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| Question: | What are the different types of guitars? How are these guitars the same and how are they different? | Category: Guitar (Beginner) |
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| Answer: | This information is taken from You Can Teach Yourself® Guitar
CLASSIC GUITAR— The classic guitar is characterized by the round sound hole, nylon or gut strings, and a rather wide neck. The reason for the wide neck is to allow the right-hand fingers to fit in between the strings for fingerstyle playing. The wood on a classic guitar is usually lighter than on a regular folk-style guitar in order to bring out the delicate tone of the nylon strings. Never put metal strings on a guitar made for nylon strings. The wood will not be able to stand the increased stress. We usually recommend starting on nylon strings, as they are easier (less painful) on the fingers. Picture | |
| Question: | Information about Copyright and Copyright laws. | Category: Guitar |
| Answer: | Check out the U.S. Copyright Web Site. | |
| Question: | How do I string a guitar? | Category: Guitar (Beginner) |
| Answer: | Detailed instructions (with illustrations) for changing the strings on a guitar are provided in Mike Christiansen's Guitar Stringing Chart. | |
| Question: | What are the different types of strings? | Category: Guitar (Beginner) |
| Answer: | This excerpt from You Can Teach Yourself® Guitar explains the different types of strings, and which are best for beginners. | |
| Question: | What is a capo? How/Why is a capo used? | Category: Guitar (Beginner) |
| Answer: | A capo is a clamp that can be positioned on the guitar neck to effectively "shorten" the length of the strings. We place the capo in any fret, slightly behind the metal fret wire, adjust it until there's a minimum of buzzes and rattles, and play. The capo takes the place of the nut, so that frets are counted from the capo instead of the nut. The resulting chord or melody will sound higher than the same thing played without the capo. For example, if an E chord is played with the capo clamped on the third fret, the resulting sound will be a G chord, even though the player is holding what looks like an E chord. For more information, see Guide to the Capo, Transposing, and the Nashville Numbering System. | |
| Question: | How is the 12-string guitar tuned? | Category: Guitar (Tuning) |
| Answer: | The strings of a 12-string guitar are tuned in pairs. The first four pairs (E, A, D, and G) and tuned in octaves. The lower of each of the pairs is tuned the same as the 6-string, with the other of the pair tuned an octave higher. The top two pairs of strings (B and high E) are tuned in unison to the same pitches as the 6-string. In tablature, each pair of strings is treated as a single string. Recommended references: Flatpicking Tunes for 12-String Guitar Fingerpicking 12-String Guitar Method | |
| Question: | How is a guitar strap attached? | Category: Gear and Accessories |
| Answer: | Each end of the guitar strap itself has a hole that the guitar button fits into. | |
| Question: | How do I tune a guitar? | Category: Guitar (Tuning) |
| Answer: | There are several ways to tune a guitar. One way is to use an electronic tuner, of which there are several types. There is also a way to tune the guitar fairly accurately without using an electronic tuner. You do need to tune one string (usually the fifth or A string) to an accurate source like a tuning fork, pitch pipe, or a piano. Be sure to tune the fifth string to the proper octave. If you tune it too high, you risk breaking strings or damaging the instrument. Once the fifth string is tuned, here's the basic procedure: Without altering the fifth string (as this is the reference note),
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| Question: | How do I read tab on guitar? | Category: Guitar (Beginner) |
| Answer: | Tablature or tab is the six lines that physically show you which string and which fret to play. The tab line closest to the standard notation is the high pitched E string and the tab line at the bottom is the low pitched E string. A zero on a tab line represents playing that specific string open. Any other number represents the fret number. Refer to this example for clarification. See Mastering the Guitar 1A for an excellent introduction to tab. | |
| Question: | How do I read standard notation on guitar? Or How can I become a proficient sight-reader of standard notation and tab? | Category: Guitar (Beginner) |
| Answer: | Mel Bay offers several books for learning to read better. Mel Bay's original 7-volume Modern Guitar Method was written in standard notation only with the intention of helping returning WW II GI's in becoming better sight readers. We still publish those books in their original format as well as in a collected, expanded anthology. A particularly nice touch was Mr. Bay's inclusion of just enough music theory to understand the demands of the music. He also adapted music from the repertoire of other instruments, particularly the clarinet, to expand the guitar's didactic library. It was an effective concept but many of these pieces now seem unfamiliar or archaic, and they are written for plectrum style guitar only. Another strong method is the Mastering the Guitar series by William Bay and Mike Christiansen. This series offers instruction in all modern guitar styles - both flatpicking and fingerstyle - with an updated teaching repertoire in standard notation and tablature. Reading standard notation will teach you about form and harmony. | |
| Question: | How do I read guitar chord diagrams? | Category: Guitar (Beginner) |
| Answer: | Chord diagrams can appear in a variety of forms but they all usually show you the string to play and the frets that must be pressed down. The 'x' on the top of the chord diagram tells you NOT to play that string. An 'o' on the top of the chord diagrams tell to play those stings OPEN. Sometimes specific fingers are listed in the black dots on the fret board to ensure a well-fingered chord. Here is a common form that can be used. You may see them written other ways but they are almost all the same. See First Lessons Beginning Guitar: Learning Chords/Playing Songs or First Lessons Folk Guitar.  | |
| Question: | How do I read a lead sheet/chord chart? | Category: Music Theory |
