Hey all, sorry I haven't updated in a few days, been a little busy, but thank you all who are regulars here. Your the reason why I do this. Ive learned so much from so many great people, its time to give it back! Now on with the lesson.
Sometimes as guitarists we find ourselves in a rut, or feeling that our music is not that original, its almost impossible not to. So one way of getting away from this is gaining ideas or even inspiration from other instruments. I cant tell you how many times I hear a guy like Kirk Hammett mention getting ideas from horns and such. So many of the greatest players came up with ideas from other instruments, a great example is Buckethead, and although the example I'm speaking of is a little different, find him playing the Halloween theme song on his guitar on youtube. He plays the rhythm part by barring the notes on the neck with his picking hand, and hammering on the melody notes with his fret hand. Its a real good example of taking the piano, which usually plays rhythm with the left hand and right hand playing lead, and applying it to guitar.
A good way of taking the lesson and putting it to use is, try to emulate the sounds of different instruments with your guitar. A great instrument that is easier to apply to this idea is the drums. As a guitarist you can emulate the bass drum with big chunky rhythm playing, or maybe the hi hat with palm muted rhythm ideas, scrapes and such. Its also a good idea as a guitarist to know the basics of drums as well, helps a lot with the rhythm aspect of playing.
I hope I gave you some basic ideas that you can expand on and take your playing to new places, Keep Rockin!!!!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Always Be Prepared
Being prepared is a major importance especially if your playing live shows. Some of this is just common knowledge, some of this is just routine for more experienced players, but I'm gonna touch base on it for those who might need to be enlightened.
There is nothing worse than playing a gig and having something fail on you ruining your whole performance. So, a few things to keep in mind: for one, as a guitarist, you always want to wrap your cord through your guitar strap, you don't want to accidentally step on your chord and have it pull out of your guitar, nothing more embarrassing! Another thing to keep in mind, if you play through a tube amp, always have extra tubes on hand. If you blow a tube and your not prepared your pretty much out of luck unless you have someone at the show that can lend you an amp. On the same lines, if you play with pedals and you use batteries, obviously you need to have backup in case your batteries die. Last but not least, guitar strings, you will always want a backup supply of these babies, reasons being obvious.
That covers pretty much everything to do with equipment, of course if you plug in, bring extra cords and such, bars don't always have these at hand. Being prepared goes a little further though, its also a mental thing. Do what you have to do to be mentally prepared as well as warmed up before a show so you can be at your best. Another suggestion, always have alternate songs in your set list, you never know when your singers voice might go out for that song that has all the high notes in it. Well I hope ya picked a thing or two up from this, and as always, Keep Rockin!
There is nothing worse than playing a gig and having something fail on you ruining your whole performance. So, a few things to keep in mind: for one, as a guitarist, you always want to wrap your cord through your guitar strap, you don't want to accidentally step on your chord and have it pull out of your guitar, nothing more embarrassing! Another thing to keep in mind, if you play through a tube amp, always have extra tubes on hand. If you blow a tube and your not prepared your pretty much out of luck unless you have someone at the show that can lend you an amp. On the same lines, if you play with pedals and you use batteries, obviously you need to have backup in case your batteries die. Last but not least, guitar strings, you will always want a backup supply of these babies, reasons being obvious.
That covers pretty much everything to do with equipment, of course if you plug in, bring extra cords and such, bars don't always have these at hand. Being prepared goes a little further though, its also a mental thing. Do what you have to do to be mentally prepared as well as warmed up before a show so you can be at your best. Another suggestion, always have alternate songs in your set list, you never know when your singers voice might go out for that song that has all the high notes in it. Well I hope ya picked a thing or two up from this, and as always, Keep Rockin!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Less is More
So many players want to learn a million scales and fly up and down the neck every time given a chance. Every time they are given for a solo.... typically 8-16 bars they have to fill it up with 250,000 notes as if their hands are on speed. Hey that's cool, and sometimes it fits, but remember the old saying "less is more"
Sometimes not saying something is just as important as saying a mouthful. This is something some players don't, and will never understand. For those of you who aspire to be great lead players, but maybe you don't have an arsenal of weapons to unload yet, take this lesson as advice. You can always express yourself with the things you already know if you don't limit yourself by getting into the mindset that you don't know enough yet to do so. Take what you know and run with it. A solo with a few notes full of feeling and passion can sound much better than someone ripping up your speakers if done right.
