It is important to warm-up as you begin your daily practice routine. There are several techniques you can employ as you prepare to practice. In this lesson I want to briefly mention some fingering exercises that you may find useful. These techniques will help you loosen your fingers while increasing your flexibility and dexterity over time.
Begin your guitar practice session by flexing your fingers rapidly for a minute or two. Create a rhythmic motion by balling your fingers into a fist followed by extending the fingers fully in rapid succession. Add a second part to this exercise by including a galloping motion with the fingers of each hand while your thumbs are extended. Combine both parts of the exercise in rapid succession for approximately one minute.
This should loosen your fingers and increase blood flow to the hand without triggering the onset of fatigue. As you become accustomed to this daily exercise, you may want to consider adding a minute or two to the warm up process. Be careful not to over-do it. It is possible to increase your flexibility and hand strength by adding time to this warm-up exercise, just be sure to do so gradually.
Another good exercise to add to this regimen is to spread your fingers as far apart as possible. Using the fingers of one hand, spread the distance between the index and middle fingers as far as possible. Repeat this process between the middle and ring fingers, and the ring finger and pinky. Spread the fingers as far as possible and flex the separation action in and out. Repeat this process for several minutes. The goal is to increase the flexibility in your fingers and stretch your reach.
The long-term results of these exercises will increase flexibility, co-ordination and dexterity. The immediate results will include increased blood flow to the hand and fingers. It will also raise your level of finger awareness. Try closing your eyes and concentrating on your fingers during these exercises.
It is also beneficial to use grip strengthening devices. These devices can be tennis balls or spring loaded grip exercisers. The idea is to strengthen your grip in each hand. It is possible to enhance the results with any isometric device.
The goal is to develop solid stretching, strengthening and flex techniques. As you add these and similar exercises to your practice routine, your guitar playing will improve. It is not as fun or glamorous as burning up your favorite guitar riffs on-stage, but it does work.
For additional information and exercises for guitarists be sure to check these out:Accelerate Your Guitar Playing
In this lesson I would like to discuss finger drills and pick techniques. It is very important to practice repetitive finger drills and pick techniques. It is not much fun in the beginning, but it will increase your hand mobility and your guitar playing skills.
First, let's practice a basic finger drill. This exercise will help you develop speed and precision on the fretboard. And, it is a good drill to practice over the years no matter how proficient you become with the guitar.
Start on the sixth string (the low E string) and pick the string once with no fingers on the fretboard (open). Pick the sixth string again while pressing the string at the first fret with the index finger. Add the middle finger at the second fret and pick the string again. Now, add the ring finger at the third fret and pick the string again. Finally, add the pinky at the fourth fret and pick the string again. Repeat the progression.
Next, start with the pinky on the fourth fret and play the sequence in reverse. Combine the two progression sequences and play them at a slow speed. Practice the sequences forward and reverse at a slow speed and play each note clearly. When you have become comfortable with a slow speed, increase your speed to a moderate tempo.
Repeat this process and add the fifth string (A String). Continue to repeat the process and add the fourth, third, second and first strings. Play all six strings in succession from the first to the fourth frets. Then repeat the progression sequence in reverse. Practice the finger exercises slowly. When you are comfortable performing the progression sequence forward and reverse at a slow tempo, change to a moderate tempo. When you are proficient at a slow and moderate tempo, add a faster tempo (also known as "Presto").
Establish a discipline in your practice routine by making yourself play this exercise slowly, moderately and fast. Do not fall into the bad habit of playing fast all the time.As you become proficient with this exercise at frets 1 through 4, change the locations on the fretboard to include all frets. Practice the sequence (forward and reverse) while playing up and down the entire fretboard.
Finally, let's discuss the pick technique or pick drill. This part is simple and there is only one rule to follow. Always pick each string using an up and down picking action. Never use only "down" strokes or only "up" strokes. Always alternate the strokes: Down - Up, Down - Up, Down - Up, Down. The pick technique is simple but can not be over emphasized. Develop the habit of picking the strings using a Down - Up, Down sequence. This habit will increase your speed as you develop your playing style.
