The ratio of the spacing of two consecutive frets is {\displaystyle {\sqrt[{12}]{2}}} (twelfth root of two). In practice, luthiers determine fret positions using the constant 17.817—an approximation to 1/(1-1/ {\displaystyle {\sqrt[{12}]{2}}} ). If the nth fret is a distance x from the bridge, then the distance from the (n+1)th fret to the bridge is x-(x/17.817).[15] Frets are available in several different gauges and can be fitted according to player preference. Among these are "jumbo" frets, which have much thicker gauge, allowing for use of a slight vibrato technique from pushing the string down harder and softer. "Scalloped" fretboards, where the wood of the fretboard itself is "scooped out" between the frets, allow a dramatic vibrato effect. Fine frets, much flatter, allow a very low string-action, but require that other conditions, such as curvature of the neck, be well-maintained to prevent buzz.
On a day when there's a temptation to go into a dark place, and only see all the bad stuff there is in the world ... greed, cruelty, exploitation, selfishness ... I get days like that pretty often .... it's great to find someone giving out, and giving out good, and operating on an honour basis ... There are so many people who can't afford Guitar lessons .... well, here's a wonderful guy who has set up a whole system of teaching guitar ... Blues, Jazz, Rock, even Songwriting, from the basics, tuning the guitar, etc ... upwards ... If you use his site, it's up to you to determine how much you can contribute ... but this is an amazing site .... he is also very aware of issues in the world which need attention ... a great channel .. Check him out. He's a giver.

##### Learning guitar is a lot easier when you have a step-by-step system to follow. Guitar Tricks lessons are interconnected and organized to get slightly harder as you progress. You watch a video lesson, play along, and then click a “Next” button to go to the next lesson. Lessons have multiple camera angles, guitar tabs, jam tracks and everything else you need to learn.

I think for all parties, if we had the ability to send a "two day backstage pass" (you can use that), where we can send a friend a link and they could try the sight for free but couldn't submit videos. I have a few friends that I keep trying to sell them on but they just are not totally sold and I think it's because the beauty of this site is the personalized VE's are. The interaction between student and teacher is what really makes this magical and it's really hard to describe. The search feature could be a little better, more precise and sometimes it finds no VE hits on simple searches like street. Otherwise I am one of your biggest fans.
Picks come in many shapes and sizes. Picks vary from the small jazz pick to the large bass pick. The thickness of the pick often determines its use. A thinner pick (between 0.2 and 0.5 mm) is usually used for strumming or rhythm playing, whereas thicker picks (between 0.7 and 1.5+ mm) are usually used for single-note lines or lead playing. The distinctive guitar sound of Billy Gibbons is attributed to using a quarter or peso as a pick. Similarly, Brian May is known to use a sixpence coin as a pick, while noted 1970s and early 1980s session musician David Persons is known for using old credit cards, cut to the correct size, as plectrums.
This book is smaller than I thought it would be, but it's fairly thick. The book is 6.5 inches wide, 9.5 inches 'tall', and slightly more than 1 inch thick. It is not spiral bound and so it does not lay flat very well at all. After I located a song that I wanted to play, I tried to force the book to lay flat by pushing down on the spine. It didn't help much and it is frustrating when the book wants to close while you're reading it. I might have to take it somewhere to have it spiral bound. The songs are listed in alphabetical order which makes it easy to find the song you're looking for if you know the title. And here is the part that surprised me: The book contains lyrics, chord diagrams, and chord names "only". It ... full review

As you start practicing, your fingers may be sore for a while, but that will pass with four to six weeks. One thing I want to warn you about is that new guitar players can get frustrated when they can’t play clean chords because they try to switch between chords too soon. Often, they try to switch chords before they’ve really learned and memorized each chord shape. For now, don’t worry about switching chords and just work on each shape, getting them down, and going right to them.
Once you know the basic chords, it might be easier to think of them the way the function inside a key. For example, when in the key of E, the E (I) is called the Tonic. It's what all the other chords want to get to—which is what helps give western music its sense of motion. The A (IV) in the key of E functions as the Subdominant—it's sort of a passive in-between, just as happy to continue forward, as to relax back to the Tonic. The Dominant is just what it sounds like: it leads you where it wants to go. In the key of E, that role is filled by the B (V), and will definitely make your brain want to get back to the Tonic! When you get more familiar with the chords, and want to sketch out a tune, try writing it as I-IV-V (or variations of that) instead of E-A-B. It will make it much easier to transpose when you find out your singer cannot sing in the original key!
A string’s gauge is how thick it is. As a general rule, the thicker a string is the warmer its response will be and the more volume it will produce. However, thicker strings are also stiffer. This makes it harder to fret the string and makes it more difficult to execute heavy string bends. Thinner strings are generally brighter and easier to play, but on some instruments they can sound thin and tinny.
The pickguard, also known as the scratchplate, is usually a piece of laminated plastic or other material that protects the finish of the top of the guitar from damage due to the use of a plectrum ("pick") or fingernails. Electric guitars sometimes mount pickups and electronics on the pickguard. It is a common feature on steel-string acoustic guitars. Some performance styles that use the guitar as a percussion instrument (tapping the top or sides between notes, etc.), such as flamenco, require that a scratchplate or pickguard be fitted to nylon-string instruments.
The modern word guitar, and its antecedents, has been applied to a wide variety of chordophones since classical times and as such causes confusion. The English word guitar, the German Gitarre, and the French guitare were all adopted from the Spanish guitarra, which comes from the Andalusian Arabic قيثارة (qīthārah)[4] and the Latin cithara, which in turn came from the Ancient Greek κιθάρα (kithara).[A] which comes from Persian word Sihtar. We can see this kind of naming in Setar, Tar, Dutar and Sitar. The word "Tar" at the end of all of these words is a Persian word that means "string".[6]

