Posts Tagged ‘Electric Guitar’
7 Rules For Every Guitar Player
Learning guitar is an uphill battle, but learning to be a better guitar player involves serious discipline. Once you have developed a good set of skills on the guitar it is important not to let these skills go to your head. These 7 rules will not only help you improve your playing, but also help you to become a more manageable musician to work with.
1. Tuning - Never play a guitar that is out of tune. If you are out of tune, people are going to notice. Electronic tuners are available for less than $30 these days and can help you out in a jam.
2. Keep strings new – Change your strings when your guitar wont stay in tune or if they begin to sound ‘dead’. Some electric guitar bridges need to have their intonation adjusted regularly. This is best left to a qualified professional
3. Know your strengths and weaknesses – It is equally important to know what you are not capable of as it is to know what you are capable of. It allows you to practice more efficiently when you are aware what areas of your skillset need polishing.
4. Play the guitar within your ability – In plain english: Don’t bite off more than you can chew. No two guitarists are the same. There are several areas of guitar that different players excel in. Don’t try to play like somebody else, especially if they are using a technique you are not familiar with. When push comes to shove, stick to the rhythm chords.
5. Take care not to overplay the notes – The listener is always able to hear the sound that was not meant to be played. When Eric Clapton slides his fingers along the strings from one end of the neck to the other, you do not hear a sound.
6. Know your parts front to back – Don’t just learn a riff and start playing. Knowing both the chord being played and the key of the song will allow you more flexibility when it comes to adding solos, fills and harmony.
7. The song comes first – Many guitarists are under the impression that they are the center of attention and turn up way louder than the other instruments. They goal for any musician in a band is to blend with the other instruments and compliment the song as a whole. You can’t do this if you are the only one anybody can hear.