| Answer: | A lead sheet consists of a melody line with chords written above. The key is usually given along with the tempo of the piece. This is only the "framework" of the music. If you are playing any woodwind or brass instrument, you need the chords and melody adjusted according to your instrument's transposition. For the rhythm section, just read the chords and play according to the music's rhythmic style. For guitar, there are different rhythmic patterns you can use in a group setting. In jazz, most of these rhythmic patterns are swing or latin based. For blues guitar, it's obviously blues basic. For books dealing with lead sheets/charts, comping, and rhythmic patterns here are some books Mel Bay offers covering genres from rock and jazz to blues: Comping the Blues by Frank Vignola Modern Swing Guitar by Mike Christiansen and Corey Christiansen Jazz Guitar Method by Ronnie Lee You Can Teach Yourself® Jazz Guitar Complete Jazz Guitar Method by Mike Christiansen Complete Book of Harmony, Theory, and Voicing by Bret Willmott | |
| Question: | How can I learn to play rhythm guitar? | Category: Guitar (Styles) |
| Answer: | Rhythm guitar can be easily dealt with when one has a decent knowledge of most barre form and first position chords. This is just one way to approach it, though. The list of following books and videos cover various techniques for playing rhythm guitar: Rhythm Accompaniments for Guitar (Video); Rhythm and Blues Electric Guitar (Video); Rhythm Changes Volumes 1, 2, and 3 (books); and Rhythm Guitar Chord System (book). | |
| Question: | How do I strum chords on guitar? | Category: Guitar (Techniques) |
| Answer: | There are two strumming patterns, downward and upward. By holding the pick as shown in this picture, one can strum downward across the strings or upward. Recommended resource: First Lessons Beginning Guitar: Learning Chords/Playing Songs | |
| Question: | What are power chords? How do I play power chords on the guitar? | Category: Guitar (Chords) |
| Answer: | Power chords consist of the first (root), fifth, and eighth degree (octave) of the scale. Power chords are typically used in playing rock music. Information on power chords could be found in any of our rock specialty books. Basically, they are not "chords" in the purest sense, that is, three or more tones played simultaneously. A power chord (or "5 chord") consists of the root, fifth, and octave: CGC, FCF, GDG, etc. As the interval of a third is missing, there is no major/minor character to the chord and it can be played as a substitute for either. Power chords are most often played on strings 6, 5, and 4 or on strings 5, 4, and 3. They lie very naturally on the fretboard and they sound great, as in the classic Boston hit, "More than a Feeling" or the mid-60s tune "Louie-Louie". For example, if you play only strings 6, 5, and 4 while fingering the first position E minor chord (EBE), then you have the E5 or E power chord. Most rock players play power chords with just two fingers (1 and 3) with the 3rd finger covering 2 strings, and muting strings 3, 2, and 1. Power chords can be played anywhere on the fretboard on the two sets of strings - 6,5,4 or 5,4,3. You can figure out 3-string patterns on strings 4,3,2, and 3,2,1, but it would defeat the purpose of achieving low, menacing-sounding chords. The note played by the first finger is the root of the chord, which of course gives rise to the name of the particular power chord. Two Mel Bay books address power chords: Gig Savers: Power Chords and the Barre Chords / Power Chords Pocketbook. | |
| Question: | What are open chords on the guitar? | Category: Guitar (Chords) |
| Answer: | Open chords are chords with open strings as well as fretted strings that are played. Here is an example of three open chords in first position. Recommended references: Guitar Chords Children's Guitar Chord Book Instant Guitar Chord Finder | |
| Question: | What are barre chords on the guitar? | Category: Guitar (Chords) |
| Answer: | From the French term barré, the technique of placing the left hand index finger over two to six strings in the fingering of a chord. The great advantage of using barre chords is that they are "moveable shapes" that can be applied at practically any fret. Below is an example of a barre chord. This chord form can be played anywhere on the fretboard. Recommended references: Gig Savers: Barre Chords Photo Barre Chord Book  | |
| Question: | What are four-string chords on the guitar? How do I play them? | Category: Guitar (Chords) |
| Answer: | Four-string chords are voicings where four notes of a chord are played. Major, minor, and 7th as well as 9th, 11th, and 13th chords can be reduced to four strings. How you reduce them depends on if you want the root or third included or not. If you are in a band setting and the root or third is being covered by another band member, upper voicings can be used to flavor a chord. As far as playing the four string chords, it's up to you to pick the best voicing. Trusting your ear is an important factor when picking different voices for 4 string chords, but that comes from practice as well. Corey Christiansen has many jazz guitar books covering the best voicings for 4-string chords. Essential Jazz Lines in the Style of Wes Montgomerey covers this subject very well. Drop 2 Concept for Guitar also discusses this type of chord. | |
| Question: | How do I play chord inversions on guitar? | Category: Guitar (Chords) |
| Answer: | Make the voicing in the chord you want to play the lowest pitch as long as it isn’t the root. If the root is the lowest pitch, then it’s not an inverted chord. | |
| Question: | How do I harmonize a melody on guitar? | Category: Guitar (Techniques) |
| Answer: | The first thing I would do is determine the key of the piece. Depending on how complex you would like the harmony to be, there are many options. One place to start is to play chords built off I and V in the key you’ve chosen. Once you have a clear understanding of when to change chords with the melody, more chords built off of the II, IV, and VI can be added. Trusting your ears after you have found some chords to harmonize is probably the most important thing. | |
| Question: | How are the fingers on the left and right hand indicated in guitar music? | Category: Guitar (Beginner) |
| Answer: | The symbols p, i, m, and a are used to designate the fingers on the strumming or fingerpicking hand. The symbols 1, 2, 3, and 4 are used to designate the fingers fretting the guitar neck. Here is a diagram which shows the correspondence between the markings and the fingers. | |
| Question: | What is the meaning of circled numbers and roman numerals in guitar music? | Category: Guitar (Beginner) |
| Answer: | Circled numbers represent which string to play a note on. Roman numerals represent which fret to bar or which position a chord is in. | |
| Question: | How can I learn to play fingerstyle guitar? | Category: Guitar (Styles) |
