Miazma - The Music Learning Blog

Characteristics a Lead Guitarist Needs

2008-12-02T23:05:30Z

Being able to play a guitar in front of a crowd efficiently and magically is not the ultimate dream of every artist. Though beginners often state that they only wanted to play some music, it just doesn t stop there, especially if you see yourself going somewhere. He somehow should see himself advancing to being the lead guitarist of a band. Involving himself in a band is one thing but playing as the lead is another.

Why is the lead so important that the band wants to keep him and respects him? Because he calls the shots. He decides on the music the band must play. In other words, he is their leader.

A lead guitarist is someone who, aside from the vocalist, establishes rapport amidst the crowd. He is responsible for getting everyone s attention and at the same time being able to entertain them with his skills on the guitar and somehow satisfy them with their need for loud, soft, hard metal, or jazzy music. A crowd pleaser.

This is a good opportunity to let the artist in you sparkle amidst the limelight. But first, you have to start working on the most important thing that you must consider before entering such commitment, yourself.

After you ve decided which path you d go, either a rock star or a blues type of a guy, you have to double check if you are really capable of stating your name and plunging into the career of your life as a lead guitarist. One must possess and observe:

a. A goal Most guitarists don t really know what they want that may lead to a dream or frustration. You need to set goals for yourself. Set a time frame when you ll be able to see the path you have to tread. A goal is like a road. Help this goal inspire you to push through elevating your career.

b. Right Attitude Aspects like this require a great deal of persistence. If you want to see yourself on top of that stage with lights and all, you must have the potential to play the part. Your confidence must shine. Never let your energy spill. The crowd must never take advantage of you. You own the stage, remember that.

c. Practice Just because you have that part on being the lead doesn t mean you have to stop practicing. This should give you more reason to keep playing. It would be a disgrace if you ll be the reason for inappropriate unpleasant remarks. Without religious practice, you can expect to see your career fall apart.

d. Skills and knowledge What good are you without your talent in guitar mastery? Aside from the basic conventional way of playing the guitar, you have to figure out a way to exhibit other tricks that will definitely blow your audience away. One typical example is Carlo Santana. He is considered as a music genius for his impeccable way of manipulating a guitar. Sometimes, not one, but two at the same time.

e. Flexibility, Discipline and Respect Joining a group or band demands its members to be flexible enough to cope with the pressure, stress, and sometimes the attitude of the other members. Discipline must be maintained to gain cooperation and tranquility while respect must strictly be imposed within the group. These three important elements are the keys to a successful working relationship.

Learn How to Play the Guitar Even If You re Left Handed

2008-11-29T23:05:48Z

Most individuals are right handed but it doesn t really matter if you re a left handed individual. There are things that some right handed people can do that lefties can t do but when it comes to playing a guitar, even left handed people can do it too as long as their determined and motivated. Learn how to play the guitar even if you re left handed especially if you love this musical instrument.

To be more inspired, you need to know some famous left handed guitarists. Yes, there are actually many left handed guitarists like Jimmy Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Albert King, Dick Dale, and Paul McCartney. These guitarists used re-strung guitars as well as left handed guitars and each of them have their own styles when playing the guitar. You can find more about them and their playing style by reading magazines or simply surfing the net.

A lot of information can be found online so you d better start surfing the net. By knowing their stories, you will be motivated to learn to play guitar even if you re left handed. Being a lefty should not be a hindrance if you really want to learn.

If your a beginner, you should know that you have several options to learn to play a guitar. First, you can use guitars that are used by right handed people. You don t need to re-string it, simply leave the strings as is and then try to play the guitar upside down. Now this may seem difficult and so you can opt for the second option wherein you re-string a guitar.

However, this is not very easy if you plan to play an electric guitar especially when using the tone and volume controls. The best option for most left handed individuals is using the left handed guitar because you don t need to re-string it or play it upside down.

