Gibson Tone Tips: Wood Resonance – The Secret to Superlative Tone

October 27, 2011 By rgguitar 2 Comments

Gibson Tone Tips: Wood Resonance – The Secret to Superlative Tone

Dave Hunter

10.22.2011

Have you ever tried going for a particular sound, but weren’t able to get your tone quite right? Allow us to lend a hand. Gibson Tone Tips can help you achieve the guitar sound of your dreams. In this installment, we’re shining the spotlight on wood resonance.

A lot of ingredients work together to form the precious tone that issues forth from your electric guitar, but however much time and consideration you have put into pickup and hardware selection, the way in which the wood components resonate together remains the make-or-break factor that determines the voice of your instrument. We examined tone woods in general in one of my earlier Tone Tips, It All Starts with the Wood, but this time I want to offer a few pointers to help you pinpoint the guitars that are really happening resonance-wise.

The first step in determining whether or not a guitar has got it together in tonal terms is to give it a thorough acoustic check-up. I’m talking purely electric solidbody or semi-solidbody here, but of course if you play any guitar unamplified it will perform as an acoustic instrument, and the extent to which it excels or falls flat in this effort will tell you a lot about how it will sound plugged in and cranked up, too. This is all really a matter of learning how to assess the structural and resonant virtue of an instrument; you can try it with guitars you already own, or apply these techniques when you are shopping for that important new instrument.

Weight plays a part in this equation, but is generally secondary to the virtue of the build and whether the wood itself—whether on the heavy side or the light—is working with the resonance and harmonics of the guitar, or against them. A well-built example of a well-designed guitar should live up to its potential as an instrument. Some slightly inferior examples of otherwise great, even legendary, guitars do occasionally see the light of day, of course, and this isn’t always the result of any great “mistake” that was made in the manufacturing process. Sometimes a piece of wood just doesn’t want to be a guitar … it wants to be a park bench. When that occurs, you find that the acoustic tones of body and neck fight each other and just don’t vibrate in harmony, or the guitar simply throws out less-than-flattering peaks, nulls, and dead spots that hinder the acoustic voice of the instrument, and as a result, it’s plugged-in performance. Let’s take a look at some methods of discerning an electric guitar’s acoustic performance.

First, put guitar X on your lap in playing position, strum a first-position chord, and feel the tip of the headstock with your right hand while still holding that chord with your left (reverse these if you’re a lefty). You should feel a significant amount of vibration there, almost a surprising amount of movement in some cases (note that set-neck guitars exhibit a bit less of this by nature, and set-neck semi-acoustics a little less still; this doesn’t indicate a lack of toneful resonance, but is just characteristic of the breed, so you need to assess like against like, as far as overall resonance is concerned). Now, strum again and feel the strap button at the lower end of the body, and also the treble-side lower bout (the edge of the guitars near the controls). These regions should vibrate too, a little less than the tip of the headstock perhaps, but you should feel something there. Next, pluck just the open G string and check these same locations: on the really resonant guitars, you should still feel some action there. Put your ear to the bass-side upper bout (the upper “horn” or shoulder of the guitar) and play a little. You should hear a full, round, even voice, which might even be surprisingly loud on a really toneful guitar. It should be rich, deep, and woody. Ideally, you shouldn’t hear anything that’s too boomy, or too choked and spiky, or harsh in its treble response.

Finally, just play the guitar in a range of styles, all up and down the neck, and listen normally. It might not be real loud, but should be full and even and lively—and in some cases, might be louder than you’d think for a solidbody electric, when you give it your full attention. Play both chords and single notes and hold them, and listen to how long the guitar sustains, and whether the decay has a pleasing character. Does it sound good to you and make you want to play? Does it represent a quieter version of the kind of tonality that you’d like to have at the core of your sound when amplified? If so, you could be onto a winner. On the other hand, if it sounds dead, dull, uneven, or as if different harmonic elements in the acoustic resonance are fighting themselves, you might want to pass it by and pick up the next example. Once you locate a guitar that is really happening acoustically, you can almost always achieve what you want in amplified tone with the right set of pickups. If the wood resonance is fighting you, however, the best set of pickups on the planet won’t correct the ills that are coming out of the heart of the instrument.