| Answer: | Depending on what style of guitar, here is an example of some of Mel Bay's books to help you out or get you started. Fingerstyle Guitar from the Ground Up Vol 1 and Vol 2. Fingerstyle Pattern Picking: 150 Patterns You Can Teach Yourself Fingerpicking Guitar Complete Fingerstyle Guitar Method | |
| Question: | How can I learn to play bluegrass guitar? | Category: Guitar (Styles) |
| Answer: | For the beginner or intermediate bluegrass player, the following books Mel Bay publishes can be very helpful in building your flatpicking bluegrass skills and other elements that make up the bluegrass genre such as crosspicking. Bluegrass Guitar Deluxe Bluegrass Flatpickin' Guitar Method | |
| Question: | How can I learn to play jazz guitar? | Category: Guitar (Styles) |
| Answer: | Jazz guitar has basic picking techniques that must be mastered. Learning how scales and modes interact with chords and chord progressions is a definite must. Music Theory will play an important factor when you first start with learning jazz guitar. You need to understand the ii-V-I chord progression and how it is applied to jazz standards and tunes. These factors are covered in relationship to some of jazz guitar's pioneers in Corey Christiansen's book, Essential Jazz Lines In the Style of Wes Montgomery and In the Style of Joe Pass. Other suggested resources are You Can Teach Yourself Jazz Guitar for complete beginners or Mike Christiansen's Complete Jazz Guitar Method for players with some experience with the guitar. | |
| Question: | How can I learn to play classical guitar? | Category: Guitar (Styles) |
| Answer: | There are many techniques and many methods that can be learned when attempting classical guitar. A good way to attempt classical guitar would be to nail down basic techniques such as fingerpicking, alternate fingerpicking, rasgueado, tremolo, the rest and free stroke, reading standard notation, music theory, and the traditional way the guitar is held by using a footstool. From this point, one can move on to stylistic periods. Learning one piece of music from each major period seems to be traditional in most collegiate programs. The major periods for the guitar break down into the Renaissance Period, Classical Period, Romantic Period, and the 20th Century Period. Even though a lot of renaissance and baroque music is transcribed for guitar, learning some pieces from these periods would be very beneficial. For those you completely new to classical guitar Mel Bay offers a book entitled You Can Teach Yourself Classical Guitar by William Bay. For a complete method on classical guitar technique and stylistic development Mel Bay also offers a book entitled The Complete Method for Classic Guitar by Mel Bay himself. Listening to Andres Segovia is a definite plus when learning classical guitar. | |
| Question: | How can I learn to play folk guitar? | Category: Guitar (Styles) |
| Answer: | This style of guitar is usually chordal accompaniment with lyrics or a melody of some sort. Here is a list of Mel Bay books that cover this style in which some include folk tunes from various places around the world. Also check our Songbooks category for items with melody lines and guitar chords. First Lessons: Folk Guitar Easiest Guitar Song Book You Can Teach Yourself® Guitar Guitar Songbook for Music Therapy The Campfire Songbook | |
| Question: | How can I learn to play blues guitar? | Category: Guitar (Styles) |
| Answer: | Blues guitar can be learned with basic theory and the basic blues forms. The common blues forms are the 8 and 12 bar blues form. Knowing what I, IV, and V are and how those chords relate to 8 and 12 bar blues form is a must. As far as style development goes, listen to some the "greats" such as B.B. King, Robert Johnson, Son House, and Lonnie Johnson. Suggested books are You Can Teach Yourself Blues Guitar, Mel Bay's Complete Blues Guitar Book, or First Lessons Blues Guitar | |
| Question: | How can I learn to play rock guitar? | Category: Guitar (Styles) |
| Answer: | Mel Bay offers a book entitled First Lessons: Rock Guitar. This book covers the basics such as common chords, scales, and basic theory and how it is applied to rock guitar. With this book and the chords included, you should be able to listen to your favorite pop tunes on the radio and figure them out. That only works depending on how fast your ear develops. Knowing what key the song or piece is in also helps tremendously with knowledge on how to apply that. That issue also covered in First Lessons: Rock Guitar. Also check out Mel Bay's Complete Rock Guitar Book by Mike Christiansen. | |
| Question: | How can I learn to play scales on guitar? | Category: Guitar (Techniques) |
| Answer: | The first thing you have to do is understand how your key signatures work. From there you can move on the modes. This is just one approach. Mel Bay offers many books on improving and understanding scales. William Bay has a book that is excellent for learning scales arpeggios (and will probably remain an excellent reference book to use later on) called the Complete Book of Guitar Chords, Scales and Arpeggios. Other excellent books are Mike Christiansen's Complete Guitar Scale Dictionary and Jazz Scales for Guitar. | |
| Question: | How can I improve my alternate picking on the guitar? | Category: Guitar (Techniques) |
| Answer: | Mel Bay offers an entire section of books on flatpicking which also covers alternate picking. From jazz to bluegrass, there's a little of everything here at Mel Bay. Here a few books that might help you out: Complete Flatpicking Guitar Book Favorite Guitar Pickin' Tunes You Can Teach Yourself Flatpicking Guitar | |
| Question: | How can I learn to improvise on guitar? | Category: Guitar (Styles), Improvising |
| Answer: | Improvisation consists of learning how to instantly construct a melody over given chord changes. The blueprint of improv is the chord progression itself. Specific scales and modes have been defined as being playable over certain chords. This is a good place to start. The best place to start is with your ear. What sounds good to you? Achieving variety in improvisation occurs when learning these scales modes and how they interact with chords. Don't forget about your ear, though. It's the most important factor when developing your own improvisational style. Suggested resources are Complete Book of Guitar Improvisation, and Barney Kessels Jazz Guitar Improvisation Series Video. | |
| Question: | How do I construct chords on the guitar? | Category: Guitar (Chords) |
| Answer: | First, you need to know what chord you want to construct and which voices you want to include. The root and the third are the most important voices of a chord. The third determines the value (Major, Minor, Diminished, Augmented) based off the interval (or distance in half steps or whole steps) from the root. Suggested reference books for chords are Guitar Chords, Deluxe Encyclopedia of Guitar Chords, and Mel Bay's Complete Book of Harmony, Theory and Voicing for Guitar. | |