As with most chords in this list, a clear G major chord depends on curling your first finger so the open fourth string rings clearly. Strum all six strings. Sometimes, it makes sense to play a G major chord using your third finger on the sixth string, your second finger on the fifth string, and your fourth (pinky) finger on the first string. This fingering makes the move to a C major chord much easier.


Our Suzuki teachers are experienced in teaching CCM students as young as 3. Developed by the Japanese Violinist Shinichi Suzuki, the Suzuki method teaches music by ear before reading notes on the instrument so teachers can focus on setting up each student with correct posture and technique to ensure the student's continued success. Parental involvement is required for students under the age of 8 and before the child starts, parents are required to attend a private 3-week parent education class.
For the standard tuning, there is exactly one interval of a major third between the second and third strings, and all the other intervals are fourths. The irregularity has a price - chords cannot be shifted around the fretboard in the standard tuning E-A-D-G-B-E, which requires four chord-shapes for the major chords. There are separate chord-forms for chords having their root note on the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth strings.[19]
On a day when there's a temptation to go into a dark place, and only see all the bad stuff there is in the world ... greed, cruelty, exploitation, selfishness ... I get days like that pretty often .... it's great to find someone giving out, and giving out good, and operating on an honour basis ... There are so many people who can't afford Guitar lessons .... well, here's a wonderful guy who has set up a whole system of teaching guitar ... Blues, Jazz, Rock, even Songwriting, from the basics, tuning the guitar, etc ... upwards ... If you use his site, it's up to you to determine how much you can contribute ... but this is an amazing site .... he is also very aware of issues in the world which need attention ... a great channel .. Check him out. He's a giver.

##### The shape of the neck (from a cross-sectional perspective) can also vary, from a gentle "C" curve to a more pronounced "V" curve. There are many different types of neck profiles available, giving the guitarist many options. Some aspects to consider in a guitar neck may be the overall width of the fretboard, scale (distance between the frets), the neck wood, the type of neck construction (for example, the neck may be glued in or bolted on), and the shape (profile) of the back of the neck. Other types of material used to make guitar necks are graphite (Steinberger guitars), aluminum (Kramer Guitars, Travis Bean and Veleno guitars), or carbon fiber (Modulus Guitars and ThreeGuitars). Double neck electric guitars have two necks, allowing the musician to quickly switch between guitar sounds.

If you’re interested in playing lead guitar or performing guitar solos, you’ll want to check out the Lead Guitar Quick-Start Series. It’s a collection of 12 lessons that cover everything you need to know to start exploring lead guitar. You’ll learn basic picking technique, the major scale, the major pentatonic scale, the minor pentatonic scale, how to play a guitar solo, and much more.
Are you stuck in a musical rut? New tunings and tricks can help you keep learning guitar in fresh, fun ways. Try one of these great tips from guitar teacher Samuel B. to breathe new life into your guitar playing... One of the first things I tell any new student is that I don't specialize in a formal discipline. If jazz or classical training is your objective, then I'm not your guy. Instead, I specialize primarily in American roots music (that which we tend to casually lump together as "folk" … Read More
When all is said and done, the only way to know for sure what a certain set of strings will sound like on your guitar is to take them for a spin. For that reason, it's not a bad idea to try out a few different ones that interest you to see which ones you like best - then you can stock up! However you like to approach your string shopping, the amazing selection you'll find here is sure to satisfy.

While Courses are a great way to learn guitar on your own, sometimes you need personalized feedback or private lessons from top guitar instructors in order to bust out of that rut or step your guitar playing up to the next level. With no pressure nor scheduling issues, TrueFire Online Classrooms are the best way to take private guitar lessons online!
If you are starting or just stuck in rut, this is the site for you. I had been playing three years and was not advancing as I wanted to, then I saw an ad for Paul Gilbert lessons at Artistworks. I decided to check it out and I have to say, if I had this from the beginning, I would be a much better guitarist. The main reason why, is that Paul is known for his fast playing, but he focuses you on rhythm to start off. That is were I had lacked. I thought I was a decent rhythm player, but I was not. So much thanks to Artistworks and Paul for the great site.
For the longest time I have "messed around" with my guitar. I bought a book on Jazz guitar chords many years ago and found that those fingerings were way above my skill level. I decided to get a basic chord book to reinitiate myself. This is that book. Going through these pages has re-ignited my lust to learn more about playing my guitar. One chord at a time. Simple. Skip to another key just as simple. Actually, I haven't realized how many chords I really know how to play. I just need to learn the name of those chords. This book will help with that too. Give it a try.