As a beginner, a huge portion of your time will be spent in looking for the best guitar in your local music stores or even in online stores. You need to prepare some money when purchasing a guitar especially if you want a left handed guitar. You see, left handed guitars are rather expensive because these are specially designed for lefties. Go for quality guitars that are sold at a reasonable price if you don t want to break your savings. But once you learn to play the guitar well, you can now experiment in using different guitars, even right handed re-strung guitars.

Beginners are advised to get left handed guitars to learn all the basics of guitar playing easily. You need to memorize all the notes, chords, and other guitar playing techniques. Strumming is also a problem for some lefties but with practice and patience, you can learn it fast. Depending on your learning attitude, you need to choose the appropriate learning method.

When learning to play a guitar, left handed individuals should always remember to purchase first a left handed guitar. You need to invest on the guitar so that you can practice more often and you don t need to borrow every time you want to play the guitar. Then, find the guitar learning method that suits you.

After doing these things, you can now start and learn how to play the guitar even if you re left handed. Good luck and who knows, in time you may become one of the best guitar players in the world.

Learn How to Play Bass Guitar

2008-11-26T23:06:37Z

Are you aware that the bass guitar is music s soul instrument? It gives the song life and if you can learn to play this excellent piece of instrument, you can impress your friends and family members. So don t waste your time and start to learn how to play bass guitar.

Most people are into electric and acoustic guitar playing because it is pleasing to their ears but if you want to feel some beat inside your chest, choose a bass guitar. Before you can play a certain song, you need to learn all the songs by heart. The song s foundation is thrown off if the bass guitar is not present. So having a bass guitar playing together with all other guitars is essential.

As compared to traditional guitars, bass guitars have fewer and thicker strings. Advanced guitar players say that bass guitars are easy to play but it would take a lot of talent and hard work to master it. Aside from the difference in the strings, bass guitars have larger bodies. Most bass guitars are made from rose and maple wood and usually have four strings only.

Another thing that you need to keep in mind, bass guitars are not oriented. Other guitars are chord oriented but not the bass. If you play the chords using the bass, it can dominate other guitars. Bass guitars should be played consistently so that you can feel its power. Once you ve learned to play this instrument, it will be a lot easier to learn electric, acoustic, and Spanish guitars.

Here are some helpful tips that you can make use in learning to play the bass guitar:
1. You must always be aware of the beat of the music that you re playing. Feel it. You see, bass guitars are like drums, only in guitar form. It gives any song timing and depth. Feel your chest as the sound of the bass guitar pounds it.
2. As with ordinary guitars, bass guitars are tuned the same way. But the tones are deeper because the strings are thicker and fewer. You need to learn how to hit single notes often because this is essential in bass guitar playing. If you want to play the bass decently, you need to familiarize yourself with the notes and tunings of an ordinary guitar.
3. The placing of your fingers is of utmost importance. The note s wholeness is determined on how your fingers hit the fret board of the bass. For a holistic approach, you need to practice playing the guitar as well.
4. Your fingers on both hands should be strong. You need to strength in order to play a bass guitar because it is a solid and sturdy instrument.

These tips when kept in mind will definitely help you a lot in learning to play the bass. Whether you re attending a private guitar lesson, using a guide book, or DVD programs, these tips can be used.

Buy your very own bass guitar now and practice playing the instrument. Remember, if you can learn to play this instrument, your guitar s sound will give any song soul and depth. Besides, just in case you want to learn to play other kinds of guitar, it will be easier.

Start your guitar lessons and discover what bass guitars can do to the many songs that you re about to play.

Guitar Mania: Playing it Left Handed

2008-11-23T23:08:31Z

Consider that almost ninety percent of the world s population is born right handed. Meaning, they use their right hands more often than the left one. Their right hand is responsible for important everyday activities like writing. And where does this leave the lefties? Basically, vice versa.

In the music industry, a small minority of musicians are left-handed. Though some notable and famous performers are born lefties. Personalities like Jimi Hendrix and Dan Seals played left-handed. Is this much of a surprise? Other artists who are left-handed switch the guitar s string for their own benefit.

How do lefties go about playing a guitar custom made for the right handed?

