Guitar - Lessons

The Guitar

The guitar is one of the most popular instruments of all time. It makes a very pleasing sound. It is small and light enough to carry around and it has a romantic appeal.

The guitar is very versatile. It can be played on it’s own or within a band. It’s tone complements the voice and it gives a good full backing to singing. It has a wide range of notes and makes a good solo instrument as well. It is extremely satisfying and entertaining to play for musicians of all levels of skill.

Classical guitars generally have nylon strings, whereas acoustic and electric guitars usually have steel strings. Each type of string has it’s own character which suits different kinds of music and playing styles.

Nylon strings give a much mellower tone and are easier on the fingers then steel strings. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd strings (the thinner strings) are usually a single strand of nylon. The thicker 4th, 5th and 6th strings are nylon strands wound with silver or bronze plated copper wire.

Steel strings give a brighter, louder sound. Although they are a little harder on the fingers then nylon strings, you soon become used to them. The thinner 1st and 2nd strings are usually plain nickel-plated steel as well as sometimes the 3rd. The other thicker ones are tightly wound with wire.

Guitars come in many shapes and sizes and although they may all appear similar must of them are made very differently. Steel string guitars are built much more strongly because the strings have alot more tension and force on the wood. You should never put steel strings on a classical or nylon string guitar because the instrument will be easily damaged.

Nor is it a good idea to put nylon strings on a steel string guitar because the guitar will sound dead and the strings will buzz. If you have any doubt whatsoever ask your local musical instrument retailer.

Your choice of a nylon or steel strung guitar should depend on the sound you prefer and the types of music you want to play.

Types

Classical and Flamenco Guitars

Sometimes known as Spanish guitars, these instruments are very suitable for Classical Style solo playing Flamenco Music and for accompanying singers. The nylon strings are plucked or strummed with the right-hand thumb or fingers – a pick is never used. The Flamenco Guitar is similar to the classical Guitar but has plates to protect the face of the guitar during golpe tapping.

Round-hole Steel Strung Guitars

The most common type of Acoustic guitar found in North America, these all-round instruments are used for most popular guitar music; pretty much everything except Classical or Flamenco. They may be finger-picked, or played with a Guitar Pick. They are suitable for accompanying singing and playing with others. Pick-ups may be added to those guitars for playing with an amplifier.

The Jumbo is a Round-hole Guitar with an extra large body which gives a deep bass sound.

The 12-string Guitar is similar to the Jumbo, but is a more specialized instrument. It is not recommend for absolute beginners.

Semi Acoustic Guitars

These very slim guitars give enough acoustic (un-amplified) sound for practicing, but are otherwise played with an amplifier. They are lighter than Solid Guitars and often have a better tone when amplified.

Cello Guitars are similar but have a thicker body. They are played with or without an amplifier and give a chunky rhythm sound.

Electric Guitars

Electric Guitars are only played with an amplifier, as they have no real acoustic sound. They are made in various shapes, styles and sizes and usually come with a solid body. You can also use effects pedals and different types of contraptions to alter the sound.

Semi-Acoustic and Solid Body Guitars have lower action then an Acoustic or Classical Guitar, and are ideal for fast ‘electric’ playing – Jazz, Rock, Pop, etc.

Electric guitars are generally played with a guitar pick.

Guitar Diagram

Guitars can be classified into 2 main categories, acoustic and electric. Well you play them in similar ways the style of their composition is quite different. Below is a guitar diagram that details some of the parts on both.

1. The Headstock

The focal point of the tuning system, headstocks come in two distinctive designs. The square headstock has three tuners on either side, whilst Fender style instruments have all six tuners on the left.

2. Tuner

There are six tuners—one for each string. They are used in guitar tuning to tune strings to their proper pitch. Each tuner consists of a nut and cog to tighten or slacken the string. Also known as machine heads.

3. Nut

The nut keeps the strings in position as they leave the head, by way of six small grooves. If you own an expensive guitar the nut will probably be made of ivory. If you’re a conservationist or just an economist it’ll be plastic.

4. Frets

Frets are wire inserts which mark the points on the neck where you pass each string to make different notes. They are normally made of nickel alloy, hammered home.

5. Fretboard

Generally made of rosewood, the fretboard is glued to the neck. It’s usually decorated with tortoise shell or plastic inlays which help you to see where you are on the fretboard.

6. Strings

The strings are the lifeblood of the instrument, and a poor or worn set can make even the most talented player sound bad. Generally constructed from alloy, strings very in thickness from the bottom (the thickest) to the top (thinnest). The three bass strings are wound to give them depth, whilst their skinny counterparts are simply tensioned alloy wire. Strings are measured by gauge—the lower the number, the thinner the string. It’s important to select a set suitable for your guitar, whether electric or acoustic. The two aren’t generally interchangeable.

7. Pick Guard

Located next to the sound hole (on acoustic guitars) or pick-ups (on electric guitars) the pickguard protects the main body of the instrument from pectrum scratches and finger marks.

8. Soundboard

The acoustic guitar soundboard is the top piece of wood on the main body. The sound hole is cut into it.

9. Pick-ups

Pick-ups transmit the string sound from the guitar to the amplifier by way of an electric lead. In reality, pick-ups are no more than miniature Microphones. You can in fact talk into a guitar pick-up and your voice will be broadcast through the amp.

