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How To Play Twelve String Guitar – The Joy And The Peril

Author: Gyorgy Huba

The first step towards learning to play the twelve string guitar is the same as for learning the six string – play some chords and scales to toughen up your fingertips and get the muscles of your hands into guitar playing mode. A technical difficulty with the twelve string is that you need to press down on two strings instead of one to play a note. This needs some practice to keep fret buzz down.

Once you have some practice with the twelve string you will possibly notice, as have many other guitarists, that this instrument is best for playing chords rather than single note solos. The twelve string has a distinctive sound which is interesting when used for solos but is really at its best with open chords ringing out.

The first four pairs of strings are an octave apart. Tuning is quite critical with the twelve strings so it would be best to use an electronic tuner.

One of the most famous twelve string guitar players was Leadbelly, one of the pioneer blues players of the first half of the twentieth century. So let’s take a look at playing the blues on the twelve string guitar. As the blues usually features guitar solos of single notes so you will need to work on your single note playing technique. Many blues players recommend tuning the twelve string guitar to an open G or E chord. Also to bring out the full vibrant beauty of the twelve string sound, use a slide to get the real bluesy effect.

Here are some tunings you can use for slide playing on a twelve string guitar:

Open A: eE aA eE aAC# C# EE

Open C: cC gG cC eE gG cC

Open D: dD aA dD f#F# AA DD

Open F: cC fF cC fF AA CC

Open G: dD gG dD gG bB dD

Hawaiian: cC gG cC gG AA EE

Slack C: cC gG cC gG CCCC

George Harrison of The Beatles played a Rickenbacker 360/12 twelve string guitar in the movie A Hard Days Night and this inspired Roger McGuinn of The Byrds to go out and buy one and feature it on records. Harrison played twelve string on You Can’t Do That, one of The Beatles’ early hits so find that track and have a listen to the sound. And go to YouTube to find some examples of The Byrds music. Leo Kottke is another artist who has used the twelve string guitar to good effect as a solo instrument.

And finally have a listen to Led Zeppelin and The Eagles using double neck guitars to switch between six and twelve strings on Stairway To Heaven and Hotel California.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/how-to-play-twelve-string-guitar-the-joy-and-the-peril-1131157.html

About the Author

Newbie guitar players are flocking to Guitar How-To for the free articles, tutorials and videos on every aspect of guitar playing you can think of. Fast track your guitar expertise now at http://guitar-how-to.com/

Acoustic Electric Guitars

Author: Peter Suhm

Acoustic electric guitars: is this not a contradiction in terms? After all, “acoustic” describes music, or a musical instrument that is not electronically amplified; “electric” however, implies that the music or musical instrument is electronically amplified. Well actually, the wonderful thing about acoustic electric guitars is that they combine both the qualities of the acoustic, which is to control, absorb, and carry sound, as well as the qualities of the electric which is to amplify the sound. Acoustic electric guitars give the player and the listener alike the full benefit of both acoustic and electric qualities.

Acoustic guitars have a hollow body (or at least a portion of the body is hollow) like acoustic instruments, but they also have electric pickups mounted directly onto the body. The purpose of an acoustic electric guitar is to get the tones of an acoustic, but with an increased volume. The most basic and original kind of acoustic electric guitar is an acoustic that has been fitted to include pickups. When these were first introduced, the major problem was with feedback. The electronic pickups couldn’t handle all the vibrations of the instrument and the electrical currents, so a screaming feedback often resulted. In addition, the acoustic sound was often compromised as well because the electric pickups simply could not manage the high frequency sounds.

Today, most acoustic electric guitars have piezoelectric pickups which require a preamplifier made directly into the body of the guitar. The more advanced acoustic electric guitars of today have eliminated these problems and enhanced the quality of sound as they are designed to be truly acoustic-electric as opposed to being acoustic guitars with an electric add-on.

There are two kinds of acoustic electric guitars: the acoustic-electric classical guitar, and the basic acoustic electric guitar. The acoustic-electric classical guitar was designed to amplify the sound. This guitar is first an acoustic instrument, and the electric component is added. This idea was then improved upon, thus the invention of the acoustic electric guitar. Generally speaking, you can remember that acoustic electric guitars are primarily regarded as acoustic instruments because the pickups produce a signal from the vibration of the guitar’s body rather than from the vibration of the strings.