If you have overcame the idea of quitting, and you are among the left-handed who try so hard learning to play it your way, might as well read attentively. This can help you figure out what to do. You can actually do two things: first, you can switch the strings or you can choose to play the guitar upside down. Sounds funny? It s a fact and pretty much effective.

Some write-ups stated it is way difficult and outrageous to create notes with a guitar positioned upside down. While others believe nothing is impossible if you try really hard and put your heart into it. The idea of rotating the guitar and operating it backwards can be accepted and used.

Using the basic chords, a left-handed player can place his fingers on the same set of strings only that it has to be put the other way around but with the same basic strings. Regardless of how accustomed people are when it comes to playing a guitar right handed, some left handed guitarists have introduced newer methods.

To start with, you should equip yourself with a guitar guide or manual. Playing with an upside down guitar doesn t necessarily mean changing the mode of how fingering should be. The placement of your fingers would still be the same although the only difference would rely on the finger you use on the fret of the guitar. Normally, if you would play a right handed guitar right handed, the C would represent that your fourth finger must be positioned at the third fret dipping on the fifth string. Then your third finger must lie on the second fret pressing on the fourth string. Last, your index finger must be on the first fret down on the second string.

With an inverted guitar for lefties, it should be done in an inverted way too. Noting that your last string would be on top and the fret would remain the same. Things are difficult if you have no guitar to practice with. Make it a point that you follow what the diagram shows and not making the mistake of strumming the forbidden strings in each chord.

This type of technique is difficult, indeed. So start with those chords that only require three or three fingers at the moment. Basic chords like CAGED or some minor details. When you get the hang on it, try working on the harder ones. Do not saturate yourself with learning the hard ones first. That would be enough reason for you to give up. Frustrated.

But if you find it really hard to cope with this kind of style, settle with the conventional way of playing. That is, playing a right handed guitar right handed even though you re left handed.

Learn Guitar Online - Its the easierst Way

2008-11-20T23:04:28Z

Have you ever tried using the internet to learn guitar playing? Well, if you haven t tried it, perhaps it s now time to check out the options that you have online. You see, learning to play a guitar is now possible online. So you d better start surfing the net.

Beginners are often confused and ask different kinds of questions pertaining to online guitar lessons. Paying a guitar teacher can cost you a lot of money but if you conduct an online research, you can learn inexpensively and if you re lucky enough, you can even learn for free.

Many individuals who previously hired guitar teachers and paid big money were frustrated when they learned about another option and that is online guitar lessons. You don t have to pay a very high hourly rate just to learn the basics like guitar chords, tabulators, complicated fingering methods for classical music playing, and strumming. Now you can learn all of these lessons online for free or for a much lesser fee.

Oftentimes, learning from a guitar teacher is really hard but through online guitar lessons, you can be provided with animated images, graphics, demo sounds, and video tutorials. It is much easier to learn online and in a short time, you can already play a simple song. The learning process is more enhanced online because tutorials are provided utilizing the different senses sound, touch, and sight.

Whatever your reasons are in learning how to play a guitar, you can surely find fulfillment through online guitar lessons. If you want to learn fast and easily in order to play in crowds or perform like the pros, try to determine all your learning options online. If you follow the video tutorials step by step, in a week s time you can already play many songs. And with continued practice, you will soon playing like the pros.

Online guitar lessons often make use of techniques like hear first and play later. You have to be sensitive to the songs or music that you want to play and this requires sufficient training. All the needed details are provided in the online lessons so you will not encounter many problems. Oftentimes, you will be asked to listen first to the song that you want to play and then later on, you will be playing it yourself. You can easily use your imagination, subliminal mind, and senses through online guitar lessons as compared to learning from a private guitar teacher.

You don t have to worry in case you re not very good in using the computer. At first, you can even request from a friend or a family member who knows how to use the computer and surf the net. Afterwards, you can do it yourself. This is not a very difficult task and rest assured that in a very short time, you can learn all the things that you need to know about guitar playing.

If you want to save money on your guitar lessons, don t hire professional help. Instead, turn to the internet and find out more about online guitar lessons. You can learn a lot and so don t waste your time. Start surfing the net now and very soon you will be playing your guitar together with your friends and loved ones. Learn guitar online now.