First-call LA session guitarist Carl Verheyen passed one of his own guitar-buying tips along to me when we were working together. Carl said that when he approaches an instrument hanging on the wall in a guitar store, he plucks just the B string, then grabs the lower treble bout of the guitar (around the region of the jack socket) to feel if there’s any vibration there at all. If there is, he takes it down and plays it further. If there isn’t, he passes it up. Experiment with playing acoustically as many electric guitars as you can get your hands on, put some thought into wood resonance, and see what you discover. It’s the first step toward nailing the really great tone machines out there.

Filed Under: Electric Guitars Tagged With: Electric, Gibson, Guitars, Music, Musician, Tone

Vintage Guitars – Look to the Past

October 6, 2011 By rgguitar 3 Comments

The guitar is one of the most versatile instruments in the world, and they become more flexible as manufacturing techniques improve and new design ideas are incorporated. So why is it that so many experienced guitar players desire to own a vintage guitar? Surely, a new, modern guitar would be best? This is simply not so, and below we will explore why.

First and foremost, like good wine, a quality guitar can mature with age. Overall, the tone of the guitar will usually mellow, as the wood the instrument is constructed from continues to harden over time.

Scarcity is also a big factor when deciding if a guitar should be considered vintage or not. Certain manufacturers such as Martin, were famed for producing very short production runs of individual designs. As certain designs were found to age very well, the scarcity of the actual units produced made them instantly vintage.

For some models, such as the famed Les Paul Gold Top, it is the actual finish of the guitar, which makes them desirable.

This particular model used bronze as part of the dye to turn the top of the guitar golden in color, and with age, the bronze content takes on a greenish tint.

For other models, such as the Fender Stratocaster, the vintage models date back to a certain era of the corporation which manufactured them, back to a time when manufacturing and quality control processes were deemed to be far better, this produces a superior instrument.

Lastly, we have short run, often termed “signature” guitars. These are often endorsed by a well-known musician, and will incorporate design concepts upon the advice of said musician. Fender in particular is noted for the number of signature series guitars they produce, and although not all of these can currently be considered vintage models, there is no doubt that they will eventually be seen as such.

An offshoot of the whole vintage guitar scene is that of vintage amplification. Certain amplifiers, such as the VOX AC30, and the Fender Bluesbreaker, along with many of the older Marshal amplifier heads and speaker cabinets, are noted for their particularly rich sound reproduction capabilities. Almost always, these amplifiers will use older tube-based circuitry, which give a much warmer sound. Although some of the early MOSFET amplifiers are also become desirable.

Many vintage guitars are to be found in the hands of collectors; quite often, these owners will not even be capable of playing the instrument with any great expertise. Instead, they take pleasure from owning a little piece of music history in the form of the instruments which produced all of those classic sounds which we still hear today.

Vintage guitars not only offer the musician a better playing experience, they also allow the owner to take loving care of a piece of history. Many of the vintage instruments we see today, have been entirely restored, at great expense, to make them look, sound and play as close to the original manufacturing specification as possible.

Learn Music Articles, tips and lessons on how to sing, play guitar, piano or band. Overcome stage fright. Write your own songs! Be a better musician. http://www.simplemusicsecrets.com

Filed Under: Vintage Guitars Tagged With: Guitars, Look, Past, Vintage

Buying Antique Vintage Gibson Guitars

October 6, 2011 By rgguitar Leave a Comment

Whether you are a musician just starting a new collection or if you are an investor or vintage gibson guitar enthusiast you will learn how to get the best deal when looking for used an rare guitars at online auction sites. Some of the various gibson guitar models can be found in acoustic, and electric. What makes buying a rare, antique gibson guitar so special is that you are buying a piece of history. What will be covered in this buying guide is where to find the perfect guitar for your collection, next how to determine if you are gettng the best price and lastly what the quality and condition has to do with the determined value.

Online auction sites such as ebay has large inventory of used and new musical instruments, before going to a online auction you want to decide what make, model, year, color and brand you want for your collection. Is the Les Paul Guitar standard or custom, or gibson jumbo this information are important because you will find many websites and antique auctions selling a variety of the same model but at different price ranges, which is depended on the year it was issued or the condition of the guitar. To determine if you are getting the best price is to first know what a vintage 1935 Gibson jumbo goes for compared to a 1908 style O acoustic archtop or 1960 EB-2 electric bass. Shop around for the best deals. if you are an investor and you buy vintage guitars to resell them the condition of the model is very important to get the highest value, some key points is to note if the guitar is original or not. Is there any modifications such as changes to the neck or body. How many were produced during the listed time period, is it a limited edition or rare and in demand. All these things is what determines the price you can buy and sell the vintage guitar for.

