People play Pachelbel's Canon arrangement at weddings, but they don't play it the way Funtwo plays the rock version on YouTube. After six years of learning to play the electric guitar, the South Korean guitarist, Lim Jeong, (Funtwo) had his "one of a kind" video uploaded on YouTube. Since then millions of beginners and advanced guitar players have been captivated by his style... so much so that the YouTube clip ranks among the top twenty-five videos of all time. His outstanding musical ability captured him a spot on stage playing with guitar legend, Joe Satriani, for the "YouTube Live" event held in 2008.
How to Find Lessons to Teach Yourself
There are many instructional videos and tabbed lessons that can be purchased online. Just do an online-search using the phrase "lessons for learning Canon on the guitar." There are search results pages filled with professional instructors offering lessons for this arrangement.
Practice Requirements
Learning to play this song with excellence is going to require hundreds of hours of practice. Even with the proper guidance, the truth of the matter is you will never be able to master the arrangement without dedicated practice. Several hours per day should be set aside for doing finger exercises on the fret board. Small portions of the song should be practiced until the entire piece is mastered.
Mental Attitude
In order to play the guitar the way Funtwo does- an extremely high expectation of oneself is required. In an interview with CNN, Lim Jeong said he would rate his guitar playing at fifty percent (50%) out of a hundred (or as a "5"). As of May 2010, the videos on YouTube of him playing Jerry C's Canon Rock on the electric guitar have pulled in over eighty-four million viewers. That's pretty good for someone who rates his own musical ability at fifty percent of what it could be. I think you get my point. A high standard of excellence must be present in your personality at all times when learning the song.
Musical Equipment
The equipment you use to learn to play this arrangement with will have a direct effect on your motivation to master Jerry C's Cannon Rock. A beginner guitar player can get discouraged if the instrument they are learning on won't stay tuned or if it has poor sound quality. If you are really serious about learning to play the electric guitar, then invest in a decent amplifier and guitar. The guitar Funtwo used when he recorded the YouTube video was an ESP, Alfee Custon SEC-28OTC with gold-colored detailing.
A Good Digital Recorder is Required
It's important to record your guitar playing as you practice. Often times what we hear with our ears sounds different than it does when we play back a recording. You want to keep practicing your small sections of the Canon Rock song until they sound flawless. This type of practice requires a high level of patience with yourself. You must never give up no matter what you think it sounds like. Remember, "practice makes perfect."
I personally think that people who play the guitar in an outstanding manner (as Funtwo does) have been entrusted with a musical gift. Not everyone is musically gifted though. Great accomplishments can be achieved whether you are musically gifted or not, however. For some people the amount of practice that it takes to play Jerry C's Cannon arrangement will be more extensive than it is for others. Just keep in mind that "where there's a will there's a way." I've seen people play the guitar with their feet because they had no arms. A man named Phil Keggy achieved great heights in the Christian music world and he only has four fingers on one of his hands. Set an obtainable goal to master the song, commit to practice daily and before you know it you will be able to play Canon on the electric guitar the way Funtwo does.
I was captivated by Funtwo's YouTube video. Soon after watching him, I researched where he took guitar lessons to learn canon rock. I have not mastered the song yet, but am hopeful that someday I will be able to play Canon Rock like Funtwo.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jordy_Christo
วันอาทิตย์ที่ 17 ตุลาคม พ.ศ. 2553
5 Steps to Curing Writer's Block
Songs just don't materialize out of thin air - most of the time. For most great lyrics, someone has spent considerable time writing, revising, gathering feedback and rewriting to build their masterpiece. Writing is work, and it's not always easy.
I'd like to say I work as diligently at all my songs as the great songwriters of our times. The sad fact is that I usually have trouble getting the initial draft out of my head and onto the page. I've fallen victim to the mythical Writers' Block more times than I'd like to admit, and I typically end up stuck without a draft, rationalizing my way out of the work of writing.
All that being said, I have to say that I don't believe in Writers' Block as an actual state or condition. I've come to believe that in most cases, we have a series of lame excuses for not honing our craft that we tend to BLAME on Writers' Block.
Why can't we just come out and say the things we want to say? The following is just the starter list of a series of lame excuses we use (ok, that I use) to avoid doing any actual work toward refining my song craft.
Lame Excuse # 1 - Laziness -
For many of us not-quite-published songwriters, Writers' Block is sometimes a code word for just plain laziness. So many times when I sit down to write, I never get beyond step 1 because I'm just too lazy. Too lazy to think through exactly what I want to say. Too lazy to come up with a clear song vision, or jot down a simple melody or one of those (seemingly great) hook lines that pop into my head from time to time.This is perhaps the easiest excuse to get past. All it requires is a commitment to taking a first step toward your final destination.
