Learn How to Play Acoustic Guitar - 5 Tips To Get You Playing Fast

By Steve Laney

Contrary to popular belief, it’s not actually that difficult to learn how to play acoustic guitar. True, there are varying levels of ability, if you want to become on of the world’s premiere acoustic guitarists it’s going to take some work, but if you are just looking to be able to pick out a few tunes at parties you should be able to accomplish that pretty easily. I’ve got a few tips here that should help you in your quest, whatever your aim as a musician.

Learn How To Play Acoustic Guitar-Tip 1:

Learn to tune the instrument-nothing sounds worse than an instrument that isn’t in tune-the audience will know too! Even if you rely on an electronic tuner to tune the instrument, spend a few minutes each time attempting to tune it by ear. You’ll find that after a while you have to use the electronic one to correct yourself less and less, and eventually not at all.

Learn How To Play Acoustic Guitar-Tip 2:

Learn to control the instrument-Spend some time working on muting with both hands, so that whenever you play, the only strings making a sound are the ones you want to make a sound.

Learn How To Play Acoustic Guitar-Tip 3:

Learn as many different strumming patterns as possible. The sound of the strumming pattern can totally change a song and allow you to put your own spin on it, which will not only make you stand out as a musician but it will allow you to enjoy your performance more also. Imagine Knocking on Heaven’s Door with a flamenco rhythm?

Learn How To Play Acoustic Guitar-Tip 4:

Learn something slowly before you attempt it at speed. This way you can get a real idea of where the weak spots are. For example there may be one particular chord that isn’t ringing out cleanly because of your fingering, but when you play the song fast it’s not noticeable to you. If you slow it down though, you’ll be able to fix it. A simple tip like this can do wonders and really help to maximize your efforts as you learn how to play acoustic guitar.

Learn How To Play Acoustic Guitar-Tip 5:

Play through the pain-It’s quite common for people to experience mild pain or discomfort in the very tips of their fingers, simply from pushing the strings down. This is quite normal, and don’t worry, it lessens dramatically the more time you put in. You will eventually develop pads of thicker skin on the tips of the fingers on your fretting hand, and these will stop the pain nicely.

If you put these tips into practice, you will see that it’s not that difficult to learn how to play acoustic guitar, all it requires is a little practice and determination on your part.

Steve Laney is the webmaster at http://www.dailyguitarlessons.com

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Guitar Lesson: What Is The Ultimate Way To Practice On Your Guitar?

Is there a best way to practice on your guitar? Of course you have to make your practice sessions effective but could there be a way to practice that is more effective than other ways?

There are many principles involved in an effective practice session and I think some of these are:

1. A motivation founded on a love and passion for the music you can produce on the guitar.

2. An acceptance of the fact that you must practice on that technical level you have reached.

3. A working knowledge of muscle tensions and how to minimize them when you play and how to work on reducing them when you don’t play.

What shall we do until we find the most effective way to practice on the guitar?

When I was studying music at an academic level I many times had the question messing around in my mind about the ultimate method for practicing on my guitar and other instruments I played.

A well renowned jazz tenor saxophonist who was my teacher in jazz improvisation discussed this issue with me as I asked him and he gave me the most intelligent answer I ever heard before or after. He said with a smile, “until you find out the best way to practice, practice anyway!”

How effective can a practice session be?

My humble opinion after much practicing and playing guitar and piano and other instruments and also teaching piano and guitar is that you have to take many things into consideration like the time available, your motivation level, how concentrated you can expect yourself to be and more.

As real growth often is a slow gradual process you will not very often be able to measure the effectiveness of a practice session by how much you have learnt so you have to find other ways to find out if you are effective.

Can you practice too much or too effectively?

It depends on how we define effective practice sessions. If effective guitar practice is to work through a long list of things to improve in your playing and to practice ten hours a day without interruption I guess you can practice too effectively.

This will mean that you practice in such a way that you will get fed up with guitar playing and maybe you will even hurt your muscles and develop an aversion towards guitar playing for the rest of your life.