Other ways to have a smoother buying experience is to talk to other vintage guitar collectors and enthusiast find out what they have to say and learn from them. It is always worth it to learn from their years of experience.

Written by guitarguide

Video from the October 2007 Arlington, Texas Vintage Guitar Show. (And yes, I’m playing the guitars on the sound track.) From eddriscoll.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Fender Bass Guitars

October 6, 2011 By rgguitar 129 Comments

Fender Bass Guitars

Fender is a company that designs and manufactures bass guitars and many other stringed instruments. Fender was founded in 1946 by Leo Fender as the “Fender Electric Instrument Company.” Leo Fender sold his interest in the company in 1965, but during a span of less than twenty years he established Fender as one of the leading names for guitars and bass guitars.

Fender bass guitars can be divided into two core types: the Fender Precision Bass and the Fender Jazz Bass. The Fender Precision Bass first appeared in 1951, and was one of the first widely available electric bass guitars. The Fender Jazz Bass traces its origins to a 1960 model. The Fender Jazz Bass places less emphasis on the fundamental harmonics, and has a slightly brighter tone and more richness in the middle range.

Current Fender Bass Guitar Models

There are several models of bass guitars made by Fender. Here are some of the more common ones that you will encounter:

Fender Aerodyne Jazz Bass – First sold in the USA in late 2004, this is a four-string bass guitar with two pickups, one of the P Bass variety in the mid position, and one of the Jazz Bass variety at the bridge position. This is a very light bass guitar, weighing about 7 lbs., and it has a slim neck.

Fender Jaguar Bass – A four-string bass guitar first produced in 2005. This model features a C-shaped maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, pearloid block inlays, and vintage-style chrome tuners. The Fender Jaguar Bass is one of the instruments of choice for Colin Greenwood, the bass guitar player for Radiohead, as well as several other prominent bass guitarists.

Fender Jazz Bass – One of the earliest models made by Fender, the Jazz Bass was first introduced in 1960. The Fender Jazz Bass places less emphasis on the fundamental harmonics than some other models, and has a slightly brighter tone and more richness in the middle range. Many famous bass guitarists played a Fender Jazz Bass, incluyding Stanley Clarke, John Entwistle, and Darryl Jones.

Fender Mustang Bass – First manufactured in 1966, this four-string bass guitar is one of the last models that Leo Fender worked on before his departure from the company. It has a 30 inch scale, one volume control, one tone control, and a single split pickup similar to the P Bass. Some of the famous musicians who have played a Fender Mustang Bass include Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones and Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys.

Fender Precision Bass – One of the first widely available electric bass guitars, it originally appeared in 1951. There are many series of this model, and the design has been continually updated since 1951.

Fender Bass VI – This is a six-string bass guitar that was originally produced from 1961 to 1975. It was reintroduced in 2006 as a custom-shop model. The extra strings and electronics of this model make it more suited to soloists than for use in rock bands. The Fender VI is very similar to the Fender Jaguar Bass in terms of body and electronics. It was originally known as the “Fender VI,” and some bass guitarists still refer to it by this name.

Fender Zone Bass – First manufactured in 2001, the Fender Zone Bass is slightly smaller and lighter than many other models of bass guitar.
Vintage Fender Bass Guitar Models

Fender has been making bass guitars for a long time. Vintage models are either discontinued lines or were made prior to Leo Fender leaving the company in 1965. The high quality, association with famous musicians, and nostalgia assoicated with vintage Fender bass guitars continues to make them popular and often highly prized. Here are some of the more common vintage models that you will likely encounter:

Fender Bass V – A five-string bass guitar that was originally produced in 1965. The design is considered quirky, as it is about three inches longer than most P basses, but it only has 15 frets.

Fender Bullet Bass – First produced in 1982, Fender intended this bass guitar as a model for “students.” These bass guitars had either 30 inch or 34 inch necks.

