How to put on a guitar strap? Attaching a guitar strap is easy and simple. The reason you would attach a guitar strap to be able to play while in a standing position.
Below I’ll talk about different strap attachments, depending on the guitar. I’ll also talk about ways to keep your strap from falling off and potentially causing damage to your guitar mid jam session!
WHICH WAY SHOULD I ATTACH THE STRAP?
Does it matter which end of the strap you attach to each pin? It depends on the strap but for the majority of straps, yes, it does matter.
If your strap is wider on one end, this would be the end that attaches closest to the neck or headstock. This is because the wider end of the strap is supposed to sit comfortably over your shoulder.
If your strap is the same width for the full length, it’s recommended to attach the strap so the length adjustment buckle is closest to the bridge of the guitar, this will make sure the buckle is behind you and not uncomfortably resting on your shoulder.
STRAP PINS
Strap pins are knobs that are screwed to a guitar body. These pins enable you to securely attach a strap to your guitar.
How To Put On A Guitar Strap? Attaching To One Strap Pin
Some guitars, mainly acoustic guitars, will have only one strap pin.
To attach a strap to a guitar with one strap pin, push one end of the strap over the strap pin on the body of the guitar nearest the bridge. Make sure this end of the strap is secure and will not slip off.
To attach the other end of the strap to your guitar you will need to attach to the headstock, above the nut, using a string or strap. A leather shoe lace works well here but you can use anything that will not damage the finish of your guitar.
Insert the string, lace or strap through the hole of the guitar strap. Feed one end of the string, lace or strap UNDERNEATH the strings above the nut. Tie off securely, confirming your chosen knot does not put pressure on the strings.
How To Put On A Guitar Strap? Attaching To Two Strap Pins
Attaching a strap to two strap pins is easier and straightforward. Most electric guitars and basses will have two strap pins.
Slip each hole on each end of your strap over the strap pins on either side of the guitar body. Make sure they are secured and cannot easily slip off. That’s it!
How To Put On A Guitar Strap? Attaching A Strap If No Strap Pins Available
Although not as common, some guitars (mainly classical) may have no strap pins at all. To attach a strap to a guitar with no strap pins you will need a special strap especially made for this type of guitar, commonly called a classical guitar strap or loop strap.
Attach near the headstock using the same method you use to attach to a guitar with only one strap pin. Use a string, lace strap to wrap or tie off above the nut on the headstock.
To attach the strap to the body, this type of strap will have some sort of a clip that will feed underneath the guitar body and clip onto the soundhole.
The downside of this strap is that it uses gravity to keep the strap attached to the body, so it’s up to you to be aware.
STRAP LOCKS
Strap locks do exactly what their name says. They lock the strap to your guitar making sure the strap cannot slip off mid jam session. I’ve had this happen myself and although I got away with only a dent in my guitar, it’s not a fun experience and can potentially do some serious damage to your guitar.
I highly recommend that you use strap locks, especially if you frequently play standing, or move a lot when playing guitar.
ADJUSTING A GUITAR STRAP
Guitar straps may have an adjustment buckle or a feed-through system.
Adjustment buckles on a strap work just like any other adjustment buckle you’ve come across. Loosen at the buckle, make it shorter or longer and tighten again.
Feed-through systems are commonly used with leather straps. Back the thinner strap completely out of the slot so you end up with two separate leather pieces. Decide which slot on the larger leather piece you need to place the smaller leather piece through. Place the smaller leather strap through the slot on the larger strap and back through itself.
HOW TO PUT ON A GUITAR STRAP? FINAL THOUGHTS
As you can see, attaching a strap to a guitar is an easy, straightforward process.
It’s a good idea to make sure to check your strap and strap pins for any damage or irregularities EVERY time you play.
Preventative inspection and maintenance will help avoid a possible accident which may damage your guitar.
Check the strap holes for wear to make sure they haven’t gotten larger, which could easily slip off the strap pins.
Check that your strap pins are not loose. It is possible for the strap pin screws to loosen up over time or possibly strip the hole they are in.
Who invented the guitar? Origins of stringed instruments go back thousands of years. No one actually knows who invented the very first guitar. We have an idea of how the guitar has evolved through history but no definitive proof of the very first guitar or who invented it. We do however know who invented what we know today as modern guitars.
In this article I’ll provide some history regarding the origins of guitars and how they evolved. I’ll also talk about who invented the modern guitars that we know today.
What we know about the origins of the guitar:
Har-Mose, an Egyptian who performed for the likes of Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut, had a three-stringed lute around 3500 years ago.
There is a 3000+ year old stone carving from the Anatolian region (present day Turkey) that shows a person playing a stringed instrument.
The lute, which was a predecessor of the modern style of guitars, was found to be used in Europe between the 6th and 9th centuries.
Five-course guitars, also known as baroque guitars, began to replace the lute as the most popular guitar beginning in the mid-16th century.
Luthiers Jose Benedit, Juan and José Pages and Francisco Sanguino were integral in creating some of the first six course guitars in existence in the latter half of the 1700s.
Gaetano Vinaccia, whose family were violin and mandolin makers, produced one of the first six stringed guitars (known as the Vinaccia guitar) in 1779 in Italy.
Antonio Torres Jurado produced guitars in the 1800s using a larger body and fan bracing. Classical guitars that followed were highly influenced by his designs.
In 1934, Adolph Rickenbacker and George Beauchamp filed the first patent for an “electrical stringed musical instrument”. The patent was granted August 10th, 1937. This was the beginning of the electric guitar.
WHO INVENTED THE ELECTRIC GUITAR?
Adolph Rickenbacker (April 1, 1887 – March 21, 1976) and George Beauchamp (March 18, 1899 – March 30, 1941) filed the patent in 1934.
WHO INVENTED THE ACOUSTIC GUITAR?
We don’t know for sure who invented it, but it was likely invented in Spain in the early 16th century.
The modern acoustic we know today can be traced to Christian Frederick Martin (January 31, 1796 – February 16, 1873), among other German-American luthiers. They created the first X-bracing for acoustic guitars in the 1840s. This bracing was important because it provided the strength to be able to use steel guitar strings.
WHO INVENTED THE BASS GUITAR?
Paul Tutmarc (May 29, 1896 – September 25, 1972) is credited with inventing the first electric bass guitar in the 1930s.
WHO INVENTED THE 12 STRING GUITAR?
There is no definitive answer to who is responsible. 12 string guitars appeared around the end of the 19th century.
WHO INVENTED THE DOUBLE NECK GUITAR?
One of the first double neck guitars was created by Nicholas Alexandre Voboam II (1634/46–1692/1704) in 1690.
WHO INVENTED THE STEEL GUITAR? (Lap Steel & Pedal Steel)
Joseph Kekuku (1874–1932) is credited with inventing the steel guitar.
WHO INVENTED THE CLASSICAL GUITAR?
Antonio Torres Jurado (1817–1892) (Modern dimensions)
WHO INVENTED THE FENDER GUITAR?
Clarence Leonidas Fender (August 10, 1909 – March 21, 1991), known as Leo, invented the Fender Telecaster in 1950 and the Fender Stratocaster in 1954.
WHO INVENTED THE 7 STRING GUITAR?
The 7 string guitar’s history goes back over hundreds of years. No one person can be attributed to being the definitive inventor.
The first modern, solid-body, 7 string electric guitar was built by Kirk Sand in 1982.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON WHO INVENTED THE GUITAR?
As you can see, guitars and more specifically fretted, stringed instruments date back thousands of years. It’s interesting to see how these guitars evolved over time.