Check out the different video tutorials available online and make sure that you choose the one with positive testimonials to make sure that you trust only the best.

Learning to Play the Chords

2008-11-17T23:05:43Z

To learn reading the chords of a guitar, one must have the basic knowledge on what a chord is and how is it produced.

Introduction

A chord is a set of tones producing a melody and is played on a guitar. The chords of a guitar can be made up of different notes that are played one string at a time whether doing it on a plucking or strumming method. Chords are played with two or three notes, can be more than. Some are played with only one note.

Categorically, there two kinds of chords minor and major. And the basic primary chords herewith are the C,A,G,E,D or CAGED. If you are new on playing the guitar, mastering the CAGED pattern must be the first and foremost thing you should do. A lot of artists who mastered these basic chords confessed that it paved the way for easy manipulation of the other difficult chords.

Reading a Diagram
The very basic thing that you should know when learning the chords have to be learning on how to read the chord chart or chord diagram. Without these, you ll be left in a dilemma.
A chord diagram is an illustration with instructions on how to play a particular chord. To be able to achieve a successful guitar manipulation, there should be a good interpretation of each chord stated in the diagram and the musician must read it in the most accurate way.

Following the CAGED pattern
Imagine yourself looking at a guitar. Now put your attention at the fret board. You ll notice that a whole fret board is composed of 6 strings attached to it. Well, not basically attached but on top of it. These strings are the ones making it possible to produce the chords and melody. If you re going to focus on fingering first, might as well memorize the different chords produced in every fret. There are five basic and easy chords that will enhance you to learn other harder chords.

Troubleshooting
Oftentimes a lot of beginners complain how sore their fingers are after finishing one session with their guitar, its a normal reaction. You should be surprised if you re not hurting even a bit, this means that you re not playing it right. The proper way to carry out fingering is pressing your fingertips hard enough on the strings. When you notice that there is a buzzing sound or the echo is not going the way it should sound, try to press harder on the strings.

Tips
1) Cut those long fingernails. They will make it difficult for you to press the strings correctly.
2) Don t let your fingers lie down while playing for they tend to mute some strings. This is the most common mistake done by newbies.
3)Be sure that your fingertips are the ones that are in contact with the strings and not the place where fingerprints are taken. Maintain the straight arch. Aside from the fact that this is exhausting, this is also painful and difficult but will pay off as soon as calluses are produced.
4) Remember that you should press the notes altogether. Make sure that no strings must be left out.
5) Practice. Memorize each chord pattern.
6) Don t rush yourself. If you do, it ll just frustrate you if you don t get it. Choose songs that are easier to play.

Learn Bass Guitar Playing

2008-11-14T23:04:13Z

There are different types of guitars. You will often notice this when bands are playing. Have you ever tried playing a bass guitar? If you don t know how to play one, then you can start to learn bass guitar playing.

Did you know that bass guitar playing is very easy? It is among the simplest musical instruments that even children can learn to play in a short time. Beginners are advised to learn the different notes one by one. This way, you will avoid being confused and some possible problems.

If this is your first time to play a bass guitar and you haven t played any other instrument, make sure that you use the fretted guitar. This will make it easier for you to learn the notes and how to play them.

On the onset of your learning to play a bass guitar, you will not need the instrument. You will first have to concentrate on finger exercises. It doesn t really matter which hand you use. Bass guitar can be played both by right handed and left handed individuals. Try to relax your fingers. Later on, lift your left or right hand making a ninety degrees angle with the floor. Lift your fingers one by one and make sure that you this in rapid succession.

After conducting the finger exercises, you can now use the bass guitar. Place the guitar on your thigh with the strings opposite your body. Most bass guitars have a sloped body but if yours is different, you can use your forearm to adjust the guitar s position.

The neck of the guitar should be supported by your left or right hand. Place your thumb on the E string. This string is located midway of all the strings on the guitar. Your index and middle finger should be on string D. This is found two strings down the E. try to pluck each string in succession. Don t expect to get this lesson right away. It may take awhile before you can master it. If you re patient, you learn this much faster.