Fender Performer Bass – Only produced during 1985, this bass guitar had four strings and a very slender 34-inch maple neck. It was designed by John Page.

Fender Telecaster Bass – Introduced in 1967, this four-string bass guitar was essentially a reissue of the original 1951 Precision Bass (or “P Bass”). The design was changed over the years, most notably the pickguard and the single-coil pickup.

Written by bassman

Easily Learn to Play Electric Guitar

October 6, 2011 By rgguitar 2 Comments

You can’t learn to play any musical instrument if you don’t own one especially in the case of an electric guitar. So if you want to easily learn to play an electric guitar, you should find the perfect guitar to suit your playing style.

Once you find the electric guitar that you love, you can now learn to play it. As compared to an acoustic guitar, electric guitars are mush easier to play. It would also be best if you can purchase a pick and an amp.

As you may have noticed, the electric guitar has several buttons or switches and you need to learn all of them. But before anything else, you should know the essentials in learning to play such a musical instrument.

Each kind of guitar has its own qualities. You have to familiarize yourself with the electric guitar’s qualities and features. Know all the guitar’s knobs or switches. You must know how to control them so that once you start playing the guitar you will know the right mixes of the knobs or switches.

If you can do this, you can expect the guitar’s sound to be at its best. Electric guitars are not simple instruments. Before you can effectively play this type of guitar, you would have to spend a huge portion of your time in learning to play it. Most especially, you need to learn to mix the tones and sounds together.

Aside from the electric guitar, you also need to get an amp and that was already mentioned awhile ago. Guitar amps are available in many sizes and you need to get the appropriate guitar amp. Since you’re a beginner, you need to get an amp that you can use during practice sessions. Buy only the best quality amp and make sure that you try it out before paying for it. Some stores allow their customers to test the amps at its highest point. Also, remember to purchase an amp that already has a distortion box because this is very important when it comes to playing an electric guitar.

There are many songs and guitar tracks using electric guitars. You need to be familiar with these said tracks so that learning to play such instrument will be a lot easier. If you’re a good listener to these guitar tracks and songs, you will learn fast. Try to reproduce the sounds you hear and if you can do it, then you can tell if you’re learning.

You can find further techniques, information, and tips online if you’re determined to learn to play an electric guitar. Remember these three essentials in learning to play such guitar: have your own electric guitar, get other guitar accessories like a pick and amps, and listen to guitar tracks or songs. If you know these three essentials, you’re on your way to learning to play an electric guitar.

So you see, you can easily learn to play an electric guitar by knowing the essentials. Now its time to pick out the method to use – whether you will hire a professional guitar instructor, buy a guitar instruction book, or learn through DVD programs and other internet guitar programs.

Be sure to choose the appropriate method to learn quickly. Your learning will depend greatly on your personality and attitude. If you’re patient, determined, and motivated, you can will not encounter many problems in learning to play the electric guitar.

Written by mcarvs
A freelance writer

Filed Under: Electric Guitars Tagged With: Easily, Electric, Guitar, Learn, Play

The Way to Setup an Electric Guitar

October 6, 2011 By rgguitar 1 Comment

If you have ever wondered how to setup your electric guitar, or your 4, 5 or 6 string bass guitar yourself, you have come to the best place. Read on.

It is advisable to change your strings before you begin, and install them correctly though this is not absolutely vital.

*In all the reasons below, the head-stock is pointing to your left.

Whether your electric guitar has a Floyd Rose or a tremolo bridge system, you’ll need to dam it before proceeding. The most sensible way if you don’t have lots of tools at your disposal is: remove the plastic covering in the back of your guitar; next put skinny coins or picks between the part of the bridge system that expands downward and the body until the space between the flat part of the bridge system (just below the bridge pickup) and the body is 3/32-inch. Loosen the springs and tune to standard ‘A’ 440.

In case your guitar has a Floyd Rose, add coins or picks till the bridge is level to the body, then take off the springs and tune to standard ‘A’ 440.

Electric guitar Setup Step 1: Adjust the truss rod

We do this to prevent the strings from touching the frets- and buzzing- as they vibrate. Put a capo on the 1st fret, and press the 5th string on the seventeenth fret with a finger (I use the middle finger) while lifting the 6th string so it presses against your finger-nail.