Previous build techniques have led the way for the modern guitar designs we see today. It’s fascinating to think about what guitar designs will look like in the future. Thank you for reading.
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How many frets on a guitar? Acoustic guitars have between 18 and 24 frets, the most common is 20 frets. Electric guitars have between 19 and 36 frets, the most common number of frets on electric guitars are 21, 22 and 24. Bass guitars have between 19 and 36, the most common number of frets on a bass guitar is 20.
I’ve noticed most online resources answering this question do not even mention guitars and basses with over 24 frets, which I found odd. Even though these higher fretted instruments are not as common and some are custom shop only, we feel we have to mention them in the topic of how many frets on a guitar. Below I’ll go more in depth into frets on different styles of guitars.
HOW MANY FRETS ON AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR?
Acoustic guitars have between 18 and 24 frets, the most common is 20 frets.
You may also hear acoustic guitars called either 12 fret or 14 fret guitars. Know that this DOES NOT mean the number of frets on the fretboard. This refers to where the neck is attached to the body, at either the 12th or 14th fret.
HOW MANY FRETS ON AN ELECTRIC GUITAR?
Electric guitars have between 19 and 36 frets, the most common number of frets on electric guitars are 21, 22 and 24.
Popular electric guitars and their frets:
Fender Stratocaster guitars, depending on model, will have either 21, 22 or 24 frets. 21 Frets: SRV Signature, Vintera ’50s and The American Original 22 Frets: Performer, Ultra, Acoustasonic and Player 24 Frets: HM Strat
Gibson Les Paul guitars, depending on model, will have either 22 or 24 frets. 22 Frets: Most Gibson Les Paul guitars 24 Frets: Gibson Buckethead Signature Les Paul, Gibson Les Paul Standard Double Cut Examples of guitars with 19 or more frets: 19 Frets: Godin MultiAc Grand Concert, The Loar guitars – models: LH-309, LH-600 & LH-700 (Note: these are Acoustic-Electric guitars). 20 Frets: Squier Mini Strat and Mini Jazzmaster, Heritage Standard Eagle, Godin Radiator, multiple Guild, Epiphone and Ibanez models. 21 Frets: Fender, Squier, Gibson, Taylor, Danelectro, Rickenbacker, Godin, Kramer, G&L, ESP. Plenty of manufacturers build 21 fret guitars. 23 Frets: Guild Surfliner 24 Frets: Ibanez, PRS, ESP, Schecter, Jackson, Kramer, Charvel, Ernie Ball Music Man, Strandberg and many more manufacturers build 24 fret guitars. 26 Frets: Recording King lap steel guitars. 27 Frets: Ibanez – certain Prestige models, Jake Bowen signature. Caparison Guitars – Horus and TAT models. Washburn, Hamer. 28 Frets: Gretsch – certain lap steel models 29 Frets: Washburn EC29, Gary Kramer R-29 30 Frets: Sky Guitars – multiple, Ibanez RG550XH 31 Frets: Hondo II Longhorn Vintage, 1958 Danelectro Guitarlin 32 Frets: Hondo Longhorn Guitarlin 36 Frets: Hamer, Washburn EC36, Gary Kramer R-36, Abstract Prodigy 36 38 Frets: ‘Said Too Much Productions’ 3D printed a 38 fret guitar so he could hit C8 on a guitar
HOW MANY FRETS ON A BASS GUITAR?
Bass guitars have between 19 and 36, the most common number of frets on a bass guitar is 20.
HOW MANY FRETS ON A CLASSICAL GUITAR?
Standard classical guitars mostly have 19 frets. However, there are also 20 – 24 fret models available.
HOW MANY FRETS ON A ½ SIZE GUITAR?
½ size guitars have 18-20 frets depending on make/model. Fender Redondo Mini has 18 frets. Most ½ size guitars have 19 frets. Yamaha makes a ½ size guitar with 20 frets.
HOW MANY FRETS ON A ¾ SIZE GUITAR?
¾ size guitars have 18-24 frets depending on make/model.
HOW MANY FRETS ON A BARITONE GUITAR?
Most acoustic baritone guitars will typically have 20 frets. Most electric baritone guitars have 22 or 24 frets.
HOW MANY FRETS ON A FLAMENCO GUITAR?
The most common fret number for Flamenco guitars is 19.
HOW MANY FRETS ON A CIGAR BOX GUITAR?
Many cigar box guitar builds have either 17 or 19 frets. However, there are cigar box guitars with upwards of 24 frets as well.
HOW MANY FRETS ON A LES PAUL GUITAR?
As mentioned above, most Gibson Les Paul guitars have 22 frets. However, they did make some models with 24 frets such as the Gibson Buckethead Signature Les Paul and the Gibson Les Paul Standard Double Cut.
WHY DO ELECTRIC GUITARS HAVE MORE FRETS THAN ACOUSTIC GUITARS?
Since acoustic guitars produce their own sound they are built specially for tone. The number of frets, body size, scale length and other factors all affect resonation. This isn’t an issue with electric guitars as they have their sound produced through passive or active pickups and a guitar amplifier.
WHAT ARE GUITAR FRETS?
Guitar frets are metal strips inserted on the fretboard of a guitar or stringed instrument. Each fret represents one semitone. The importance of frets is so you do not have to be exact with your finger placement to play the correct note.
What are guitar frets made of?
There are two main types of fret wire:
Nickel silver, don’t be fooled, it doesn’t contain any silver. They are made up of a mixture of copper, nickel and possibly zinc or other trace amounts of metal materials.
Stainless steel, self-explanatory but harder for luthiers to work with and more costly, both in materials and labor.
Fret wire sizes:
6230 – Vintage frets (smallest) – .078″ x .043″ 6105 – Modern narrow and tall – .090″ x .055″ 6150 – Vintage jumbo – .102″ x .042″ 6130 – Medium Jumbo – .106″ x .036″ 6100 – Jumbo – .110″ x .055″
FINAL THOUGHTS ON – HOW MANY FRETS DOES A GUITAR HAVE?
For most guitarists, the standard of 20 frets for an acoustic or 21-24 frets for an electric is sufficient. Only if you need to play a specific piece you would otherwise be unable to play do you really need to start looking at 24+ fret guitars.
To expand the amount of tones you are able to play, I would sooner recommend a 7 or 8 string guitar over say a 36 fret guitar. I hope this helps, thanks for reading!
Straightforward and simple answer to how many strings does a guitar have? Acoustic or electric guitars have at least six strings. Bass guitars have at least four strings.
If that’s all you needed to know, thanks for reading! However, if you’d like to learn more regarding some nuances to this question as well as different types of guitars and guitar related instruments, keep reading below.
HOW MANY STRINGS DOES AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR HAVE?
Six-String Acoustic Guitar
An acoustic guitar, as we know it today, has at least six strings. Standard tuning of an acoustic guitar is E A D G B E.
Seven-String Acoustic Guitar
Also known as a Russian or Gypsy guitar. They are usually tuned to open G tuning (D G B D G B D).
Twelve-String Acoustic Guitar
Twelve strings, each of the six strings (E A D G B E) is doubled up (E E A A D D G G B B E E). However, each of the four lower pairs of tunings E A D G, have one string in the lower octave and one in a higher octave. The pairs of tunings for the higher B and E strings are tuned in the same octave.
HOW MANY STRINGS DOES AN ELECTRIC GUITAR HAVE?
Six-String Electric Guitar
Just like the acoustic guitar, electric guitars have at least six strings. However, there are also seven and eight string guitars. Standard tuning of an electric guitar is E A D G B E.