Lame Excuse # 2 - Anxiety -
More times than not, this one's a bigger culprit than laziness, and is sometimes the root cause of my laziness, lurking just beneath the surface. Insecurities about exposing the fruit of our labor into the marketplace are very real and sometimes very intimidating.We become vulnerable each time we put ourselves into our craft. What if someone doesn't like my ideas? What if they do, and they act on them? What if the world thinks I'm just plain nuts? What if?
All these things could happen, but we'll never know if we don't get beyond that initial draft. Unless we get beyond our initial drafts consistently, we'll probably never get the opportunity for the world to hate us at all! People can't hear the music in our heads. If we don't put it out there, we also forfeit the opportunity to share a really great song with the world.
Lame Excuse # 3 - I Got Nothin' to Say -
From time to time, I sit down to write, only to discover that I have nothing to say. Nothing really grabs me enough to motivate me to write. This is perhaps the most common, and quite possibly the lamest excuse for not writing. Unfortunately, great writers don't become great writers by writing during a few brief moments of inspiration. Songwriting is a craft. Developing these skills takes time and lots of practice. Writing itself - about anything at all - can motivate us to write. We just need to lose the lame excuse and get started.
The Cure - 5 Steps to Curing Writers' Block
Here's where the rubber meets the road. I'm about to share with you a few techniques for slaying the demon of Writers' Block. While I can't guarantee you'll win a Grammy within the first year of practicing these techniques, these techniques can help you get closer to completing an initial draft. You'll actually have SOMETHING to revise! SOMETHING to craft into a potential masterpiece!
Great songs are like diamonds. They can take quite a bit of time to develop. To create that rare gem, we have to continually press and polish all the coal we've got laying around in our heads, discarding the rough edges and molding it into a fine gemstone.
Hopefully these techniques will provide you with a large piece of coal that just might become a diamond over time - if you work at it hard and long enough.
Step #1 - Feed Your Brain
If you're having trouble coming up with a topic, salvation from Writer's Block may be as near as your coffee table. Pick up the remote control and turn on the tube, or pick up the paper and read. The news can be a great source of material for songwriters.Comedians often comment that the real life is funnier than anything they could have come up with on their own. There is a certain universality to many things that happen around us that makes for great lyrical content. Whether they affect the entire world, or just the people on your street, real-life events can be a great inspiration.
Step #2 - Write Down Your Reasons For Writing
Knowing why you want to write something (this doesn't just apply to songs) can be very useful. It can help you set an initial direction and begin to gain momentum. Maybe you're writing to express the deep-seated love you have for fly-fishing. Maybe you're outraged at the local Sonic Drive-in for NEVER giving you enough napkins without your having to ask. Ask yourself where you want the song to go. If you're writing about something personal that you don't care to share with the world, (maybe a purely therapeutic exercise to help you get over a lost love or pet), you don't have to worry as much about building a universal appeal. If you want to appeal to a specific audience, this could influence the direction your writing takes as well.
Step #3 - Write Anything!
The best way to get the creative juices flowing for me is to simply begin writing about ANYTHING. It doesn't have to be a focused stream of beautiful melodies that get it all said in perfect form. As a matter of fact, it doesn't even have to be a lyric. I typically pick a subject and write down a 1/2 page stream of consciousness babble about everything that comes into my head when I think about it. When I'm done, I usually have a few good starting places for a song. A hook phrase might stand out from my random babblings. I might not use any of the content, but the rhythmic patterns of certain word combinations might spark an idea for a melody I can develop for a song about something totally different.
Step #4 - Brainstorm
If your writing tends to take an immediate direction when you write in complete thoughts and sentences, you might come up with a larger variety of content by brainstorming short words and phrases. Just like in the above exercise, pick a subject. Set a timer for 10 or 15 minutes and begin writing down words and short phrases that have to do with your subject matter. Don't stop writing until the timer goes off. Make a conscious effort to keep the pen moving as much as possible during the exercise.
Step #5 - Develop a Clear Song Vision.
By using the above techniques, you've probably developed nice broad base of material that you can use to start many songs. The next step to take is to develop a clear Song Vision.A truly great song says one thing and says it well. A song vision is simply a brief statement that says what you want to say as concisely as possible. The entire song should communicate your song vision. Anything that takes away from the vision makes the song less powerful. Think about what you want to say, and articulate it in a few sentences before trying to write all the lyrics. It's ok for your song vision to change as you work out revisions. Just make sure that every piece of the song communications the vision clearly. Keeping your song vision in mind will help you maintain direction and focus, or change the song's entire direction as you discover something different you might want to say.
This is Just the Beginning. Once you've developed your song vision, you've almost conquered the demon Writers' Block. You now have something to say. Now just get to work and say it!
Craig Canon
http://5minuteguitarlessons.com
craig@5minuteguitarlessons.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Craig_Canon
I'd like to say I work as diligently at all my songs as the great songwriters of our times. The sad fact is that I usually have trouble getting the initial draft out of my head and onto the page. I've fallen victim to the mythical Writers' Block more times than I'd like to admit, and I typically end up stuck without a draft, rationalizing my way out of the work of writing.
