Question. Often when I am reading about guitars on the internet I hear about different parts of the guitar, can you give a brief description of the different parts of a guitar?
Answer. Here is a brief description of some of the more commonly misunderstood parts of the guitar.
Headstock
The headstock is the part of a guitar at the end of the neck opposite to the body.
The headstock is generally used for supporting the tuning pegs used to wind the strings. There are many shapes that headstocks can come in depending on the type of guitar.
The headstock usually displays the brand of guitar.
Machine Heads
The machine heads or tuning pegs are found at the headstock.
The machine heads tighten or loosen the strings so the string can be tuned.A basic gear mechanism is used to wind the strings.
Winding tools are available and can be used to rapidly unwind and wind strings for quick changing.
Frets
Are the bars or ridges (usually made of metal) that sit on the fingerboard or neck of a guitar; when the string is depressed by your fingers at the metal bar it will make a note of the desired pitch.
Frets are arranged on guitars to produce specific musical pitches. On the typical guitar or bass each fret represents one semitone or half step.
Fretless guitars do exist.
Bridge
The bridge is found down on the body. The function of the bridge, in addition to simply holding the strings in place, is to transmit their vibrations to the top of the guitar, to the instrument’s soundboard or pickups.
There are many different types of bridge and they can be made from a variety of materials depending upon the type of guitar. For example electric guitars usually have metal bridges and acoustic guitars usually have wooden ones.
When you first begin learning any instrument it is important to develop a clear picture of what you want to sound like. In other words, having an idea in your head of what style you want to be playing. You can save yourself a lot of time if your playing has a clearly focused goal. For example there is no need to learn metal guitar if your dream is to become a Country music guitarist.
While developing a clear picture of what you sound like is important you should never take that to mean being closed-minded about other styles and their techniques. It is important to try to develop an individual sound, but you should spend at least a portion of your time listening to other types of music.
In your musical life you will probably change styles at some point. This is natural and it is a sign that you are developing as a musician and as a guitarist. Some people begin playing folk music and Bob Dylan songs and end up playing hard rock, and vice-versa. So while you should have an idea about what you want to sound like be open minded about changing.
What do I want to sound like? This can be very difficult or very easy depending on the individual. Some people are inspired to play the guitar like an individual or a band. For these people their style will generally mimic their favorite player. Also if you’re fond of a particular style you can learn the songs and techniques that fit that style.
For people who don’t particularly want to sound like anyone there is a bit more work to do to find and define a style. The best way to do this is to listen to a lot of music and try and play as many different styles as you can and see what you find the most enjoyable and rewarding for you.
Finding a sound that suits you can take some time. For some people this could be years. For others it could be a split second decision that comes from hearing a particular player. For others it may take some serious listening to a lot of different music to decide what they want to sound like.
Once you have decided on your style then it is time to learn how to play like that. The best way to do that is learn songs that are classics in the genre you want to emulate. This means learning a few of the most popular songs from that style and becoming familiar with the techniques used in this kind of song. It is a good idea to learn songs by a few different bands instead of just one. This is so you get exposed to a few different playing styles.
Related to this is using the right kind of guitar for the style you want to play. You don’t need to be too worried about playing the exact same axe as your favorite player. However you should have a guitar that is common with players of the genre you are trying to emulate.
It is a shared belief amongst the entire Jamorama Team that it is never too soon to start writing your own songs. Even if you can only write the most basic songs it is worth trying. You should try and add elements from the songs you have learned. You may find yourself writing stuff that is quite derivative initially, but that’s OK. Just keep working on your playing and trying to get the sound that you hear in your head into your hands and played on the guitar. Don’t get frustrated if you have trouble. Some players spend their entire life trying to get the sound they want. Writing your own music is very rewarding and will give you another direction in your musical life.
This week we look at how you use a metronome to help with your timing while learning to play the guitar.
A metronome is a device that makes a sound to indicate beats so you can keep in time when you are playing the guitar. A metronome keeps perfect time so that you can learn the songs you love properly. Also metronomes are adjustable, meaning you can make them beat faster or slower. This lets you learn a song at a slower pace before building it up to full speed.
Older metronomes were like wind up clocks that had a swinging pendulum and were generally powered by a spring. On the end of the pendulum was a weight that could be moved to change the tempo (tempo is a musical term that basically means speed). Modern metronomes are electronic and generally battery powered. They are operated by pressing buttons or turning a dial. Older metronomes make a clicking sound like a clock whereas more modern metronomes generally make a pinging sound to denote each beat.
Metronomes are very important for all musicians because they will keep your playing in time. Nearly all modern rock recordings are made with a metronome and most dedicated professionals practice with one. The reason for this is that without a constant beat it is easy for a musician to go out of time. This also applies to practice as you should be trying to play in time as much as possible.
Newer metronomes can do some pretty amazing things like playing differing time signatures like 3/4, 6/8, and 7/8 for example. They can also be set to make different sounds depending on the beat. For example you can set most newer metronomes to have a different sound at the start of a bar so you always know where beat one is.
When using a metronome you should push yourself but practice with tempos that you can handle. This will make you a better player — though you may find it difficult at first it is something that will pay dividends in the future.
Using a metronome is very important when you are practicing but there are times when you should play without it. When you are trying to be creative or if you are experimenting with different things there is no real need to use a metronome.
As you can see a metronome is a very useful tool to have in your “learn to play guitar” toolbox and there are many good online metronomes you can use for free.
We also include a software based metronome in the Full Jamorama Beginners to Advanced course if you are interested.
Tune in next week when we provide some great Tech Tips about looking after your prized guitar to keep it in the best condition for years of playing.
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.
One of the most important things you’ll ever do in your music career is buy a guitar. We are often asked to give people advice about how to find a good guitar. The fact is that there is a LOT that goes into buying a guitar, way too much to put in one Newsletter, but here are some basic tips.
1) Do Your Homework
When you’re buying a guitar you have to do your homework. As a beginning guitar player it’s easy to get confused with all the information and advice that is available. There are a lot of places you can get information and you should check them all. Guitar magazines are a good place to find prices and reviews on different models of guitars. You can also get information at your local music store. Another great tool is the internet – you can get information on the manufacturers, search for other guitarist’s reviews and opinions and find the best prices online.
Remember that a lot of the information and opinions that you will find will be biased. A salesman in a music store wants you to buy the brand of guitar that HE SELLS, so make sure you read reviews and opinions from independent sources.
2) Stick to Your Budget
Once you’ve got the background knowledge that you need, you should make a short list of guitars that you are interested in and set a budget for yourself. THEN STICK WITH YOUR BUDGET! Don’t let salespeople talk you into spending more money than you planned.
Research price differences on the internet with a trusted site like Ebay. You could buy new or used but again, it is worth finding out how much the same item generally costs.
3) Play it BEFORE Your Buy It
Trying out the guitars you have short listed can be intimidating for beginners. It is important to remember that you are not in a guitar store to show everyone how good a guitar player you are – you are there to decide whether the guitar on your list is right for you.
One of the most important things about a guitar is how it “feels” when you play it. There are also mechanical things to check. Check the frets for buzzing by playing each one. Make sure that the neck is not warped by looking down it as if you were sighting a gun. Check that all of the volume and tone controls work.
4) Borrow Someone Else’s Experience
It is also a good idea to take an experienced guitarist along with you when you are looking at guitars. Not only will they be able to offer helpful advice, they will be good moral support when it’s time to pick up the guitar and play it in public.
Good luck with buying a guitar!
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