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Posts Tagged ‘guitar chords’

Hotel California Words and Guitar Chords

Author: Ricky Sharples

After many years Hotel California is still a classic. The words and chords are sought after items by guitar players young and old. Below are the words to Hotel California with the chord names inserted into the lines in brackets to avoid the complications we often get trying to publish lyrics and words together in articles. So the name of the chord actually appears just before the word where the chord change occurs. If you are familiar with how the song sounds, it will not be a problem. Read the rest of this entry »

5 Tips For Choosing The Right Electric Guitar

Author: Al Wielder

Purchasing an electric guitar is very exciting and fun. The process can be made more efficient by following several basic guidelines and using several tips provided below.

Are you new to guitars and ready to make your first electric guitar purchase? Are you a seasoned player who owns several guitars and you find yourself adding to your guitar collection? No matter which category you find yourself in, getting the most from your instrument purchase is very important. It is also important to understand the types of electric guitars available.

The choices include:

1. Solid Body Electric Guitars
2. Hollow Body Electric Guitars
3. Semi Hollow Body Electric Guitars
4. Acoustic/Electric Guitars
5. Pedal Steel Guitars
6. Hawaiian Style Lap Guitars

Guitars, and particularly electric guitars are not created equal. There are many brands of electric guitars to choose from. Making the right choice when purchasing a guitar will depend on some basic factors, including:

1. Your particular situation

2. The specific application when using the guitar.

For example, if you are a beginner, there is little reason to consider investing several thousands of dollars into a pro level guitar such as a custom Les Paul or a Paul Reed Smith. Another example regarding a specific application would be if you are a traveling musician. Traveling guitarists may want to consider a slightly less expensive guitar to take on the road while saving their finest instrument for a studio environment. Regardless of your situation or the application, the bottom line is there are several factors to consider. Understanding your position as a potential guitar buyer will help you make the right decision and ensure that you make an informed purchase.

Here are 5 tips to help you in choosing the right electric guitar.

Tip 1. Evaluate your level of committment to the instrument and the art of music.

Before you choose your electric guitar be sure you understand the level of committment that you are prepared to invest into the instrument. Electric guitars can be expensive and understanding the level of dedication you plan to invest in the instrument should play a vital role in choosing your guitar.

Tip 2. Identify your particular application for the instrument.

If you are a beginner and just learning to play the instrument, your application will be quite different from an intermediate or advanced guitarist who is adding to their collection. Determine your particular situation and application for the guitar you will purchase. Consider whether or not you will be keeping the instrument at home or frequently traveling with it. For example, if you plan to keep the instrument at home for recreational use, you may want to consider including a less expensive case for the guitar. Road cases can be costly and will not be neccesary if you do not travel with the guitar.

Tip 3. Identify your budget and include patience regarding your guitar purchase.

Many aspiring guitarists have wandered into the local music store only to be overwhelmed by the vast choices and different price ranges of guitars. As with any purchase, pre-planning and understanding your budget is critical. Prices for electric guitars range from a few hunderd dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. If you are serious about playing the guitar, selecting your instrument will be one of the most important decisions you make. Be sure to take ample time during this stage of the process. Patience is more than a virtue when selecting your guitar.

Tip 4. Consult a professional to get tips on guitar quality and performance.

It is a good idea to take the time to visit several musical instrument dealers in your area. Retail
guitar shops will be more than happy to help you understand what to look for when buying an electric guitar. Get several opinions if you are new to guitars. Most guitar outlets will have seasoned players on staff who will be happy to impart their experience and wisdom. Ask questions. Find out what you need to consider when selecting an electric guitar. Getting several opinions in this area will shed light on the overall picture and will be very beneficial information when it comes time to buy.

Tip 5. Include additional items and training resources to help you get started playing the guitar.

Once you have made the right guitar purchase, be sure to have additional items on hand that will be vital to the process of learning. You will need an extra set of guitar strings, some extra picks, a tuner and a stand for your guitar. It is also very important to purchase some beginner books that include chord charts, guitar tab and chord progression exercises.

Learning to play the electric guitar is fun and exciting. There are few things in life that will provide the relaxation and feeling of accomplishment you can experience by becoming proficient with guitar chords, guitar tabs and guitar chord progressions. Applying the knowledge you gain from the right learning resources to your favorite style of music is very rewarding. Carefully select your electric guitar. Be sure to practice to develop skill, musical knowledge and basic music theory concepts. Apply what you learn on a daily basis and you will be amazed at the progress you will make with your new electric guitar.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/5-tips-for-choosing-the-right-electric-guitar-18604.html

About the Author
Al Wielder is a host and instructor at Riff TV. Contact Al Wielder at Riff TV.com, your source for guitar tab, guitar lessons and free video guitar training.