What is real effectiveness when you practice on your guitar?

Real effectiveness is better measured by how well your practicing methods and results are pointing towards you goals. Without goals you cannot measure effectiveness. The roads to Anywhere are many so to find out if you are on the right road you have to decide your destination.

If your goal is to have fun with your guitar then you have a very effective practicing session if you have fun with your guitar. If that is what you want then it is a worthy goal. I guess you could come upp with more specific goals with deadlines so you can measure them better. But it is up to you to decide your own goals, otherwise the goals will not be effective.

I hope these words on practicing guitar playing will give you some comfort and also help you realizing that when human beings like you and me are involved we cannot definitely say how we ought to play to be effective.

Human beings are funny things that sometimes behave like as if they were identical, but nevertheless they are unique. This also applies to guitar players like you and me. We are different in many ways but I guess we want our guitar playing to contribute to our happiness and joy so have fun and…”until you find out the best way to practice, practice anyway!”!

Peter Edvinsson is a musician, composer and music teacher. Visit his site Capotasto Music and download your free sheet music and learn to play resources at http://www.capotastomusic.com

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Why You Need to Play a Hollow Body Semi-Acoustic Guitar by Shanzuguitars

Ok so you play guitar or are looking to learn….but which guitar do you buy? It’s a question that guitarists the world over ponder time and time again.

Sure there’s the ever greens such as the Fender Stratocaster or the Gibson Les Paul and their inexpensive copies. But that’s a well trodden path - what you want is a little character a little something that makes you stand out - what you want is a hollow body semi acoustic.

Why a semi acoustic?

Ok for starters a Semi Acoustic looks the business. Take a look at a Gibson 335 with it’s smooth double cut away design and it’s elegant curves. When you step on the stage with a semi acoustic people notice. Take a look at a Strat or a Les Paul then take a look at a Semi - there’s a stark difference first off, semi’s are big but more importantly they are much lighter than their solidbody, comfortable to play and pack a punch in the sound department.

Their sound

Coupled with it’s looks hollow-bodies have a great range of tone and musical capability. From the Epiphone Casino’s beautiful Jazzy tone to the Epiphone Wildkat that packs a rockabilly punch theirs a broad range of tones that can be generated. Hollow bodies traditionally come with two Humbucker pickups. Typically the bridge pickup can produce some great rock and roll tones whilst the neck pickups are great for jazzy Charlie Christian licks.

Their price

Although for a fully fledged Gibson 335 you may need several thousand dollars, these days there are a variety of budget alternative hollow body guitars. For example Epiphone make the Epiphone Wildkat which features a Bigsby style tremolo system for around $500. Other manufacturers such as Vintage and Ibanez all produce very good imitations of their more expensive counterparts at a much reduced price. If you shop around you’ll surprised at what you can afford.

Versatility

Hollow bodies are extremely versatile and lend themselves to a wide range of musical styles for example - Chuck Berry style Rock and Roll (Gibson 335), BB King style Blues (Gibson 335), Chet Atkins Country (Gretch Country Gent), Alt-Rock Noel Gallagher (Epiphone Sheraton) and finally 60’s Pop (John Lennon - Epiphone Casino) semi’s lend themselves to a range of musical styles.

Their tradition.

Hollow body guitars were some of the first electric guitars manufactured. Epiphone were making adjustable pole pickup semi acoustic guitars in the 1930’s so they have a long and proud history.

So the next time your thinking of getting a new guitar - sure a Stratocaster is nice and a Les Paul has finesse but if you want a great guitar, with great looks sound and versatility look no further than the hollow-body semi acoustic guitars at your local store.

ShanzuGuitars.com . The site offers the latest guitar news, resources, tools and tips for budding guitarists everywhere.

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Learning to Play Acoustic Guitar For the Beginner

By rserpe

The very first step toward learning to play acoustic guitaris to develop confidence and to destroy that “I can’t do it” mentality. Your biggest obstacle in your acoustic guitar playing is not going to be money, time, or the absence of a good teacher. The biggest obstacle is going to be you. You are your own worst enemy. Once you learn how to tame the negativity inside, you will be that much closer to becoming a good acoustic guitar player.

