Showing posts with label Guitar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Guitar. Show all posts

2011/06/27

The Ideal Time for Kids to Learn to Play Guitar

It is expected that you would end up fighting with your children when you force them to learn to play guitar since they may not have the same kind of passion that you do when it comes in venturing into this kind of hobby. It may be tasking to enforce, but it takes patience and faith, hoping that they will become mature enough to learn that there is benefit in learning how to play a musical instrument. Letting them learn slowly by incorporating music with discipline is a good way to start things out.

They will never have interest to learn to play guitar not until exposure is encouraged to early sounds and music. While they are growing, parents should play basic rhythms where children could make body and facial responses. In most cases, there is a seen potential in the connection of kids with music by the way they react to various sounds played inside their kiddie room. It is also encouraged to buy them a piece of baby guitar that they can hold and play while exposing them in DVDs of children and other people playing the guitar in an easy and casual way.

This is the best avenue for them to learn to play guitar without making them feel that they are being forced especially when they arrived at the ideal age of five. They do not need to grasp all techniques and professional terminologies at their young age since all things, after gaining interest, proceed according to timing. It is more on audio and visual presentation that could truly excite them that the guitar is one of the musical instruments that they can truly appreciate and love the most. Ensure that they have their own guitar in their room since it likable that they will touch it, becomes curious with it, and enjoying strumming it.

Once familiarization to sounds have been achieved with the years of preparation from toddlers going to primary years, then it's time to show them instructional books for beginners that would lead them to learn to play guitar at their best comprehension and attention. You could not expect them to follow the process right away if you are instilling it as an education where they have to sit and listen. Make each learning step fun where they can feel that they are just playing with you. Later on, you could expose them to online tutorials and videos where they could learn new things in a child's playful setting.

For parents and adults who are interested in teaching their toddlers and children to play the guitar, you may go to http://learn-2-play-guitar.com/ for more references and tips on what to understand in preparing children for guitar playing.


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2011/06/24

Learn How To Play Guitar - How Amazingly Fast It Really Is

The guitar is one of the oldest and most popular forms of musical instrument in the world; in fact almost every culture has its own version of the standard acoustic guitar. Even after thousands of years of existence we can still hear the catchy rhythms and complex leads of the guitar being incorporated into a wide variety of modern musical genres. Each day hundreds of people decide to pick up and learn the guitar, but of those that do only a small group of individuals actually stick with it and master this instrument.

The reason most newbie guitarists give up is because of the lack of patience, they expect to quickly learn the chords and scales and then instantly be able to play catchy tunes in no time at all. Though, if you want to learn how to play guitar you need to study several key skills such as learn to play guitar notes, learn to play guitar chords, master the scales and keep learning other peoples songs so that you can actively see how things work together to form music.

Getting Started - The Basic Skills

There is no sure way to learn guitar fast; you should first begin with offline or online guitar lessons for beginners to help you master the key areas. Luckily the internet provides us with the perfect resource for free information, tips and tricks; you can easily pick up chord charts, scale charts, tuning software, MP3's, learn how to play guitar video tutorials and a lot of other useful advice. To help you get started on your road to stardom, here are some tips and tricks to help you speed towards playing like a pro.

Practice and repetition - This goes without saying, but ignoring this is one of the main reasons people give up learning the guitar. When studying something we need the satisfaction of marked improvement otherwise we tend to give up. It is only through regular daily practice and repeating what we've learned over and over that we both get better and learn the guitar quickly. It is a fact that our brains only learn and remember new information after hearing or doing it a minimum of 14 times, and in order to burn this information into our heads we need to do it double that amount.

Picking and strumming - There are hundreds of different types of picks, those for strumming, fine note picking and thumb picks. Each individual pick has a particular size and grade of hardness, it's a good idea to go to your local music store and buy a variety of picks to experiment with before choosing the right one for you.

There are 2 right ways to hold a pick, either holding it between the pads of your thumb and index finger or between the thumb and side of the index finger; the second method is best for strumming while the first allows you more precise single note picking.

Holding chords or fretting - Getting your fingers positioned correctly to form chord patterns is an important skill that comes with time and practice. When learning a new chord try to visually memorize the position of your fingers and the placing on the neck, this will help you change between chords without having to always look at the guitar. To avoid overlapping the fret only use the tips of your finger to push down on the strings and if you hear a buzz instead of a clear ring immediately reposition the chord and keep repeating until you get a clear sound.

Visit us and check out how you can learn to play guitar notes at your own pace and time. Start learning how to play guitar today!

Carlo Jimenez is a great musician who has a deep passion for music. You can visit him and find more tips to help you Learn How To Play Guitar. Check out his site and Learn To Play Guitar Notes.


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2011/06/23

Playing Guitar Is Fun AND Teaches Discipline

Like many people out there I had always thought that playing the guitar would be an awesome thing to do. In the right hands they make the best of sounds and that's the key, "right hands." I always wanted to learn to play the guitar but didn't have much discipline for it. I also had too many other things that I wanted to do that didn't take as much effort to learn (action figures, collectible cards, e.t.c.) Fortunately, I've grown up... a little bit... and now I have a guitar that I can call my own.

