You can learn to play guitar on most any old instrument. This does not have to be the very best instrument out there. As you advance on your instrument you will naturally want to get a better guitar. Although the list of quality guitars is very long you tend to see the pros playing the same popular guitar brands over and over again. You will see Fender and Gibson guitars being played in nearly any style of music. On the acoustic guitar scene Martin guitars and instruments made by Guild are quite popular. This article will look at a few of the more popular brands of guitars you might see your heroes playing.
Almost anyone you can think of at one time or another has played Fender guitars. Leo Fender was way ahead of his time with the modern designs he put into his guitars. Go to any country music show even today and you will more than likely spot a Fender Telecaster guitar being played on stage. Fender guitars come in many different price ranges so most anyone can afford to own a Fender.
A lot of the all time great rockers play the Gibson brand of guitar. Almost everyone has played the Gibson Les Paul from Les Paul himself to Eric Clapton. The tone of the Gibson Les Paul has a large support group in love with the famous Les Paul growl. Many of these guitars are worth quite a lot of money.
Ask most any serious guitarist which guitar is the king of the all of the acoustic guitars and most likely you will get the answer of the Martin guitar. This brand of guitar has been made in the US since 1833. Spend the day at a major bluegrass festival and you will find performer after performer playing Martin guitars. These guitars are sought after because of the fantastic tone they have.
Although Guild guitars may not be as popular as some brands, they are fine quality guitars that are a joy to play. The jumbo models and the 12 string models are highly sought after guitars. Fender bought out the Guild Company in 1995 and continued to manufacture the Guild brand of guitar.
There are many more really good popular guitar brands available. Searching out that perfect instrument is half the fun of playing. Your style of playing will have a lot to do with what type of guitar you choose. Do your homework and pick out the right type of guitar for you. This may or not be the guitar your hero plays.
For more information on finding easy songs to play on the guitar try visiting http://www.your-guitar.com where you will find tips, advice and resources about topics such as how to strum the guitar
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Douglas_Taylor
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Guitar Gifts: 5 Tips for Selecting the Right One by Peter Bussey
It's time to start thinking about guitar gifts (already!). As the holiday season rolls around, I've noticed the impact on the guitar world. Big displays of guitar "starter packs" crowding the floor at the local guitar shop. The seemingly endless infomercials on the shopping networks of Esteban hawking his entry-level guitars. And the festive holly-covered banners splashed all over the landing pages of the big online guitar retailers. Is it just me, but didn't we just carve our Jack-O-Lanterns?
Any way, with the Christmas and holiday season upon us, what about guitar gifts for the aspiring (or actual) guitar players
on our lists? With that in mind I've put together some tips and specific recommendations for selecting guitar
gifts that will be appreciated.
A Wide Range of Choices
When it comes to guitar gifts, the good news is that there are many good choices at all price points, and many reputable
online retailers to buy from. The not so good news is that with all these options, it can be difficult to sort through them
and find just the right guitar gift. Consider these categories:
* Gear (acoustic guitars, electric guitars, amps, and guitar effects, etc)
* Beginners’ Guitar Packages- everything a beginner needs to get started
* Accessories such as tuners, straps, stands, etc.
* Online guitar lesson and instructional products
* Books and Videos
* Software
5 Tips for Selecting the Right Guitar Gifts
The main considerations in choosing guitar gifts are experience level, style of music preferred, and what gear and learning
material they already own. Try to find as much out about these as possible. Or better yet, get the lucky gift recipient to
drop a few subtle (or not-so-subtle) hints on what they want…”I want a standard Fender Strat in Blue Agave please!” If you
you really don’t have a good handle on any of this, no worries, here are some tips for different situations:
1. Discover Preferences- Learn as much as you can about the guitar player's stage of development, gear they own, and
musical styles they prefer, and tailor the gift accordingly. Consulting a href="http://www.guitar-players-toolbox.com/guitar-gifts.html">Guitar Gift Guide will help you with this, as will checking with a family member or friend close to the lucky recipient.
