that the only goals that are
really meaningful are the ones that will take you in that
direction that leads to a place you want to be at!

I think that a part of your guitar playing goals should be
focused practicing melodies you want to play in front of other
people.

One common reason for starting to play the guitar is to be able
to play the pieces of music you like.

This means that as you learn to play guitar, a goal might be to
learn a number of songs or melodies by heart so you can play
them in any setting.

These songs or melodies are to be learned so well that you don't
have to worry if you are asked to play.

One reason for having a repertoire with guitar pieces thoroughly
rehearsed is that you can feel that you perform at the top of
your ability when asked to play.

Remember, it should be guitar pieces you like to play.

If you do not like what you play you run the risk of memorizing
these feelings together with the material you play.

When you practice a guitar piece you will memorize much more
than the melody. At least these things will be memorized:

1. Hopefully the melody

2. Your attitude

3. Your level of body tension as you play

4. Your posture

5. The pressure you apply when pressing down the strings or
holding your pick

If you like what you practice this joy will probably be
transmitted to the audience when you perform.

In order to keep your motivation to practice on top and be able
to stick with your guitar playing goals I suggest that you
consider the following tips:

1. Ask yourself these questions to evaluate your future ability
to stick with your goals:

Why do I want to be a better guitar player?

Is it because I like to play guitar?

Is it because I am "forced to"?

Is it because I want to impress my friends?

What things do I like to play on the guitar?

2. Set goals that take into consideration what motivated you to
play in the first place. If you like strumming chords and sing
your favorite songs your goals should probably be in that area.

3. Learn pieces that you feel good about and let other people
listen to them and feel good too.

About the author:
Peter Edvinsson at Capotasto Music invites you to download your
free sheet music,
guitar tabs, ebooks, music lessons and read his music blog at http://www.capotastomusic.co
m

3 Time-Tested Tips For Learning Guitar Chords

2007-04-05T12:12:00.001-07:00

By: Fabian Tan

Learning guitar chords may seem daunting for a new guitar
player. However, it dosen't have to be that way. Remember, the
guitar professionals were once novices who didn't have a clue
about chords as well! In this article, I will divulge some
proven tips for learning chords quickly and easily.

Firstly, let's define what a guitar chord is. A guitar chord is
a collection of tones sounded in harmony by pulling two or more
strings on a guitar. It usually requires playing open strings.

Now that we have got the definition out of the way, it is time
to get straight down to the methods! Obviously, one of the main
difficulties in playing chords is using a few fingers a tight
space in an attempt to play a tune. Well, practice makes
perfect. You can speed up the process of learning chords by
referring to a guitar chord diagram. These diagrams show the
organization of the guitar chords you should be playing.

The second tip is to find a song, preferably an easy song, which
you like and to try to play the chords to it. Starting with an
easy song helps build you competence in chord playing

My third tip is to simply choose a chord family and really
practise it until you become really good at it! If you try to
learn too many chord families in a short space of time, you may
end up with information overload, and you will not be able to
learn as quickly. This is a common mistake many beginners make.

Learning guitar chords can be trying at first, but after a
while, you will begin to get more comfortable. Getting a large
repertoire of guitar chords under your belt is important as it
is the base for higher levels of guitar playing.

About the author:
Fabian Tan is a devoted guitar player and idolizes legendary
guitarists like Jimi Hendrix and Bruce Springsteen. He is a big
fan of the Jamorama learning course, and reviews it at his Jamorama Review site.

Develop a Guitar Practice Schedule

2007-03-26T12:03:00.000-07:00

By: Kathy Unruh

Now is as good a time as any to develop a Guitar Practice
Schedule. Let's face it, if we want to be better guitar players,
then we need to play! Notice that the key word here is play, not
work. But, if you're anything like me, then you know how easy it
is to let other demands on your time get in the way of
practicing your guitar. Time management is always a challenge,
but I find it helps when I write things down and can visualize
my priorities.

Today I would like to help you develop a practice schedule so
you'll be able to reach some of your goals as a guitar
player.Every guitarist's practice schedule will differ due to
personal lifestyle, job & home demands, hobbies, social life,
etc. Being a beginner, intermediate or advanced guitar player
will also effect how and what you practice.

As a beginner, your main goal is to develop the calluses,
strength and coordination skills needed to play the guitar.
Practicing 15-20 minutes a day should be enough time to
accomplish this. Once you gain some proficiency on the guitar
you can adjust your practice schedule according to your
particular needs and desires.

It's a good idea to set aside a specific time each day when you
will be able to focus on playing your guitar. Mark down this
time on a calendar and keep it some place where you can see it
as a reminder of your committment. Tell your family about it
too. Let them know that their support is important and will help
you reach your goals.

Next, take a sheet of paper and create a basic outline of what
you will need to work on each day. Make sure you incorporate
chords, various guitar techniques, plus tab and/or note reading
skills into your practice schedule, as these are the common
areas that every guitarist can use to develop their skills.

Here is an example of what your Guitar Practice Schedule might
look like:

MONDAY

Reading Music - Use standard notation &/or
tablature to learn a song, or play a single line melody.
Goal : To improve sight reading skills in order to learn
new songs and guitar techniques.

TUESDAY

Chords - Practice strumming various chords
progressions and songs in different keys.
Goal: To change easily & smoothly between chords. Long term
goal being to learn the fundamental chords for all 12 keys.

WEDNESDAY

Performing - Memorize a song you have learned.
Play it in front of someone, or record yourself.
Goal: To gain confidence and get feedback in order to
improve guitar playing abilities.

THURSDAY

Theory & Technique - study scales &/or chord
structure. Incorporate slides, hammers, pull-offs, arpeggios,
finger-picking and other techniques.
Goal: To increase understanding of music and improve finger
dexterity on the guitar.

FRIDAY

Fretboard - Memorize &/or review the notes on
the fretboard.
Goal: To improve fretboard awareness in order to facilitate
a broader range of playing options.

SATURDAY

Review - Take time to go over any trouble spots.
Concentrate on one specific area. Write down any thoughts or
steps needed to improve performance &/or understanding.
Goal: To play the guitar in such a way that it produces
music with a clean, clear, quality sound.

SUNDAY

Free Time - Take time off or experiment. Play
around with different sounds using your ear. Make up a chord,
song or melody line. Create a repertoire so you can play the
pieces you enjoy. Have some fun.
Goal: To become a creative guitarist and
musician.

About the author:
Kathy Unruh is a singer/songwriter and webmaster of href="http://www.abclearnguitar.com/free-guitar-lesson.html"targe
t="_blank">ABC Learn Guitar. She has been writing
songs and providing guitar lessons to students of all ages for
over 25 years.

href="http://www.abclearnguitar.com/newsletter.html"target="_blan
k">Get free guitar tips here!

Effective Practicing on the Guitar

2007-03-23T20:55:00.000-07:00

By: Andy Weaver

Effective Practicing on the Guitar

Ah, guitar practice. It really means a different thing to each
and every guitarist. For quite a few guitarists, practice simply
means looking up a new song and learning it by tab. Though this
is beneficial to an extent, it is by no means effective
practicing. Allow me to elaborate:

The guitarist who knows a huge library of songs (because he
learns a new one each time he practices) can play quite a few of
these songs, but can he play them convincingly? Can he play them
very closely to the original, is everything clean and played
with conviction? How is he phrasing everything, and how tight is
his rhythm playing?

These are all questions you should ask yourself as you are
practicing. Being able to play a 1000 different songs would be
great (and would be impressive) but I would much rather be able
to "nail" a song note-for-note than be able to play several
other songs in a half-assed fashion. Being able to "nail" a song
really gives you a sense of satisfaction that is truly
unmatched. Or better yet, composing your own work -- and being
able to nail it effectively every single time is truly
liberating. You feel great!

The key to effective practicing is to use your ear, and be
honest with it. Was that bend intonated correctly? If it wasn't
start over again and work extra hard on making that bend scream
in tune. Record yourself trying to play the song you want to
learn, and go down the following check list:

* How is my intonation? Any bends that sound off, any vibratos
that sound out?
* How solid and tight are my rhythms?
Does the song call for a relaxed, almost swing rhythm or for a
more fast-paced on the dot rhythm?
* How is my
articulation? Do some of the notes sound too weak, too strong,
or are otherwise distracting?
* How is my phrasing? Did
I give the notes a decent amount of space, and how predictable
is the phrasing? Pretend you're a listener who's never heard the
piece, could he effectively predict what's going to be played
next? This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I believe that a
good balance between predictability and unpredictability is what
we should strive for.
* How clean is the playing? Overall
cleanliness.. do I need to woodshed that lick a little bit
more? Do I need to practice this phrase with a metronome for a
while? There is much more to pay attention to, but I think you
get the idea. Don't cut yourself short. Realize that there are
going to be some flaws. A lot of times it helps to record
something and save it one day, and then the next day come back
to it and listen. You'll be listening to it with fresh ears, and
you can better identify what needs to be worked on.

Post your playing on internet forums. Find a decent music forum,
and post your work there, see what non-biased ears think of your
work. Tell them that you're open to c&c on your playing and
tone. This is the #1 way to improve your playing. Pretend like
these people are your guitar teachers, they are there to let you
know what needs work and what sounds good. Follow their advice.

There have been times where I practiced a simple section of a
solo (that wasn't any longer than 8 seconds or so) for 3-4 hours
in one day. I was somewhat satisfied with my performance of that
section, but I *knew* that I could play it better. I just knew
it! Deep down inside, I felt like I could totally ace it
flawlessly. After a few days of practice, I did it! It sounded
great. And I felt great about it too!

Hell, I've sat around practicing my vibrato on one note for
close to an hour. Boring? Yes. But did it pay off? Hell yeah!
From that point on I focused a lot on my vibrato, always trying
to pull off that same vibrato I had after practicing it for an
hour that one day.

You may think it's a waste of time to spend hours on end
practicing only 8 seconds of a solo, but it's truly worth it.
The overall effect it has on your playing is like glue. When you
work so hard to fix your mistakes within a short section of a
song, it's like sealing the glue.

And once that glue is sealed, it's there for good. =)

Check
out more of my guitar articles

About the author:
About me

The Gibson Les Paul Guitar Story

2007-03-15T15:28:00.000-07:00

By: Gareth Owen

In 1950, there was a big boom in the world of music when the
Fender Telecaster (electric guitar) was introduced in the
market. Another breed of guitars led the world of music after
this with Gibson Les Paul. As the name suggests Gibson is the
leading musical instrument manufacturer and Les Paul was one of
the most respected guitarists in history. Les Paul has been
known for his innovation in musical instruments and it was for
this reason that the president of Gibson Company, Ted McCarthy,
got Les Paul to be a consultant for Gibson.

Les Paul made a solid body prototype, which was known as The
Log. Les Paul had approached Gibson in the year 1945 with this
prototype but this idea was refused, but then again in 1951 Les
Paul and Gibson worked together and Les Paul's innovative idea
gave birth to a marvel that rocked the music world. The line of
models for the Gibson hollow-body electric guitars provided
ideas to create Gibson Les Paul, which differed from Fender in
having a more curved body and a glued-in neck.

There are different controversies regarding the role of Les Paul
in Gibson. One of the controversies is that the president of
Gibson Corporation approached Les Paul and asked him for the
right to print his name on the headstock of the guitar so that
they could increase the sales of that specific model and name it
Gibson Les Paul.

It was also claimed by McCarthy that they only had discussions
with Les Paul regarding the tailpiece and fitting of a maple cap
over the mahogany body for increased density and sustain. Les
Paul also wanted the new model to have a gold finish but the
Gibson gave flame and tiger maple finishes for it to compete
with the Fender.

The Les Paul guitar started out with two models, the regular
model, which was then nicknamed as the Goldtop and the other was
the custom model in which up gradation of the hardware was
offered with a black finish. There was a constant improvement
seen in the pickup, body and hardware patterns that truly pulled
lots of guitarists towards it.

There are different features that distinguish the Gibson Les
Paul from the rest of the brands. Gibson Les Paul is known for
mounting of its strings, which are always mounted on top of the
guitar body and not through the guitar body as was seen in the
Fender's models. Gibson Les Paul has offered a wide range of
decorative models, customized hardware, and electric pickup
options. The humbucking pickup completely eliminated the
60-cycle humming that previously beset the amplified guitars.

Gibson Les Paul has gone through an evolutionary process over
the years and has brought on unique models to gear up with state
of the art advanced technology and style. The line of Gibson Les
Paul models are Goldtop (1952-1957), Custom (1954-1960), Gibson
Les Paul Junior (1954-1960), Gibson Les Paul TV (1955-1960),
Gibson Les Paul Special (1955-1960), Gibson Les Paul Standard
(1958-1960), Gibson Les Paul SG 1961, Gibson Les Paul Deluxe
1968, Gibson Les Paul Studio 1983, as well as the modern Gibson
Les Paul guitars.

It was in the 1960 that the icons in the world of guitarists
such as Mike Bloomfield, Keith Richards, Jimmy Page as well as
Eric Clapton acknowledged the professional capability of Gibson
Les Paul's late 50s guitars because they had the thicker and
more sustaining tone of Gibson's humbucking pickups. This
innovation just gave Gibson Les Paul the unique standing in
electric guitars and then there were a lot of companies that
followed the lead of Gibson in making the humbucking pickups.
Following these icons, a lot of other bands and artists made
Gibson Les Paul their choice and now a 1959 Les Paul can cost in
a range of about $100,000 to $500,000.

About the author:
For further information visit http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com

Learn How to Play Guitar in Less Time

2007-03-12T12:35:00.000-07:00

By: Groshan Fabiola

With so many quality guitar lesson-providing websites out there,
increasingly larger numbers of existing and prospective guitar
players are nowadays turning to the Internet when it comes to
finding efficient guitar playing lessons, tutorials, tips and
tricks that can significantly improve their playing. Although
many types of guitar lessons have good potential of teaching
both the basics and subtleties behind playing the guitar, guitar
lesson videos are still regarded as the best methods of learning
how to play the guitar. Designed by the best guitar players and
instructors in the world, the right video guitar lessons can
teach you everything you want to know in the least of time and
with minimum effort. Video guitar lessons are nowadays provided
by dedicated websites either under the form of downloadable or
CD/DVD video files, they are properly categorized on criteria
such as difficulty and music genre, and can be either accessed
for free or obtained in exchange of a small fee.

Regardless of your level of skill and experience at playing the
guitar, online guitar lesson videos are perfect for helping you
polish your guitar playing technique and discovering new things
about playing the guitar. Providing you with valuable guitar
playing techniques, tips and tricks in video format, video
guitar lessons are ideal for both novice and experienced guitar
players looking to further improve their playing.

Presenting a variety of concepts in a descriptive and highly
comprehensive manner, guitar lesson videos are easy to put into
practice and can help you discover and reach new levels of
guitar playing in less time and with less effort. Therefore, if
you are interested in learning everything you can about the art
of playing the guitar from professional guitar players, all you
need to do is find a reliable, dedicated guitar
tutorials-providing website, enter in possession of a few
quality video guitar lessons and start practicing. With good
motivation and regular practice, results will begin to show in
no time.

If you are a complete beginner and want to learn the basics of
playing the guitar the quick, easy and convenient way, then it
is advisable to enter in possession of quality beginner guitar
lessons in video format. Video guitar lessons for beginners are
perfect for learning the basics such as the notes on the guitar
fret board, basic finger positions on the fret board, the most
commonly used scales, finger strength building, picking
techniques, speed training, and so on. Helping novice guitar
players build a solid guitar playing foundation, beginner video
guitar lessons are crucial for ensuring that all exercises are
performed correctly and naturally. Considering that the first
guitar lessons that you receive have a great impact on your
future guitar playing (once formed, bad guitar playing habits
are usually very difficult to eliminate) it is crucial that you
use the best quality beginner video guitar lessons right from
the beginning and build a clean, proper technique.

Once you have reached the next level with your guitar playing,
then you can switch to a set of intermediate and advanced video
guitar lessons and develop new skills while also working to
further improve the ones you have already learned. High quality,
efficient video guitar lessons for intermediate and
advanced-level guitar players are designed to help you learn how
to play the guitar like a pro, and cover a variety of topics, as
well as a wide range of tips, tricks and secrets that most
guitar players prefer not to expose. If you want to be able to
play the guitar like a pro and impress all your friends with
your skills, then you should enter in possession of a few
quality video guitar lessons for advanced, start practicing, arm
yourself with a little patience and results will definitely
show!

