Articles and Useful Information

General Information:

Make Your Guitar Easier To Play
Adjusting your guitar's action, what kinds of strings you can use with what guitars, what to tell your guitar tech. Understanding a few basics save time, money and frustration.

Left Hand Conditioning - Opens in New Window
Eliminate the tension in your fretting hand. This series of still exercises will help you learn chords and scales more quickly. It's the single most important thing you can do as a first step. Tension in the left hand is the main reason people quit - don't be a statistic. Includes five printable worksheets. Use 'Next' buttons at bottom of each page.

How To Find The Right Guitar For You
A couple of things to think about before you buy your first guitar. Preferred brands of beginners guitars, how much to spend, new or used, and more.

Parts Of The Guitar
Photos of some of the parts you'll need to know to make minor adjustments to your guitar, especially the intonation and height adjustments on the bridge. You can adjust the height yourself. Intonation is usually a job for a guitar tech.

Electric Or Acoustic
The most basic decision you have to make when you buy a guitar. Reasons for buying one or the other. Most people are happier with an electric, unless you specifically like acoustic music. Cost relative to quality is about the same.

Expensive vs Cheap Guitars
The good news is you can get more guitar for less money than ever before. The differences in price reflect differences in workmanship and materials.

Notation and the Guitar:

Reading Notation for Guitar
From the online version of the Beginner's Guitar Method CD-ROM. Is reading for you? Not everyone needs to read. Short explanation of tablature and staff notation, advantages of each. A few pointers for learning to read.

Tablature and Staff Notation
A comparison between staff and tablature notation. The advantages of tablature for the guitarist. Lessons on this site are notated in tablature only.

Tuning Your Guitar:

Using Your Electronic Guitar Tuner
From the online version of the Beginner's Guitar Method CD-ROM. A few tips on getting the best from your $15.00 guitar tuner. Don't throw it out yet!

The Well-Tempered Guitar
From the online version of the Beginner's Guitar Method CD-ROM. An explanation of 'tempered' versus 'just' tuning. Understanding the built-in flaws of tempered tuning, and how it effects the guitar.

How To Hold The Guitar


Scales and Chords:

Note Names on the Neck
From the online version of the Beginner's Guitar Method CD-ROM. Diagram showing the natural note names up to the 19th fret.

Major Scale Forms in 'A'
The 8 'traditional' scale shapes in a large, print-friendly format. The examples shown are in 'A,' but the shapes can be moved to different areas on the neck, and apply to all scales.

Pentatonic Scale Forms in 'A'
The 5 'traditional' pentatonic scale shapes in a large, print-friendly format. The examples shown are in 'A,' but the shapes can be moved up or down the neck, and apply to all scales.

Open Chords
Large diagrams show how to play the 14 most common open chords. Practice the positions for a few weeks first, don't worry about the sound at first.

Notes and Scales
A short explanation of notes, and how they relate to scales, scale shapes, letter names and the 'number system.'

Guitar Technique:

List of Guitar Techniques
Breakdown of attack, sustain and muting techniques for the left and right hand.

How To Bend Strings
A few pointers on this important sustaining technique.

How To Mute Strings
Muting is the other side of playing. An explanation of muting techniques for each hand.

Counting and Playing In Time:

How To Count Rhythms
An explanation of 4/4 and 6/8 drum beats in pop music styles, and how to count them.

Reading Music By Ear
Telling which instrument is which, finding and counting the basic pulse, and which instrument does what in the overall arrangement.





© 2002, 2007 Greg Varhaug