2. Go with a Gift Certificate- Don't have a clue on what to get? No problem! When in doubt, give a gift certificate
for guitar gear, online lessons, or music. Price range: however generous you feel!
3. Give a Guitar Package- For a beginner who does not have a guitar , packages are available starting at about $100
that include a guitar and all the accessories needed to get going "out of the box" (including an amp if it's an electric guitar.)
4. Consider online lessons or instructional products- Every guitarist wants to learn new skills and move to the next
level. These include “Learn to Play” lessons, interactive lessons to learn songs, and in-depth lessons on particular
techniques. These are usually in the $20-40 range.
5. Books and videos are a good bet- For a reasonably priced gift, books are a great choice and can easily be
tailored to the recipient. Some categories: history of a style of guitar music (rock , blues, jazz); biography of favorite
guitar players; instruction books; guitar song (tab) books for a favorite band or style of music. Price range $15-30.
It is possible to select the right guitar gift. The key is to spend a little effort to find out about the recipient’s skill
level, gear they have, and musical preferences. If you don’t know much about guitar playing, or otherwise aren’t able to
pick a specific gift, a gift certificate for guitar gear, lessons, or other products should do the trick.
Copyright 2005 Peter Bussey of www.guitar-players-toolbox.com
This article can be reprinted freely online, as long as the entire article and the below resource box, with active links, are included.
Peter Bussey is Editor of The Guitar Players Toolbox, a website dedicated to helping advancing guitar players improve with practical tools, tips, and information. Visit http://www.guitar-players-toolbox.com for more information on Guitar Gifts, as well as variety of free resources on guitar lessons, guitar chords, guitar chord charts, song chords, and more.
See additional Guitar Articles on Ezinearticles.com by Peter Bussey:
"Basic Guitar Chords: "How to Easily Master the Guitar Chords You Must Know"
"Guitar Chord Diagrams: An Essential Tool for Learing to Play the Guitar"
"Guitar Lessons: A Guide to Your Options"
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Bussey
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Is Esteban Is The World's Greatest Guitarist? by Glen Stevens
Playing The Guitar Like Esteban Tips
Change the strings regularly - there is perhaps no more important aspect of playing a musical instrument like Esteban than that of maintaining it properly. So it is imperative that you wipe the strings after playing and also change the strings as often as needed.
Play the blues. The blues are a state of mind that must be fully embraced before you can even think about playing the blues on the guitar. If you can tap into the energy that they brought to the stage while they were playing, then you will be well on your way to playing the blues.
As it's name suggests, a classical guitar is ideal for playing classical guitar. If you're playing an acoustic or electric guitar, you'll want some picks. Some people miss out on it, though - but they'll look back later with remorse and say: "I studied classical piano when I could've been playing guitar.
Yes, playing guitar like Esteban is cool...
Learning To Play The American Legacy Guitar like Esteban.
This is the point when the initial enthusiasm of learning that new lick/exercise wears off. If you are just starting out learning guitar one of the hardest things can be getting a good rhythm and keeping that rhythm going while you change chords with your left hand. When I first started learning guitar I would strum along happily until the chord change and then my right hand would stop while I changed the position of the left. I don't know if Esteban had that problem or not.
The Internet is such a great place for picking up american legacy guitar tricks and tips or even learning the instrument on your own. The advantage of learning the guitar on the Internet is that you can take your lesson whenever you have time or are in the mood and you never have to leave the comfort of your own home. But if you’re serious about learning the modes, you knew that already.
In my opinion there's no point learning music theory if you can't PLAY it. However, it never occurred to me that learning how to play the guitar might just be a little different than learning the trumpet.
I didn't know it then but my difficulty with learning how to play was because my guitar strings were about a half inch off the fret board and it was extremely difficult to mash the strings down, an American Legacy guitar like the one Esteban plays is easy to play. The secrets of learning guitar are mostly base on the foundation. I’ve just finished looking at several developments on guitar learning packages and I would like to share with you what you should consider before buying learn guitar online kits.
Practice Playing The Guitar
You need to set aside time to practice and commit to actually doing it. For example, if you practice holding your hands in a poor position, it will eventually become a habit that will be difficult to correct. Every student realizes that guitar practice is important if they wish to become a better musician.
