# Guitar... what are some good techniques?



## Lamnidae (Jan 16, 2011)

Hello, I started teaching myself guitar about half a year ago, and have not seen much improvement :L.  Any advise from fellow guitarists?


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## Glockypaws (Jan 16, 2011)

Hrm. It depends on the style of music you play, but at the same time it kind of doesn't.

I play strictly acoustic guitar, so most of my focus is on right hand technique. Fingerpicking strings going thumb-index-middle-ring-middle-index-thumb over and over and over has built me a lot of speed over time. Also, learn how to strum in time properly to various patterns and tempos. When I practice or try to compose new patterns I usually mute the strings with the palm of my fretting hand.

My music is also based on a lot of arpeggios, so learning A-G of the open chord shapes was super helpful for my playing, and obviously things like Am and Dm. Practice changing shapes from one shape to another, the hardest for most people is usually F Major because it's the only one that involves a barre over all six strings. For learning this (oh god, it's so painful to think about when I couldn't do an Fmaj at ALL) I would go from Am to F, then back to Am, then back to F, then to B, then back to F, back to B, then to C... you get the idea.

This chart is pretty decent, imo, for a fairly basic starting point. http://guitarsphere.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/basic-chords.jpg

I guess next I'd work on basic hammer ons and pull offs within chord shapes and stuff, like strumming a Cmaj7 which is the normal C Major shape as shown without the index finger on the B string, and then hammering said index finger onto the first fret of the b string. From here you can continue a strum pattern or do a pull off then go back into strumming.

You didn't indicate your current skill level so I'm just giving some general tips, since in between composing and recording I really love posting random advice here. makes me feel like my hard work can pay off for more than just me! XD

If you have any more specific questions I may be able to help, or perhaps they could be better answered by an actual electric guitarist if that is what you are playing. Though even if you play electric, I still highly recommend learning chords and how to effectively use them. I promise it will help you play better solos even though that seems counterintuitive.

Hopefully this was in any way helpful and not just a mess of nonsensical words. ;-;

I tried!


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## Lamnidae (Jan 16, 2011)

Thank you!! I am on an electric, and I'm willing to play anything, for as i have noticed as of yet, having a broad scope of music to play has made it not only more interesting, but I learn different things from each song I learn, and there seems to be no end haha 

I mean,  can play a few songs to correct tempo, such as Black Magic Woman by Santana, Can't Stop by RHCP, a (small) piece of Cliffs of Dover by Eric Johnson.  Also, I have been learning a lot of Nirvana, and I have been attempting some metal core such as A Day to remember, and The Devil Wears Prada.

Hopefully this will give u an idea of where I am at


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## Glockypaws (Jan 16, 2011)

-nods- Well, in my opinion (which may or may not be correct and/or biased) I still think that it'd be a good idea to learn the basic chord shapes and how to play rhythm strums while you practice the faster single note solos. This is for a multitude of reasons, one of them being that getting a good grasp of playing full strum quarters and eighths, etc will make your 16th and 32nd solos simply be in better time.. you will also be able to play rhythm! XD

Another good reason is that I know a good sized pawful of very technically awesome electric players that can sweep, alternate pick, etc so much faster than I can even hear pretty much... but when I'm like "Alright just follow me with the progression for X measures with a clean tone to give the progression more depth, the progression is C F C - C F G" or whatever, they have a lot of trouble doing the SLOWER strums and making the what I consider to be completely instinctual changes.

It's kinda funny actually.


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## Lamnidae (Jan 16, 2011)

Haha indeed  and i will try to learn the basic chord shapes as you said


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## Jude (Jan 16, 2011)

Basic chord shapes should really be the _first_ thing you learn. If you can master chords and scales, than you get pretty much do anything.


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## Sauvignon (Jan 16, 2011)

Agreeing with what has been said... I just have to say, get a pick, and learn each string intimately. Pick them all and know them. Give them names. Talk to them. Your right hand will drive your playing, and each string will play its part. You need to tell them when to play. Your left hand will simply determine what part they play.


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## Aden (Jan 16, 2011)

I'm pretty much the opposite of what these guys are saying - don't know any chords or scales but I'm okay anyway. Or so people seem to say.

What does this mean for you? It means I can tell you that it would probably be good to learn some scales and chord names early. I do okay by ear, but most people are not that lucky.

Technique-wise, anything specific you're looking to accomplish?


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## Sauvignon (Jan 17, 2011)

If you can play by ear, then consider yourself lucky. I can do it somewhat, and I can tune myself by ear, but I still require some kind of written music and chords to get anywhere worthwhile.


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## Lamnidae (Jan 17, 2011)

Sauvignon said:


> Agreeing with what has been said... I just have to say, get a pick, and learn each string intimately. Pick them all and know them. Give them names. Talk to them. Your right hand will drive your playing, and each string will play its part. You need to tell them when to play. Your left hand will simply determine what part they play.


 
Okay, no matter how much i try, i can NOT use a pick for anything but chords.  I like finger picking much better, because it is much faster, more precisive, and u can pluck more than one string at once.