Seven-String Electric Guitar
Have an extra lower string, usually tuned to B or C.
Eight-String Electric Guitar
Have the lower string added just like the seven string guitar but they also have a higher string, usually tuned to A.
Twelve-String Electric Guitar
Same explanation as the acoustic twelve string guitar. Twelve strings, each of the six strings (E A D G B E) is doubled up (E E A A D D G G B B E E). However, each of the four lower pairs of tunings E A D G, have one string in the lower octave and one in a higher octave. The pairs of tunings for the higher B and E strings are tuned in the same octave.
Double and Multiple-Neck Electric Guitars
Common setups are one six sting neck and one twelve string neck. However, Rick Neilsen from the band Cheap Trick has different multi-neck guitars from two all the way up to nine!
HOW MANY STRINGS DOES A BASS GUITAR HAVE?
Four-String Bass Guitar
Bass guitars have at least four strings. That being said, there are also five and six string bass guitars. Standard tuning of a bass guitar is E A D G.
Five-String Bass Guitar
Five string bass guitars have an extra lower string. Usually tuned to B.
Six-String Bass Guitar
Six string bass guitars have the extra lower B string as well as an extra high string, usually tuned to C.
HOW MANY STRINGS DO GUITAR RELATED INSTRUMENTS HAVE?
Ukulele
Commonly has four strings. Standard tuning is G C E A.
Mandolin
Most mandolins have eight strings but there are also ten and twelve string mandolins.
Banjo
Banjos have four, five or six strings.
Lap-Steel Guitars
These guitars are commonly six stringed, although some have eight. Their bodies are smaller than standard electric guitars and are open-tuned.
Pedal-Steel Electric Guitars
Similar in some ways to the lap-steel, these are the guitars with the smooth sliding twangy sound that you hear in countless country songs.
Different variations have been made in single, double or triple fret boards with six to fourteen strings.
Touch Guitar
Have either eight or ten strings and a range of over five octaves.
Harp Guitar
In addition to a more standard guitar neck. A harp guitar also contains unstopped open strings like you would see on a harp.
Common setups are six standard strings and either five or six harp strings.
FINAL THOUGHT
Once again to answer the questions of how many strings does a guitar have? The simplest answer is at least four. Standard acoustic and electric guitars have six. Standard bass guitars have four. An in-depth answer needs context, hopefully we have provided that here. Thanks for reading!
How to hold a guitar pick? If you’re reading this, we’ll assume you are just starting out your journey as a guitarist, congratulations! You’ve made the decision to learn and enjoy this passion that will be rewarding for life and in return, give you back so much more than you put into it.
What is the BEST answer to the question of how to hold a guitar pick? The short answer is: whichever way is the most comfortable. This may seem silly, obvious or unproductive but it’s the truth.
For example, Brian May of Queen is known for using a sixpence coin for a guitar pick. The reason I bring this up is because he used to use picks that have more bend and decided he liked a more rigid feel. To make effective use of this sixpence pick however, Brian stated: “I changed the way that I held the pick, sort of bending one of the fingers around, and I never went back from that point.”
Remember Brian Mays’ words if someone were to tell you that you MUST hold a pick a certain way. It’s not true, you need to be comfortable. Every person’s hands, fingers, strength, flexibility and skill level are different. It makes sense that there would not be one definitive way of how to hold a guitar pick.
Another important note is that you are not required to use a pick at all! Plenty of guitarists use techniques such as hand strumming and/or fingerstyle and never even touch a pick. These ideas/techniques will be covered in another article.
Below I’ll explain the basics of how to hold a guitar pick, some tips and tricks, answer some questions and hopefully by the end you’ll have a good understanding of how to hold a guitar pick that will be comfortable and support your play style now and in the future.
HOW TO HOLD A GUITAR PICK – BASICS
The process is simple:
The pick is held between your thumb and forefinger on your strumming hand. Right hand for standard guitars, left hand for, you guessed it, left-handed guitars (less common).
The tip of the pick should face 90 degrees from your thumb.
How much of the pick is exposed is your preference. Begin with a small amount, around 1 cm protruding and adjust based on your comfort level.
Grip strength is important! You want to make sure the pick does not slip but you don’t want to hold it like your life depends on it. The goal is control without hand cramping or fatigue. You will also have to adjust your grip strength on the pick depending on if you are picking or strumming. Picking will require a bit more grip strength than strumming. You’ll notice strumming with a tight grip is not smooth as you want the pick to float on the strings.
The most important aspect of holding a pick is comfort
HOW TO HOLD A GUITAR PICK – TECHNIQUES, REALLY?
You may have heard of several different pick holding techniques such as:
The fist method
The pinch method
The O method
Do not be overwhelmed or confused by these techniques and their names. They are NOT definitive for certain styles, nor is there any reason to adhere to one over the others. The information out there regarding these techniques is just altering pick or finger positions slightly.
Some websites are trying to say that one of these techniques is better for thinner picks, etc… This is utter nonsense. As I touched on earlier, hands, fingers, strength and flexibility are different for everyone and what works well for one person, may not work well for others.
I’ll emphasize again, the most important aspect of holding a guitar pick is comfort.
HOW TO HOLD A GUITAR PICK – PRO TIPS
To show again that there are multiple ways of how to hold a guitar pick and none are wrong, I’ve compiled a few videos so you can see how different professionals hold their picks. I’m not saying you should hold your pick like any of these professionals but it’s interesting to see how effective these different styles are.
Eddie Van Halen – No introduction needed… But seriously, if you aren’t aware, Eddie Van Halen was the lead guitarist of the band Van Halen which he founded with his brother Alex in 1972. He is regarded as one of the greatest rock guitarists of all time.
Eddie holds his pick between his thumb and middle finger with little support from his index finger. When asked about this technique Eddie said that his mom had bought him a guitar book and that book showed an image of holding the pick between your thumb and index finger and he just couldn’t do it. “Well, I couldn’t, for the life of me, hold it like that. It was very uncomfortable, and I felt like I had absolutely no control of the pick.”
Regarding which way to hold a pick, Eddie says: “Bottom line is, and I say this a lot, do whatever works best for you.”
Michael Angelo Batio – Formerly the lead guitarist of the heavy metal band Nitro. Touring guitarist for the band Manowar. Voted No. 1 Fastest Guitar Shredder of All Time” by Guitar One Magazine in 2003.
Michael Angelo Batio when asked about his picking was quoted as saying, “”I was lucky – I did it by accident, but then I analyzed it, and realized why it works.” However, he also mentions, “”If you ever watch my teaching, I never tell another guitar player to play like me. I say, what I do is similar to other great guitar players, and you have a choice of two ways or a combination of both. But I never tell anybody to play like me.”
Marty Friedman – Best known for being the lead guitarist of the band Megadeath from 1990-2000.
When asked about his picking style, he mentions, “”I really have no idea. It’s like I hold my hand upside down or something. And I don’t really know the origin of it, there’s no real reason behind it. It just happened.”
FINAL THOUGHT
Try different picks, grips, positions and angles. Choose a grip that’s comfortable for you. We hope this article was helpful and informative. Get shredding!
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Interested in using thumb on guitar? Can you use your thumb(s) to play guitar? The answer, regardless of which hand, is YES. The thumb on your fret hand can be used to play chords such as D/F#. The thumb on your right hand can be used in fingerstyle or finger-picking guitar.
In this article, we will talk about the history and techniques related to using your thumb to play guitar. We also provide some examples of musicians and songs which utilize these techniques.
