Learn To Play Guitar - Tab, Bass, Tablature, Chords And Strings

Guitar is a musical instrument strung with gut strings having a body with a flat back, graceful incurvarions etc. and for playing, it is twanged by the fingers. It is called in French as guilarre, German as Guitarre, Italian as cijitarra and in Spanish as guitarra. The construction of the instrument is of paramount importance in assigning to the guitar its true position in the history of musical instruments, midway between the cithara and the violin.

Materials Used

The back and ribs of guitar are comprised of maple, ash or cherry-wood, frequently inlaid with rose-wood, mother of pearl, tortoise-shell etc. while the sound board is of pine and has one large ornamental rose sound hole. The bridge, to which the strings are fastened, is of ebony with an ivory nut which determines the one end of the vibrating strings, while the nut at the end of the fingerboard determines the other. The neck and fingerboard are made of hard wood, such as ebony, beech or pear. The head, bent back from the neck at an obtuse angle contains two parallel barrels or long holes through which the pegs or metal screws pass, three on each side of the head. The correct positions for stopping the intervals arc marked on the fingerboard by a little metal.

Strings

The real Sound ridges called frets. The modern guitar has six strings, three of gut and three of silk covered with silver wire, tuned as, the thumb are assigned the three deepest strings while the first, second and third fingers are used to twang the highest strings. They are divided into two groups - Bass and Treble. The bass strings are thicker and have an inner nylon core with steel wrapped around them. The trebles are clear nylon and thinner. The thumb finger will more often twang treble strings than the Bass strings.

Types of guitars

1.Acoustic guitars

As long ago known from the history these are used by playing with hand. Though it is impressing many limitations are there such as listened to a short distance, often note cannot be recalled unless the player knows the tab well. A great-sounding acoustic guitar will be necessary but not sufficient condition to produce a great amplified tone.

2.Electric guitars

Electric players have known for fifty years that they needed to learn about more than just their guitars, and have made a science of studying their pickups, amplifiers, cord lengths, impedance problems, effects devices, amplifying, miking techniques, and even speaker and tube types.

Famous Guitars

Many famous companies make and sell guitars of both types. Remarkable of them are Gibsons and Fenders Guitars. There are many guitar centers which teach playing guitar. Online guitar lessons are also given in some websites. They teach guitar tabs (ie) tablature set of notations for listening and playing), bass tablature, guitar chords, ultimate guitar tabs etc. Some give even free lessons online.

Learning Guitar - Notations & String assignment

The notations are defined to the right hand fingers. While writing down the fingers are indicated by letters, i for Index, m for Middle and a for Ring finger. When written down the thumb is indicated by the letter p. This code is to do with the Latin names for each note. { P = Thumb I = Index M = Middle A = Ring Finger } This can be easily remembered as PIMA.

The names of each string read from Bass to Treble as:

6-E -bass
5-A -bass
4-D -bass
3-G - treble
2-B - treble
1-E - treble

Open string preparation and striking

When striking or plucking a string the movement in thumb should come from above and through the string making sure that you have a good solid contact with the string and a clear follow through. Your finger again should come from above but they will pull backwards into the palm of your hand. A good contact is needed and again a clear follow through that does not collide with the other close fingers.

Stable right hand technique

Now try to rest the thumb on the D string when the fingers are playing and also rest each individual finger on its assigned treble string. This gives a solid stable right hand position that isn't floating in the air above the strings attempting to hit a moving target. Your fingers and thumb should rest on the string waiting to strike. Make the transition smooth, so when replacing the thumb back on the D string pluck with the index and begin the trebles.

Practice

Often players have a slight lift and shake in their right hand that often limits the volume and security of your stroke, if you repeat this exercise slowly and listening for a good sound you will relax the hand and get a very clear sound. This is a technique of preparation and economy of movement that will take some time to filter its way into your existing songs and chordal progressions. It also will build a new technique and way in which you approach the guitar.

1.Take your time, don't go for speed first, go for accuracy.

2.Go for a nice deep stroke and listen for a rounded tone.

3.Feel secure and balanced.

4.Remember you want a technique that is as simple and as stable as possible.

6TH String = P = E
5TH String = P = A
4TH String = P = D
3RD String = I = G
2ND String = M = B
1ST String = A = E

Try and go up and down the guitar nice and slowly try and keep your hand relaxed, this exercise will remind you of the feel of the strings and how to approach the guitar.

Using standard chords

With your left hand bring in the chords of Eminor, Cmajor, Gmajor and Dmajor. Hold the chord for at least two repetitions of the right hand pattern going up and down the guitar. These chords require 6 strings, 5 strings and 4 strings to be plucked if we want the root note of each chord in the bass. This gives your thumb a different starting point for each chord. Remember to pivot through the changes in the left hand, try and link each chord to the next one. No fret buzz or sloppy timing between the hands. Complete synchronicity and always enough pressure to sound the note without buzzing,careful that you don't put down to much pressure.

Repetition and speed of fingers

When playing music that is formed in single lines, e.g. a guitar solo, the melody of a tune a run or scale make sure that your fingers alternate when plucking or striking the notes. The simplest way to approach this is to alternate between Index & middle fingers. These fingers are set beside each other and are also strong fingers so they should quickly get used to this type of alternation. The alternation gives a sense of rhythm and groove and will enable you to play twice as fast than if you used just your index.

Careful to always alternate index to middle. When playing the repetition of 4 or 2 this is easier than 3 or 1, the odd numbers create almost a little skip as you cross the string, relax your hand and concentrate on shifting the weight from finger to finger. Careful that you don't bring your left hand to far from the fret board, keep it close in so each finger it can be quickly depressed onto the strings. Tip of the fingers in the left hand at all times.

Things to remember while playing Guitar

Sit with a forward sloping posture by tucking your feet underneath a horizontal chair, heels off the floor. The easiest way to have a forward sloping chair is to place a piece of wood under the back legs of your chair. Avoid backward sloping chairs.

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