The effect is what you would get if you lightly placed your finger over the strings at a harmonic node and struck the strings. The most common and strongest harmonic nodes are at the 5th, 7th and 12th frets (and 17th if you can reach it).

Also, unlike conventional capos that allow you to only play in-front of where the capo is placed, the harmonic capo, allows you to play both in-front and behind the capo opening up a whole range of possibilities worth exploring.

The harmonic capo works in tandem with open tunings such as open C (Low to high: CGCGBE) open G tuning (low to high: DGDGBD) or open D tuning or DADGAD. With an open chord being played with no fingers being placed on the fretboard, this enables you to explore different melodic runs while adding in colorful harmonics throughout.

Of course, if you’re new to open tunings, it’s worth taking some time to familiarize yourself with the different shapes to produce chords of one tuning, before moving onto another. It might be helpful at this point to write down all the notes of the fretboard as they have changed with the tuning to get a better picture of what your working with.

With all this in mind, use of a Harmonic Capo really benefits finger style playing but that shouldn’t really stop anyone, who is interested in exploring the possibilities the Harmonic Capo offers from having a go. If you’re intrigued to hear some examples, head over to Bob Kilgore’s site and watch a few of his videos. Check out the video below, a number of excerpts from his latest CD offering.

His playing is sure to inspire you to push your playing in a new direction, even if you return having decided that it’s not the path you wanna take.

Enjoy!

Posted by Dan Orr.

For a very reasonable fee ($9.99), you can load your iPad, iPhone or Ipod Touch up with a tuner, metronome, chord, scale and arpeggio library. The tuner will give you accurate tunings not just for 6 string guitars, but also 7 and 12 as well. It also support 4, 5 and 6-string bass, banjo, mandolin and ukulele, with alternate tunings for each instrument. You can also dial in your own custom tunings.

The metronome can be run in the background while you use other Guitartoolkit tools. It features a tempo tap pad, 25 sound effects and 22 time signatures meaning you’ll be keeping rock steady rhythms from now on.

The massive chord library gives you over 2 million chord diagrams, scales and appegios so you’ll never get stuck finding a chord and if you need to transpose a song, you can add in a capo and the chords will automatically adjust for the new key. For scales you can simply click on a note and a range of possible scales will be displayed. You just need to know how you use them.

There’s also an app upgrade ($4.99) that will give you the Advanced Metronome (for your iPad now and iPhone/Touch soon), giving you the ability to create your own drum beats with 32 instrument tracks and 75 distinct sounds to make your practice sessions all the more fun.

You’ll also be able to create your own interactive chord sheets and print or email them to a band member or friend. Click on any chord in the progression you’ve created and hear how it sounds.

And if that wasn’t enough, you will also have 60 instrument sounds at your fingertips to create custom instrument sounds for both acoustic and electric guitar through Agile Partners’ AmpKit tone engine.

For a quick video overview, check Agile Partners’ release video.

If you want essential guitar tools at your fingertips then Agile Partners’ Guitartoolkit 2.0 is well worth considering.

Posted by Dan Orr.

We receive tons of emails from left handed guitarists asking for advice on how to learn; which course is good for them; what do they need; is there anything special I need to do when it comes to playing the guitar? Do I need a left handed guitar? Does your Jamorama course cater to left handed players?

Many people feel that left-handers are at an advantage when it comes to learning guitar. First if you are learning the guitar around the left handed way then you will have your guitar the same way as anyone you’re playing with and also your guitar will be the same way round as traditional chord diagrams (this of course makes it easier to understand what the diagram shows). Also if you are left handed and play your guitar right handed then you will have your strongest hand (your left) fretting the strings which is one of the hardest things for beginners to master.

Please note that Jamorama doesn’t recommend learning to play the guitar around the “wrong way” as it can impede developing a good solid sense of rhythm. However playing round the wrong way can be beneficial for SOME players.

