Guitar Lessons & Guides

Ever wished you could practice your guitar chops without the instrument itself? A good guess is...you probably have. Just because you cannot always have your guitar with you, it shouldn't mean that you won't be thinking about it...or even playing some air guitar as you imagine your fingers on the strings.  It won't matter if you need to work, travel, rest, and do other things. It’s very possible to practice without your guitar on your commute to and from work, during your tea or lunch break, a bus journey, or even on a long haul flight.

Here are some of ...

Calluses! Every serious guitarist will need to build them. But what a pain they can be to get! One thing is for sure, when you first start to learn guitar, the fingertips on your fretting hand will hurt. They will hurt so much that, if the playing bug hasn’t bit deep enough, you will seriously consider quitting.

Chances are your fingers hurt like hell as you read this. But...before you think of quitting, or putting the guitar back in its case until your fingers have healed...remember that that the pain will go away eventually...and it's all part of the process....

Whether you are a professional guitarist or one who plays a tune when the urge hits you, maintaining a clean guitar is the right thing to do. All that sweat, dirt, and dust accumulates, which means some elbow grease to clean it every now and then. Two things are certain when you regularly clean your guitar. It will probably last you a lifetime, but more importantly, it will keep producing the right quality sound.

The really good guitars are made to last. Everything, from the wood, fretboard, to tuners are all made from the best available materials. That said, these guita...

There's no question that the guitar is probably the most popular instrument among musicians. Being able to pick up a guitar and play what you feel can be an amazing experience full of musical possibilities. However, learning to play guitar is one thing, while mastering the various techniques that can be used is another journey altogether. As a beginner, it's important to understand a few basics. At the top of this list is understanding the difference between the rhthym and the lead guitar. Let's take a look at what it is that makes these two styles so different and what you c...

Guitarists often get hit with strange and annoying statements and questions. Unfortunately,  as female guitarists, the level of frustration can often be higher with some of the questions can become somewhat...frustrating...and insulting...to say the least.  Most people may not even be aware that some of the things they say to a lady with a guitar may be extremely offensive.

So, if you ever intend on talking to a lady with a guitar, here's is a list of 5 things you should never say:

1. Is That Your Boyfriend’s Guit...

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Being a great guitar player is more than just having a talent. You need determination, mental and physical strength, and a decent amount of flexibility in your hands and fingers. When you practice playing guitar on a regular basis, you develop this needed flexibility and strength. But at the same time, you also need that flexibility and strength because the riffs and technique become more advanced as you progress.

We’re reminded daily that it’s important to keep yourself fit mentally and physically, but is fitness really important for a guitar player? And how can p...

To get right to the point, there is no written rule about when you need to restring your guitar. Some musicians love the broken-in-sound of their old strings, while others like keeping it fresh. So, there is a thin line between changing your strings as a matter of personal preference or a matter of necessity.

Changing your strings depends on a number of factors. This can refer to your preference of sound quality or the number of hours you spend with your guitar. With time, you will be able to know when to restring before a string breaks, which is the most important reaso...

You can have the best guitar or an excellent ear for music, but if you lack motivation you will not be able to learn the guitar. Your motivation is the key to your guitar-playing success. And if you're struggling to find motivation, remember, you’re not the only one. Many guitar players battle to stay motivated for their practice sessions at some point or another. In most cases, it’s caused by the misunderstanding of how and what you’re supposed to practice.

Here are 10 tips to help you stay motivated when you’re learning the guitar:

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Every good teacher knows the importance of right technique and will stress it at every opportunity. It is just as important with the guitar, especially for beginners who must get the basics right from the start. Learning how to play the guitar correctly has a lot to do with how well you master the strumming action.

There is a lot to get through until you can strum well, most of which will depend on how much you practice. But just as playing, you need to know your guitar and its different accessories. With that, an understanding of the basics alongside a few tips and exer...

Your guitar lessons have progressed well. Your technique is about right. Yet, you've reached a point where you've admitted to yourself that you're still playing as fast as you really want to.You may even be feeling stuck at your current speed, unable to play faster. And you would not be alone in feeling that way.

Faster playing speed is a burning desire for many guitar learners. Unfortunately, any sign of stagnation can cause frustration, boredom and distress, and even cause them to quit.

The ability to play fast enables greater musical expression, wheth...

There are a few things that every guitarist needs to know. How to restring your guitar is one of them. Like most things, even a guitar’s strings will begin to show wear and tear after a while. So it’s absolutely necessary hat you know how to restring a guitar. If you have been lucky enough to not have a string break in the middle of a performance, make sure to change the strings when it looks discolored or starts to influence the quality of the sound. Follow these steps to learn how to restring your acoustic guitar. 

Step 1: Remove The Old Stri...

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Are you like so many other adults still chasing that childhood dream of learning to play the guitar? You may never have made the time to play guitar when you were younger, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do it now. Many adults wish to learn the guitar, yet most simply feel that their chance had already past. Nothing can be further from the truth! There may be many reasons you continue to put off lessons, but age should not be one of them. Nobody's "too old" for music.