10. Bridge

Acoustic and electric guitar bridges come in all shapes and sizes, but their purpose is the same. They adjust the pitch, harmonics and string height. The classic set-up is the retaining tailpiece, and individual bridge, which is adjustable on electric models as you can see below in the guitar diagram. Modern acoustic and many electric guitars have a one-piece bridge set-up, which eliminates the separate tailpiece. The bridge on a acoustic guitar is slightly offset to achieve perfect harmonics, whilst the electric counterpart has a series of independent mechanisms, one for each string. These are adjusted with a small screwdriver, until the pitch is correct.

11. Volume and Tone Control

Once your guitar is plugged in, and you have turned your amp on, you will be able to adjust volume and tone by the collection of knobs generally positioned to the right side of the bridge.

Before you buy: Choosing the right Guitar

Choosing the instrument you play is always an important decision. If you are buying your first guitar, the decision is more difficult because you may not know where to start or what to look for. So, before you do anything, read these friendly words of advice.

First let us dispel the popular, but completely wrong belief that “any guitar will do for learning to play”. Your first guitar should be carefully chosen to be fairly easy to play and tune. It should also be versatile enough for you to be able to play different kinds of music on it.

If you already have a guitar and want to know if it is suitable for playing, keep reading. An old guitar will need checking very carefully. Old instruments can be very good – or very bad. The old guitar which has been around the house for years may well have so many things wrong with it that it could be almost impossible to play and not worth repairing.

If this is the case, or if the guitar is not the right type for the music you wish to play, you should look around for another instrument. If your guitar seems okay, ask a guitar playing friend or your music shop to check it out before trying to play it yourself.

Classical, Acoustic or Electric?

Choose the type of guitar which best suits the type of music you wish to play. Do not buy a nylon strung instrument simply because it will be easier on your fingers. If you want to play in a band or with a group at some point you will need an instrument that can project, either an electric guitar or an acoustic guitar. These are the types of guitars most commonly used in popular music in North American.

If you are leaning more towards Classical or Flamenco music the choice must be for nylon strings as these styles require it. Guitars for both types are suitable for accompanying singing. If this is the only thing you want to do, choose the guitar with the sound you prefer.

Go Window Shopping or Internet Surfing

Before you decide on anything go window shopping to see what is available and get an idea of the different prices. Try going to different stores and viewing and trying as many guitars as possible.

Weekdays are a good time to go to a music shop because the staff is more likely to give you more time. If the store is not busy, ask to be given a demonstration of guitars in the price range you can afford. If you are undecided about steel or nylon-strung guitars, ask to hear one of each. However, do not be pressured into buying before you have visited several stores and compared as many different guitars as possible.

Secondhand Guitars

These can be an excellent buy – if you find a good one. However, unless you are an expert, it is unwise to buy a guitar from anyone but a well known guitar store. You may find bargains offered all over the place but unless you know the value of the instrument and how it has been built it is best to stay away from these. If you are considering a secondhand guitar, make sure you get someone who is an experienced guitar player to check it over for you.

Size and Weight

If buying acoustic, avoid heavy guitars. As a general rule, the more wood there is in an acoustic guitar, the poorer its volume and tone are likely to be. Compare the weight of several guitars of the same type and size before you decide to buy. The lightest guitar will usually be the best.

Steel strung acoustics are heavier then nylon (or classical guitars) but their method of construction and their louder strings compensate for this. On the whole, smaller bodied steel strung guitars are a better buy in the lower price ranges. Large guitars, such as Jumbos have to be very carefully designed and very well made if they are to be any good, and this makes them more expensive. If you want a Jumbo, choose very carefully and compare the sound and weight of several.

The weight and size of Solid-body electrics and Semi-Acoustic guitars depends on the number of pick-ups and type of design. It does not affect the sound, but a very heavy instrument may be tiring to play and a burden to carry around.

Please note, 3/4 size guitars are for small children only. They are not recommended for adults, or anyone over the age of ten or eleven years.

Appearance

Try to avoid selecting a guitar just because it looks good. How it sounds and plays is far more important. Fancy decoration does not make a guitar sound better, but it does make it more expensive. In fact, too much plastic or decoration on a guitar may spoil the tone and reduce the volume.

Checklist: Before you buy

• Check that the fingerboard is straight and the frets all the same height by laying a straight edge over the frets along the fingerboard. Look over the bridge and up along the neck of the guitar to see if it is warped or twisted.
• Check that the strings are the correct height above the fingerboard. At the ‘nut’ the strings should be about 1/16” (1.5mm) high, and about 1/8” (3mm) high at the 12th fret. If the strings are too high, the guitar will be hard to play. If they are too low, the strings will buzz the frets.
• Play every note by pressing each string behind every fret with a left hand finger while you pluck the string with your right thumb – each note should sound clearly. Any rattling or buzzing noises when the guitar is played could mean trouble.
• Look for worn frets on secondhand guitars – particularly the 1st to 5th frets under the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd strings. Some wear is normal, but deep depressions in the frets mean the guitar may be inaccurate, difficult to play and tune, and may buzz unless it is re-fretted.
• Make sure all six strings are on the guitar. Check each tuning machine by gently turning its peg a little, to if it adjusts the string to which it is attached. Make sure each string is wound in the right direction on the correct tuning machine. If any are incorrect, ask for them to be changed around and the guitar re-tuned. If any strings seem old or worn, ask for a new set to be put on, and the guitar put in tune.
• Examine the face, bridge, sides, head, neck and heel for cracks or splits. On ‘Classical’ or Round-hole Guitars, there should not be any gaps where the bridge is glued to the face of the guitar. If the guitar is seriously dented or looks as though it may have been dropped or badly repaired, it could be a poor risk.

If there is anything seriously wrong, do not buy the guitar, at least until it has been corrected or repaired. In most cases, you will be best advised to look for another instrument, even though this may delay your having a guitar.