All that being said, I have to say that I don't believe in Writers' Block as an actual state or condition. I've come to believe that in most cases, we have a series of lame excuses for not honing our craft that we tend to BLAME on Writers' Block.
Why can't we just come out and say the things we want to say? The following is just the starter list of a series of lame excuses we use (ok, that I use) to avoid doing any actual work toward refining my song craft.
Lame Excuse # 1 - Laziness -
For many of us not-quite-published songwriters, Writers' Block is sometimes a code word for just plain laziness. So many times when I sit down to write, I never get beyond step 1 because I'm just too lazy. Too lazy to think through exactly what I want to say. Too lazy to come up with a clear song vision, or jot down a simple melody or one of those (seemingly great) hook lines that pop into my head from time to time.This is perhaps the easiest excuse to get past. All it requires is a commitment to taking a first step toward your final destination.
Lame Excuse # 2 - Anxiety -
More times than not, this one's a bigger culprit than laziness, and is sometimes the root cause of my laziness, lurking just beneath the surface. Insecurities about exposing the fruit of our labor into the marketplace are very real and sometimes very intimidating.We become vulnerable each time we put ourselves into our craft. What if someone doesn't like my ideas? What if they do, and they act on them? What if the world thinks I'm just plain nuts? What if?
All these things could happen, but we'll never know if we don't get beyond that initial draft. Unless we get beyond our initial drafts consistently, we'll probably never get the opportunity for the world to hate us at all! People can't hear the music in our heads. If we don't put it out there, we also forfeit the opportunity to share a really great song with the world.
Lame Excuse # 3 - I Got Nothin' to Say -
From time to time, I sit down to write, only to discover that I have nothing to say. Nothing really grabs me enough to motivate me to write. This is perhaps the most common, and quite possibly the lamest excuse for not writing. Unfortunately, great writers don't become great writers by writing during a few brief moments of inspiration. Songwriting is a craft. Developing these skills takes time and lots of practice. Writing itself - about anything at all - can motivate us to write. We just need to lose the lame excuse and get started.
The Cure - 5 Steps to Curing Writers' Block
Here's where the rubber meets the road. I'm about to share with you a few techniques for slaying the demon of Writers' Block. While I can't guarantee you'll win a Grammy within the first year of practicing these techniques, these techniques can help you get closer to completing an initial draft. You'll actually have SOMETHING to revise! SOMETHING to craft into a potential masterpiece!
Great songs are like diamonds. They can take quite a bit of time to develop. To create that rare gem, we have to continually press and polish all the coal we've got laying around in our heads, discarding the rough edges and molding it into a fine gemstone.
Hopefully these techniques will provide you with a large piece of coal that just might become a diamond over time - if you work at it hard and long enough.
Step #1 - Feed Your Brain
If you're having trouble coming up with a topic, salvation from Writer's Block may be as near as your coffee table. Pick up the remote control and turn on the tube, or pick up the paper and read. The news can be a great source of material for songwriters.Comedians often comment that the real life is funnier than anything they could have come up with on their own. There is a certain universality to many things that happen around us that makes for great lyrical content. Whether they affect the entire world, or just the people on your street, real-life events can be a great inspiration.
Step #2 - Write Down Your Reasons For Writing
Knowing why you want to write something (this doesn't just apply to songs) can be very useful. It can help you set an initial direction and begin to gain momentum. Maybe you're writing to express the deep-seated love you have for fly-fishing. Maybe you're outraged at the local Sonic Drive-in for NEVER giving you enough napkins without your having to ask. Ask yourself where you want the song to go. If you're writing about something personal that you don't care to share with the world, (maybe a purely therapeutic exercise to help you get over a lost love or pet), you don't have to worry as much about building a universal appeal. If you want to appeal to a specific audience, this could influence the direction your writing takes as well.
Step #3 - Write Anything!
The best way to get the creative juices flowing for me is to simply begin writing about ANYTHING. It doesn't have to be a focused stream of beautiful melodies that get it all said in perfect form. As a matter of fact, it doesn't even have to be a lyric. I typically pick a subject and write down a 1/2 page stream of consciousness babble about everything that comes into my head when I think about it. When I'm done, I usually have a few good starting places for a song. A hook phrase might stand out from my random babblings. I might not use any of the content, but the rhythmic patterns of certain word combinations might spark an idea for a melody I can develop for a song about something totally different.
Step #4 - Brainstorm
If your writing tends to take an immediate direction when you write in complete thoughts and sentences, you might come up with a larger variety of content by brainstorming short words and phrases. Just like in the above exercise, pick a subject. Set a timer for 10 or 15 minutes and begin writing down words and short phrases that have to do with your subject matter. Don't stop writing until the timer goes off. Make a conscious effort to keep the pen moving as much as possible during the exercise.
Step #5 - Develop a Clear Song Vision.