### Justin, first off I just wanted to say thanks for all the advice and instruction. You make playing guitar easy and understandable and fun. You explain very well the hows and whys when presenting a new song to learn and walk it through so that anyone can learn. I have played guitar for 20 years now and have learned more from you in the last five years than the previous 15 by myself. You have also been a tremendous help to both my son and my daughter in learning to play as well by making playing fun and interesting. I have a couple of pictures of me and my children all doing what we love. Many Thanks to you Justin

My personal opinion on the topic, as one musician to another, is that the best thing you can possibly do when trying to figure out which string to go with is to try out as many different brands and types of guitar strings as you can. Strings are cheap enough that most people are going to be able to afford to experiment, and the truth of the matter is that you’re probably not going to really know what works best for you until you have hands on experience.
A few years back, I dusted off the ol' Takamine I got in high school to try some 'music therapy' with my disabled son, who was recovering from a massive at-birth stroke. This reignited my long dormant passion to transform myself from a beach strummer to a 'real' musician; however, as a single mom, taking in-person lessons was financially difficult. Then I found Justinguitar! Flash forward to today; my son is almost fully recovered (YAY!), my guitar collection has grown significantly, and I'm starting to play gigs. None of this would have been possible without your guidance and generosity, Justin. Thank you for being part of the journey!
Though they may not be as exciting of a topic as instruments or amplifiers, choosing the right type of strings for your guitar is incredibly important. Guitar strings have different responses and different feels, and when the right type of string is used it’s a huge asset to your playing. Likewise, when the wrong type of string is used it can be incredibly detrimental.
This month, HBO released a new documentary about Kurt Cobain's life called Montage of Heck. Unlike past documentaries on the legendary guitarist and singer, this one highlights his humanity and shares perhaps the most intimate look at his life that his fans have ever had.  Director Brett Morgan worked with Cobain's family, including his daughter Frances Bean Cobain, who provided home movies, photographs, and journals. At times funny and at other times deeply sad, Montage of Heck manages to gi
Stacking the C-major scale with thirds creates a chord progression  Play (help·info), traditionally enumerated with the Roman numerals I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, viio. Its major-key sub-progression C-F-G (I-IV-V) is conventional in popular music. In this progression, the minor triads ii-iii-vi appear in the relative minor key (Am)'s corresponding chord progression.
A capo (short for capotasto) is used to change the pitch of open strings.[28] Capos are clipped onto the fretboard with the aid of spring tension, or in some models, elastic tension. To raise the guitar's pitch by one semitone, the player would clip the capo onto the fretboard just below the first fret. Its use allows players to play in different keys without having to change the chord formations they use. For example, if a folk guitar player wanted to play a song in the key of B Major, they could put a capo on the second fret of the instrument, and then play the song as if it were in the key of A Major, but with the capo the instrument would make the sounds of B Major. This is because with the capo barring the entire second fret, open chords would all sound two semitones (aka one tone) higher in pitch. For example, if a guitarist played an open A Major chord (a very common open chord), it would sound like a B Major chord. All of the other open chords would be similarly modified in pitch. Because of the ease with which they allow guitar players to change keys, they are sometimes referred to with pejorative names, such as "cheaters" or the "hillbilly crutch". Despite this negative viewpoint, another benefit of the capo is that it enables guitarists to obtain the ringing, resonant sound of the common keys (C, G, A, etc.) in "harder" and less-commonly used keys. Classical performers are known to use them to enable modern instruments to match the pitch of historical instruments such as the Renaissance music lute.

# Acoustic guitars form several notable subcategories within the acoustic guitar group: classical and flamenco guitars; steel-string guitars, which include the flat-topped, or "folk", guitar; twelve-string guitars; and the arched-top guitar. The acoustic guitar group also includes unamplified guitars designed to play in different registers, such as the acoustic bass guitar, which has a similar tuning to that of the electric bass guitar.

Some piezo-equipped guitars use a hexaphonic pickup. "Hex" is a prefix meaning six. A hexaphonic pickup produces a separate output for each string, usually from a discrete piezoelectric or magnetic pickup for each string. This arrangement lets on-board or external electronics process the strings individually for modeling or Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) conversion. Roland makes hexaphonic pickups for guitar and bass, and a line of guitar modeling and synthesis products. Line 6's hexaphonic-equipped Variax guitars use on-board electronics to model the sound after various vintage instruments, and vary pitch on individual strings.


Although many people thought rock and roll would be a passing fad, by the 1960s it was clear this music was firmly rooted in American culture. Electric guitarists had become the superstars of rock. Live performances in large halls and open-air concerts increased the demand for greater volume and showmanship. Rock guitarists began to experiment, and new sounds and textures, like distortion and feedback, became part of the guitarist's language. Jimi Hendrix was rock's great master of manipulated sound.