A fretted plucked stringed instrument, usually having 6 strings.
2
votes
2answers
273 views
Valve and solid state guitar amp power comparisons?
is there a chart or general rule of thumb of how the different power levels for a valve amp compare to an equivalent volume solid state amp?
for example,
5 watt valve amp similar volume to 20 watt ...
8
votes
9answers
13k views
How not to touch neighbouring strings?
When playing guitar, my fingers often touch other strings on the guitar. I found that my fingertips are too broad for the strings. When I press one string by my middle finger, the meat of the ...
1
vote
1answer
70 views
Bass guitar solfeggietto adapted from guitar tab
I want to adapt the Solfeggietto by C.P.E. Bach, to play on my bass, like seen here.
First of all, I'm not a musician but a software developer. I've been playing bass for fun since I was a teenager ...
0
votes
1answer
58 views
What gauge strings should I use for A# tuning on an electric guitar [duplicate]
I play heavy metal songs from bands such as Parkway Drive, Bring me the Horizon, Northlane etc. which play in A# guitar tuning.
What gauge strings are appropriate for that?
7
votes
4answers
161 views
Recommended arm and hand position for neck side
I was wondering if there are some really clear sites, videos or texts explaining the best practices regarding the way to hold your guitar, both to be efficient and to avoid straining your fingers/arm.
...
9
votes
1answer
343 views
What kind of guitar exercise is “the caterpillar”?
What does it consist in and how do you practice it?
48
votes
7answers
2k views
Why is the guitar tuned like it is?
Why is there that funny tuning kink between the G and B string on a guitar in standard tuning? I.e., the (musical) gap between the rest of the adjoining strings is 5 frets (or a perfect fourth), but ...
8
votes
1answer
218 views
How do you play this tablature notation?
How do I play this on my guitar?
A side question, is there a reference site for checking music and tablature notation?
3
votes
1answer
57 views
How long can I store shrink-wrapped strings?
While cleaning up, I recently found a box (still had 6 packs in it) of shrink-wrapped strings for my electric guitar: D'Addario EXL120 Nickel Wound 9-42. I guess they have been sitting around in my ...
3
votes
2answers
112 views
How do Tape-Wound strings compare to metal Flatwounds?
I recently discovered that the nylon-coated Tape Flatwound strings, which have long been available for Bass, are available now in guitar sets (with plain b and e). How do these compare in tone, scrape ...
-2
votes
1answer
71 views
What is this song? [closed]
I've been hearing this song everywhere, but cannot identify it. It's the first few seconds of this video:
...
22
votes
15answers
4k views
What do you do when a string breaks or you drop your pick on stage?
One of my nightmares when I'm on stage is breaking a string or losing my pick. The former has happened to me before once, and also once right before I had to go on stage.
Are there any tips my ...
9
votes
8answers
5k views
Why does my thumb hurt when I play bar chords?
Certain chords cause my thumb to be sore. How can I play in a way to prevent this?
7
votes
4answers
259 views
How to decide whether my guitar is really bad
My teacher keeps telling me that my guitar is really bad.
I am a pretty novice guitarist (started 3 months ago), and haven't played on any instrument other than mine, so it's impossible to decide ...
20
votes
14answers
5k views
How can I best learn to play barre chords?
I've been trying to learn the F chord for a while now, and I am having a very hard time playing the barre chord. I've read that pulling back slightly with your finger and using the body of the guitar ...
5
votes
4answers
122 views
Should I play licks/solos with a metronome
Praticing scales using a metronome is pretty straightforward, but most solos that I tried so far use an uneven tempo. I mean, the solo is a mixture of quarter notes, 8th notes and 16th notes, as such, ...
0
votes
3answers
76 views
Lead Guitar : How to get faster
In my journey of learning lead guitar, till now I have learnt the minor pentatonic scale. My usual practice routine includes playing the scale with a metronome and trying to get faster at it. After ...
1
vote
3answers
116 views
Lead Guitar : How much chords should I learn?
I've learnt some basic chords : A,D,E,C,G,Am,Em as well as most popular rhythm patterns (which have 4 beats in a bar) and have been using them in covering some easy acoustic songs.
My basic aim is ...
0
votes
1answer
58 views
which software has sorting capabilities to help mastering the fretboard?
I am looking for software that sorts music elements such a note, an interval, a chord or an arpeggio randomly in a defined period of time, until I stop of the sequence. The idea is to become fluent ...
10
votes
9answers
4k views
Why is dropped D tuning used so often?
Many metal/rock songs use dropped D tuning. What reasons are there for it?
0
votes
3answers
105 views
Finding a balance point learning to pick a guitar at a right angle?
I've been playing guitar for ten years or so and have the rather bad habit of striking across the strings diagonally. This is partly due to how I hold the guitar, and partly because I play a lot of ...
6
votes
5answers
9k views
How to start learning FingerStyle guitar?
How do I start learning fingerstyle guitar? I am lookin for a good book with CD, or any video series that will help me to get started. Basically, I want have some direction about how to play like ...
13
votes
9answers
6k views
How can I toughen up my fingertips?
Recently I played my acoustic guitar after a couple months of only playing my classical guitar. My fingers have softened considerably compared to when I was playing the acoustic regularly, and it was ...
6
votes
11answers
225 views
How do you tune your guitar?
I'd like to hear about the different techniques of tuning a guitar with standard tuning, and why you use them.
3
votes
3answers
129 views
Does bending the neck have any long term adverse effects?
With electric guitars, it's a common technique to bend the neck of the guitar with your hands to produce a subtle pitch change. It is often used with guitars without a whammy bar. Are there any ...
8
votes
3answers
386 views
What are all those extra controls on the Fender Jazzmaster?