When you buy your guitar ask for a full written receipt and keep it in a safe place – you may need it for insurance or Customs if you travel.

You should also buy the strongest guitar case you can afford to protect your instrument. A hard case made of wood, fiberglass or fiberboard is best for expensive guitars, but a soft case or even a thick polytheen bad is better than nothing.

If you are a beginner, ask if the guitar is in tune before you leave the shop, and be careful not to knock it on the way home.

There may be alot of information here, but if you follow these suggestions and checks you should end up with a decent instrument that will be fun to play for a long time.

Taking Care of Your Guitar

Your guitar will last longer and stay in better condition if you take a little time and trouble looking after it.

A guitar is a delicate thing and can be easily damaged by accident. So when you are not playing it, put it in an a safe place, preferably in it’s case. Always keep it out of the way of clumsy hands and feet, and never leave it on the floor where someone could step on it.

In a closet is always a good place to keep a guitar or out of the way on a stand. It’s not a good idea to lean a guitar against a wall or anywhere else as it could easily fall over, but if there really is no other place stand it upright in a corner between two inside walls with its face towards the corner.

Wherever you put your guitar, avoid places where there could be a sudden change of temperature or humidity. Never leave it near a radiator, air conditioner or heating outlet, by a window or in the sun – even in it’s case. Extreme heat or dryness may cause cracking or splitting, dampness and extreme cold may make the glues soften. In very hot or dry climates and in dry air conditioning, a Guitar Humidifier should be bought and kept with the guitar inside its case.

If you play outdoors, watch out for the dew in the evening and morning. Do not lay the guitar on the ground or on grass as it will be damp. Put it straight back in its case when you have finished playing. When you carry your guitar out of its case, hold it firmly around the neck, near the heel. Treat your guitar as a fragile expensive instrument and you should have no problems.

Cleaning

Gently wipe all parts of the guitar with a soft cloth when you need have finished playing. Clean the strings one at a time, by wrapping a corner of the cloth around each of them, and sliding it all the way up and down the string, to remove any dirt or perspiration. This will help the strings to last longer.

Modern lacquer finishes are improved by polishing two or three times a year with guitar polish. However, do not use anything which contains silicones as they leave a permanent coating which cannot be removed if the guitar needs repairing. Keep polish away from the strings and fingerboard and wash your hands before playing.

Basic Guitar Technique

All other instrumentalists learn early on to play with 100% control does not come naturally. For one reason or another alot of guitar players don’t develop great technique. Many hours of study and practice are necessary, and you can practice to your heart’s content but if your posture and hand positions are awkward it’s going to work against you, and take longer.

Like my favorite uncle used to say “Practice doesn’t make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect”. It is important to be comfortable when you are playing. And learning how to sit, how to finger a chord or note properly, how to pick accurately can go a long way in developing some skill.

Some guitarists are natural and develop their own technique; however this doesn’t work for everyone. Here are some loose guidelines that will help get you on the right track.

Your Strap

Don’t be holding the guitar up, that is the strap’s job. If you are sitting then it is the job of your knee. You want your hands to be free to fret and strum. Try and have your strap adjusted to the same height. Learning to play guitar in a consistent position will help alot.

Alot of guitar teachers will tell you the guitar has to be in an exact certain position, I don’t completely agree with this maxim as everyone is different. Bodies come in different shapes and sizes and so do guitars. So experiment, and observe your body and position when you are playing. Pay attention to your arms and hands especially, but keep in mind your whole body plays a role.

Your Posture

• Your body works alot better when your spine is straight so sit upright and slightly forward
• Try to sit in the same chair every time you practice (or if you prefer to stand with a guitar strap, stand in the same position)
• Focus on what you are doing, and check your posture and body position, try not to develop any awkward habits
• Try not to slouch
• Don’t lay the guitar flat on your lap
• Don’t rest your left forearm on your left knee
• Don’t push the neck way out in front of you
• Be careful of having too much tension, and try to relax when you play; alot of people play with alot of tension you should be pretty loose and relaxed when you play, it shouldn’t be all pain

The Invisible Thumb

In most situations your thumb should be invisible to anyone standing in from of you. Check in a mirror if you are unsure if this is the case. Yes, some of the best guitar players in the world (Hendrix is one example) have used their thumbs to great success, but you should probably leave advanced techniques like these until later in your development.

Generally keep your thumb in hitchhiking position, pointed away from you with the ball of the thumb in the center of the neck. Your thumb will more than likely move around when you play, especially if you are fretting awkwardly shaped guitar chords. But for the most part try to keep it in this center position.

The C Chord

You are now ready to learn your first chord. A chord is a combination of 2 or more notes that sound good together, in other words, they harmonize. The following few lessons will quickly get you on the road to chord formation, and you don’t even need to know anything about musical theory to begin practicing.

Dozens of notable musicians have made their way to rock stardom with little or no musical theory. For now just concentrate on getting your fingers in the correct positions, the rest will come with practice and time.

The chord we’ve selected to start you on is the chord of C Major, or popularly known as C. This chord is used widely and will relate to many others that you will learn later on. The black dots in the diagram indicate the position for each finger. Take your finger and place it just behind the fret indicated. If necessary use your right hand to help put your fingers in place.

The C Chord is formed like this:

• Index finger just behind the first fret on the second string (B).
• Middle finger, just behind the 2nd fret on the forth string (D).
• Ring finger behind the third fret on the 5th string (A).
• The first and third string are played open, whereas the 6th string is not played at all.