About the author:
For more information about guitar
lesson video or even about begin
ner guitar lesson your can check on this website http://www.guitar5day.com
for more guitar related subjects.

Line 6 Guitar Amps

2007-03-07T11:58:00.000-08:00

For wonderful Effects Choose Line 6 Guitar Amps

Line 6 HD147 300W Guitar Amp Head

By: Rocky

Line 6 was founded in 1996 and was based in Agoura Hills,
California. It is a producer of digital modeling electric
guitars, acoustic guitars,amplifiers and for good effects
processors. The company experienced a quick expansion in the
early 2000s due to it's achievement of their POD branded product
that reproduced the sound of various classic and amazing modern
guitar amplifiers, effects pedals,amplifier cabinets and other
microphones, with a high-quality deal of accuracy. The PODxt
Live product is a current development, and extends the
characteristics of the unique POD with more reproductions and
effects in a pedal board package. Line 6 now has numerous other
product lines in production: Line 6 has an energetic user
community, and that provides software, which allows users to
simply download and share patches or machine settings. This
software covers all of Line 6's obtainable flagship products.
Their products are used and authorized by many expert artists.
Line 6 guitar amps offers stirring various kinds of effects,
consisting of chorus/flanger, phase, tremolo, digital delay,
tape echo, and other sweep echo as well. By using Smart FX all
effects could be jerked easily, Top Tempo permits change of
delay times. Line 6 has come up with the Spider II guitar amp
with the Smart Control FX.By using the delay knob you could
select a standard delay, tape echo, and other sweep echo. You
have an option to choose among chorus/flange, phase,and as well
from tremolo using the modulation effect knob. Line 6 guitar
amps Tap Button permits you to set the pace of your delay
effects, as well as gives you entrée to a Tuner, Distortion
Boost, and a built-in Noise Gate. The distortion improve of the
Line 6 guitar amp permits you to hit the model harder and get a
more indistinct sound, by boosting your guitar signal before it
attaining the Amp Model. Line 6 amps built-in Noise Gate would
help to cut down on hiss and noise. You would recognize the gate
is on when the Channel D LED comes on. When you get the Line 6
guitar amp you will discover even more hidden functions.

About the author:
Rocky is a Copywriter of www.gigasonic.com

He has written many articles in various topics.For more
information visit:

www.gigasonic.com

contact him at gigasonic1@gmail.com

Line 6 HD147 300W Guitar Amp Head

Fender Telecaster Guitar

2007-03-06T11:43:00.000-08:00

By: Gareth Owen

Popularly known as Tele, this variety of electric guitar is
known worldwide for its efficient design and ground breaking
sound, which has made it a very popular choice among musicians.
The sale of Fender Telecaster can be traced back to the era of
1950 when the single and dual pickup Esquire models were being
commercially produced. This is what makes Fender Telecaster one
of the world's highest ranking solid body electric guitar.

The first form of Fender Telecaster was known as the Esquire and
there were about fifty guitars that were produced originally. In
about 1950, Esquire, which was a one-pickup model was replaced
with a two-pickup model and was named Broadcaster. There was a
legal threat from a company known as Gretsch, which was already
producing guitars and drums and said that Broadcaster was
violating its trademark Broadkaster, which was the trademark of
its drums. Therefore, Fender changed the name from Broadcaster
to Telecaster.

The design of Fender Telecaster was very simple and it was made
in such a way that servicing the guitar or repairing the broken
ones was made very easy. The guitars were produced on a large
scale in an assembly line and were not made as an individual
piece. The bodies of the guitars were band-sawed and the necks
of the guitars were bolt-on because of making the repair and
service really easy. There was a removable control plate, which
could be removed easily and the electronics could be accessed
with great ease. This feature gave it a hook and gained
attention of a lot of musicians because in the standard make of
guitars one had to take the strings off and then remove the
pickguard to get to electronics.

The classic form of Fender Telecaster was a very simple
framework, which had a neck and fingerboard including a single
piece of maple, which was bolted to an ash or alder body with
both sides flat, the front and back. The hardware included the
two single coil pickups, which were controlled by a three-way
selector switch with volume and tone controls. Earlier, the
pickguard was made of bakelite, which was later made with
plastic and was fixed on the body with five screws at first but
later on with eight screws. The bridge had three saddles, which
were adjustable with the strings doubled up on each. This became
a thrilling addition in the world if guitars and soon different
companies followed its lead.

The modern Telecaster is a lot different from the standard. They
have 22 frets rather than 21 and at the headstock is present the
truss rod adjustment rather than the body end. It has a six
saddle bridge that allows the adjustment for length and height
for individual string. It has a plain flat plate and the bridge
cover has been discontinued for most models. The wiring of the
modern Fender Telecaster is also different from the classic one,
which is a 3-way toggle switch, which selects neck pickup in the
first position, neck and bridge pickups together in the second
position and in the third position is the bridge pickup. The
volume control for all pickups is in the first knob and the
second knob controls the tone for all pickups. The Fender
Telecaster is made up of a solid body, which allows it to give a
clean and crisp sound quality, which resulted in other leading
companies to follow the trend.

With this magnificent equipment a lot of new genres have evolved
such as country, electric blues, rock and roll and it is because
of its solid construction that lets the guitar to be played as a
lead instrument with a long sustain as an awesome effect. One of
the musicians that have made Telecaster their signature include
Elvis Presley, Merle Haggard, Danny Gatton, Roy Buchanan, Albert
Collins who played the blues with the Telecaster, Muddy Waters
as well as a long list of musicians who when played the guitar
just touched the hearts of millions.

About the author:
For further information on a wide range of guitars and musical
instruments please visit http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com

How Do Guitar Amplifiers Work?

2007-03-04T12:21:00.000-08:00

By: Max Cane

Guitar amplifiers amplify the sound fed into it from the guitar
and drive the guitar loudspeaker. The sound waves generated by
the guitar strings are converted into minute electrical signal
with the help of the guitar pick up and then fed into the guitar
amplifier (or simply guitar amp). Depending on whether or not
the input of the guitar amp can work with the minute signal
coming from the guitar, the guitarist may need to feed the
guitar signal first into a pre-amplifier and then take the
output from the pre-amplifier to feed the guitar amp.

The working of a guitar amp typically has four stages - input,
signal modulation, signal amplification and then finally the
output stage.

Input Stage

The input stage of the guitar amp accepts the input signal
either from the guitar pre-amp or directly from the guitar
itself. Normally, there are input female jacks installed onto
the amplifier where you attach the input signal cable. If the
guitar signal is too weak to be fed into the guitar amp, the
signal should first pass through a guitar pre-amp. It is very
important that there is proper impedance matching between the
available input signal impedance and specified guitar
amplifier's input signal impedance. More often than not, signal
impedance mismatch is the cause of deterioration of the final
guitar sound on the loudspeaker.

Nowadays, there are many guitar amps, which have a
pre-amplification stage incorporated into them. For such amps,
you do not need to pass the guitar signal into a separate
pre-amp. You can directly feed the signal into the amp itself.

Signal Modulation Stage

Plain in and plain out is not exactly the way normal electric
guitarist likes it. He wants the guitar sound to be jazzed up,
twangy, funky, heavily distorted etc. etc. For such sounds, the
input signal has to under go modulation before they can be
amplified. Say suppose the guitarist wants a heavy distortion
akin to heavy metal rock sound. To get this type of sound, the
input signal is fed into the signal modulation stage where the
signal undergoes the required (but controlled) distortion. The
same applies to other sound effects like wah-wah sound, reverb
etc. Many guitar amps have equalizers and other tone control
knobs, which also come under the signal modulation stage.

Signal Amplification Stage

The signal amplification stage is the 'business' stage of any
guitar amp. It is here where the guitar sound is actually
amplified. Good guitar amps will faithfully magnify the signal
coming from the Signal Modulation Stage, i.e. the incoming
signal will be the exact replica of this stage's outgoing
signal, only that it will be of much greater amplitude. It is
the 'business' of any amplifier (be it voice or guitar amp) to
faithfully amplify the incoming signal.

Output Stage

This is the final stage of all guitar amps. Some guitar amps
have the output driver stage as a part of the output stage,
while some of them do not. In some cheap guitar amps, the
outgoing signal from the signal amplification stage is directly
fed into the loudspeaker. However, good guitar amps have proper
signal conditioning output stage where it is ensured that output
signal is properly matched to the input specifications of the
loudspeaker.

Every good guitarist should have good knowledge about guitar
amps. Getting a good guitar amp is very important if you wish to
have a reliable and predictable output musical sound whilst
playing your guitar.

About the author:
For more information and reviews on guitars, guitar
amplifiers and equipment visit GuitarHeadz.com, the complete
guide for anything you want to know about guitars and related gear.

Bored with Guitar? Try An Alternate Tuning

2007-02-22T11:47:00.000-08:00

By: T.J O'Connell

One way you might try to get out of a rut, whether you are a
songwriter or just a regular player is to try out some alternate
guitar tunings. All the guitar gods at one point venture into
the world of alternate tunings and it can be alot of fun.

The reason the strings are tuned to standard tuning on a guitar
is because it is the most efficient for fingering the most
amount of scales and chords, but that doesn't make it better
than any other tuning, and if standard tuning is making you
bored maybe it's time to venture out into the world of alternate
guitar tunings.

Now some of this ground has been covered before for example
there are many popular alternate guitar tunings, such as Drop-D,
Open C, C Tuning, Dropped B, B Tuning, B-flat tuning, Dropped A,
Hardcore tuning, E-flat tuning. As you can see there is no limit
to the amount of tunings you can do. You can even come up with
your own; maybe it's one that no one in history has come up
with, who knows there is a whole world of possibility out there,

Some of the most creative and inspiring guitar players have
invented their own tunings and fingerings; just do a search on
your favorite guitarist with the words "alternate tuning" to see
if maybe one of your guitar heroes has invented one of these.

Some guitarists will even own more than one guitar and tune them
all differently so you can switch easily on the fly, whether you
are at a show or at home.

About the author:
The guitar really becomes a brand new world when you discover
the world of alternate guitar tunings. Check out some of the guitar tuning
tutorials at HowToTuneAGuitar.org, if you would like to
delve into this brave new world.

Warm Up Tips for Guitar Players

2007-02-21T17:53:00.000-08:00

By: Gerard Hiner

After years of teaching and speaking with other guitar players
it still amazes me how many players fail to warm up properly. I
understand the desire to pick up the guitar and start playing
but a few simple warm up steps will improve your playing and
practice and help reduce injury. That's right, you can get
injured by playing guitar, especially if your hands and fingers
are not warmed up.

Here are a couple of simple stretching exercises you can do
anywhere and no guitar is needed. Do this before a gig or
practice. You will feel better and play better. Be sure to check
http://www.guitardomain.com for more guitar tips and info.

Hold your hand out as if you are directing traffic and telling
someone to stop. Now with your other hand gently grab your
"stop" hand's fingers and gently pull back towards your body.
You will feel it in the lower wrist and forearm. Do this for
about 10 seconds and then switch hands.

Next do the same thing but have your hand pointing downward or
opposite the technique above. This you will feel in your upper
wrist and forearm.

Next do some simple massages. With your Thumb simply apply a
decent amount of pressure and rub the inner part of the opposite
hand. Now do so for each finger. Really give them a good rubbing
and switch hands. This will improve circulation and loosen up
the muscles.

Again do these every day if you can or at the very least before
you pick up your guitar and you should notice and feel the
difference!

About the author:
Owner of http://www.guitardomain.com A website full of resources
for guitar players of all levels.

Guitar Lesson: Five Ways To Learn The Notes On The Guitar

2007-02-15T19:34:00.001-08:00

By: Peter Edvinsson

To find your way around the fretboard of the guitar is very
important. It will help you in guitar improvisation, sight
reading, and in understanding chords and more. In this guitar
lesson we will explore five ways to learn the notes on the
guitar fretboard.

How much do you need to practice?

A couple of minutes a day with one of these exercises will help
you improve your skills in finding the notes. In this guitar
lesson we will focus on the fretboard and not the actual guitar
sheet music.

Learning to read guitar sheet music will be much easier when you
master the notes on the guitar keyboard. I have divided this
article in five lessons that you can alternate between until you
master the guitar fretboard.

Guitar lesson 1

Learn the basic notes, the notes of a C major scale (the white
keys on the piano) on every string. Let's test this on the first
string on your guitar. The first note is an E. You will find F
on the first fret. G on fret three. A on fret five. B on fret
seven. C on fret eight, D on fret ten and the next E on fret
twelve.

The sixth string on the guitar is an E too. It's just two
octaves lower but you will find the same note names on this
string on the same frets two octaves lower.

On the second string you will find the notes on the following
frets:

fret 0-B, 1-C, 3-D, 5-E, 6-F, 8-G, 10-A, 12-B

On the third guitar string you'll find the following notes:

0-G, 2-A, 4-B, 5-C, 7-D, 9-E,10-F, 12-G

I guess you can figure out the names of the notes on the next
strings by yourself but here they are in case you will double
check. The fourth string:

0-D, 2-E, 3-F, 5-G, 7-A, 9-B, 10-C, 12-D

The notes on the fifth string or the A-string:

0-A, 2-B, 3-C, 5-D, 7-E, 8-F, 10-G, 12-A

I would suggest that you concentrate on one string at a time and
learn the names as you play the notes on your guitar maybe by
saying the note names aloud as you play.

Guitar lesson 2

Learn a specific note on all strings. This is a great way to
learn the notes and quite amusing too. Let's use the note G.
You'll find it on the third fret on string six. Where can you
find the note G on string five? Right, on fret 10.

The G notes on the strings from the sixth string to the first
are on the following frets:

3 10 5 0 8 3

You can make an exercise of this by playing the G notes from
string six down to the first string and back again. Try this
with other notes too. For example E.

If you devote a couple of minutes a day on this exercise you
will soon be able to play the sequence of strings fast, spotting
the notes without effort.

Guitar lesson 3

Learn the names of the notes on a fret. We can start with the
open strings starting from the sixth string to the first. The
names will be:

E A D G B E

Now, play the notes on the third fret in the same order. At the
same time try to say the names of the notes aloud. I will help
you this time only by writing the note names down:

G C F Bb D G

Try this exercise on different frets and say the names of the
notes aloud.

Guitar lesson 4

Learn the notes in a chord. Play any chord and name the notes
aloud from string six to string one. This guitar exercise will
also help you to understand how the chords are built.

Guitar lesson 5

In this guitar lesson you will use your ability to create random
notes on the guitar. As you play notes on your guitar at random
you also say the note names aloud.

Play in an even pace, just fast enough to make this exercise a
challenge for your mind so your mind will concentrate on the
task and not wander off.

All of these small guitar lessons can be used together with a
companion. One playing the notes on the guitar and the other
saying the note names.

As I mentioned before I think it's best not to overdo these
exercises. Choose one of the guitar lessons and work a couple of
minutes a day on mastering the exercise.

About the author:
Peter Edvinsson is a musician, composer and music teacher. Visit
his site Capotasto Music with free guitar sheet music
and his free sheet
music blog

How To Play Guitar Without Reading Music

2007-02-13T09:46:00.000-08:00

By: Richard Smith

Treble clefs, three quarters time and learning all the other
musical jargon is not one of the many easy ways to learn guitar,
in fact it puts a great deal of people off musical instruments.
Luckily there are ways that you can learn how to play guitar
without reading music.

Music that you know from school and books is usually of the
classical notation variety, that is the same for all
instruments. In fact, guitar has its own music notation which
looks very different from other notation. It is called "tab"
which is short for tablature. It looks just like the six strings
of the guitar and uses numbers on the strings, which indicate
where to place your fingers on the fretboard. This makes it one
of the best easy ways to learn guitar.

Often, tab is accompanied by normal, regular sheet music. It is
usually put underneath. Even though you can learn how to play
guitar without reading music, you will find that tab will allow
you to learn a little about sheet music, that will help you with
your timing. But, if you like, you can throw away the sheet
music and still become an accomplished guitar player.

