Questions tagged [electric-guitar]

For questions specifically about solid-body or semi-acoustic electric guitars. For acoustic and electro-acoustic guitars, or guitar playing in general, see the "guitar" tag.

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53 votes
24 answers
14k views

Glossary of Guitar Effects

There are numerous effects options available to the guitarist, especially the electric guitarist. This question is intended to gather and cultivate a set of answers to questions in the form of: ...
50 votes
4 answers
155k views

What Does a Compressor Pedal Do?

Quite often, when I see a pedalboard of guitarists I admire, there is a compressor pedal in the chain. How exactly does this pedal affect the sound?
user avatar
43 votes
7 answers
6k views

Major scale of one note is the Minor scale of another note?

I am learning guitar at the moment and I learned the major scale. Then I checked the minor scale and the positions are the same! Not only that, the C major scale is the same as the A minor scale. So ...
user1584421's user avatar
41 votes
13 answers
283k views

Noise while not touching guitar strings or metal parts

I get a buzzing noise from my guitar when idle. However, when I touch the strings or touch any metal parts (strings, bridge or the metal portion near the output jack), the noise goes away completely. ...
Bijoy Thangaraj's user avatar
40 votes
5 answers
118k views

What are the benefits of guitars with fanned frets?

I've seen fanned frets on some extended-ranged classical and electric guitars. What are the benefits of guitars with fanned frets? Are there any drawbacks?
brian's user avatar
  • 2,321
39 votes
15 answers
124k views

How can I practice in an apartment without annoying the neighbours?

I live in an apartment and I find my current amp (a 15W solid-state) to be poorly suited to that. I can't turn it up without upsetting the neighbours, but at low volume it sounds horrible with any ...
Adam Lear's user avatar
  • 2,242
39 votes
9 answers
76k views

How does scale length affect my playing?

This one's a bit rudimentary, but scale length is a bit of a mystery to me. I understand what it is, but I don't understand what it does. I own guitars with different scale lengths (Telecaster vs ...
Jduv's user avatar
  • 11.5k
38 votes
3 answers
35k views

Why is the bridge pickup on a Stratocaster angled?

I've always wondered why the bridge pickup of a Stratocaster was angled. Is it cosmetic, or does it make a difference in the sound?
user avatar
36 votes
5 answers
8k views

How to play songs that contain one guitar when we have two or more guitarists?

I am playing drums in an alternative punk band we just started. I am wondering how to play songs that basically are from bands that contain one guitarist, as we have two guitarists. What can be the ...
BestAboutMe's user avatar
34 votes
10 answers
100k 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 ...
NotDan's user avatar
  • 441
30 votes
11 answers
97k views

How to play a long sustained note on an electric guitar?

I've seen such effects on Santana, Robert Fripp and Steve Hackett. They produce a clean sustained sound and I don't know how to create it.
crimson_sprite's user avatar
29 votes
13 answers
33k views

Is "You shouldn't play all 6 strings together on an electric guitar" good teaching?

Someone I know who has been playing electric guitar for many years says this quite often, as a key difference between playing acoustic and electric guitar. He claims that even playing rhythm, you ...
Mr. Boy's user avatar
  • 9,860
29 votes
6 answers
85k views

Difference between "hi" and "low" on amps?

What is the difference between "hi" and "low" input jacks on guitar / bass amps? Usually bigger amps have both of them (didn't see them on smaller ones really)..
tkit's user avatar
  • 733
29 votes
3 answers
63k views

What is the difference between Overdrive and Distortion?

What's the difference? They sound vaguely similar to me and I can't tell a distinct difference sound wise. What is the difference in tone, harmonics, etc.? Are they the same? Which one is better and ...
Geroy290's user avatar
  • 667
28 votes
6 answers
15k views

What to check when buying a new electric guitar?

I have been playing acoustic guitar for quite some time now. I'm not a beginner but neither am I pro. I'm now looking into buying an electric guitar. My questions are - What do I need to check/...
user avatar
28 votes
8 answers
23k views

Cleaning the fretboard of an electric guitar

I have had my electric guitar for several years and I noticed that there is some "sweat dirt" on the fretboard of the guitar, so the inlay is less shiny. I'd like to clean that without taking the ...
Julien N's user avatar
  • 1,958
27 votes
4 answers
35k views

In phase, out of phase pickups

What is the purpose of having guitar pickups out of phase with each other?
user avatar
26 votes
12 answers
32k views

How can I keep learning new songs and not forget the previous ones?