By using the above techniques, you've probably developed nice broad base of material that you can use to start many songs. The next step to take is to develop a clear Song Vision.A truly great song says one thing and says it well. A song vision is simply a brief statement that says what you want to say as concisely as possible. The entire song should communicate your song vision. Anything that takes away from the vision makes the song less powerful. Think about what you want to say, and articulate it in a few sentences before trying to write all the lyrics. It's ok for your song vision to change as you work out revisions. Just make sure that every piece of the song communications the vision clearly. Keeping your song vision in mind will help you maintain direction and focus, or change the song's entire direction as you discover something different you might want to say.
This is Just the Beginning. Once you've developed your song vision, you've almost conquered the demon Writers' Block. You now have something to say. Now just get to work and say it!
Craig Canon
http://5minuteguitarlessons.com
craig@5minuteguitarlessons.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Craig_Canon
Strange Loops & Musical Puzzles - Complex Patterns That Mirror the Soul
A Strange Loop is a concept created by Douglas R. Hofstadter in his book, Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Braid. The 'Strange Loop' is a continuous cycle of feedback in a system that allows it to 'perceive itself', to talk about itself, to become 'self-aware'." Hofstadter's Inspiration for writing GEB, first published in 1979, was his long-held conviction that his strange loop notion "holds the key to unraveling the mystery that we conscious beings call 'being' or 'consciousness'." Also called an "isomorphism", Hofstadter sees Strange Loops as an analogy for the way human language tracks reality "through the [complex] organic processes taking place inside the brains of carbon based life forms." In Mathematics, the Strange Loop is an "endless mathematical system that perceives itself through 'meaningless' symbols that use patterns to accurately track, or mirror, various phenomena in the world [such as a computer program]." Implicit in Hofstadter's definition of Strange Loops is the concept of infinity - a way of representing an endless process in a finite way.
In GEB, Hofstadter extends his Strange Loop analogy to mathematics, art and music, giving examples of this phenomena discovered by mathematician Kurt Godel (Incompleteness Theorem in Mathematical Logic - a mathematical proof that connects self-referential statements to number theory); intellectually stimulating lithographs and woodcuts by Dutch Graphic artist M.C. Escher; and complex Canons and Fugues by Eighteenth Century musician, J.S. Bach, (specifically, Musical Offering, representing one of Bach's supreme accomplishments in musical counterpoint.) It is Hofstadter's insight on Bach's musical work that I want to discuss here.
Hofstadter explains that on May 7, 1747, Bach first played his Fugue, Musical Offering, extemporaneously for Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, who played the flute and enjoyed evening concerts of chamber music. The King wanted Bach to try out his large collection of pianos, and summoned him to his palace. He asked the King to give him a subject (musical idea) for a Fugue. The King did, and expressed a wish to hear the Fugue based on his idea with six Obligato (accompaniment) parts! To the King's astonishment, Bach was able to perform it. When Bach returned home to Leipzig, he composed it in three and six parts, including ten of the most sophisticated canons he ever wrote, had it engraved under the title of "Musikalisches Opfer" (Musical Offering) and humbly dedicated it to the King.
In GEB, Hofstadter extends his Strange Loop analogy to mathematics, art and music, giving examples of this phenomena discovered by mathematician Kurt Godel (Incompleteness Theorem in Mathematical Logic - a mathematical proof that connects self-referential statements to number theory); intellectually stimulating lithographs and woodcuts by Dutch Graphic artist M.C. Escher; and complex Canons and Fugues by Eighteenth Century musician, J.S. Bach, (specifically, Musical Offering, representing one of Bach's supreme accomplishments in musical counterpoint.) It is Hofstadter's insight on Bach's musical work that I want to discuss here.
Hofstadter explains that on May 7, 1747, Bach first played his Fugue, Musical Offering, extemporaneously for Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, who played the flute and enjoyed evening concerts of chamber music. The King wanted Bach to try out his large collection of pianos, and summoned him to his palace. He asked the King to give him a subject (musical idea) for a Fugue. The King did, and expressed a wish to hear the Fugue based on his idea with six Obligato (accompaniment) parts! To the King's astonishment, Bach was able to perform it. When Bach returned home to Leipzig, he composed it in three and six parts, including ten of the most sophisticated canons he ever wrote, had it engraved under the title of "Musikalisches Opfer" (Musical Offering) and humbly dedicated it to the King.
Learn to Play Keyboard Now - Canons
When students decide to learn to play keyboard, or seek easy piano lessons for that matter, they must take the time to familiarize themselves with the proper musical terminology associated with that instrument, and a great place to start is with canons. Now, beginners mustn't worry about actually playing canons (depending on the canon, this could prove to be very difficult), but as students, they must be willing to understand the potential that their instrument possesses, so that they can seek the ability to reach that potential.