Tab is best for riffs and intricate finger work. However, you
may have seen chords. These are where you hold several fingers
against the fretboard and strum most, if not all, of the strings
to produce a nice harmony. In fact, chords are considered by
many to be one of the best easy ways to learn guitar because you
can play many songs if you know only three or four chords! Once
you learn a few chords, a song is usually a few chords switching
back and forth between them each and within no time you will
have memorized a song and be able to know how to play guitar
without reading music.

About the author:
For a FREE 6-Part Beginners' Lead Guitar E-course ($37 value),
clic
k here and scroll down to access the e-course.

How To Play Fast Guitar

2007-02-11T20:37:00.000-08:00

By: Steve Higgins

How to play fast guitar-7 tips to improve your skill in 7 days

Playing fast guitar is something that eludes many guitarists,
yet is something which all of us aspire to at some point. I'm
here to bust open the myths and the "secrets" which people seem
to think hold the key to playing fast. Implement this stuff and
you will be faster in seven days. I guarantee it.

1-Practice-It's obvious but many people claim they want
to be a great guitarist yet don't put the time in. You get out
what you put in! Even if you don't have much time to spare, half
an hour a day is enough to help you improve.

2-Focus your practice-You can increase the benefits of
your guitar practice exponentially by practicing the same stuff
each time. A good way to start this is to choose 4 licks or
scales or parts of scales (anything except chords will work just
fine), and play through each lick in a loop for 15 minutes. By
the end of the FIRST WEEK you'll be two or three times as fast
as you were with those licks to begin with.

3-Think long term. Focused practice everyday is great,
but it's even better to have a goal in mind. for example if you
want to learn a particular piece, gear your practice toward
licks and techniques used in the piece and then dedicate the
last 15-20 minutes(depending on how much time you have) to
practicing the actual piece. Nothing helps you stay focused and
motivated more than being able to see your daily progress.

4-Work on legato-Legato actually means smooth, or
flowing, but in guitar circles it is the term given to fretting
notes with your left hand and making them sound without actually
picking anything with your right hand. It could also be called
the art of hammering on and pulling off. Excellent practice as
it will strengthen your left hand, not only making you faster
and smooth, but will improve your vibrato and chord changes too.
It just makes your hand fitter! A great way to practice this is
to run up and down some scales, but only pick the first note on
each string, so you will be hammering on going up and pulling
off on the way down. It's tough at first but persevere and you
will get rewards!

5-Use a metronome. Other musicians seem to use metronomes
with no trouble, but guitarists are allergic to them, or at
least seem to be! I'll spell it out - An hour with a metronome
does A LOT more good than an hour without. It's simply the best
tool for highlighting the weak areas and inefficiencies in your
technique. There is a learning curve but stick with it-your
playing will change for the better, permanently! Buy one!

6-Use a hard pick. Controversial? I know that people
should use whatever pick they want to, but a softer pick WILL
slow you down, and a harder one won't. It's simple physics. Most
picks have a degree of flexibility, so after picking a note we
have to wait for it to return to its proper shape before we pick
again, or the note is not picked cleanly. Put it this way-trying
to learn to pick fast while using soft picks is like putting
bicycle wheels on a Ferrari and then trying to drive fast. Not
going to happen!

7- Start slow-Work on something until you can play it
with no mistakes at all before you crank up the speed. This will
do more for your all round musical skills than just pushing the
metronome up a few beats every few minutes. If you move forward
before your skills are ready your playing will be very very
sloppy, and that will be a real hard habit to get out of!

Hopefully those tips will help you break out of a rut and get
your fretboard burning!

About the author:
Steve Higgins has been a guitarist/musician for over 20 years,
both playing and teaching in his local area. If you find these
tips useful and would like to learn more please click here

David Lee Roth back as Van Halen singer

2007-02-05T22:46:00.000-08:00

This is hilarious. Check out the story and then read the comments. LOL.

LOS ANGELES -- The rumors were true. Van Halen will reunite with original singer David Lee Roth for a summer tour of North America.

"I am very excited to get back to the core of what made Van Halen," guitarist Eddie Van Halen said in a statement posted Friday on the band's Web site announcing a 40 city tour. No specific dates have been named.

It will be the first time that Roth performs live with the band since 1984, when he was replaced by Sammy Hagar. A brief reunion with Roth in 1996 resulted in two new songs but no tour.

Original bassist Michael Anthony will not be a part of the reunion. Late last year he was replaced by Eddie Van Halen's 15-year-old son Wolfgang.

More: Van Halen Reunion

The Modern Way of Playing the Guitar

2007-01-07T18:19:00.000-08:00

Parents always want their child to excel in life and studies have shown that letting the child learn to play an instrument helps in their development. The two most common instruments that parents let children learn are the piano and the guitar.

Learning how to play the guitar in years past and now isn’t that different. The first thing needed is to obtain one; if there is already an instrument available then learning can begin. If one needs to purchase one, then going to the music store with somebody who is familiar with guitars will really helping the selection

The most important thing to know before playing any musical instrument was learning how to read the notes, but today this is not considered to be enough. The person needs to listen as he is playing to know whether or not he is producing the correct notes.

In the past, an instructor had to be found before lessons could begin; but now a person can simply start by learning from friends and then practicing. After some time, the assistance of a professional can help advance your knowledge of playing the guitar.

There are also books that teach a person how to play the guitar. By reading and studying the latest techniques of the popular musicians, one will be able to learn a trick or two when playing.

The internet can also help improve one’s skill with the guitar. There are many websites available that give tips from a beginner’s stage to the more advanced lessons.

Instructional videos are also available. Some were produced by rock stars and each of these individuals have or use a different technique.

The best technique that can be used to check your progress is by playing the guitar at the same time as the same song is playing in the background. That way, if you are playing “off key”, adjustments can be made until it is perfected.

Technology and the publication of books have really helped change the way people can learn how to play the guitar. With the many options available, anyone who has the desire can start at any age and at any time. But learning the basics first before moving on to other things is essential.

Guitar playing should be fun. It is not just about learning how to play the instrument but enjoying it as well. Not everyone is born to do play it well. So if after some time, it’s really not working for you, then giving it up for another musical instrument might be the answer.

Mastering Guitar Course

2006-12-18T10:11:00.000-08:00

Ryan Cameron's Mastering Guitar is currently going for half price. Here is a sample of what you get with it:

The Mastering Guitar course includes 3 high quality ebooks, each with photos and professionally transcribed notation, so you will have no problem following along. The course also includes over 400 audio files and over 300 exercises... That's more than 2 times what any other course offers!

Discover how to read music notation and tablature with the help of 'The Guitarist's Guide To Reading Music Notation'.

Learn all the core guitar playing essentials such as, hammer ons, pull offs, palm muting, string deadening, slides, a variety of bends, and lots more!

Learn hundreds of open chords and barre chords with the aid of my revolutionary software, 'Guitar Chords Pro'!

Master the art of fingerpicking, as well as playing with a pick. Plus a neat little trick that allows you to combine the two!

Understand the theory behind 'Modes' and how to use them effectively in your songwriting and soloing.

Discover a variety of scales including, Major, Minor, and Pentatonic. You will have true freedom to play all over the fretboard!

Learn all about the building blocks of chords called 'Intervals'. After doing so you will have the knowledge to create every chord imaginable!

You'd spend hundreds of dollars on books and tapes buying this stuff at your local music shop. Check it out here and save a bundle:

MASTERING GUITAR

Holiday Gift Cards For Guitarists

2006-12-07T09:51:00.000-08:00

If you don't know what to get a guitarist for Christmas, how about a gift card? Music 123 has special gift cards available for the holidays. Check it out:

Gibson Les Paul Special with Humbuckers

2006-11-26T18:39:00.000-08:00

Christmas is coming and many a wish is for a new guitar. Whether it's for a friend, relative, or yourself, you can't go wrong with a Gibson Les Paul Special. It's basically a stripped down Les Paul Standard with the same killer sound. So what's the difference? The price. Less than half a standard and it still says Gibson on it and sounds killer just the same.

Epiphone Les Paul Special II Electric Guitar Wine Red

Electric Guitar Packages - The All In One Solution

2006-11-26T17:03:00.000-08:00

By: Charlie Cory

Electric guitar packages are typically an all in one answer to
the problem of getting someone started with an electric guitar.

Is it the best way to go for a beginner though?

In my opinion, probably not. Playing a new musical instrument is
not only a labour of love, it is a war against embarrassment.
Playing any instrument for the first time could be a painful
experience for any unwilling audience and an affront on your ego!

So as far as a guitar is concerned, a good acoustic guitar would
be my personal preference to learn an instrument.

Having said that, there is no denying that an electric guitar is
a sexy instrument, and some people will not be denied. Perhaps
you have already tried an acoustic guitar, and the call of rock
and roll fame and fortune is too much for you?

Well if that is the case, then there are electric guitar
packages that can fit the bill that won't break the bank.
Remember that you will not be buying a classic Fender or Gibson
guitar (unless you are completely loaded), but you can still buy
a high quality instrument which will stand you in good stead for
many years to come.

A standard package will comprise a guitar itself, a case, and
amplifier and the appropriate leads to connect the guitar to the
amplifier. I think it unlikely that you will be able to play any
stadiums with this rig, but hey, you have got to start somewhere?

All you really need from your electric guitar package is an
instrument with a decent, playable action (the height of the
strings above the fret board), and an amplifier that will give
you a good tone at low volume. At it the guitar looks really
cool as well, then that is just a bonus!

The kit may or may not come with a tuner. You will need one
whatever happens. I have always used pitch pipes, and great
though automatic tuners are, you cannot beat the training given
by tuning the guitar with just a pipe and your ears. Learn how
to do it properly; you will appreciate it in the end.

About the author:
Charlie Cory is an Internet entrepreneur, who happens to love
guitars too! Writing is a business, writing about guitars is
just plain fun.

Have some idea of what to look for in a guitar is one thing, but
honing down the choice is another. Take a look at these Electric Guitar Packages to see if one of
them fits the bill?

Guitar Lessons - Amplifier Buyer's Guide

2006-11-07T12:29:00.000-08:00

By: Pete Williamson

SELECTING THE BEST TYPE OF AMPLIFIER FOR YOU

So, you've got your eye on an electric guitar, or an acoustic
with a pick-up. Then you're going to need an amplifier! But
there's such a huge range, it can be daunting to even know where
to start looking. Well, there's some key questions that can help
guide you...

How good does the sound of my amp need to be?

Well, are you aiming to form a band and play some gigs, or just
be able to hear your electric guitar in your bedroom? If you're
a bedroom player, then any old amp will do to get you started.
It'll come down to your personal preference as to how much you
invest. If you want to get out and play live, then you might
need to think about a quality amp - like a Marshall, Fender or
other top brand. In the Pro Guitar Tips course, we devote a
whole chapter to 'How to Get a Great Tone', to help you decide
between a solid state or valve amplifier. It could actually take
over a whole blog, it's such a personal choice too. But as
someone starting out, the next question you need to ask yourself
is:

How loud do I need to play?

As loud as %&*^ing possible, I hear you say! Well, to simplify
things a bit, amplifiers come in all different volume sizes.
It's fair to say the bigger the amp, the louder the sound. Amp
power is rated by watts, with really loud amps ranging from
50-200 watts. If you're just looking for a bedroom practice amp,
then around 10 watts will do you nicely. If you want to be able
play with a live drummer and still hear the sound of your
guitar, then you'll probably need 30+ watts of amp power.

How am I going to transport the amp?

I know a lot of guitarists who think they need the biggest amp.
But I don't know a lot of guitarists who do stadium sized shows!
Bigger doesn't necessarily make you play any better! Remember,
the bigger your amp, the harder it's going to be to transport to
rehearsals and gigs - at least until you get your own road crew!
You don't want to put too much stress on your back just trying
to lift the thing. Use common sense! Most gigs you'll play will
use PA systems, where a microphone is placed in front of the
amp, which is re-amplified to be mixed with rest of the band to
heard by the audience.

How much money should I spend on an amp?

If you've got a limited budget, then I recommend spending the
bulk of it on your guitar. A better guitar will be easier to
play and will deliver rewards when it comes to sound quality.
You can always upgrade your gear, but it's great to start with
something with longevity. Exactly how much to spend on an amp
comes back to your intended use, and personal preference. As
usual, the more you spend the better the amp will sound. (The
next figures are a rough price range guide in US and Australian
dollars.)

Beginner: US $100-200 AUD $150-300 Intermediate: US $250-500 AUD
$300-700 Professional: US $500-3000+ AUD $700-4000+

The combination of equipment is really important to your overall
sound. A great amp with an average sounding guitar (and/or
guitar player!) is still going to sound average. Trust your ears
to tell you what sounds good, and practice hard!

About the author:
Pete Williamson is a professional guitarist for 2 x times number
one artist Pete Murray and hard rock band Mammal. Pete no longer
gives private lessons, but you can check out his 200+ guitar
lesson online course at Guitar
Lessons, where you can also sign up for a free guitar
lessons eNews.

Great Blues Guitar Blog

2006-10-30T19:45:00.000-08:00

If you're interested in the blues/rock era and would like to explore where all those guitar gods got their inspiration, you need to check out this blog: http://squeezemylemon.blogspot.com/

The name of the blog comes from that infamous line in the middle of Led Zeppelin's "Lemon Song" on Led Zep II. Zep, like most of their contemporaries, were heavily influenced by the blues. The "Squeeze" blog has a ton of stuff about the bluesmasters and some really cool links to some obscure videos. Check it out.

The Best Gifts for Guitarists in 2006: Guitar Effects

2006-10-28T19:20:00.000-07:00

By: William McRea

Are you looking for a great gift for the guitarist in your life?
They already have a guitar and amplifier so getting them another
is out of the question. And most guitarists seem to buy the
accessories that they need as they go along. Have you considered
purchasing guitar effects in the form of pedals or effects units?

With the guitar, the sound is generated using electrical
signals. When you take the signal and process it in certain
ways, this changes the sound. When you use a special device such
as a pedal or an effects unit, the signal is processed by the
device and the changed sound comes out through your speakers.

Do you want some advice on purchasing the best gifts for
guitarists in the form of guitar effects? Here is some advice
that will help you make a purchase.

Purchasing Pedals

Effects pedals either come with a series of options but the one
thing that is consistent is that you use your foot to make any
changes to the settings. Some, like the Line 6 PODSX Live Pedal,
have 11 channels each with a different sound. Others are just a
single pedal and you press it to turn the effect on or off.

When purchasing pedals, it is a good idea to do your research
and choose products that are highly regarded. Look at reviews,
compare prices, and ask the guitarist which effects they tend to
like. Here are some ideas for pedals:

o Line 6 PODSX Live Pedal with 11 Channels o Ibanez TS808
Vintage Tube Screamer Reissue o Line 6 DL-4 Delay Modeler Pedal
o Dunlop Original Crybaby Wah Pedal

Effects Processors

Effects Processors also take the signal and alter it. But, they
have different functions and uses than a pedal. Some are
designed to hook up to your computer and others hook up to your
computer. The type of effects processor you choose will depend
on your individual tastes and needs. Here are some good choices
for gift giving:

o Yamaha Magicstomp II Guitar Effects Processor o Boss RC-20XL
Loop Station o Boss GT-8 Guitar Effects Processor o ToneWorks
AX1500G Guitar Floor Effects Processor

Great Gifts

Effects processors make great gifts because they help a
guitarist expand and enrich their sound. You can use effects to
help enhance your creativity. You can also use them to convey a
certain emotion in a song you are writing. If you are unsure of
which pedal or processor to purchase, finding one that has a
variety of sounds is a good bet because then they can
experiment.

About the author:
Guitar Warehouse is the source for guitars, bass and drum
kits.Buy a Guitar,
at Guitar Warehouse

Good Guitar Technique Will Allow You To Play Anything!

2006-10-27T18:47:00.000-07:00

By: Chris Thomas

There are many philosophies when it comes to practicing guitar.
Some people don't practice at all, others practice for 10+ hours
per day! Steve Vai's legendary 10-hour guitar workout comes to
mind. But consider this...who do you think is the better guitar
player? The person who hardly practices, or the person who
practices on a regular basis? Of course it's the person who
practices regularly!

I'm a strong advocate of practicing on a regular basis because
with good guitar technique, you can play anything! If you think
about it, it makes perfect sense. If you can alternate pick most
any any lick or picking pattern, then any time you're trying to
learn something new you'll be able to pick it up much more
quickly then if you don't have good technique.