Using Thumb on Guitar – Fret Hand (Thumb-over method)
History
The thumb on your fret hand can be used to assist with chords as well as dampen or mute the E string. Barre chords or slash chords are where this is most useful.
This technique has been used since the late 19th century with the introduction of steel-stringed guitars. These guitars had narrower necks than the previous classical style which enabled more use of this thumb-over technique.
Violinists/fiddlers have used this technique in their performances for centuries.
Problems/Issues
Some people may find this difficult due to the following reasons:
Hand size
Hand/thumb flexibility
Goes against the “proper” way to hold a guitar neck
Uncomfortable
Can slow down chord changes
Other fingers may unintentionally mute strings
The good news, however, is that most of these problems can be resolved with plenty of practice or hand stretches. Getting a guitar with a thinner neck will also make this much easier.
Guitarists
Notable guitarists who use the thumb-over chord technique:
The thumb on your strumming hand can be used for fingerstyle, plucking, strumming, and muting.
These techniques have been used since the invention of stringed instruments in the guitar family and are commonly used every day.
Problems/Issues
Some people may find these techniques difficult due to the following:
Hand size
No callus on the thumb
Thumb nail is too long
Hand/thumb flexibility
Uncomfortable
As with the issues on your fret hand, these issues can generally be resolved with practice and stretching.
Guitarists
Notable guitarists who use this technique:
Tommy Emanuel
Chet Atkins
Michael Hedges
Alex De Grassi
FAQ
Is it okay to play guitar with your thumb?
Yes. Playing guitar with your thumb on either hand is perfectly fine. You need to gauge your comfort level and play the way that feels most natural.
What is the proper thumb position for guitar?
Thumb position will change due to what you’re playing. The goal should be good support with the ability to change chords easily and efficiently. Hand size will play a role here, so you will have to experiment where your thumb feels comfortable.
Can I strum with my thumb?
Yes. Not only can you strum with your thumb, but this is also a great way to build callus and strength in your thumb for easier finger-style playing.
Why does my thumb hurt when I play guitar?
The most logical reasons for thumb pain are lack of strength or pushing too hard on the fretboard. Build your strength by practicing different guitar fingerings and chord changes. Learn to only push as hard as needed to play the note.
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The guitar is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Its a key component in most modern music and all the different types of guitars have their place in many genres.
In this article we will cover all the different types of guitars.
How Many Types of Guitars Are There?
When we talk about the modern guitar we can safely say there are three distinct types. Acoustic guitars, electric guitars and bass guitars.
However, there are many different categories/varieties within each type. We will cover these different category types below.
Types of Acoustic Guitars
Although guitar-like instruments have been around for millennia, the first modern acoustic guitars were created in about 1850, based on designs from European luthiers a century earlier.
Acoustic guitars have steel or nylon strings; they can be full-bodied or include a cutaway and have either an arch-top or flat top. Some acoustic guitars are equipped with a pickup so that they can be plugged into an amp or a PA via a direct box.
Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar
The Martin Company first created the Dreadnought body style in the early 20th century. It is the most popular body style of acoustic guitar and has a larger body with a wider soundboard than its predecessors. When you think of an acoustic guitar, this is the body style you imagine.
Jumbo Acoustic Guitar
First introduced by the Gibson guitar company in 1937. As their name implies, Jumbo guitars are larger than their dreadnought brothers and produce a loud, booming sound. They have a strong bass response and substantial projection. They quickly became popular due to their fantastic projection and complimentary sound.
Parlor Acoustic Guitar
Parlor guitars are smaller in size than the Jumbo and dreadnought varieties. They tend to have a lighter, more airy sound and a quieter acoustic projection. It’s the ideal guitar for a small-room or at-home concerts, recording, and intimate settings. Smaller people will feel more comfortable using this instrument.
Concert and Grand Concert Acoustic Guitar
Like the parlor guitar, the concert guitar is smaller in size than a dreadnought or jumbo guitar. It also has a narrower waist than a dreadnought or parlor guitar. This makes for a quieter, more mellow guitar tone.
It is also a comfortable body shape for smaller people and those who play with the guitar on their lap, as the narrow waist gives a good notch to fit in your lap. The grand concert is slightly larger than the concert, with a somewhat louder projection.
Auditorium and Grand Auditorium Acoustic Guitar
In recent years, the grand auditorium body style has become more and more popular. Coming in between the concert and the dreadnought in terms of size, auditorium guitars have a narrow waist and a very even voicing, making them quite versatile for a number of styles.
The grand auditorium is a slightly larger body than the standard but still smaller than a dreadnought.
Classical Acoustic Guitar
Classical-style guitars have several differences from other types. For one, they use nylon strings instead of steel strings. They have a wider fretboard, and the headstock is open slotted, which is different from most other types.
Classical guitars tend to be smaller bodied than most other acoustics. The nylon strings produce a very warm and rich tone. They are less bright and more muted than steel strings and are generally not played with a pick.
Although used primarily for classical music, you can also find classical guitars in jazz, country, and even in some pop and rock settings. Willie Nelson is a famous example of someone who uses a classical guitar outside of the classical genre.
Renaissance and baroque guitars are examples of older designs of the modern classical guitar.
Twelve-String Acoustic Guitar
Twelve-string acoustics usually use a dreadnought or jumbo-style body. Instead of 6 strings, a 12 string guitar has two strings for each note. The lower four sets of strings’ (E, A, D, G) each have one string in the lower octave and one string in the higher octave. The two sets of high strings (B, E) are the same octaves in relation to each note.
This type of guitar has an unmistakable thickness and chime to it. Think of the beginning of the Eagles’ Hotel California or Tangerine by Led Zeppelin. Twelve strings can also have a washy, chorus-like sound as the minute pitch differences between the matched strings play against one another.
Archtop Acoustic Guitar
Most modern acoustic guitars have a flat soundboard or top. However, some acoustics feature an arched-top that utilize f-hole openings on the outer flanges of the soundboard.
They are generally larger-sized guitars and feature a floating bridge rather than a bridge fixed to the guitar’s top.
Jazz musicians often favor archtop acoustic guitars for their smooth and warm tones. They are quieter than their round hole counterparts and tend to blend in the mix rather than stand out.
Resonator Acoustic Guitar
Resonators are strikingly different in both sound and appearance from other acoustic guitars. They feature a metal soundboard, and some resonator’s bodies are made entirely of metal.
Another big difference in the construction is that some resonators have square necks as opposed to the traditional rounded necks.
The sound of a resonator is also distinct. They are very bright with a lot of pick articulation. They have a shimmery quality with a lot of top-end frequencies and a cut bass response. Resonators are often used as slide guitars and played on the lap, and they are also used in fingerpicking with bluegrass and blues.
Types of Electric Guitars
While people had been tinkering with the idea of electric guitars since the late 1930s, Leo Fender is the one credited with producing the first line of commercially available electric guitars in 1949.
Leo’s Esquire guitar was the first in what would become a musical revolution. Today, electric guitars are as varied as the people who play them. However, one thing in common is that they all use pickups to transfer the sound of a ringing string through to an amplifier.
A Note About Pickups
It is worthwhile to note the different types of pickups. The most common types of pickups for electric guitar are single coil. humbucker and P90 pickups. The vast majority of electric guitars have one of these types of pickups.
Single Coil
Basically, single-coil pickups use a single wind of wire around a magnet or series of magnets to transmit sound. These are what you would commonly find on Fender Strat’s.
Humbucker
Humbucker pickups, use two single coils with reversed polarity to cancel out interference that causes hum. They produce a warmer sound and are what you would commonly find on Gibson Les Paul’s.