The best explanation I've ever come across to explain a canon, comes from Douglas Hofstadter, author of "Godel, Escher, Bach: The Eternal Golden Braid":
In the section "Canons and Fugues", Hofstadter explains, "The idea of a canon is that one single theme is played against itself. This is done by having "copies" of the theme played by the various participating voices." The author expounds on the idea by having the reader imagine singing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat". "Here, the theme enters in the first voice and, after a fixed time-delay, a "copy" of it enters, in precisely the same key", writes Hofstadter.
I'm sure you've tried this exact canon as a child, but to further explain, I've written an example:
THEME: "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"
Voice 1: Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream...
Voice 2: (Pause-----------------------) row, row, row your boat, gently down...
Voice 3: (Pause--------------------------------------------------------) row, row, row...
And so on.
But to make this particular theme a canon theme, Hofstadter writes, "...each of its notes must be able to serve in a dual (or triple, or quadruple) role: it must firstly be part of a melody, and secondly it must be part of a harmonization of the same melody." So, as each "staggered" theme initially conflicts with one another (as most themes will not harmonize with themselves automatically) it is up to the musician or musicians to harmonize the words (or notes), and make them work together.
For more FREE, easy piano lessons and tips, visit "Learn to Play Keyboard Now!" here. Or to learn continue your independent study, visit fugues.
James Walmsley is a former touring musician - traveling the world, and lending a hand wherever he can. He writes for http://www.learn-to-play-keyboard-now.com to show the world that they too can learn to play the piano/keyboard independently.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Walmsley
The best explanation I've ever come across to explain a canon, comes from Douglas Hofstadter, author of "Godel, Escher, Bach: The Eternal Golden Braid":
In the section "Canons and Fugues", Hofstadter explains, "The idea of a canon is that one single theme is played against itself. This is done by having "copies" of the theme played by the various participating voices." The author expounds on the idea by having the reader imagine singing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat". "Here, the theme enters in the first voice and, after a fixed time-delay, a "copy" of it enters, in precisely the same key", writes Hofstadter.
I'm sure you've tried this exact canon as a child, but to further explain, I've written an example:
THEME: "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"
Voice 1: Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream...
Voice 2: (Pause-----------------------) row, row, row your boat, gently down...
Voice 3: (Pause--------------------------------------------------------) row, row, row...
And so on.
But to make this particular theme a canon theme, Hofstadter writes, "...each of its notes must be able to serve in a dual (or triple, or quadruple) role: it must firstly be part of a melody, and secondly it must be part of a harmonization of the same melody." So, as each "staggered" theme initially conflicts with one another (as most themes will not harmonize with themselves automatically) it is up to the musician or musicians to harmonize the words (or notes), and make them work together.
For more FREE, easy piano lessons and tips, visit "Learn to Play Keyboard Now!" here. Or to learn continue your independent study, visit fugues.
James Walmsley is a former touring musician - traveling the world, and lending a hand wherever he can. He writes for http://www.learn-to-play-keyboard-now.com to show the world that they too can learn to play the piano/keyboard independently.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Walmsley
How to Play Classical Guitar
If you, like many people, are intrigued by the classical guitar and are wondering about how to play it, you might enjoy this little expose. I will be talking about the ways the classical guitar is different from other acoustic guitars and, of course, the techniques employed in playing classical guitar music.
If you look at a classical guitar the first difference you will notice is the way the neck joins the body. Electric guitars and steel string acoustic guitars often have a cutaway neck to allow the guitar player to fret notes at the top end of the scale. This kind of neck is actually a modern innovation. Even though classical guitar players have always utilized the uppermost notes on the guitar fretboard, classical guitars stuck with the original guitar shape.
Another difference between the classical guitar and other kinds of guitars is the width of the neck. On the steel string acoustic guitar the neck is slightly narrower than the original design retained by the classical guitar. If you try to play a classical guitar for the first time you will probably find this difference a little hard to get used to.
The classical guitar uses nylon strings exclusively. They have a very warm, mellow sound. Of course, it is debatable that the nylon string sound is the best for classical music (just look at the success on YouTube of the kid playing Pachabel's Canon on electric guitar) but the use of nylon strings is due partly to tradition and partly to the fact that steel strings are a lot harder on the guitar player's fingernails.
Now to the way you play the classical guitar. The basic thing to understand is that plectrums and fingerpicks are not used by classical guitarists. The sound produced is a product of the guitar player's fingertips or fingernails plucking or striking the nylon strings. It is the guitar player's choice whether to use nails or just the flesh of the fingertips. Many people think that it is more difficult to play the guitar without nails, but players who just use their fingertips say it is no more difficult to learn to play that way. If you have your right hand close to the bridge of the guitar you will produce a sharp, dry tone. If you pluck the strings with your right hand nearer the neck you will get a warm, mellow sound.