Strumming

Now that you know how to finger the C Chord, let’s strum it. To start out use all downstrokes. And when you are strumming make sure hit only 5 of the 6 strings. If you look at the diagram to the right you will see that you shouldn’t play the low e string (or the thickest string on the guitar). Make sure when you strum that you count it evenly in sets of 4. In the below diagram the D stands for downstrum and the count underneath should be followed evenly. This is common notation for demonstrating strumming patterns.

If you are just starting out, or if you struggle you may want to count the strumming pattern out loud. A good sense of timing takes a long time to develop but is very important later on when you get into more advanced strumming patterns.

D   D   D   D
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

This lesson explains the most popular fretting for a C Major Chord. Because the guitar has so many frets on it, there are multiple ways to finger any chord.

The Names of Musical Notes

Notes in traditional music theory are represented by the first seven letters of the Latin alphabet; A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. However these aren’t the only notes in music, there are also sharp and flats, and they fall between these main notes.

Why are they called sharps and flats?

Simple: because the sharp is sharp, in that it’s pitched one note above the main note, making it sharper. Where as the flat notes are literally flattened a semi-tone below a main note; hence it is flat. Here is the confusing part. Flats and sharps are actually the same note.

Take the note between G and A. This note can be called either G# or A. And just so you know the symbol for sharp is # and the symbol for flat is .

There are 2 places in the musical alphabet where there are no sharps or flats — between E and F, and between B and C. You can see this clearly below (the sharp notes on a piano are black).

Also pay close attention to the string names, from the thickest most string to the thinnest the names are E A D G B E. An easy way to remember them is with the phrase Every August Dogs Go Biting Elvis.

The Notes of The Guitar

The Notes on the Piano

F Major

The Chord of F Major is one of the trickiest to learn at first, but once you’ve cracked it you will progress alot faster. Like C it’s usually known as just F. Here’s how it is formed:

• Index finger across the first fret of all the strings.
• Middle finger just behind the second fret of the third string (G).
• Ring finger finger just behind the third fret on the fifth string
• The pinky finger just behind the third fret of the fouth string (D).

Strumming the F with the C

The great thing about the F Chord is it is the brother of the C Chord, meaning that they sound great together. Using the diagram below and the audio file, practice switching between them. Remember too keep the count as even as possible. It may help you to count out loud.

If you are just starting out you might first think that the change is impossible, but believe me it isn’t. Just keep practicing daily. If you get frustrated take a break. You will get there eventually; it’s just a matter of hard work. Once you get to the end of the pattern below, start over and keep repeating it until your fingers start bleeding or you get completely bored! These chords will come in handy later on. They are so widely used that learning them and a few others will open the possibility of playing thousands of songs.

F               C
D   D   D   D   D   D   D   D
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

G Major

The G Chord has a slightly differently look then the F or C chords, mostly because it is formed in ‘reverse’, with the first and second fingers going across the neck, and the third finger held back.

Here’s how it is formed:

• Index finger behind the 2nd fret on the 5th string (A).
• Middle finger just behind the 3rd fret on the bottom string (E).
• Ring finger just behind the third finger on the 1st string (E).
• Note: You must arch your index and middle fingers to avoid brushing the adjacent strings

The Notes on the E String

A basic knowledge of notes on the fretboard and their position is helpful to any guitarist. Gradually we will introduce notes in the first position. First position is the first 4 frets of the guitar. The first 3 notes we will introduce are on the high E string (thickest). E, F, G.

Here is how fingerings are represented on the fretboard:

• The number 1 repersents the index finger.
• The number 2 repersents the middle finger.
• The number 3 repersents the ring finger.
• The number 4 repersents the ring finger.
• The number 0 is an open note, i.e. you just play the string without a finger on the fretboard

E, F, G Note Exercise

Try to pick this little exercise evenly. And try some other combinations of these notes, saying the names of each note as you play. This will help you learn the note names, as well as their positions on the guitar. Note exercises will also help you to loosen your fingers.

Basic Musical Symbols

 This is a quarter note. The quarter note has the same timing as one down strum, both are worth one count.

The 4/4 Time Signature: The top number tells us how many of the specified notes are in a bar and the bottom number tells us what duration (ie: how long) that specified note is. For example in 4/4 Time the top number tells us there are 4 notes in a bar and the bottom number tells us that each note is a quater of the length of the bar, or more simply put a quarter note. Therefore, we can tell that a song written with a 4/4 time signature is made up of bars (musical units a song is divided up into) which contain 4 quarter note long beats.

Guitar Tablature: Under the musical notes you will notice a method of notating music called tablature, as known as justTAB for short. Tablature is a method of indicating the position of notes on the fretboard. There are six ‘tab’ lines, each representing once of the six strings of the guitar. When a number is placed on one of the notes, it indicates the fret location of a note. You can read the time of tablature by following the count written beneath it. Although there is not nessesarly always a count beneath it.

The Chord Of E Minor

Our first chord that is not a major chord is the chord of E Minor; generally written as Em. The minor chords are often known as the ‘mood’ chords, because they carry a sad, resonant sound, as opposed to the bright or more forceful sound of a major chord. The Em chord also works with C Major, F Major and G Major.

You’ll be relieved to know that Em is one of the easiest chords, only requring 2 fingers.

• Place the index finger behind the 2nd fret of the 5th String (A).
• Place the middle finger behind the 2nd fret of the 4th String (D).

Strum this chord and notice the slightly sombre sound. This chord can be played with the major chords of C, F and G, which you already know if you have been following these lessons.

C Major Guitar Scale

So now your probably wondering if your fingers are going to toughen up enough to play the F Chord. Don’t worry, they will. But you have to stick with it if you really want to learn.