P90
P90 pickups are a type of single-coil pickup but they produce a more mid-range treble sound (brighter) than humbuckers.
Another sub-category of pickups is between active and passive pickups. Most electric guitar pickups are passive, meaning that they do not require an additional power source to function.
On the other hand, active pickups have their own power, usually provided by one or two 9V batteries. You can think of active pickups as having a small preamp built-in.
Solid-Body Electric Guitar
This is the most common type of electric guitar. Solid-body electrics contain a solid block of material outfitted with pickups which “pick up” the sound of the ringing strings and send it through an amplifier.
Wood is the original and still most common material from which solid-body guitars are made, but not the only one. Graphite, lucite, polymer resin, plastic, metal, and even glass have all been used as a material for solid body guitars.
Unlike acoustic guitars, which all have a fairly uniform shape with some minor differences, solid-body electric guitars come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.
Solid-body electrics can have any number of pickup configurations, employing single-coil pickups, humbuckers, or a combination of both.
Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar
Semi-hollow body guitars have a solid block in the middle of the body where the pickups are seated and hollow wings that feature some type of opening, usually an f-hole. They tend to be lighter than solid body guitars, and their shape is usually similar to an acoustic guitar, although many of them have a much more shallow depth.
Their open chambered sides give the guitars a slightly acoustic quality. They tend to be warmer sounding in general. Due to the open chambers, they can be finicky with feedback.
Hollow Body Electric Guitar
Hollow body guitars are similar to semi-hollow bodies, except that they have no center block. Instead, the entire guitar body is a sound chamber like an acoustic guitar. They tend to have a very woody and acoustic-like quality to their sound.
Pure hollow body electrics are not very common these days because they are very fragile, and it is difficult to control the feedback from the amp, especially in a live performance situation.
Chambered Electric Guitar
Photo credit: Marcin Wichary, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Chambered electric guitars are the same as a semi-hollow body guitar, except that the chambers have no sound holes. They look like a solid body, but the construction is more akin to a semi-hollow body.
They blend characteristics of a semi-hollow and a solid body, giving a sound with a good bit of chime and resonance without the acoustic guitar quality.
Twelve-String Electric Guitar
Like the 12-string acoustic guitar, these guitars are like their six-string counterparts in most ways. The 12 string configuration is the same as the acoustic guitars, with the bottom four notes having a matching string tuned an octave up and the two high notes having matching pitches/tunings.
They produce the same type of chimey, phased sound of acoustic 12-strings.
Lap-Steel Guitars
These guitars are commonly six stringed, although some have eight. Their bodies are smaller than standard electric guitars and are open-tuned, and their strings are high above the fretboard. The strings are not pressed down on the fretboard like a regular guitar but, instead, the musician uses a slide to play them.
Pedal Steel Electric Guitars
Similar in some ways to the lap-steel, these are the guitars with the smooth sliding twangy sound that you hear in countless country songs.
Pedal steel guitars are played while sitting and are usually comprised of two fretboards with ten springs each, and several foot pedals and knee levers to adjust the pitch of certain strings. Like a lap-steel, the strings sit high above the fretboard and are played with a slide.
Seven and Eight-String Electric Guitars
These guitars have an added lower string, usually tuned to C or B, and the eight-string variety will have an extra high string, usually an A.
These electric guitars have been gaining popularity with players who go for heavier musical styles like metal and grindcore, although some jazz players have been known to use them as well. Joni Mitchell famously plays a seven-string guitar at times.
Double and Multiple Neck Electric Guitars
The double-neck electric was made famous by Jimmy Page of Led Zepplin fame. They feature an extra-wide body to accommodate two sets of pickups and electronics, one for each neck. They typically have one six string and one 12 string neck, although I’ve also seen a double-neck guitar with a six string and a baritone neck.
There are guitars with more than two necks. Rick Nielsen from the band Cheap Trick has guitars with up to seven necks.
Baritone Guitar
A baritone guitar is a hybrid between a guitar and a bass guitar. It has six strings like an electric guitar, but with a longer neck and thicker strings. This enables lower tuning with less string slack.
Baritone guitars have no standardized tuning. However, the most common tuning is a perfect fourth lower than standard tuning (B E A D F# B). Another tuning is a perfect fifth lower (A D G C E A). And even a major third lower (C F Bb Eb G C).
Touch Guitar
Photo Credit: David Douglas Bunker, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The touch guitar uses a fretboard tapping style to create sound, commonly known as touch-style. These guitars are not strummed.
They have either eight or ten strings and a range of over five octaves.
Types of Bass Guitars
Although the first electric bass was made in 1935, it was, again, Leo Fender who produced the first electric bass guitar in the 1950s. Like electric guitars, bass guitars come in a variety of styles.
Bass guitars generally have four strings, tuned EADG, although there are exceptions.
Regarding pickups, it’s worth noting that active pickups are more common on bass guitars than standard electrics, although passive pickups are still the most common.
Solid-Body Bass Guitar
Solid-body bass guitars are the most common type of bass today. Like the solid-body electric guitar, they come in all shapes and sizes and can have any combination of single-coil and humbucker pickups.
Solid-body basses are by far the most common type of bass, but you can also find semi-hollow body basses. To my knowledge, no one has made a fully hollow body electric bass guitar.
Semi-hollow Body Bass Guitar
These basses are very similar to semi-hollow body electric guitars in their woody acoustic qualities and thumpy hollow resonance. They also can be tough to handle with feedback issues in live situations for less experienced players.
Acoustic Bass Guitar
As the name states, an acoustic bass guitar is to an electric bass guitar what an acoustic guitar is to an electric guitar. It has an acoustic body construction with a soundhole and can sometimes be fitted with an internal pickup or have a cutaway for easier access to higher frets.
Fretless Bass Guitar
Often favored by jazz and fusion players, fretless basses feature a neck without frets. This gives these basses a rounder, buzzy tone and a feel akin to an upright. They have a unique flavor and appeal.
Since they have no frets, you have to be very adept with finger placement to hit the right note. For that reason, they can be difficult to master for those just starting out.
Five-String Bass Guitar
These basses are like their four string cousins, but with an added low string, usually tuned to B. The necks are slightly wider but are usually otherwise quite similar to a standard four-string.
Six-String Bass Guitar
A six-string bass will have the low B string as well as a high C string added to the EADG strings. BEADGC.
Related Instruments
In addition to the many types of guitars we talked about above. There are related instruments, think of them as cousins, to the guitar.
Travel Guitar
These can be classified as either. just a smaller guitar, a guitar that has a folding neck, or a specifically designed travel guitar.
Harp Guitar
Photo credit: Stephen Drake, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In addition to a more standard guitar neck. A harp guitar also contains unstopped open strings like you would see on a harp.
Banjo
The banjo is a resonator style instrument that utilizes a membrane, normally made of plastic, stretched over the cavity. They are available in four, five or six-string.
Although the banjo is used in many genres of music. It’s generally most popular in bluegrass, country and folk music.
Mandolin
The mandolin is a stringed instrument that is meant to be plucked. It generally has four pairs of strings. Each pair is tuned to the same pitch. So, you would tune an eight string mandolin G G D D A A E E.
Mandolins can also have ten and twelve strings.
Ukulele
The ukulele is small and normally has four nylon strings. There are four common sizes; soprano, concert, tenor and baritone.
Standard tuning of a ukulele is G C E A.
Final Thoughts
We hope you have found this guide on the types of guitars informative. Now that you know how many different guitars are out there, time to get shredding.
It may seem overwhelming when you try to learn to play guitar. You may not be sure where to even begin. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. In this guide we will go over everything you need to know to help you learn how to play guitar.