How are you going to learn these things? You can have several options. You can buy a DVD program that focuses mainly on bass guitar playing. Aside from that, you can also sign up for guitar lessons but this is a bit expensive. If you want to learn playing bass guitar inexpensively or even for free, start surfing the net and find some information regarding bass guitar playing.

If you re really into bass guitars, it would be best learn at an early age. So if you have kids who are interested in bass guitars, give them lessons right away. However, it s never too old to learn. If you want to give it a shot, you may do so. Just make sure that you are motivated enough, confident, and patient. You should also devote enough time to it so that you can master the lessons.

Playing guitar together with other people is a very fun activity. It can help you relax and you can meet a lot of people. If you know how to play a bass guitar, you can perform songs and make it more interesting especially when played with other guitarists, just like that of the bands. Learn bass guitar now; start with the basics and then try to learn the advanced notes as well.

Elements on Learning and Mastering a Guitar

2008-11-11T23:09:34Z

There are only 3 essential elements on how to learn to strum your way through guitar lessons.

First, purchase your own guitar. Borrowing can bring so much fuss considering the fact that you might destroy or ruin somebody else s guitar. If the price isn t reaching the money at hand, go for something cheaper. Better yet buy a surplus.

You could save a lot from buying a second hand guitar. Aside from its low price, it also reduces the anxiety of being used up in a couple of days. Hours of practice can bring about so much exhaustion on the part of the guitar.

Another element would fall under choosing the right guitar to play with. This would be influenced by your own judgment. How do you see yourself playing? Are you the sensitive or the hard core type of personality? Although a lot of guitarists started their career by playing the acoustic. Aside from its wide-range availability, an acoustic guitar is more trigger friendly than that of the electric. Why? Because you can play it anytime, anywhere you want to.

Last. Have someone listen to you. Sure you can learn on your own and there are a variety of resources to help you start playing but having someone stand by you and comment on how good or sloppy you are is a must. Improves your ability to work on those mistakes. Make it a point that he knows how to play so that when you fingers go out of its proper strings, that person can correct you. Furthermore, he can teach you techniques that books and online tutorials can t provide.

After you have all these elements packed together, you can now sit down and engage on strumming. How would you get it started and master without anybody s assistance? Easy.

1. You have picked the right guitar. Upon handling your guitar, you must see to it that it is placed on a comfortable position. Basically, the sitting position would do. Rest the base of the guitar on your right thigh, your left fingers must support the other end of the strings and are responsible for tuning and for changing of notes. While the right hand fingers are used for strumming and plucking. This creates proper body mechanics. Remember to maintain good posture to avoid muscle straining.

2. Reach each step on your reference carefully. Follow its course. Memorize the ABCs. Each chord and note has its own fingering. Try to play slowly and focus on the easier basic patterns. Once you have mastered the basics, you can progress to the harder ones which contain frets and power chords.

3. Have a couple of songs to play with. For beginners, pick a song that only repeats four or five easy chord sequences. A typical example is Lifehouse s You and Me . It s just a repetition of four chords namely G, C, E-minor, and D.

4. Sing while you re playing. This helps a lot by setting the mood for inspiration and staying attuned with the proper melody. Singing along can also help you determine if you re strumming the right chords or if you re out of tune.

5. Be patient! Never give up on yourself. You have to be determined even though you re on the verge of giving up. If you develop blisters, it s a sign of good, dedicated practicing.

Be the master of these steps. Handling a guitar is not hard if you have the proper and positive attitude.

Learn to Play Guitar with Amp through Instruction Books

2008-11-08T23:06:25Z

Some people prefer to learn new things by themselves. Most of these individuals are more comfortable working alone and resent learning with other people. This is also true with guitar playing. Those that don t want any audience as they practice would rather learn to play the guitar alone and through the use of instruction books. You too can learn to play guitar with amp through instruction books.

In order to do this, you must have the right attitude. If you re comfortable with this kind of setting and you don t need frequent motivation or guidance, instruction books just might work for you. Besides, this is the most inexpensive option when it comes to learning how to play guitars.