So many attics, basements and garages are full of barely used guitars, only because it is not an easy instrument to master. So keep in mind that if you want to be a good guitarist the best thing you can do is practice, there are no fast easy fixes. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Now you might have been wondering, if the Em was so easy to learn why wasn’t it the first chord I learned. Surely when you were trying to fret the F Major you we’re wondering there must be easier chords to play then this?

And the answer is yes, but few are as important and widely used as C, F, and G. Once you know these 3 chords you can play a wealth of songs; in the millions. This is why these chords were chosen to start you out on, because the more you enjoy playing the more you will stay dedicated to learning. And I guarantee you there is a song out there that you love that has these 3 chords in it.

These 3 chords did not combine by some magical force. There is an exact science to it all. When you play these 3 chords together or 4 if you include the Em you just learned, you are playing in the Key of C.

It can be important to know what key you are playing in, especially if you are playing or improvising with other musicians. Before you can start playing with other people you need to know what key it’s in, because this will tell you what chords and notes you can use and sound good.

We’ve seen how music consists of 12 notes: A A# B C C# D D# E F F# G G#. A# is also known as B, D# is also known as E; and so on.

There is a major key based on each of these 12 musical notes — A Major, D# Major and so on. Each of these keys consists of an 8 note scale. You probably learned it in elementary school, doh, re, mi, fah, soh, la, ti, doh. Every major scale consists of this pattern it looks like this:

	tone		tone		semitone		tone		tone		tone		semitone
C	^	D	^	E	^	F	^	G	^	A	^	B	^	C
doh	^	re	^	mi	^	fah	^	soh	^	la	^	ti	^	doh

All the chords in the Key of C Major consist of some combination of these notes, and the scale of C Major consists of all of them.

Exercise: The Scale of C Major

Here is what the C scale looks like on a fretboard, due to the amount of notes there are on a guitar there are other ways to play the C scale, but we will stick to the first 5 frets of the fretboard for now. When practicing this scale, you can either count out loud, 1, 2, 3, 4 (should all be even) or if you want to learn the notes you can alternately say the names of the note as you play them. The bottom part of this diagram shows you what finger to fret the guitar with.

Picking

You can pick them all with downstrokes as well as down and up strokes. Just make sure if you are picking up and down to do it evenly. Up, Down, Up, Down. Once you get to the highest C on the G string then make your way back in reverse. This scale should sound like ‘doh, re, mi, fah, soh, la, ti, doh’.

Try to practice this scale at least 50 times in a row if you can. The best way to train your fingers is through repetition. Take your time and master it, a veteran bluesman used to tell me, “The slower you go, the faster you will get there”.

Reading Guitar Tab

Guitar tablature (tab for short) is a system of notation that graphically represents strings and frets of the guitar fretboard. Each note is indicated by placing a number which indicates the fret to play, on the appropriate string. With these easy instructions you will be able to understand how to read and write guitar tab in 5 minutes.

The Basics

To start out, tabs are written in lines, each line representing a string on the guitar. The thickest string being the bottom most line and the thinnest string being the topmost.

e--------------------------------
B--------------------------------
G--------------------------------
D--------------------------------
A--------------------------------
E--------------------------------
Numbers are then placed on these lines to represent finger positions on the guitar fret board. If you read the diagram below you would play this on a guitar by putting your finger just behind the 2nd fret on the 5th string (or the second thickest string). As musical notes this would read as follows B B B C# B A. The ‘zero’ represents playing an open string. So in this case you would play the A open with no finger position on the fretboard.

e-------------------------------
B-------------------------------
G-------------------------------
D-------------------------------
A--2--2--2--4--2--0------------
E-------------------------------

Chords

To tab a chord the notes would be placed in a vertical line upon the horizontal ones. This diagram represents a C Chord. You would strum the bottom 5 strings of the guitar in one motion if you were to read this tab properly.

e--0----------------------------
B--1----------------------------
G--0----------------------------
D--2----------------------------
A--3----------------------------
E-------------------------------

And this one you would strum the ‘C Chord’ three times.

e--0--0--0---------------------
B--1--1--1---------------------
G--0--0--0---------------------
D--2--2--2---------------------
A--3--3--3---------------------
E------------------------------

The one shortcoming of guitar tab is it doesn’t usually represent how long to hold a note for, or rhythm very well. Although some good tab writers will represent it by how much space is between each note. Tab works best if you listen to the song for guidance on timing then read the notes and practice it. Here for example is the timing of ‘Day Tripper’ by the Beatles, note the distances between the numbers, the first ’0′ would ring slightly longer then the next 4 notes and the distance between D2 and D0 would also indicate a break in timing:

e-----------------------------
B-----------------------------
G-----------------------------
D-----------2---0---4---0-2--
A---------2-------2---2-------
E-0---3-4---------------------

Tablature Symbols

The numbers don’t really describe the subtle techniques that a guitarist can execute, these are the tablature symbols that represent various techniques.

h – hammer on p – pull off b – bend string up r – release bend / – slide up \ – slide down v – vibrato (sometimes written as ~) t – right hand tap s – legato slide S – shift slide - natural harmonic [n] – artificial harmonic n(n) – tapped harmonic tr – trill T – tap

TP – trem. picking PM – palm muting \n/ – tremolo bar dip; n = amount to dip \n – tremolo bar down n/ – tremolo bar up /n\ – tremolo bar inverted dip = – hold bend; also acts as connecting device for hammers/pulls <> – volume swell (louder/softer) x – on rhythm slash represents muted slash o – on rhythm slash represents single note slash