In order to make your guitar practice a priority, try thinking of it as you would your job or school work. If you set up a weekly guitar lesson, then you will probably begin to establish a regular practice routine too. What it will do is give you the information you need, and the backing tracks so that you can practice and familiarise yourself with the patterns of the modes, and get used to the sounds.
My point is that if you're practicing at 430 then you have a gig and your band tunes to 440, everything will suddenly sound different, your singer might not be able hit all the notes he or she did at practice, your solos might even sound wrong. If you just practice one or two things, sure you'll get great at those things. Having a balanced practice routine is essential if you want to become a versatile guitarist.
You will also probably lose the drive and motivation to practice daily for many years until you can play like Esteban does on his American Legacy guitar. Steady practice helps you to improve on the skills that you learn and ingrains them in you until you can play what you have been practicing without even thinking about it. Diligent practice is the key to success if you really want to learn to play guitar.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Glen_Stevens
Change the strings regularly - there is perhaps no more important aspect of playing a musical instrument like Esteban than that of maintaining it properly. So it is imperative that you wipe the strings after playing and also change the strings as often as needed.
Play the blues. The blues are a state of mind that must be fully embraced before you can even think about playing the blues on the guitar. If you can tap into the energy that they brought to the stage while they were playing, then you will be well on your way to playing the blues.
As it's name suggests, a classical guitar is ideal for playing classical guitar. If you're playing an acoustic or electric guitar, you'll want some picks. Some people miss out on it, though - but they'll look back later with remorse and say: "I studied classical piano when I could've been playing guitar.
Yes, playing guitar like Esteban is cool...
Learning To Play The American Legacy Guitar like Esteban.
This is the point when the initial enthusiasm of learning that new lick/exercise wears off. If you are just starting out learning guitar one of the hardest things can be getting a good rhythm and keeping that rhythm going while you change chords with your left hand. When I first started learning guitar I would strum along happily until the chord change and then my right hand would stop while I changed the position of the left. I don't know if Esteban had that problem or not.
The Internet is such a great place for picking up american legacy guitar tricks and tips or even learning the instrument on your own. The advantage of learning the guitar on the Internet is that you can take your lesson whenever you have time or are in the mood and you never have to leave the comfort of your own home. But if you’re serious about learning the modes, you knew that already.
In my opinion there's no point learning music theory if you can't PLAY it. However, it never occurred to me that learning how to play the guitar might just be a little different than learning the trumpet.
I didn't know it then but my difficulty with learning how to play was because my guitar strings were about a half inch off the fret board and it was extremely difficult to mash the strings down, an American Legacy guitar like the one Esteban plays is easy to play. The secrets of learning guitar are mostly base on the foundation. I’ve just finished looking at several developments on guitar learning packages and I would like to share with you what you should consider before buying learn guitar online kits.
Practice Playing The Guitar
You need to set aside time to practice and commit to actually doing it. For example, if you practice holding your hands in a poor position, it will eventually become a habit that will be difficult to correct. Every student realizes that guitar practice is important if they wish to become a better musician.
In order to make your guitar practice a priority, try thinking of it as you would your job or school work. If you set up a weekly guitar lesson, then you will probably begin to establish a regular practice routine too. What it will do is give you the information you need, and the backing tracks so that you can practice and familiarise yourself with the patterns of the modes, and get used to the sounds.
My point is that if you're practicing at 430 then you have a gig and your band tunes to 440, everything will suddenly sound different, your singer might not be able hit all the notes he or she did at practice, your solos might even sound wrong. If you just practice one or two things, sure you'll get great at those things. Having a balanced practice routine is essential if you want to become a versatile guitarist.
You will also probably lose the drive and motivation to practice daily for many years until you can play like Esteban does on his American Legacy guitar. Steady practice helps you to improve on the skills that you learn and ingrains them in you until you can play what you have been practicing without even thinking about it. Diligent practice is the key to success if you really want to learn to play guitar.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Glen_Stevens
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