It is possible to develop good habits by the methods and practices you employ during your practice time. Unfortunately, it is also possible to develop bad habits along the way. A good rule of thumb is to evaluate the procedures you include in your practice regimen. It is a good idea to cross reference them with reputable instructional materials which will include:
Guitar Technique ManualsGuitar Technique DVD's
Guitar Wall Charts When you consider the methods of accomplished guitar teachers and players, you will set a precedence that will lead to good practice habits. Be sure to get quality books, videos and wall charts if you are serious about learning to play guitar. To help you locate these tools I have included a search link below.
Search the following categories:Artist
Song Name
Composer
Composition
Instrument
Enter the search phrase that applies. Here are some example search phrases:
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Stairway To Heaven
Blues Guitar Technique
Bluegrass Guitar Technique
Guitar Lesson DVD
Guitar Wall Chart
Search Here
You can refine your search and locate guitar training manuals, DVD's and wall charts based on the style of music you play or the artist of your choice. I hope you find the search link useful!
Guitar Tuners and Tuning Forks
In the modern world, technology affords us great convenience. This is very true for guitarists and studio musicians. In regard to guitar tuners, the issue is no longer finding a good and reliable guitar tuner. The issue has become how to decide which tuner is right for you. The choices are many. In the list below we see several examples of the types of electronic guitar tuners which are currently available:
Chromatic Guitar TunersClip-On Guitar Tuners
Combination Guitar and Bass Guitar Tuners
Inline Guitar Tuner Pedals
Rack Guitar Tuners
Strobe Tuners
Quartz Guitar Tuners
This list represents only some of the choices a guitarist encounters when selecting a guitar tuner. There are also other electronic guitar tuners that can be considered in addition to those in this list. The question is which tuner is right for you. As with any electronic device the answer will be based on several factors. These factors will include specific application requirements, brand preference and budget. Making the right decision can result in years of dependable performance from your tuner.
Determine your application and brand preference.If you are a studio musician and you primarily do all of your work in one location, then you may want to consider a rack mount tuner. A rack mount tuner will also work well for a guitarist who plays live and travels with a mobile rack mount guitar rig. Some guitarists prefer inline pedal tuners. These nifty gadgets integrate well into a pedal array and provide flexibility and versatility. Many guitar effects processors and effects pedals have built-in tuners. If your effects pedals do not include a built-in tuner, there are many choices when selecting a stand-alone tuner which will integrate nicely into any pedal array.
If you are primarily an acoustic player who plays mostly at home, you may want to consider one of the more inexpensive tuners that requires no cable input. Keep in mind that several of the tuner models will allow for direct-in connections via guitar cable. They also offer a small microphone that allows using the tuner without a cable connection. It will not take long for you to choose the specific model and features required for your particular application. Once you have determined the specific application requirements, you may want to consider brand preferences.
Brand preferences will be as individual as the music of the guitarist themselves. There are many reputable guitar tuner manufacturers so selecting your brand preference will be the easy part. If you are new to guitar tuners and are not sure which brand is reputable or recommended, comparing product warranties is a good place to start. You may also want to check the Guitar Product Reviews section of the Riff TV Guitar Blog to see if there are any tuner reviews posted.
Determine your budget.Guitar tuners are like many other electronic items. Prices will vary greatly. Once you have determined your application and brand preference, your budget becomes a consideration. Keep in mind that in many cases, the cheapest tuner is not always the best value or the wisest choice. There is no reason to over spend for a tuner. Be sure you get solid quality in the tuner you select, even if you have to pay a little more. Bear in mind that the accuracy of your tuner will reflect in your music, so choose wisely.