| Question: | How do I construct arpeggios on the guitar? | Category: Guitar (Techniques) |
| Answer: | Arpeggios are played on guitar when you take a chord and all of its voicings playing them one at a time. A suggested reference for guitar is Mel Bay's Complete Book of Guitar Chords, Scales, and Arpeggios. | |
| Question: | How can I learn to implement quartal harmony on guitar? | Category: Guitar (Styles) |
| Answer: | Build your chords in fourths rather than in thirds. You may need to get chord charts to notate the fingerings until you can remember them. There are moveable forms for chords built in fourths just like forms built on thirds. How you spell a chord is all relative to what precedes and what follows, as well as what key th emusic is in. Lorne Lofsky address quartal harmony (as well as many other jazz topics) in his video Approaches to Jazz Guitar Vol. 1. | |
| Question: | How can I learn to construct a jazz guitar solo? | Category: Guitar (Styles) |
| Answer: | This can be a lengthy process if you don't know a lot about how chord progressions work, especially the ii-V-I progression. These three chords seem to be the fundamentals of what a solo is based on. Finding what modes and scales work best with these chords is one way to construct solos. Another way is to construct a solo with a basis in one key and then play it in all twelve keys. Corey Christiansen's Essential Jazz Lines series, is excellent for learning how to solo within the jazz genre. These methods can be applied to rock, fusion, and blues as well. Also see Mel Bay's Complete Book of Jazz Guitar Lines and Phrases by Sid Jacobs. | |
| Question: | How can I learn to construct a blues guitar solo? | Category: Guitar (Styles) |
| Answer: | A blues solo can be learned once you have an understanding of what the basic blues forms are. The 12- and 8-bar blues forms are a must when learning how to construct a blues solo. The 16-bar form is an extended form but is also used in blues. Understanding how the chord progressions work when moving from one to another will bring your theory skills up to date with how your ear has heard the blues. To grasp how the chords work with soloing, see Corey Christiansen's book First Lessons: Blues Guitar. | |
| Question: | What is alternate picking on guitar? | Category: Guitar (Styles) |
| Answer: | There are two strokes to alternate picking, the downstroke and the upstroke. The downstroke is usually notated with this symbol  while the upstroke is notated by  Recommended resources: Complete Flatpicking Guitar Book | |
| Question: | What is a good beginning guitar? | Category: Guitar (Beginner), Gear and Accessories |
| Answer: | A good beginner guitar should be either a classical guitar with nylon strings or an acoustic guitar with steel strings. If the steel strings of an acoustic guitar cause a beginner problems, the nylon strings of a classical are much more pliable but the neck on most classical guitars is wider and fatter than most steel string acoustic guitars. | |
| Question: | I am left-handed and want to play the guitar. What should I do? | Category: Guitar (Beginner) |
| Answer: | Professional opinion concerning left-handed guitarists is sharply divided, and ultimately, the player's wishes must be respected. The first question is usually whether to buy a left-handed guitar or not. That is up to the player, but there are several considerations to keep in mind. Left-handed guitars may be more expensive than right-handed ones, and used instruments may be harder to find. You may opt to purchase a normal right-hand guitar and have it altered into a left-hand orientation. If you go this route, it is best to get a professional guitar repairman to do the work. Finally, you may choose to use a regular guitar. The benefit here is that they are plentiful, more music and methods are written for it, and your dominant hand will be your chording hand. Each hand has a different role in guitar playing, so it is simply a matter of deciding which way you feel more comfortable.
As far as written music is concerned, standard notation for the guitar is the same for both right- and left-handed guitars, while tablature and chord diagrams written for right-handers will need to be reversed to accommodate the reversed string order. Mel Bay has a Left-Handed Guitar Chord Chart. A left-Handed Guitar Chord Book should be available sometime in 2002. | |
| Question: | Is it OK to start playing on an electric guitar? | Category: Guitar (Beginner) |
| Answer: | If all you want to do is play electric guitar and there isn't any possible chance you would play an acoustic guitar, I would say yes. If you know you will be playing acoustic guitar, start on one. | |
| Question: | My guitar seems very hard to finger. What can I do to make it easier to play? | Category: Guitar Troubleshooting |
| Answer: | If your guitar seems unduly hard to play for the left hand, I would have an experienced luthier (guitar builder) adjust the nut or the bridge, or both. If there is no one in your community who is knowledgeable enough to make the adjustment, you can try it yourself. You would have to loosen all of the strings, remove the nut or bridge (which should not be glued in place) and then either use a special thin file (with the grooves on the edge only) to make the grooves in the nut deeper, or lower the bridge by sanding off the bottom edge with the sandpaper on a flat surface like a table top. You could also use sandpaper to sand off the bottom of the nut instead of using a file. In both cases it is very important to use a ruler and sharp pencil to mark the amount of material you intend to remove before you begin. If you fail to do this, you risk lowering the strings too much and the strings would all buzz against the frets. So, work in small increments. Remove a small amount and then string and tune the guitar to try it out. It is best to file or sand off just enough plastic, bone or ivory rather than having to raise the action back up with shims of thin wood. | |
| Question: | My guitar has a buzz. How do I make it go away? | Category: Guitar Troubleshooting |
| Answer: | For a temporary fix you can stick some thick paper or thin cardboard under the nut to give you more clearance, but sometimes that can make it sound worse. This problem could also be an adjustment to the height of the bridge. To find out exactly what is making the buzz, here are some steps you can take to figure it out if the bridge isn’t the
problem.
