All Questions
3,753 questions
2
votes
2
answers
111
views
Guitar goes out of tune after using whammy bar
I bought a “Jackson Dinky Arch Top” guitar two years ago, and it has a problem that frustrates me a lot! I cannot use the whammy bar because all the strings go out of tune, and I've tried everything. ...
- 21
1
vote
0
answers
57
views
How do I play the scratchy guitar part of evh in the song BEAT IT
in the Michael Jackson song BEAT IT, the parts where EVH played, there is this part where it sound like a muted funky scratchy electric guitar part before the solo. How do I do that. I can't get the ...
- 159
0
votes
1
answer
61
views
Problems with breaking the high E string on Guitar
I own a SSH Fender Squire Strat, i have been having issues with tuning only the high E string. When i bought it, the fender strings out of the box worked fine till 2 months after which the high E ...
- 1
0
votes
2
answers
66
views
Having difficulty playing a part of Turkish March on guitar
I'm learning the Turkish March from a YouTube tutorial. I'm having problem playing the following part that was played at this timestamp.
I can place my index finger similar to the above image and ...
- 219
0
votes
2
answers
106
views
How do I smoothly play sheets that require two notes to be played simultaneously?
I am not very experienced in playing the guitar, and most of the sheet music I have learned to play smoothly requires me to play one note at a time. However, I have tried to play the following notes ...
- 219
5
votes
5
answers
1k
views
What is small arch between two notes and how to play it?
I'm relatively new to guitar techniques and music theory. I was watching a YouTube tutorial on playing Turkish March, I faced this notation:
I'm wondering what is the arch connecting 5 to 7 means ...
- 219
-1
votes
2
answers
81
views
fingerstyle vs alternate picking speed, which one is the fastest?
With fingerstyle vs alternate picking guitar techniques, in terms of raw speed, which one can be the fastest?
- 161
0
votes
1
answer
120
views
What materials minimize guitar pick chirp (squeak)?
I've had to switch to a rigid thumbpick for guitar playing, but the picks I'm currently using have a lot of high-frequency squeak, called "pick chirp."
What materials minimize guitar pick ...
- 12.3k
3
votes
6
answers
177
views
Is there a best or most natural key for a guitar in standard tuning?
Many musical instruments have a preferred key. Even the piano, which like the guitar can be played in any key, may be easier to play in some key signatures because of the physical layout and size ...
- 445
3
votes
1
answer
103
views
Terminology for stringed notes between the nut and the head tuners
After the end of the guitar fretboard, it is still possible to attack each string in this little space between the nut and the tuners.
What is the name of this technique/notes?
I thought of harmonics ...
- 161
3
votes
2
answers
334
views
When stringing a cigar box guitar, how does A, D, G correspond to G, D, G?
I have built a cigar box guitar. This is a 'learn by doing' project, so I came into it knowing nothing about either music or building things. From that perspective, it's been a successful project, but ...
0
votes
2
answers
57
views
Effective way of combinig guitar and piano warm-ups?
As a guitar player I mostly use "spider-style" warmup exercices variations to train my 4 left hand fingers.
As an occasional keyboard player I use thirds progressions warm-up exercices on ...
- 161
5
votes
2
answers
721
views
Why is this A major blues notated in C major?
The sheet music for Charlie Byrd’s Spanish Guitar Blues (produced by Columbia Music Co., © 1961) is in the key of C major, but it seems obvious to me that the piece is in A major.
I understand that ...
- 445
0
votes
1
answer
67
views
What's the best way to check that my cigar box guitar works, without an amp?
I have built a cigar box guitar. The pickup is a cheap humbucker. I bought a cheap little line-out amp... This guy...
https://www.joyoaudio.co.uk/JOYO-ja-01-2w-guitar-mini-amplifier-with-9v-battery-...
2
votes
2
answers
165
views
Accidentally hitting other strings while downstroking
I just learned to strum and I use my thumb for upstrokes and the other four fingers for downstrokes (similar to this YouTube video). I don't have a problem with upstroking with my thumb. However, when ...
- 219
9
votes
4
answers
967
views
What’s the best way for guitarists to break the habit of looking at their fretting hand?
Lots of guitarists look at their fretting hand while playing. While this makes sense when learning, even very accomplished players do it and it just seems to be a bad habit. Those who play and sing or ...
- 445
2
votes
2
answers
107
views
How do I make a chord in the beginning that I don't want to repeat?
