Archive for October, 2009

How To Become A Great Guitarist

Author: Chris Chew

Want to become not just merely a good guitarist, but a great one, then you must master the guitar fret board. A guitar fret board is the flat section on the front of the neck of the guitar. You play guitar chords and select notes to play on the fret board. There are metal bars embedded across the board dividing it into several parts and these parts are called frets.

Yes, it may seem at first almost impossible, especially for the novice guitarist to know every single note on every single fret, however, if you want to be a great guitarist, it is critical to learn them all. It may be more difficult than learning the notes on the piano but with dogged determination, you can master all the notes and chords on the guitar fret board.

Some people suggest that you can practice the guitar mentally. Frederick Noad the author of “Solo Guitar Playing” suggest mental practice methods such as “Learning by Equivalent Notes”, “Transfer of Position” and “Learning by Fret”. You must keep memorizing the notes and positions until you know when to play the notes instinct even with eyes closed.

Position-to-note and note-to-position are also mental practice methods. This means that whenever you think of or see a position you must know exactly which notes are there. Similarly, whenever you see or think of a note, you must know exactly where to play it on the fret board.

You can also design yourself some memory games or download some that are available on the internet. These games usually use memory cards, which have on them either the fret numbers or the position, or both. You must look at each card and give the relevant information straight out from your memory.

For instance, if you pick up a card which says “Fret 3″, you will have to say “G C F A# D G” out loud. Mnemonics are used for all sorts of learning include learning how to play the guitar. It is a very useful tool in helping you to master the guitar fret board.

Here is an example of Mnemonics – An Elephant was chasing an Ape with a Dog but tripped over a Gator out popped a Bird eating an Emu, helps you learn the open notes of fret 12 and 24. The capitalized letters in bold are the open notes. If you are witty enough, you could come up with your own mnemonics to make your learning the guitar fret board much more fun.

It is also critical to know your ‘sharps’ and ‘flats’ very well. C sharp and D flat is the same note, right? However, when you are playing away on your guitar, do you remember that? You must know how it is played, both ways, equally well. This will show that nothing can confuse you or make you hesitate while playing the guitar. This makes you an expert on the guitar fret board.

The guitar fret board has pearl markers strategically located which are embedded in the wood. Usually, these markers are laid in the exact same positions on every guitar. A standard guitar will have these markings on the third fret, the fifth and the ninth.

The twelfth fret has two markers because it is exactly one octave higher than the open string. The fifteenth fret again has a single marker. These markings are not only useful but important as well because they can guide you to find and play the right notes on the fret board more easily.

Mastering the guitar fret board is an extremely time consuming and tiring work. However, the effort is well worth it because once you mastered learning the guitar fret board because you will become an awesome guitarist. This is because most guitarists do not master the fret board and your guitar playing skills will be far ahead of them.

Motivate yourself by learning one fret a time and set a realistic time table when you will know every single note on the fret board. Simply mastering the guitar fret board will make you a much more proficient guitarist and who knows, you may one day become a great superstar guitarist.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/how-to-become-a-great-guitarist-439346.html

About the Author

Chris Chew owns a music education website at Learn
How To Play Lead Guitar and
Learn How To Play Drums

Popular Brands of Electric Guitars

Author: Victor Epand

Are you an guitar freak? Do you want to know about the popular brands of electric guitars? Then here is the just what you want.

There is a long list of popular electric guitar brands. Information about some of the most popular ones among them is given below.

Fender:

Fender is a very renowned name in the arena of electric guitars. Mr. Leo Fender introduced this company in the year 1946. For times, Fender has supplied series of brilliant electric guitars. Their guitars are used in every genre of music. Like, rock, pop, rock and roll etc.

They have got different models of electric guitars like, VG Stratocaster, American Deluxe telecaster, Showmaster FAT HH (Flame Ash Top), Showmaster QMT HH (Quilt Maple Top) etc.

Ibanez:

Ibanez is another popular brand of electric guitars. Mr. Hoshino Gakki started this company in 1978.

Ibanez have a varied range of electric guitars. Like, Ibanez RG220, Ibanez IJX40, Ibanez GRG170DX, and Ibanez SZ320 etc.

Ibanez has made some brand new guitars in 2007. They are, Xiphos XPT700 (X Series), V Blade VBT700 (X Series), RG 8 String RG2228 (RG Series).

Gibson

This is one of the best among popular brands of electric guitars. Mr. Orville Gibson founded this company in 1902.

Some brilliant models of Gibson electric guitars are, Gibson ES175 Reissue Electric Guitar, Gibson ES137 Custom Electric Guitar, Gibson Standard SG Electric Guitar, and Gibson SG Standard Left Handed Electric Guitar.

Washburn:

This company was started in Chicago, in the year 1883. From then on it has not stopped creating quality guitars.

