Music: Practice & Theory

Questions tagged [guitar]

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For questions about guitar playing in general. For questions specifically about electric guitars, see "electric-guitar". For questions specifically about acoustic guitars with or without pickup systems, see "acoustic-guitar".

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5
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11answers
3k views

Do I have to learn chords?

I've only had a guitar for 4 days now. I have been playing it for 3 to 3-and-a-half hours a day because I'm having a lot of fun. I know nothing about music theory but I'm just following tabs. As for ...
3
votes
2answers
641 views

How do you make the cool sound by touching the string with your index finger?

I watched a guitarist on YouTube, and he fingerstyles and arranges his music for covers. I was watching one of his videos, and he was playing, then he took his index finger and tapped the string above ...
2
votes
1answer
102 views

My Looper Pedal is louder than my normal signal, what should I do?

I have a gig in a few days and I wanted to do live looping overdubs, but I am having an issue with the volume of the pedal (Ditto Stereo Looper). For instance, I am playing the song in my desired ...
1
vote
6answers
216 views

can someone help me make sense of guitar inversions

so I've been practicing caged system and I can play arpeggios the the chord tone position, scale and pentatonic in all 5 positions. but something that I've still having trouble. sure I can rip thru it ...
3
votes
2answers
54 views

Guitar tablature: same fret indication connected by arc, no label [duplicate]

I'm trying to learn "Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues", by Skip James, and I am stumped on the circled notation in the picture. It doesn’t look like a pull off or hammer on to me, because the ...
3
votes
2answers
560 views

Does it matter if the index finger is off the top of the neck playing F barre?

Like pretty much everyone I'm struggling to get good at F barre. After reading a lot of these answers I couldn't find an answer to this: I've got a pretty good and more and more consistent F recently,...
1
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3answers
107 views

How to find where a loose wire goes in a strat?

I bought a new strat (used). I disassembled it and find a wire that just connects to nothing. I looked at 10 different strat wiring diagrams. I couldn't find it. My key (switch) is a 5 way switch. It ...
3
votes
4answers
319 views

Disturbing fingertip-scar in playing guitar

My husband likes very much to learn playing guitar. But he has a scar on two fingertips of his left hand. This causes problems in pushing the strings hard enough to the neck of the guitar. (It is not ...
1
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1answer
90 views

Strict alternate picking help for advanced player

I'm trying to learn strict alternate picking, but I cannot find lessons and/or exercises that address my problem. My problems is due to years of a self-taught regimen of hybrid/economy picking, or as ...
2
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0answers
44 views

Classical guitar intonation: B string madness [duplicate]

I'm a lapsed violist/pianist and have always also played guitar, first folk/rock and then for 20 yrs or so classical and Brasilian. I have, for decades, noticed that it is almost impossible to tune ...
5
votes
1answer
43 views

Playing classical without Left index finger for a lefty (or Right index for right handed)?

After a recent accident where I had my L index amputated, I would like to start playing classical guitar again after 15 years of absence. to complete the picture, I'm right handed and trauma was on my ...
0
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3answers
132 views

What kind of guitar is this?

I recently bought an acoustic guitar in Venezuela but I don't know which type of acoustic it is (I bought it in a hurry). I think it is a classical type of guitar, due to the strings (Some are made of ...
1
vote
2answers
186 views

What can this serial number say about my guitar? [closed]

I've recently bought a vintage guitar "Hohner Professional L75". The serial in the back is c103731. What information can this serial say about my guitar? Is it made in Korea or Japan? also ...
6
votes
1answer
306 views

Chord confusion

Total music theory noob here, taking my first steps to try and figure some of this stuff out. I have some sheet music for Wonderwall (for guitar), and I'm a little confused on one of the chords (see ...
0
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3answers
96 views

How to use the right chords when playing guitar tabs?