The plucking of the classical guitar strings can be done in two ways. The "rest" stroke is where the thumb or the fingers pluck the string and come to rest on the next string. The "free" stroke is where the thumb and fingers attack the string in such a way as to avoid the adjacent strings. If you need to know more about the difference between these two techniques a search on the internet will give you videos and pictures that illustrate the two strokes. When you try to use these techniques you will notice the marked difference in sound. Another technique used in classical guitar playing is the tremelo technique where the right hand thumb plays a bass note followed by the index, middle and ring fingers playing melody notes in quick succession. A famous piece employing the tremelo is Recuerdos de la Alhambra by Francisco Tárrega. Finally a rather tricky technique is used for playing solos using the sound of harmonics. This involves the right hand index finger damping the string while the ring finger plucks.
When you play chords by scraping the right hand fingers or thumb across the strings it is called a rasgueado. You can strum chords with the thumb using a down stroke, the index finger using up or down strokes or, less commonly, by using the flamenco rasgueado which entails the little finger, ring finger, middle finger, index finger and thumb following each other in a down stroke across the strings.
I realize that you are going to need to do further research to see what these guitar techniques look and sound like, but if you are interested in playing classical guitar or using classical techniques to play modern music, sheet music and tabs for classical guitar are readily available on the internet.
Ricky Sharples has been playing guitar his whole life, and is presently engaged in building a blog which features free guitar lessons, videos, articles and reviews to help you Learn The Guitar for free. Ricky updates the blog constantly so if you are interested in learning to play guitar there will be an enormous variety of tips, tools and tutorials for you.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ricky_Sharples
If you look at a classical guitar the first difference you will notice is the way the neck joins the body. Electric guitars and steel string acoustic guitars often have a cutaway neck to allow the guitar player to fret notes at the top end of the scale. This kind of neck is actually a modern innovation. Even though classical guitar players have always utilized the uppermost notes on the guitar fretboard, classical guitars stuck with the original guitar shape.
Another difference between the classical guitar and other kinds of guitars is the width of the neck. On the steel string acoustic guitar the neck is slightly narrower than the original design retained by the classical guitar. If you try to play a classical guitar for the first time you will probably find this difference a little hard to get used to.
The classical guitar uses nylon strings exclusively. They have a very warm, mellow sound. Of course, it is debatable that the nylon string sound is the best for classical music (just look at the success on YouTube of the kid playing Pachabel's Canon on electric guitar) but the use of nylon strings is due partly to tradition and partly to the fact that steel strings are a lot harder on the guitar player's fingernails.
Now to the way you play the classical guitar. The basic thing to understand is that plectrums and fingerpicks are not used by classical guitarists. The sound produced is a product of the guitar player's fingertips or fingernails plucking or striking the nylon strings. It is the guitar player's choice whether to use nails or just the flesh of the fingertips. Many people think that it is more difficult to play the guitar without nails, but players who just use their fingertips say it is no more difficult to learn to play that way. If you have your right hand close to the bridge of the guitar you will produce a sharp, dry tone. If you pluck the strings with your right hand nearer the neck you will get a warm, mellow sound.
The plucking of the classical guitar strings can be done in two ways. The "rest" stroke is where the thumb or the fingers pluck the string and come to rest on the next string. The "free" stroke is where the thumb and fingers attack the string in such a way as to avoid the adjacent strings. If you need to know more about the difference between these two techniques a search on the internet will give you videos and pictures that illustrate the two strokes. When you try to use these techniques you will notice the marked difference in sound. Another technique used in classical guitar playing is the tremelo technique where the right hand thumb plays a bass note followed by the index, middle and ring fingers playing melody notes in quick succession. A famous piece employing the tremelo is Recuerdos de la Alhambra by Francisco Tárrega. Finally a rather tricky technique is used for playing solos using the sound of harmonics. This involves the right hand index finger damping the string while the ring finger plucks.
When you play chords by scraping the right hand fingers or thumb across the strings it is called a rasgueado. You can strum chords with the thumb using a down stroke, the index finger using up or down strokes or, less commonly, by using the flamenco rasgueado which entails the little finger, ring finger, middle finger, index finger and thumb following each other in a down stroke across the strings.
I realize that you are going to need to do further research to see what these guitar techniques look and sound like, but if you are interested in playing classical guitar or using classical techniques to play modern music, sheet music and tabs for classical guitar are readily available on the internet.
Ricky Sharples has been playing guitar his whole life, and is presently engaged in building a blog which features free guitar lessons, videos, articles and reviews to help you Learn The Guitar for free. Ricky updates the blog constantly so if you are interested in learning to play guitar there will be an enormous variety of tips, tools and tutorials for you.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ricky_Sharples
5 Great Beginner Guitar Solos For Anyone Keen to Be the Lead Guitarist
If you're playing the guitar for the first time and haven't quite grasped the basics, the truth is that you shouldn't even be thinking of taking on guitar solos at all. If you are starting completely from scratch, what you need to learn first are the basic open chords that are the bread and butter to playing any song in the world. Then you need to understand the rhythm and how to strum according to suit different genres of songs.