I'm currently working on my second piece ever on Noteflight and I'm trying to add a guitar chord in the beginning, with a repeat soon after, but I don't want the chord to repeat. I've tried searching ...
- 23
3
votes
2
answers
91
views
Adapting piano score for guitar
I am interested in techniques for adapting piano scores for guitar. The very first issue that one often runs into is the restrictions due to the guitar frequency range, which is limited from below by ...
- 355
9
votes
1
answer
981
views
How to synchronize both hands when shredding guitar?
Background
I've been a long time guitar player, mainly in the (extreme) metal genre. However, I've always been a bit sloppy, either banking on "the other instruments will cover mistakes / ...
- 255
4
votes
3
answers
396
views
Light or heavy string gauge for alternate picking?
I am learning a high-tempo linear piece involving alternate picking and string skipping on an electro-acoustic guitar. There are no string bends involved. The piece is challenging, and I'm wondering ...
- 261
7
votes
4
answers
1k
views
Learning music theory on guitar and piano at the same time
I am interested in playing and learning both classical guitar and piano keyboard, and I can play music on both using tab/video tutorials. However, I have decided to learn music theory subjects such as,...
- 73
1
vote
2
answers
125
views
Guitar maintenance - Specific questions on applying lemon oil
I have gone thru a similar question here - how does one use or apply lemon oil to a classical guitar?
However I feel it does not specifically address following situations or queries that I have.
Some ...
- 41
3
votes
2
answers
84
views
How to place left hand in the following scenario?
So when I strum certain chords , for example C major chord, certain strings vibrate onto my fingers when I strum hard, when I strum gently , it's fine. I tried dropping the thumb a bit and pushing out ...
- 31
4
votes
5
answers
582
views
Pain in the little finger of the left hand during the playing of two notes at the same time
I am a beginner guitar player, but I am able to play many of the classical guitar music that I have to play one note at a time without much difficulty. However, I just tried to play the Minute in G ...
- 219
2
votes
1
answer
27
views
Lilypond: Guitar stringNumber colliding with glissando
I'd like to tweak (raise) the fingeringNumber '2' in measure 1 just a bit to avoid collision with the glissando. I know how to lower the glissando endpoint, but that's not what I'm after.
Can somebody ...
- 267
0
votes
1
answer
67
views
Electroacoustic guitar pickups with solid wood
I recently saw somewhere that the quality of wood is not reflected in a better electroacoustic signal received by the pickups of nylon-strung guitars. And that it is better to have some low-quality ...
- 297
1
vote
3
answers
75
views
Anchoring or moving thumb at the back of the neck? Guitar question
I am learning Acoustic Guitar. Let's take spider exercise at the first four frets as an example. Some people say that, your thumb should stay still at the back, being around at the level of second ...
- 181
0
votes
2
answers
112
views
Ground connection for electric guitar
So, I’m building a cigar box guitar, and I know nothing. So I’m learning as I go. I’ve just learned about the ground wire from the pickups being connected to the bridge so that the strings can be ...
1
vote
2
answers
86
views
How do I notate a passage in acoustic guitar, in order to make the lowest note ring?
This is measure 5 and measure 6, one with an independent bass note and one without.
How do I notate a passage in acoustic guitar, in order to make the lowest note ring? Is there a difference in sound ...
- 41
0
votes
1
answer
82
views
How do you do percussive strumming with melody lines on guitar?
During a performance of Old Man, Neil Young strummed the guitar while having melody lines as well. He did the percussive strumming while also playing a melody with his guitar.
How do you do that?
- 15k
1
vote
1
answer
104
views
Notating a barre with vertical bracket in lilypond
In certain books I found this version of notation for barre chords. It seems there are no built in ways to do it in lilypond.
Size of the bracket is important because it signifies how many strings the ...
- 11
0
votes
2
answers
179
views
How to Sing while playing a complex or off-beat lead guitar or bass line (no chord struming) [duplicate]
So far, I am able to strum guitar chords and do regular fingerpicking/arpeggios while singing. However, I still struggle to sing while playing complex guitar leads (compared to the vocal melody).
...
- 161
5
votes
3
answers
503
views
Having problem with right hand's position on classical guitar
I am a self-taught classical guitar player and recently, a more experienced player pointed out that my right hand position is incorrect as my wrist is bent down a lot. To solve this problem, I ...
