Learn Guitar Chords - Six Steps To Better Chord Changes

By Gary Fletcher

Are you struggling with your chord changes? It's easy to get your fingers into a frustrating tangle when learning to play chords. Don't worry about it, though, it's normal. With these tips and a little patience you'll get your fingers playing faster than you ever thought they were capable of.

1. No pressure
When learning a new chord practice without pressing the strings. Simply move your fingers into place and touch their tips lightly on the string. Repeat the movement slowly until your fingers move easily into the correct positions.

This technique let's you concentrate on getting your fingers into the right position. It will be a lot easier to press the strings down properly then. It also helps your fingers to relax, when you're in a hurry to get the fingers into position and strum a chord your poor fingers tend to get all tensed up and make more errors.

2. One at a time
Break the movement down by thinking about one finger at a time. Place the fingers lightly on the strings in the position of the chord you're leaving. What movement does each one have to make to get into place for the next chord?

Try to find the smallest possible movement for each finger. When you have a finger that remains on the same string you can use the string as a guide, sliding the finger lightly along it to the destination fret. Experiment to find the easiest movement and don't be afraid to come back and revise after working on other fingers.

3. Follow me!
When working on your fingers one at a time as the previous tip suggests you'll find it's a good idea to choose a lead finger that you place first for each chord.

A finger on the bass strings is generally a good choice to be the lead. This has the advantage of being easier to locate as it's playing the root note of the chord. The other fingers are then placed relative to this root note.

Another advantage is that you can get the bass note in place quickly to play it on the first beat. You can follow up with a strum on a later beat, leaving you a little extra time to get your other fingers in place.

4. Silence is golden
Don't strum or pick while you practice chord fingering, focus on making the chord shapes only with your left hand (or your right, for the lefties out there). Separate the steps like this and learning chords will become much easier for you.

When you've got the fingers moving smoothly into position you can start working on strumming or picking. Start by just pressing the strings down and pick them one by one to ensure they all sound correctly and are not muffled.

Then you can start strumming in rhythm, but remember to go slowly at this point. Don't suddenly be in a rush to play through the chord changes at full speed. If you practice slowly and concentrate on accurate finger placement the speed will come with time and practice.

5. Economy of movement
The less distance your fingers move when changing chords the better.

Beginners frequently lift their fingers away from the strings when releasing a chord. This forces the fingers to move further at each chord change and is a handicap to developing speed.

So, when changing chords, keep your fingers close to the strings, ideally only just releasing contact with them.

6. Relax
Don't get so carried away with your practice that you forget to take a break.

Stretch and wiggle your fingers to relax them. Place your palm on a flat horizontal surface such as a table or your thigh. Let your arm go limp and relax your hand and fingers completely. Take a few slow, deep breaths while you're doing it.

When you resume your practice you'll be more concentrated. You might even be surprised to discover that your playing has improved during the break even while you weren't practicing; while you were doing something else your mind kept working on the problem in the background.

Conclusion
Introduce these six techniques into your practice routine one at a time and you'll be amazed how easy learning new chord changes becomes. You'll have the confidence to tackle songs that you avoid now because you feel the chords are too hard for you to play. Your chords will become cleaner, and you'll be able to change faster and with less mistakes.

So get practicing and polish off those new songs you've been wanting to learn.

Gary Fletcher is an experienced hobby guitarist and writer. He believes that playing music is a fun activity that can be enjoyed by everyone. Visit http://garysguitarblog.blogspot.com where he offers tips and encouragement for those who want to learn and share guitar playing.

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

Vintage Gibson Guitar Identification Explained

By Lyndon Ogden

Vintage Gibson guitar identification is easy if you know what to look for. Serial numbers are not always the complete answer. Better to look for a combo of serial numbers, factory order numbers and any design features specific to the time.

Factory Order Numbers (FON's) were used by Gibson to track batches of instruments in the early days when they made guitars normally in batches of forty. Therefore early Gibson Vintage Guitars may have both a FON and a serial number. The FON will even provide what number in the batch of forty guitars your instrument was.