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| Question: | I see that some guitarists rest their guitar on their right leg while others rest it on their left leg. Which way is correct? | Category: Guitar (Beginner) |
| Answer: | Either way is correct. When the guitar is resting on your left leg that is the typical leg for classical position. When it rests on your right leg, that is more common to modern standards of guitar playing. Holding the guitar in a way that is comfortable to you without any restrictions on the fingering hand or the strumming/picking hand is the important thing. | |
| Question: | What books can help me learn to hear chords (play songs) on guitar by ear? | Category: Guitar (Styles) |
| Answer: | One excellent book on this subject is written by Bill Bay. It's called First Lessons Guitar: Learning Chords, Playing Songs. It covers basic issues on chords, rhythm, and songs which is great for any beginner trying to figure out pop songs from the radio or your favorite CD. It may not spell out the song you are wanting to play, but the knowledge you can get out of this book, learning your favorite songs should be relatively easy. Mel Bay's Easiest Guitar Song Book is also another excellent book for learning songs. Also see You Can Teach Yourself® Guitar by Ear | |
| Question: | What kind of chords would I use to play guitar in my school jazz band? | Category: Guitar (Chords) |
| Answer: | That all depends on the difficulty level of the band itself. Here is a chart with some common fingerings that would probably be used in a high school jazz band. Recommended resources: Jazz Band Rhythm Guitar Complete Jazz Guitar Method | |
| Question: | What do the various chord symbols mean? | Category: Guitar (Chords), Music Theory |
| Answer: | Major Chord= Maj, maj, Ma, M (Ex. A Maj, Amaj, A Ma, AM) Minor Chord= Min, min, Mi, mi, m Diminished Chord= Dim, dim, °7 Half Diminished chord= ø7 or 7  5Augmented Chord= +, +7, aug Recommended Resources: Rhythm Guitar Chord System | |
| Question: | How long should a set of strings last? | Category: Gear and Accessories |
| Answer: | The more you play, the more often you will have to change your strings. Most practicing classical guitarists can wear out a set of strings in the matter of a week or two. The novice guitarist could probably make a set of strings last about a month. I wouldn't go any longer because of how the sound quality degrades on an old set of strings. | |
| Question: | What kind of guitar amp would you recommend? | Category: Gear and Accessories |
| Answer: | I would recommend the two 12" combo Music man amp or the Peavey 5150 2 12" combo. They are great for a practice or studio amp, and somewhat smaller clubs. | |
| Question: | What is the difference in sound between amps with different speaker sizes? | Category: Gear and Accessories |
| Answer: | The larger the speaker the wider range of clarity you'll have. Also, the bigger they get, the more support for the low end is offered as well as more power. Small amps with one speaker 12" or smaller are great practice amps. Anything larger and you'd want to be playing out regularly. I don't know many people that blast their Marshall full stack in their bedroom when learning new stuff on guitar. If what you want is maximum volume everywhere, then go for it. I must make mention of the two 12" combo Musicman amplifier and the Peavey 5150 2 12" combo. They are great amplifiers. | |
| Question: | How powerful should a guitar amp be? | Category: Gear and Accessories |
| Answer: | This all depends on the size of the place you're playing in and how the acoustics in the room are set up. For most small clubs, a two-twelve combo is effective for a guitar player. Anything larger and your going to want a PA and monitors. The selection of the PA and monitors also depends on the size of the club and the acoustics of the room. Not everyone has access to multiple Pas so an 8 or 16 channel powered mixer is probably efficient for the speakers. If you are just amplifying a guitar and are not having to contend with other musicians on stage, a half-stack or full stack with a 100 watt head would be efficient for somewhat larger clubs. The same concept is in effect here as well though. The selection of how many stacks and powered heads you need depend on the size of the room you're playing in and the acoustic design of the room. If you are playing outside, you need a lot of volume and power because there’s nothing for the sound to bounce off of. | |
| Question: | How do I develop speed while playing guitar? | Category: Guitar (Techniques) |
| Answer: | The best way to develop speed is to start a slow even pace. The better you get to know the music, the faster you can play. Learning the notes is the important thing. Speed comes with patience and practice. For help developing your flatpicking speed and other musical skills, here is a list of books that Mel Bay offers: Complete Flatpicking Guitar Book by Steve Kaufman You Can Teach Yourself Flatpicking Guitar by Steve Kaufman The Acoustic Speed Picking Blue Book by Brad Davis Gig Savers: Killer Technique If you are a fingerstyle player, most classical fingering techniques are helpful. If you don’t want to go the classically trained route, here are some books and videos for the fingerstyle guitarist who wants to improve his or her speed as well as other musical skills: Chris Proctor: Only Now Complete Chet Atkins Guitar Method by Chet Atkins and Tommy Flint Complete Fingerstyle Guitar Method by Tommy Flint (Video) Super Fingerpicking Guitar Techniques taught by Alan Munde (Video) The Amazing Fingerstyle Guitar Techniques of Doyle Dykes taught by Doyle Dykes | |
| Question: | I have problems fingering chords because my fingers are thick and it seems like I am hitting two notes at one time. How do I fix this? | Category: Guitar Troubleshooting |
| Answer: | This problem can be fixed by a selection of a new guitar. If you've already spent a lot of money on a guitar and don't want to go through the hassle, having a new nut and bridge put on can give you a little more room, but not much. | |
| Question: | I am having problems fingering barre chords on guitar. Is there an easier way to do it? | Category: Guitar (Chords), Guitar Troubleshooting |
| Answer: | Yes. Try to focus the tension of the finger barring the chord to the strings that need to sound. The best way to improve your barre chords is to just keep practicing. The strength in your fingers will increase with repetitive studies in whatever type of guitar techniques you attempt. | |
| Question: | How big of a guitar should I buy? | Category: Guitar (Beginner) |
| Answer: | Buy a size guitar that is comfortable to you. Unless you have a small build, don't even think about a 3/4 size guitar or smaller. When switching to a normal size guitar, you will see problems in your playing. This can be overcome, but the change can be painful at times. | |
| Question: | I am interested in classroom guitar. What do you offer? | Category: Guitar Teaching |
| Answer: | The Mastering the Guitar Class Method is excellent. There are two class method books designed for different age groups—one for Elementary to 8th grade, and another for 9th Grade & Higher. Both books are intended for beginning guitarists. A Teacher's Guide is also available for the class method with sample lesson plans. | |
| Question: | Does the temperature affect guitar tuning? | Category: Guitar (Tuning) |
| Answer: | Yes. With cold temperatures on the guitar it will tend to be more flat. With warmer temperatures, your guitar will seem more sharp. Moving your guitar from one extreme to another will shorten the life of your strings and could possibly cause the shape of the guitar to warp, especially in the neck. | |
| Question: | Can old strings affect guitar tuning? | Category: Guitar (Tuning) |
| Answer: | Yes. The older the strings are the more likely they are to snap if they have become flat and need to be tuned up. Sometimes unwinding old strings will cause them to snap as well. | |
| Question: | What does Mel Bay offer for open tunings on guitar? | Category: Guitar (Tuning), Guitar (Styles) |
| Answer: | Pierre Bensusan uses an open tuning in his book, DADGAD Music. Martin Simpson also uses open tunings in his book, Cool and Unusual: Creative Fingerstyle Guitar Solos. There are also the Open Tuning Chord Book and other products. Try searching for "open tunings". | |