I love learning new songs. A fairly easy, energetic rock piece is sometimes everything that I need to keep playing for hours. However, some pieces are harder, some solos require more patience and all ...
Bartek Banachewicz's user avatar
24 votes
2 answers
42k views

How should I tune a guitar with a Floyd Rose tremolo?

A number of my guitars have a Floyd Rose tremolo system with the locking nuts near the headstock. How can I effectively tune a guitar that has a Floyd Rose locking tremolo?
Jasarien's user avatar
  • 2,037
22 votes
8 answers
53k 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 ...
Adam Lear's user avatar
  • 2,242
21 votes
4 answers
38k views

How do guitarists switch on/off multiple effects via pedalboards?

An example would be a guitarists on stage with various sounds for his setlist, and he has around 10 pedals. For solo, he needs to turn on boost, change the channel, a bit of reverb, turn off chorus ...
Glorious Kale's user avatar
21 votes
3 answers
3k views

How do I set up an electric guitar?

How do I set up the pickups, neck, etc. in an electric guitar? I'm not concerned with producing a particular sound as I am with keeping the neck from warping, prevent string buzz, improving ...
user avatar
20 votes
12 answers
106k views

How to obtain a Clean yet Distorted guitar sound?

I'm kind of a guitar effects noob so sorry if this is an extremely stupid question. How do you obtain a clean and distorted tone using pedals and amp? An example of the kind of sound I'm looking for ...
John Henderson's user avatar
20 votes
8 answers
23k views

Why is a zero fret so uncommon on guitars in spite of all the advantages?

Given the many advantages of using a zero fret on a guitar (as cited in this excellent answer Advantages of a zero fret) and given that with a zero fret it is easier to play chords that call for ...
Rockin Cowboy's user avatar
19 votes
14 answers
86k views

How much does an electric guitar's body physics affect the tone, playability, etc?

It makes sense to me based on having some knowledge of physics that on an acoustic guitar the body (and neck, bridge, etc) materials and design has a huge effect on what the guitar sounds like. But ...
themirror's user avatar
  • 769
19 votes
8 answers
29k views

Can one play acoustic/classical music with an electric guitar?

I've once got a very cheap acoustic guitar when I was very young. I later replaced it with an electric guitar, because I disliked its quality, and I didn't know what I was doing when I was young. Can ...
Tamara Wijsman's user avatar
19 votes
9 answers
81k views

guitar cabinet: why not just use a PA speaker cabinet?

I've been thinking about building myself a rackmount rig to replace an old 12" combo amp, and was wondering if it really makes any difference to use a something that's marketed as a "guitar" speaker ...
RwwL's user avatar
  • 293
19 votes
4 answers
8k views

Alternate picking vs down picking

When I see professional musicians play their songs on guitar, I see them down picking certain parts where I would prefer to alternate pick. Follow the url below to a riff that I play first using ...
Kermit the Hermit's user avatar
19 votes
6 answers
100k views

Do I need to have my guitar re-set up if I change the string gauge

I'm a newbie transitioning to intermediate and I have a rather nice strat with 11 gauge strings. I'd like to try lighter strings but someone told me changing gauge will require the guitar to be re-set ...
Kevin Lawrence's user avatar
18 votes
6 answers
16k views

How to accurately intonate a 3 saddle telecaster?

I have a traditional 3 saddle telecaster bridge. With two strings on each saddle my intonation is always a slight compromise. This is OK on the first four strings, but the bass strings are noticeably ...
gingerbreadboy's user avatar
18 votes
6 answers
93k views

How can I prevent the noise my guitar pick makes?

When I play the guitar (electric with steel strings), I can hear the noise of the pick clashing against the steel strings. When I play a chord, after my pick triggers one string it then falls against ...
Tamara Wijsman's user avatar
18 votes
4 answers
17k views

Getting started with an electric guitar and Rocksmith as an absolute beginner

I am an extreme beginner to the guitar and music and just picked up Rocksmith and an electric guitar. Some reviews of the Rocksmith game suggest its a good learning aid for those who know a certain ...
ccook's user avatar
  • 289
18 votes
7 answers
76k views

Is the sound of a semi-hollowbody guitar significantly different from that of an equivalent solid body?

I'm wondering if the sound of a semi-hollowbody electric guitar (i.e. one that looks hollow but in fact has a solid central block) really differs that much from an equivalent solid-body guitar with ...
Mark's user avatar
  • 305
17 votes
6 answers
48k views

What factors affect a guitar's ability to sustain a note?

There are effects and gadgets that can create a long sustained note, but what about the guitar itself? I have a squier standard strat which I can't help but feel could be letting notes ring longer, ...
Michael Slade's user avatar
17 votes
6 answers
3k views

How do I improve my picking and fretting speed?