There are three groups of numbers which are used for their accuracy. The numbers are often stamped or written on the back of the instrument and seen through the lower f-hole or round soundhole. They may also be impressed on the back of the headstock.

Code Letter FONs were stopped after 1941 and any instruments made during or right after World War II do not bear any FON codes. In1949, a four digit FON was used, but not in conjunction with any code letter.

From 1952-61, the FON's scheme followed the pattern of a letter, batch number, and instrument ranking number. The FON is the only identification number on Gibson's lower grade models like the ES-125, ES-140 etc.) which do not feature a paper label. High grade models (such as the Super 400, L-5 etc.) have both a serial number and a FON. When both numbers are present on a high grade model, please remember that the FON was assigned at the beginning of the production run, while the serial number was recorded later (before shipping).
The serial number would be the best indication of the actual date of the guitar.

For detailed information plus a list of serial numbers you may want to visit my website as there is too much information to share in a single article.

Lyndon is a collector of Gibson vintage guitars. His website is http://www.vintagegibsonguitar.com where you will find articles, information and useful links about vintage Gibson Guitars

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

Building Speed On The Guitar - A Commonly Overlooked Problem

By Lee Nicholas

Some guitarists have an uncanny ability to play incredibly fast in a reasonably short amount of time while others can struggle for what seems like an eternity, improving at a very slow pace with an ever decreasing likelihood of reaching high speeds on the guitar.

There are many reasons why this can be, anything from physical differences to bad posture, incorrect handling of the pick or just plain bad practice. Whatever the reason, there is often one common element that differentiates the two types of guitarist... Focus! Alternate picked straight sixteenth notes at 250bpm may be your goal because that's what your guitar idols can play at. You may have been struggling for years and still can't get past 120bpm? Now let's forget the numbers and think only about improvements in small steps.

If you are like many guitarists in this situation then the chances are your attention has been largely focused on that 250BPM goal. Now there's not necessarily anything wrong with that but unfortunately for most, that goal takes away too much attention from where you should be concentrating and that is just plain improvement at any level, no matter how small a degree.

Having long term goals are important but it's also important to keep things in perspective.
Getting from 120 to 250bpm is huge, it's a massive and long term achievement that requires a lot of concentrated, disciplined practice. If your current perfect speed is 120bpm and you are trying to reach 250bpm with most of your practice sessions having the metronome set at 200+ then you are never going to do it. You might improve to an extent but it will always be sloppy. If however you can play something with perfection at a given speed then there will always be headroom for further improvement from that current level. By setting your goals much smaller you will be always be pushing the boundaries upward with the necessary headroom to keep moving forward.

Getting from 120 to 125bpm is a very realistic goal. It's one that you can not only say you will definitely be able to reach but it's also one that you should be able to reach quite quickly. If you think that isn't a big improvement then you are approaching it with the wrong attitude. A 5bpm improvement has just moved the boundary. Do this ten times over a period of time and you have a 50bpm increase in speed.

When you are concentrating all of your efforts in these smaller increments it becomes a lot easier to spot flaws in your guitar technique. Most of the things that prevent a guitarist from being able to play fast are often small details causing bottlenecks. It might be that three fingers are working efficiently but the pinkie is holding everything else up. A common problem is also with synchronisation between the left and right hand. All of these things are much easier to correct at slower speeds, which allow you to home in and work on those specific problems.

Here's something to think about. There are thousands of amateur guitarists who already have the left and right hands well practiced and capable of a large speed increase. The only thing that's preventing this from happening is poor synchronisation. Yet, the only thing they have NOT spent any time focusing their attention on is synchronisation!

Free Rock and Blues Guitar Lessons

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

Learning How to Play Guitar - Choosing the Right Guitar

By Derek Cockrum

The first step to learning how to play guitar is to actually have a guitar in your possession. Of course, there are so many brands and models of both electrics and acoustics that it is difficult for the new player to know what to buy. Many beginners go with what their friends, family members, or favorite guitar players have, only to find they are not happy with their equipment. In reality, the best way to choose the right guitar is to find the guitar that is right for you.