The most valued benefits of an acoustic electric guitar are 1) the ability to plug your instrument into a console without the need for expensive microphone equipment, and 2) the ability to play at very loud volumes while still maintaining the clear, sharp, beautiful tones of the acoustic guitar. These guitars produce both clarity of tone as well as volume and are an excellent choice for many musicians.

The term acoustic electric guitars is not at all a contradiction of terms, rather it refers to the type of guitar that produces an incredible sound at concert levels by its innovative design.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/acoustic-electric-guitars-590478.html

About the Author

My name is Peter Suhm and i have played music since i was 9 years old.
Visit my website about electric guitars here:

http://www.find-electric-guitars.info

The Acoustic Bass Guitar: A Relative Newcomer

Author: Victor Epand

If you find out someone is a guitarist and you ask them what kind of guitar they play, chances are that the answer will not be “the acoustic bass.” In the world of guitars, this instrument does not have an overly large following. It lacks the historical tradition of the classical acoustic guitar and the sexiness of the electric bass. However, the acoustic bass should not be discounted, as it does hold a certain place in the world of music. Although rarely utilized in its early years, it gained a foothold during the late 1980s when it was used during MTV Unplugged programs.

Acoustic bass guitars are an extremely recent advent as compared with most other versions of the instrument. The first acoustic basses on record are those made during the 1950s, and the first modern such instrument was developed in the early 1960s. The modern acoustic bass is accredited to Ernie Ball of California, who was supposedly felt that since electric guitars had bass instruments, acoustic guitars should too. Regardless of his motivation, Ball went on to collaborate with a man named George Fullerton and together, the two of them developed the first commercially produced acoustic bass, the Earthwood. This instrument was produced from 1972 to 1974 and again from 1976 to 1985.

An acoustic bass guitar, unlike its electric cousin, has a hollow wooden body similar to that of a steel-string acoustic guitar. It is generally fretted and possessed of four strings, although variations on this makeup do occur. The sound produced by this instrument is quite low, and as a result it can be difficult to hear unless an amplifier is used. Therefore, most acoustic basses have pickups that allow them to be used with amplifiers. Manufacturers of these instruments include Fender, Gibson, Ibanez, Tacoma and a number of other companies.

It should be noted that while the modern acoustic bass dates back only to the 1950s, traditional Mexican music has utilized this instrument for much longer. This style of music actually uses several kinds of acoustic basses. One of the most common is the “baja sexto,” which resembles a twelve-string guitar that has simply been tuned an octave lower. This instrument has been used in Texas since the 1920s, when “Tex-Mex” music began to become popular. A variation on the baja sexton is the “bajo sexton,” which is tuned slightly differently.

Finally, it is impossible to discuss bass guitars without bringing up the “guitarron,” the largest of the Mexican acoustic basses. This instrument is very large and has a strikingly deep body. It has six strings, as opposed to the modern acoustic bass’s four, and is commonly used in the music of mariachi bands. Because of its great size, the guitarron produces a loud sound and does not require electric amplification, at least in smaller venues. This attribute, the number of its strings and the fact that the guitarron is fretless all make it noticeably different from the modern acoustic bass. Despite these variations, Mr. Ball is believed to have used the guitarron as inspiration for his invention.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/the-acoustic-bass-guitar-a-relative-newcomer-565450.html

About the Author

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for guitars, drums, keyboards, sheet music, guitar tab, and home theater audio. You can find the best marketplace at these sites for guitars, acoustic bass guitars, guitarrons, sheet music, guitar tabs, and home theater audio.

A Brief History of Ibanez Acoustic Guitars

Author: William McRea

Ibanez electric guitars have received quite a following, but a lot of people do not realize that their acoustic line is also well made and sounds great. The company started in 1900 under a different name by Hoshino Gaki in Japan. Though the company began at the turn of the 20th century, they did not start making guitars until 1935.

In general, the company was relatively unknown in the United States until the 60s. Hoshino Gakki partnered with Harry Rosenbloom, an American music shop owner in Pennsylvania. They decided that the name, the Hoshino Gaki Company, did not have what it took to signify success in the West. So, together, they came up with Ibanez, thus making the guitars more marketable based on the name alone.

Some of their early guitars included styles that were modeled after the popular guitars put out by large companies like Gibson and Fender. They were able to find people to use their instruments by offering nearly exact replicas of these brands for inexpensive prices. This helped them get their name out there, but it was not their permanent solution to success.