Just keep adding to your arsenal until you have all the tools you feel you need. Remember, theory is a great thing, its the tools we use to better self express ourselves through our playing and music.
I know up until now these lessons have been mostly conceptual, but I will have tabs and other things very soon to better accomidate those of you who regulate this site. Keep Rockin
Sometimes not saying something is just as important as saying a mouthful. This is something some players don't, and will never understand. For those of you who aspire to be great lead players, but maybe you don't have an arsenal of weapons to unload yet, take this lesson as advice. You can always express yourself with the things you already know if you don't limit yourself by getting into the mindset that you don't know enough yet to do so. Take what you know and run with it. A solo with a few notes full of feeling and passion can sound much better than someone ripping up your speakers if done right.
Just keep adding to your arsenal until you have all the tools you feel you need. Remember, theory is a great thing, its the tools we use to better self express ourselves through our playing and music.
I know up until now these lessons have been mostly conceptual, but I will have tabs and other things very soon to better accomidate those of you who regulate this site. Keep Rockin
Sunday, July 19, 2009
How to Properly String a Guitar
Putting new strings on a guitar can easily be done improperly, in fact most guitarists Ive seen over the years haven't had the slightest clue on properly stringing their instruments. I say this not to insult anyone, I didn't learn how to string a guitar the proper way for years.
There are a few different techniques to stringing a guitar, for example, there is a different technique for stringing a classic guitar than an electric. For this lesson I will be using a standard electric guitar for the example.
Now if your anything like me, you might be the type that breaks a string and replaces just that one. The type that replaces strings as they break. If you want to get the best sound out of your guitar, I suggest changing out your strings every month. First you want to remove all the strings, and put the new ones through all at once. Then, instead of starting at the top and going down one by one, your going to want to alternate from top to bottom. Start with the top string, then go to the bottom, then back up to the A, then back down to the B and so on. The reason for this, you don't want your neck to twist, putting too much pressure on one side of the neck can cause it to twist over time.
Now when you string it through the tuning keys, you want to leave some slack in the strings, don't just pull them tight then start turning the key, leave enough slack so that you get a nice wrap around the tuning keys, this will help your instrument stay in tune a lot better. Now once you have done all 6 strings, alternating them, get them all in tune, then give each string a little tug to stretch them. Tune them back up again and repeat the process a few times until your strings can hold their tuning. Now your ready to go, and hopefully with this your guitar will stay in tune a lot better and you wont break as many strings if you have in the past. Hope this lesson has enlightened some of you, and as always Keep Rockin!
There are a few different techniques to stringing a guitar, for example, there is a different technique for stringing a classic guitar than an electric. For this lesson I will be using a standard electric guitar for the example.
Now if your anything like me, you might be the type that breaks a string and replaces just that one. The type that replaces strings as they break. If you want to get the best sound out of your guitar, I suggest changing out your strings every month. First you want to remove all the strings, and put the new ones through all at once. Then, instead of starting at the top and going down one by one, your going to want to alternate from top to bottom. Start with the top string, then go to the bottom, then back up to the A, then back down to the B and so on. The reason for this, you don't want your neck to twist, putting too much pressure on one side of the neck can cause it to twist over time.