Use a spark plug calibrator to gauge the distance between the top of the twelfth fret and the bottom of the fifth string.

Fender Telecaster: 0.012

Fender American standard, vintage 0.012

Gibson: 0.004 – 0.006

Floyd Rose: 0.012

Bass guitars: 0.014

Adjust the truss rod with an Allen key. Turn clockwise (toward the 1st string) to loosen and counterclockwise (towards the sixth string) to tighten.

Note: if in case you have access to the truss rod just below the last fret instead of by the nut, invert directions.

Set action:

Meaning adjusting the height of the strings.

With the capo still on the first fret, measure the space between the bottom of the strings and the top of the seventeenth fret utilizing a 6 inch ruler in 64ths. Use the table below only as a general guideline: explore different possibilities till you discover the height that suits you best.

Fender Telecaster 4/64th-inch

Fender American standard, vintage 4/64th-inch

Gibson 3/64th-inch or 4/64″

Floyd Rose tremolo system4/64″

Bass guitars 3/32nd-inch

Eliminate the capo and tune to standard ‘A’ 440

Guitar Set-up Step 2:Setting the height of the pickups

Gauge the gap between the top of your pickups and the bottom of your strings (1st and 6th) when pressing on the last fret. Adjust as desired.

Fender Telecaster- 6th: 3/32nd-inch, 1st: 5/64th-inch

Fender American standard, vintage 6th: 1/8th-inch, 1st: 3/32″

Gibson- 3/64″ or 4/64″

Floyd Rose tremolo system- 6th: 1/8th-inch, 1st: 3/32″. If it has humbuckers 3/32nd-inch on either side

Ultra, Plus- 1/16″ on each side

4 string bass guitars- 4th: 1/8″, 1st 3/32″. Or, 1/16th-inch on each sides.

5 and 6 string bass guitars- 6th/5th: 7/64th-inch, 1st: 5/64th-inch

The general idea is that pickups should give the same signal depth regardless of pickup or string.

Check to see if the strings buzz and adjust as desired. Removing fret buzz completely is not possible nor crucial. Set to ensure your electric guitar is comfortable to play, and the buzz can not be heard through the amp.

Guitar Set-up Step 3: Setting the intonation

Tune your guitar with an digital tuner, utilizing the natural harmonics at the 12th fret. When pressing the string on the twelfth fret, you should notice a similar pitch.

If the tuner says the guitar is too flat, then shorten the vibrating part of the string by adjusting the saddle. If it’s too sharp, extend the vibrating portion.

After elongating or shortening, tune to the pure harmonic again and repeat till you get it the way that you like.

However, if your electric guitar has a whammy bridge or a Floyd Rose, place the springs back in place and tighten them slowly until the coins or picks fall out. Place the plastic covering back-plate in its location, and you’re finished!

Written by toddmastersmd
guitar player – http://gear-vault.com

When reviewing electric guitars, think of the construction, components and intonation. Review electric guitars with expert tips from a professional musician in this free video about electric guitars. Expert: Floyd Kunz Contact: www.theacousticmusician.com Bio: Floyd Kunz has been playing instruments since he was 12 years old. Currently, he works for the Acoustic Musician. Filmmaker: Michael Burton
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Electric Guitar

October 6, 2011 By rgguitar 5 Comments

An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric signals. Since the generated signal is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker. Since the output of an electric guitar is an electric signal, the signal may easily be altered using electronic circuits to add colour to the sound. Often the signal is modified using effects such as reverb and distortion. Conceived in 1931, the electric guitar became a necessity as jazz musicians sought to amplify their sound. Since then, it has evolved into a stringed musical instrument capable of a multitude of sounds and styles. It served as a major component in the development of rock and roll and countless other genres of music.

Some electric guitars have a tremolo arm (sometimes called a “whammy bar” or “vibrato arm” and occasionally abbreviated as trem), a lever attached to the bridge which can slacken or tighten the strings temporarily, changing the pitch, thereby creating a vibrato or a portamento effect. The name “tremolo bar” is somewhat misleading. It would be more accurate and appropriate to call it a vibrato bar. Tremolo is a fluctuation of volume. Vibrato is a fluctuation of pitch, which is what the whammy bar produces. Early vibrato systems, such as the Bigsby vibrato tailpiece, tended to be unreliable and cause the guitar to go out of tune quite easily, and also had a limited range. Later Fender designs were better, but Fender held the patent on these, so other companies used Bigsby-style vibrato for many years.