The Tuning Fork: Accuracy PersonifiedTo some guitarists, the tuning fork is regarded as a dinosaur. Others are a bit intimidated when considering using one to tune their guitar. While tuning forks may prove difficult in a live performance setting, they do have a useful place and a contribution to make. This is particularly true for those who are new to guitar. Tuning forks are a great tool. They are accurate and reliable. They never suffer from dead batteries or power outages and they have something to teach the aspiring guitarist. The lesson to be learned from the tuning fork is simple. The tuning fork will teach you to listen to your guitar. I mean really listen. Learning to tune your guitar with a tuning fork will take a bit of practice. Those of you who are blessed with perfect pitch ( the ability to hear, recognize and identify a note and know whether or not it is in tune ) will be very comfortable when using the tuning fork. The rest of us have to work at it just a bit. The process of becoming proficient with a tuning fork is very simple. Personally, I like to use an A 440 tuning fork. The following instructive example will be based on using an A 440 tuning fork:
Strike the tuning fork on your knee.Immediately place the base of the tuning fork on your guitar bridge or bridge saddle.
Listen very closely and memorize the A 440 note that is produced by the fork and resonating through your guitar.
Tune the A string ( 5th string ) to precisely match the sound of the tuning fork.
Tune the remaining strings of your guitar to match the A 440 note at their respective A note fret positions.
When you learn to listen to the tuning fork and tune your guitar using it, you will gain a better perspective regarding pitch. You will also gain insight as to how this relates to the standard guitar tuning. ( i.e. E A D G B E ) Using a tuning fork to tune your guitar will familiarize you with the proper sound when in tune. It will also force you to listen a bit more closely to your guitar.
Guitar TuningsThe most common tuning used on the guitar is called the standard tuning. In the standard tuning, the strings are tuned E - A - D - G - B - E. The sequence shown begins with the lowest string and progresses to the highest string. The standard tuning has developed over time and has shown to provide the following:
Acceptable RangeConvenient Placing Of The Intervals
Manageable Fingering Combinations For Chords
There are many other ways to to tune the guitar aside from the standard tuning. The additional tunings are referred to as alternative tunings. Alternative tunings fall into two general categories which include:
Open Tunings
Adaptive Tunings (Adaptations Of The Standard Tuning)
Open tunings mean that the strings of the guitar are tuned so that they create a chord when played without any fingering on the fretboard. Open tunings are very useful when playing slide or bottle-neck guitar. The most common open tunings are: open G, open D, open E, and open C. These tunings create the chords of G major, D major, E major, and C major respectively. When using an open tuning, you can create chords by simply using a barre (placing the first finger across all six strings) at any fret location. When choosing an open tuning, it is a good idea to tune down to avoid breaking strings.
Adaptive tunings include several interesting categories which include:Modal Tunings
Dropped Tunings
Crossnote Tunings
Modal tunings are closely related to the open chord tuning. The difference in the modal tuning is that the open chord is tuned to a suspended fourth chord. The modal tuning has a very distinctive sound and lends itself to finger picking styles.
Dropped tunings are likely the simplest and most commonly used of all alternative tunings. Dropped tuning involves lowering the pitch of just one or two of the strings. One of the more common dropped tunings is the dropped D. The dropped D tuning is essentially the same as the standard tuning except that the sixth string (low E) is dropped to a D note. The sixth string then matches the note of the fourth string, but the note is one octave lower than the fourth string. The dropped D tuning is ideal when playing in the key of D. An interesting variation of the dropped D tuning is to also drop the second string (B string) to an A note. Dropped tunings are popular among blues players.
Crossnote tunings are open tunings in which the chord is tuned to an open minor chord instead of an open major chord. The crossnote tunings differ from ordinary open tunings in that one string is lowered by a semi-tone. This creates the minor third interval that characterizes minor chords.
It is very useful to experiment with various tunings on your guitar. It is not uncommon for alternative tunings to play an important role in the conception of new songs among composing guitarists. It will take some getting used to when experimenting with various tunings. Alternative tunings are a great way to expand your horizons with both the acoustic and the electric guitar.