Basic Guitar Chords: How to Easily Master the Guitar Chords You
Must Know

Author: Peter Bussey

One of the first challenges faced by the advancing guitar player
is learning a core group of basic guitar chords. Why is it so
important to learn these basic chords? Chords form the
backbone of most rock and pop songs, and provide the harmonic
accompaniment to the melody and instrumental solos.

Rhythm guitar based on basic chords provides many of the most
memorable rock riffs… think AC/DC’s “Back in Black” or The
Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again”. What’s really amazing is that by
learning no more than 10 to 15 basic guitar chords, you will be
equipped to play thousands of rock and pop songs!

What is a Guitar Chord?

First let’s establish the definition of a chord. A chord is
three or more different musical notes played together. In the
case of the guitar, this means that at least three strings are
strummed or plucked simultaneously to sound three or more notes.
Since the guitar has six strings, the maximum numbers of notes
in a guitar chord is six. All chords can be placed in one of
three groups based on the musical structure of the chord: Major,
Minor, or Seventh. Each of these chord groups has its own
“sound” or “feel”. Major chords sound stable and complete. Minor
chords can evoke a more somber or pensive mood, and Seventh
chords are jazzy and somewhat incomplete sounding.

There is no standard list of “basic guitar chords” that every
one agrees to. However, there is general agreement that there is
a list of somewhere between 8 and 18 basic guitar chords (open
string) that every guitarist must know cold. These chords are
used in all musical styles from rock and pop to country, jazz,
and classical. No matter where you are on your guitar-playing
path, you should take the time to learn and master the basic
chords. Getting these right will ensure you have the basic tools
and skills to learn many songs and increase your playing
enjoyment.

The List of Basic Guitar Chords

So what are the basic guitar chords? Our basic stable includes
the major and minor chords from four common musical keys, A,G,C,
and D. They are played as “open chords”, that is at least one
string in the chord is not fretted (pressed down with a finger).
Open chords are easier to learn and play than more advanced
chords such as Barre chords, or complex chords further up the
guitar neck. Our list of basic major and minor chords is:

A Major (or A), A Minor (or Am), C, D, Dm, E, Em, F, G

These chords can be best learned as chord “families” (by key)
that can be combined into great-sounding chord sequences that
make up lots of popular songs. Using this chord family approach
is much more interesting and useful than just memorizing a bunch
of chords in random order!

These chords grouped by chord family (key) are as follows:

A Family (Key of A): A, D, E
D Family (Key of D): D, Em, G,
A
G Family (Key of G): G, Am, C, D, Em
C Family (Key
of C): C, Dm, Em, F, G

Tips for Learning the Basic Chords:

1. Pick a Chord Family and master it. This will give you
quick success and let you play great sounding progressions right
away.

2. Use a Guitar Chord Chart as a reference tool. A
chord chart shows each chord as an easy to read “chord diagram”
with exact finger positions. 

3. Find the chords and lyrics for an easy song that is
based on the chord family so you can apply your skills. Many
great songs are based on only three chords!

4. Ensure each string sounds right. Take care to make
sure that each string is sounding clearly, and that only the
strings that should be played are played.

5. Practice, practice, practice! Every day, practice
continually change from one chord to another until you can do it
rapidly. Learn the chord families one at a time.

6. Master all the basic chords first. Only then move on
to Barre chords and other more complex chords. First things
first!

7. Expand with 7th chords. As a next step you can easily
expand on your basic chord knowledge by adding 7th and minor 7th
chords based on the nine basic major and minor chords.

8. Have fun using your new skills! Enjoy your musical
ability by applying it to learning a small set of 5-10 songs you
know really well and can confidently play at any time.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/basic-guitar-chords-how-to-easily-master-the-guitar-chords-you-must-know-3556.html

About the Author

Peter Bussey has been an avid guitar player for over 10 years. In 2004 he became Editor of The Guitar Players Toolbox, a website dedicated to helping advancing guitar players improve with practical tools, tips, and information. Visit http://www.guitar-players-toolbox.com for a variety of free, practical resources such as guitar chords, guitar chord charts, song chords, and much more.