Obviously you want to practice things that you have difficulty
playing, or create your own exercises that are similar to those
things you struggle with. By focusing your practice time on
these things, you will improve much quicker. Then in the future
when you encounter things you previously used to struggle with,
you'll breeze right through it!

Think about it...if all you practice are power chords, you just
really limit yourself as to what you can potentially play. By
focusing on certain techniques, you'll be able to do so much
more. But you can still play power chords if you choose. I don't
know, maybe some people are happy only playing power chords, but
I digress...

Now I'm not saying that you should go out and start practicing
for 10+ hours per day. I never practiced for more then 3-4 hours
per day. I think that what you practice is more important then
how long you practice. Of course it's ultimately up to you. This
is just how I view the guitar.

About the author:
Chris Thomas writes articles and does reviews of the top online guitar
lessons

Guitar Scales- An Important Exercise To Learn

2006-10-26T18:00:00.000-07:00

By: Gabriel Adams

Do you know your guitar scales? If you're learning to play
guitar, scales are an important exercise for you to learn.
Scales are often neglected on the guitar, for some reason. But
you would be hard pressed to find a good pianist who didn't have
at least some level of proficiency at scales. The same should be
true for guitarists.

The benefits of learning guitar scales

Learning to play scales on your guitar can have many benefits.
One of the benefits is that you learn the notes of each
particular scale, and become comfortable playing those notes.
When you play a song in that key, you will already be used to
playing each of the notes and will know where they are.

Playing guitar scales also has great technical benefits. Playing
scales can help you increase your dexterity, precision, and
speed of your playing. If you play scales each time you
practice, over time you'll notice your playing skills increasing
from this simple exercise.

Learning and playing guitar scales

There are dozens of different scales, but you'll want to start
out with a few common ones. The most common scales for guitar
are probably C, G, D, & A. I'd suggest that you start with major
scales, as they are generally easiest and more commonly used.
Later you can go on to minor scales plus other scales.

When you first start learning a scale, play it slow enough that
you can play each note correctly and cleanly. As you get better,
you can speed it up. However, never play them fast enough that
you lose control. When you play a scale, each note should be
perfect - clean, and in steady rhythm, tone, and volume. As a
teacher of mine once said, "Make your scales like a pear
necklace - each note, perfect, round, and beautiful!" Follow
this advice and watch your playing improve!

About the author:
Andrew Koblick's Guitar Improvement DVDs include... Amazing Guitar-
Improve Fast & the Ultimate Blues Primer
- Play the Blues Plus check out our Free Guitar
Newsletter.

How Do Different Types Of Guitar Strings Effect Your Sound?

2006-10-19T19:22:00.000-07:00

By: Chris Thomas

There are so many different brands of guitar strings out there,
and within the brands there are many different gauges and types.
This can be overwhelming for beginners, so I want to briefly
discuss different types of strings and associated sizes and why
you want to carefully consider the types of strings you would
want to use.

First of all let's briefly discuss nylon strings. These strings
are used on classical guitars and are conducive for
fingerpicking. If you own a classical guitar or are considering
purchasing one, these are the strings you will use.

Now if you're playing a standard electric or acoustic 6-string
guitar, you're going to want steel strings. Some of the more
popular brands are D'Addario, Dean Markley, Ernie Ball, Elixer,
GHS, and Fender. Try the same size of each brand and you will
begin to notice differences. I remember trying D'Addario, Dean
Markley, and Ernie Ball .009s and I was partial to D'Addarios
because it seemed like my pick would get caught on the strings
to o easily. So definately experiment with different strings to
find out which you prefer.

As for the different sizes, they come in sizes ranging anywhere
from sets of .008's to .013's. Now, you may wonder what this
means. Well the .008-.013 range describes the thickness in
inches of the high E string. So when someone says 8's, 9's 10's,
they're typically referring to a set of guitar strings with the
high E string of that thickness. The remaining strings are also
thicker or thinner depending on the thickness of the high E
string, although you can buy individual strings to suit your
personal tastes.

What thickness should you choose? I prefer D'Arddario 9s for my
electric and Elixer 10s for my acoustic. For me, anything
thicker then 10s give my fingers a tough time. But also know
that the thicker strings will have a much better tone. As a
beginner, I wouldn't recommend set thicker then 9s for starters
until you build up some left hand strength. I don't recommend 8s
at all as they tend to break too easily.

If you're going to be playing dropped tunings, then you should
consider thick strings in the .012-.013 range (Ernie Ball Not
Even Slinky Strings are great). This will allow you to tune down
and still have tight strings that don't flap around. The thinner
strings will usually be too slack when you're tuned down.

About the author:
Chris Thomas writes articles and does reviews of the top online
guitar
lessons for his site Guitar Lesson Comparisons.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Guitar Players

2006-10-02T19:05:00.000-07:00

Here's a great article. We sometimes overlook the simple things.

By: Tony Williams

1.Change the strings regularly - there is perhaps no more
important aspect of playing a musical instrument than that of
maintaining it properly. Guitar strings wear out with regular
use and even more quickly become coated in grease and dead skin.
So it is imperative that you wipe the strings after playing and
also change the strings as often as needed.

But how often do strings need changing? Well, if you only play
your guitar a couple of times a month then you will probably get
away with a couple of sets of strings per year. But if you play
in a band a couple of times a week or more then you should renew
the strings at least once a week. And forget the old wives tale
about boiling strings, that is for fools and practical jokers;
fit new strings every time.

2.Play what is required, not what you like - Just because
you have mastered that tricky right hand tapping technique does
not mean that you should try to use it at every opportunity.
Instead, concentrate on what feels and sounds right for the
piece you are working on. It might not be as self satisfying to
play five notes where you could have squeezed in fifty, but it
can often be far more effective - and remember that you will
always get the chance to impress your mates on another song.

3.Practice effectively - Do you have a regular practice
schedule? If not, then you should develop one! Your guitar
practice should include different techniques, slow playing, fast
playing, rhythmic playing, etc. Don't just play what you enjoy
playing during solo practice sessions, but instead remember to
devote some time to the stuff you find difficult.

4.Play with the band, not over them - Never turn your amp
up to eleven and expect the rest of the band to join you. Not
only is it a recipe for tinnitus and premature deafness, but it
will quickly get you replaced by a more considerate guitarist.
An effective guitar player will be listening to the whole band,
not just him/herself, and if the guitar sounds too loud the
effective guitar player will turn the volume down to a level
that matches the rest of the band! if you think you might be
guilty of this then try listening objectively to the whole band
next time you play and ask yourself if it sounds well balanced.

5.Be original - Don't just copy your guitar heroes. Of
course it is natural and essential to actively learn the chops
of your favourite players, but don't just copy them verbatim;
instead you should try to mix and match the techniques you have
learned to develop your own original licks.

6.Keep an open mind and ear - Just because your favourite
player uses a Marshall stack or a Mesa Boogie combo, and plays a
Fender Stratocaster or a Gibson Les Paul doesn't mean that you
have to do the same. All of the best player's sounds are unique
and exclusive, and it goes far beyond the equipment used. Think
of the different sounds produced by for example Jimi Hendrix,
Hank Marvin and Eric Clapton - they are all Strat players but
all sound different and apart from each other.

7.Enjoy yourself - the fact is that successful guitar
players actually enjoy what they do; think of Eddie Van Halen
leaping around the stage with a wide smile on his face. I'm
willing to bet that the reason he became such a great player in
the first place is because he actually loves what he is doing.
So when the time comes, go out and enjoy it!

About the author:
Tony Williams is a musician, writer, and self-confessed
eBay fanatic. He is also the editor and webmaster of MuZiCk, the irreverent rock music
lexicon, and Rich
Pickings, your online guitar advisory service.

Learning Guitar Scales For Exciting Riffs

2006-09-22T21:10:00.000-07:00

If you're an aspiring guitarist, you love those riffs played by your favorite guitar players. Taking some time to learn to play scales will help you acquire the skills needed to come up with your own improvised runs and riffs. If you think it sounds complicated, it's really not. It just takes time and practice and not giving up.

Scales can be played in 5 different "positions." When you've learned the positions for the type of scale (major, minor, pentatonic, chromatic, etc.) you want to learn, you will be able to play that scale in any key, depending on where you start on the fretboard. Ultimately you will learn the name of the note of every string on every fret, but you have to start somewhere. The keys of E and A are used often in blues and other pop music styles. E makes a great starting key, since the open sixth string is an E.

You will need a scale chart to see where your fingers need to go to make the notes of the scale. These are widely available in free online guitar lessons. These charts will show the root note in a different color so that you can keep track of them. The root note for the key of E is E. You've probably noticed that if a song does not end on a root note, you somehow don't feel like it has finished.

Here's a verbal description of how to play a basic E minor pentatonic scale in the first position. Your first note is the open sixth string. The second note will be at the third fret of the sixth string - this is a G. Now go to the open fifth string, an A. Next go to the second fret of the fifth string - a B. The next note is the open fourth string, a D. Now go to the second fret of the fourth string, and pluck an E. If you were reading a scale chart, this note would be in a different color because you're back to a root. But you're not done yet!

The next note is the open third string - a G. Now play the note at the second fret of the third string - an A. The next note is the open second string - a B. Then you play the third fret of the second string, which is a D. The open first string is another E, and would be noted again as a root on a scale chart. You can finger the third fret of this string for another G, and then reverse the whole process, going down the scale back to the original open sixth E string.

Practice this scale until you get proficient at it and you are on the way to being able to create your own improvised licks in the key of E.

Finding Online Guitar Lessons

2006-09-14T18:59:00.000-07:00

By: Andrew Morris

Since the early 80's I have been searching for better guitar
lessons. I was not one of those who could listen to a record
once and repeat the licks note-for-note. I took a few lessons
locally, but couldn't find a teacher that clicked. This
frustration led me to order cassette-tape lessons by mail. Since
this was well before online lessons, I often waited weeks for
delivery. Little did I know that online lessons were coming our
way.

Today, many types of guitar lessons are available online. These
include beginner's lessons in mp3 format, instruction videos,
and tab transcriptions of your favorite licks. Tablature, or
"tab", is a transcription method that tells you exactly when and
where to fret and pick. You don't have to read music to read
tablature.

Online guitar lessons are very convenient, and learning this way
can also be cheaper and more effective. If you travel like I do,
you can learn new songs on the road rather than watching TV!

Here is a roundup of some sites that I have used to find online
guitar lessons:

Video Lessons: Guitar Tricks

Guitar Tricks features a library of lessons that you can access
anytime and anywhere to improve your ability. They currently
charge $5/month subscription fee, but offer free lessons (150)
to start. Their roster includes 48 instructors from all over the
world.

Mp3 Lessons: Fender Players Club

This excellent site is devoted to helping you get started on the
guitar. Yes, barre chords are easier on an electric guitar!
Sample beginner's lessons include:

Chords in the open position - Learn the most basic chords and
practice switching between them; practice tips, how to read the
diagrams, and more.

Chords - Once you're used to playing the basic chords, it's time
to start learning some other ones. Included is a chart with a
whole bunch of chords.

Barre chords - When you have some strength in your fretting
hand, tackle the barre chords. They're tough, but don't give up.

Tablature

If you like doing things the "old-fashioned" way, two news
groups are sources for guitar tablature:

rec.music.makers.guitar.tablature alt.guitar.tab

Tablature Web Sites: Guitar Notes

This site claims to be the largest collection of guitar music on
the net. You can browse through their artist index or use their
search engine to look through over 150,000 songs.

Unfortunately, the mother of all tablature sites, OLGA (On-line
Guitar Archive)is currently offline while attempting to resolve
legal issues with the archive. I hope they get this worked out
shortly as this site is a valuable resource.

In closing, whether you're just getting started or are looking
to advance your ability, online guitar lessons can be a fun and
effective way to take learn guitar.

About the author:
Andrew Morris is a guitar player and author living in Austin,
Texas. He is often amazed and perplexed at the sounds an
acoustic guitar makes in the right hands. Find out more about
the world of online guitar lessons at Online Guitar
Lesson.

Tips On Buying An Electric Guitar

2006-09-13T11:40:00.000-07:00

By: Phil Morris

The electric guitar is the cornerstone of an exhilarating
musical experience. A good guitar will enhance the musical
experience. If you love all kinds of music then your electric
guitar should be able to play all the genres of music well. But
if you want to play a specific type of music like jazz or rock,
choose an electric guitar that allows you to play only that
type. If you are interested in purchasing an electric guitar,
here are some useful tips to make your purchasing easier. It
will give you a good idea about the things you should look for
while buying the electric guitar.

Before purchasing the electric guitar, consider the following
points:

· Decide on your budget: A good electric guitar can cost
anywhere from $99 to more than $20,000. Hence you need to fix
your budget before you start visiting the shop or going online
to buy the product. Since the price range of the good electric
guitar is high, once you fix your budget, it makes your task
easier.

· Choose the sound you want: One of the vital aspects of buying
an electric guitar is choosing the right sound you want. Some
guitars are better capable of switching from blues to jazz to
rock without anyone noticing a change. Others are meant for one
type of music, so you cannot change the sound immediately.
Before purchasing, listen to the guitar sounds of your choice.
Consult a music expert to determine the type of guitar used in
the recording. He will be able to help you determine the type of
guitar that will help you achieve the same result as in the
recording. Besides, you should be aware of the type of music you
want to play to help you in the selection process.

· Get the feel of the electric guitar: If the guitar doesn't
excite you when you hold it, it is not the right choice for you.
Look around in other shops both online as well as in the market
before settling on the perfect guitar for you.

About the author:
Click for great bass
guitars advice or recommended guitars advice. For
great general interest information go to www.hiffel.info.

Acoustic or Electric Guitar - Which Is Best For The Beginner

2006-09-12T14:47:00.000-07:00

By: Al Tan

Having played the guitar for a number of years, I am often asked
this question by eager learners - "Should I start learning with
the acoustic or electric guitar?" In this article, I'll talk a
bit about both so you can come to an informed decision.

First of all, let me get something straight. The actual notes
and fretboards work the same for both, so if you start with
either one, its always interchangeable, although the playing
techniques might differ.

Most younger players would gravitate towards the electric guitar
thanks to MTV and the "cool factor". The acoustic guitar seems
to have a more "folksy" image to it. Both sound very different,
with the acoustic relying purely on natural acoustic principles
to generate the sound, using the body of the guitar as an
"amplifier". The electric guitar on the other hand needs an
electric amplifier to generate sound. There are of course
hybrids, but that is not relevent in this article.

So, which is better for the beginner? I'll cover 3 aspects below
- cost, convenience and playability.

Cost Both are about the same, you can get really expensive
custom built electric of acoustic guitars. However, the electric
can start to get more expensive simply because of the tempting
options and accessories like amplifiers, pre-amps, effects
pedals, volume pedals, etc. The acoustic on the other hand might
be simpler to start with. It plays right out of the box!

Convenience Again the acoustic wins as you can take it almost
everywhere without worrying about a power socket. There are
personal practice gadgets available for the electric guitar
which allows you to practice with headphones.

Playability My personal preference here is the electric guitar.
I find it easier to play, with the strings being softer and thus
less effort to play.

Either way, they both should be respected and used for what they
are and any good guitarist should be adept at both. For the
beginner, I would prefer the acoustic as it helps a lot in ear
training as you get accustomed to the vibrations of the body
making the tuning of the strings are easier to detect.

My final piece of advice is to don't get too obsessed with your
instrument while you're learning but focus on the music instead.
Once you start to get better at it you'll know instinctively
what sort of 'ax' you'll need. I've met my fair share of
musicians who are so into the gear but have not improved in
their skill much and on the other hand, have heard some amazing,
soul-stirring music from blues masters that have played the same
guitar all their life!

About the author:
Al Tan tries to be a guitarist when he's not building websites.
One of the best resource to learn guitar online that he's come
across which has step-by-step guitar lessons on video is
http://www.niknax.com/jamorama.html. For acoustic guitar, try
http://www.niknax.com/acousticguitar.html

Choosing An Electric Guitar: Main Points To Consider

2006-09-06T21:04:00.000-07:00

By: Peter Mack

Ask any guitarist, and they will you that nothing comes close to
jamming with a guitar. In fact, no other instrument has
influenced modern music so much as the guitar, and its ongoing
popularity is reflect in its ubiquitous appearance in bands,
radio stations and music videos throughout the world. Certainly
one of the coolest instruments, the guitar is synonymous with
contemporary pop and rock music. That said, no guitar is more
symbolic of rock music than the electric guitar.