In terms of the actual guitar when it comes to classical guitars it is not problem just to reverse the strings. With electrics and other acoustics it can be better to invest in a left handed guitar. Some players have no problem stringing electrics upside down (Jimi Hendrix for one) so if you think that will suit you try it.

Check out these “tributes to left handed guitarists” by Youtube user hardandheavyvideos2 and toastedaudiolab:

Good luck to all the lefties in the world! You guys rock!!!

Posted by Dan Orr.

But now, playing this technique is a completely different thing. If you are having problems with it, this is what you can do:

The main problem with alternate picking comes when you are picking a note in the opposite direction of the next string that you’re going to play. For instance, if your last note was a down stroke on the G string, and your next note is an upstroke on the D string, then your pick has to travel a more complicated path than if you are picking up on G and down on D. What to do?

Some people just refuse to let their picking hand do the more difficult move, by trying to put a hammer on or a pull off to time the direction of the pick to a more favorable direction. Others might just be using the pick to start the string in motion, but are doing all hammer or pull offs other than the first note on a string.

But let’s concentrate on what to do if you are using the versatile alternate picking method. Since we don’t want to limit the note choices, or string choices, in any way, we have to just get good at dealing with the problem.

Practice going back and forth between two strings picking in the opposite direction. For example, play a C on the 3rd string (5th fret) with a downstroke followed by an E on the 4th string (2nd fret)with an upstroke. Repeat the C and E one more time.

Next, bring the C down to a B (1 fret) on the 3rd string with a downstroke, followed by the same E on the 4th with an upstroke. Repeat the B and E. Just to make a slightly musical pattern, do the same thing, but change the B down to an A, doing the same pattern. To make the pattern symmetrical, return the A back up to a B and play B,E,B,E, just like the second pattern.

It will take a lot less time to play this than to read about it, so try to muddle through this explanation to get to the actual notes, it’s not hard to play this as long as you don’t try to play it too fast.

As with all exercises, do it slowly and as accurately as possible at first. Doing this exercise addresses one of the most important points about practicing and improvements.

If you have some free time, check out this video which is an extract from Paul Gilbert´s instructional DVD “Get Out Of My Yard” – It is insane what you can do when getting this technique right! Check it out:

Good luck with your practice. See you next week!

Posted by Moses Robbins.

Wound strings are made by rolling wire around a hexagonal or round central string. These wound strings are found on bass strings as it is easier to tune heavier, thicker strings to lower notes. A large variety of materials are used to go around the central string. These materials vary depending on tone wanted and durability desired. However electric guitars need strings that are magnetically responsive. Therefore white metals are required; generally on modern electric guitar strings this metal is nickel or a nickel alloy.

There are three things that dictate the pitch that is produced when a guitar string is played: its length, tension and weight. Its length is simply the distance that the string is along the guitar. Length is changed when you depress a string with your finger. Tension is simply how tight the string is and can be changed by turning the tuning nuts. Weight is the size of the string with bigger strings vibrating slower and producing a lower note.

String sizes are generally talked about in terms of gauges. They are measured in fractions of an inch – the smallest common string being a .008 and the largest in common usage being a .060. Lighter strings are easier to bend and also don’t require much force to push down.

Lighter strings are therefore easier to use and many people who focus on speed prefer lighter strings so they may play faster. However lighter strings can go out of tune easily and have to be replaced often. Lighter strings also have less sustain and aren’t as loud. Heavier strings are more difficult to play but many guitarists prefer the tone and feel of heavier strings. The increased size also means that heavier strings are preferred for musicians who want to tune down their guitars. A light string tuned down too low will get floppy and give a muddy unclear sound.

One of the most annoying things that can happen when you are playing your guitar is having your strings break. There are several common reasons that strings break. The most common reason is being overly aggressive with your right hand. Often if you are playing hard with a pick you can snap the string by simply hitting it to hard. There is no simple way to fix this problem. In fact it is probably better to keep playing hard if that’s your style than toning down just to save strings.