A Hammer On A hammer on is executed by picking a note and then hammering done with the fretting hand on the second note. The second note isn’t actually picked but kind of echos the first one. Here is an example of how hammer ons are written in tab: e----------------------5h7---- B------------------5h7-------- G--------------5h7------------ D----------5h7---------------- A------5h7-------------------- E--5h7------------------------

A Pull Off A pull off is the opposite of a hammer on, so the first note is played again then the fretting hand pulls the finger off and lets the one fretted behind it play. e----------------------7p5---- B------------------7p5-------- G--------------7p5------------ D----------7p5---------------- A------7p5-------------------- E--7p5------------------------

A Bend A bend is represented by the symbol ‘b’, this is where the fretting hand actually bends the string to give a wobbly effect. e----------------------------- B----------------------------- G--7b----7b------------------- D--------------7b----7b------- A----------------------------- E-----------------------------

A Release Bend A release bend is represented by the symbol ‘r’, this is just like a bend, but it tells you when to release the bend and go to the next note. e----------------------------- B----------------------------- G--7r5---7r5------------------ D--------------7r5---7r5------ A----------------------------- E-----------------------------

A Slide-Up A slide up is represented by the symbol ‘/’. You would play the first note on 7 then slide the finger that is holding that note up to 9. e----------------------------- B----------------------------- G--7/9---7/9------------------ D--------------7/9---7/9------ A----------------------------- E-----------------------------

A Slide-Down Opposite of a Slide Up, slide down is represented by the symbol ‘\’. You would play the first note on 7 then slide the finger that is holding that note down to 5. e----------------------------- B----------------------------- G--7/5---7/5------------------ D--------------7/5---7/5------ A----------------------------- E-----------------------------

Vibrato Vibrato is like a constant rhythmic bending of the string. You do a bend up and bend down quickly to create a moving sound. It is usually represented by ‘v’ or ‘~’. e----------------------------- B----------------------------- G--7v------------------------- D--------------------7~~~----- A----------------------------- E-----------------------------

Tapping Tapping is much like a hammer-on but you don’t strum any notes. Just tap the notes on the fret board with your fretting hand. e----------------------------- B----------------------------- G--7t---7t---7t--------------- D----------------------------- A----------------------------- E-----------------------------

The Finger Squeeze

Just a general warning, the warm up you are about to learn can be very boring and strenuous. But if you practice this daily it will be the quickest way for you to get your fingers strong and able enough to pull off any chord shape or awkward fingering. The finger squeeze is a strengthening exercise designed to help you develop finger strength and control over the fretboard as well as finger independence. It should be practiced at the very start of your session for maximum benefits.

• Fret the 1st fret of the 6th string on your guitar (F) with your index finger. Use maximum pressure, and maintain it for an even count of 4.
• Without moving your index finger add your middle finger to the 2nd fret (F#). Hold it for 4.
• Again, without moving your first 2 fingers add your ring finger to the 3rd fret (G). Hold it for 4.
• Now, maintaining pressure on all the strings add your pinky to the 4th fret (G#).
• Maintain the pressure on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th frets of the 6th string, move your first finger down to the 5th String (A). Once again, maintain maximum pressure and hold for a count of 4. Add the middle finger, hold for a count of 4, then the ring finger, hold for a count of 4, then the pinky. And so on. See the diagrams below for clarification, read the grids left to right.

Once you finish this exercise you can then start over from the 2nd fret of the 6th string, and continue up the fretboard repeating this exercise. This could take a while to master, but it will help strengthen your fingers to an unimaginable strength. Keep in mind that you should always be exerting maximum pressure and counting to an even 4. As well make sure you keep the ball of your thumb close to the center of the neck.

Strengthen your fingers and play any barre chord

This exercise is purely to strengthen your fingers up. If you have trouble playing barre chords then this is the place to start. It might be painful initially but if you do this enough, every time you practice you will be playing any chord you want in no time. This is the type of exercise that can easily be done well you are sitting in front of the TV or talking on the phone.

It should be done very slowly, stopping to hold each position for a count of 4. Starting from the thinnest string you are going to barre each string, count to 4, then add another one and repeat. Here is an example:

• Step 1: Barre the thinnest string with the index finger, hold for a count of 4.
• Step 2: Barre the thinnest string plus the second thinnest string with the index finger and hold for 4.
• Step 3: Barre the 4 thinnest strings with the index finger and hold for a count of 4.
• Step 4: Get the idea now? Use the diagrams below for more direction.

Once you are done, work your way back done the fretboard like in the diagrams below (read them from left to right). And then when you are done with the index finger, you can move to the middle finger, then the ring finger and then the pinky! That one will be tough…

If your fingers are really weak, you might want to start on a fret further up the neck. Starting on the 5th Fret for example, can be much easier then starting on the 1st Fret. I would try different places and see where you are most comfortable, then over time move closer to the first fret. This is how I learned to play barre chords, so I can assure you it totally works – it just takes some gumption, and don’t worry about your fingers always hurting, that will go away eventually once you build up enough strength in them.

The important thing is to stick with it. If your fingers get sore or tired, then take a break and come back later. Eventually over time you will build the required strength to play almost any barre chord.

Sharps or Flats?

As we know a sharp/flat note can be called either sharp or flat. So how do we know which one it should be?

The simple explanation is the name you call it by is dependent on the key you are in. Here’s how it works. You can’t have two notes with similar names in the same key. So for instance you can’t have G and G, or G and G#, or G and G#. So if there is G in the scale/key the note G/F# will be called F#.