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## Jude (Jan 17, 2011)

Lamnidae said:


> Okay, no matter how much i try, i can NOT use a pick for anything but chords.  I like finger picking much better, because it is much faster, more precisive, and u can pluck more than one string at once.


 
Your style of playing might be better suited for classical or acoustic, then.


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## Glockypaws (Jan 17, 2011)

I almost never use a pick even for chords, unless I'm practicing with a pick for the purpose of doing so. The advantages of a plectrum are speed [at least when it comes to playing notes on the same string, I can fingerpick arpeggios fairly fast], loudness/sustain, and simply the difference in sound (which is more apparent when playing acoustic). Personally I am a fan of being a well rounded musician, so I like doing things a lot of ways


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## Aden (Jan 17, 2011)

Lamnidae said:


> Okay, no matter how much i try, i can NOT use a pick for anything but chords.  I like finger picking much better, because it is much faster, more precisive, and u can pluck more than one string at once.


 
Here is where I wish I could be there so I could diagnose why your picking technique is giving you some trouble.


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## Glockypaws (Jan 17, 2011)

Yeah, that's the best way to figure those things out. I guess basic tips would be to practice alternate picking (down up down up down up) no matter what strings you're using.. and consciously try to make as small of movements as possible. Use only the wrist, as some people pick with their whole arm which really kills a lot of accuracy and speed especially.

Practicing a chromatic scale is prolly one of the best ways to improve picking technique.


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## Icky (Jan 17, 2011)

Not a guitarist, but I hear holding the neck of the guitar with one hand and plucking the strings with the other works pretty well


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## Hir (Jan 18, 2011)

Icky said:


> Not a guitarist, but I hear holding the neck of the guitar with one hand and plucking the strings with the other works pretty well



i prefer the smashing someones face on the strings approach but i guess that would work too


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## Love! (Jan 18, 2011)

OP, are you asking about playing techniques, or techniques for improving your skills?

I read somewhere that if you don't practice with a metronome, you're wasting your time.

There are also a lot of great tutorials on ultimate-guitar.com if you poke around.

As for playing techniques...don't worry too much about those, and don't bother learning more technique or theory than you actually need.


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## Endless Humiliation (Jan 18, 2011)

David Fair said:
			
		

> How to play Guitar
> by_ David Fair_
> I taught myself to play guitar. It's incredibly easy when  you understand the science of it. The skinny strings play the high  sounds, and the fat strings play the low sounds. If you put your finger  on the string farther out by the tuning end it makes a lower sound. If  you want to play fast, move your hand fast and if you want to play  slower move your hand slower. That's all there is to it. You can learn  the names of notes and how to make chords that other people use, but  that's pretty limiting. Even if you took a few years and learned all the  chords you'd still have a limited number of options. If you ignore the  chords your options are infinite and you can master guitar playing in  one day.
> Traditionally, guitars have a fat string on the top and they get  skinnier and skinnier as they go down. But the thing to remember is it's  your guitar and you can put whatever you want on it. I like to put six  different sized strings on it because that gives the most variety, but  my brother used to put all of the same thickness on so he wouldn't have  so much to worry about. What ever string he hit had to be the right one  because they were all the same.
> ...


http://www.halfjapanese.co.uk/how-to-play-guitar.php



			
				Captain Beefheart said:
			
		

> *Ten Commandments For Guitarists*
> *1. LISTEN TO THE BIRDS* Thatâ€™s where all the music comes from.  Birds know everything about how it should sound and where that sound  should come from. And watch hummingbirds. They fly really fast, but a  lot of times they arenâ€™t going anywhere.
> *2. YOUR GUITAR IS NOT REALLY A GUITAR* Your guitar is a divining  rod. Use it to find spirits in the other world and bring them over. A  guitar is also a fishing rod. If youâ€™re good, youâ€™ll land a big one.
> *3. PRACTICE IN FRONT OF A BUSH* Wait until the moon is out, then  go outside, eat a multi-grained bread and play your guitar to a bush. If  the bush doesnâ€™t shake, eat another piece of bread.
> ...


http://www.byronscullin.com/2007/06...bush-captain-beefhearts-rules-for-guitarists/

its just that easy


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## Lamnidae (Jan 18, 2011)

What i dont understand is how are you supposed to play a tab like this  if you use a pick?

x-----5---------x
x---------------x
x---------------x
x-----3---------x
x---------------x
x---------------x

When i strum all strings like this is sounds ridiculous and nothing like the original song :L Because without a pick i can pluck both at once. An example is under the bridge by RHCP


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## Aden (Jan 18, 2011)

Lamnidae said:


> What i dont understand is how are you supposed to play a tab like this  if you use a pick?
> 
> x-----5---------x
> x---------------x
> ...