Now when you string it through the tuning keys, you want to leave some slack in the strings, don't just pull them tight then start turning the key, leave enough slack so that you get a nice wrap around the tuning keys, this will help your instrument stay in tune a lot better. Now once you have done all 6 strings, alternating them, get them all in tune, then give each string a little tug to stretch them. Tune them back up again and repeat the process a few times until your strings can hold their tuning. Now your ready to go, and hopefully with this your guitar will stay in tune a lot better and you wont break as many strings if you have in the past. Hope this lesson has enlightened some of you, and as always Keep Rockin!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Timing is Everything
I can't stress how important having good timing is. Doesn't matter if your a musician playing an instrument, or a vocalist, if your timing is off, you will stick out like a sore thumb. I played the guitar for YEARS before realizing how important good timing was, of course, when your playing in your room to CD's it doesn't matter if your off, there is nobody there listening, but when your playing in a live band, the other members depend on you to be on your game.
A few things you can do is, obviously, practice to a metronome. I know for most this isn't much fun, but those who are serious about becoming a great player, this will get you headed in the right path. Another thing to make a habit of is keeping time with your foot, once this becomes a natural habit you will be keeping time without even thinking about it. Something else that has tremendously helped me is simply playing percussion on things constantly, whether it be the steering wheel in the car, the desk at work etc etc, it will get you in the habit of keeping time and give you plenty of practice.
For those of you just starting out, new to an instrument, remember something, its always a great idea to form good habits in the beginning, that way it will be with you the remainder of your playing days. Those of you with more experience under your belt who might not have great habits, its NEVER too late, trust me, I didnt form good playing habits till after a decade of playing, and of course, it was a little harder to form these habits, but if you work at it, your determined and persistant, it will happen.
As always, I hope this opens up a few doors for ya and helps ya get on track to where you'd like your playing to be. Keep Rockin!!!
A few things you can do is, obviously, practice to a metronome. I know for most this isn't much fun, but those who are serious about becoming a great player, this will get you headed in the right path. Another thing to make a habit of is keeping time with your foot, once this becomes a natural habit you will be keeping time without even thinking about it. Something else that has tremendously helped me is simply playing percussion on things constantly, whether it be the steering wheel in the car, the desk at work etc etc, it will get you in the habit of keeping time and give you plenty of practice.
For those of you just starting out, new to an instrument, remember something, its always a great idea to form good habits in the beginning, that way it will be with you the remainder of your playing days. Those of you with more experience under your belt who might not have great habits, its NEVER too late, trust me, I didnt form good playing habits till after a decade of playing, and of course, it was a little harder to form these habits, but if you work at it, your determined and persistant, it will happen.
As always, I hope this opens up a few doors for ya and helps ya get on track to where you'd like your playing to be. Keep Rockin!!!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
A Few Guitarists to Check Out
Over the years I have found myself in a rut from time to time as most of you probably have. One of the best ways to break free from this is to expose yourself to new players. You can gain influence from new players or sometimes just get inspired to play again, either way it helps. I'm going to go ahead and drop some names you might want to check out, most of which are shredders, or instrumentalists, some you may have heard of, some you may not have, but if your interested in listening to well rounded players, you might want to check some of these guys out.
I'll start with Django Reinhardt, if you don't know the name, he is an old gypsy guitarist, he played Jazz in the 20s and 30s. He was one of the original shredders, which is almost unbelievable due to his accident. Those of you who don't know the man, he had an accident and a few of his fingers on his fretboard hand got mended together, he only played with 2 fingers, but you would never know from listening to him. Some of his best work was with the Quintet, but he has plenty to check out. ++ D j a n g o + S w i n g p a g e ++
Another name you might want to check out if your a fan of Vai and Satch type shredding is Dave Martone. This guy is on the scene, and has a record out that Satriani himself makes a guest guitar solo spot on, as well as an appearance by Billy Sheehan. You know if these 2 are willing to show up there has got to be something worth while when it comes to Dave's music.Dave Martone :: One of Canada’s Finest Guitarists :: Performer, Instructor, Recording Engineer, Teacher and Clinician
Richie Kotzen..... almost speechless. Those of you who know him probably know what I mean, those of you who don't I'm sure have heard of Poison, and Mr Big, both bands he played a replacement guitarist in, but as for hearing his finest, check out his newest effort. This man usually does it all, but he actually has a backing band this time. He is too good for words to describe, not only a phenomenal guitarist, but giften with vocal tubes that are next to none.
