Sooner or later, all new guitarists face the same dilemma when it comes to their strings. Maybe you’ve noticed some rust building up. Maybe they don’t stay in tune like they used to. Maybe they have a dull, dead sound. Or maybe they’re unravelling around your headstock. These are all telltale signs that it’s time
The Yamaha APX500III is a hard guitar to come by, and I think it’s because of the name. “APX500III” -or APX500 3- is a handful, and it’s not catchy at all. At least not like, for example, the Yamaha NTX700. We’ve covered various Yamaha instruments to find the highest degrees of value, no matter the
For many steel-string acoustic and electric guitarists, guitar picks (also called plectrums) are must-have accessories. With a variety of materials, shapes, thicknesses, textures and flexibilities to choose from, you can find one for nearly every style of playing. As a beginner, chances are you were taught to play with a pick. This makes sense, because
Ever feel like your hands are too small for playing guitar? I feel you. As an average size woman, my hands are a far cry from the giant paws of Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison and Stevie Ray Vaughan. But with a few minor adjustments, I’ve managed to keep up with my big-handed counterparts. It’s all
Whenever I ask new guitarists which online lessons they use and/or recommend, the one that comes up the most is JustinGuitar. Since 2003, Justin Sandercoe has been teaching guitarists of all levels on his website and YouTube channel. As of 2020, JustinGuitar has 1000+ lessons, 350,000+ users and 1.14 million+ subscribers. Not to mention endorsements
At BeginnerGuitarHQ, it’s our mission to get your guitar tone sounding as good as your playing. There are a few steps to this, including choosing the right guitar and guitar amp, but once you’ve done that, you can start work on your pedalboard. The vibrato pedal is something that can add a really unique flair
At BeginnerGuitarHQ, we’re constantly trying to figure out ways to teach our readers how to play guitar at the next level. Whether it’s through your guitar tone and timbre, your dexterity or the notes you have access too. Drop D is a common tuning system that many players will be familiar with, and it gives
At BeginnerGuitarHQ, we like to guide you through the perfect way to play guitar. This covers everything from getting hold of the right equipment to learning the theory behind what you’re playing. In this guide, we’re going to teach you everything you need to know about the pentatonic scales and how to use them to
Today’s article is guiding you towards the top 10 best 5 string bass guitars you can buy right now. Our selection is about the best 5 string basses you can buy for the money: they all offer top value for its price. This is not a beginner’s guide. If you’re looking for a 5-string bass
At BeginnerGuitarHQ, it’s our mission to teach you how to play the guitar as well as possible. One of the most important parts of a guitarists toolbox is the humble scale. You’ve probably become rather used to standard major and minor scales, but were you aware of the basically endless possibilities modes afford you? They
Dean is an American music company producing budget and mid-level basses and electric guitars. Most of their items sell for reasonable prices, and whilst they do build top-end models that rival the likes of Gibson, Fender, and Gretsch in terms of cost and craftsmanship, those premium instruments are not well known. However, they have solidified
Gibson doesn’t have many models. In fact, Gibson doesn’t build much variety in terms of musical gear…what they do build, they do it perfectly. And because I said that, I can now name the two Gibson series that are so special they practically don’t need to sell anything else: the Gibson Les Paul electric guitar;
It is no secret that guitar companies have trouble keeping up with the times. Some definitely do it than others. Fender in particular is a perfect example of a brand that balances its historic past with a forward looking attitude of the future. That is why when Fender unveiled their Acoustasonic series to the public
An arpeggio is the playing of the tones of a chord in succession (and not at the same time). There are many different ways to play arpeggios. At their most basic (as with chords) they are only played on a few strings, but they can also be played on all 6 strings with multiple hammer
I’m going to review the top 6 best 12-string acoustic guitars you can buy right now. These include both acoustic and electro-acoustic guitars. If you stay with me, you’re going to learn everything you need to know about these amazing beasts: what are they good for, what do they do, how do they sound, and
Our heart connects with music first than our brain does, and also in deeper ways. That’s not some poetic saying, it’s not even pseudoscience. I’m talking about hardcore research. See, the human heart is the most powerful creator and receptor of electromagnetic energy of the human body. And do you know what else produces electromagnetic
Mark Tremonti is a Grammy-winning guitarist/songwriter, and one of the most influential rock musicians of the 21st century. He is a lead guitarist of Alter Bridge and his solo project, Tremonti, and has been formerly known as the lead guitarist of Creed. He released 14 studio albums from 1997 until now, with the three mentioned
