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Category music

April 08, 2008

How To Use Power Chords To Improve Your Guitar Tone

 

ower Chords are an important aspect of playing lead guitar and lies somewhere between basic and advanced guitar playing. Mostly used in classic rock music, power chords can be used in progressive, metal and other forms of rock music.

The power chords sound great on stage in a live gig but it is not something that you can learn overnight. You have to practice. The one good thing about power chords is that they can make your lead guitar scream..real loud! They are easy and great to play around with.

Most guitarists don't consider power chords as real chords as it doesn't have 3 notes or more. Ones used normally have around 2 different types of notes. Some of the music players especially those who are good at playing lead guitar call it the power intervals as a result of the 2 different notes it contains.

Usually you will find that a power chord consists of a root, which is a perfect 5th interval. The root note gets doubled at a rather high pitch and is called an octave. So if you are thinking of using power chords for playing lead guitar then you will be playing a perfect 5th interval.

One of the reasons why these are used for playing lead guitar is because you can play them anywhere on the neck and they will help you to render a harmonic texture to any song. Power chords never have any minor or major third intervals. They mostly consist of the 1, 5 and maybe another 1, which is an octave higher. Power chords are played on the bottom 2 or 3 strings of your lead guitar and are used mainly for distortion.

The best example of power chords is the intro of Dreamtheather's Pull me Under. Another reason why they are used in lead guitar is because when you try to play a lead using distortion, strumming on a full chord will definitely create a high level of dissonance. Apart from that if there is a fast chord change then it is easier and better to use them for playing fast.The two notes that are used in power chords on a lead guitar are the 1 and 5 degrees. Let's check the power chord on C Major Scale. The E Major Scale is:

I II III IV V VI VII E F# G# A B C# D#

So we will need to start with 2 notes on power chords that have the root on the E-string. The power chord on the E string is the E5, which will also be known as the E5. This two note power chord will use only the root chord and the fifth chord, which will be E and B.

One of the most popular guitarists who have played the power chord successfully on his lead guitar is Pete Townshend. According to some of the guitar magazines like the Free-lance Star, the man who invented the power chord is Link Wray of the Link Ray and his Ray men. Bet you didn't know that!
For over 1000 Professional Guitar Backing Tracks, check out Planet of Rock, The #1 Secret Weapon For Guitarists.

Eugene is the founder of Planet of Rock Music Studios.

He is a professional guitar teacher and an ex band member of Black November which has toured and performed in Australia and Asia since 1997. He has contributed to publications as Guitar Player, Guitar World Acoustic, Maximum Guitar and dozens of magazines and websites worldwide.

In 2005, he has founded Planet of Rock Music Studios to provide affordable Guitar Backing Tracks for guitarists. As featured in Guitar Player, these professional backing tracks for guitar are great for lead guitar practice or live performances.

Jam with your favourite bands at the comfort of your own home or studio with backing tracks for guitar. It has also been used heavily in live performances by customers across United States since its inception.

Play like you have the entire band backing you up!

P.S: Remember to sign up for your free Ultimate Guitar Tone eBook (worth $29) at Planet of Rock!

Planet of Rock - You Rock. We'll Back You Up - For The Rock Star In You ....

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eugene_Walker
sb
April 06, 2008
Ask any guitarist (whether they play blues, rock, metal, jazz, or country) how often they use blues guitar scales. I'll bet 99% of them will tell you that they do every day they pick up their guitar.

Blues scales are so popular in guitar music because they are easy to play and sound really cool.

Think of your most favorite, and the greatest guitar solos of all time. What do they have in common?

Blues guitar scales!

Alright, time for a little bit of theory. The blues scale is built out of the root, flat third, fourth, flat five, five, and flat seven of a given key. So, in the key of E the notes E, G, A, Bb, B, and D would spell an E blues scale.

If you haven't learned your first blues scale yet on your guitar, you ought to start off with the E blues scale in open position. Open position means that your fretting hand will hang around by the nut and that there will be some open strings in the scale. In fact, about half of the strings will be open in this scale which is why it's a very easy scale to learn, especially for a beginner. It shouldn't take more than five minutes to find a tab for this.

So after you've got that one under your belt you ought to start moving that shape around to play blues guitar scales in different keys. Starting with the most common keys on the guitar, like A D C G and B, is wise. Then get used to moving it around through the circle of fifths.