Whether you are an expert or a mere learner, getting a new
electric guitar is a thrill. Perhaps you have only ever played
an acoustic guitar, and want to branch out? Maybe you are simply
learning guitar from scratch? Whatever your reasons, buying an
electric guitar means you will be able to play searing riffs and
haunting melodies like you have never experienced with any other
instrument.

There are a number of things to decide upon when choosing an
electric guitar.

The first decision you need to make is what body shape you want
your guitar to be. To date, the most popular guitar shape is the
solid-body Les Paul shape. You can also opt for the SG Style,
which has a thinner double cut-away body. Other most common
shapes are the Stratocaster and Telecaster.

Once you have chosen the shape of your guitar, you will need to
decide what pick-up you want, either single or humbucker pick
up. These refer to the copper wire that is wrapped around the
bar magnets. As its name implies, the single pick-up it is
composed of one copper wire wrapped in a single coil around a
single bar magnet or several rod magnets. The humbucker pick-up,
on the other hand, uses two coils which tends to increase the
intensity of a guitar's sounds.

Choosing the right bridge is another important step. You will
need to decide between the stock tremolo, double-locking or
Floyd Rose double locking system. Depending on the style, the
strings may be positioned differently, looser or tighter, and
more or less responsive to your touch.

These are just some of the things you will need to consider when
you select your new electric guitar. The choice you ultimately
make will vary depending on the sort of music you want to play,
as well as your knowledge and level of experience. Your budget
will also bear upon your decision, and for those with less
money, secondhand guitars are always an option.

Seeking help from friends who play the electrical guitar, or
staff at the music store is always invaluable. Once you have the
right guitar, your playing will be more enjoyable... and the
better for it.

About the author:
Peter Mack writes for electricguitarshow
a website of
electric guitar articles and

Tips on How to Play the Slide Guitar

2006-08-17T14:56:00.000-07:00

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.

Gibson Guitars are Timeless

2006-08-10T11:59:00.000-07:00

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.

Learn Guitar on DVD

2006-08-04T19:13:00.000-07:00

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

Tips for Guitar Performance

2006-07-31T15:12:00.000-07:00

Have you advanced in your guitar playing to the point that you're performing for others? Maybe you're interested in playing at a local open mic event, or are ready to do a solo for a school or church concert. Or maybe you're part of a band that has jammed and practiced and is getting itchy to do some real entertaining. Whatever the case, there are some things to remember when you start performing for a group.

First, make sure you have practiced the songs you want to do until you know them inside and out. Nervousness will creep in and you will forget what you thought you had embedded in your soul! Get those songs nailed down as well as you can. Drill yourself on those chord changes and tricky rhythms until they are second nature. Rehearse any lyrics you might sing over and over. Don't bomb out just because you have failed to put the practice time in.

That said, be aware that technical difficulties can ruin an otherwise stellar performance. There is nothing unprofessional about taking a minute to check the microphones and monitor to make sure things are going to work for your particular brand of music. If you get started pouring your soul into a song, but the people can't hear you, or worse, you can't hear your own voice, it's going to throw your confidence for a loop.

A third consideration, touched on in the paragraph above, is to plan to pour your soul into your performance. When people come to hear someone make music, they want to feel the excitement the musician feels about the music. It's an intimate experience for the musician, and the audience wants to get in on it. If you are too concerned about the impression you are making on the audience, you will not be attending to the music like you need to.

Here's another consideration. Is the place you are performing noisy? Is it filled with people talking, laughing, and doing their own thing? Maybe you're in an active night spot, or performing for people at a fair. These people have other interests going on as well as your performance. The best thing you can do is lose yourself in your music. Don't worry about trying to drown out the noise. In fact, sometimes if you quiet down and have your own personal music party going, the crowd will quiet down to see what's going on on the stage.

The bottom line in performing is that how you look or impress the audience is not nearly as important as how you sound. Remember, too, that you don't have to prove anything to the audience in most cases. They are not sitting in judgment on you, but rather are hoping you do great. They'll likely feel sorry for you if you flub a bit and will cheer if you pull it off. So don't look at those folks as someone to impress, but someone on your side.

Acoustic Vs. Electric Guitars: Which Guitar Is The Best To Start

2006-07-20T13:18:00.000-07:00

Acoustic Vs. Electric Guitars: Which Guitar Is The Best To Start
Learning With?

By: Darren Armentrout

One of the most common questions I get from new guitarists is,
"should I begin on the acoustic or electric?" To be honest,
there really is no right or wrong answer. But let's look at some
of the differences to help us decide.

First, the biggest question is what kind of music do you like?
If you want to learn to play like Metallica or Greenday, then
it's obvious you need to get an electric guitar. If you want to
play like James Taylor or Dave Matthews, then an acoustic would
be the best route to go.

Parents, if you are helping your child decide what is best for
them, be sure to ask them what kind of music they want to learn.
Also, ask them if they know which kind of guitar they would like
and why. Asking these questions has always helped me figure out
which guitar would be a better fit for my students. Sometimes,
people just want to play the guitar because it's "cool"-- or
because they want to be a rock star. Or, maybe a friend is
learning to play drums and they want to start a band together.
In these cases I normally would recommend an electric.
Motivation is the key here. Sometimes simply buying the wrong
kind of guitar, can make a child lose interest in playing and
then you are out the time and money. I've seen many parents,
even with the best intentions, have a child start on acoustic
when the child really wanted an electric and it normally ends
the same way-- disinterest.

So, besides appearance, what are some of the important things to
consider? Generally, you can play the same things on either
guitar, and the basics are the same. The guitar is tuned the
same and all the scales and chords you learn will be the same
for either. However, the sound is different. What sounds good on
one may sound weak, out of place, or downright silly on the
other. When a lot of people think of guitar, they think of the
guy who comes to the front of a stage in the middle of a song
and plays a screaming solo. If this is the kind of playing
you're looking to learn, then you need an electric. If you're
wanting to learn to strum chords, kind of like the Beatles, then
get an acoustic. Electrics tend to be played louder, more
aggressively and have a raunchier dirty kind of sound. Acoustics
tend to have a fuller, more natural sound and have a little more
laid back kind of a feel.

The main advantage of an electric guitar when beginning to play
is the string gauge. Electric guitars usually have strings that
are much thinner than the strings of their hollow bodied
brothers. This means that it's a little bit easier to push the
strings down on electric. The strings are thinner, though, and
may feel a little sharper than the thicker acoustic strings.
But, guitarists who start on electric and then pick up the
acoustic sometimes find they have to develop their hand strength
a little before they can get comfortable on the acoustic. One
disadvantage of the electric, is that it is noisier. The pickups
of an electric are much less forgiving of mistakes than an
acoustic is. Because an electric is sensitive to every little
nuance of touch, finger placement and pressure, tiny mistakes
beginners make will ring more clearly on an electric than on an
acoustic. Another disadvantage of the electric guitar is it's a
little more expensive to get everything you need to start on it.
Not only do you have to buy the guitar but you have to buy an
amp and a guitar cable to go with it. On average it will cost
$40-$80 more to start on an electric than an acoustic of similar
quality.

The main advantage of an acoustic is it's portability. The
acoustic can go almost anywhere and be played anywhere. So you
can practice or perform wherever you'd like-- whether at home,
on a trip, or around the campfire. There is no extra equipment
required, just pick it up and play. Another advantage of the
acoustic is the volume. I have never been asked to stop playing
my acoustic because of noise-- even when in the dorms at college
or playing in my apartment at two in the morning. I have been
asked on several occasions to turn down my amp or to stop
playing all together by a frustrated roommate or neighbor.
However, if your main concern with an electric is noise, most
amps have a headphone jack you can use to keep others happy.
Getting a clean sound is a little easier on an acoustic than an
electric. But, guitarists who start off on acoustics and then
switch to electrics may find the required precision to control
the noise a little difficult to handle at first. Another
disadvantage of an acoustic is it's a bit quiet when playing in
a band unamplified. So playing with a band (especially drums)
may require extra equipment to be heard.

So there you have it, the main differences between starting on
the acoustic guitar or starting on an electric guitar. What
choice you make depends on:

The look you want: Are you going for the rock star look? The
sound: Do you prefer the pure natural sound or the crunchy
distorted sound? The tradeoff: Ease of pressing strings down, or
more forgiving of mistakes? Price? Portability?

In the end, most guitarists who stick with playing a year or
two, soon pick up the other kind of guitar as well. So, what you
start on depends on what is most important to you.

About the author:
For more guitar related articles by this author, answers to
common guitar related questions, and free blank tablature and
blank guitar charts visit www.fishmanmusic.c
om Darren Armentrout has been playing guitar for 13 years,
earned a Bachelors in music, and has been teaching guitar for
over 5 years.

Choosing The Right Guitar For You

2006-07-18T12:11:00.000-07:00

By: Jakob Culver

There are many different types of people in the world, and
because of this there are many different guitars. There are
different types of music and depending on what kind of music you
are looking to play you will need to have the right guitar.

An acoustic guitar is much less
expensive than an electric guitar. It also requires less
equipment because for an acoustic it's optional.

If you are interested in an electric guitar, here are some
things to consider so that you may get the right one for you.

Be sure that you are interested in playing the sort of music
you are choosing an electric for. Electric is usually meant to
be used for rock music. Remember you can start small.

Don't go for the big name brand first. Pick a cheaper brand to
practice and learn on. This will also help if you should decide
you don't want to play after all. Then you wouldn't have spent
too much on something you don't use.

Once you have learned then you should look into more expensive
equipment. Then you will know for sure that this is something
you enjoy and you can know that you deserve the equipment.

Second hand guitars are also an option open to you. You can
find second hand guitars in many places. Think of ebay, the
newspaper, or pawnshops. Some guitar stores will also have
second guitars sometimes.

About the author:
http://musicentertainment
web.com is a music entertainment information portal founded
by Jakob Culver.

To find out more information about this topic and more visit the
website:

http://musicentertainment
web.com

Tips For Beginner Guitar Lessons

2006-07-18T09:18:00.000-07:00

By: Morgan Hamilton

Does this sound familiar? A guitar case lying around in your
house doing nothing but gather dust. Chances are that despite
your best intentions, you have one and probably never learned
how to play, or started taking beginner guitar lessons and soon
lost your enthusiasm, or something else got in the way. Taking
beginner guitar lessons in the traditional manner sometimes just
doesn't work all that well when you're busy with little things
like life. However, if you have a computer, and who doesn't
these days, you can easily find many online sites that offer
beginner guitar lessons gratis, for free, or you can buy guitar
lesson packages with DVDs and instructional manuals that can be
sent to your home if you would prefer. Have no fear if you can't
read music; beginners are also taught how to read tablature,
which is easier to learn to read than music. Trust me, it really
is.

No matter if you choose to start your beginner guitar lessons on
the computer or with the traditional educational material, you
start out with the raw basics about guitars and accessories,
like picks and tuners, strings, bridges, etc. Students are
taught how to correctly hold a guitar and pick, and how to tune
it so that it sounds good! Sure this may sound really simple,
but there are people who feel really awkward at first, and are
helped a great deal from a few pointers. Another great bonus to
taking beginner guitar lessons in the comfort of your own home,
is that the embarrassment factor is almost completely
eliminated! Lessons are usually rather easy to understand and
are available to you to play over and over until you have
mastered that level. You know the saying, practice makes
perfect. Beginner guitar lessons include basic scales and chord
formations also; it is kind of important to have some basic
music theory behind you because you will always benefit by
looking back to it for basic guidance, even after you are an
accomplished musician!

A fantastic method to get started or brush up on the basics,
beginner guitar lessons let you begin where you feel
comfortable, and move alond at a pace that is comfortable to
you. Beginner guitar lessons are readily available to you online
and there are many quality sites to choose from. Some can be
downloaded, or you can have beginner guitar lessons delivered to
your doorstep, whichever you decide. The whole idea behind it is
to get you playing, whether it be the first time, or to get you
back in the saddle again! Guitar is actually one of the easiest
instruments to learn how to play, contrary to what you may have
heard, and fits in real well with just about all types of music.
You certainly don't have to run out and buy a brand new guitar,
unless of course you want to! For beginner guitar lessons, you
just need anything with six strings and that can be tuned and
strummed. After just a few lessons you'll be amazing your family
and friends with your incredible talent! Where is that music
contract... bring it on.

About the author:
Morgan Hamilton offers his findings and insights regarding the
world of Fine Arts. You can get interesting and informative
information here at Beginner Guitar Lessons

Learn How To Play Guitar - 4 Tips To Improve Your Guitar Playing

2006-07-15T19:09:00.000-07:00

Here's another good article by Tim Lee. There's some good tips
that will improve your playing a lot. Enjoy.

By: Tim Lee

Playing guitar as a hobby or professionally can be very
fulfilling. It is a great outlet for one's creativity and
passion, and is the perfect expression of one's self. Whether
you are a beginner guitar player or not, you could use the
following tips and instructions to improve your guitar playing.

1) Good posture is Truly Underrated

While you can play guitar in almost any position, good position
is integral to getting the most out of your guitar. Without good
posture you could put yourself in greater risk for straining
muscles - not to mention that wrong posture is truly awkward and
uncomfortable to the player. You could even acquire or
exacerbate back pain playing in the wrong position.

In a sitting position, sit up straight and cradle the guitar
with your legs. Armless chairs are better for this sort of
playing. If you are a classical player you might want to
purchase a foot rest to elevate your left leg (if you are
right-handed).

While standing, make sure you have good footing, with feet
properly spaced. Keep the guitar high on your chest. If you have
a guitar strap then you could avoid getting fatigued while
playing your guitar.

2) Hold Your Pick the Right Way

If you are a pick player, one common mistake you can avoid is to
hold your pick the right way. The proper way to hold a pick is
to grip is firmly but not too tightly.

If you hold your pick to firmly, you could get your arm tired
real easily. If you hold it too loose you could easily lose your
pick during a very vigorous strumming session. The best place to
hold your pick is somewhere in its middle.

Choosing the right pick is also another important choice you
will have to make. If you are a beginner, you may want to use
soft picks for strumming. They are also easier on the arms and
do not need to be gripped too tightly. However, most flabby
picks do not perform well when used to pluck individual strings,
bass strings, or when flat picking.

3) Practice your arpeggios

After giving strumming a thorough work out, try working on
arpeggios as they could seriously improve you playing style and
will open you up to new guitar skills. Some players start with
arpeggios before jumping into serious lead playing or
complicated playing.

It also gives your playing much more variety than would be
available if you stuck to simpler chord playing. And as
mentioned, arpeggios are the gateway to higher level playing
skills.

4) D Chord Secrets Revealed

The D-sus chord is a beautiful flourish when used to lead back
to the D-chord. It is easily done by adding your pinkie finger
to the chord at the third fret. Practice how this chord is used
and you will find that it easily integrates into most
contemporary songs.

You could also use this with other chords. You may refer to most
chord charts to find out how these chords are done.

Conclusion

In the end practice is still the best way to get better at
guitar playing. However, you can avoid wasting your time during
practice by learning to practice smarter instead of just more.
The tips mentioned above will help you get started on this road.

About the author:
To learn how to play guitar using the easiest to follow method,
please visit http://www.Guitar-
Playing-Tips.info/

Best Beginner Guitar

2006-06-13T17:55:00.000-07:00

Hands down the best beginner guitar in the market is the Epiphone Les Paul Standard. This is built to the same specs as the Gibson Les Paul as Epiphone is a subsidiary of Gibson. You get the same fat les paul tone for a fraction of the price. You won't get frustrated playing it either as you would on some cheap guitar models. Check it out.

Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plus-Top Electric Guitar Electric Guitar Heritage Cherry Sunburst

How To Play Lead Guitar

2006-06-10T14:40:00.000-07:00

Here's some good tips if you're working on lead guitar.

By: Masni Rizal Mansor

Many newbies are fascinated by the way lead guitarists are
blazing through a solo and keep wondering how they can do that.
They just can't understand how these people figure out which
notes can would sound right before playing them. The following
article is aimed to show some perspective on how to learn lead
guitar and begin to make up your own guitar solos.