Guitar Terms
Before you start studying chord charts and Eddie Van Halen solos, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with some essential guitar terms.
While you might already know some of these terms, it’s a good idea to review them before learning to play.
Be sure check out our guide that explains the Parts of A Guitar in more detail.
Just a few of the essential guitar terms to know include:
Amplifier. An amplifier is a piece of gear used to amplify the sound of an electric guitar. It’s typically connected to the guitar via an output jack and a guitar cable.
Body. The guitar’s body is the main wooden part of the guitar. The neck, strings, bridge, etc… all attach to the body.
Bridge. The bridge is the part of a guitar that holds the bottom portions of the strings. It also consists of the saddle. Bridge adjustment provides intonation.
Capo. The capo is designed to clamp down across a guitar’s fretboard. It acts as a movable nut which in turn affects the pitch.
Chords. A chord is a series of notes played together to form a harmonious sound or tone.
Fretboard. The extended, thin portion of a guitar where the strings are is called the fretboard. This piece is embedded with raised horizontal stripes called frets.
Fret. A fret is the raised strip along a fretboard. It divides the fretboard into sections that help guitarists differentiate tones. Frets are typically made of mostly copper and some nickel and other metals.
Head or Headstock. The top of a guitar is called the head. This portion houses the tuning keys. gears and string posts.
Output Jack. Any guitar that’s capable of connecting to an amplifier will have an output jack. This is where you connect your guitar cable.
Pick. A pick is a small, triangular piece of plastic used for picking and strumming.
Pickguard. A pickguard protects the guitar body from potential scuffs and scrapes.
Position Markers. Along a fretboard, there are often small white dots, diamonds or other shapes, known as position markers. These help players identify which frets are which. They are commonly on the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, 15th, 17th, 19th and 21st frets on a 22 fret guitar.
Tone/Volume Controls. These small controls allow players to customize tone and increase/decrease volume while playing.
Tune/Tuning. Guitar strings are designed to play at specific pitches or notes. When the strings become too loose or too tight, they will not be in tune and produce the wrong pitch. Proper tuning ensures that your guitar always sounds great.
Tuning Keys/Pegs. These are used to tune your guitar. Each guitar string is attached to a specific tuning post located at the head of the guitar. You can make your strings looser or tighter by turning the tuning keys.
Vibrato Bar. Electric guitars may have a vibrato bar, which is a thin metal bar located near the bridge. When adjusted, this piece can add vibrato to your playing. It’s also called a ‘whammy’ bar.
Guitar String Names
Guitar strings are named for the note they play in the open position. Most guitars have six strings, although some guitars have 7, 8 or 12 strings. Bass guitars commonly have four strings, but five and six string basses are available.
Starting with the thickest, the string names are: E, A, D, G, B, E
The strings are numbered one through six starting with the thinnest E string.
Why is the order we count the strings backwards?
If you were to place a guitar on your lap and look at the fretboard, you would count the strings from top to bottom. This is also how guitar tab is written.
What Equipment Do You Need To Play Guitar?
The primary thing you’ll need to learn to play guitar is a guitar! This is obvious but which type of guitar you choose will also determine which accessories and other equipment you may or may not need.
For example, if you decide on playing acoustic guitar, you really only need the guitar itself to get started. However, guitar picks and a tuner will help drastically.
If you choose to play electric guitar, you will also eventually need a guitar cable (sometimes called a patch cord) as well as an amplifier (amp for short). Down the road you will also want to acquire different pedals to really adjust your tone.
If you must, you can begin playing electric guitar without an amplifier as it does not affect playability. But you will not get the tone or volume for which these guitars were designed.
You can also get headphones to plug into your amp so you’re able to practice in almost any situation.
If you decide to play bass guitar, the same rules apply as with electric guitars. You will also need an amp and cable.
There also various other optional accessories. Capo, slides, straps and music stands to name just a few.
What Size Guitar Should I Get?
Guitars come in several sizes, ensuring that players of all ages and sizes can learn to play. Naturally, the right size guitar for you depends on your height and size.
Generally, guitars are separated into four size categories:
Full-Size
¾-Size
Half-Size
Quarter-Size
A full-size guitar is just the right size for most adults’ torso, arms, and hands. However, if you struggle to close your hand around the neck of a full-size guitar, you may want to consider a ¾-size or half-size option.
A quarter-size guitar (also known as a ¼-size guitar) tends to work best for small children. Generally, this type of guitar is only slightly larger than a standard-sized ukulele!
Other important measurements to consider are scale length and fingerboard radius.
Scale length is the length measured from the nut to the bridge.
Fingerboard radius is how flat or arched the fingerboard is.
Another thing to be aware of is how many frets the guitar has. The more frets, the longer the neck. Most guitars have either 21 or 22 frets but some guitars are also made with 24 and other numbers of frets.
What Type of Guitar Should I Buy?
The three most popular guitar types and some of their sub-categories:
Acoustic
Acoustic-Electric
Archtop
Auditorium/OM
Classical
Flattop
Hybrid
Parlor
Resonator
Electric
Solidbody
Semi-Hollow
Hollow
Bass
Acoustic Bass
Electric
All these categories could be further broken down into, short/long scale, fretted or fretless, dreadnought variations and many other categories.
However, the most important thing is to choose whether you want to play acoustic, electric or bass guitar.
Acoustic guitars are great for playing anywhere, anytime. You do not need an amp, power or cables. They are also generally lighter than electric guitars.
With electric guitars, you have the ability to create endless sounds/tones/effects with pedal and amp combinations. The obvious downfall here, depending on how you look at it, is the need to play through an amp and how loud it can be. To be able to play an electric without disturbing the neighbors you can use a mini-amp or headphones.
Bass guitars, unless you have an acoustic, also require power, an amplifier and cable. Bass guitars, along with percussion, drive the rhythm. You are commonly playing single notes as chords are much less common with bass guitars
The best type of guitar for you depends on a multitude of factors. Consider what kind of music you’d like to learn to play and go from there!
How To Learn To Play Guitar By Yourself
Most people begin their journey way, even if they eventually take lessons. You can utilize the below tips resources and guidelines to get you started.
In addition to this guide there are plenty of great online resources. We’ve linked some of these below.
Learning Environment
Make sure you have an environment suitable for you to learn to play guitar. Any quiet area, free from distractions will do.
Warm-Up
Warm-up before every practice/gig session. Hand and finger stretches may sound unnecessary but they can greatly reduce the strain from long practice sessions.
Dexterity drills also should not be overlooked. This can be as simple as playing frets one through four, on every string. Make your way from low to high E. Be sure to connect the notes smoothly.
Once you reach the fourth fret on the high E string, you can reverse the order. Play the frets four through one, starting with the high E string and make your way down to the low E string.
Learn Chords
Learning chords will be essential to playing your favorite songs. Power chords are generally easier to learn as they are only two note chords, the root and the fifth. They are played with and without the higher root octave. This may sound difficult, don’t worry, it’s much easier than you may think. Be sure to check our our guide on how to play power chords to learn everything you need to get you playing power chords.
You’ll also want to learn major and minor chords, as well as variations of those chords.
Our guide on how to play guitar chords contains twenty eight different chord variations and helpful tips.
Learn Scales
Scales are the foundations on which chords and solos are made of. Learning scales will set you up for success down the road. You’ll want to learn some essential scales. Fender can help us out with their beginner scales guide.