Frustration is normal during the learning process. Learning anything new is not meant to be easy. Resistance is what helps us grow. So the next time you are working on a scale, or chord progression, and you find yourself fumbling or messing up, don’t throw down the guitar with frustration, instead welcome the challenge and have patience in it.

YOUR FIRST GUITAR

Buying a first guitar is an important step for the beginner guitarist. You should have a good understanding of the acoustic guitar as a whole as well as a good idea of what your goals are as an acoustic guitar player. By educating yourself in these areas, you will be able to make an intelligent purchase that can provide you with years of enjoyable playing.

There are two kinds of acoustic guitars that you can purchase and they are your classic or nylon string guitar and your steel string guitar. One is not necessarily better than the other as it is really a matter of personal taste, but each guitar does have its own unique feel and sound. The classic or nylon guitars produce a round or dull tone, where as the steel string guitars are much different, producing a bright tinny or metallic sound. You will certainly develop your own preference the longer you play, or like many guitarists, you will enjoy using both. Only time will tell.

Another thing you will have to consider is the body style of your acoustic guitar. Acoustic guitars come in a variety of different body sizes from small to jumbo. Each size has its own distinct sound. Smaller body guitars have more treble and midrange sounds and are much easier to hold. Lead guitarists tend to favor smaller body guitars because they tend to have a more balanced sound to them and are easier to make out when playing with other musicians in a band. Your larger body guitars have more bass and are more difficult to hold. The only way to really know what body style is right for you is to try one out for yourself. Your best bet is to find a guitar that you are comfortable holding and playing. Guitar playing is challenging enough in the beginning and you do not need any added difficulties.

Guitar quality will differ depending on the model and brand. Sometimes two instruments of the same make and model can differ as well. It is therefore important to try out as many guitars as possible within your price range. It is also recommended that you bring along an experienced musician when you go guitar shopping. An experienced guitar player will be able to better judge the quality of a guitar.

Buy the best guitar that you can afford. Many of the guitars that sell for under $100 are poorly made for the most part. If you cannot afford to spend more, then save up and wait until you can. A well made guitar will be easier to play, more appealing to the eye and more responsive. If you enjoy playing your instrument more, you will then be more inspired to play. You can find a fine beginner acoustic guitar for under $500. Some brands to look into are Seagull, Martin, Yamaha, Fender and Ibanez to name a few. You may also want to look into the used acoustic guitar market. You may be able to find some real gems out there at great prices, but you have to be very careful with used guitars. Make sure you take an experienced guitar player with you if you decide to buy a used guitar.

LEARNING & PRACTICE

There is probably no substitution for a good guitar teacher, but it can be rather expensive over time, so many guitar players are left with no other choice then to learn on their own. For those of you who may not be able to afford a professional instructor right now, below are some guidelines for helping you get the most out of your practice time.

Practice as many days out of the week as you can for at least twenty to thirty minutes, more if possible. The more often you play the faster you will learn. Be careful not to overdo it though and take breaks of course. Your brain can only absorb so much information before it needs a break and your hands and the rest of your body need time to recuperate as well. When you practice do not rush through any of your exercises. Twenty minutes of quality focused practice is much more effective than an hour of sloppy practice

Study Your Instrument

Take some time to learn more about the parts of your acoustic guitar. Learn about how it is constructed and how all the parts work together to produce those beautiful sounds that you hear.

Learn How to Tune Your Guitar

You can find free step by step guides online for tuning your acoustic guitar. Make certain that you spend time learning how to do this. Purchase a guitar tuner at any local music store and practice tuning your guitar with the guitar tuner. When you begin to develop a better ear, try tuning it without the guitar tuner. Then use the guitar tuner to check and see how accurate your ear was. This will help you develop a good ear.

