Many people start playing guitar, because they hear a super heavy hardcore riff on the radio and it inspires them to become a musician. That’s cool because heavy metal is a fun genre of music that is also a rewarding genre for guitarists. The sound of a hardcore metal guitar is awesome; however getting ‘that’ sound can be difficult.

First let me note that there are many variations in metal sounds depending on the bands style and how heavy they are. Just like any genre of music there are many variations depending on the band or song. Also lead players need a different tone when they are playing.

However there is a basic ‘metal tone’. This is essentially loud and as distorted as you can be. Often it is common in metal to ‘scoop’ the tone. This means that you should put your bass and treble near full and pull your mids back to around 3 or so. The results this can have may vary wildly depending on the kind of amp you have, so experiment with your equipment.

When it comes to your guitar, generally metal guitarists use humbucker pickups. This is because they reduce feedback and give off a warmer fatter sound. For this reason if you find you are having trouble getting a good sound out of your guitar maybe you need to think about whether you have the right kind of pick ups.

So try these ideas if you are having trouble getting the right metal sound. Remember these are only guidelines for you to experiment with. Remember turn your amps up to eleven and rock out.

Another way to get a good metal sound is the use of distortion or effects pedals. This gets into an area that really can’t be covered in the Tech Tips section of this newsletter, but it’s an important topic to talk about. It can’t be covered because guitar sound is very personal, and the ideal sound for one guitarist won’t sound good to others.

Here is one of the most innovative Metal bands with a great and classic metal guitar sound:

Posted by Moses Robbins.

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.

I am having problems tuning my 12-string guitar. How do I do it?

Answer. Even though it may look like a big challenge, ‘standard’ tuning a 12-string guitar is actually quite easy. For the bottom four strings (four thickest) you will tune each pair of strings to the same note but the thinner one will be tuned an octave higher.

An octave is the interval between a note and a note with the same name either higher or lower, example: E4 – E5. The top two strings (two thinnest) have both strings tuned to the same note at the same pitch so they sound exactly the same.

Sounds simple? In theory it is, however when strings are tuned in octaves it is easy to hear slight mistunings. For this reason it is important to tune your strings perfectly when you are tuning a 12-string. Also sometimes you may have a problem keeping some of the strings in tune as the some of the smaller strings are tuned quite tightly. For this reason it can be a good idea to get the best quality strings you can when stringing up a 12-string. Ask your local dealer about strings, hopefully they can help you out.

Hope this helps for now and good luck getting your guitar in tune!

Posted by Dan Orr

Question. When I play chords I always touch the strings that I should be playing open. How can I avoid this?

Answer. Touching the wrong strings when you play chords is a common problem that many beginners face when learning the guitar. Today we will look at some simple solutions.

1. Try and press your fingers straight down. Your finger should be at a 90 degree angle with the string. This means that only the tip of your finger should be connecting with string.

2. Are your fingernails short? If your fingernails are long, your fingertip will not be able to sit on the string and your fingers will touch the other strings on the guitar.

3. Place your thumb directly on the back of the neck of your guitar. This puts your hand in a good position to keep your fingers clear of the wrong strings.

4. Practice with chords you find easy. Look at how your hand sits when you play these chords. Try to use the technique that you use on easier chords with more difficult chords.

5. Using a capo at higher frets can make it easier on your fingers as the frets are closer together. However for people with big hands this can make it more difficult. So experiment with a capo to see if it helps you.

Each person has different size hands, finger shape and flexibility. For this reason there is no universal rule that will change your playing to avoid touching the wrong strings when playing. You should practice chords as much as you can until you feel confident and comfortable with them.

Good luck with your practice.

“Goddamn Jimmy, that’s some serious gourmet s**t!” Jules (Pulp Fiction)

In an industry that is, according to some, rapidly becoming mechanised it comes as no surprise to find that at least one company still produces affordable guitar strings by HAND. Yes, its true, by hand.

Approximately  85%+ of a guitar’s tone comes from the strings – the guitar itself only colours the basic tone created by the strings. The grooves in a roundwound string provide most of the upper order harmonics which are percieved as the brilliance and the attack – this is why a flatwound string has a more dull sound. As a string gets older these grooves fill in with dirt and through corrosion or wear and tear the string will loses most of its brilliance over time.

Up until the Second World War animal gut and silk were the materials from which guitar strings were manufactured. Albert Augustine, an instrument maker from New York, USA, was the first to produce guitar strings in Nylon. Augustine organised a blind test with company representatives from DuPont and they happened to choose nylon over gut as having the best sound. The DuPont company then supported Augustine’s initiative. When Andrés Segovia, the great Spanish guitar virtuoso, discovered Augustine’s strings he was an immediate convert

Richard Cocco Senior was born in Italy and came to the United States of America in 1951. Richard entered the string manufacturing business at the time when the first electric bass guitars were introduced. Fascinated by this new instrument, he developed the Cocco method of hand winding to make new strings which proved to be so fine that some of his first customers were America’s legendary electric bass guitar inventors.