Squier by Fender currently has 7 different lineups. My favorite one is the Vintage Modified series of guitars and basses because it’s a perfect mix between the ‘60s and ‘70s looks and feels plus the advantages of modern electronics, pickups, and circuits. In summary, I would say the Vintage Modified household by Squier features sleek-looking
What’s so special about the Squier Jaguar bass? The Fender Jaguar bass is a very special instrument manufactured by Fender Japan and Fender Chine. The Squier by Fender Jaguar is a more affordable version of this modern bass, and I’m here to help you understand everything about the series. So I’m going to help you
I bet you’ve heard “Girl from Ipanema” by Sergio Mendes at least once in your life. It’s one of the most popular Bossa Nova songs ever, and Bossa Nova is a beautiful Brazilian version of American Jazz. Little did you know Girl From Ipanema is the second most played and covered song in the world
For most beginner guitarists, playing riffs is a daunting exercise. The reason is that riffs sound technical and seem to pack so many notes – especially for fast tempo riffs. But having a decent number of riffs in your repertoire is golden, as this demonstrates your wealth of knowledge in music standards as a guitar
Metal music, a genre of rock music developed in the late 1960s and 1970s, originating from the United Kingdom; has grown in popularity amongst musicians and avid music listeners alike! Rooting from Blues, Psychedelic and Acid Rock, Heavy Metal is characterized by its loudness, high distortion, and extended guitar solos. However, what makes it “tick?”
If you’re a beginner looking to plunge into the guitar-shredding world; or an intermediate guitar player wanting to go to the next level, I’m here for you. Soloing is a fundamental part of playing the guitar. It doesn’t matter what music genre you play and prefer: learning how to solo, whether through studied practice and
Many people, including me, first come to the guitar with metal music in our ears. As powerful as it sounds, though, playing metal is not particularly easy. Sure, you could crawl your way in and out of the song with only power chords (more on that later). However, if you want to accompany your rhythm
In the annals of jazz guitar, few players are as revered as Wes Montgomery. The Indianapolis native’s work fused swing and blues with the emerging bebop and hard bop styles of his heyday, creating a timeless style that influences countless players to this day. Montgomery, as many jazz players will tell you, created vast swaths
Don’t let the title of this article scare you away. Natural harmonics are not that complicated. In fact, the guitar is a beautiful instrument capable of making some of the most interesting sounds. It was musicians like Jimmy Hendrix that really pushed the limits and explored the different possibilities of what the guitar can do!
A lot of chords you’ll hear and play are diatonic, meaning they’re mostly going to sound ‘good’. However, eventually you’re going to want to add a bit of interest to what you’re playing by adding some non-diatonic notes into interesting places. In this important guide, I’ll talk you through the process of adding dissonance to
A lot of melodies you’ll hear and play are diatonic, meaning they’re mostly going to sound ‘good’. However, eventually you’re going to want to add a bit of interest to what you’re playing by adding some non-diatonic notes into interesting places. In this important guide, I’ll talk you through the process of adding chromaticism to
Regardless of the instrument, genre, or nationality of the music, one thing every musician can use in practice is learning how to use a metronome. We use it for the sake of practicing a song or piece of music, for sight reading, sight singing, or just hammering out those tricky rhythms. It keeps us in line
The electric bass guitar is my instrument of choice, my passion, and my specialty. I’ve you’re looking to buy your first bass guitar, this guide will help you pick the best beginner bass guitar. I will guide you through your first bass choice and the reasons as to why you should play bass guitar. I
Legato is a term that guitar players should be familiar with. The word Legato comes from the Italian term meaning “tied together”, when applied to the guitar, this means we are taking notes and literally tying them together with various techniques that fit into the family of legato. Legato is a great way to increase
When you think of someone who is a through and through rock star, a few people probably come to mind. One of those people should be Keith Richards. Keith pretty much wrote the rule book on living loud and fast. Any of your favourite guitar heroes will all owe some form of gratitude to Keith
Stringed instruments are everywhere, and if you can already play the guitar (if you can’t, use our many guides here at BeginnerGuitarHQ to learn how) then there is a pretty high chance you’ll be able to use what you already know to pick up one of these other instruments. In this important guide, I’ll help