Guitar playing is not about how old you are when you start out. Learning to play is ...

Children can greatly benefit from music education. It offers a lot of fun, as well as the opportunity to learn! Numerous studies have confirmed that music helps with a child’s development on an emotional and cognitive level. Even so, with the many benefits of sending your child for music lessons, getting them to practice regularly isn't always easy. But with the right motivation and a steady practice schedule, you can als...

Learning to play guitar is a long process that takes time and considerable effort. As you learn the instrument, there are things you must remember in order to avoid making mistakes, ensuring your efforts are not wasted. This article shares a few nuggets of wisdom you can refer to before getting started, while you take lessons, and during your practice sessions.

Getting Started

1. The best time to start learning guitar is NOW

There is no point putting off the dream any longer. Take the plunge and start learning to play today. The right t...

Being a guitar player is...let’s face it...pretty cool. And among guitarists, there's nothing that can cause more trouble like the ever-raging debate between the Fender and the Gibson. Although many professional guitarists have their allegiances to one of these manufacturers, there is no doubt that both produce A-grade quality guitars. But how do you choose one over the other as a beginner or, maybe even, a loyal believer in one or the other?

To start, let’s take a look at what the differences are between a Fender and a Gibson. Then, let's have a look at wh...

Ever wished you could play guitar with your eyes closed? Well, did you realize that with enough of the right kind of practice, almost anyone can build the muscle memory to do it?! Muscle memory is the proficiency level you get to after practicing a particular motor skill so much that it becomes second nature to you. This will be marked by a near perfect understanding between your brain and your fingers.

You will not have to think about your strokes. for a guitar player, you just have to switch the right tune in your head and your fingers will follow.

...

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Ever felt like quitting the guitar instead invest your energies into something else?

But let’s face it, you didn't decide to learn guitar because you wanted to become bored and frustrated.  Let's discuss 7 of the most common reasons that could frustrate you into throwing your guitar into the attic and, more importantly, how you can eliminate them.

1. Self-doubt

This is common in the start. Musicians are, in most cases, their own worst critics. And while this can help push yourself to be the best that you can be, it can ...

Have you ever wondered what the difference was between playing a fretless guitar and a traditional fretted guitar is? There are certain advantages and disadvantages to a fretless guitar but in order to understand these differences we need to understand what a fretless guitar actually is.

A fretless guitar is essentially played the same way as a normal guitar. However, because it is fretless you have the freedom explore a wider variety of playing styles which open up a whole new world of creative possibilities.

The fret marks the sections along the neck of the guitar...

Have you ever noticed an irritating buzz sound on some of your guitar strings? Driving you crazy?  Let's have a look at what might be causing this noise and how to fix the problem. 

What's Up With That Buzz

There is a multitude of different things that might cause the unintentional sound you're hearing. Investigating the problem yourself might save you some time and money, so here are a few things you need to know about fret buzz:

Firstly, a clean instrument has a cle...

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One of the most common questions that spring to mind when you play the guitar is how the strings are actually made. It's good to know how guitar strings are made.  this knowledge will come in handy when buying new strings or deciding on what kind of strings suit you and your particular guitar best. 

The kind of strings you choose will probably have an impact on the sound as well as the comfortability of playing guitar. 

If your choice of instrument is an acoustic guitar, strings will have the biggest impact on the sound since ther...

Let’s face it. Guitars are pretty awesome. There is just something about it that screams cool.

There are several parts that you will find on both an acoustic and electric guitar, whereas other parts are more specific. At the end, they all play a vital role in making beautiful music.So, please join us in a lesson of the guitar’s anatomy.

Acoustic and Electric Guitars' Common Parts

The body

The body of the guitar is the squashed hourglass shaped piece. There are many types of body styles, as well as sizes to choose from....

Guitars are one of the most popular musical instruments to date and, as a musician, it’s only natural to wonder how these incredible devices are actually made. Though at first glance they may seem simple enough, making a guitar is a complex process. 

The entire process can take from between three weeks to two months to complete depending on the size, design and decorative choices that have been made.

But let's simplify it to give you a clearer idea of how guitars are made. 

The Design Phase

In order to make...

It’s said that one of the most common mechanical problems guitarists face is string breakage. There is nothing like worrying about your string snapping in front of an audience to keep you up the night before.

Sometimes strings break by pure chance or bad luck and there is nothing you could have done to prevent it. But here are some common causes for why strings break that might help you avoid disaster in the future.

Change Your Strings

One of the most common causes of strings breaking is that they are just not changed of...

When you first decide to take guitar lessons, you might be tempted, like most others, to look up your local guitar teacher and find out when they can fit you in. There is, of course, nothing wrong with this, but it does mean you've overlooked another option. Online guitar lessons...

Online lessons can give you the start you need, without nearly as much of the cost. They are also a great alternative for people who aren't able to travel or don't have any guitar teachers close enough to be convenient.

But, what are the cons of onlin...