- 207
1
vote
2
answers
83
views
Different timbre per voice
I'm trying to tabulate a finger picked guitar piece in Guitar Pro 8. The bass is played with the thumb and is palm muted; the melody with the fingers and is not muted. I'm using two voices in the one ...
- 163
0
votes
0
answers
58
views
How to find chords that imply a certain melody
While playing around with chord voicings, I came across something I particularly liked - an AbM7:
e --x--
B --4--
G --5--
D --5--
A --x--
E --4--
While fiddling around some more, I came across a ...
- 219
12
votes
9
answers
3k
views
How do guitarists remember what note each string represents when fretting?
I have played piano most of my life and am now learning guitar.
On piano, I can glance at any key I happen to be hitting and immediately see what key it is based on its position within the keyboard, ...
- 3,044
10
votes
9
answers
2k
views
Should I practise a piece at a metronome tempo that is faster than required?
I am preparing to record a jazz instrumental piece with some friends in a few months time at a small recording studio. The sheet music for the composed section indicates the BPM, and we have agreed to ...
- 261
0
votes
1
answer
237
views
Electronic drums and music through same amp
total newb I'm afraid. My son has an electric drum kit through an amp. He wants to play music through the amp using his phone and drum along at the same time. We tried a Ysplitter but only one channel,...
1
vote
3
answers
315
views
Any advice for creating jpop bass sound?
can someone help with getting bass tone like in this songs? What pedals and amps are usually used in this genre?
I have been playing bass ...
-1
votes
4
answers
215
views
how do you pair amplifiers and speakers?
Contradicting rules of thumb:
amp should be 2x speaker wattage so the amp doesn't struggle
speakers should be slightly higher rating so they don't blow up
In stereo systems or any combo of amp and ...
- 402
0
votes
2
answers
89
views
no sound from Vox vx1 amp without headphones plugged in
I have a Vox VX1 practice amp that was given to me. when I play through the headphones, everything works and the amp settings all adjust as they should. However, when I remove the headphones from the ...
- 1
0
votes
1
answer
80
views
Looking for an alternative guitar tuning to fit classical counterpoint exercises
Have a very strange problem, hopefully there is a lurking genius who can solve it cause I'm stumped.
I'm studying a stuffy counterpoint composition manual written hundreds of years ago and trying to ...
- 9
16
votes
1
answer
710
views
Why do guitars have different position markers than almost all other fretted instruments?
If you look at banjos, mandolins, ukuleles, and balalaikas, almost all of them have a position marker at the 10th fret whereas almost all guitars mark the 9th fret instead. What accounts for the ...
- 5,002
3
votes
6
answers
347
views
I can play guitar proficiently but I don't "understand" it
I've been playing on and off for a couple of years and I want to write some riffs that don't sound like garbage, but as soon as I start trying to write something in a tuning besides standard it dawns ...
- 31
3
votes
2
answers
232
views
Too much Staccato as a beginner guitarist, what to do? Can be naturally corrected in time?
Question itself already tells much. As I see, this is a common issue among new guitarists. My playing more of sounds like hammer drill. tik tik tik... I want to sound more of smoothly changing notes, ...
- 181
4
votes
1
answer
68
views
Lilypond: manually specify fret numbers in a TabStaff?
I'm writing down a score for a transcription of a guitar piece, and figured I could also include tabs for it. Unfortunately, lilypond seems to generate the fingerings on its own and they're very ...
14
votes
5
answers
3k
views
How precise should I expect to be with metronome?
As a beginner guitarist, I am always practicing with a metronome (for now 60 bpm). But, for the timing, I feel like sometimes I am going milliseconds ahead or back of the metronome. Especially when ...
- 181
7
votes
3
answers
585
views
Equation to calculate the expected frequency of a natural harmonic at any location on the fretboard
On guitar you can play a "natural harmonic" by gently resting your finger directly over a fretwire and plucking the string. I am trying to determine the pattern to natural harmonics. I would ...
- 795
0
votes
0
answers
353
views
Fender G-DEC stuck on boot
I haven't used the amp for about a year. But it already started to have problems some time before: while playing, all of a sudden, it would freeze up and stop working. I tried to reset it multiple ...
- 1
0
votes
1
answer
72
views
I'm having issues intonating my old electric guitar, my acoustic is apparently not intonated but it sounds fine?
I recently took out my old childhood Fender squier to hopefully fix it up and begin playing it again. This guitar hadn't been strung, worked on or played since about 2007. I restrung it, but after ...
- 3