Topics on this page
PCC Guitar 1 Handouts
Tuning
Harmonic tuning
Guitar exercise
Practice habits
Speed pick exercise
Using the metronome
Open Chords Chart
Chord blocking
Selecting a new guitar
|
|
Harmonic Tuning
When students see me tune my guitar they often ask me how I do it. I use a combination of harmonic tuning and octave tuning to get all the strings in tune across the entire fret board. If your strings are old and worn, tuning can be even more challenging since they lose their tonality over time. I change my strings about once a month and to save money, buy them by the box. Check out the video and click on the link to get instructions on how to tune using harmonics.
|
|
Practice habits
Effective practicing involves managing your time in a way that allows you to progress in small increments. It's easy to be overwhelmed if you try to take on too much at once. When you're working on a new song, I suggest learning only 4 or 8 measures in one day. Practice it about 10 minutes, 4 or 5 times each day or until you know you've got it down and are ready to learn the next 4 or 8 measures.
We all have busy lives with many other activities and responsibilities but I believe that for very busy students, short, frequent practice sessions are an effective way to learn, progress, and improve.
In addition, slow, controlled practice is crucial. Try not to let the rhythm push or rush you. You are in control of how fast you play. You'll experience better results if you strive to play accurately and under control. And you'll find that you won't get frustrated as often. Maintain a high level of concentration through out the passage and forecast your next chord change in advance. Try not to put yourself in a position where you're practicing your mistakes over and over. After you develop your precision, use your metronome to put the music in rhythm.
|
Speed pick
If you're working on your abilities with your guitar pick, try this exercise. Grip the pick firmly and use a strong, alternating down/up stroke. Notice how I anchor the heel of my hand on the pick guard for stability. Practice slowly and accurately at first, graduating to a faster speed. You can use a multitude of left hand finger combinations.
|
|
The Metronome
Those who take lessons from me know how I like to come up with funny analogies and metaphors for learning and practicing. Like for example - hooking the student up to the metronome so that every time it "clicks", the student receives a small electrical shock, resulting in an effective way to learn to stay on the beat. Of course I'm only kidding. But if you're not working with a metronome at times during your practice sessions, then you're not exercising and developing your rhythmic control. Like learning new music and new notes on the fret board, it's just as important to learn how to count the rhythm as you play the music. Everything with the guitar requires persistence and patience. Know that it will eventually happen.
|
Chord Blocking
When practicing difficult chord changes, try blocking each chord. Before you play the chord, situate your fingers over the strings and then press simultaneously. Don't form the chord one finger at a time. Notice in the video how my fingers form each chord and are placed on the strings all at the same time. I know it will feel very slow and awkward at first but eventually it will speed up. Strive for accuracy and clarity of notes.
|
Selecting a new guitar
If you don't currently have a knowledgeable instructor to assist you, here are some important things to look for when selecting a guitar on your own.
The fretboard should have a slight lengthwise concave bow. Try to avoid a guitar that has a convex bow or hump in the fretboard. To view this condition, sight down the fretboard from the head. The frets should be securely seated in their slots and not have any sharp edges.
The "action" which is the distance between the strings and the frets determines the playability of the guitar. If the strings are too high over the frets, it will be difficult to press them firmly against the fretboard. If the strings are too low over the frets, they will produce a buzzing sound. When the action is adjusted properly, the strings should not be too difficult to press against the frets and the guitar should have clear tones with and even volume. Adjustments in the action should be made by a qualified professional.
Carefully look over the entire guitar checking for compromises in structural integrity such as cracks in the wood and finish or any loose parts. Check the tuning pegs to make sure they turn smoothly without any hesitations.
Select the guitar that sounds most beautiful to you. Make sure it's in perfect tune before you play it. Play every note on the fretboard listening for consistent sounding notes in volume and tone. There should be no dead notes or unusual soft spots at any fret position. Hopefully the strings will be in fairly good condition as this will greatly affect the sound. If the strings look worn at the frets or are discolored at any point, they should be changed. Always buy the best strings you can afford. If you buy more expensive strings, they will sound better and maintain their tonality longer.
|
|