The Blues Scale

What many beginner guitarists who want to learn lead guitar do
not know that improvising doesn't mean just playing random notes
and hoping they will sound great together. Before you can learn
lead guitar, you should know that professional guitar players
usually draw their solos from a scale, which they are using as a
template for improvisation. The blues scale, despite the name,
is actually a scale used very often in all guitar solo styles.

How to Use It?

Try practicing this scale forwards and backwards, while using
alternate picking and make sure you play each note evenly and
cleanly. After you got this right, try to play each note two
times before you get to the next one. Make up different ways to
play the blues scale to challenge your playing skills. Play the
blues scale so that the root begins on the letter name of the
scale you are trying to play. For example, if you want to play a
C blues scale, you've got to find the note C on the fretboard
and start the scale from that note.

Improvising

Once you've become familiar with the blues scale, you might want
to take up some theory lessons and learn more on the different
positions of pentatonic and blues scales. However, you can get
to play a lot of great stuff just by using the single position
explained above, so start practicing on making up your own solos
before you memorize tons of scale positions.

Once you've managed to learn lead guitar basics, you can start
improvising. The concept is fairly simple: all you have to do is
string together some licks from the blues scale that sound good
together. However, when you try to do it, you'll realize it's
actually more difficult than it sounds. You might want to get
some soloing lessons for beginner guitarists that want to learn
lead guitar. Accesrock.com provides some good lessons.

After you did some practicing, you should visit the Home for all
Guitar Lovers website that shows several guitar licks. You can
try to memorize some of these and use them in your own solos.
Don't get frustrated if you play rather badly at first; if you
like what you're doing, it will get better over time.

About the author:

Masni Rizal Mansor provide tips and review on acoustic guitar, electric guitar.

Adjusting The Guitar Nut

2006-06-04T20:09:00.000-07:00

This is one of those sticky adjustments on your guitar that is a pain to get just right. Check this out:

An Alternative Way To Adjust Your Guitar Nut

By: Andrew Preston

Most new guitars arrive from the factory with the nut just
barely playable. Older guitars may have the nut filed or worn
down so much that fret buzz cannot be eliminated by neck or
string height adjustment. If you have a new guitar, or you are
replacing the nut with a new one, here is an alternative method
to file and adjust the nut material to make your guitar play
like the professionals guitars play.

Before adjusting anything, make sure your guitar is strung up
correctly and that your neck is straight and not bowed or
warped. If your neck is bowed you first need to adjust the truss
rod. If your neck is warped it will require a more extensive
repair. For the lowest possible action or to avoid fret buzz all
across your finger board it may be necessary to have your frets
leveled and crowned first.

You will need a set of nut files (available from Stewart
MacDonald), and a good set of feeler gauges as well. Different
grades of sandpaper are very useful too.

Fret each string individually, starting with the High E, between
the second and third fret, use your feeler gauge to check the
amount of space between the bottom of the string and the first
fret. You should have approximately .005" of space between each
one, with the string barely touching the second fret. If this
measurement is close or dead on then move on to the next string
right up to the Low E string. You may want to record the gap on
a scrap piece of paper as you move across the fret board, to see
the nut slot's height in relation to the fret board as you do so.

For most players a string height (also known in guitar slang as
"action") of 3/64" of an inch is considered normal. Some players
choose a higher sting height such as 4/64" of an inch while
players which tend to have a light touch and want the fastest
action possible strive to lower the action as close as possible
to 2/64" which in many case's is very hard to setup and maintain
without fret buzzing somewhere on the finger board.

Of course, you can use the traditional method to set your string
height in relation to the nut, by using multiple feeler gauges
below the nut, and filing down to the factory depth and width.
However, I have found this method to provide a better and more
consistent feel while playing near the nut.

About the author:
Andrew Preston is a professional guitar session player and
dabbles in part time guitar repair. Your can see more
information at Guitar
Savant

Four Ways To Learn Guitar

2006-06-01T11:19:00.000-07:00

There's some good advice for beginners in today's guest article. Everybody learns a little different so find a way that's most comfortable for you.

By: Masni Rizal Mansor

With the increasing popularity of rock music during the last few
decades, playing the guitar has become very appealing for many
people. While there are many teenagers out there who dream of
becoming rock superstars, there are also many people that want
to learn how to play the guitar just for the sake of it.
However, many of them don't find the best way to learn guitar
and after a few unsuccessful attempts, they finally give up.

Different people have different learning needs. In addition, we
also have different resources, different jobs, different errands
to run and different schedules. If you're not at the level you
want, maybe it's because you haven't found the best way to learn
guitar yet. There are several ways to learn how to play the
guitar. Listed below are only a few of them.

Theory Books

There are thousands of theory books on the market that teach you
how to play the guitar. Some of them are even very good and can
provide you with all the information you need. Books are an
inexpensive and comfortable strategy to learn how to play the
guitar. Unfortunately, experience shows that for many of us they
just don't work. However, if you are a very patient person, a
theory book might be the best way to learn guitar.

Video Lessons

Video guitar lessons are available on DVDs and video tapes in
almost any music store, as well as on virtual shops. In
addition, there are also some video lessons available online.
Some of them are even free. Video lessons are more dynamic and
have a better chance of keeping you focused. They have the
advantage of allowing you to practice at home whenever you find
the time to do it. However, the inconvenience is that you can't
benefit from the personalized attention and useful feedback a
teacher could provide.

Private Lessons

If you are willing to dedicate a lot of time as well as some
money to this, private lessons are definitely the best way to
learn guitar. A good teacher can design a customized teaching
program to suit your learning style and provide you with
individualized attention and positive feedback to get you
motivated. In addition, he/she can also spot and correct your
mistakes very fast.

Learning by Ear

Learning the guitar by ear can be very fun, especially if you
have some sort of musical bone in your body, and that bone is
humming with lots of vibration, you might find that this is the
best way to learn guitar for you. With the modern slowing down
technology, it is much easier now than it used to be for our
parents' generation.

You should always keep in mind that playing the guitar should be
fun. If you find it difficult or stressing, your learning
strategy might have a lot to do with it. Sometimes you need to
try several learning methods before finding the one that works
best for you. However, if you really want to play the guitar
like a pro and have enough time and money, taking up private
lessons is probably the best way to go.

About the author:

Masni Rizal Mansor provide tips and review on guitar chords, how to play a
guitar.

Get 5 Guitar Playing Tips to Help You Play Better Guitar

2006-05-31T08:33:00.000-07:00

By: Jake Hanson

In this helpful article, you will get guitar playing tips
designed to help you improve your playing skills. So let's get
started...

1) The first guitar playing tip is to use good posture while
playing the guitar

You should sit up straight in an armless chair. If the chair has
arms, you will not be able to hold the guitar properly for
playing. Sit up straight to protect your back.

If you get a backache after a bit of playing, you will realize
how having good posture while playing the guitar is so important.

2) The next guitar playing tip is to hold the pick firmly but
not too firmly.

If you do not grip the pick firmly enough, you may lose it
during a vigorous bout of strumming! But if you grip it too
tightly, you may find your whole arm getting tired. Middle of
the road is the best guitar playing tip I can give you where
pick grip is concerned.

3) Choosing the right pick is another guitar tip that is
important.

Picks come in finger and flat styles. Most guitarists use a flat
one. They also come in three different levels of flexibility.

Several professional guitarists have given me the advice of
getting the softest, flabbiest pick I can find for learning to
keep up with fast strumming. It's easier on the arm. Flabby
picks are harder to use, however, if you are trying to pick out
individual strings, as in adding a bass line, or flat-picking.

After some practice with a soft pick, you will probably want to
move on to a firmer one. A final guitar playing tip about picks
is that the firmest picks make the richest sounds.

4) Here is a guitar playing tip - learn to play arpeggios.

It's fun, great for old folk songs, and sounds beautiful! You
won't be able to use a pick, though. Finger the chord. Now, pick
the bass note of the chord with your thumb. You can use a thumb
pick for this, however, it works just fine to use your thumb.
You will grow a little callus there which will make it easier.

Now use your index finger to pluck the third string. Next, pluck
the second string with your middle finger. And then pluck the
top string with your ring finger. You've picked four notes.

If you repeat the sequence, giving each note the timing of an
eighth note, you will fill a measure of a song written in
four/four time. This guitar playing tip will make people sit up
and take notice, but it does require practice, and calluses, to
play this way. Try playing the strings in different order, and
alternate bass strings.

5) A final guitar playing tip involves the chord D.

While playing the D chord, try adding your pinkie finger to the
chord at the third fret. This new chord is often called
"D-suspended" or "D-sus." Then play D again. Now try lifting
your middle finger so that the top string of the chord is open.
And back to D again.

You can do the same thing with the A-chord, but have to do the
change on the second string. Up one fret to the third makes
A-sus, and you can also lift that finger to go down a step on
that second string. C-suspended requires you to go up a half
step on the fourth string. G-suspended requires you to do it on
the fifth string. Learning suspended chords is a guitar playing
tip you'll find yourself using when you play contemporary songs.

I hope you've found these guitar playing tips helpful. It's
important to remember that the best way to improve your guitar
playing skills is to practice, practice, practice. Good luck!

About the author:
Article by Jake Hanson. Please visit his guitar
lesson site to get an online free guitar lesson course that details how to play guitar with
amazing free chord and tab lessons.

How to Read Guitar Tab - Free Guitar Tablature Sites

2006-05-27T14:55:00.000-07:00

By: Jake Hanson

Guitar tab is a method of diagramming the fretboard of a
guitar for the purpose of showing how songs, riffs, scales, and
other musical portions are played.

Guitar tab, also known as tablature, is really a method
guitar players have invented for sharing music without having to
learn to read music in the traditional sense. Knowing how to
read guitar tablature is an important part of learning how to
play the guitar, especially if you wish to emulate the style of
your favorite performer.

Learning how to read guitar tablature will help the most if you
have already heard the song or riff. It is not a very good way
to learn a new song, because there are no indicators about
timing. Basically it is just a diagram of fingering. It looks
similar to a traditional staff, but the similarity ends there.
Instead of 5 lines, guitar tab has 6 lines, which correspond to
the six strings of a guitar.

When you are learning how to read guitar tab, you will notice
numbers on the lines. Those numbers do not refer to your
fingers, but to the fret your finger needs to be on. However,
you should read all the information given with any guitar
tablature, because sometimes the notations refer to different
things. Guitar tab is not a standardized method of writing music
and varies with styles and guitarists.

One of the biggest drawbacks with guitar tab is that it doesn't
give you much input about the timing of the notes, and for this
reason, you really should know the song. In fact, if you are
learning how to read guitar tab, you should read the tablature
while listening to the song or riff.

Unlike beginning books for teaching yourself to play guitar,
guitar tab will not tell you which finger to use on a string. If
you are a very new beginner, you may want to know the basics of
chords and such before venturing into learning how to read
guitar tablature.

The website "Guitar Tab Universe" (www.guitartabs.cc)
gives tabs for many familiar songs. In fact, it advertises
itself as the Internet's largest collection of guitar and bass
tabs. One warning - you'll have to scroll through a lot of band
names to get to the artist you want, and some of those names are
obscene. If obscenities bug you, try a different site.

Christian.totaltabs.com gives you access to tabs or chords for
631 songs by 111 contemporary Christian bands and artists.
Cowboylyrics.com provides you with tabs, lyrics, and/or guitar
chords for many country songs.

In general, if you are searching for online guitar tabs, you
need to specify the type of music you desire or you will
probably get a lot of listings for rock tabs. Fortunately, you
are sure to find just the songs to use to teach yourself how to
read guitar tab.

About the author:
Article by Jake Hanson. Please visit his guitar
lesson site to get an online free guitar lesson course that details how to play guitar with
amazing free chord and tab lessons.

The Beatles and Epiphone Guitars

2006-05-26T17:26:00.000-07:00

By: Shanzuguitars

The Beatles may well be arguably the worlds biggest ever band.
Musically from the early 1960's to the end of their career they
covered an array of different music styles from the jangly pop
of their early days to the psychedelia of their latter albums.
To cover all these different sounds they needed a broad range of
instruments.

Throughout their career they used a variety of guitars and you
can see many photographs of the Beatles with Rickenbacker's
(325's in particular) various Gretch, Fender and Hofner. However
they are also linked with Epiphone Guitars and often choose
Epiphone guitars over all other guitars for recordings and live
performances.

The first Beatle to own an Epiphone guitar was Paul McCartney
who bought his first, an Epiphone Casino,during 1964. Influenced
by the sound of this guitar John and George bought theirs soon
after. The Epiphone Casino is a hollow-body double cutaway
electric guitar. Although available in a variety of colors,
George Harrison stripped his down to bare wood saying that he
liked the sound of the guitar being able to breathe.

John Lennon favored the Epiphone E230TD Casino and used a
variety of these guitars from 1966 onwards. Lennon painted this
guitar and it appeared during the White Album sessions and in
the Film "Let it Be". During that film Lennon can be seen
playing his Casino while rehearsing new material. Lennon's
Casino also features during the celebrated performance on the
London roof top of their office building. Lennon is synonymous
with the Casino, so much so that Epiphone recently re-released a
John Lennon signature Casino. This faithful reproduction is of
the guitar as John originally purchased it with the vintage
sunburst finish and stock hardware.

The Beatles also used Epiphone's acoustic guitars. Paul
McCartney favored the Epiphone Texan acoustic guitar and it was
used to record the epic track Yesterday. McCartney still uses
Texan's to this day.

Clearly the Beatles have been one of the (if not the) biggest
influences in popular music over the last 50 years. Their sound
was distinct and this was bought about both by their playing and
their selection of instruments. Thier Epiphone guitars
contributed to their sound and a number of guitars have become
iconic in their association with arguably the worlds biggest
band.

About the author:
ShanzuGuitars.com is
a reference site for guitarists everywhere. The site features
guitar news, resources, guitar gear reviews, online lessons and
free tools.

The Gibson Explorer Guitar

2006-05-24T11:30:00.000-07:00

By: ShanzuGuitars

With its angular body, and sharp headstock the Gibson Explorer
is instantly recognisable.

First released by Gibson in 1958 (along with the equally famous
Flying V guitar) the Explorer was a radical departure from its
more famous sibling the Gibson Les Paul.

The original Explorer - the X-Plorer (or the Futura as it was
initially named) came equipped with twin humbucker pickups, two
tone controls and a 3 way pickup switch. The angular headstock
featured the tuning keys on the top of the headstock rather than
the traditional Gibson three each side. With its looks the
guitar was radically different from others in the marketplace.

The design of the Explorer was so years ahead of it's time that
initial sales were low and the guitar was quickly discontinued.
Needless to say those early models are now highly sought after
collector's items.

In the Mid 1970's, prompted by the success of other
manufacturers tributes to the Explorer, Gibson reissued the
guitar - sales were strong and the instrument quickly became a
mainstay for many artists.

The Explorer is a particularly versatile guitar and produces a
wide variety of tones. With the pickup selector in the middle
position, it produces sounds reminiscent of a Les Paul. Select
the bridge position and you have a solid rock tone, finally the
neck pickup has a warm and subtle jazzy tone. The Explorer's
large body produces a lot of its tone and although heavy the
guitar is full of character and its trademark Gibson bite makes
it ideally suited to rock music.

Today, many famous artists can be seen using the Explorer. One
of the most well known Explorer users is U2's The Edge. His
Explorer (picked up on a shopping trip in New York is the early
days of the group) created much of the bands early sound and the
guitar is still used on tour and in the studio today.

There are many other famous users of the Explorer such as James
Hetfield, Eric Clapton, Dave Grohl to name but a few.

These days Gibson has many editions of the Explorer and its
future is secure. With its trademark looks and versatile sound
the Gibson Explorer can comfortably take its place in the guitar
hall of fame.

For more information on the Explorer check out The Gibson Guitar
companies homepage Gibson.com

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

Free Lesson On Basic Guitar Chords

2006-05-23T14:18:00.000-07:00

By: Craig Gaiden

Understanding Guitar Chords, the Key Element to Mastering the
Guitar

Don't get discouraged if you're trying to learn the guitar.
Follow the steps below and soon you'll be playing your favorite
songs by learning basic guitar chords. Once you get a feel for
the basic chords, you can go deeper and learn how chords are
made of major and minor guitar scales.