The following tips can help make buying your first guitar much easier:

Get the best guitar you can afford. Better instruments sound better and play easier, so you are more likely to practice. If your instrument is clunky, easily falls out of tune, or sounds bad, you will have a difficult time determining whether you are making any progress. You will also have difficulty matching notes with any instructor, whether live or recorded, which will increase your frustration with learning how to play guitar. Remember that a good instrument will not make a bad player sound good, but a bad instrument can make a good player sound bad.

Know your budget. Before you start looking for that perfect first guitar, you need to know how much you can reasonably spend on a guitar. Know what you can afford for a down payment, as well as what you could possibly afford in monthly payments because most retailers offer payment plans. If you buy a guitar that doesn't fit your budget range, you will be more worried about how to pay for it than how to play it. When talking with the guitar salesperson, let them know what your budget is upfront. They will then be able to more easily guide you to the right guitar when they know your spending limits.

Buy a guitar that you like. If you are not happy with your guitar, you will be less likely to actually play it. Look for guitars that appeal to you, both in color and design. The more you like the way your guitar looks, the more you will want to actually touch it, and touching the guitar leads to your learning how to play guitar.

Acoustic Or Electric? One of the biggest questions for any aspiring guitar player is whether to buy an electric or an acoustic guitar. Acoustic guitars are often the best choice for learning how to play guitar because they do not have the gadgets and shortcuts found on electric guitars. An acoustic guitar forces players to actually learn how to play guitar notes and chords, as well as produce the right sound, without any help. In addition, an acoustic requires no amplifier or electricity, and is more portable, making it easier to practice anytime, anywhere.

Finding the right guitar does not have to be difficult, but it does require that you take the time to think about what is best for you. By knowing exactly what you can afford, and then buying the best and most attractive guitar in your price range, you will have an easier and more enjoyable time learning how to play guitar.

My name is Derek and I have been an instructor and professional guitarist for the past 11 years. I established HowToPlayGuitarEasily.Blogspot.com to help you, (the beginner and advanced guitarist), discover the top guitar lesson programs available that will show you how to really take your guitar playing skills to the next level. I have personally reviewed and tested almost every guitar program out there and have listed my top 3 recommended programs. If you're seriously ready to learn how to play guitar like a Rock Star, then you owe it to yourself to check out what these excellent programs can do for you and your guitar playing.
To Your Success, Derek Cockrum HowToPlayGuitarEasily.Blogspot.com

Jazz Guitar Strings - The Right Ones For That Perfect Sound

By Brian Trainer

Serious jazz players are quite particular about the jazz guitar strings they choose and use. They expect the exact sound they want. There are different kinds of jazz guitar strings available with reputed manufacturers like Thomastik-Infeld, D’Addario, Elixir, etc. Finally it all boils down to choosing the jazz guitar strings that sound just right for the user.

Types Of Jazz Guitar Strings

Flatwound – probably the most popular for Swing. These are usually flat ribbon wound strings with a polished nickel surface giving the player the flexibility and the kind of smooth sound that is expected.

Roundwound – for BeBop jazz. While several jazz players don’t really go for roundwound strings, manufacturers like Thomastik-Infeld have wooed jazz players with the way they manufacture these. These strings are dense, although of thin diameter and play wonderfully at high frequencies, so much so that the tone has the purity of piano notes.

Most high quality jazz guitar strings are crafted with a core of carbon steel rather than the usual hex cores. This makes them play better and also vibrates well without the ‘preferred motion axis’. These string ends are wrapped in silk to keep the winding intact and to also increase their life.

For those who play blues jazz - and practically everyone who plays jazz does play the blues – the flatwound chrome strings they use are the most preferred. This is because these strings do not create the finger noise associated with other strings, resulting in easy play and better style. But the half round wounds are also popularly used, as they seem smoother and there is more clarity of sound with them compared to flatwounds, making them sound great when playing the blues.
Making The Choice For Jazz Guitar Strings

It is vital, as any jazz guitar player knows, to choose the strings that work best for you, and also make sure you replace them properly when necessary to avoid your guitar detuning. The main things to remember in making your choice are: the brand you select, the composition of the strings, string gauge, and the type of winding.