The pressure as the lead guitar can be heavy as you are expected to drive the band forward with what you play. If you cannot even take on that pressure, how then can you play the lead guitar. You need to master all of the basics before attempting guitar solos. Once you've done all that and are confident enough of yourself, then maybe you can consider taking on beginner guitar solos for the lead guitar.
So what is a guitar solo? A guitar solo is essentially a passage in a song where the lead guitar basically becomes free to express himself (sometimes in a semi-berserk way) by playing either a fixed or improvised in the song where all attention is focused on him. This is usually done by playing improvising along a certain scale with notes that fit in but at the player's behest.
The key to a great solo is for the player to tell a story through his solo - it is as good as his voice. This is the part where every rock star wannabe dreams of - the moment of fame and glory. As mentioned above, you won't be able to start playing guitar solos straightaway but once you've mastered the basics, you can try fooling around with your lead guitar and trying different variations, licks and fills. Below I will list a 5 great beginner guitar solos to learn lead guitar.
1) Stairway to Heaven
This legend hit is a great beginner guitar solo to start with on the lead guitar and is fairly easy given the slow tempo but pay attention to the dynamics and be sure to do your best in conveying emotion and sentiment through your playing.
2) Hotel California
Nothing more to be said about this runaway hit; just remember to do a rendition that gives it the respect it is due.
3) November Rain
This great song by Slash is always a good beginner guitar solo to try out on the lead guitar; have fun playing around with it.
4) Freebird
This 1974 classic hit is simple and easy to learn; use it to practice improvising your guitar solos and you'll do just great.
5) Pachelbel Canon in D (Rock)
This great guitar solo to learn on the lead guitar was made famous by a musician aficionado who performed it to perfection on Youtube. It is by no means an easy song to master but it is sure one to impress because of its moderately insane tempo and the movement that your fingers have to cover.
One of the best places to learn how to play the guitar really well is through online guitar lessons. Learn what are some of best guitar courses available for free at http://www.how-to-learn-guitar.com today!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Andersen
The pressure as the lead guitar can be heavy as you are expected to drive the band forward with what you play. If you cannot even take on that pressure, how then can you play the lead guitar. You need to master all of the basics before attempting guitar solos. Once you've done all that and are confident enough of yourself, then maybe you can consider taking on beginner guitar solos for the lead guitar.
So what is a guitar solo? A guitar solo is essentially a passage in a song where the lead guitar basically becomes free to express himself (sometimes in a semi-berserk way) by playing either a fixed or improvised in the song where all attention is focused on him. This is usually done by playing improvising along a certain scale with notes that fit in but at the player's behest.
The key to a great solo is for the player to tell a story through his solo - it is as good as his voice. This is the part where every rock star wannabe dreams of - the moment of fame and glory. As mentioned above, you won't be able to start playing guitar solos straightaway but once you've mastered the basics, you can try fooling around with your lead guitar and trying different variations, licks and fills. Below I will list a 5 great beginner guitar solos to learn lead guitar.
1) Stairway to Heaven
This legend hit is a great beginner guitar solo to start with on the lead guitar and is fairly easy given the slow tempo but pay attention to the dynamics and be sure to do your best in conveying emotion and sentiment through your playing.
2) Hotel California
Nothing more to be said about this runaway hit; just remember to do a rendition that gives it the respect it is due.
3) November Rain
This great song by Slash is always a good beginner guitar solo to try out on the lead guitar; have fun playing around with it.
4) Freebird
This 1974 classic hit is simple and easy to learn; use it to practice improvising your guitar solos and you'll do just great.
5) Pachelbel Canon in D (Rock)
This great guitar solo to learn on the lead guitar was made famous by a musician aficionado who performed it to perfection on Youtube. It is by no means an easy song to master but it is sure one to impress because of its moderately insane tempo and the movement that your fingers have to cover.
One of the best places to learn how to play the guitar really well is through online guitar lessons. Learn what are some of best guitar courses available for free at http://www.how-to-learn-guitar.com today!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Andersen
How to Record Electric Guitar - The Secret to Getting a Great Sound at Home
Recording in the home studio is done more and more these days. The electric guitar is well suited to being captured within the restrictions of this environment. Guitar amplifiers are naturally quite loud, so compared to recording violin, less soundproofing is required, not to mention the possibility of using the vast array of Amp Simulators. With Amp Simulators, a good DI or a hardware amp simulator is all you need!
So all you have in your home studio beside your instruments and amp is an MBOX, a few microphone leads, a dynamic and condenser microphone, computer, monitors and a stand! Not much, but more than enough to capture a great guitar recording. As two inputs are enough in most cases, some interesting techniques can help you get the sound you've always wanted.
One of the first things to do is make sure you have a great sounding instrument that is properly setup, has relatively new strings and of course, is in tune. An out of tune guitar is one of the remaining things that you can't "Fix" in pro tools! A good amplifier which suits the music and sound you're after and of course, a good guitar lead. You wouldn't believe the differences one lead to another can make! I've always thought of this as 'gobbledygook', but believe me, there are definitely differences!