The wikipedia article says a lot, but doesn't dissect the artifact.
3
votes
1answer
78 views
Tuning new strings on an acoustic guitar
Okay, so a while back I broke one of my guitar strings, so I bought a new set. The problem is with my new strings my guitar sounds awful. Like it doesn't sound new awful it sounds like its completely ...
2
votes
2answers
102 views
Guitar Phrasing instruction
Are there any good resources on the web for learning guitar phrasing , especially as it pertains to blues guitar. i have been listening to the blues for a really long time, but have just recently ...
3
votes
3answers
1k views
Can I connect my semi-acoustic guitar to my computer and get output from its speakers?
I know the proper thing to do is to buy an amplifier for this purpose. But can I connect to my computer and get the output from the speakers? Works fine with recording, but not direct output. Is there ...
3
votes
1answer
55 views
“Dull” sound when recording dry audio from an Ibanez S series, not caused by old strings?
I'm using my trusty Ibanez S5470 (wonderful guitar, if a little weak in sustain due to its scant weight) to record some dry audio inputs to use for re-amping later, directly into my Focusrite Saffire ...
-2
votes
1answer
91 views
2 guitar progression [closed]
These are progression from a song that I was playing with a friend but we don't understand it at all. Can somebody please explain conceptually why they sound good when played together i.e first ...
8
votes
3answers
218 views
Why do classical guitarists recommend putting the left thumb between the index and middle finger?
In most of the literature that I have seen, the recommendation is for the left thumb to be roughly in line with the index finger, running parallel to the frets. I find that, especially toward the ...
10
votes
7answers
647 views
How do I properly stretch my newly strung strings?
I came across this string stretcher device. It claims to properly and evenly stretch new strings and maintain tuning.
I never really made a point to properly stretch newly strung strings. Can anyone ...
0
votes
0answers
74 views
I'm boring myself when playing guitar? [closed]
Somehow I just feel like I'm limited when playing guitar. I'm into a bit of metal (core, djent n stuff), rock, blues, pop.. But most of what I play lately gets boring and when I try to be creative I ...
6
votes
4answers
624 views
What types of guitars are used for spanish music?
I am fascinated by Spanish guitar music, and I have started exploring it. I have heard classical music like Gypsy Kings, Taranta, Romance, etc.
Does anyone here know what types of guitars are used in ...
-1
votes
2answers
96 views
Looking for advice on my self-taught music education
Until a year ago, I had absolutely no music education, and I decided to change that around this period, well more exactly I picked up on (acoustic) guitar as a hobby and from there gained interest in ...
7
votes
3answers
128 views
When doing strict alternate picking, is it OK to play a downstroke twice in order to start a new phrase on a downstroke?
There are a lot of advocates of absolutely strict alternate picking, like Chris Thile. I've been practicing that for a couple of weeks now, and I'm at the point where I can play just about anything ...
3
votes
6answers
1k views
Incessant Buzzing on Third String (Classical Guitar)
I've had an ongoing issue with my classical guitar. The third string (nylon) always buzzes on first, second, and third fret. While we're at it, the sixth string (wound metal over nylon core) buzzes on ...
11
votes
3answers
286 views
How can I move beyond learning songs?
I can competently learn and play chord progressions and simple runs on the guitar but I do not feel like I understand the instrument. My playing progresses by memorizing songs.
However, I know that ...
6
votes
2answers
119 views
How do I know what size guitar strings I need?
I'm about to buy strings and begin playing my acoustic guitar, but I don't know if there are different sizes of strings.
2
votes
2answers
128 views
Is there any alternative to using capo?
I don't have/want to use capo for my guitar.
Can a specific tuning be applied as an alternative to capo?
-2
votes
4answers
195 views
What's the most useful alternate tuning and why? [closed]
Whenever a guitarist wants to learn an alternate tuning, the practical details are easily addressed (string-guage, using a tuner). But the strategic aspect cannot be gained without many Saturday ...
2
votes
2answers
69 views
How to find the best solution on the fretboard for the sequence of notes in a music?
The fretboard allows several possibilities, but how to choose them in order for the music to flow better and with good sound quality? In the pratical and correct way, of course. I see for example a ...
6
votes
3answers
230 views
What is the best way to work on my fret hand finger independence?
As a beginner, I find my fingers going everywhere but the places I want them! This is especially true when I'm attempting scales/licks that use my 4th finger a lot or requires quick interchanging ...
12
votes
7answers
537 views
Are there any benefits of using a Capo?
What is the benefit of using a Capo versus just playing in a different key without one?
2
votes
4answers
155 views
Guitar practice - general techniques
I was delighted to come across this site. I'm a self-taught guitarist (largely electric guitar) and am continually looking to improve my playing and practice techniques. The change of running my ...
2
votes
3answers
801 views
What harmonic devices are common for jazz-rock fusion guitar?
If I want to compose a fusion piece (or improvise over one), what harmonic tools I can use to sound right in this genre? Every genre has a specific chords, progressions, scales, techniques etc. which ...
3
votes
3answers
157 views
Which electric guitar strings have the least (pitch) bend
When playing my electric guitar, the pitch of notes varies depending upon how exactly the strings are fretted; this is particularly a problem with strings that are barred by the first finger, since ...
6
votes
3answers
4k views
Should a Floyd Rose bridge be parallel to the body of the guitar?
I've read before that a Floyd Rose bridge should be parallel to the body of the guitar.
This is an image of the bridge on my guitar:
You can see that the left side of the appears to be a little ...
8
votes
3answers
184 views
What guitar tunings allow many chords without fretting between “live” strings
When playing the guitar, I find it difficult to fret a string without touching the string on either side and ruining the sound. Open tunings make it very easy to play one type of chord by barring ...