Richie Kotzen Official Site
Last but not least, Trey Spruance! For those not familiar with the name, he is the guitarist from the band Mr Bungle. Mr Bungle was a band that Mike Patton from Faith No More formed in the mid 80s. Their music style is so diverse, and so is Trey's playing. Everything from heavy metal to carnival music, pretty interesting, he is a very well rounded player. No offical website, but you can search them on the web for sites with information and music.
Hope you guys enjoy listening to some of these players, I will drop more interesting names sometime in the near future! Keep Rockin!
I'll start with Django Reinhardt, if you don't know the name, he is an old gypsy guitarist, he played Jazz in the 20s and 30s. He was one of the original shredders, which is almost unbelievable due to his accident. Those of you who don't know the man, he had an accident and a few of his fingers on his fretboard hand got mended together, he only played with 2 fingers, but you would never know from listening to him. Some of his best work was with the Quintet, but he has plenty to check out. ++ D j a n g o + S w i n g p a g e ++
Another name you might want to check out if your a fan of Vai and Satch type shredding is Dave Martone. This guy is on the scene, and has a record out that Satriani himself makes a guest guitar solo spot on, as well as an appearance by Billy Sheehan. You know if these 2 are willing to show up there has got to be something worth while when it comes to Dave's music.Dave Martone :: One of Canada’s Finest Guitarists :: Performer, Instructor, Recording Engineer, Teacher and Clinician
Richie Kotzen..... almost speechless. Those of you who know him probably know what I mean, those of you who don't I'm sure have heard of Poison, and Mr Big, both bands he played a replacement guitarist in, but as for hearing his finest, check out his newest effort. This man usually does it all, but he actually has a backing band this time. He is too good for words to describe, not only a phenomenal guitarist, but giften with vocal tubes that are next to none.
Richie Kotzen Official Site
Last but not least, Trey Spruance! For those not familiar with the name, he is the guitarist from the band Mr Bungle. Mr Bungle was a band that Mike Patton from Faith No More formed in the mid 80s. Their music style is so diverse, and so is Trey's playing. Everything from heavy metal to carnival music, pretty interesting, he is a very well rounded player. No offical website, but you can search them on the web for sites with information and music.
Hope you guys enjoy listening to some of these players, I will drop more interesting names sometime in the near future! Keep Rockin!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Gettin Better
Some musicians or guitarists are happy with the bare essentials. They learn their chords and maybe a scale and their content, but many of us strive to get better on our instrument as time goes on. It can be a roller coaster ride, once in awhile finding ourselves in a rut, or atleast feeling we are in one, mostly from playing the same things day in and day out. Remember though, just because YOU hear yourself everyday doesnt mean everyone else does. So just because you pull out the same lick you've played a billion times sounding stale to your ears doesnt mean it wont impress someone else or perk up their ears.
Some basic ways to improve your playing are not playing the same songs day in day out. You only get better playing or learning things you dont know rather than playing your favorite Metallica song every single day. Another great tip is: play with musicians who are more experienced than you and better than you are. I know for those of you less experienced players that can be intimidating at times, but believe me, overcoming that fear alone will bring your confidence levels up. Confidence is huge in becoming a better player, and once you cross that hurdle your half way there. If your a serious player, and other musicians sense this, they will respect you either way. Its pretty obvious, playing with those who have more experience than you is going to be a huge learning experience, and will ultimatelly help you in the long run, but dont forget to "give back" once your the experienced one!!! Keep Rockin!