Old strings are prone to breaking as well. This is because as a string gets old they become less elastic and wear from constant playing. Another way that you can break strings is by tuning them too high. Winding your tuning pegs up to high can snap one of your strings. This generally occurs when you are tuning you guitar. For this reason it is best to tune with the strings pointing away from your face.

There can also be sharp points on your guitar; particularly around the bridge or nut. These can lead to regular string breakages. Therefore it is something you should check if your strings keep breaking.

Strings are a key part of the equipment that defines and creates the sound you make. New strings sound rich and clear and different kinds of strings can give you music a different feel or allow easier play. Changing the strings you use and trying different types of strings, or going up and down in gauges is an excellent and cheap way to experiment with your equipment.

If you have 5 minutes, check out this D´Addario video on “How strings are made”:

Posted by Ben Edwards.

Founded in 1996 and operating in four countries (Italy, UK, US and Japan), IK Multimedia has been busy developing software for anyone with a musical bent. Leveraging the exponential growth of the personal computer and advancing technologies they’re enabling musicians of all walks of live play, product and listen to music like never before.

Throughout this time, they’ve partnered with the likes of DigiDesign, Intel, Mackie, EMU, Roland, Apple and many others and it’s their partnership with Apple where the iRig comes in.

A simple download from the iTunes App store effectively turns your iPhone into a complete multi-effects processor, recording studio and learning tool that’s always in your pocket. All effects are tweak-able at the slightest touch and swipe. Not only that but you can easily upgrade your ‘rig’ from the Amplitube iRig app Custom Shop with up to 11 stomps, 5 amps, 5 cabinets and 2 microphones.

With plug n play technology It’s as easy as plugging in the iRig interface to your iPhone, plugging your guitar into the right input and then plugging in your amp, powered speakers or headphones to start playing or recording..

They really have thought of everything. You can even import a track so you can jam along with it, providing your own lead lick or sharpening up your strum. For Jamorama users out there, this is a very usual feature that can easily be used with our Jamtracks. Simply import a jamtrack, print out or bring up the tab on your computer screen and jam away.

It also comes loaded with a metronome to keep yourself in time, and a chromatic tuner so you’re always in tune.

I took a few minutes out of my work day to give Dave’s iRig a go with his iPhone and have to say it is a really simple app to navigate. I dug out a pair of headphones and a lead to plug in my acoustic mini Maton, clicked on the Amplitube App and I was away.

The free app had enough for me to have a bit of fun with. It comes with a Noise filter, Delay and Distortion effects. Tweaking the effects is as easy as selecting it and dragging the slider up or down depending the desired effect. I even had time to record a quick track, which again was as easy as pressing record. The paid version does give you more recording capabilities but to quickly get an idea down, it’s a good option.

All in all the IK Multimedia Amplitube iRig for iPhone app is a neat little app with a multitude of uses. Being able to record your playing to hear how your it’s progressing or quickly get a copy of a musical idea before you forget it, is a really useful thing to always have in your pocket.

If you’re like me and iPhone-less, IK Multimedia have not forgotten us. They also have a USB audio interface in the form of Steath Plug so you too can download the Amplitube software, plug your guitar into your computer and experience all the great features your iPhone friends can access.

Check out the video below to hear and see how easy the iRig is to use.

Posted by Dan Orr

For the vintage tone-a-phobes out there, the Martin D16-Adirondack is a model that reproduces classic dreadnought tones of the likes of Martin’s D18 model but is set at a more affordable price than their other vintage re-issues.

The D16-Adirondack features a mortise and tenon neck joint and slightly different bracing than the D18 but produces a full rich bass that can dominate the rest of the guitar’s range. Having said that, you’re probably not going to get a fatter bass sound for open tunings or dropped D tunings.

The Adirondack (or red spruce) top, is unique in that it has an excellent stiffness-to-weight ratio and a “springy” quality that together enable it to be used on a variety of sizes of guitars while still maintaining good head room and a dynamic range as well as kicking out a decent volume.