Some of the guitar tabs contain chord notation which help you how understand how to place your fingers correctly in order to play the song efficiently. However, in most of them there aren't chord ...
3
votes
3answers
150 views

Need advice on a bent pinky problem

I am looking for a good reference for hand exercises and advice on pinky problems. After an accident on 2017 where I sprained my wrist (3rd degree that forced me away from my guitar) my index and ...
0
votes
2answers
94 views

Understanding Hammer-on Guitar Tab from the book “The Neo Soul Guitar Book”

I got this book "The Neo Soul Guitar Book" and they have audio files and videos, all helpful. But I just can't understand how musical notation or guitar tabs should be read here. Just the ...
1
vote
5answers
235 views

Which is easier to master between the guitar and the violin? [closed]

I am looking to learn either the violin or guitar and am slightly confused. I have no musical background except that I tried learning the piano for about a month when I was very young. I am willing to ...
1
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2answers
101 views

Understanding How the Guitar Capo Changes Chords

I recently found a song transcribed where the user plays all the chords on with a capo on the second fret this would move up the open string chords to the following: EADGBe=F#BEAC#F# He then ...
11
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7answers
2k views

What am I exactly lacking for making a good Guitar Solo? [closed]

Please explain to me what I am lacking for writing literally any good guitar stuff (riffs, solo etc). I am into progressive metal music, and I am self taught with enough music theory to theoretically ...
2
votes
2answers
131 views

Hammer-on with no previous note on the same string called “left hand tapping”?

In guitar technique, starting a note by quickly pressing down a string with the fretting hand's finger instead of picking or finger-picking the note is called a hammer-on, and it's notated with a ...
6
votes
1answer
380 views

Playing rhythm guitar without the right index finger

Decades of playing have resulted in arthritis in my right index finger from holding a pick and playing fast. I'm going to have to radically change my rhythm technique. First step is I'm going to ...
3
votes
1answer
61 views

Swapping mim Tele bridge pick up for humbucker

Will there be any wiring problems eg series/parallel and I'm hoping to put in quick disconnects under the ash tray Also do I need to "match" the humbucker (get one that suits electrics etc)
1
vote
1answer
91 views

What is the equivalent of F no capo with 3rd fret capo

On standard guitar, F is 133211 when no capo. If I put a capo on the 3rd fret, what note should play to have similar sound
0
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1answer
59 views

Connecting guitar to PC without an Audio Interface [duplicate]

I am trying to connect my guitar to my pc to record it without an audio interface. I tried connecting the guitar to the amp, and then using a 3,5mm jack plug from the headset exit into my pc's ...
1
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1answer
62 views

Guitar Strings & Bridge

I've been playing guitar for about a year and until now I've always wanted to play on lower tunings. I have heavy gauge strings for these low tunings. I'm scared that tuning up to e standard and what ...
3
votes
2answers
187 views

Overdrive pedal shuts down guitar signal when disengage

I´m getting back to playing guitar after a 15 years hiatus. Now I have an apparent issue with my overdrive pedal, it is a Morley Dual Boost Distortion MDB2. As far as the overdrive alone is engaged ...
6
votes
4answers
3k views

On the guitar, why the treble strings should be wound clockwise while the bass strings should be wound counterclockwise?

There are a lot of tutorials on changing the strings of a guitar, and they mostly suggest that, after you put each string through the hole in the tuning peg, you turn the peg clockwise for the g, b, ...
2
votes
3answers
398 views

Advice for positioning my pinky on the fretboard, it is slightly twisted toward the ring finger

Hi I am a newbie here trying to learn guitar and I have been having issues with using my pinky. As you can see in the first picture, my pinky has the tendency to rotate toward my ring finger. The ...
7
votes
10answers
2k views

I can't create even a guitar lick when playing over a backing track

I am a guitar student. I have this problem trying to play over backing track. For example, when playing over a backing track, I will play the 4 notes of a preferred scale on first and second strings, ...
4
votes
2answers
692 views

What's this type of multi-effect processor that most pro artists seem to be using? [closed]

I keep noticing that most pro artists do not use individual effects, not even the most high end individual effect pedals, but instead, this big multi effect type of units. Are they custom made? Why ...
3
votes
3answers
708 views

Which note to start the melody on?

I am trying to learn to play melodies by ear. I was trying to play Twinkle Twinkle by ear. Justin Guitar taught that a melody can be played anywhere on the fretboard and when I tried to do so, I found ...
3
votes
1answer
114 views

What does 7P mean?

I'm trying to learn the song Ladye Nothynges Toye Puffe by John Renbourn and noticed the following symbol in the book (7P followed by a line). I have tried googling but didn't find anything. Thank ...
2
votes
3answers
151 views

How to apply pinch harmonics? This isn't about how to play it, it's more about how to use it in a musical context?