I got my first acoustic guitar for Christmas last year. It has been quite possibly the best material gift that I have ever received. The guitar I got is made by Johnson and is based on the basic dreadnought style but slightly smaller than standard. It's designed for novice guitarists such as myself to learn how to handle a string instrument before moving on to a larger full size guitar. As soon as I got it I signed up for a local college class for some intense instruction. While I didn't learn as much as I feel that I should have (I never do) I did learn quite a bit, and since the end of the semester I have practiced quite frequently in my free time.

One of my favorite ways to practice playing the guitar is to simply grab the instrument, the tuner, and my laptop. Then I search the Internet for the chords of different songs that I like, and want to play, and then I do my best to play them. Sometimes I've surprised myself and I sound very decent, and other times are more difficult. It is simply amazing how much goes into playing the guitar. There are so many different techniques and skills involved. The basic skill of guitar playing is playing chords. In the beginning it'll kill your fingers, but they'll get used to it.

Although, I don't recommend doing what I've done by playing for hours a day when you're still a beginner. Not to say it hasn't been worth it, because playing the guitar is a blast. If your goal is to continuously get better and better than playing the guitar will be a definite challenge, but it is definitely worth the hard work. If you, or your child, or your friend needs or wants a cool new hobby then try out guitar playing It's a great way to learn discipline while having fun, and you can learn to play some of your favorite songs along the way.

Jacob R. Long is a professional writer. He wrote the content for the website Dreadnought guitar.


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Guitar Amps

Guitar amps are used to amplify the sound of your guitars strings (via pickups). Amplifiers fall into three main varieties: Valve, Solidstate, Hybrid and Emulator.

Examples of valve amps include the classic Vox AC30 which is all valve and has been used by many popular music artists. Transistor amps tends to be less expensive and are considered to produce a less desirable sound than valve amplifiers. Hybrids generally have two valves in the pre-amp stage and then use transistors. A good example of a hybrid amp is the Marshall series of Valvestates. As you can see the name is a mixture of Valve and Solidstate - Valvestate. They are a popular next step up from a purely solidstate amplifer to an all valve beast.

Emulator amps such as the Line 6 range are digital interpretations of popular valve amps. Valves are characterised as being analogue so the tone varies. They are also much more touch sensitive and respond better to picking dynamics. Valve amps are said to produce a warmer, nicer tone.

Many professional musicians tend to use a couple of amps and switch between them using a A/B switcher. This is because many valve amplifiers are either very good at clean or very good at overdrive or distortion. For example, the Vox AC30 might be used as the clean amp because these are very good at producing a gritty, British clean sound (or you could go for the warmer, smoother Fender range of amps) and then a Marshall or Mesa Boogie may be switched to for when a dirtier sound is required. Alternatively, analogue effects pedals can be used to provide the professional guitarist with the dirty channel that they need.

Valve amplifiers have been used for many decades by professional, amateur and semi-professional guitarists and bassists. Some guitar players do prefer solid state amps. Hybrids have become popular over the last few decades or so and the amplifiers that emulate the analogue signals of popular and classic amps also have a following. It all comes down to what sounds good to you. Different people like different sounds and the particular musical influences that a musician has will tend to dictate an individual's choice of sonic production. The guitar, effects pedals, picks, wood that is used to make the guitar, string gauge and, of course, the guitarist's fingers have a big effect on the overall sound that is produced.

For more information visit Guitar Amp


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Learning How To Play Guitar - Why Acoustic Guitars Are Best For Beginners

So you've decided to go from wanting to learning how to play guitar to actually deciding to buy a new guitar and signing up for online guitar lessons. Now one of the big questions on your mind might be which are better for a newbie, electric or acoustic guitars?

This question has caused a lot of debate among musicians, but most guitar lesson teachers will tell you that an acoustic guitar is the way to go. Both of these instruments are in actual fact basically the same, though if you want to learn guitar fast and build a strong foundation then the traditional acoustic guitar is the ideal tool for a beginner and also requires little setting up to play, just tune it and take it where ever you want.

Acoustic guitars have been around for over 4000 years, which is quite amazing seeing as they haven't fallen out of popularity as the main lead instrument of choice in modern bands. Historians are still unsure whether the oldest form of guitar originates from Spain or goes back even further to the reign of the Romans.

But they do know that as guitars were passed through different cultures they evolved into unique new instruments. As a beginner there are so many different types available, each with its own special sound that distinguishes it from the rest. Here are some of the main types of acoustic guitar that you may be interested in learning:

classical guitar: when you think of acoustic guitars you probably picture this particular version, it usually comes with thick nylon strings and is relatively large in size compared with others.

Banjo: commonly used in country and bluegrass music, this uniquely shaped guitar can create fast paced bright metallic sounding melodies. It suits someone who wants to learn fast technical finger picking.