They no longer model their guitars after the success of others. They currently have their own line of both acoustic and electric guitars and the Ibanez brand is endorsed by some pretty accomplished players. Some of these players even have their own signature models. For example, Steve Vai is a very accomplished solo player and he has his own line through Ibanez which also includes an acoustic model.

Ibanez has a full line of acoustic guitars. These include the acoustic in the Steve Vai signature series, the AE, the Talman, the masa the GA, and the DT. For more information on the acoustic guitar line, visit the website at ibanez.com.

There are also a lot of musicians who love Ibanez guitars in general, and several actively endorse the brand. These include Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, and Andy Timmons, who are all accomplished solo players. Other guitarists include Terry Balsamo, Adam Blackstone, and Mike DeWolf. For more information on the artists visit the website.

Here is what some people have to say about their Ibanez Acoustic guitars:

About the Ibanez DT 10

Beautiful style and sound!. Great tone quality, nice finish. I started playing the guitar a little over a year ago. I was lucky to get a good deal on my Ibanez, since I did not even know where to begin. I walked into our local music store, stood at the counter, and said, I want to buy a guitar.

About the Ibanez AW100
This is a good guitar with a great sound. It holds up to the Ibanez reputation with a nice feel and an even better sound. It is a very sturdy guitar that can take a lot of abuse even for an acoustic. It has a nice bright sound and a smooth thin neck.

Another for the Ibanzes AW100

Great sound and solid top for this price is exceptional. Great starter guitar. I have played the guitar for about 12 years no so recently I have been in the market, or at least looking and drooling over, a higher end guitar. My recent research has lead me to be quite up to date on several different guitar makers and the individual.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/a-brief-history-of-ibanez-acoustic-guitars-55155.html

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

All about an Acoustic Bass Guitar

Author: Victor Epand

There are different types of guitars producing various sound variations, offering different features. One of the most demanding is the acoustic bass guitar. This is a bass instrument with a hollow wooden body similar to a bass guitar, though usually somewhat larger than a steel string acoustic guitar. A steel strung acoustic bass guitar is louder and sounds brighter than a classical guitar. These guitars are constructed and made using various materials. Those guitars, which are expensive, have a solid top, solid back and sides. Normally cedar and spruce are the materials, which are being used for making the solid wood tops. Back and sides are often made from mahogany, maple or rosewood.

Entry-level acoustic bass guitars are generally constructed entirely from laminated wood. But mid range acoustic bass guitars may sometimes have a combination of solid parts, often solid top and laminated woods. Acoustic bass guitars are most preferably used while playing a folk music or a country song, though many pop as well as rock singers use this guitar quite often in their concerts.

A brief history

The first modern acoustic bass guitar was developed in the early 1960s by Ernie Ball of San Luis Obispo, California. Ball aimed to provide bass guitarists with a more acoustic sounding instrument that would match better with the sound of acoustic guitars. In the late 1980s, MTV unplugged show helped to popularize hollow bodied acoustic bass guitars amplified with pickups.

Information about the construction

The acoustic bass guitar usually has a hollow wooden body similar to that of the steel string acoustic guitar. This is quite unlike the electric bass guitar, which is generally a solid body instrument. The majority of acoustic basses are fretted. Semi fretted versions also exist, although they are quite rare. Frets are raised metal strips inserted into the fingerboard that extend across the full width of the neck. On a fretted bass, the frets divide the fingerboard into semitone divisions. The acoustic bass guitar commonly has four strings, which are normally tuned E A D G, an octave below the lowest four strings of the 6 string guitar. Most acoustic basses have pickups, either magnetic or piezoelectric or both, so that they can be amplified with an instrument amplifier. This is because it becomes difficult to hear an acoustic bass guitar without an amplifier. Piezoelectric pickups are non magnetic pickups that produce a different tone.

Conclusion

Acoustic guitars, which are an indispensable part of folk music and country music as well, are available in different types. The prices of these guitars also vary because of the materials used to make the guitars. The Earthwood acoustic bass guitar was introduced in 1972. The Earthwood acoustic guitar was quite large and deep in contrast to most instruments and gave more volume, especially in the low register. After a few years of its birth it became almost extinct. Some of the very famous guitar manufacturers, who make world class acoustic guitars, are Alvarez, Breedlove, Cort, Crafter, Jerzey, Dean, Eston, Gibson, and some others.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/all-about-an-acoustic-bass-guitar-255853.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: guitars, acoustic bass guitars, drums, drum sets, drum kits, and synthesizers, keyboards.