Is there a difference if you re using a guitar with amps? Guitars plugged in PA systems give you acceptable sound but with an amp, the sound is much better. You see, amps are available in different prices depending on the size. If you shop around, you can actually find guitar amps for $200 or even less. The biggest amps can reach thousand of dollars. Amps are available in hybrid, tube, analog or solid state, and digital. When looking for guitar amps, you need to consider the guitar that you have.

Aside from that, you also need to consider the type of music that you like. Will you be using the amps for personal practice or during shows? With these things in mind, you can buy an amp that your pockets can afford and some excellent tools too that you can use to model the kind of amp you love.

Learning to play guitar especially for beginners usually does not involve playing the guitar or using the amps on the first lessons. You need to focus more in learning the chords, notes, and guitar strumming. You also need to exercise your fingers frequently. You must be able to get a good instruction book that is designed for beginners. But if you already know the basics of guitar playing, you can get a more advanced book especially one that incorporates using guitars with amps.

With or without the amps, what matters is how you play the guitar. The amps only help in improving the sound output. It is therefore very important to learn playing the guitar first before you even think of buying guitar amps.

Take a stroll in your locality and check out the different music stores. You re sure to find good quality instruction books that can help you in the learning process. Try to look into different instruction books and don t focus on only one book. It would also be good to tell the store keeper about the guitar type that you re using. This way, he or she can help in picking the appropriate instruction book for you.

The best way to shop for instruction books is on the internet. You can check out various instruction books that are preferred by most guitar players. Most of the instruction books available online have comments from customers and so you can check if customers have positive comments about it.

Advantages of Learning to Master a Guitar

2008-11-05T23:06:26Z

Sure you can be the life of the party or someone who is really adored by music lovers or, the list goes on. You can play really good music through the strumming of your guitar. And people would scream out Encore! That would be really nice isn t it? Do you like the idea? Well, read very carefully as this article states some of the most exciting and fulfilling advantages when you have learned to master the techniques and chords in the phase of guitar music.

Advantage #1
Playing a guitar enhances your brain to work and to initiate such signals that commands your hands on mentally memorizing where to put your finger on a particular fret, pressing on the right chord and engaging in the proper manner of strumming.

Advantage #2
The pleasure of gratification is satisfied. Thus, your self-esteem is working its way through your personality. A book once said, a psychological book to be exact, that men has to satisfy basic needs to be able to advance to his self to the highest level which is the self-actualization. Something like that.

Advantage #3
Let s face the fact that a guitar is one of the most convenient instruments there is. You can t bring your drums wherever you go. It would be exhausting on your part to carry a drum set around your campus and constantly beat it. It can cause so much distraction. Whereas if you have been a full pledged guitarist your whole life, you could play music where you can.

Advantage #4
Being able to drag your guitar around town, might as well earn something from it. A talent like that would not go on unnoticed. Playing along the streets of downtown is not really the idea but if you consider it, then yes, you could try. You could ask some of your friends to back you up.

Advantage #5
You, yourself, is a unique individual. Out of ten people only one becomes a pure musician. And by some luck, that person is a guitarist. Or can be someone with pure musical talent who can play not only the guitar but similar instruments or some percussion ones. Some say it is taught but real talent comes from deep inside. It is that spirit within you that makes you distinct.

Advantage #6
Nobody can call you a loser with no specific talent. Yes, you could flunk all of your exams and miss every graded recitation during class hours but when school or house parties come, you are the star. Even an A+ won t top the popularity you can get from being an artist.

Advantage #7
You are the it guy. Everyone can hate you or mess you up. But the moment you have learned to become a master in your own craft, everyone will recognize how good you are. Even those who never or didn t know you will find an effort to. People will love you for the talent that you are.

More advantages are viewed just by playing the guitar. Playing is one thing but mastering is another. So if you are still struggling to play such tunes, don t give up that dream. Even though it s just a hobby or past time, who knows, with such skill, it could take you to new heights. Something brighter. Something more intense. Something close to Hollywood.