| Question: | What are open tunings on guitar? | Category: Guitar (Tuning), Guitar (Styles) |
| Answer: | Open tunings are built off a chord, scale, mode, or key across all six strings. Michael Hedges uses the tuning BF#C#EAA in his arrangement of "Pinball Wizard". The tuning is based off of an F# minor 7 chord with a B in the bass. He uses many othe runings such as CCDGAD, CGDGBD, and ACEF#AD. Keep in mind when tuning strings higher than their standard tuning that you can usually only tune them about 2 to 3 whole step up without breaking the string or damaging the neck. If you warp the neck, have a repairman take the strings off and force steam into the neck to bend it back into place if the truss rod can't straighten it. Keeping the intonation set on your guitar will determine how in tune with itself it can stay. | |
| Question: | How can music theory be applied to the guitar? | Category: Guitar (Beginner), Music Theory |
| Answer: | Music theory can be applied to the guitar many ways, from learning what a II-V-I progression is in jazz to knowing that classical guitar is generally written an octave higher than the sounding pitch. Knowing what key a piece of music is in relates to the number of sharps or flats that are used. That in itself is basic theory knowledge any musician should know. Voice leading is another important factor that can be beneficial when learning guitar. Learning music theory is a good way to learn what voicings sound good moving to others. Suggested resources are Mel Bay's Easiest Guitar Theory Book, Music Theory for the Rock Guitarist, and the Complete Book of Harmony, Theory and Voicing for Guitar. | |
| Question: | How can I learn to play slide guitar? | Category: Guitar (Styles) |
| Answer: | Pete Tindall's book Slide Guitar is a great book for any beginner needing to learn how to play slide but have a difficult time approaching standard guitar. The open tunings used in this book will give your slide guitar skills a boost towards various areas such as blues guitar, country, pop, and rock. | |
| Question: | What books do you have that teach all styles of guitar at an intermediate level? | Category: Guitar Teaching, Guitar (Styles) |
| Answer: | Here are three of our books that are excellent for this question: Guitar Melody Chord Playing System by Mel Bay, Guide to Guitar Chord Progressions by Mike Christiansen, and Chords, Progressions, Substitutions, and Pieces by John Griggs. | |
| Question: | How can I build left-hand strength and flexibility on guitar? | Category: Guitar (Techniques) |
| Answer: | This type of question is answered by the obvious... "Practice, Practice, and Practice more." Classical guitar techniques will help you develop your left hand but here are a few books Mel Bay offers that might possibly help you develop your fingering capabilities. These books that are being recommended are some of our more
modern methods as well as classically trained methods. Complete Fingerstyle Guitar Method You Can Teach Yourself Fingerpicking Guitar by Tommy Flint Master Anthology of Fingerstyle Guitar Solos, Vol. 2 French Music for Guitar by Bill Piburn (advanced players) standard notation and tablature Eight JS Bach Compositions: Transcriptions for Guitar and a Guide to Performance by Bryan Townsend (standard notation only) | |
| Question: | How should I warm-up on the guitar? | Category: Guitar (Techniques) |
| Answer: | Start out with the simplest piece of music you can play well. If you don't know anything play scales until you're ready to play. Warming up on something that is well know can be a very good way to avoid frustration on your important new pieces of music your learning. Mel Bay offers many books in our Qwikguide series that make wonderful warm ups that will allow you to learn techniques as well:
Great Fingerpicking Tunes Favorite Guitar Pickin Tunes Great Blues Solos Jazz Tunes Tunes for Guitar Technique Guitar Warm-up Studies and Solos Fingerpickin Scales Famous Rock Guitar Lines Tunes for Guitar Technique Gig Savers: Killer Technique | |
| Question: | How can I learn about alternate tunings on guitar? | Category: Guitar (Styles), Guitar (Tuning) |
| Answer: | There are dozens of books in our inventory concerned with alternate tunings, notably those by El McMeen, Steve Baughman, Stefan Grossman, Marcel Dadi, John Fahey, Peter Finger, Al Petteway, Chris Proctor, Craig Dobbins, David Surette, and many more. Due to the difficulty in reading music in alternate tunings these books are written in both standard notation and tablature.
I suggest you start with the simple dropped-D (6th lowered to D) tuning as it's just the one string that is altered. We offer a book called Irish Traditional Guitar Accompaniment that is entirely in dropped-D tuning. This is very much a specialty book. It offers a great chord pattern resource for dropped-D tuning and a number of rhythms for various styles and dance tunes. It would then be natural to go to double dropped -D (strings 1 and 6), and then G-tuning (DGDGBD) taking the 5th string down as well. | |
| Question: | I want to learn to play guitar. What kind of guitar should I buy? | Category: Guitar (Beginner) |
| Answer: | Alvarez, Yamaha, Seagull, and Takamine make good quality (less expensive) student model steel-string acoustic guitars. Look into used guitars as well; sometimes you can get a bargain. I would definitely try to find an instrument with a solid wood top rather than a plywood top.
You might also consider getting a classic guitar with nylon strings. The necks are considerably wider than an acoustic guitar with steel strings. Because the strings are larger in diameter and require less tension to be tuned to pitch, classic guitars are usually easier on a beginner's left hand, but the right-hand technique is considerably different in that you would use your fingertips and nails rather than a flatpick. A serviceable classic guitar will usually cost less than its steel-string counterpart, but your choice of type of instrument should ultimately depend on the style of music you want to play. I do recommend that you begin with an acoustic guitar rather than an electric. There are many other factors to consider and it would be a good idea to have an experienced guitarist or guitar teacher to assist you in choosing your first instrument. | |
| Question: | How do I adjust the height of the guitar? | Category: Guitar Troubleshooting, Guitar (Beginner) |
| Answer: | The usual method of raising the height of the guitar when playing in a seated position is to use a foot stool. The A-frame guitar support is a good substitute for the traditional foot stool, as it is fully adjustable and does not mar the finish of the guitar. It's a well-designed accessory in that it does its job handily. It's one negative aspect is that it must be removed for the guitar to fit in its case. An alternate support system is the Swedish-made Dynarette guitar cushion. The cushions come in two sizes. The small size raises the guitar about 4 inches, while the large cushion raises the guitar 5 1/2 inches. If you are tall or at least have a long upper torso, I would recommend that you get the larger of the two Dynarette cushions. The shorter cushion would be the best choice for a person of medium height. You may still want to adjust the height of the guitar to your body by using a lower adjustable foot stool, or by using a non-adjustable stool placed closer or further from your chair. | |
| Question: | Do you have anything for a blind guitarist? | Category: Guitar Teaching, Guitar (Beginner), Guitar Troubleshooting |
| Answer: | While we do not offer any products specifically designed for the blind, some of our works have been translated into Braille by the Library of Congress. This would probably not be a good source for someone who has been recently blinded. A guitar teacher, or even a reader who is not a musician would be of service. A teacher could introduce new material, or new tricks could be learned from one of our books with the aid of a reader. For the well-being of the guitar it is important that it be tuned to an accurate source. Tuning the guitar too high may result in broken strings and warping of the neck.