If you don't have a vast array of microphones to choose from, try each different microphone in your collection to see which one you like best. As always, trust your ears and go with the one that sounds best to you. It may not be the 'Typical' microphone for the job, but it may be the best choice depending on the sound you're after.
There are many different schools of thought when it comes to recording guitar amplifiers, none of which is the quintessential method, nor any wrong. Some people like to place two different sounding microphones up close, one sure SM57 close, a 57' up close and a condenser in omnimode somewhere within the room capturing the natural reflections, a ribbon microphone is also often used.
I have come to the conclusion that there is no "Best Method,"; experimentation is the key. A useful way of determining how the microphone sounds when in record is to send the audio back to a pair of noise-reducing headphones(In-Ear Monitors are best) whilst moving the microphone around the amplifier and the room, listening to the varying sounds that are produced. You will need to have another guitar player playing or simply use a loop pedal to feed guitar signals into your amp. You will be amazed by the differences. Also as the guitar is loud, it's a good idea to place the amplifier in a different room to your control room as you will be able to hear how it sounds through the monitors as well as your headphones.
There are two, prevalent microphone positions for recording guitar amplifiers. One is "On Axis" and the other is "Off Axis". Off Axis is when the microphone is aimed at an angle to the speaker cone and On Axis is when the microphone is pointed towards the speaker cone. On Axis will give you a more upfront and fuller sound, where off axis the soundwaves hit the microphone capsule on an angle giving it a thinner sound. On axis also gives the best rejection from outside noises and other instruments. This is useful when doing live recordings or when sound proofing isn't accessible.
Some people like to record guitar amps really loud to get "That sound", whilst others prefer to record a lower levels. I believe this greatly depends on the amplifier given; a 1watt amp will distort at lower levels than a 100watt amp. At the end of the day, it's what sounds best to you and how you play. All of the above are simply guides to your endless world of experimentation recording guitar amplifiers. Good luck!
Want your Recording to sound professional?
Find all of the best How to Record Electric Guitar Secrets here.
Get the best sounds, tips and advice at Recording Studios Melbourne.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fred_Grazier
So all you have in your home studio beside your instruments and amp is an MBOX, a few microphone leads, a dynamic and condenser microphone, computer, monitors and a stand! Not much, but more than enough to capture a great guitar recording. As two inputs are enough in most cases, some interesting techniques can help you get the sound you've always wanted.
One of the first things to do is make sure you have a great sounding instrument that is properly setup, has relatively new strings and of course, is in tune. An out of tune guitar is one of the remaining things that you can't "Fix" in pro tools! A good amplifier which suits the music and sound you're after and of course, a good guitar lead. You wouldn't believe the differences one lead to another can make! I've always thought of this as 'gobbledygook', but believe me, there are definitely differences!
If you don't have a vast array of microphones to choose from, try each different microphone in your collection to see which one you like best. As always, trust your ears and go with the one that sounds best to you. It may not be the 'Typical' microphone for the job, but it may be the best choice depending on the sound you're after.
There are many different schools of thought when it comes to recording guitar amplifiers, none of which is the quintessential method, nor any wrong. Some people like to place two different sounding microphones up close, one sure SM57 close, a 57' up close and a condenser in omnimode somewhere within the room capturing the natural reflections, a ribbon microphone is also often used.
I have come to the conclusion that there is no "Best Method,"; experimentation is the key. A useful way of determining how the microphone sounds when in record is to send the audio back to a pair of noise-reducing headphones(In-Ear Monitors are best) whilst moving the microphone around the amplifier and the room, listening to the varying sounds that are produced. You will need to have another guitar player playing or simply use a loop pedal to feed guitar signals into your amp. You will be amazed by the differences. Also as the guitar is loud, it's a good idea to place the amplifier in a different room to your control room as you will be able to hear how it sounds through the monitors as well as your headphones.
There are two, prevalent microphone positions for recording guitar amplifiers. One is "On Axis" and the other is "Off Axis". Off Axis is when the microphone is aimed at an angle to the speaker cone and On Axis is when the microphone is pointed towards the speaker cone. On Axis will give you a more upfront and fuller sound, where off axis the soundwaves hit the microphone capsule on an angle giving it a thinner sound. On axis also gives the best rejection from outside noises and other instruments. This is useful when doing live recordings or when sound proofing isn't accessible.
Some people like to record guitar amps really loud to get "That sound", whilst others prefer to record a lower levels. I believe this greatly depends on the amplifier given; a 1watt amp will distort at lower levels than a 100watt amp. At the end of the day, it's what sounds best to you and how you play. All of the above are simply guides to your endless world of experimentation recording guitar amplifiers. Good luck!
Want your Recording to sound professional?
Find all of the best How to Record Electric Guitar Secrets here.
Get the best sounds, tips and advice at Recording Studios Melbourne.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fred_Grazier
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