Electric guitars usually have up to three magnetic pickups. Identical pickups will have different tones depending on how near they are to the neck or bridge, with bridge pickups having a bright or trebly timbre, and neck pickups being more warm or bassy. The type of pickup also affects tone, with dual-coil pickups sounding warmer, thicker, perhaps even muddy, and single coil pickups sounding clear, bright, perhaps even biting. Guitars do not have to be fitted with a uniform type of pickup: a common mixture is the “fat strat” arrangement of one dual-coil at the bridge position, with single coils in the middle and neck positions.

Where there is more than one pickup, selector switching is fitted. These often allow the outputs of two or more pickups to be combined, so that two-pickup guitars have three-way switches, and three-pickup guitars have five-way switches. Further circuitry is sometimes provided to combine the pickups in different ways. For instance, phase switching places one pickup out of phase with the other(s), leading to a “honky”, “nasal”, or “funky” sound. Individual pickups can also have their timbre altered by switches, typically coil tap switch, which effectively short-circuits some of a dual-coil pickup’s windings, giving a tone like a single coil pickup.

Acoustic Guitar Recording Tips

October 6, 2011 By rgguitar 2 Comments

What makes an acoustic guitar a wonderful instrument is that it produces so many sounds from a single source. Capturing all of those sounds and nuances effectively in a recording is the challenge.

According to Fett of the Performing Songwriter, multiplicity is one of the best tools. It means capturing the guitar’s sound through more than one method and then combining the results in the mix.

The most obvious way to capture an acoustic guitar’s sound in different ways is to use more than one microphone at the same time and record them onto separate tracks. An entirely different result can be achieved by using another technique. This is done by using one or more mics on one set of tracks, and the guitar’s internal pickup on another. Most acoustic guitar pickups give you a distinct emphasis in the midrange that you’ll never hear a microphone. Sometimes that little bit of “squawk” in the mids is just what you need to add to a particular track to make the acoustic sit where you want it in the mix.

Another way to achieve a fuller sound through multiplicity is to combine dry version tracks (either pickup or mic) with copies of those same tracks with one or more effects added. A dry track panned left and a wet track with a 60-millisecond delay panned right, for example, will give you a feeling of room dimension in an acoustic guitar. An example of a device that will give you an excellent combination of internal pickup and processed sound in a single track is The Fishman Aura.

Using multiple acoustic guitars on different tracks is another method of beefing up an acoustic guitar sound. Even if both guitars are playing the exact same part, the natural, subtle differences in playing will give you a fullness that no processor can quite achieve. You may try playing the same part twice, but on two totally different sounding guitars. You’ll find that you get a wider spread across the tonal spectrum because each guitar naturally emphasizes different frequencies. For even more variety, play one guitar in an open-string position and the second guitar with a capo way up the neck, in a different inversion. The technique will yield full, open, 12-note chords that no single guitar (even a 12-string) could ever produce.

Any of these techniques can be combined. For example, an open-string dreadnought recorded with a mic with no effects and panned hard left, against a capo’d grand concert recorded with an internal pickup with a 60-millisecond delay panned hard right, will definitely give you a big acoustic guitar sound that will leave your listeners in awe of the final output.

Written by (Clavier) Athena Goodlight

Filed Under: Acoustic Guitars Tagged With: Acoustic, Guitar, Recording, Tips

Blues Acoustic Guitar

October 6, 2011 By rgguitar 1 Comment

History Of Blues Acoustic Guitar

Blues is one of the numerous folk styles included in the different musical genres all over the world. It was developed in the 19th century by African-American artists and its evolution also went into the early 20th century. The music developed from strong vocal music sung by impoverished African- Americans without the use of instruments all over the southern states in America. The lyrics would include those involved in spiritual trances, work songs, ballads narrating the life experiences of the Scots-Irish and the field hollers. Thus, blues originated as a genre through the life experiences of a group of people and was soon accompanied by musical instruments to further add emphasis to the songs through the use of the blues acoustic guitar.

