Ways to use one's instrument or voice precisely to produce a desired musical effect.
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 ...
12
votes
5answers
153 views
How to learn to play guitar with a slide ?
I have always wanted to play guitar with a slide. How should I go about learning this skill ?
I am looking for tips, songs, exercises, etc.
Thanks.
p.s.: The "Slide" tag would have been useful ...
11
votes
4answers
670 views
What is a string skipping exercise?
What is a string skipping exercise? I've heard about this exercise a lot, including on this website. What is it? What skills does it develop? Can you give an example?
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 ...
9
votes
6answers
5k views
Fingers Too Short for Barre Chords?
My wife is learning the guitar and is getting pretty good. She gets frustrated though because she can't play barre chords. She claims that her fingers are literally too short to ever be able to play ...
4
votes
6answers
2k views
Tips playing F barre chord
Any tips for a newbie in playing the F barre chord.
I find it very hard to put my fingers in place. I've got a strat.
I hear you can move it up and down the neck for other barre chords.
5
votes
3answers
463 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 ...
4
votes
1answer
457 views
What can I do about my problems with piano scales which manifest in just one direction?
I've been practicing scales for some time now, and I found them mostly easy and fun to play. The problems begin when I have to play them faster, but oddly enough my problem manifests only when playing ...
11
votes
5answers
2k views
How to hide a flat pick in the right hand when switching to finger picking, Warren Haynes style
Watch any Warren Haynes video on YouTube and you'll notice that he often likes to mix it up and play solos with a pick but mid-way switch to using his fingers.
...
10
votes
5answers
393 views
Skills needed for classical guitar
I've been playing steel-string acoustic for 25+ years, and I'm becoming more interested in classical guitar playing. While I'm fairly good at fingerstyle, I'm aware that making the leap to ...
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 ...
9
votes
1answer
231 views
What are good techniques to bend notes on brass instruments
I play Eb tuba, and sometimes I come across bending down in my notes - either as an effect at the end of a note, or sometimes as a slide between two notes. I find this difficult to achieve with a good ...
4
votes
3answers
211 views
How do you play a barre chord (or a chord with 4+ strings)
I need to play a chord that goes:
$1.5.$2.7.$3.7.$4.7.$5.5
I can play a barre chord with my index finger and hold down all the strings on the fifth fret, but I cant hold down the three sevens. Any ...
4
votes
3answers
100 views
Effective learning from videos
I've taken lessons and taught myself songs from books and tablature. I have also listened to a song repeatedly and attempted to learn it by playing along. One method I have not tried is learning from ...
19
votes
4answers
750 views
How can I be sure that I am singing effortlessly in my natural voice ?
By now , I have years of vocalization practice but I still start straining while singing—especially if I am not vigilant. It happens imperceptibly and is a hard habit to break.
Is there a reliable ...
41
votes
7answers
631 views
Ten Minute Practice Techniques?
Unfortunately I can't play everyday.
However, I am trying to grab at least 5-10 minutes here and there. What are some good theory or scale techniques/practice methods I should have ready to pull out ...
8
votes
6answers
1k views
Playing one hand loudly and the other quietly
I'm currently learning to play Comptine d'un autre été from Yann Tiersen (Sheet music(pdf) - youtube video) and when I play starting from the 13th bar I barely hear the notes my right hand plays.
...
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.
...
4
votes
3answers
3k views
Should I mute “unwanted” strings or not when playing power chords?
I've been playing guitar for a while but haven't yet actually learned to play any songs featuring hard power chords. Now I'm trying to learn some songs by Metallica and AC/DC, and I don't have to tell ...
9
votes
2answers
825 views
How to begin learning the CAGED Method
What is the best way of approaching the CAGED Method. What are some good resources for beginning to learn this method.
8
votes
4answers
2k views
What should a guitarist learn first: Rhythm or Lead?