Popular Songs Sometimes Only Have Three Chords

Have you ever heard "Wild Thing" or "Louie Louie" and wondered
what chords make up these songs? Maybe you haven't, but at any
rate you might be interested to know that these songs along with
"Twist and Shout" and "Hang on Snoopy" are all built from three
major chords. They are the A, D, and E chords.

What Exactly is a Chord?

What is a chord? A chord is two or more notes played together. A
common type of chord is called a triad, which is three notes
played at the same time. With the guitar, you can make chords by
strumming, as a minimum, three strings simultaneously to send
out three notes or more. It's simple to see that with the guitar
having only six strings that the max number of notes in a guitar
chord is going to be six.

Basic Chord Types

Now it is important to understand that there are many different
variations of chords. Three of the most common types of chords
are major, minor, and sevenths. The way in which you use these
chords will determine the type of music or mood that you will
make. For example, if you need some solemn and meditative
chords, use minor chords. If you want a really solid and stable
sound, then you will want to be using major chords. If you want
a jazzier yet somewhat incomplete sounding chord, you would want
to go with seventh chords.

Commonly Used Chords

Just as you would need to know several basic phrases in the case
of learning another language, so you will need to learn around
6-16 chords fluently in order to really have a grip on playing
the guitar. Some of the most common chords are listed below.

A, G, C, D, E, F, Am, Em, and Dm chords (note: the lowercase "m"
next to the letter means that it is a minor chord.)

Get Out your Guitar and Strum Some Chords

Now that we understand the need to learn chords, let's look at
what steps there are to help you learn chords.

1. Get a chart of guitar chords and look at where the fingering
is for each chord.

2. Start by simply choosing at least two of the basic chords and
work on the transition between the two.

3. Make sure that it sounds good. The fact is that if it sounds
good you are probably doing it right. (HINT: If it doesn't sound
good to you, press down on the strings firmer with your fingers.)

4. Now learn to enjoy playing guitar chords by choosing a few of
your favorite songs that have these basic guitar chords and play
them until you can sing along. (FYI: Beatles have a great
selection of well known songs that use basic guitar chords as
the foundation.)

5. Play daily! You must remember that although its hard at
first, you are going to make progress and it will become easier
to play the guitar by consistently playing it.

6. Practice! Remember guitar practice makes perfect guitar music!

So you've made it this far and you're hungry for more guitar
lessons, why don't you check out guitar tabs for beginners Now
it's Your Turn to Learn the Guitar At any rate, the only way to
know that the guitar is for you and your friends is to give it a
try. Good luck and maybe this can be one of those things that
you can look back on and say, "I am sure glad I learned to play
the guitar"

About the author:
Craig is the owner of a guitar lesson site. He is
an avid guitarist and article writer. His site will help anyone
learn guitar. Visit
Craig's site for free guitar lessons: http://www.grabguitars.com

Guitar Multi FX - Friend or Foe?

2006-05-15T07:52:00.000-07:00

By: Tony Williams

Killer Guitar Sounds? Maybe...

Guitar multi FX units are undoubtedly one of the best
value-for-money tools available to today's guitar player. Even a
cheap multi FX unit found on eBay will house some great sounding
effects to brighten up or add interest to even the most mediocre
guitarist's playing.

With so many different guitar sound effects available in the
typical multi FX unit it is a great temptation to try and use as
many as possible. However, that temptation could also destroy
your credibility as a player and leave your audience nonplussed.
In fact, when it comes to guitar multi FX, that old cliché less
is more can very often be absolutely true!

The solution? You need to get your basic sounds right and stick
with them before adding any extra 'sparkle'.

So what is meant by 'basic sounds'? Well there are really only
three and they are:

* Clean - You know how this sounds; crisp chords and sparkling
arpeggios.

* Mild Distortion / Overdrive - This can vary from slight
breaking up of a clean sound to a satisfying crunchy distortion.
* Heavy Distortion / Fuzz - The all-out blistering solo sound,
think Gibson Les Paul through a Marshall stack turned all the
way up to eleven!

(A little tip about distortion - don't be tempted to use too
much! What sounds great plugged into a small practice amp or
headphones in your back bedroom will often sound like undefined
mush when it is cranked up to gig volume.)

Anything on top of your basic sound, whether it be chorus,
flange, delay, or whatever, should be considered as extra that
is added to compliment and enhance. The basic sound should not
be sacrificed or altered in any way.

Listen to some of your favourite guitar players and try to work
out how many different combinations of sound effect they are
using - I guarantee that however many there are (and it's
probably fewer than you think) they will be sitting on top of a
great basic sound.

So in conclusion; enjoy your guitar multi FX and make the most
of the variety of different sound effects available, but don't
sacrifice your guitar sound for the sake of guitar sound
effects.

About the author:
Tony Williams is a musician, writer, and self-confessed eBay
fanatic. He is the editor and webmaster of Rich Pickings, the online
guitar advisory service, you can find it at: www.rich-pickings.com

Learn To Play The Guitar By Ear

2006-05-11T12:22:00.000-07:00

By: Christopher Buckley

All professional musicians, whether they're playing jazz, rock,
bluegrass and country music, have spent their first years of
practicing bent over a half speed record player. You might be
wondering what does this have to do with trying to learn to play
the guitar by ear. As you will learn from this article, it
actually has a lot to do with it.

Slowing Things Down

In order to learn to play the guitar by ear you have to begin
with learning the melodies, chords and leads from a recording.
To be able to do this, you've got to slow them down a bit. Some
exceptionally gifted people with really good ears are able to
learn to play some slow songs just by listening to them at a
normal speed. However, even those folks have problems with
learning faster melodies and need to slow things down.

Most of us can't even figure out slow songs just by listening to
them at a normal speed. While most of us can match a note with
our guitar or voice if it's the only thing we're hearing, we
tend to get confused when lots of notes are played together. If
you slow the music down, we can separate the notes and play them
piece by piece until we learn the whole song.

Slowdown Technology

Years ago, the slowing down process was done using half speed
tape recorders. However, as you slowed the music down, the pitch
dropped. By the time you got to half speed, the pitch had
already dropped a lot. Anyway, for most of us, half speed is
still to fast. You will probably need a 1/10 speed in order to
figure out certain pieces.

Fortunately, nowadays everything has been made easier with the
aid of digital slowdown technology. You can now slow the melody
down as much as you want, without having the pitch dropping.

Do You Really Have to Put So Much Work Into It?

You're probably thinking that spending so much time on figuring
out each note yourself must be awfully hard. Why not just buy a
book and get over this part?

Of course, you can buy a book, but, as it usually happens with
all music theory books, it will probably be gathering dust on
your bookshelf forever. If you really want to learn to play the
guitar by ear, you will have to get involved in the process and
figure out the notes from a melody yourself.

While figuring out note by note on your own is the best way to
go, consulting a transcription book from time to time while
you're trying to figure out the music is also good. Some
beginner guitar players who want to learn to play the guitar by
ear learn from a transcription book first and then play along
with the original recording at a slower pace to get the rhythm.

You should learn to play the guitar by ear just because this way
you get the most fun. Playing the guitar should be fun and this
is why you should have started to learn it in the first place.
However, the more you time you invest into the learning process
by getting involved in practical activities, the faster the
progress.

About the author:
Christopher Buckley is owner of one of the internet's largest
guitar learning resources. To find out more about learning to play the
guitar by ear, visit Learn Guitar Blog

Common Ways to Learn to Play Guitar

2006-05-10T09:36:00.000-07:00

By: Ian Williamson

Here are some of the more common ways to learn to play the
guitar. Try each method to see what works best for you.

Group Lessons: Learning guitar in a group setting can be less
intimidating for the beginning musician. You not only get the
benefit of having a teacher to help you along you can often
judge your progress by where the other students are in the
class. The worst part about taking guitar lessons in a group
setting is the teachers time is divided so you may not get as
much attention as you might need.

Private Lessons: This is the best way to learn to play the
guitar if you can find the right teacher. The instructor can
gauge your progress each week and custom design your lessons for
you. You have your teachers' undivided attention and you can ask
anything you feel is not clear.

CD Lessons: There are many instruction CDs available in nearly
any style you can think of. The advantage of this style of
learning is you can listen to the CD as many times as you want.
Any part that is not clear can be replayed as many times as
needed. The disadvantages include the songs may not be the ones
you desire to learn and the instruction is more general without
any way of knowing where you are in your musical journey.

DVD Lessons: Instruction on DVD includes all the good and bad
points of the CD instruction. The number one advantage to
learning guitar by watching DVD video is you can see what the
instructor is doing. Visual learning goes a long way toward
answering the questions burning in your mind.

Music Books: Music books are a time-honored way to learn how to
play the guitar. You can find more books on more different
styles than most any other way to learn. You need to be
proficient in reading music if you do not know the song you are
learning. Most folks have a hard time getting the song right if
they do not know the song they are learning.

Internet: In these modern times the Internet is a wonderful
resource in learning to play the guitar. There are many websites
that will show you how to play the exact notes your guitar hero
plays. Membership sights are plentiful where for a small monthly
fee you can learn most any style you choose.

Friends: Do not overlook your guitar playing buddies. Most
guitar pickers are a friendly bunch who will be more than happy
to help you along.

Slowing Down Recordings: You can purchase software that slows
down your favorite recordings. This allows you to hear each
phrase at a speed where you can pick out the different notes.
This is a great way to learn to play.

Playing With Other People: The very best way to learn to play
the guitar is to get together with other people and play. This
is the fastest way to learn. You will learn more by getting out
and playing with other people than you ever will sitting at home
playing by yourself.

The method you decide to use to learn to play guitar is up to
you. Try to practice four or five times a week for 30 minutes at
a time and you will be playing guitar before you know it.

About the author:
For More Guitar
Lessons by Ian Williamson please visit
http://guitar.you-can-learn.info

How To Plug A Guitar Or Bass Into A Computer

2006-05-07T08:57:00.000-07:00

By: Jon Broderick

Every town throughout the world has one or two fully dedicated
aspiring guitarists and bassists. These disciplined folks spend
countless hours improving their craft. Their local musician
community is made up of a small group of less-dedicated folks
and people with divergent tastes in music. To the truly
passionate musician, sometimes this can be frustrating. The
dedicated guitarists and bassists of these communities have
often surpassed the ability of local teachers, and are thus on
their own following their musical heroes. Although guitar tab
books and guitar lesson DVDs help, trial and error becomes the
primary method.

If you are one such individual, there is a musician resource
that you may have overlooked: the Internet. Now, please don't
misunderstand. I know that you have already found out about the
internet. You use the internet every day and you have probably
found countless guitar tab sites, guitar lesson sites, band
classified sites and the like. You have learned a lot on the
internet. Your eyes have found the Internet, but has your music?

When you connect your instrument to your computer, you connect
your music to the rest of the worldwide community of musicians.
Out there on the internet, unlike in your home town, are many
many people just like you, who want to hear your music. They are
as dedicated as you, they are into the same music, they are your
peers without question, and they want to hear what you are
working on.

This article teaches you how to plug your guitar or bass right
into your computer, to start sharing your musical ability with
the world-wide internet music community. We are assuming that
you have an electric guitar, bass guitar, or acoustic guitar
with a pickup.

Overview

Turn your computer around and look at the back of it. You should
see a walkman-style mini headphone jack in one of the shiny
steel plates back there. Actually, you should see 3 mini jacks.
If you look closely, they have little etched pictures next to
them. One is a picture of a mic, one is a picture of headphones,
and the other some picture you don't know what it is. The one
that is not mic and not headphones is the line-in jack. Your
guitar has a 1/4 inch cable that is too big to fit into this
mini headphone jack. So, you will need an adapter that will
convert the quarter inch jack to a mini jack. You can find this
sort of adapter at your local electronics shop. In the U.S.,
Radio Shack is your best bet.

The following are three scenarios that describe how to plug your
instrument into your computer.

Average Situation

Here's the deal: your guitar is supposed to plug into the
line-in jack. But your guitar is not loud enough to play direct
into a line-in. So you have to put an effects pedal with a
volume control in between the PC and your guitar. That way you
can give your guitar enough of a volume boost to hear it well on
your PC.

Poor Situation

If you don't have an effects pedal, or something else to give
your guitar a slight volume boost, then the line-in method won't
work. Your guitar will be too quiet. If this is the case, you
will need to plug your guitar into the mic jack instead. The
guitar is too loud for a mic jack. So, you will have to turn the
guitar down for it to record properly. Even then, it won't sound
too good. Computer mic jacks just don't sound good. But, it
works.

Ideal Situation

Ideally, here is what you want to do: get a mixer, plug your
guitar into your amp, mic the amp in a sound-proof room. Turn it
up really loud. Mix your effects into the signal at the mixer,
and plug the mixer line out into the line in of your computer.
If you have all the equipment for this, then I would suggest you
get one more item: a studio-quality audio card. These cards have
improved circuitry and software that will significantly improve
the sound of your records and the flexibility of your system.

I hope this article has been helpful to you and that your music
inspires and fulfills you throughout a long and happy career. I
also hope that you will join a musician community on the
internet and get as much satisfaction out of it as I have.

About the author:
Jon Broderick is a guitarist from California who has been an
online musician since 1998. You can find Jon featured in online
Music Competitions and
online Guitar Lessons
at major music websites.

Learn to Play Guitar - Free Tips for Beginner Guitar Players

2006-05-04T13:25:00.000-07:00

By: Ralph Serpe

Find a Good Teacher - There is no substitution for a good guitar
teacher. You can buy all the books and videos you want, but in
order to really become a good guitar player, you need to learn
from a pro. A professional guitar teacher has the experience and
wisdom necessary to teach you how to become a proper guitar
player. Books, videos, and the Internet for that matter, lack in
their ability to provide you with feedback and advice. A good
guitar teacher will correct you if you are doing something wrong
so that you don't form bad habits or techniques. A good guitar
teacher will also encourage you when you are doing something
right.

Do Not Get Discouraged - When first learning the guitar, or any
instrument for that matter, you may find yourself getting
discouraged, or perhaps saying to yourself "this is just too
difficult". You may find yourself practicing the same song or
chords over and over again, and never getting any better at it.
Do not let this discourage you. Sometimes are brains just need a
little rest, or need to be occupied with something else. Take a
break and come back to your practice with a fresh mind.

Practice - The more often that you practice your guitar the more
familiar you will become with the instrument. Your playing will
become easier over time. Try and free up at least 20 minutes of
time every day to practice your guitar. Find a time and location
where you know you will not be interrupted. Interruption can
really kill your concentration and snap you out of a good
rhythm. Warm your hands and stretch your fingers before you
play. Talk with your guitar teacher to develop the best practice
exercises that are right for your style of playing.

Create an effective practice schedule - The length of your
practice is not necessarily the most important thing. Usually it
is the quality of your practice that is most important. Make
sure your guitar teacher is giving you a well-rounded approach
to guitar playing and helping you make the most of your practice
sessions.

Slow Down - One great bit of advice with your practicing; don't
play too quickly! Many new guitar players will rush through a
lick or a song in the beginning, trying to play it exactly as
they hear it and only wind up butchering it. Before you can play
anything correctly, you must learn to slow down and play it
right at a much slower speed. You can then slowly increase your
speed as you improve.

Watch your posture - Guitar playing should not be extremely
painful and uncomfortable. If you find yourself with various
aches and pains in your shoulders, your neck, your back, etc.,
chances are you are not in a correct playing posture. Ask your
guitar teacher to demonstrate a proper playing posture, then do
your best to stick to it. Tell your teacher to observe you
during practice and correct you whenever you fall out of the
correct posture.

Get a metronome - A very important part of guitar playing is the
ability to keep good timing. An instrument, which will help you
become better at timing, is called a metronome. You can purchase
this at any guitar center. When working with a metronome, in the
beginning, you should start off at a slow speed. This will help
you build your muscles and develop better control and good
playing habits.

Change your strings - Your guitar strings are very important to
the quality of sound your guitar produces. How often you change
your guitar strings really depends on how often you play.
Professional guitar players may change their strings before
every gig. Others who don't play as often, may change their
strings every 2 months or so. Again it really depends on how
often you play, and how well you take care of your guitar
strings. Don't wait until your strings break before you change
them and you should change all of your strings at the same time.