On top of that, you can’t have both sharps and flats in the same key. A key may include up to six sharp notes (the key of F# Major) or five flat notes (The Key of DMajor). But never both.

For this reason, keys with sharps are sometimes known as sharp keys, and keys with flats are sometimes known as flat keys.

One final point. In the diagram below you may notice that in the keys of F# Major and D# Minor there’s a note called E#. This is the note we usually call F, but because there’s already an F note (F#) in the key, it’s called E#. This is the only time this ever occurs.

Don’t worry too much about what you call a sharp or a flat. If you refer to a chord or note as D# when it should be and E, any musician will know what you mean. But for the visitor who wants to know the real answer, hopefully this page helps.

Major Keys

Note in Scale	Primary Triad Chord	Scale (Read down from root note)
Root	Root Major Chord	C	D	D	E	E	F	F#	G	A	A	B	B
Second	Minor Chord	D	E	E	F	F#	G	G#	A	B	B	C	C#
Third	Minor Chord	E	F	F#	G	G#	A	A#	B	C	C#	D	D#
Fourth	Major Chord	F	G	G	A	A	B	B	C	D	D	E	E
Fifth	Major Chord	G	A	A	B	B	C	C#	D	E	E	F	F#
Sixth	Relative Minor Chord	A	B	B	C	C#	D	D#	E	F	F#	G	G#
Seventh	-	B	C	C#	D	D#	E	E#	F#	G	G#	A	A#

Guitar Scales Explained

On a standard guitar there are generally 6 strings and 21 frets. For the purpose of this lesson we are just going to work with the first 12 frets of the guitar to explain some basic guitar music theory. If a guitar is in standard guitar tuning the notes on it’s fretboard will look like this:

open string			3rd fret		5th fret		7th fret		9th fret			12th fret
E	F	F#	G	G#	A	A#	B	C	C#	D	D#	E
A	A#	B	C	C#	D	D#	E	F	F#	G	G#	A
D	D#	E	F	F#	G	G#	A	A#	B	C	C#	D
G	G#	A	A#	B	C	C#	D	D#	E	F	F#	G
B	C	C#	D	D#	E	F	F#	G	G#	A	A#	B
E	F	F#	G	G#	A	A#	B	C	C#	D	D#	E

Tones and Semitones

Tones and semitones are the basic building blocks of musical theory.

1 tone is equal to 2 frets on the guitar fret board, whereas as semitone is equal to one fret. For example if you are on the 1st fret of the A string a semitone up would be the second fret or A#, and a full tone up from the second fret would be fret 4, also known as C#.

How Scales are Formed

Scales always have a pattern. For example, the pattern of every major scale is consistent and it is as follows:

Tone-Tone-Semitone-Tone-Tone-Tone-Semitone

As an example the notes in the C scale are shown below:

	tone		tone		semitone		tone		tone		tone		semitone
C	^	D	^	E	^	F	^	G	^	A	^	B	^	C

How Chords are Formed

In any give key certain chords are more common then others. For example in the key of C, the chords C, F and G are usually present, and quite often they are complemented with Am, Dm, and Em. The reason for this is each key has it’s own set of chords constructed from the notes of it’s scale. This is basic music theory and will work starting with any note. We will start with C, consider the scale of C major:

C	D	E	F	G	A	B	C
I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII

Chords are constructed by notes that are a 3rd apart in it’s scale. So the following positions would give us the root major chord of a key:

I – II – III

Using the C major scale written above, chords can be constructed by placing 2 third intervals above each note. So a C chord has C, E and G in it.

Here are the chords of the key of C and how they are constructed:

Chord Constructed	C	Dm	Em	F	G	Am	Bo
C Scale	C	D	E	F	G	A	B
III	E	F	G	A	B	C	D
V	G	A	B	C	D	E	F

The chords are always named according to their root note. They are chords in the key of C because they only contain notes from the C scale. This method of constructing chords can be applied to form the chords of any major scale. The result will always produce the chords of whatever root note you start with.

Scale Note	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII
Chord Constructed	major	minor	minor	major	major	minor	diminished

Chord Substitutions

The chords studied so far involve the placement of 3 notes. The root note of the chord and the 2 third interval notes above it. This method of building chords can be extended by adding another note illustrated below. These chords could then be substituted for chords in the key of C, to color things up.

Chord Constructed	Cmaj7	Dm7	Em7	Fmaj7	G7	Am7	Bo7*
C Scale	C	D	E	F	G	A	B
III	E	F	G	A	B	C	D
VII	B	C	D	E	F	G	A
V	G	A	B	C	D	E	F

From this example chords for any key can be substituted by using the chart below:

Scale Note	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII
Chord Constructed	major seventh	minor seventh	minor seventh	major seventh	seventh	minor seventh	half diminished seventh

Travis Picking Deconstructed

You have probably heard it in a song before, as it is a widely used pattern in popular music.

Travis Picking is named after it’s creator; Merle Travis. It involves playing a steady bass note pattern with the thumb alternating between 2 bass notes. And is filled out by some syncopated rhythms with the other fingers, usually on the higher strings of the guitar.

For simplicities sake, we are going to start out with one guitar chord, which we are going to fret for the whole tutorial, all the focus here will be on the strumming hand. We will use a simple chord, A Minor. Once you are fretting A Minor all the attention for the reminder of this tutorial will be on the strumming/picking hand.

