Best Kids Guitar

If a child shows an inclination towards learning a musical instrument, it is something worth fostering. Playing is a fulfilling endeavour and it has been proven that it helps strengthen dexterity and develop certain mental functions such as concentration, self-confidence and creativity. Not to speak of practical benefits such as developing work ethic, the idea

Best Beginner Guitar

Choosing a guitar is an arduous process for established guitarist and even more so for beginners who are tasked with picking a single instrument among thousands upon thousands of options. It can undoubtedly be a discouraging experience that can delay the start of a fulfilling and gratifying journey. There are, however, a number of factors

Best Electric Guitar

Congratulations, you’ve decided to buy an electric guitar, one of the top rated instruments the world over. Choosing that perfect guitar is where the fun really starts, though actually picking one can be a frustrating task for the uninitiated. Fret not (pun intended), we are here to help sift the wheat from the chaff with

How to Choose the Best Guitar, 15 Factors to Consider According to Science

Navigating the surfeit of guitars available at your local music shop or online retailer can be a daunting experience. The sheer number of models, shapes and sizes is confusing. However, there might be a way to simplify the experience with the use of science. The guitar as a crafted instrument relies heavily on science for

50 Best Karaoke Duets of All Time (Greatest Hits) 

Looking for the best karaoke duets? Whether you consider yourself a singer or not, karaoke is one of the best stress relievers; there’s nothing like screaming the lyrics of your favorite song in front of a crowd of strangers at a karaoke bar. Moreover, if you’re an aspiring superstar, karaoke allows you to show off

How to Master a Song From Home

We always hear about the vital “mixing and mastering” step in the final stages of completing our mix. However important it may seem, it often gets misunderstood in what it entails, and how we know when we’ve achieved a mastered mix. As you read on, we’ll uncover some common misconceptions, as well as what you

What is MIDI and How to Use It

If you’ve been into making your own music, you may have come across something called MIDI. This game-changer has been around since the 80s (it was invented in 1983). Trust me, if you’re someone manually making electronic music by drawing in triggers, MIDI is going to make you a happy person. I studied music production

JamPlay Review – Online Lessons For All Playing Levels

Since 2007, JamPlay has been teaching guitar and bass to 500 000+ players around the world. And with over 100 teachers on their roster – including famous names like Steve Stevens (Billy Idol), Mike Mushok (Staind), David Ellefson (Megadeth) and Lita Ford (The Runaways) – they offer a little bit of everything to everyone, from

How To Use The Locrian Mode

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

Overdrive vs Distortion – What is the Difference?

The terms overdrive and distortion are often used interchangeably. Afterall, they both create a gritty, dirty tone as opposed to a clean guitar sound. But overdrive and distortion are two different things. The way they came about are also different. How you use them, in terms of genres and feel, will differ. Overdrive vs distortion.

40 Most Popular Songs About Sons

Becoming a parent changes your life forever. It gives you a new reason to live, thrive, fight, and succeed. It shows you another aspect of true love. It forces you to be as responsible, clean, and thoughtful as you’ve ever been. The relationship between fathers and sons can also be tough, time-consuming, and, at times,

The Squier Affinity Stratocaster Series Review

If you’re on a budget, the Squier Affinity Stratocaster may have caught your eye. It’s definitely true that in many cases, if you wanted a Fender but needed a more budget-friendly guitar, Squier is the way to go. After all, Fender acquired them in the 60s. So let’s check out the Squier Affinity Stratocaster series

About Us

Welcome to Beginner Guitar HQ, your ultimate authority site for aspiring guitarists. Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of guitar playing or looking to refine your beginner skills, we’re here to guide you every step of the way. At Beginner Guitar HQ, we understand the unique challenges that beginners face and the

P90 vs Humbucker: The Pros and Cons of Each

You’ve undoubtedly heard about humbucker pickups if you’ve looked into this type of thing. Along with single coil pickups, they’re the most popular pickups. But there is another type of pickup, called the P90 pickup that looks like something in between the two, and it’s also pretty popular in certain genres. How then do P90s

The Best Soundproof Curtains for Your Home Studio or Practice Room

Whether it’s because you like to jam a little too loud for your neighbors’ taste or whether you want to keep noise out to record, soundproof curtains may be a viable option. But if you’ve been shopping around, you may have noticed that there are different types and you may have seen that they aren’t

50 Easy Bass Songs For Beginners

You might have decided you’d like to learn how to play bass but have no idea where to start. Fortunately for those starting out, most bass lines in popular songs are not too hard to learn. It might take some time to nail slapping or chords, but lots of songs keep things simple. So, here

How to Play the Minor Pentatonic Scale

Of every type of scale you can play on the guitar, one that has really stuck with me is the pentatonic scale. Songs like Amazing Grace, Cotton Eyed Joe, and the iconic Led Zeppelin hit Stairway to Heaven all use it. The pentatonic scale has a very unique, and pleasant sound – but even better,