It's also cool to master the scale in one key all over the entire fretboard, or up and down the single strings.

No matter why you want to learn blues guitar scales, you will be a better guitarist for it.
Sign up for free guitar lessons at GuitaristReviews.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_Anderson
sb
April 06, 2008
So you wanna buy a guitar but aren't sure how to? You've come to the right place.

First thing you need to do is decide which type of guitar you want to play. There are three basic types, classical, acoustic and electric. Both classical and acoustic are non-electrical, and if you don't know much about guitars you might have trouble knowing the difference between them. Each type is best suited to a particular type of music (though all types can play pretty much anything) and also has certain features which may be important to you specifically, as they make it easier for you to play.

Acoustic Guitar

An acoustic guitar has steel strings, which give them a rougher, louder tone and are particularly hard on your fingers (don't worry too much, with practice you'll develop a thick enough skin that it won't matter). It's generally considered to look "cooler" than the classical.

Classical Guitar

The classical guitar has nylon strings, giving them a softer, mellower tone, and are less painful to start with. It has a wider neck, making it easier to play each note and change between chords, however, if you have a small hand you might run into problems because of it. It's body is smaller, making it somewhat more portable.

Electric Guitar

Electric guitars are more expensive as you'll need to pay for amplifiers to project the very quiet sound it makes naturally. They won't hurt your fingers like the other two types and are easy to start playing. You'll notice improvements in your playing faster than with any other type, though you won't be able to transfer what you learn there as easily to other types of guitars.

Making The Purchase

The most important question you have to ask yourself is, why do I want this guitar? What kind of music do I want to play in it? How serious am I about playing? Think about the kind of music you like listening to. What kind of guitar does it use?

Once you decide which type, ask a friend of yours that plays to come with you to the music shop to try them out and give you advice. Be patient and don't rush into a purchase you might regret later. Remember, you are in control of the buying process. They may have the guitars, but you are the one with the money.

Once you decide on a guitar, see if you can't bargain the price down. Always ask for extras to be included or discounted, like picks or guitar lessons, and don't forget the guitar case.
Now that you've got yourself a brand new guitar, it's time to move forward and start learning how to play the guitar.

How To Buy A Guitar was originally published at http://www.guitarlearningcourse.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andre_Sanchez
sb
April 06, 2008

Learn Guitar Solos Easily & Improvisation Effortlessly

If you are thinking of playing solo then you need to focus on the various guitar improvisation techniques. Guitar improvisation may tough but actually what you really need is a good grasp of guitar basics, speed, and lots of practice.



There are legends and then there are guitar solos. It is tough to define whether guitar solos define legends or whether legends define guitar solos. But the truth is that many a legend has been born but only a few were recognized due to their great guitar solos. But what is a guitar solo without the proper guitar improvisation techniques?



The one thing that you need to remember is that to achieve perfection in guitar improvisation, you need to be familiar and well versed with the music that you are going to play solo for. Another important aspect is that you should have the song stored in your memory, each line and word. This will help you to identify the structure that will enable the progression and you will know exactly what chords need to be played. Then it will be easier for you to select the scales that will compliment each of those chords. The last step would be to determine the specific notes within the chosen scales on which you will need to focus.



This is where the major scale comes into the picture, which is Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do. Any guitar improvisation technique follows the major scale to some extent. In fact, whether you play the guitar or the synth, any type of music always comes from the major scale. Hence to make your guitar improvisation technique more sound and effective follow the major scales.



Guitar Solo Improvisations These are some of the guitar improvisation techniques that you can practice to get the solo right on target



1. Bend: You can start by playing the first note and then bend your guitar strings with your playing finger until you are able to hear the next note. There are different types of bends like 1/2, 1 1/2, 2 steps bends.



2. Bend & Release: You can start with a bend and then release back to the first note.



3. Pull-off: start by plucking the first note and then pull the second note at a lower fret.



4. Slide: You can fret a note or even multiple notes and then slowly slide to another fret without taking the pressure off your fingers while moving.



5. Hammer-on: start by plucking the first note and then hammer the second note at a higher fret.



6. Vibrato: a useful guitar improvisation technique, you can start by repeatedly bending the pitch slightly up and then bring the note back to its original pitch.



7. