Welcome to Guitar Grenade! This is a one stop for all of the Guitar playing resources. If you are looking for beginner guitar lessons or pro lessons, everything is available here, and of course -for free-. I have written all of the articles myself to make sure people learn more and more from them in an easy manner. Don't forget to comment on my posts and follow me on my blog, that's all I ask for. Have a great day!
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February 21, 2010

How To Play Guitar Scales And Guitar Solos?

Howdy!

In this guitar lesson I will continue to teach you how to play guitar scales and guitar solos. all of you who want to play guitar in high speed and become a pro level guitarist, you should follow the instructions given in this article.

First off, look at the figure#1 below:

This exercise is little bit boring to practice but this would give training to your left and right hands to ordinate with each other simultaneously. So lets start now!

Important Note: As mentioned in earlier guitar lessons, you have to stick to the alternate picking method in order to achieve maximum results.So, keep continuing it.


Following is a chromatic sequence:

^ = (This symbol represents a down-stroke)

V = (This symbol represents an upstroke)

^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V

Here goes the exercise:

e-1--2--3--4----2--3--4--5----3--4--5--6----4--5--6--7---
B------------------------------------------------------------------
G------------------------------------------------------------------
D------------------------------------------------------------------
A------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------


e-8--9--10--11----12--11--10--9----11--10--9--8---------
B------------------------------------------------------------------
G------------------------------------------------------------------
D------------------------------------------------------------------
A------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------

After you are done with the above given exercise, continue with the Figure#2:


This one has been played in billions of solos.

e-7--4--0----7--4--0----8--5--0----8--5--0----12--8--0---
B------------------------------------------------------------------
G------------------------------------------------------------------
D------------------------------------------------------------------
A------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------

e-12--8--0----10--7--0----10--7--0----8--5--0----8--5--0
B------------------------------------------------------------------
G------------------------------------------------------------------
D------------------------------------------------------------------
A------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------

The art of guitar solos and guitar scales is all about practice, practice and practice. You cant get speed just by spending some time on your guitar, you really have to practice different scales on daily basis in order to obtain good speed guitar playing.

Thus, the key is play all the notes slowly, and then gradually increase your speed. The use of a metronome is essential if you want to play guitar solos and guitar scales in different speeds/tempos.

For more guitar chords, guitar scales and guitar technique lessons visit Guitar grenade website here

Happy learning!

February 17, 2010

How to play scales and solos as fast as metalica, kid rock, disturbed and greenday

Hi guys!

I know you have been practicing guitar scales and solos for a long time now but you see no progress in your speed and you are frustrated for the reason that you still cant play guitar like your favorite guitarists, even the easy guitar parts.The first thing that you need to understand is;

"YOU CANT PLAY GUITAR SCALES IN SPEED UNTIL OR UNLESS YOU PRACTICE ALL THE SCALES IN SLOW SPEED WHILE USING AN ALTERNATE PICKING METHOD, AND REMEMBER ALL THE SCALES WHETHER THEY ARE MAJOR, MINOR, BLUES OR PENTATONICS"

First off, the most crucial thing the use of alternate picking. Alternate picking method is something in which a tab sequence/Guitar solo/Guitar scale is played with alternate up and down strokes. You have to strictly follow the rule of alternate picking in order to get speed in your guitar scaling.

The best way to alternate pick is by moving your wrist as well as your fingers because you don't have to move your fingers only. Alternate picking is basically used to lessen the stress of your right hand so you can play a long timed solo or sequence at a time.

In order to play a guitars solo or a guitar scale fast,you first need to try with single string picking exercises. The best way to practice guitar scales is by using a metronome. You should start a metronome at the speed of 80 bpm and gradually increase the speed until you're at a comfortable speed.

Now, when you get along with the 80 bpm speed, push yourself 2 bpm faster. Then go back 1 bpm. Repeat this process until it's you reach at a very high speed. Then go back 10 bpm and repeat the whole process. This way you will get the highest guitar playing skill.

Here's the first basic exercise to learn guitar scales. These have been used in many Iron Maiden songs;

e-15-0-0-0---14-0-0-0---12-0-0-0---11-0-0-0---12-0-0-0-
B------------------------------------------------------------------------
G------------------------------------------------------------------------
D------------------------------------------------------------------------
A------------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------

e-11-0-0-0---8-0-0-0---7-0-0-0---5-0-0-0---3-0-0-0-------
B-----------------------------------------------------------------------
G-----------------------------------------------------------------------
D-----------------------------------------------------------------------
A-----------------------------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------

e-2-0-0-0---3-0-0-0---0-0-0-0---------------------------------
B---------------------------------------------------------------------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------------------

So, this was the first exercise you should practice. It's very basic, but it is very useful to learn guitar scales and to get a good speed.


Make sure you keep alternating between a down-stroke and an upstroke each time(Don't cheat).

For each of the fret use your right finger, which means that if you are playing a note on fret 1, you have put the index finger on fret 1. and 2nd finger on 2nd fret, 3rd finger and 3rd fret, 4th finger on 4th fret and so on.

For the next part of guitar scales and guitar solos lessons, stay tuned. Meanwhile, visit and join guitar grenade website for lots of free guitar lessons and tools.

-Enjoy

Note: You may also read this article of mine here

February 14, 2010

Why couldn't I learn the guitar? : A question that 98% of people ask themselves who once wished to learn guitar, Are you one of them?

Guitar is the world's most played and liked instrument because of its style and the fact that you can play almost everything on a guitar when you talk about other instruments you are in certain boundaries but with guitar, you can go beyond the imaginations.

Guitar is something that makes almost everyone to wish that if he could play a guitar too! 98% of people wish but not become guitarists. For that, there are 3 reasons;

They think that it is impossible to get their hands on a guitar and their are no music institutes to learn guitar so how are they going to learn guitar?


They don't consider it a good hobby. They think that it's a useless activity and they wont get anything by playing or learning guitar or, they just stop their self from going towards their dream only because they think that people will make fun of them like somebody says; Hey!You wanna be a guitarist! HA! what a joke (or something like that).

And

They just don't do anything because they will have to spend money to learn guitar! or they call up or meet the music teacher to ask about the music lessons, schedules and details but later on,they don't do anything. Even those who already have bought a guitar to fulfill their desires.

What a shame!


Now, these examples were about the 98% of people who like music and wish to become a guitarist but are not man enough to go and learn it.(I am sorry If i m being rude but this is a reality)

Now lets talk about the remaining 2% of people who wish to learn guitar and become a guitarist. this 2% category is the one who buy a guitar despite of the fact that how much their families and friends oppose against them, Even if they cant afford a guitar, they try every way out and finally, some how, some way, they make it. They buy a guitar.And this 2% category is the ones who put every effort to learn the guitar too even if they don't have money to pay a teacher or institute to learn guitar. Even if they don't have enough time to give to their guitar but they keep practicing, right way or wrong, they practice and don't give up. This is what guitar learning is all about. Whoever gives up, can never be a guitarist, I can bet. I can tell you all of these scenarios bit by bit because I m one of that 2% of people who desire to learn guitar and not just pretend.

Couple of years back I bought a guitar and against all odds started learning it.i looked up to different books, magazines and internet to gather as much information about guitars as I could and scheduled at least 1 hour a day to my guitar. In the beginning, It was as hard as breaking a stone from bare hands. my hands were in so much pain, every time i tried to play the things other guitarist use to play on t.v, I failed. but i didn't quit. i made my frustration and anger my enemy and promised myself that I'm gonna get what i want, sooner or later. Then I worked day after day and after couple of months i saw the results, they were amazing! and the day i saw that i am into the GAME, i started working harder. now i started practicing guitar for 2 hours a day. and the time passed by.

Now, I am a pro level guitarist and have played with many underground bands,participated in many concerts and shows, got many students who are desperate learn music like I was, when i was a beginner guitar player.Some times I stop playing the guitar and think about the times when I was learning what i play now and I feel so good about the thing that i fulfilled my promise which I made to nobody else but to me.

To achieve your goals and desires, all you need is courage and respect for yourself and for the art form. everything will become easy if you work on it. you can't get what you want by sitting where you sit every day. You have to stand up and prove yourself that you are a winner not a looser.

Note: You may also read this article of mine here.

February 06, 2010

STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO HOLD THE GUITAR & PLAY IN THE CORRECT POSITION

  • Sit straight on a chair, with feet on the ground

  • Lay the waist of guitar on your right leg.

  • Keep the guitar completely vertical across its width.

  • Place your right arm on the side of the guitar so that it is comfortable.

  • Your arm must bend with your thumb laying on the sixth string corresponding to it.

  • Your hand should cover the sound hole. (On an electric guitar, imagine a sound hole and keep your hand where the sound hole would be)

  • Take the fingers of your left hand & lay it on the strings in the region of the fifth fret.

  • Position your right thumb behind the fingers directly at the back of the neck.

  • Now, tilt forward slightly & relax.

  • Hold the pick in between your index finger & your thumb, with the pick flat in between the side of your index finger & the bottom of your thumb. Your thumb should have to be in line with the first section of the index finger with the pick firmly between.

  • Your wrist should be straight while picking & when you strum, make sure to use your forearm & not your wrist for strength.

  • Your wrist has to be loose enough, but controlled, & you should strum with your forearm. When you strike the strings by holding a chord or a note by your left hand there shouldn’t be a "buzzing" sound. You'll have to practice to get the right amount of pressure.

  • By following these guidelines you can start playing guitar in the right way. If you have any queries or questions regarding any guitar technique e-mail me here Guitarangel@bigfoot.com I’ll gladly help you. Enjoy

GUITAR GLOSSARY

Open chords - chords usually contain open strings (not fretted with left hand). Often the first kind of chords a beginner learns (D - G - Am etc). You can call it the overturn of barré or power chords.


To transpose - A lick in A minor played on the seventh fret will be played on ninth fret if transposed to B minor lick.


Hexatonic scale - Scale with six notes per octave (a pentatonic scale has five notes per octave).


Staccato - Is gained by using strictly alternate picking.


Sweeping - The pick is swept through the strings in a downward or upward motion, this technique is largely used with arpeggios.


Syncopate - To transform the rhythm by stressing or accenting a weak beat, purposely playing off beat.


Bpm - Beats per minute. It defines the tick speed of the metronome.


Barré chords - Are played with a "barred finger" over the guitar neck, done with the index finger of the left hand. The first barré the beginner may come across is usually F.


Chromatics - 12-note scale together with all the semitones of the octave.


Chicken Scratching - The strings are being scratched (strummed) with the pick, while the left hand is damping the strings (touching the strings lightly). It produces a rhythmic effect in the style of Jimi Hendrix & Stevie Ray Vaughan.


Chicken picking - A combination of right hand pick & fingers, generally associated with country music but also used by rock guitarists like Steve Morse & Zakk Wylde.


Alternate picking - Every other note is played with a down stroke & every other note is played with an upstroke. Do not cheat, keep it strict! It’s a vital part in playing scales & solos.


Double stop - two notes being played simultaneously.


Drop D tuning - Tune down the low (thick) E string to D, which facilitates power chords, also produces a heavier sound. From low to high: D-A-D-G-B–E.


Artificial Harmonic - Hold down a note on the neck with left hand, & use the right hand to calmly touch a point on the string and then pluck the side of the string that is closer to the bridge. This type of technique is used to produce harmonic tones that are in other cases out-of-the-way. Guitar players call this technique pinch harmonic.


Hybrid picking - The pick is in combination with fingers.


Legato - Is obtained on the guitar, using strictly hammer-ons and pull-offs. This is a method favored by legato player Allan Holdsworth.


Accelerando – Achieved by progressively accelerating or getting faster.


Palm mute - the strings being damped with right hand palm close to the guitar's bridge.


Pedal tones - Notes that relentlessly repeat in a pattern. A technique favored by neoclassical guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, Vinnie Moore.


Pinch harmonic - The thumb slightly touches the string after it is picked, creating a high pitched sound in a position. It usually requires heavily distorted amplifier settings and pinch harmonics are also known as artificial harmonics.


Pre-bend - The note is bend just before it is struck with the pick. Be sure to bend the note in right pitch.


Ritardando - Obtained by steadily delaying or slowing down the tempo.


Slur - To glide over a series of notes smoothly without a break, mostly used in combination with legato.


Triple stop - 3 notes played at the same time.


Tapping - The use of right hand fingers on fretboard usually middle finger, so that you do not have to put the pick down.


Vibrato - Gained by bending the string up or down. This technique is essential to the guitarist's tone & originality.

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