I think I got a decent grasp on producing pinch harmonics (when I do it in isolation, i.e. playing just one note, it comes out pretty reliably.) I want to practice it within a musical context but I ...
0
votes
1answer
116 views

Plugging in a piezo pickup into a laptop

I've recently installed a Luvay Piezo Acoustic Pickup on my guitar, and I don't have an amp at home. Is there any way I can plug it in to my laptop?
4
votes
4answers
1k views

If voltage only affects the volume of the sound wave on an analog signal, what represents the actual sound?

Suppose I were to light up a small LED using a potentiometer. It would range from completely off to a maximum voltage or brightness or "loudness". Guitars works similar. An analog signal ...
2
votes
2answers
635 views

Arpeggios vs. Fingerpicking

Are Arpeggios and fingerpicking patterns the same thing? Is it simply playing the root, third, and fifth over and over for a given chord?
3
votes
1answer
95 views

American Standard Stratocaster Volume Control Problem

My 2007 Fender American Standard Stratocaster has a problem with the volume control. The problem is that the volume drops off a "cliff" and cuts out suddenly when you move the control below ...
3
votes
2answers
222 views

Best string gauges for guitars with magnetic sustainer devices

After decades of being a Tele guy, I decided to make a change away from hard-tail. I went all the way to an Ed O'Brien Strat with a Fernandes Sustainer system. I'm still on the first set of strings, ...
0
votes
1answer
91 views

What is the format of data sent by a usb sound card (of electric guitar interconnectivity)? [closed]

I'm a professional software engineer looking into figuring out how to decode audio signals from a guitar cable. Essentially I bought a cable that has a guitar jack connector in one end and an USB into ...
1
vote
4answers
106 views

Broken string fixed but it still sounds off

My fourth string broke a few days back, and fortunately (?) the breakage was near the bridge so I was able to fix it without having to buy a new one. The thing is it's been almost a week and even ...
1
vote
1answer
79 views

Methods and exercises to get better at Travis Picking

After years of wanting to, I finally some time getting the Travis Picking pattern into my fingers. It's still new, so I'm not nearly as proficient as I am with, for example, my forward roll. The ...
0
votes
1answer
777 views

Tuning peg tight on a guitar (possibly slipping, too)

So my guitar's G-string peg is feeling tight. I'm a newbie, but I think that the peg is slipping, since I can hear a click sound when I try tuning it up. The G string is now around 2 whole steps ...
5
votes
3answers
323 views

What to do after learned scales positions?

I’m playing 3.5 years and in last month I start to learn scales so first I learned all major scale positions. So now before I will learn more scales like minor,pentatonic, harmonic minor etc What I ...
6
votes
1answer
1k views

Electric guitar is making a vibrating noise on hammer on

About 3 months ago I bought an Ibanez RG652FX. A few days ago I noticed a weird vibrating sound when I played a hammer-on on a G string. It is most noticeable when playing 9th to 11th fret hammer-on ...
1
vote
5answers
468 views

Does the top of this guitar look ok?

I'm considering purchasing an alhambra 9p guitar from a local store. It's a new guitar, but the top seems to have some stains/nonuniformities (see the picture). How much of a defect is that?
2
votes
4answers
447 views

I can recognise intervals, but why do I have difficulty in hearing them in a song?

I have been transcribing music without an instrument for quite some time now, if I have my instrument in hand I am able to almost always quickly figure out what is being played but when I step away ...
0
votes
2answers
248 views

How to create bass tabs based of guitar tabs

I have been learning Drawing Board by George Ezra on my Guitar. My friend plays bass but we can't find any tabs, so I was wondering if there is a way to match guitar chords with bass notes? Its a ...
1
vote
0answers
31 views

Washburn EA15 — Laminate top?

Guitar Center says "Laminated flamed maple top," but everywhere else, including Washburn's website just say "Flame Maple Top." Anyone know the validity of this?
2
votes
1answer
159 views

Difference between mini-jumbo and grand auditorium? Specifically, on the Washburn EA15ATB compared to Taylor's GA?

According to Guitar Center, there doesn't appear to be any difference compared to Taylor's standard of GA, but Taylor doesn't provide any more dimensions past the length, width, and depth.

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