You Can Teach Yourself® Guitar would provide a good review and introduce new material. This is largely a folk song method that helps in learning chords and right-hand rhythm patterns. Virtually all of our guitar method recordings would help with musical ear training. Once you have learned the basic chords in the "guitar-friendly keys" (C, G, D, A, E and relative minors) you should progress easily from there. To that end a chord source book like You Can Teach Yourself® Guitar Chords would be useful, but again, a sighted person would need to assist you.
While intended for the sighted student, if you are a skilled listener, you may be able to derive some benefit from the companion CDs for any of our method books. Perhaps the best bet would be the books in the Stefan Grossman Audio Series. The CDs with these books contain note-by-note, measure-by-measure verbal instructions. | |
| Question: | What guitar books do you recommend for children? | Category: Guitar Teaching, Guitar (Beginner) |
| Answer: | You might try the following: You Can Teach Yourself Classic Guitar, Sonja Michelson's New Dimensions in Classical Guitar for Children, and Basic Pieces for Guitar, Volume One. The Mastering the Guitar Series teaches all styles of contemporary guitar, both fingerstyle and flatpicking and in standard notation and tab. Mel Bay's Modern Guitar Method Grade 1 is the first volume in Mel Bay's original 1947, 7-volume method for the plectrum-style guitar. It is recommended as a sequel to Guitar Primer. Easy Way to Guitar Books A, B, and C offer a grounding in note reading and performance as well as introducing simplified chords. We also have a Children's Guitar Chord Book. Children's Classic Guitar Method employs basic classic guitar technique rather than the pick. | |
| Question: | How can I learn comping on guitar? | Category: Guitar (Styles) |
| Answer: | To learn about comping, I suggest the following books: All Blues for Jazz Guitar Jazz Guitar Handbook Three in One Complete Jazz Guitar Method Jazz Band Rhythm Guitar Guide to Guitar Chord Progressions Rhythm Guitar Chord System Gig Savers: Rhythm Guitar Cheat Sheet | |
| Question: | What is the difference between fingerpicking and flatpicking guitar? | Category: Guitar (Styles) |
| Answer: | "Fingerpicking" and "Flatpicking" refer strictly to the right-hand technique being used. "Fingerpicking" can be achieved by playing steel or nylon strings with the fleshy fingertips, fingernails, plastic fingerpicks, or fingernails and a thumb pick. These approaches could also be called "fingerstyle" but should not be necessarily construed as "classical" technique. Classical guitarists play with precision and a heightened awareness of technique and interpretation. They rarely improvise and most often memorize music from the written scores, playing the same note with the same right and left-hand fingering each time they perform a piece.
Flatpickers usually play steel-string instruments using a plectrum or pick almost exclusively, although a few will use a hybrid technique using the pick combined with the middle and ring fingers of the right hand. Using a flatpick presents both advantages and disadvantages. Advantages include great projection driving rhythmic accompaniment and speed in playing single-note lines; a fingerpicker, however, would be more likely to play subtle polyphonic music (bass, chords, and melody played simultaneously). There's no reason not to start out playing your favorite style of music. The left hand will be about the same for any of the chord accompaniment styles; the right-hand technique could potentially differ considerably. Classical technique would be more exacting but many people simply start with it as well. | |
| Question: | Do you still make the "stupid" green pick? | Category: Gear and Accessories |
| Answer: | We have had many inquiries about the famous Mel Bay green pick. It all started when a high-profile rock star mentioned his dependence on Mel Bay's "stupid green pick" - in print! We even had an urgent request from the manager of U2 while the band was on tour in Brazil. Kevin Fairfield at Boogieman Music was the first to mention the prized green pick. Years ago he discovered that by turning the pick around and playing with the textured grip surface an interesting tone could be obtained. Kevin happened to pick up a guitar magazine which quoted a guitar god who also played with the textured portion to the string as saying, "I owe my whole guitar career to this stupid green pick." The set of textured nylon picks which included the famous green pick has now been reproduced, as closely as possible, but the equivalent of the previous green pick is now yellow. | |
| Question: | How can I learn guitar chords? | Category: Guitar (Chords), Guitar (Beginner) |
| Answer: | We offer several guitar chord books. Most of these are chord dictionaries or encyclopedias that list chords alphabetically. Mel Bay's Guitar Chords is distinguished by both chord diagrams and photographs. Personally, I like You Can Teach Yourself® Guitar Chords because it presents chords according to how they are used in specific keys (Key of C= C Am F G7 E7 Dm), rather than as in the usual chord dictionary format (C, Cmaj7, C minor, C diminished, etc.). Of course, we offer very thorough chord dictionaries as well, such as the Deluxe Encyclopedia of Guitar Chords and the Instant Guitar Chord Finder. | |
| Question: | What are harmonics? How do I play them on guitar? | Category: Guitar (Techniques) |
| Answer: | Harmonics are high-pitched tones of a flutelike quality which are produced on stringed instruments by lightly touching the string at a certain point inseated of pressing it down firmly against the fingerboard. In general, "natural" harmonics can be found at all equal divisions of the open string - 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, etc. (at the 12th, 7th, and 5th fret respectively). "Artificial" harmonics are found 12 frets higher than any "stopped" note in the left hand and traditionally played (in classic technique) by touching the string at the appropriate fret with the "i" finger and plucking with the "a" finger of the right hand. See the following books: Complete Fingerstyle Guitar Method Classic Guitar Manuscript Book Complete Carcassi Guitar Method | |
| Question: | How can I learn to play bossa nova style on guitar? | Category: Guitar (Styles) |
| Answer: | Mel Bay offers a few instructional books that touch upon but do not focus exclusively on the bossa nova: Latin American Guitar Guide by Rico Stover Latin American Jazz for Fingerstyle Guitar by John Zaradin Jorge Morel: Latin American Rhythms for Guitar Brazilian Rhythms for Solo Guitar | |
