A fretted plucked stringed instrument, usually having 6 strings.
6
votes
2answers
110 views
Improving my descending tapping technique
I find that it's very easy for me to get a clean phrase when tapping in an ascending pattern like the following:
$1 7h9h12
Reversing that pattern, however, becomes hard for me:
$1 12p9p7
I ...
6
votes
3answers
289 views
Learning guitar via staff
I am learning guitar from my tutor and he is teaching me to read notes on a staff. However when I search for guitar music on internet it comes like:
A C♯m E Bm F♯m etc.
How do I convert these to a ...
6
votes
1answer
222 views
Numerous questions about advanced guitar tablature notation
8 slide 0...why is 0 in parentheses?
7 slide 9...what does curve under mean?
5 7 5..7 5 0..are they hammers or pull offs..how you distinguish those
how to play this?
what does this long line ...
6
votes
2answers
967 views
Are there any headphones specially designed for guitar?
I recently started playing guitar through my computer using guitar rig at home, and I must say I find it a bit difficult to not get distracted by the sound, as I usually play through some pretty nice ...
6
votes
1answer
1k views
What are the most popular types or styles of pickups, and what is the genre of music most associated with them?
I see humbuckers, single coil, active pickups, etc. I see P90's, PAFS, etc. Which are basically for jazz, blues, metal?
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.
6
votes
2answers
244 views
What is tremolo picking?
Are you just picking the same note a bunch of times or are you picking a lot in general and kind of hammering on to hit the notes? What does it have to do with an actual tremolo (whammy bar)?
6
votes
1answer
85 views
Strings stick to pickup poles when the tremolo is depressed.
Sometimes, when I depress the tremolo quite far, the strings magnetically stick to the pickup poles...
Is this normal? Is there a way I can prevent it, aside from not depressing the tremolo so far?
...
6
votes
4answers
622 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 ...
6
votes
2answers
124 views
Guitar getting out of tune quickly
I have a Procraft guitar (made in China) that gets out of tune very quickly - especially after 2-3 minutes of strumming. Specifically, the 4th and 5th strings get out of tune more than the other ...
6
votes
4answers
241 views
Electric fretless bass guitar intonation
Is there a specific way to check the intonation on a fretless bass, i.e. adjusting the string lengths at the bridge, or does it simply not matter, as we're keeping in tune by ear anyhow?
6
votes
2answers
646 views
Insane amounts of fret buzzing on my lower strings
This may have been addressed before, but I can't really find a thread that targets this problem.
Whenever I play on my low B, E, or A string between open and fifth fret inclusive, it always buzzes ...
6
votes
5answers
2k views
Can Playing Cause Back Pain In Right Shoulder Blade?
At first I thought this injury was related to golf, because it's painful to swing a golf club as well. But I'm beginning to think that playing sitting down for long stretches (4-6 hours) is pulling a ...
6
votes
3answers
23 views
Tips for a New Teacher
I'm an intermediate guitar player. I've been playing for a few years, mostly teaching myself with a few months of lessons in the middle. I'm not a great player, or even particularly good; but I can ...
6
votes
3answers
1k views
What is a ghost note ?
What is a ghost note and how is it different than holding the previous note ?
6
votes
1answer
219 views
Can I easily defret a normal guitar to play it as a fretless guitar, or do I need to alter it further?
After enjoying this wonderful video of a Vigier fretless guitar with a metal neck I have decided to defret one of my cheaper Les Paul copies to see what it feels like, but I have a couple of queries, ...
6
votes
5answers
3k views
How to bend and release without flicking the other strings?
I'm trying to bend up then back down on the G string (so it plays both notes, I'm not muting the bend back down to G) but I always catch my fingernail on the D string. So when I let the bend back ...
6
votes
5answers
1k views
Logical way to learn movable scales on guitar?
After learning the CAGED 'open string' scales, what scales to do next? In what order or what way? When I learn a new scale, it seems to have the effect of displacing my ability to play other scales ...
6
votes
5answers
121 views
Getting consistent tone from bar chords
Perhaps it's just that I have small hands (e.g. index finger is barely longer than the 12th fret), but I seem to have issues with barring; no matter what I do it seems there is a string that's right ...
6
votes
3answers
1k views
Mark Knopfler picking finger patterns — Sultans of Swing intro
I know Mark Knopfler plays fingerstyle, but What combination of finger/thumb picking patterns does he use when playing lead?
Here is an example from the Sultans of Swing intro (from here):
...
6
votes
1answer
180 views
Is there a standard efficient method of cleaning / maintaining a guitar?
In terms of 'spring-cleaning' and maintaining guitars, and asking with regards to those of the acoustic variety, just to specify, however not to eliminate any differences should anyone care to ...
6
votes
3answers
1k views
Should guitar be de-tuned when not in use…?
I bought a GB&A guitar almost an year ago. I play guitar mostly on the weekends. Recently I noted that my guitar bridge has got lifted off the body a bit. So I took it to the Guitar Shop. The ...
6
votes
4answers
100 views
Looking for a specific device to secure a pick to your hand
Some years ago, I was chatting with the gutarist in a cafe in Cape May, New Jersey, and I asked him how he switched between flatpicking and fingerstyle playing so smoothly. He had a little gadget that ...
6
votes
2answers
717 views
Kahler tremolo bridge problems - how to test and fix?
My Peavey Falcon -- a Strat clone -- has tuning problems. The instrument has a Kahler tremolo that I suspect is contributing to my tuning problems. (The roller nut and tuning machines are other ...
6
votes
1answer
378 views
How to improve/train pinky dexterity for guitar playing (after long absence)
I played guitar from 12 to 23, but haven't really played for the last 5 years and would like to start again.
However, when I used to play I rarely used the pinky finger because I have big hands (not ...