They recommend to learn:
E minor pentatonic scale
A minor pentanonic scale
C major scale
G major scale
E minor harmonic scale
Learn Songs
Learning to play songs by ear, tab or sheet music are some of the best and funnest ways to improve your guitar playing.
Once you learn a riff or full song, it drives you to keep learning. To learn how to read guitar tabs, make sure to check out our guide.
Learn With Friends
If your friends play any instruments, use that to all of your advantage. Get together and jam. Learning with friends can be great motivation and you may even start a band!
Learn To Play Bass Guitar
If you’re interested in learning how to play bass guitar, you’ll need specific resources that cater to that passion. Bass guitars only have four strings, and these guitars are played differently than six string guitars.
Online resources are readily available for beginner-level bass players, many of which are free to use. Be sure to check out the free lessons available on StudyBass.
Guitar Finger Pain
It’s perfectly normal to experience pain in your fingertips, hands, and wrists when learning to play guitar. This pain arises because your body isn’t yet accustomed to strumming, fingering, and changing chords. This is entirely normal.
As time goes on, you’ll likely develop calluses on your fingertips. Having calluses will help prevent further fingertip pain.
Still, if you’re struggling with finger pain after a lesson or jam session, there are a few things you can do. The first thing you can try is simply taking some time off from playing. Resting your fingers for a day or two may lessen the pain during your next session.
Secondly, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever like aspirin or ibuprofen to lessen any discomfort you experience while playing.
If your fingertips are peeling or reddened, you can also use a cold compress or ice pack to reduce any pain and swelling.
How Long Does It Take To Learn Guitar?
The time it takes to learn guitar varies from person to person. Additionally, mastering the guitar is a lifelong pursuit that seems to never end. No matter how good you get, there is always something else to learn.
Reaching your desired level could take anywhere from a few weeks to several years. It truly depends on what your guitar playing goals are and how dedicated you choose to be.
The more you practice, the better you will get. So, if you only practice for a few minutes each week, you may struggle to improve and you may ultimately lose interest.
Final Thoughts
Learning to play guitar is rewarding in so many ways. Learning a new skill is always great but there is something special about playing guitar. Being able to take an inanimate object and produce music out of it is a great feeling.
If you don’t remember anything else, remember this. Patience and practice are your most important tools and they go hand in hand. You will get frustrated, stick with it, it’s completely worth it. Happy playing.
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Learning how to read guitar tabs is an easy way to be able to learn your favorite songs, even if you cannot read sheet music or do not know music theory.
In this article, we’ll talk about the basics of how to read guitar tabs, talk about bass tabs, and throw in some extra tips along the way.
What Are Guitar Tabs?
Guitar tab stands for guitar tablature. Britannica defines tablature as: the “system of musical notation based on a player’s finger position”.
One of the brilliant things about guitar tabs is that you don’t need to know how to read sheet music to be able to learn new songs. Learning from guitar tabs is rewarding as you’ll feel as though you can actually figure songs out and progress.
Let’s say you want to play Stairway To Heaven. Well, you could learn this in sheet music form:
However, many guitar players don’t have the necessary music theory to be able to read and play what is written on the sheet music.
Guitar tabs are a way to show guitar players what notes to play so that even beginners can learn and play any song. Here is the same Stairway To Heaven intro that is above in sheet music, now written in guitar tab:
How Do I Read Guitar Tabs?
Reading guitar tabs is simple. The six lines indicate the six strings and the numbers indicate frets. There are symbols to know, but we’ll get to that later. First, we will go over the basics of the six strings on a guitar.
What Are the Guitar String Notes?
A six-string guitar in standard tuning has the following strings:
Remember that the sixth string is the thickest (low E) and the first string is the thinnest (high E). So, holding the guitar and looking down at the fretboard, the strings would count, away from you, 6 = E, 5 = A, 4 = D, 3 = G, 2 = B, 1 = E.
String 6, the low E, will give you the lowest tone on the guitar. Just as string 1, the high E, will give you the highest tone.
It’s essential to know which strings are which so you can understand which string(s) the tab is telling you to pick/strum.
How to Learn Guitar Tabs
An empty guitar tab looks like this:
As you can see, from top to bottom, the tab reads from the highest string to the lowest. This order means that a tab is written from the perspective of the guitar player.
To read a guitar tab, let’s have a look at Stairway To Heaven.
The tab above is the first two bars (the first two measures) of our recurring example, Stairway To Heaven.
Guitar tabs are read from left to right, with each vertical line of the tab representing a single unit of time. These units of time are called measures, or bars. They refer to the number of beats played decided by the time signature.
In our example, if we refer back to the sheet music, the time signature is 4/4 so there are four beats per bar/measure.
Each number refers to the exact fret to be played and is positioned on which string it should be played on.
If we look at the very first note, it’s a 7 located on the 4th line (from the top, the same way we count/label guitar strings). This note is telling you to play the 7th fret on the D string.
The second note is telling you to play the 5th fret on the G string.
In our example, the first four notes are played individually. If you look at the 5th notes in the measure to be played there are two, inline. You are to play these two simultaneously.
To count which fret is which, we begin at the top of the guitar (the head-stock: that is, the place with the tuning knobs). An open string, when played, is said to be fretted at “0”:
Frets are the raised lines on the fretboard that the string rests on when you push down on a string. They are mainly made of copper and nickel. They are just one of the many guitar parts that make of the neck, and guitar as a whole.
If you press your finger down on the space between the nut and the first fret, you are playing fret one. This process goes on, with each subsequent fret being labeled the subsequent number.
Thus, as the number on the tab increases, the note that you’re playing gets higher.
Guitar Tab Chords
Guitar tab can also display chords. The tab will show the notes inline that make up a select chord. The tab may also show which chord is being played above the staff. The example below is G Major.
Guitar Tab Symbols
On some guitar tabs, there are more there than just numbers. All sorts of letters might make their way onto a guitar tab. Let’s look at what some of these mean.
h: Hammer-on
A hammer-on is a classic technique on guitar. A hammer-on is when you play one note, and without picking the next note you hammer your available finger onto the desired note. Let’s look at an example:
In the above tab, the 5th fret on the G string is the first note being played. You would, most likely using your first finger, play this note and hold it. Using an available finger, most likely your third, but could also be your second. You would hammer this finger down on the 7th fret of the G string while the note you previously played is still ringing.
p: Pull-off
A pull-off is the reverse of a hammer-on. In a pull-off, you remove your finger from the fret it’s on, thereby changing the note of the vibrating string. This is best accomplished by using the finger you are removing to actually help pluck the string as you remove it
Using the example above. Place your first finger on the 5th fret of the G string. Hold this note and place your third finger on the 7th fret of the G string. Pluck the G string, and while still holding the note on the 5th fret, remove your finger from the 7th fret, this is a pull-off.
As mentioned, we can exaggerate the pull-off by sliding our third finger off the 7th fret towards the B string, as if we were plucking the G string with our third finger.
b: Bend
If a bend is indicated in your tab, you should push the string or pull the string perpendicular to the guitar while it’s fretted to increase the pitch of the note. Bends can be shown different ways on guitar tabs,
These are the symbols you need to know for bends.
5b could mean to just bend the note one semitone, or it could just be unspecified and you’ll have to listen to the song to figure out how much of a bend to apply.
5b7 would mean to apply a full bend to the note on the 5th fret. The final sound would match the note played on the 7th fret.
5^ is similar to 5b. The difference would be if whomever wrote the tab was using one ^ for half bend and ^^ for full bends. You’ll have to check the
5^7 would be the same as 5b7, bend the note on the 5th fret up to the pitch of the 7th fret.