It is a slightly subjective question, however, there is, I'm sure, a common consensus as to what lends itself better to a beginner so as not to get frustrated with the instrument. I'm curious as to ...
7
votes
5answers
518 views
What is the proper way to play A-Flat scales on piano?
Consider four cases:
A-flat major
A-flat (natural) minor
A-flat melodic minor
A-flat harmonic minor
I start them with the third finger on the A-flat key (both hands), but I have no idea how a ...
6
votes
3answers
540 views
How to start bass-guitar plucking?
I am looking for an online beginner tutorial to bass plucking (fingered) technique, something like the image bellow.
Important: I am not looking to learn how to play the notes etc., I would say I ...
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 ?
5
votes
2answers
98 views
Links and tips for Learning and using scales
Tips and links on learning and using different types of scales will be helpful.
If possible List of scales with songs in which they are used and (artists/types of bands) who uses certain scales to a ...
19
votes
9answers
1k views
“one finger per fret” - is it worth following this rule?
When I first got into guitar, I was given advice to follow a "one finger per fret" rule with the left hand.
Basically, to fret notes with all four fingers, and to follow a pattern such that in any ...
14
votes
4answers
1k views
How to stop distortion from making minor chords muddy?
I have a Roland/Boss GT3, which I use to get various distortion sounds. I like the sound for the most part, but I find that distorted sounds seem very ... "muddy" I guess would be the best way to ...
11
votes
5answers
3k views
How can I minimize going out of tune when using the whammy bar?
Perhaps my selection of musicians is biased, but usually when I see a whammy bar used, it's usually with a locking tremolo bridge like a Floyd Rose. Everybody else seems to take the whammy bar out and ...
7
votes
3answers
842 views
What are some good slap guitar resources?
I'm fascinated by the technique of most of the guys on CandyRat records, specifically Andy Mckee. Are there any resources out there on slap guitar technique? How can I too become as epic as him at ...
6
votes
5answers
88 views
What are some of the things that influence a players “Tone”?
Listen to Larry Carlton, Jeff Beck,Steve Morse, Grant Green, Freddie/BB/ King, Hound Dog Taylor, Luther Allison, Dave Gregory ect.. - love'm or hate'm they all have very distinctive tones, Why? It's ...
5
votes
5answers
346 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
2answers
564 views
Is there one or more “proper” finger picking styles/techniques?
Essentially, if there is some collection of proper techniques that have distinct rules or characteristics about them, that's what I'm looking for. There's not one particular artist or type of music I ...
4
votes
3answers
167 views
What are the dos and don'ts of positioning your thumb on a guitar?
What are the Dos and Don'ts of thumb position in guitar playing? Are there bad habits or just alternative techniques?
4
votes
2answers
232 views
Where can I learn more about tapping on an acoustic guitar?
I want to learn tapping on acoustic guitar; its basics, various techniques and so on. How should I start with it? Reference of some video lessons would be a great help.
3
votes
2answers
379 views
How can I get a sound similar to Shine by Collective Soul?
I love the riff in that song but no matter how much I fiddle with my amp head and pedals, I just can't seem to duplicate that warm, fuzzy feel. Here's a link if you are unfamiliar with the song.
I ...
3
votes
4answers
2k views
How to play upstrokes with our hand when playing an acoustic guitar?
I have seen a lot of guitar videos and read a lot of guitar books but one thing they all have in common is that while teaching strumming they tell you to "loosen up", "keep going up and down" etc. Or ...
3
votes
1answer
244 views
Finger techniques when playing valve brass instrument
I am playing Eb tuba with 4 valves (4th at my right hand pinky). Usually I have my fingers more or less straight out over the valves, resulting in the tips for all other than the pinky is sticking out ...
2
votes
5answers
988 views
Electric Guitar | Right hand position
I find it difficult to decide on where to position/rest my right hand (picking hand) when playing electric guitar. I started with acoustic and i have a habit of resting my pinky finger on the guitar ...