5
votes
4answers
401 views
What are the various methods of tuning the guitar?
This is not a question as much as it is a discussion. I am curious to know what are the different techniques to tune the guitar (using standard tuning) given you know that one string is in tune. I ...
5
votes
2answers
298 views
Is there a name for the screeching sound made when changing chords on a guitar?
When listing to the song "The Only Exception" by Paramore (see YouTube), there's a screeching sound when changing chords, which I find quite unpleasant.
Question: Is there a name for the ...
5
votes
6answers
240 views
What's the right way to hold a pick?
It there any difference between holding a pick in a fist like this
and with your fingers sticking out like this:
I've found that most online guitar lessons teach it the first way, but I've ...
5
votes
5answers
407 views
How do I get pinch harmonics during solos?
Could someone tell me how to get the pinch harmonics sound during solos? Specifically on the "Wanted Dead or Alive" solo by Bon Jovi?
Is it an amp setting? Is it something I do with my left or right ...
5
votes
3answers
767 views
What are alternative “voicings” for Major/Minor/Dominant Chords if I can't play “Barre Chords”?
I would like some alternative Chord Voicings if I don't want to play the standard barre chords for major/minor/dominant voicings: Thanks!!
5
votes
5answers
341 views
Is it possible to mute some of my strings?
I'm working on a part of a song where I need to strum the top two strings (B & E) together and very fast. I'm wondering if there is some sort of a damping capo that I can put over the other four ...
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, ...
5
votes
5answers
3k views
Is there a preferred string gauge for different styles of music?
Generally speaking is there a preferred string gauge for different styles of music?
E.g. Will the fingerpicking folk player choose one gauge and the rock lead guitarist another gauge, how about the ...
5
votes
3answers
244 views
What is the name for the guitar that doesn't have strings?
I had seen an electric guitar somewhere (can't remember) that resemble one used in guitar hero, but it's a real guitar for playing. It has buttons filling up the frets on each note to replace strings. ...
5
votes
3answers
921 views
Which strings should I use for DADGAD tuning on my acoustic guitar?
I have recently switched to DADGAD tuning, before that I was using light tension strings ( 12 16 24 32 42 53 ).
But because of DADGAD, to compensate for the lack of tension on the neck, I wanted to ...
5
votes
4answers
3k views
Why does my Stratocaster guitar sound worse with new strings?
My 4-month-old strings sounded much better than the new set that I just put on. I am using the same brand of strings that I used before. My guitar sounds like crap now. What's wrong? Should I stretch ...
5
votes
4answers
549 views
Do acoustic or classical guitars need to be set up?
Obviously acoustic and classical guitars don't have external pickups that need to be setup, but are there any other adjustments that need to be done on a regular basis? There doesn't seem to be a ...
5
votes
2answers
122 views
How to devise a strumming pattern for a song
My son was trying to devise a strumming pattern for a song but gave up.
How would someone go about developing a strumming pattern for song like Chiquitita (ABBA) on an acoustic guitar.
5
votes
3answers
290 views
“slash” chords, e.g. B/F♯ - are these only for inversions, or can any note be the bass note?
I'm trying to work out whether it is technically correct to have a "slash" chord where the bass note is not one of the notes in the chord.
I thought the main reason for slash chords is to show which ...
5
votes
3answers
3k views
Causes of sharp pain in a fretting finger after playing guitar or bass?
I have been playing guitar and bass for about 20 years now and I have noticed that sometimes, particularly in the last five years, I will do something with my fretting hand that causes a sharp pain in ...
5
votes
5answers
1k views
Will steel strings wear out my nickel frets ?
I have bought some coated strings because I wanted to try that out. After my purchase I noticed that the package says the uncoated strings are stainless steel.
Since my frets are made out of nickel ...
5
votes
2answers
267 views
Upgrade tuners or get a new guitar?
I have an Ibanez V70CE Acoustic-Electric guitar. While it was not expensive, I like the way it feels and it sounds just fine. The problem is it doesn't like to stay in tune. I always use high quality ...
5
votes
4answers
343 views
What is the best way to start learning to play guitar by ear
I've been using TAB for a while but I want to transition to picking things up by ear. What is an effective way to do that? Please give answers about methods you have experience with and explain how ...
5
votes
4answers
161 views
Is it possible to strum (with a pick) separated strings?
There is a song I am trying to learn and the problem is that the guitarist plays the first and fourth strings together. I know this is easily possible if you are finger picking, but I am not really a ...
5
votes
2answers
548 views
Is a guitar body made out of mahogany generally lighter than a body made out of alder ?
I know that each piece of wood is different and two similar pieces of a same essence will have different weight.
But in general, for the same body shape and size which wood essence will tend to give ...
5
votes
3answers
202 views
What's the correct technique for strumming a guitar?
By correct I mean from a biomechanical perspective to minimize the risk of injury. I have seen some advice saying that strumming should be controlled by the big muscles such as the shoulder. My ...
5
votes
3answers
462 views
Is it acceptable to move hand position while practicing scales on guitar?
I was reading through the answers posted here, and I liked the idea of playing with the "finger per fret" method, but it's not always applicable. For instance I was practicing the Fmaj scale last ...
5
votes
4answers
1k views
Best method to clean guitar?
After a month or two of playing, the strings will often have grime and skin oil stuck to the underside, and the frets will eventually start building up dirt. Add to that all the dust that accumulates ...
5
votes
4answers
224 views
new strings always relaxing. how do I speed up this process?
every time I replace guitar strings, the strings will always relaxing for a few hours to become stable.
how do I speed up this process?
5
votes
4answers
737 views
Do I have to tune my guitar everyday?
My guitar seems to be out of tune everyday.
Is it because of the bad quality of this guitar, or is this normal?