Legacy of Blues Acoustic Guitar

The blues began in the 1890s and developed through the early 1900s. The musicians adopted several different versions as the music evolved and took different styles. The blues acoustic guitar is very intricately connected to the increase of blues music for over more than a century. The first definite forms of blue music appeared with the use of the blues acoustic guitar and as the genre developed, so did the music attached to it. The musicians began to use other instruments to accompany the songs including pianos and harmonicas, but the blues acoustic guitar remained as an integral part of the genre.

Features of Blues Acoustic Guitar

While blues is divided into many kinds of music, there are basic properties which come with all kinds of blues music. Amongst the first is the 12-bar blues progression which is frequent in almost all music played by the blues acoustic guitar. The guitar also assists in bending certain notes and playing the kind of music that reflects the sadness displayed by this genre. The blues acoustic guitar is essential to this form of music as it enhances and strengthens the music. Also, it is easiest to finger pick and slide guitar, an important form of blues, which can only be done by the blues acoustic guitar.

Techniques for Blues Acoustic Guitar

The blues grew and changed as did the blues acoustic guitar when the evolution of this genre of music began. World War II brought with it several changes and amongst these was the style of blues music which altered with the different types of guitars. Blues as especially affected by the creation of the electric guitars which changed the kind of music created in this genre. However, the slide guitar and finger picking styles won over guitarists using the blues acoustic guitar all over the world

Interested in learning more? Read more detailed writings about Blues Acoustic Guitar right now. Visit our site for lots of great Ibanez Acoustic Guitar Information.

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Filed Under: Acoustic Guitars Tagged With: Acoustic, Blues, Guitar

The Mystique Of Acoustic Guitar Solos

October 6, 2011 By rgguitar 2 Comments

The acoustic guitar still holds a fascination for music lovers even after all these decades of our ears being bombarded by electric guitar music. Electric guitarists love playing with the sounds they get from different tone settings, effects, the use of the different pickups and feedback. The acoustic guitar has only the tone given to it by the wood it is made from and the skill and inspiration of the guitar player. So let us take a look at some acoustic guitar solos and the guitars and guitarists who made them.

If you do not know the name Erik Mongrain, you will find some examples of his guitar playing on video sites on the internet. I came across a very nice solo called Air Tap. He was given an acoustic guitar when he was fourteen, and learnt to play it by ear. While he learnt and experimented with the guitar he discovered the technique of sitting the guitar in his lap and tapping, the strings and body to produce music. If you go looking for him on the web you will find pdf files of his music and tutorials on his techniques.

Paco de Lucia introduced the world to a new brand of flamenco in the 1970′s and paved the way for a new generation of flamenco guitarists who were inspired by his passion for oriental scales and jazz influences. Entre Dos Aguas was an improvisation begun during a recording session because the LP Paco and his accompanying musicians were working on was short on material. The resulting rumba was a worldwide hit and established Paco as a force to be reckoned with well outside the boundaries of Spanish folk music. Paco sponsors his own line of flamencoguitars

Back in the 1990′s MTV decided to coax guitar hero Eric Clapton into playing some songs without the adornments provided by an electric guitar and amp. The resulting album won Grammy awards, gave Clapton’s career a shot in the arm and reinvented the song Layla as an acoustic showpiece. The solo on Layla is far removed from the original theme conceived by Duane Allman which made the song a rock anthem.

In the late 1960′s Mason Williams surprised himself by writing and performing an acoustic guitar solo which became a hit and remained popular for the decades since. The tune was called Classical Gas, and is striking for its simplicity and popular appeal. Classical Gas was born in an era when instrumentals such as The Lonely Surfer, A Walk In The Black Forest and Love Is Blue were standout hits for musicians who were otherwise unknown. But only Classical Gas retains the ability to make people sit up and listen.

So if you play the acoustic guitar a little and would like to learn how to play solos, you can use the world wide web to
learn more about soloing techniques for acoustic guitar. One easy way to start is the clawhammer technique used in folk songs, or you could learn to improvise your own licks using the minor pentatonic or “blues” scale. If you are stuck for an idea on how to begin improvising or making up your own tunes, start with a nursery rhyme or some other popular melody, and begin adding notes to it and changing things around to produce something original.

Written by Mukhtarifin Mukhtarifin
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