Finally, 5 with a curved arrow. The arrow is telling us to bend the 5th fret, and in this case, as seen above the arrow point, we are to bend it full. A full bend would be the same as 5b7 and 5^7. You may also see this arrow with, 1/2, 1 1/2, etc… above it as well.
r: Release
This would be used after a bend. For example:
The example is showing to bend from the note at 5th fret, up to the note at the 7th fret and then back down to the note at the 5th fret.
/: Slide up
A slide is exactly what it sounds like. You simply slide from one fret to another, keeping your finger in contact with the string at all times.. In the example shown, you are playing the 5th fret on the A string and sliding up to the 7th fret. This is commonly shown as 5/7 or exaggerated like in the example below:
\: Slide down
Sliding down is just like sliding up, only thing to note is the symbol is a backslash instead of a forward slash like with the slide up example.
PM —-: Palm muting
If PM is written on your tab, you should play the indicated strings with palm muting. Palm muting is slightly covering the strings at the bridge to deaden the sound of the note(s) or chord you are playing. The technique takes some getting used to as you don’t want to completely mute the strings.
~~~: Vibrato
According to the Cambridge dictionary, vibrato is a repeated slight shaking of a note during its performance to give that note a fuller sound.
For guitar players, we can create vibrato on a fretted string by moving our fingers up back and forth (that is, closer to us and further away from us) on the fretboard in a rapid motion while holding the note. Vibrato can be shown like below, or you can sometimes find tabs where the vibrato symbols are above the tab staff.
Vibrato is a significant part of classical guitar, you can view a great example by guitarist Nicholas Petrou here.
x: Muted hit
A muted hit indicates the string should be struck while being completely muted. The sound, in this case, will be percussive rather than melodic. In other words, strumming a muted string will create noise without the harmonic elements characteristic of typical strumming in guitar.
( ): Parentheses
Parentheses can either be used to let you know to let the note ring, or to play it as a ghost note (play it very lightly).
Downstroke and Upstroke
These are the directions in which you pick/strum that particular note or chord.
How Do I Read Bass Guitar Tabs?
If you understand guitar tabs, you’ll also be able to read bass tabs. Bass guitars are an octave lower than regular guitars and most, but not all, only have four strings: E, A, D, G.
Each line on a bass guitar tab corresponds to one the four strings, just like six string tabs.
Tips for Reading Guitar Tabs
Like any skill, reading guitar tabs takes practice. A little bit of work every day, and you’ll see in a short amount of time that you’ll be able to read guitar tabs with no issues.
If you have ambitions to one day read sheet music, I would recommend studying guitar tabs first. Find a guitar tab that includes the sheet music above the tab. This way you’ll get familiar with what notes are on the music staff.
Easy Guitar Tabs
Here are some examples of easy guitar tabs for beginners to start learning some skills:
Today we’ve covered a lot, and you should be ready to pick up your guitar and play some tabs.
Now, one thing to note is that the kind of tablature we’ve covered in this article doesn’t indicate to the player the time signature or how long to hold every note. For these kinds of tabs, knowledge of the song is essential to play the tab correctly.
Most (but not all) guitar tabs will include:
Song Title and Band/Artist
Tab Author
Tuning
Key
Symbols used in the tab and what they mean
Keep practicing, learn songs and have fun. Thank you for reading.
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Power chords are great for beginners and an essential tool for any guitarist. They are used in a wide variety of music genres. Power chords focus on the two lowest notes of a chord. Because of this, they can sound quite powerful, hence the name.
Here’s what you need to know about power chords, including some helpful tips and tricks to get you started.
What Are Power Chords?
Power chords are two-note chords. They include either the root and fifth, or root, fifth and higher root octave of a chord.
Power chords are common in many styles of music, including pop, rock, reggae, country, metal, punk and jazz.
Because they’re composed of fewer actual fingering positions, power chords are easier to play. In addition, the removal of the third note that major and minor chords include eliminates a layer of complexity without sacrificing sound.
Learning power chords is simple. There are only a few things to keep in mind:
Made up of two notes, consisting of root, fifth and higher root octave. For example: F C F
Your first and third (along with your fourth) fingers will always have one whole fret in between them.
Using power chords make chord changes easier because you can move your hand around the fretboard using the same fingering pattern.
How to Play Power Chords On Guitar
First, you choose the lowest two notes of a chord to play – these are the root and the fifth. The root is the note for which the chord is named. It’s the basis around which the other notes work to form a complementary sound. The fifth is the note played at, predictably, a five-note interval from the root.
If you reference the image below, in our example, our root note is C and our fifth note is G.
If we look at the fretboard and see where those notes are, we see the finger positions required to play those notes:
Your index finger will almost always be on the root note when playing a power chord. So when you want to play, the pattern is to place your index finger on the root, then your third finger two frets up and one string higher. You can use your third finger to cover both the fifth and the higher octave. Or, you can use your third finger on the fifth and your fourth finger on the higher octave. The latter better prepares you for more advanced chords.
If playing an F5 for example:
Your first finger will be placed on the first fret of the low E string (F note).
Your third finger will be on the third fret of the A string (C note).
Your fourth finger will be on the third fret of the D string (F note).
To play F Major and see how it compares to the power chord you would play an F5 using the steps above. Then you would add:
Your second finger on the G string (A note).
Your first finger will also be placed on the first frets of both the B (C note) and E (F note) strings
How to Play Power Chords on Acoustic Guitar
Although it could be argued that power chords are best left for electric guitars, especially with distortion or overdrive. You can definitely play power chords on acoustic guitar.
You may find them harder to play on acoustic due to the potential fact that you may have to press down harder with your fingers than you normally would with an electric guitar. Don’t let this deter you, keep practicing.
What are power chords on acoustic guitar? They are no different than on electric guitar. Power chords are not guitar specific. You can even play power chords on bass guitar.
Power Chords Chart
This power chords chart includes all twelve notes of the chromatic scale. Notice the fret number changes for D5 and Eb5. Here are the guitar power chords:
Drop D Power Chords
Tuning your guitar to drop D makes playing power chords even easier. This is because instead of using multiple fingers, you can now just use one finger to press on two or three strings on the same fret.
Variations of Power Chords
The Root and the Fifth
As you can see, only the root and the fifth are played, no octave. These two position power chords are much easier to play.
Just the Octaves
Notice the chord is no longer called F5, there is no fifth, so it is just F. Also note that you are note playing anything on the A string, be sure to mute it.
Inverted Power Chords / Power Chord Inversions
These are simply chords played without the root or where the root isn’t the lowest note.
Power Chord Tips and Tricks
Here are some more tips and tricks for learning how to play power chords on guitar.
Learn from your favourite songs. Choose one, play along until you’re confident.
Do not strum the strings that have no notes. The ones above in the chart marked with X are not to be played.
Play around with strumming patterns and dynamics (how soft or loud you play the chord).
You can technically play the same root note power chord instead of a major chord. However, if you were trying to play a song that called for C major and you played C5 it won’t sound right.
Power chords are a fantastic way to get comfortable playing chords so you can continue to progress.
Familiarize yourself with the note and chord names
Write your your own riffs and progressions
The biggest tip we can give you is to practice. Yes, you’ve probably heard that over and over. But it really is the best advice. You can’t get better if you never put in the time, consistency matters. As long as you’re regularly practicing, you’ll get better at power chords in no time.
Conclusion
Power chords are a fun way to vary your sound when playing guitar. They are simple, but they can make a significant impact. If you never knew what power chords were before you read this, your world is about change.
To learn more chords and more about chords be sure to check out our How to Play Guitar Chords guide!
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