Learn the Right Posture

If you are accustomed to just grabbing your guitar and sitting down to play in any old position, then you are at risk of injuring yourself and developing bad playing habits. Make sure you understand the correct way to sit and hold your instrument for optimal performance.

Learn Your Chords & Scales

Learn as many different chords and variations of the same chord that you can and practice your scales. This will give you a well rounded familiarity with the frets on the guitar and it will build up strength in your fingers and hands.

I hope this article has helped with your acoustic guitar learning. Keep a positive attitude and practice! Before you know you will be playing acoustic guitar like a pro. I wish you well. God Bless.

Learn to Play Acoustic Guitar - Acoustic Guitar Tips For The Beginner

Do you have hopes and dreams of one day becoming a professional guitarist in a popular band? Perhaps you just want to play for the purpose of entertaining yourself, family, and friends. Whatever the case may be, I do hope the following article will help you achieve your goals as an acoustic guitar player.

The very first step in learning how to play the acoustic guitar, is of course to get a guitar. For the sake of argument, I am assuming you already own a guitar and are ready to start playing. If not, you may find it easier to purchase a second hand guitar in the beginning while you are practicing and learning the basics. You will also save some cash. When you get better you can always upgrade.

Whether you are buying a new or used acoustic guitar, you will save a lot of headaches if you do your research first. Visit free newsgroups and forums online to see what other guitar players have to say. If you are buying a used guitar make sure you are able to physically see and check out the guitar before buying. You will need to examine the entire guitar for any visible damage or other imperfections. You want your guitar to have the correct action, intonation, and pitch. Your best bet, if you are that lucky, is to find an experienced guitar player to take along with you before you buy.

Once you found your guitar, it’s time to start practicing. Learning the correct way to practice is probably the most important part of your acoustic guitar playing success. It is better to practice 10 minutes of quality focused exercises then to spend an hour on the couch messing around trying to learn a complicated song. The environment that you learn in is equally important. You will need complete silence and privacy. You should not have any interruptions at all if possible.

You will need to recognize the learning method that works best for you because everyone is different. The last thing you want to happen is for your guitar learning to become boring and monotonous. I think every one has come to that point at one time or another. You appear to hit a dead end where your guitar playing doesn’t seem to get any better. No matter how long you practice, no matter how many finger exercises or chords you learn, you cant seem to get over that hump. Your brain is not responding as well because it isn’t being stimulated. Definitely do not become discouraged by your lack of progress. Put down the guitar and take a break. Stimulate your brain by doing something else for a while, then come back to your guitar practice.

Don’t give yourself super challenging tasks to complete in the beginning. You are setting yourself up for some major disappointment. Start off slow and easy. Learn the easy stuff first then tackle the more difficult stuff later on.

Set easier goals for yourself. When you set easier goals that you know you are capable of doing, you are building confidence and you are making progress.

Think about the growing stages of a newborn baby. The baby does not come right out of the mothers womb and instantly knows how to run marathons. No, he learns to crawl first, then walk, then run. The baby has to develop his muscles first in order to support his body. The same holds true for guitar playing. If you want to be able to produce clean sounding chords or play complicated solos, you have to develop your muscles, and this only happens when you are patient in your practicing. Over time, you will begin to develop what is known as “muscle memory”. This refers to the body’s ability to remember, or automatically perform, a well practiced motion. If you ever watch a professional guitar player, you will see this in action as the guitar player plays complicated chords and solos without looking or even thinking about it.

Be persistent. I don’t care if takes you 6 months to learn two chords. Never stop trying. If you have the desire to become a good acoustic guitar player, then you will succeed. It is simply a matter of time.

Listen to as much music from as many different artists as possible. Do not limit yourself to only your favorite artists. There are a multitude of acoustic guitar players out there in a number of different genres including classical, folk, jazz, rock, etc. If you limit yourself to only one particular area, you are depriving yourself of some beautiful music. You never know what artist can influence your playing style. So be open to new styles of music.

I hope this article has gotten you excited enough to learn how to play acoustic guitar. Remember to keep practicing and to never give up, no matter how long it takes.