Washburn WI66PRO Idol Pro Electric Guitar, Washburn HB30 Hollow Body Electric Guitar, Washburn WI64DL TBL Electric Guitars are some of their high in demand guitar models.

Yamaha:

Yamaha is a very old and reputed company. They are somehow different from other popular brands of electric guitars. This company is in the instrument circuit since the end of 1800. But at that time they used to make organs. In 1900 they made piano. And in 1942, they started making guitars. Their guitars are very much popular and loved by various musicians all over the world.

Some very popular Yamaha electric guitar models are, Yamaha AES420 BL Guitar, Yamaha AES420 RM Guitar, Yamaha PAC012 Pacifica Electric Guitar Pack BL, and Yamaha PAC012 Pacifica Electric Guitar Pack DBM.

ESP:

ESP is a very famous brand now. E.S.P. stands for Electric Sound Products. At first they used to make replacement parts of other guitars. But from 1976 onwards they started making guitars.

ESP LTD Standard M100 guitars, ESP LTD H200 , ESP LTD Standard EX50, ESP LTD Deluxe EC1000 etc.

These are some popular brands of electric guitars. These brands of guitars are useful, user friendly, stylish and of good quality. Sometimes they are a bit expensive. But it is worth spending handsome amount of money for real good brands.

Overall these brands are very famous and they have a reputation to keep. So you can rely on them and can believe that they won’t let you down.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/popular-brands-of-electric-guitars-254095.html

About the Author

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for guitars, drums, and synthesizers. You can find the best marketplace for guitars, drums, and synthesizers at these 3 sites: electric guitars, yamaha guitars, fender guitars, drums, drum sets, and synthesizers, keyboards.

If you’re in the market for the latest guitar accessories and

“gadgets” you will enjoy spending some time exploring

the links below. Dollar for dollar, Amazon is a great

place to buy guitar related accessories. I have gathered

several items and put them on one site for you to

research. Along with the other three discount stores,

you’re sure to find everything you will need to enhance

your guitar playing experience.

Musician – Researcher

Tom Borgstrom

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All About Acoustic Guitars

Author: Victor Epand

An acoustic guitar is a guitar that produces an acoustic sound through the vibration of its six strings. When we talk about guitar, the first thing that comes in our mind is Spanish guitar.

Acoustic guitars have a rich history. It had changed its design many times. Acoustic guitars are 5000 years old. Spain has a big contribution in its development. Read the rest of this entry »

Guitar Player Setup and String Action Tips

Author: Daniel Lehrman

It is a real puzzle to me, why are new guitars so poorly setup from the factory? Unless it came out of the Custom Shop for lots of money, most guitars don’t even seem to be checked out before they leave the factory. God forbid the music store selling it checked it out before you got it!

To put it in simple terms, rarely have I handled a guitar that played well and was not properly adjusted by a guitar maker or luthier. When I use terms such as adjustment, I am referring to the height of the strings over the fretbaord, whether the neck is truly straight or does it have the correct relief or bow to it, how level the frets are all the way up the neck and intonation. Is one fret a bit taller than the others? Can you imagine what that does to your tone and playability if the frets are not level all the way up the neck?

Realistically speaking, if you have not played a properly set-up guitar, then you probably have no idea how much potential your guitar has. Meaning that it will sound better, but more importantly, it sounds better because it is easier to play. Obviously a guitar or any instrument will sound better if it is adjusted to factory specs. Since most things are mass produced nowadays, a lot less effort is put into the time consuming part of checking each instrument individually in order to make sure it is on the money.

Some folks actually buy a less expensive guitar, take it to a reputable guitar center that has a competent luthier and bring home a guitar that actually plays and sounds better than a more expensive model. A smart player always has a guitar setup that way. Mind you, it is not a replacement for a Jeff Beck Custom Shop Fender guitar or a Zakk Wylde Custom Gibson guitar, or maybe the most versatile guitar ever, the Eric Clapton Stratocaster. Again, these are really expensive guitars and one should expect it to be setup right on the money.

Describing the detailed procedures of a setup is not easy. To understand the terms and services involved one might go to Guitar Players Center, Stewart-Macdonald or Warmoth for in-depth setup techniques used and excellent explanations, in terms we all understand.

An analogy I use that everyone seems to understand is that an un-tuned (not set to specs) car is not fun to drive or very efficient, and it is the same with your guitar. It is more fun and easier to play your guitar when it is setup properly.

Most of the setups that I am familiar with cost about $50.00 to $100.00 plus parts. Parts meaning strings generally. Most of the time it is precision craftsmanship needed, not parts. And don’t forget, never choose a luthier because of his prices. Check around and ask about the business, call the BBB. Just make sure you get a good guitar maker. Price is not the only important issue, quality is.

Enjoy.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/guitar-player-setup-and-string-action-tips-466236.html

About the Author

Much more information and tips for Guitar Players and Guitar Makers at Guitar Players Center. Feel free to visit our website, ask questions, share it with others, make comments or simply enjoy.