For useful resources related to alternative tunings, take a look at these select training tools:As a guitarist, it is good to explore alternative tunings and techniques. There are various ways to add spice to your playing as well as develop different styles and sounds. One way to do this is to explore the world of alternative guitar tunings. In this lesson I want to share some basic open tunings. Use these tunings to experiment with new sounds. Practice with these tunings to develop alternative techniques with your guitar. The two most common open tunings for slide guitar are the Open E and the Open A tuning. These tunings work very well with both acoustic and electric guitar:
Open tuning 1 - Open Eq 1st String - E q 2nd String - B q 3rd String - G# q 4th String - E q 5th String - B q 6th String - E
Open Tuning 2 - Open Aq 1st String - E q 2nd String - C# q 3rd String - A q 4th String - E q 5th String - A q 6th String - E
Many slide guitarists use the open E and the open A tunings. If you are trying to learn slide guitar, you will find many useful publications that can be valuable tools. Many of these publications will teach slide guitar techniques based on the open E and the open A tunings. Others will illustrate open E and open A as well as other tunings. If you do not have a good reference book for the open tunings, I recommend taking a look at the following:
qBeginning Open Tunings qOpen TuningsIf you have a good reference book but would like additional help, here is a DVD that you may want to purchase. It will help you with open tunings and slide guitar techniques as they relate to open tunings:
qAn Introduction to Open Tunings and Slide Guitar
Open tunings are generally associated with slide guitar but they can also be used without a slide. As a guitar player, you would be well advised to experiment with tunings and technique to develop your own style. As you experiment you may discover a new style or method that sets you apart from the rest. Be sure to work with the open E and A tunings until you become very familiar with their sounds and attributes.
In closing I would like to list two additional open tunings that can be used when "tuning down" from open E and open A. The tunings are open D and open G. The following will explain the tunings and how to implement them on your guitar:If you are using the open E tuning, you can "tune down" and use this open D tuning:
q 1st String - D q 2nd String - A q 3rd String - F# q 4th String - D q 5th String - A q 6th String - D
If you are using the open A tuning, you can "tune down" and use this open G tuning:q 1st String - D q 2nd String - B q 3rd String - G q 4th String - D q 5th String - G q 6th String - D
These open tunings will offer a new horizon to you as a guitarist. Take these open tunings for a spin and remember to practice every day. The more practice time you invest into the guitar, the more proficient you will become as a player. Thanks for taking the time and Keep on Rockin'!
Tuning To ChordsAs you become more familiar with guitars and their specific characteristics and attributes, you will realize that the instrument has some unique tendencies. Guitars can sound perfectly in tune in a given chord and slightly out of tune in another. This is due to the nature of the construction of the instrument. As opposed to the violin family of stringed instruments (which are fretless), the intervals between the notes are fixed by the frets. In an attempt to minimize note variations, the precise positioning of the frets and intervals is designed to spread any inaccuracies across the fingerboard. The result, for all intents and purposes, is that the guitar will sound correctly in tune in each key. This is commonly known as "tempered tuning".
One good way to check and adjust the tuning of the guitar is to use a method of "tuning to a chord". Tuning to a chord can help adjust any slight nuances that occur when a guitar is slightly out of tune. The process is simple and can be done using the following steps:
Tune each open string until it is correctly in tune.Play a chord, carefully sounding each individual note.
Listen carefully to the intervals between the notes in the chord.
Adjust the strings to bring the chord into perfect tune.