Some basic ways to improve your playing are not playing the same songs day in day out. You only get better playing or learning things you dont know rather than playing your favorite Metallica song every single day. Another great tip is: play with musicians who are more experienced than you and better than you are. I know for those of you less experienced players that can be intimidating at times, but believe me, overcoming that fear alone will bring your confidence levels up. Confidence is huge in becoming a better player, and once you cross that hurdle your half way there. If your a serious player, and other musicians sense this, they will respect you either way. Its pretty obvious, playing with those who have more experience than you is going to be a huge learning experience, and will ultimatelly help you in the long run, but dont forget to "give back" once your the experienced one!!! Keep Rockin!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Sweaty Hand Problems
Sweaty Hands is a problem a majority of us guitarists encounter at some point or another. Its a problem that can make even some of the best players sound not so great at times, and if your looking for an absolute solution, there really is'nt one, but there are some things you can do to make playing easier, or at least cut down the amount of sweat that is interfering with your playing.
Now for those of you that are more than serious players, who want to totally eliminate this problem, I have heard and read about people getting surgery on their hands to eliminate this problem, its a condition some have called hyperhidrosis, excessive hand sweating. The surgery is called Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy, its a same day in and out procedure that will have you returning to your daily routine in a short time, but this is the extreme. Most of us arent going to go through this process just so we dont mess up that solo at the end of Bark At The Moon at our weekend bar gig, but for those who might have a career in the music field, its an option.
For the rest of us, and yes, Ive dealt with this problem since the start of my playing journey some 18 yrs ago, there are some other options to help with this problem. Some guitarists, and Ive tried this myself, have been known to use cornstarch or talcim powder. Now I wouldnt suggest this, as it can be very messy, but if you would like to give it a shot, use small amounts, and DONT let it get all over inside your equipment as it WILL damage it. Also note that you will need to wipe down your guitars after playing or you'll have powder collecting by your frets. Jeff Beck is one name that has been known to use this.
Another suggestion is, if you gig, buy one or two small oscillating fans, make it part of your equipment, put them in front of you at the show and this should help tremendiously. Remember, sweaty hands are caused by nerves alot of the time, so if your nervious onstage, be prepared. Of course, the more you gig, the less nerviousness you will experience helping solve this problem alittle at a time.
My last suggestion is this, and Ive done this myself, learn to deal with it. I know this isnt the answer your looking for, but think about it, if you wash your hands 20 times while practicing at home to have dryer hands, your not gonna be prepared at a gig where you cant do this. Maybe bring a wet and dry towel to the show, but otherwise, your stuck. If you learn to play with sweaty hands and overcome that obsticle as part of your playing, it will be a standard part of your playing and it wont really get in the way that much.
Sweaty hands are a problem that EVERY guitarist encounters at some point, outdoor gigs etc. But when your used to it, its just part of the show. I know this subject isnt easy to solve, and might never be solved, but I hope you gained something from this article that can atleast help you deal with it. Till next time, Keep Rockin
Now for those of you that are more than serious players, who want to totally eliminate this problem, I have heard and read about people getting surgery on their hands to eliminate this problem, its a condition some have called hyperhidrosis, excessive hand sweating. The surgery is called Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy, its a same day in and out procedure that will have you returning to your daily routine in a short time, but this is the extreme. Most of us arent going to go through this process just so we dont mess up that solo at the end of Bark At The Moon at our weekend bar gig, but for those who might have a career in the music field, its an option.
For the rest of us, and yes, Ive dealt with this problem since the start of my playing journey some 18 yrs ago, there are some other options to help with this problem. Some guitarists, and Ive tried this myself, have been known to use cornstarch or talcim powder. Now I wouldnt suggest this, as it can be very messy, but if you would like to give it a shot, use small amounts, and DONT let it get all over inside your equipment as it WILL damage it. Also note that you will need to wipe down your guitars after playing or you'll have powder collecting by your frets. Jeff Beck is one name that has been known to use this.
Another suggestion is, if you gig, buy one or two small oscillating fans, make it part of your equipment, put them in front of you at the show and this should help tremendiously. Remember, sweaty hands are caused by nerves alot of the time, so if your nervious onstage, be prepared. Of course, the more you gig, the less nerviousness you will experience helping solve this problem alittle at a time.