Resonator guitar: these are preferred by country, blues and folk musicians. They look like a standard classical guitar except instead of having a hollow hole to amplify the sound it uses a steel plate and strings. It has a similar feel to the banjo except that it can be played on your lap and players tend to use a slide bar to create a soulful warm feel.

Aside from the guitars mentioned above there are plenty of others, though a beginner would probably want to opt for the classical guitar.

Most first timers wanting to learn how to play the guitar choose to buy an electric guitar over the acoustic version, probably because of the wider choice of sound effects options and they are slightly easier to play. Though you'll probably hear many teachers telling you that taking acoustic guitar lessons first is the best way to build a strong technique for when you want to move on to the electric guitar in the future.

Acoustic guitars tend to be bulkier and have both thicker necks and strings that are raised high above the fret board; this makes it more difficult to push down on the strings or form and hold a chord to produce a clear sound. The idea is that if you're able to master playing an electric guitar, which has a narrower neck and both thinner and lower strings.

Another pint in favor of the acoustic guitar is that it can be used to create both rhythm sections, using chords and to build some cool lead parts. On the other hand electric guitars don't sound very good when used for strumming rhythms; they tend to be played during a long complex lead solo part.

Want to learn more about the different types of guitar such as the electric guitar? Visit us and check out our quality online guitar lessons. Find out more about the electric guitar and the acoustic guitar and start your dream of becoming a great guitarist now.

Carlo Jimenez is a great musician who has a deep passion for music. You can visit him and get more effective tips in Learning How To Play Guitar. Check out his site and learn more about the Electric Guitar.


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2011/06/21

The Guitar Kits Edge When It Comes to Making a Custom Guitar

Exactly which Guitar kit should you really pick for making your very own new guitar?

When making the decision to build your very own guitar your selection will come as a result of individual choice such as the style of music you prefer to listen to and play. Nearly all designs of guitar are available as a kit, ranging from steel and nylon string acoustics to single pickup Stratocasters and twin humbucker Les Pauls.

You probably have a decent idea of the kind of sound you are going to be seeking, however subject to ones experience handling timber there's a couple of things we recommend that you choose to take into account.

Acoustic Guitar Kit or Electric

When you find yourself building your own guitar just for the first time, you are well advised to commence with an electric guitar kit instead of an acoustic. Electric guitars obviously have a number of elements to contemplate e.g. pick-ups, volume level and tone controls, nevertheless the electrical circuitry in most of these kits is completed for you (as a result it is not necessary to drag out the soldering iron!) and on the whole the procedure is simpler. An acoustic guitar kit involves quite careful shaping and bracing, which isn't particularly complex if you have some previous woodworking experience, can often be reasonably a challenge if putting together your very own guitar for the first time.

An electric guitar kit tends to be considerably more forgiving towards the inexperienced guitar builder mainly because the tonal quality belonging to the guitar isn't as affected by the building process. Accidently getting the depth or bracing incorrect could cause problems if wishing for a beautiful sounding acoustic guitar. Acoustic guitars are often pretty unforgiving if things do not go quite as per the program, and this is for the most part precisely why we endorse getting started utilizing some kind of electric guitar kit. A concluding reason is that if you happen to prefer a slightly different approach and not obtain a complete kit, and instead prefer to take a crack at building a completely custom-made guitar by shopping for the materials separately, you are likely to realize this almost insurmountable if trying to assemble an acoustic guitar. On the other hand, the vast majority of electric guitar replacement parts within reason are compatible, which often means that you don't have the necessity to stick to the plan nearly as much, presenting you way more control over the course of action and additional overall flexibility. Ebay is a great store to shop for spares individually when you make your own guitar.

Favorable aspects of an electric guitar kit when making a new guitar for the first time
Far less difficult building taskConsiderably less crucial with respect to guitar tone if the process doesn't go wellMuch more robust guitar for working on and considerably less easily damaged if knocked or accidentally droppedSignificantly less tools and equipment requiredElectric guitar accessories are usually far more exchangeable

Get started with a kit that is a little more cost-effective

If you have assembled instruments in the past or may have skills and experience carrying out work using wood then setting up an acoustic guitar is a really special thing to try and is strongly suggested. Crafting an acoustic guitar is a lot more problematic when compared with putting together an electric guitar but it is in no way too hard for anyone willing to take the time and has an eye for detail. The beginner really should take a look for something straight forward to begin with though, ie. a guitar pre-assembled with thorough instructions supplied inside the kit. When building this first acoustic guitar we highly recommend getting started with a guitar kit that is a little less expensive and working your way up ~ this really is good advice for the novice electric guitar maker.

Guitar kit companies e.g. Saga provide good quality electric guitar kits at reasonable prices, beginning from around $110.00 for a Telecaster style electric guitar including all parts. Grizzly is another guitar kit supplier and provides cost-effective acoustic guitar kits from as little as $90.00 to help you get started off.

So as you can see getting started making your own guitar is a lot simpler than many realise if you start out using Guitar Kits.

You can come by and check us out at Guitar Kits for some great practical information and resources to help you get underway.


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