Let's use a C major chord for an example. Begin by playing an open C major chord. Listen very closely to ensure that each note is correct and the chord (as a whole) is in tune. Next, play the additional two chords in the basic triad for the key of C major. This would mean that you will be playing an F chord and a G chord. Listen very closely to each note in each of the three chords. Play the notes of each chord individually, and then play each chord sounding all strings as one. Learn to listen to each individual note and each chord as a whole. Also, learn to listen to the chords as they relate to one another. This is where you will find slight variances in the tuning if variations in the strings occur. Personally, I find that the B (or second) string will be the likely culprit if there are anomalies in the tuning. But, it is important to note that any string has the potential to be slightly out of tune depending on your particular guitar.
Once you are familiar with the method using the open C, F, and G chords, be sure to play the inversions of the chords (same chords in various locations on the neck) to check the overall accuracy of the tuning. As you practice tuning to chords, you will learn the particular characteristics of your guitar. Soon you will identify which string is more likely to be slightly flat or sharp.
Tuning to chords can also produce another positive effect for the guitarist. By training yourself to tune to chords, you will teach yourself to learn to listen to chords. There are several benefits to be gained from learning to listen closely to chords. As you practice this, you will increase your ability to identify slight changes in the guitar's tuning. You will also train your self to listen closely to chords and be able to identify the note differences in chord variations. This simple tip is proof that there is always more to a simple exercise than meets the eye... or in this case, the ear.
It is important to have chord resource books, charts and even DVD's in your training arsenal. Always remember, the more organized your study time, the more beneficial your practice time will be. Be sure to organize your practice time and set aside ample time for guitar chord studies and progression exercises. The following resources have been carefully selected and will provide you with very useful tools:
One of the more beautiful sounds that be created on an acoustic guitar are called harmonics. Harmonics can also create an awesome ethereal effect when played on an electric guitar using effects and certain amplifiers. It is a safe bet to say that nearly everyone has heard harmonics played on the guitar. If you were to hear harmonics being played you would instantly recognize them. It may be that you do not know what the terminology for the sound you are hearing. Harmonics played on the guitar have also been called "harmonic chimes" because they sound like soft airy chimes on acoustic guitar.
In order to understand harmonics, it is important to understand the physics that create them. Harmonics are an important part of every note. Each time a guitar string is played it vibrates in a complex pattern, and the sound it generates is made up of several elements. The basic building block is called the fundamental. This is the loudest element we hear, and the one that identifies the pitch of the note. Other elements included in the sound are harmonics and overtones.
While it is difficult to describe the actual sound, explaining the physics and the locations of harmonics will help you put them to use. Here is some important information on harmonics and their location on the guitar fretboard:
First, it is important to understand some information related to frequencies and how they relate to harmonic response. The vibration of the guitar strings create frequency of sound. When the length of a particular string is affected, the frequency generated will change. Because the length of the strings on a guitar are equally divided at the 12th fret, the frequency of the harmonic will be one octave higher at the 12th fret than the fundamental frequency of the open string. By splitting the string into three (exactly over the 7th or 19th fret), the frequency of the harmonic will be three times greater. That would be one octave and a fifth above the open string. In theory (mathematically) it is possible to go on producing higher and higher harmonics. In practical application, you will only be able to go so far before the harmonics become impossible to hear.
Now that we have covered some basic theory in regard to how frequency and harmonics are related, let's take a look at harmonic locations on the guitar. The following information will familiarize you with fundamental and secondary harmonics and their locations on the neck. The following list is sequenced by fret location, note that the theoretic names of the harmonics may differ from the location name (fret name).
The fundamental (open string) harmonic: The fundamental note plus all harmonics are present in the sound but the fundamental note is predominant.5th Harmonic: (fret 3 and 1/3): The string vibrates in six equal lengths to give an artificial harmonic two octaves and a fifth above the open string.
4th Harmonic (fret 4): The string vibrates in five equal lengths to give an artificial harmonic two octaves and major third above the open string.
3rd Harmonic (fret 5 and 24): The string vibrates in four equal lengths to give an artificial harmonic two octaves above the open string.
2nd Harmonic (fret 7): The string vibrates in three equal lengths to give an artificial harmonic one octave and a fifth above the open string.