My last suggestion is this, and Ive done this myself, learn to deal with it. I know this isnt the answer your looking for, but think about it, if you wash your hands 20 times while practicing at home to have dryer hands, your not gonna be prepared at a gig where you cant do this. Maybe bring a wet and dry towel to the show, but otherwise, your stuck. If you learn to play with sweaty hands and overcome that obsticle as part of your playing, it will be a standard part of your playing and it wont really get in the way that much.
Sweaty hands are a problem that EVERY guitarist encounters at some point, outdoor gigs etc. But when your used to it, its just part of the show. I know this subject isnt easy to solve, and might never be solved, but I hope you gained something from this article that can atleast help you deal with it. Till next time, Keep Rockin
Friday, July 10, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Buying a New Amp
Buying a new amp is like buying a car, so many to choose from, so many different options and on and on. I always suggest doing your research before purchasing, get some reviews and make sure the product you are interested in is dependable and will suit your needs.
One thing I always like to point out is this: most, if not all of us have a favorite player or main influence, and of course, alot of players try to sound like their favorite players. Keep one thing in mind, even though these players influence us, their styles are usually different, because once we borrow from them we develope our own styles of playing. You might love the way Jimi Hendrix sounds through a Marshall, but then you plug into a marshall and just cant FEEL the tone, and being able to feel the sound is one of the most important parts of playing. Your always going to play your best if you have a good tone you are comfortable with.
When buying a new amp, I suggest going into the music store with your own guitar, if they dont have one readily available, because obviously if your a Les Paul kind of player, a thin Strat sound is going to sound different through the amp. Now remember, Your the one spending money on their product so dont be afraid to crank that baby up to see how it sounds. Amps sound alot different at higher volumes than when turned down, and if you play in a band, your gonna need to get a real feel for the amp. Even if your not that experienced and there are better players in the store, dont be shy or timid to go all out, its your investment.
Another suggestion, if your really in the market for a new amp, dont settle for something because thats all the money you have, save your money and hold out, you will never truly be
happy with "settling" and you might end up with a product that craps out on you instead of having the dependable piece of gear you really wanted. That concludes this article, Keep practicing, and keep rockin!
One thing I always like to point out is this: most, if not all of us have a favorite player or main influence, and of course, alot of players try to sound like their favorite players. Keep one thing in mind, even though these players influence us, their styles are usually different, because once we borrow from them we develope our own styles of playing. You might love the way Jimi Hendrix sounds through a Marshall, but then you plug into a marshall and just cant FEEL the tone, and being able to feel the sound is one of the most important parts of playing. Your always going to play your best if you have a good tone you are comfortable with.
When buying a new amp, I suggest going into the music store with your own guitar, if they dont have one readily available, because obviously if your a Les Paul kind of player, a thin Strat sound is going to sound different through the amp. Now remember, Your the one spending money on their product so dont be afraid to crank that baby up to see how it sounds. Amps sound alot different at higher volumes than when turned down, and if you play in a band, your gonna need to get a real feel for the amp. Even if your not that experienced and there are better players in the store, dont be shy or timid to go all out, its your investment.
Another suggestion, if your really in the market for a new amp, dont settle for something because thats all the money you have, save your money and hold out, you will never truly be
happy with "settling" and you might end up with a product that craps out on you instead of having the dependable piece of gear you really wanted. That concludes this article, Keep practicing, and keep rockin!
Monday, July 6, 2009
Grabbing the Audiences Attention
There is much more to soloing than just playing something that "fits" or "works" over the underlying chord changes. A guitar solo should stand out melodically and make a strong musical statement, something people will remember. Certain types of licks have a way of seizing people's attention. I'd like to share a few ideas that you can apply to your own solos to help make them more dramatic and memorable.