Its striking good looks come from the much wider grain which is often at odds with conventional wisdom about what makes a great piece of spruce. Martin have created a distinctive look by using a gloss finish with a yellowish toner which make it stand out even more from their other models.

Admittedly, it’s not a guitar that will suit every style. Dreadnoughts are commonly thought of as a bluegrass ax. However, there is a diverse group of players that prove the dreadnought’s versatility.

Tommy Emmanuel & Bill Mize prove dreadnoughts are just as good for finger-style where Tony Rice and Grant Gordy show that they can also be used for Jazz. They have also been just as at-home in the hands of singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen.

To hear how the Martin D16-Adirondack performs, check out the following video review from Acoustic Magazine’s Scott Nygaard.

Posted by Dan Orr

The Baritone differs from a standard guitar in being tuned to B (BEADF#B) a 4th down from standard tuning creating a unique sound that opens up possibilities for new chord voicings. You can still use all the same chord shapes you use in standard tuning, the only difference being they will sound a 4th lower. And given the 27 inch scale length it’s just as playable as any other standard 6 string guitar.

To put this into context, if you were to play an open E chord shape on a Baritone guitar, it would sound a B chord. Or, if you were to play with a standard guitar, you would need to place a capo at the 5th fret to sound chords at the same pitch as a standard guitar playing in open position.

The deep tones come from the Indian Rosewood back and sides combined with a Sitka Spruce top and are amplified using Taylor’s proprietary onboard expression system that works to simply amplify the natural sound of the guitar.

The freboard is made from hard wearing Ebony and the shape of the guitar is that of Taylor’s GS (Grand Symphony); a guitar design known for its deep bass tones, gutsy midrange and thicker upper range.

It comes in two models; the 6 string and the 8 string. The 8 string having an extra octave string on the 3rd and 4th strings creating the chime or twang of a 12 string and allows the high end to remain pure while kicking out a strong low end.

With this added tonality, playing with a standard tuned guitar will open up sonic options. You will need to keep in mind the difference of a 4th and transpose on the fly, but a lot of fun will be had.

To hear just how rich and full the Taylor Baritone sounds, check out this video featuring Co-Founder of Taylor guitars – Bob Taylor and hear a little more about how the Baritone came about.

Posted by Dan Orr

1. Turn on your tuner and tune the string to the right pitch.
2. Strike the 12th fret harmonic; make sure it is tune with the open string. (they should be the same note).
3. Now strike the note at the 12th fret (not the harmonic) all three of these notes should be the same note. If they are, then your intonation if probably fine if not then you could have a serious problem.

If you have a problem with your intonation then you should take your guitar to the nearest guitar store and get a professional to fix it for you.

Good luck with your practice!

Posted by Ben Edwards

I was looking in the guitar store the other day and I noticed that some electric guitars have 22 frets and some have 24. Why do they do this and what difference does it make?

Answer. The number of frets on an electric guitar makes a difference because of scale length. Scale length is the distance from the bridge of a guitar to its nut. If you have two guitars of different scale lengths (a Fender and a Gibson for example), put the same gauge strings on them and tune them to the same pitch you will notice that the Gibson’s strings are looser. The reason for this is that the Gibson’s Scale length is shorter than a Fender’s. Go to a guitar store and check this out for yourself if you want. The scale lengths are different and you will see that their respective scale length affects string tension.

If a guitar has an extra two frets then obviously it has a longer scale length. This means that if you have a 24 fret guitar your strings will be tighter relative to what it would have been if you had a 22 fret guitar.

Scale length will also change the position of your pickups along your strings vibrating length. This is important because there is a harmonic at the 24th fret and if you have 22 frets the harmonic sits over the pickups. Many people including myself feel that 22 fret guitars sound better. However it is also true that many players feel that 24 frets gives a player more flexibility.

Try both out for your self and see which one you prefer to play with. There is a tradeoff between the flexibility of having 24 frets and the tone and playability of 22.

All the best!

Posted by Dan Orr