60 Songs About Death For Mourning

Death is something everyone encounters in their life, and the best artists turn their pain into something for others to relate to. So naturally, there is no shortage of songs about death to express grief, mourn, and play at funerals. From rock, metal, pop, country, and rap, there is something from everyone on this round-up

How to Use Beat Making Software

The idea of beat-making excites you, but for many of us, learning something new can be intimidating. Getting started with beat-making software doesn’t have to be. In fact, it can be a very rewarding artistic outlet that you can pour hours into, and not feel a shred of regret. Let’s dive in! What is Beat-Making?

10 Best Beat Making Piano For Producers

Who doesn’t enjoy the piano? Without the piano, we wouldn’t have many of the various MIDI devices and controllers you see today. It’s become a staple in most music studios, and a huge part of the workflow of many modern music producers and beat-makers. Let’s get to know a little more about them! What is

Mixing and Mastering – What’s the Difference?

Mixing and mastering are two crucial end-steps to producing a completed work. A common misconception, however, is that both of these terms are interchangeable, and therefore, result in them being glossed over and forgotten. This article aims to help you understand their importance, and why both steps deserve much-needed attention. Mixing and Mastering – What’s

15 Famous Renaissance Composers to Inspire You

Ah, the renaissance period. It brought us great artists, scientists, philosophers, mathematicians, authors, poets and inventors like Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo, Rene Descartes, and Galileo. Renaissance means, rebirth. It was the period after the dark ages. While the art and science is most remembered from that time, it was also the era of some

The Top 12 Bar Blues Songs for Practice

The 12 bar blues are just so good. I feel the songs in my soul. If you’re into blues, and I’m guessing you are, you know what I mean. What’s more is that the 12 bar blues chord progression, 1 4 5 is common in other types of music too. So you can play songs

How to Write a Music Review Like a Pro

Maybe you’re a budding journalist who wants to cover some upcoming indie concerts. Or an influencer who wants to share your favorite old-school reggae album with your followers. Or maybe you’re just a diehard music fan with a lot to say about the latest Spotify releases. Point is, you want to learn how to write

How to Play the D Major Scale and Use it for Better Left Hand Practice

Scales, it’s a word you’ll always hear in connection with improving your playing. But they can be so boring, especially when you’re running through them over and over and over. You don’t need to torture yourself like that. Learn the D major scale, play it to warm up and improve your hearing, and then use

15 Easy Drop D Songs

Drop D tuning instantly makes things a little simpler, especially if you’re playing power chords. If you don’t know what drop D tuning is, it’s simply detuning, or rather re-tuning the 6th string, which is the low E string, to D. This allows you to take E-shaped power chords and play them as an A-shape,

30 Easy Fingerpicking Songs

Fingerpicking sounds beautiful. There are so many picking patterns and even if you’re a beginner, you can wing it and find some success. It’s just a case of getting your fingers to move in a fluid and relaxed way and making sure you grab the string just right. While you can change the sound of

The Best Tele Pickups

The iconic Fender Telecaster is the first mass-produced solid-body electric guitar in history. The long-running musical company achieved the high mark because of various technological advancements they included and created. One of such is the single-coil pickup design, so today, we’re looking at the best Tele pickups available in the market. After all, the Telecaster

Best Wah Pedal

A Wah pedal is a great addition to your guitar gear. It can easily improve your solos and riffs, but it can also make them cheesy and repetitive. A Wah pedal is a double-edged sword, which is why it’s so important to choose the best Wah pedal and use it right. What is a Wah

How to Use a Capo and Why

If you’ve watched a lot of people play guitar, you’re pretty likely to have come across at least some of them using a capo. This is an accessory that is not only affordable, but something I strongly recommend you add to your arsenal. Perhaps you already have one, but you’re not quite sure how to

How to Play the E Minor Pentatonic Scale

The E minor pentatonic scale, like all the other pentatonic scales, is very versatile. It’s very common in blues music, but you’ll find it in just about any genre. The word pentatonic, denotes five notes. That’s all a pentatonic scale is. You may be wondering how a scale with only five notes can be that

How to Play the G Major Scale and Use it for Better Left Hand Practice

Today, I’m going to introduce you to the G major scale. I’m going to be honest. Many guitarists, particularly in the first while that they start playing scales, end up getting bored, frustrated, and even annoyed. I mean, a scale in and of itself is kind of boring. But they are something that all guitar

Best Vocal Harmonizer

Vocal harmonizers are straightforward devices. They exist to enhance your singing, and while singing is fun, dubbing your voice with a pedal is even better. And that’s what we’re here to present: the best vocal harmonizers you can buy right now. These processors unlock lots of potentials, and some of them present EQ and loop

Flanger vs. Phaser – What’s the Difference?