One way to turn heads is to just bend a high note and shake the hell out of it, look at Zakk Wylde for example, or Dimebag. You can use this just about anywhere and its great for building tension and cutting through the roar of the rhythm section. While this type of vibrato is most easily performed on the B string near the 12th fret, it is most effective when used with a high note on the E string. Use atleast 3 fingers to push and release the string, and dont be shy to go crazy with it. Make the vibrato wide and even and put alot of attitude into it. When executed well, this type of lick will create the impression that you're about to explode.
Repetition is another great attention getter, look at the solo in Freebird. Repeating a short lick over and over creates a real sense of drama, especially if its repeated over moving chord changes. These are just a couple of ways of grabbing your audiences attention. Experiment a bit, then see if you can come up with other ways to blow people away. the next time you perform in a crowded, noisy club, try using one of these techniques in one of your solos and study peoples reactions. Do whatever you have to do to make sure to get those people standing at the bar to turn around and check out your band.
That concludes this lesson, but I will be back with more on how to fill your trick bag full of licks, and make a personal identity for yourself as a player. Keep Rockin!!!!
One way to turn heads is to just bend a high note and shake the hell out of it, look at Zakk Wylde for example, or Dimebag. You can use this just about anywhere and its great for building tension and cutting through the roar of the rhythm section. While this type of vibrato is most easily performed on the B string near the 12th fret, it is most effective when used with a high note on the E string. Use atleast 3 fingers to push and release the string, and dont be shy to go crazy with it. Make the vibrato wide and even and put alot of attitude into it. When executed well, this type of lick will create the impression that you're about to explode.
Repetition is another great attention getter, look at the solo in Freebird. Repeating a short lick over and over creates a real sense of drama, especially if its repeated over moving chord changes. These are just a couple of ways of grabbing your audiences attention. Experiment a bit, then see if you can come up with other ways to blow people away. the next time you perform in a crowded, noisy club, try using one of these techniques in one of your solos and study peoples reactions. Do whatever you have to do to make sure to get those people standing at the bar to turn around and check out your band.
That concludes this lesson, but I will be back with more on how to fill your trick bag full of licks, and make a personal identity for yourself as a player. Keep Rockin!!!!
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Guitar Tuning Issues- Part 3
Another Tuning problem is an unsecure nut. On guitars with locking tremolos, make sure that the screws that hold the nut assembly to the neck of the guitar are tight. On a standard style nut, its imperative that the slot of the neck in which the nut sits is tightly bound to the nut itself. Usually, on steel string and electric guitars, nuts are glued in place with cyano acrolite, super glue in otherwords. Although this is a strong bonding agent, its not entirely permanent and can loosen or break free. If this happens, every time you bend a string or vibrato a note, you could be altering the position of the nut-and thus the tuning of your axe.
Another nut related problem is when the pitch of a string jumps sharp. This freak of tuning occurs when the nut slots are not cut properly. If the slot is too narrow, it will pinch the string and hold it in place. Eventually, when enough pressure or tug is exerted, the string will jump up a little in the saddle slot, increasing the tension of the string and raising its pitch. Optimally, you want the saddle slot of the nut to be slightly wider than the gauge of the string. This problem is pretty easily corrected using slotting files, but dont try this yourself if your inexperienced. A qualified repairman is always your best bet to fix an unsecured or improparly cut nut, and neither of these operations is particularly costly.
This concludes my tips on tuning issues. I know at some point you have all experienced them, and may still continue to experience them, so I hope this helps you out and you can start enjoying your guitar playing more without falling out of tune continuously. Keep Rockin!!!
Another nut related problem is when the pitch of a string jumps sharp. This freak of tuning occurs when the nut slots are not cut properly. If the slot is too narrow, it will pinch the string and hold it in place. Eventually, when enough pressure or tug is exerted, the string will jump up a little in the saddle slot, increasing the tension of the string and raising its pitch. Optimally, you want the saddle slot of the nut to be slightly wider than the gauge of the string. This problem is pretty easily corrected using slotting files, but dont try this yourself if your inexperienced. A qualified repairman is always your best bet to fix an unsecured or improparly cut nut, and neither of these operations is particularly costly.