Try new things/experiment - If you feel uninspired in your
guitar playing why not try something fresh and different? If you
have mastered a particular song on your electric guitar, why not
try the same song on an acoustic guitar? If you only play your
guitar using a pick, put down the pick and just use your
fingers. Perhaps you only enjoy playing blues guitar. Why not
try some jazz or classical?

I hope these guitar tips were helpful. The most important thing
is to never get discouraged and never give up. Persistence is
key when it comes to playing the guitar. If you really have a
sincere desire to learn, and you continue to practice, you will
become a better guitar player.

About the author:
You can learn how to play guitar free online. Visit http://www.artsymmetry.com/Category/Guitar-Lesson
s/199 for more great articles on guitar playing.

Free Guitar Tablatures

2006-05-03T13:06:00.000-07:00

By: Thomas Morva

Guitar tabs or guitar tablatures are of utmost importance to
those who play guitar. Guitar tabs are one of the important
components for learning new tunes. Usually the guitar tabs come
with the lyrics of the song for which the guitar tab is played,
and sometimes the interlude or prelude lead part of the music is
given through these guitar tabs.

Depending on the nature of the guitar, i.e. a rhythm guitar, a
classical guitar, a bass guitar, a twelve string guitar and so
on, the guitar tabs vary as these guitars and their arrangements
and frets vary in shape, size and purpose. However, a guitar tab
is a system of notations, letters, symbols and other visual
representations - instead of the traditional musical notation.

The sole purpose of a guitar tab is to give the direction to the
player as to how to play a musical piece through a diagram of
strings of the guitar. Guitar tabs or a tablature nonetheless
consists of a diagram of strings of the guitar with finger
positions indicated by numbers corresponding to the appropriate
frets and sometimes with the numerical representations of the
fingers.

Free guitar tabs are very important for those who are young
enthusiasts and are keen on learning the new tunes and
technicalities of guitar and especially those songs which have
extensive guitar uses, both plucking and other types of
fingering as well as lead parts. The Web is the biggest resource
for gathering these free guitar tablatures and is much conducive
than those costly books at the nearby music stations and book
stalls. Free guitar tablatures are those available on the
Internet that give oneself the freedom to explore and choose the
song or the music he wants the guitar tablatures for.

About the author:
Guitar Tabs provides
detailed information on Guitar Tabs, Free Guitar Tablatures,
Classical Guitar Tablatures, Bass Guitar Tablatures and more.
Guitar Tabs is affliated with Guitar Tabs.

How to Avoid Guitar Practice Burnout

2006-05-01T13:42:00.000-07:00

How to Avoid Guitar Practice Burnout - The #1 Reason Beginner
Guitarists Give-Up.

By: Annette Rowe

This article is about how to avoid guitar practice burnout -
something that happens to all of us from time to time!

Yep it's true. Many of us at one time or another has experienced
those "blah" days where the last thing we want to do is pick up
our guitar and practice. But don't fret! Here you'll discover
valuable little tidbits to help keep you motivated with learning
and practicing guitar, so let's get started...

How to Avoid Guitar Practice Burnout:

1) Enjoy the process of learning guitar.

This sounds basic, but often beginner guitarist's will focus on
negative aspects about their guitar playing skill level. Instead
of "beating yourself up" remember that all professional
guitarists started off just like you. The truth is that learning
guitar takes time, patience and practice.

As a beginner, you should not try to learn to play guitar too
quickly. Why? In trying to learn guitar too quickly you'll risk
increased muscle tension which can actually reduce your guitar
playing ability.

So slow and steady guitar lessons will benefit you best for
long-term success.

2) Use the quality guitar learning methods.

Many people find that learning to play guitar using traditional
methods is too difficult, overwhelming and time consuming. And
because of this difficulty, many people give up on their dreams
of learning to play guitar because the guitar learning
techniques were inadequate.

Luckily though, now days you can get online guitar lessons that
teach a new and revolutionary way to learn guitar that produces
fast and effective results. These new guitar lesson techniques
make learning guitar fun and easy. So, if learning guitar using
traditional guitar methods is too difficult, or causing you too
much frustration, know that there are new and improved ways to
learn guitar that work extremely well.

3) Learn to practice guitar at your pace.

In learning to play guitar, you'll discover that some days
you're more motivated than other days.

For example, some days you'll feel like playing the guitar for
hours on end, and at other times, you'll only want to practice
guitar for a few minutes. This is normal and if it's one of your
"off days" allow yourself to enjoy a break from a long practice
section without feeling guilty.

4) Look to others for inspiration.

One of the best motivators in trying to achieve any goal, like
learning guitar, is to look to other people for help and
assistance. Consider joining a musicians group and online music
forums where you can share tips, successes and troubles with
other guitarists online.

Chances are, there will be another guitar player who has had the
same problem you're facing who can give you great advice.
Learning how other people achieved their guitar playing success,
and the pitfalls they incountered along the way (and how to
avoid them), will help tremendously to inspire and motivate you
along the way while learning guitar.

The #1 Reason Beginner Guitarists Give-Up:

The biggest reason many people new to learning guitar give-up is
because they loose the JOY of learning to play guitar. Why? Many
beginner guitarists are excited about their new hobby, and this
excitement causes many people to rush into trying to play their
first song as quickly as possible.

However by not FIRST taking the time to learn proper guitar
basics, usually results in increased playing difficulties and
frustration. And frustration is what eventually leads many
beginners to give-up on their dreams of playing the guitar.

But don't worry! By following the tips above, you'll be well
ahead of most people learning to play guitar.

Remember, to avoid practice burnout, it's critical learn to play
guitar at a consistent pace, allow yourself breaks from playing
guitar as needed, and keep yourself motivated by seeking out
other guitarists for help and inspiration.

About the author:
Annette owns Online-Guitar-Lesson-Reviews.com. Please visit her
site to get free online guitar lesson resources and reviews.
Sign-up for a free guitar
lesson mini-course loaded with free guitar solutions.

Know Your Guitar Parts

2006-04-29T20:30:00.000-07:00

By: Ian Williamson

Guitars have been used with so much diversity in many musical
forms. The instrument is known by many as a classical solo
instrument and the basic musical instrument in rock music.

Get acquainted with this magnificent instrument; know its parts:

1. Headstock. This is found at the edge of the guitar's neck. It
is tailored with the instrument's head for adjusting the pitch.

2. Tuners. The tuners keep the strings of the guitar stretched
beginning at the base down to the knobs. Tuners likewise allow
the guitar player to alter or modify the pitch either flat or
sharp, depending on the player's choice of music.

3. Nut. This is a tiny strip of hard medium or material which
supports the strings at the intersection where the "headstock"
meets up with the "fret board". The strips can be made of
plastic, bone, graphite, brass or any hard medium and indented
to secure the stings in position. The nut acts as one of several
endpoints assisting the tension of the string.

4. Fret board. Also known as the fingerboard, it is a lengthy
wood plank inserted with frets of metal that composes the top of
the guitar's neck.

The fret board of a classical guitar is flat and is a little
curved diagonally on an electric or acoustic guitar. The curve
is calculated by the radius of the fret board that is the range
of a "hypothetical circle" and which the surface of the fret
board makes up a segment.

The smaller the radius of the fret board, the more that the
curve is evident. When a string is pinched against the board,
the string's "vibrating length" is shortened thus creating a
higher pitch sound or tone.

5. Frets. These are strips made of metal, particularly nickel
alloy set in alongside the fret board that are positioned in
conjunction with the string's length that mathematically divides
it.

When the strings are pushed down from the rear of the frets,
this cuts the string's length of vibration to emit different
tones or pitches.

6. Neck. The neck is composed of the guitar's fret board, frets,
tuners, truss rod and headstock; all are fastened to a long
extension made of wood. Usually, the wood that is used for the
fret board will be of a different kind from that used on the
remaining neck parts.

The firmness or stiffness of the guitar's neck in accordance to
its body is one determining factor of whether it is of good
quality or not.

7. Body. The acoustic guitar's body is an echoing cavity
projecting the vibrations through the guitar's sound hole which
enables the audio of the instrument to be clearly heard even
with no amplification.

In acoustic guitars, its body is a big determining factor in the
overall sound it produces. The soundboard or guitar top is a
delicately engineered and crafted component that is usually made
out of red cedar, spruce or mahogany.

This very thin slice of wood, generally measuring only 2 - 3 mm
thick, supported by different kinds of internal brackets, is the
most pronounced and important element in influencing sound
quality.

Most of the sound is brought about by the guitar's top vibration
as the momentum of the vibrating cords are transmitted to it.

8. Pickups. This is what really amplifies the cords sound. Most
guitars have one to a maximum of three pickups. The kind of
pickup is reasonably important, depending on a particular sound
that you are aspiring for.

9. Pickguard. Commonly called the scratch plate, is a plastic
guard or any laminated medium which protects the guitar's top
finish.

The pickups as well as almost all electronics in other electric
guitars are framed and inserted atop the "pickguard". On
"acoustic guitars" and several "electric guitars", the pickguard
is directly inserted to the top of the guitar, and on guitars
having carved tops; the "pickguard" is raised.

10. Bridge. On acoustic guitars, the key objective of the
guitar's bridge is to hand over or shift the string's vibration
to the "soundboard", which then shudders the air within the
guitar; thus increasing and strengthening the sound created by
the cords or strings.

Go ahead, explore the parts of your guitar to better acquaint
yourself with this wonderful instrument; test it too and see
where it will take you. Enjoy!

About the author:
For More Information on href="http://guitar.you-can-learn.info">Guitars by Ian
Williamson please visit http://guitar.you-can-learn.info

Buying a Second Hand Guitar

2006-04-23T21:17:00.000-07:00

By: Max Cane

If you are on a budget, but still want to buy a decent guitar,
you should look into purchasing a used guitar. For little money
you can buy a quality guitar that will be able to suit all of
your needs.

Used Fender basses or used Fender Stratocaster guitars can be
had for relatively cheap compared with buying a new one. This is
the route that a lot of people go when they are looking for
their first guitar. The best place to find a used guitar is at a
music store that is specialized in selling second hand
equipment. If you can't find a store like this in your area, you
may also want to search the internet. There are hundreds of
online stores that sell used instruments.

Used, cheap electric guitars are also a top seller. Brands like
Ibanez, Squier or Epiphone can be found for very little money.
Used Gibson guitars or a second hand Fender Stratocaster will
cost you probably more, but will still save you a lot of money.
In return you will get a top quality guitar which will last you
a very, very long time!

You may also be able to find used guitars at a flea market or
garage sale. The best way to go about doing this is find a large
flea market in your area, and frequent it as often as possible.
You will eventually come across what you are looking for.

Many people have also turned to eBay in order to find a second
hand guitar. EBay offers hundreds of guitars that you can bid
on. The best thing about using this service is that you can keep
an eye on each listing, and only purchase what you can afford.

A used guitar can be a great buy for anybody that is just
learning, or anybody who simply wants a new guitar. In most
cases you can buy a second hand guitar for half the price it
would cost you when buying it brand new. Ok it probably will
have some scratches on it, but the quality and the sound of the
instrument will still remain the same and that's what counts!

If you know where to look, and stay persistent you should not
have any problems at all finding a guitar that suits your needs.
Remember, stay patient until you find the guitar that suits your
needs and fits your budget.

About the author:
For more information and tips about buying second hand guitars
or other used music equipment please visit www.guitarheadz.com, the
complete guide for anything you want to know about guitars and
related gear.

The History of The Electric Guitar

2006-04-21T17:24:00.000-07:00

The History of The Electric Guitar: How Music Was Changed Forever

By: Bob Martin

In The Beginning

The guitar's soft melodic tone made it difficult for people to
hear it when being played alongside other instruments. So during
the 1930's an inventive individual decided to change that and
invented the first electric guitar. Little did he know, or have
imagined way back then how the invention of the electric guitar
would significantly affect the course of 20th century music.

Like most new things, the electric guitar had its critics but it
quickly won people over because of its ability to allow
musicians to play much more creatively and express their own
individual styles.

The First Pickup

In 1924 an inventive engineer working for the Gibson guitar
company named Lloyd Loar, designed the first magnetic pickup.
Using a magnet, he converted guitar string vibrations into
electrical signals, which then were amplified through a speaker
system. This first pickup was crude, but it was a great
beginning.

The First Electric Guitar

In 1931 the Electro String Company was founded by Paul Barth,
George Beauchamp and Adolph Rickenbacker, and developed the
first electric guitars marketed to the general public. They made
their guitars from cast aluminum and were played on a person's
lap using a steel slide much like today's steel guitar. Because
of their unusual material, they were affectionately called
"Frying Pans."

The early success of the frying pans prompted the Gibson guitar
company to build their first electric guitar, the ES-150 which
is a legend today.

The First Solid-Body Electric Guitar

Electric guitars were quickly becoming popular, even though
there was a major problem with their construction. Their bodies
would vibrate due to the amplified sounds coming through the
speakers they were played into, causing what we know as
feed-back. The obvious remedy was to build a guitar made with a
solid body which wouldn't vibrate so easily.

As with most innovations, there is controversy over who invented
the first solid -body electric guitar. Guitar legend Les Paul in
the 1940's developed his affectionately called "The Log"
solid-body guitar by attaching a Gibson neck to a solid piece of
wood...a railroad tie, hence the name "Log."

Around this same time, guitarist Merle Travis and engineer Paul
Bigsby developed a solid-body electric guitar that resembled the
solid-body guitars that we're so familiar with today.

The First Mass Produced Electric Guitar

Leo Fender in 1950 was the first to mass produce an electric
guitar which was originally called the Fender Broadcaster. This
guitar was quickly re-named to the infamous Telecaster because
the name "Broadcaster" was already being used by another
company. Leo followed this up in 1954 with the most renowned
guitar of all time...the Stratocaster.

Leo's success led other guitar manufacturers into developing
their own mass-produced electric guitars. Most notable was the
teaming-up of the Gibson guitar company with Les Paul to create
the famous Gibson Les Paul electric guitar.

More Affordable Electric Guitars

During the 1960's and 1970's famous brand name electric guitars
were too expensive for the average person to buy. Less pricey
imitations quickly came to market but they were sub-standard in
sound and playability. The Japanese, in the 1980's started
manufacturing electric guitars of similar quality to the more
expensive American made models, but with much more affordable
pricing. This prompted Fender and other leading guitar
manufacturers into producing less expensive versions of their
classic models. This resulted in electric guitars now being more
affordable and accessible to more people.

Today, the Gibson and Fender guitar companies are still
producing some of the most well-known and best made electric
guitars on the market. But it's getting crowded with other high
quality brands such as BC Rich, ESP and Peavey. Innovative
designs, shapes and materials are being incorporated with new
technologies to produce better sounding electric guitars.

Modern guitars have built-in software allowing them to sound
like other types of guitars. Some are even fitted with pickups
that synthesize the sound of different instruments or record the
notes in musical notation.

The electric guitar has come a long way with an interesting and
inventive past and many in the industry say it has an even
brighter future.

About the author:
Bob Martin says don't buy a new electric guitar
until you take a serious look at this today.
http://www.electricguitarsource.com

Vintage Guitars From Gibson

2006-04-20T12:36:00.000-07:00

By: Max Cane

Vintage Guitars from Gibson

Vintage Gibson acoustic guitars are very popular in the music
industry even though better designs have come along and replaced
them. These guitars still have their place in the industry
because of the unique sound that they emit, and their top notch
build quality and durability.

Vintage Gibson acoustic guitars have always been, and will
always be among the favorites of both musicians and collectors
world wide. The first Gibson acoustic guitars came out around
1900, and they have been going strong ever since. Even the early
models were known to be the best in the industry. The great
thing about the Gibson name is that they constantly reinvent
themselves, but never seem to fall off the map. Regardless of
what they do, or how they design their next guitar, Gibson is
always the one setting the trend.

The age of Gibson guitar models are very important when you are
trying to figure out information on it. The age is very
important because over the past 100 years Gibson has
manufactured hundreds of different guitars. A lot of them sound
and look alike, but are actually very different. If you are
interested in learning more about the age of you guitar you will
need to speak with a professional. They will be able to find the
model number, and then translate it into years for you.

Overall, Gibson acoustic guitars have carved out their spot in
the music industry for now, and for the rest of time. Their
early models are very popular, and the models that they come out
with today also sell very well. If you are in need of a guitar
of high quality and great sound you will want to look into
buying a Gibson. Whether you buy new or used, you will surely be
satisfied with your new guitar.

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