One of the most exciting parts of learning electric guitar is experimenting with different effects. Whether it’s adding rockabilly-style delay vs. metal-friendly distortion, effects are the cornerstones of many music genres. Flanger and phaser are two of the most popular effects from the psychedelic era –– and beyond. They’re both characterized by swirling, sweeping noises.

Orkney Tuning Guide

Alternate tunings are some of the best ways to take your guitar playing to the next level. They can help you experiment with new chords and melodies that aren’t always possible in standard tuning. There are hundreds of alternate tunings out there. Some, like Drop D, are widely used. Others are a bit more niche.

Open G Tuning Guide

You’ve been playing guitar for a while now. You know your basic chords and scales. You’ve even memorized a few songs to whip out at parties. But now you’re looking for a new challenge. In this case, it might be time to unlock some alternate tunings. Most popular guitar songs are written in standard tuning.

The Best Vocal Effects Pedal – 10 Great Options

Getting up on stage and singing can be a pretty daunting experience, for beginner and experienced vocalists alike. Not only are you singing live, in front of a full audience (hopefully), but you don’t have the comfort of post-production tools like reverb and autotune to help round out any mistakes. And you sure as hell

How to Make Electronic Music in 12 Steps

Whether you’re dreaming of being the big EDM producer, or just want to know a few basics on producing electronic music on the weekend, there’s a pretty steep learning curve involved. Don’t let that scare you off, though. All we’re saying is that you need a capable guide to take you by the hand and

Open D Tuning Guide

If you’re new to guitar, chances are you’ve only been playing in standard tuning. This is when you tune your… 6th string to low E 5th string to A 4th string to D 3rd string to G 2nd string to B 1st string to high E Standard tuning has been the go-to for popular music

Boss VE-8 Vocal Effects Pedal Review

Few people know that Boss is Roland’s subsidiary. Given that Boss has such a reputation in the music industry, there’s no wonder why people don’t know they actually respond to someone else.  The Boss Ve-8 is an example of why the brand is so revered. It showcases the consistent advancement the company makes in sound

ESP LTD EC-256 Review

Japanese guitar maker ESP is one of the biggest names in Asia. Their guitars are generally pricey to export to the rest of the world, though. As a result, ESP is not quite as big in America, but affordable models like the ESP LTD EC-256 have certainly made a dent in the industry. The LTD

How to Master Alternate Picking

As a beginner guitarist, it’s tempting to pick every single note in a downstroke. But experienced players know that alternate picking is the best way to up your game. This classic, staccato style picking uses a combination of alternate downstrokes and upstrokes. This way, you can easily play at lightning speed. It’s also more versatile

How to Strum Without a Pick

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

12 Best Jazz Bass Pickups

It’s time to create a shorter guide on the best jazz bass pickups. These single-coil pickups for bass are better known as J-pickups. Why do we know them as J-pickups? Well, that’s easy. Fender invented these bobbins when they introduced the first Jazz bass in 1960. In essence, it’s a bigger single-coil, or, at least,

The Best Ukulele Reviewed – 7 Best Ukuleles

Please don’t get fooled by the Beginner Guitar name of our site. We review all kinds of musical gear, from interfaces and recording laptops to expensive electric guitars. Today’s article is listing the top 10 ukuleles you can buy right now. Our list goes from bucket-end budget all the way up to premium-sized models. Moreover,

How To Play the Blues Scale And Use It In Your Music

At BeginnerGuitarHQ, we want you to be able to approach music from just about every angle. While we have a lot of guides covering genres like metal and jazz, blues might be the ultimate entry-level guitar playing genre. It’s often simple, yet incredibly effective. One of its key elements is the blues scale. In this

The Best Distortion Pedal For Metal

Overdrive is a key component to your guitar tone, and can be used in just about every genre on the planet. However, there are many players who get into guitar so they can do one thing: play metal. As such, we’ve combined a love for distortion with a love for the genre. In this important

The Best Noise Gate Pedal

At BeginnerGuitarHQ, we aim to get your tone sounding as good as your guitar playing. Guitar pedals are typically thought of as a way to drastically alter the sound your guitar produces, but the essentials of a good quality base-sound is often overlooked. With a noise gate, you’ll have a crisp, clean and noiseless sound

The Best Vibrato Pedal

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

Baby Taylor Review 

Taylor is a highly-revered acoustic and acoustic-electric guitar maker. Their offerings are premium, expensive, and professional. The Baby Taylor, though, doesn’t belong on the brand’s higher-shelves. Instead, as the name suggests, this is a guitar suited for kids and home practice. Yet, the Baby Taylor is an incredibly popular guitar as it packs the kind