As far as brand is concerned, you can try a few and choose the ones you feel most comfortable with. As mentioned earlier, the most reputed are Thomastik-Infeld, D’Addario, Elixir, and others.

Guitar strings are usually composed of a core high carbon steel wire with a wrap wire wound around them, which influences the sound of the guitar strings. This material could be nickel, considered the best, or stainless steel for brighter tones, or phosphor bronze for a warmer sound mostly used in acoustic guitar strings. Most classical guitars have nylon strings.

String Gauge refers to the diameter of the first and last guitar string since most guitar strings are sold as sets. Jazz guitar string sets are usually available as .012 – 0.054-inch diameter, which is heavier than those used for other music styles, so that they result in a thicker tone with increased sustain. Most jazz guitarists just starting out to play use lighter sets to first get used to them and then move on to the heavier type. It should be borne in mind that as you progress to an advanced playing level, and switch to a string set of heavier gauge, you must also adjust your guitar neck and the intonation. The roundwound type of strings have a louder and brighter sound while the flatwound type has a flat ribbon wire with duller, smoother sound. Most jazz guitar strings are of the flatwound type.

Some Jazz Guitar String Maintenance Tips
To get your jazz guitar strings to last longer, remember to wipe them down using a dry cloth after each playing session. It is better to replace your strings just as they begin to wear out. Preferably change the entire set since changing just that one broken string can lose the sync of your sound.

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Guitar Basics - Tuning and Playing a Guitar

By Kirk Downing

What do you think playing guitar is all about? Is it just learning the basic chords and the various techniques of hitting the strings? Or is there more to the whole exercise? To be a good guitar player, you not only have to have the willingness to learn, but a natural flair for the instrument as well does not hurt. As it happens so often, only a few of us are blessed with such talent, and hence we have only a few who are recognized as phenomenal players worldwide. However, do not lose heart; you can still learn about playing guitar for your personal enjoyment.

Regardless of whether you are thinking of playing guitar professionally or as a hobby, it is best to undergo the complete learning experience - not just about the different chords and grips. Let us take a look at a critical aspect of playing the guitar - tuning it.

Tuning and Playing Guitar
A very important aspect of learning how to play the guitar is to know how to tune it. A guitar usually goes out of tune ever so often, owing to a number of external factors - the quality of the guitar, the weather, etc. An out of tune guitar will never produce the exact sound required.
Visualize this: Your friends have gathered at your home for the evening. They know you are learning the guitar, and want you to give a small demo of some of the stuff you have learned. You are eager to show off your knowledge and newly acquired skill to your friends. You pick up the guitar and sure enough, it is totally out of tune. You have no clue how to tune it. What do you tell your friends?

Did you know? A variety of different tuning methods are used today. The most common by far is known as "Standard Tuning" (EADGBE)

Things to Know About Tuning Before You Start Playing Guitar

Playing guitar so you produce the right sound depends, to a large extent, on how well you tune your guitar. There are several different ways to accomplish this task. Universally, tuning the guitar involves using another source of sound at the same pitch as the reference pitch. The sound you reference your guitar to is usually the E note. The E note of your guitar should sound exactly the same as the in-tune reference sound source.

Initially, playing guitar can seem a much easier task than tuning it; the best option available would be to get a hold of a friend who plays the guitar to tune it for you. If this option is not viable, an even easier option for tuning is to use a reference source that produces a fixed sound for each note, and does not go out of tune. You could use a pitch pipe or, even better, an electronic tuner or a synthesizer/piano, both of which are sources that produce fixed sounds for each note that do not go out of tune.

You will find more about guitar tuning in any of the numerous tutorials available on the Internet. Once you know how to tune your guitar you can get on with the actual process of learning how to begin playing guitar.

Kirk Downing is the creator of the popular portal for guitar enthusiasts called JamDojo. Total beginners can find a wealth of information in the form of articles and blog posts. If you're trying to learn how to play guitar, JamDojo.com is the answer.