Step 1: Fret The Chord of A Minor




1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

| 0--------------- |

| 1--------------- |

| 2--------------- |

| 2--------------- |

| 0--------------- |

| 0--------------- |

Step 2: The Alternating Bass Notes

This is the foundation of this technique. First you must develop a steady rhythm with the alternating bass notes, plucking them with your thumb. Pluck the Open A first and then the 2nd Fret on the D String. At this point you should only be using your thumb plucking back and forth in a steady rhythm. It’s important that you get a rhythm of “1 and 2 and 3 and 4″, hitting the notes on the 1, 2, 3, 4; because as we add more notes the rhythm will be harder to keep.




| 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

| ---------------- | ---------------- |

| ---------------- | ---------------- |

| ---------------- | ---------------- |

| ----2-------2--- | ----2-------2--- |

| 0-------0------- | 0-------0------- |

| ---------------- | ---------------- |

Step 3: Adding A Pinch

This is called a pinch. As you pluck down on the A String with your thumb, you also pluck the 1st Fret of the B String with your middle finger.




| 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |

| ---------------- | ---------------- |

| 1--------------- | 1--------------- |

| ---------------- | ---------------- |

| ----2-------2--- | ----2-------2--- |

| 0-------0------- | 0-------0------- |

| ---------------- | ---------------- |

Step 4: Your First Syncopation

Now here comes the fun part. We are going to add a note right between the alternating bass notes. Remember your rhythm should be the same. 1, 2, 3, 4 but there is an eighth note between the first 2 quarter beats, played with the index finger.




| 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

| ---------------- | ---------------- |

| 1--------------- | 1--------------- |

| --2------------- | --2------------- |

| ----2-------2--- | ----2-------2--- |

| 0-------0------- | 0-------0------- |

| ---------------- | ---------------- |

Step 5: Your Second Syncopation

Now you just basically keep adding notes. So after you hit the second alternating bass note you put another note in before the 3rd bass note; all the while keeping the rhythm intact. It helps to count out loud or tap your foot, “1 and 2 and 2 and 4 and…”.




| 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |

| ---------------- | ---------------- |

| 1-----1--------- | 1-----1--------- |

| --2------------- | --2------------- |

| ----2-------2--- | ----2-------2--- |

| 0-------0------- | 0-------0------- |

| ---------------- | ---------------- |

Step 6: The Last Syncopation

Again we are adding another note between the 3rd and the 4th beat. Keep in mind that the 2 lowest notes are plucked with the thumb, the G String notes are always plucked with the middle finger and the B String notes are always plucked with the Index finger.




| 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |

| ---------------- | ---------------- |

| 1-----1--------- | 1-----1--------- |

| --2-------2----- | --2-------2----- |

| ----2-------2--- | ----2-------2--- |

| 0-------0------- | 0-------0------- |

| ---------------- | ---------------- |

Your Finished

There you go. These are the basics of Travis Picking. The patterns and chord changes can get alot more complex. The pinch and syncopation can change throughout a patterm. and you can combinine Travis Picking with other techniques such as hammer-ons to make it even more dynamic. But most patterns follow this basic technique. I suggest just sticking with one pattern until you master it, then look around for other patterns and songs to play that utilize this technique.

Finger Picking With A Turn Around Chord Progression

You can also apply this pattern to a chord progression. Below I have tabbed out a simple Turn Around chord progression. The chords for this progression are G Major, E Minor, C Major and D Major. If you listen to the progression it goes down then kind of turns around when it hits the C Chord. Hence the name. Also note the thumb is picking the Root Bass Note of the chord. The root for each chord is G, E, C and D respectively.


| 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
| --------3------- | --------0------- |
| ----0-------0--- | ----0-------0--- |
| ---------------- | ---------------- |
| ---------------- | ---------------- |
| ---------------- | ---------------- |
| 3--------------- | 0--------------- |
| 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
| --------0------- | --------2------- |
| ----1-------1--- | ----3-------3--- |
| ---------------- | ---------------- |
| ---------------- | 0--------------- |
| 3--------------- | ---------------- |
| ---------------- | ---------------- |

Using a Guitar Pick

Originally picks or plectrums were made out of animal bone or tortoise shell. Today, most all picks are made out of plastic.

There are many different shapes, as well they vary in size and flexibility. It’s really a subjective thing but for the most part really hard picks are used for picking lead guitar and really soft flexible ones are used for strumming chords. Though it’s important to keep in mind when you are developing your technique and style that there isn’t one rule of thumb in how to pick or pluck a guitar.

If you are just starting out you might find a larger more flexible pick to be easier initially. The sound might not be as loud but there will be less resistance against the strings, thereby making it easier to strum. But definitely feel free to experiment especially if you have been playing for a long time.

Most guitar teachers will suggest holding the pick between the thumb and the first finger. Though depending on your finger size and style you might want to try holding it between your second finger and your thumb or holding the pick using both your first and second fingers and your thumb. Again this is a matter of personal choice and use develop and practice you will naturally find what works best for you, maybe you don’t even want to us a pick, maybe you prefer to finger pick like many guitarists.

The most important thing when plucking is the angle of the plectrum when it hits the strings. When holding a pick don’t clench it to tightly, you want your grip to be somewhat relaxed, not so relaxed that it will fly out of your hand but relaxed enough that your fist isn’t clenched white. The pick should be at a 90 degree angle when you play, so if the guitar is completely vertical the pick would be horizontal.

Try to get a sharp, clear sound when you play. Stick with it, and remember to keep focused on your right hand as much as your left hand even when learning new chord shapes. It’s easy to become satisfied with a lack lustre technique, but always keep your focus and try to get a clear tone, flexible wrist and a firm grip. But keep in mind to relax.

****************************************************************************************************************

****************************************************************

Main Source: www.howtotuneaguitar.org

****************************************************************