After 10 years of collaboration, Mr. Cocco recognized in Mr Alfonso Annecchiarico the only one capable to continue his legacy. Today Alfonso Annecchiarico is the sole owner of R. Cocco strings and the only depository of Richard’s secrets. The best materials and the same machines designed and developed by Richard Cocco, Sr. continue to produce guitar strings that are exceptional.

Richard Cocco Strings are universally acclaimed by musicians for the perfection and purity of sound, which they product. The dedication to quality is heard in each set of hand woven and inspected strings. Today, these strings are sold in the USA, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia and sales are expanding every year. In keeping with this very rich tradition, we intend to stay ahead of the rest . . . to improve the best even though we make the best! From my hands to yours . . . . .

If you`d like to find out more about guitar strings check out Professor String here or for his article with a focus upon hand produced strings click here:

Handcrafted strings on a guitar or bass, are truly something to experience and hear. Some guitarists (particularly those recording) pay big money to have these strings on their guitar. In fact, some refer to these as “session strings”, as they are saved for recording their best tone tracks. The buttery smooth feel of a handcrafted string is second to none. They have a tone that is unmistakable and highly desired in the recording world. – Professor String

Well, That`s all folks,
Cheers…

Jake Edwards

Once you have restrung your guitar you should tune your strings up to concert pitch. At this point in time the strings still have a certain amount of settling in to do and any vigorous playing will send them clean out of whack tuning wise.

The secret to getting your new strings to stay in tune is to stretch them. So for each string follow the following procedure:

1. tune your string to the required pitch, leave your tuner plugged in.
2. using your thumb and forefinger somewhere between your neck and bridge gently pull the string away from the guitar backwards and forwards at a rightangle to the scratchplate.
3. play the string – it should be flat – so retune it bringing it back up to pitch.
4. repeat steps 2 and then three until the string stays in pitch.
5. repeat for all new strings.

Now, your strings will be ready to rock and roll so plug into your amp and give it some.

Cheers,

Jake Edwards

ELECTRIC GUITAR STRINGS

The thicker your guitar strings are the fatter and richer the tone, sustain and volume BUT the harder they are to bend and manipulate, in short they become harder to play because more tension exists in the string. If you are a beginner then perhaps opt for a lighter guage of strings as this will improve your fretting and playing comfort.

When you buy a packet of strings you will see a series of six numbers on the packet – these numbers tell you the guages of the strings inside – basically how thick or thin each string is. As an example consider the following guide:

A great set of strings to start with is a set of ERNIE BALL regular slinky because these give you a lighter top end string and medium to heavy bottom end strings for the bass tones. You will find that the bass tones will have enough inherent bass but that you `ll still have a good enough tone across the board and the ability to perform bends and vibrato. If you’re determined to  become a blues legend you might find that you need some POWER slinkies of if you`re a METAL player using dropped tuning try some NOT EVEN slinkies.

Just to give you all an insight into what this all means you might find that you enjoy playing a third string (g)  at .17, and prefer a .10 on the top (E) because it allows for bends but without the sacrifice of the thinning tone of a light .9
You may also prefer to play with a .46 on the bottom (E) because its got enough bass. You would be looking at a packet of ERNIE BALL regular.

The best strategy is to start out with something like the regular slinky strings and if you are inclined then try some hybrid slinky for a lighter top end, or try moving the other way to some heavier guage sets such as the Power slinkies. If you happen to own two electric guitars then string up each with a different set  and spens some time comparing the TONE and the PLAYABILITY of each. You can of course develop your own completely individual preferred sequence of guages, but to begin with it’s probably best to try some of these pre-configured sets. Then perhaps after youve spent some time playing different guages and found one you really like then you can consider the tonal charachteristics of string materials.

There are several options for materials to bear in mind:

1. nickel wound – produce a well balanced tone.

2. titanium coated – a vibrant tone with longer life, less corrosion, longer tuning stability.

3. pure nickel – a richer, warmer tone.

4. stainless steel – a crisp bright tone

5.gold plated – more expensive  but bright sustain and long life.

When to change your strings:

The more you play your guitar and the harder you play then the quicker your strings will become tired. Things like sweat, moisture and dirt from your fingers all add up to a strings wear and tear and if you really want your strings to last:

1.wipe them gently with a soft cloth after playing
2.detune them when not playing so that they aren’t all tight and wound up.

Unless you are desperately down on your luck then avoid second hand strings altogether and pay attention to how your strings sound. If they feel rubbery and the sound is lackclustre with no brightness, sheen, clarity, zing or life then its time to put some new ones on. Similarly, if they become hard to tune, if that point where they`re in tune is becoming more and more elusive then throw `em in the bin. You cannot boil them up in hot water to make them last longer – neither should you put them in the freezer with your old pet dog.

One more thing, if you`re finding that you’re going through strings like nobodies business then perhaps you aren`t stretching them enough when you put them on!

WHAT?   WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

I`ll deal with that next time.

Cheers,

Jake Edwards