| Question: | Do I have to learn to read notation to play guitar? | Category: Guitar (Beginner) |
| Answer: | Notation and tablature systems work equally well for any style of guitar, be it electric, acoustic, or classic. While tab is essential for learning music in altered or open tunings, we recommend that all guitarists learn to read standard notation on the guitar. A guitar teacher could help you achieve your musical goals faster, but don't settle for just any teacher. Many otherwise competent guitarists don't read music but the honest ones would tell you they wish they could! Standard notation, a system that has been used for over 500 years, simply offers the player more information than tablature can. Tab can't teach you a thing about musical form or harmony, elements that you can't help but learn if you read standard notation. | |
| Question: | What is the difference between the Modern Guitar Method and the Mastering the Guitar series? | Category: Guitar (Beginner), Guitar Teaching |
| Answer: | Mel Bay's original 7-volume Modern Guitar Method is written in standard notation only. It includes just enough music theory for the student to understand the demands of the music. Mr. Bay also adapted music from the repertoire of other instruments, particularly the clarinet, to expand the guitar's didactic library. The Mastering the Guitar series by William Bay and Mike Christiansen offers instruction in all modern guitar styles - both flatpicking and fingerstyle - with an updated teaching repertoire in standard notation and tablature. | |
| Question: | How is a 12-string guitar different from a 6-string? | Category: Guitar (Beginner), Gear and Accessories |
| Answer: | The playing techniques, chords, etc. on the 12-string are identical to the 6-string guitar. The only stylistic difference I can think of is that the 12-string is generally used for accompaniment rather than as a solo instrument; I think this is due to the presence of the double strings in octaves on the bottom four pairs and in unison for the top two pairs. The result of the partial octave string pair tuning is non-uniformity of sound or timbre. That is, if a melody line crosses string pairs 2 and 3, the result is somewhat disconcerting. As the strings are doubled, barre chords are more difficult. I would insist on light-gauge strings on a 12-string to make barre chords easier. If you play with your fingernails, the 12-string will tend to wear them down and break them with greater frequency than a 6-string. Many twelve string players tune the whole guitar down a tone and place a capo at the 2nd fret to bring it up to concert pitch. This makes for less tension on the neck and greater ease of play. Finally, I prefer precise tuning of the string pairs although I have heard arguments for a very slight detuning. I would tune the six normal strings using harmonics whenever possible, then tune the octave pairs, again using harmonics. You'll need a good ear and plenty of patience, as you'll have to fine-tune frequently. In time, you'll come up with your own system for tuning. Recommended references: Flatpicking Tunes for 12-String Guitar Fingerpicking 12-String Guitar Method | |
| Question: | What books do you have for the 12-string guitar? | Category: Guitar (Styles) |
| Answer: | We currently offer two books that specifically address the 12-string, Flatpicking Tunes for 12-String Guitar and the Fingerpicking 12-String Guitar Method. Once the guitar is tuned properly, however, you should be able to use any book written for 6-string guitar, although some fast techniques may be more difficult since you are playing doubled strings. | |
| Question: | How do I tune a baritone ukulele? | Category: Ukulele |
| Answer: | The baritone uke is tuned like the first four strings of the guitar: (low to high) DGBE. Be sure to tune the instrument to an accurate source like a pitch pipe, electronic guitar tuner, or a piano, remembering that the instrument sounds an octave lower than written. In other words, the high E string should match the E immediately above middle C on the piano, but in baritone uke and guitar music, that E is written an octave higher. Tuning to the wrong octave will either break strings or damage an instrument. | |
| Question: | What is the Nashville Numbering System? | Category: Music Theory, Guitar (Styles) |
| Answer: | The Nashville Numbering System is really a very simple but useful concept that hinges on knowing the principal chords in each key, particularly the "guitar-friendly keys." Roman numbers are substituted for the letter names of the chords. This facilitates transposition of guitar accompaniment to different keys so is particularly useful in recording sessions with a vocalist, who may ask for an on-the-spot transposition to a more favorable key. An excellent overview of the Nashville Numbering System is in the Qwikguide Guide to the Capo, Transposing, and the Nashville Numbering System,/a>. | |
| Question: | What kind of music do you play with a flatpick? | Category: Guitar (Beginner), Guitar (Styles) |
| Answer: | Virtually all styles of music, lead or backup, can be played with a flatpick- blues, rock, jazz, folk, bluegrass, etc., but I think classic and Brazilian music sound best when played with the fingers with classic guitar technique. To my ear, music played with a flatpick has more of a percussive character and this quality certainly has its place in some styles. Bluegrass rhythm guitar, for example often needs to be strong and rhythmic; it would sound weak, even silly if played with the fingers only. | |
| Question: | Is it all right to play classic guitar with flatpick? | Category: Guitar (Techniques), Guitar (Styles) |
| Answer: | It depends on the style of music you are rendering and the amount of technical finesse you can apply. Country singer Willie Nelson plays nylon strings with a pick and has worn a huge hole right through the top of his guitar. I'm not sure whether the pick or his fingertips are responsible for that. There is no musical reason to strike the top of a guitar with a pick, but flamenco players do it all the time with their fingertips with a technique called "el golpe" (the hit or strike) which involves tapping the top hard with the middle and ring fingernails. Flamenco guitars have "golpeadors" (pickguards) to prevent damage to the top, something classic guitars don't usually have. I wouldn't want anyone to play my classic guitar with a pick. Polyphonic (many-voiced) music, however, is best played with the fingers. | |