Extended chords were probably not among the first chords you learned when you initially picked up the guitar. Unfortunately, most beginner guitarists master just their open chords and basic barre chord shapes without progressing through to more harmonically interesting altered chords. That’s a real shame — extended chords are some of the most unique and
In pursuit of speed, guitar players will go through great lengths. Unfortunately, there is no substitute for hard work when it comes to making those fingers fly and getting the fretboard burning up. Speed on the guitar really came into the forefront of guitar players minds when Eddie Van Halen arrived on the scene with
In blues music, the turnaround is a familiar companion. You may recognise the sound of a turnaround from the start or end of your favourite blues tracks. Typically, a turnaround is a 2 bar phrase that sits over the 11th and 12th bars of your usual 12 bar blues and acts to “turn around” the
Music in itself is an art, an art where one serves itself as but an extension of their instrument. It’s easy to learn to play an instrument such as the guitar — but to completely dominate it is an endeavor many of us still pursue. Learning how to fix sloppy guitar playing can help you
Now that you’ve learnt some techniques and you’ve learnt some scales, we can start combining those into some licks. In this lesson we will look at 10 easy licks you can start playing today to start building your lead guitar knowledge and skill. You can also check out the Beginners Guide to Lead Guitar as
Whatever your preferred style of music, you often find lead guitar. Lead guitar traditionally is handled the guitar player in the band who plays all the guitar solos however the style of lead guitar can apply to melodic passages or simple licks and phrases. To understand lead guitar you must first consider some of the
Gypsy jazz guitar is a popular style of the jazz genre that originated in Europe. The founding father of the style is Django Reinhardt, a Romani guitarist of Belgian descent, who is considered by many to be one of the greatest musicians of the twentieth century. The Gypsy jazz itself was an attempt of Django
Getting into guitar playing can seem pretty daunting, but it definitely doesn’t need to be. Although learning the basics of technique and theory is important, your first steps as a budding guitarist need not be steeped in the drudgery of repetitive practices and dreaded etudes. There are all sorts of songs you can begin learning
I’m sharing with you a comprehensive article guiding introducing you to the blues genre and giving you the tools to play blues guitar. If you’re a complete beginner guitar player or don’t know much about this genre, this guide is for you. It’s not hard to play and not hard to learn because it both
As someone who has had to struggle with complex chord stretches because of short fingers, this article is going to address some tips for other players with the same problem to help you find the best guitar for small hands. Guitarists with small hands faced challenges in finding quality instruments with smaller dimensions after the
Have you ever seen the movie “August Rush” or heard the slap musical styles of the professionals, like Andy McKee, Antoine Dufour, or Jon Gomm and had the burning desire to learn how they do it? Well now you can. In this guide we will teach you how to play slap guitar. Holding the Guitar Safely
There are a lot of different genres of music in the world. There is a very high chance you won’t like some of them, but a much higher chance that you’ll want to play more than one of them. If you’re looking to adapt your technique across multiple genres, then look no further! Rock Rock
There are always going to be people who inspire you as you learn how to play the guitar. Obviously, your overall goal will be to create a sound unique to yourself, and hopefully one day someone will recognize your personal sound as an influence on them, but in the meantime, it’s always fun to try
When you start learning how to play guitar, you’ll discover that there are many different ways to make sounds other than picking individual notes or simple chord strumming. When you start learning songs, you’ll also find that an extensive number of songs and riffs involve two things with weird names, hammer-ons and pull-offs. I told
A useful advantage that guitar players have over many other instruments is the ability to bend the strings. Bending strings can give your guitar playing life and individuality, as well as add a unique layer to your sound. Most guitar players you know have their own style or signature bend. It can change a stale,
When playing guitar, playing chords well and reading tab with precision are your first steps, but the ability to improvise will soon become important whether you’re playing a guitar solo or writing a song. In this important guide you will learn: What improvisation is Some scales to use How to employ modes
You may think that learning how to play guitar is something that only some people can do — that it requires some kinds of inborn talent. This is not at all the case. Great guitarists all become great simply by playing… a lot. This article is all about beginning that journey. In it, I will