This concludes my tips on tuning issues. I know at some point you have all experienced them, and may still continue to experience them, so I hope this helps you out and you can start enjoying your guitar playing more without falling out of tune continuously. Keep Rockin!!!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Guitar Tuning Issues- Part 2
Now Im going to cover another topic when it comes to out of tune guitars: tuning machines. Not all tuning machines are created equal. A good set of tuners should respond to the subtlest of adjustments. If you find that you can tweak on a tuner for awhile without hearing a change in pitch, thats not good. Sperzel and Gotoh are two examples of manufacturers that offer high gear ratios. The gears in these tuners mesh really well together and hold tuning reliably without backlash.
In addition, you dont want more than three to four neatly wrapped winds around the post of a tuner. Messy winds in excess of three or four can introduce slop and stretching problems. Regardless of what kind of tuners you have, you can always tighten the screw on the tuner buttons to reduce backlash.
I will post the 3rd and final part of this topic soon, till then Keep Rockin!
In addition, you dont want more than three to four neatly wrapped winds around the post of a tuner. Messy winds in excess of three or four can introduce slop and stretching problems. Regardless of what kind of tuners you have, you can always tighten the screw on the tuner buttons to reduce backlash.
I will post the 3rd and final part of this topic soon, till then Keep Rockin!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Guitar Tuning Issues
The One thing worse than an out of tune guitar is a guitar that wont stay in tune. Out of tune guitars aren't just a small problem, they're an epidemic. Im sure over the years everyone reading this has experienced these types of problems, so over the next few days I will be addressing these issues.
There are several reasons why a guitar wont stay in tune. First of all, and this may seem obvious, the strings may not be stratched properly. String stretching should be the first item on your check list when trying to identify the source of your tuning issues.
Once you've restrung with a fresh set of strings, tune the guitar to proper pitch with a guitar tuner. Then stretch the strings one at a time by fretting with your finger around the third fret while reaching under the string with your picking hand and tugging up off the fretboard about an inch to an inch and a half. The distance between your hands should be about three or four frets apart, and work your way up the neck to about the 15th to 21st fret while maintaining that three to four fret increment between your hands. After one pass up the fretboard, retune, and note how much the new string fell flat during the operation. If you repeat this process about three times, you'll find that the string will fall flat less and less until your able to complete a pass with very little detuning as a result of your stretching. At this point, the string is properly stretched and you should repeat the process with the other strings.
When you've finished with all the strings, tune the whole guitar as you normally would, and check it by playing chords and bending some notes to make sure there's no slippage occuring. If there is, its reasonably safe to say that it aint the strings.
I'll be back soon to continue on this issue, and go over tuners. Keep Rockin
There are several reasons why a guitar wont stay in tune. First of all, and this may seem obvious, the strings may not be stratched properly. String stretching should be the first item on your check list when trying to identify the source of your tuning issues.
Once you've restrung with a fresh set of strings, tune the guitar to proper pitch with a guitar tuner. Then stretch the strings one at a time by fretting with your finger around the third fret while reaching under the string with your picking hand and tugging up off the fretboard about an inch to an inch and a half. The distance between your hands should be about three or four frets apart, and work your way up the neck to about the 15th to 21st fret while maintaining that three to four fret increment between your hands. After one pass up the fretboard, retune, and note how much the new string fell flat during the operation. If you repeat this process about three times, you'll find that the string will fall flat less and less until your able to complete a pass with very little detuning as a result of your stretching. At this point, the string is properly stretched and you should repeat the process with the other strings.
When you've finished with all the strings, tune the whole guitar as you normally would, and check it by playing chords and bending some notes to make sure there's no slippage occuring. If there is, its reasonably safe to say that it aint the strings.
I'll be back soon to continue on this issue, and go over tuners. Keep Rockin
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