Easy to Learn Guitar Songs For the Beginner

A lot of people who are learning how to play guitar find that the songs become quite repetitive and mundane. This is because you have to learn the easy notes first and it is likely that the songs you have been given to learn are quite traditional and based on the technical skills you need. There are some songs that are easy and fun to play to break up the monotony of this learning process.

You can choose songs that are suited to your taste or have an eclectic mix to make sure that you cover all the skills needed for playing the guitar.

One of the best songs for beginners is "Horse with no name" by America. This song is simple to play as it has two chords- E minor and D. These particular chords are repeated in the chorus of the song as well as the verse, giving maximum exposure to learning these chords.

For all the Nirvana fans who were probably inspired to start playing by this band, the song "About a Girl" is an easy and pleasant song to learn. The verses of the song concentrate on the chords A and G in the open position. The chorus is a bit more difficult to master to begin with, but once you have practiced a bit more you will be able to play it well.

One of the best crowd favorites is Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffet. This tune concentrates on the chords D, A and G through the whole song. As a beginner, Margaritaville is a good song to learn as it takes you through learning the basic chords before moving onto the walking bass line.

Some other songs that you could try are "Silent Night", "Help!" by The Beatles and "House of the Rising Sun" by The Animals.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kenn_Bell

Learn Practical Guitar Playing Tips With Learn and Master Guitar

Guitar playing is an art and not everyone is a gifted guitarist. This article is devoted to all those guitar lovers who have at some point of their life or the other, experienced a deep desire to learn playing guitar. Well, guitar learning is not as difficult as people say it is. At least with the DVD series of the Learn and Master Guitar program, the challenging task of learning to play the guitar becomes much more easy and uncomplicated.

This program has such a wide range of guitar concepts, techniques and styles to teach, that any person who follows this program is sure to learn the guitar quite fluently, confidently, flawlessly and with a reasonably high degree of versatility within a few months of starting with this program. This best part about this program is that apart from the rich knowledge that it provides through the video lessons, it also provides an unlimited amount of practical tips, which add a lot of life to your guitar playing skills, in addition to making guitar playing very effortless and simple for you.

The instructor, Steve Krenz is a very experienced guitarist, an accomplished musician and a widely acclaimed guitar teacher. He seems to know what piece of advice or what tip to provide at the exact moment when it is needed. It is as if he can read you mind and can understand your requirement completely. Here are a few tips and suggestions from Steve, that are very simple and yet without them, you would be missing out on a lot of perfection and pleasure of playing the guitar.

Guitar Tips and Guitar Tricks

Very often, beginners complain that playing the guitar hurts their fingers. Steve suggests exercises for improving finger agility and strength in the initial part of this instructional program itself, so that nobody quits learning because of this problem. He clarifies that the problem can be solved through regular practice, which encourages callus building, when the finger tips press down hard on the strings. He also points out that barring a chord is very helpful for callus building and also improves finger strength and dexterity.

In addition to introducing you to the world of chords, chord families, chord progressions, chord formulas, smooth chord transitions, chord substitution, advanced chords and altered chords, Steve also equips you with several tips pertaining to chords. He tells you to teach yourself as many different ways of playing a chord as possible, because it adds greater flexibility during cord changing and is also going to be useful when you try to compose your own music. According to him, you should carry the guitar with you and practice playing chords as frequently as possible, while watching TV or talking to a friend, as this will refrain you from looking at the guitar and playing each not. As you continue with this practice, your fingers will get used to playing fluently and with greater confidence, even if you do not look constantly look at the fretboard each time you strike a note.

This program provides many such useful tips, which we can very well do without, but whose implementation can add an element of grace and perfection to your guitar playing skills. This program provides you with such a large variety of free guitar licks and songs that you can practice as often as you like. It helps polish your guitar playing skills and takes your guitar learning process to an entirely different level, wherein you know how to apply what you have learnt. Therefore, irrespective of whether you are a born guitarist or not, you can soon start playing the guitar like any of the professional guitarists.

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