I've seen people like John Petrucci playing incredibly fast with their right and left hands, but I can't seem to get any faster than I am now (which is speedy, but not near as fast as John). Is there ...
Mike Webb's user avatar
  • 361
17 votes
3 answers
17k views

Why is the whammy bar sometimes called a "Tremolo" arm?

Who coined or mis-used the term Tremolo for the pitch-bending mechanism often found on electric guitars? Tremolo cannot actually be effected by using the 'whammy bar'.
Tim's user avatar
  • 193k
17 votes
5 answers
91k views

What are the differences between an American and Mexican Fender Stratocaster?

Many Mexican Fenders have the same or similar price as the American-made versions. Some of the parts are also the same. Generally what's the difference?
miqbal's user avatar
  • 273
16 votes
3 answers
6k views

Guitar strings feel electrified

When my electric guitar is connected to the amp it's fine but when I connect it to my mult fx Zoom g1on and then to the amp, the strings and the bridge feel electrified. Like there's friction when I ...
Lelouche Lamperouge's user avatar
16 votes
4 answers
5k views

Why use odd time signatures?

I'm a beginner guitar player, and I'm trying to pick up some of the music theory behind the instrument, and one thing that I've sort of grasped is odd time signatures. I know what they are, and I can ...
aroundthecoroner's user avatar
16 votes
8 answers
63k views

H-S-H vs H-H what can do one and can't another?

I'm seeking a guitar to elicit the rich fat heavy sound. So as I understand a guitar with the H humbucker (double coil) pickup is what I need for that. But there is a wide range of layouts for the ...
rook's user avatar
  • 283
16 votes
11 answers
23k views

How can I stop my electric guitar strings from rusting so quickly?

I suffer from hyperhyrdosis which means my hands sweat quite a lot. The problem is that because of this my electric guitar strings seem to rust quite quickly because of this. Is there anything I can ...
Dwayne Charrington's user avatar
16 votes
12 answers
46k views

How can I avoid getting loud picking sounds on a distorted electric guitar?

Whenever I hear solos from professional guitar players, in songs, for example, I never hear a loud noise of pick hitting the strings, even when the guitar is heavily distorted. I just learned a solo ...
user96872's user avatar
  • 261
16 votes
6 answers
3k views

Techniques for "Dynamics" with Distortion on Electric Guitar

Recently I went to a workshop on electric guitar. Between several subjects, the presenter talked about dynamics with distortion. He said that you can use palm mute to create the effect of a "growing ...
Gustavo Meira's user avatar
16 votes
3 answers
28k views

How to avoid unwanted scratching/squeaking/hissing noise from the fretting hand when playing hi-gain electric guitar?

I have been playing the electric guitar for over ten years now, and this is an issue that has been troubling me for ages. Whenever I play hi-gain songs and have to switch fretting hand positions ...
Asciiom's user avatar
  • 301
16 votes
7 answers
49k views

How does string gauge affect intonation?

I have a problem with intonation adjustment on my g-string on my Epiphone Les Paul. It's correct now but the bridge saddle cannot be adjusted any farther in range. I need to change strings but I don'...
Luke's user avatar
  • 435
15 votes
5 answers
8k views

What to look out for when buying a super-cheap used guitar

I found a red Yamaha Pacifica fat strat at a local pawn shop. Most of their guitars are $60 and up, but this one has a $25 sticker on it. I'm considering buying, cleaning, and restringing it but I'd ...
Kalamane's user avatar
  • 439
15 votes
5 answers
9k views

How to make swell effect on electric guitar?

The effect I'm thinking of is when you don't hear the pick attack as you play a note, but you hear the note afterwards as it seems to get louder before decaying. I suppose you can mimic this with a ...
RogerWang's user avatar
  • 734
15 votes
1 answer
9k views

What changes in the amp when I adjust its presence?

The tone controls on a guitar amp are pretty obvious, but what does the presence knob affect? It's a subtle effect but can sure make or break a sound. It doesn't seem to be treble or midrange boost, ...
the Tin Man's user avatar
  • 4,721
14 votes
10 answers
49k views

What type of strings to use for easier bending in fast solos?

I'm getting better at playing that legendary Enter Sandman solo by Kirk Hammett, and I'm getting the speed part almost covered. What I'm struggling with is hitting the target note when bending that ...
Eran Medan's user avatar
13 votes
14 answers
89k views

Can you play two guitars through the same amp?

I'm starting teaching guitar more seriously now and was wondering if there was some sort of setup you could do where you can play two guitars through the same amp. I want to play along with my ...
Neil Meyer's user avatar
  • 14.9k

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