 
You strum all four strings, from the first note to the second. However, you need to use your fretting fingers to mute the two strings in between - rest the finger fretting the 3 over those next two strings without pressing down on them. That should dampen the vibration of the muted strings when you strum the chord - the two notes you want will ring out while the two strings in between will produce a short, dull pluck and then won't be heard. Most tablature would denote muting like this:

x-----5---------x
x-----x---------x
x-----x---------x
x-----3---------x
x---------------x
x---------------x


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## Lamnidae (Jan 19, 2011)

omg thank you so much for this... this has definately helped a lot 

how about something like this?

x---------------x
x---------------x
x-----5---------x
x-----3---------x
x---------------x
x---------------x


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## Love! (Jan 19, 2011)

Lamnidae said:


> omg thank you so much for this... this has definately helped a lot
> 
> how about something like this?
> 
> ...


 uhh
you strum the middle two strings and leave the others alone
there is a reason the fretboard is curved on top and the strings have different heights [unless you're on a classical acoustic]


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## Lamnidae (Jan 19, 2011)

this is not so on my (shitty) fender squire >.< blagh i need a new guitar haha


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## Aden (Jan 19, 2011)

Love! said:


> there is a reason the fretboard is curved on top and the strings have different heights [unless you're on a classical acoustic]


 
Nah, that's just a variance between guitar models and manufacturers. My $1k Schecter's fretboard is only slightly curved, for example.


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## Glockypaws (Jan 19, 2011)

Mmmm... a bit unrelated but I find fanned frets to be amazingly sexy.


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## Aden (Jan 19, 2011)

Glockypaws said:


> Mmmm... a bit unrelated but I find fanned frets to be amazingly sexy.


 
That seems like it would fuck up my barre chord technique hardcore
but I agree, looks great


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## Glockypaws (Jan 19, 2011)

Aden said:


> That seems like it would fuck up my barre chord technique hardcore
> but I agree, looks great


 
You'd be surprised, they take a bit of adjusting too, but it's one of those things where if you look at them and think about it it's a lot more difficult. 

The fanning actually is designed to be much more ergonomic and flow with the way the fingers naturally fall. And it improves the sound, cause you know.. the whole deeper notes needing a longer string etc to sustain and project better. Here's a fun video with them. Unfortunate they're only made by like, a few companies and are stupidly ridiculous.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8t0mKCaz5I&playnext=1&list=PLA2C17CABB3E14E8A&index=60

Anyway sorry, back on track. I can answer anything else that's within my ability! <3


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## Love! (Jan 20, 2011)

Aden said:


> Nah, that's just a variance between guitar models  and manufacturers. My $1k Schecter's fretboard is only slightly curved,  for example.


 that's a good point
but how is the price of your guitar relevant to the subject of fretboard curvature? :v


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## VenturedVulpes (Jan 23, 2011)

That is a sexy guitar. I play mainly finger-style and do a lot of flashy percussive stuff in altered tunings. If you get into acoustic definitely check it out. There's alot of neat teqniques you have to be able to play certain songs. Once you get to know standard tuning try to find a few songs in easier tunings like DADGAD, CGCGCE, DADGCE, EADGCE they are used alot in folk music and such.. Be careful though I've killed hundreds of packs of strings by tuning and retuning my guitar. As for techniques look into learning your harmonics (frets: 5,7,9,12,14,19,25) then learn how to do pinch harmonics. You pretty much put your right index finger on the harmonic and pick it with your thumb, literally pinching it. Harmonic slaps are really useful and easy you legitimately smack the fret on a harmonic and bounce off really fast and it should ring pretty nicely, you can do those with either hand, but the left hand doesn't really make it ring very loud. You can also strum a chord and then slap a harmonic and pull off the chord, kind strum the strings with the left hand after you slap the harmonic, sounds real sharp and nice. Another neat trick is what i call a ghost harmonic, you use your left index finger to strum the strings as you rest your pinky on the harmonic usually around 5 or 7. (i.e index on fret 3 on the thickest string rest pinky across 5th fret and pull your index across the rest of the strings with your pinky still on the harmonic. it takes a lot of practice to get it just right) those are just a couple off the top of my head that i use alot.

Here are a couple of youtube tutorials by one of my heros Antoine Dufour, btw he is french and pretty hard to understand;
ghost harmonic thing i was talking about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Su6WPuQRZAQ
thumb pick upstrokes also really useful for finger picking: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2enYdAj9uas&feature=related
A couple basic hand exercises: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aahcorcs5oE&feature=related 

hope i helped a bit


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## Jude (Jan 23, 2011)

Glockypaws said:


> You'd be surprised, they take a bit of adjusting too, but it's one of those things where if you look at them and think about it it's a lot more difficult.
> 
> The fanning actually is designed to be much more ergonomic and flow with the way the fingers naturally fall. And it improves the sound, cause you know.. the whole deeper notes needing a longer string etc to sustain and project better. Here's a fun video with them. Unfortunate they're only made by like, a few companies and are stupidly ridiculous.
> 
> ...



Holy fuck, I struggle with stairway to heaven at the _regular_ tempo.


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## Aden (Jan 23, 2011)

Love! said:


> that's a good point
> but how is the price of your guitar relevant to the subject of fretboard curvature? :v


 
Point of reference for the OP's post above mine - just saying he doesn't have a flat fretboard because his guitar is inexpensive, it's just the design.


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## TrinityWolfess (Jan 23, 2011)

Pick up guitar books, Work on finger speed, picking, rthyme, ect


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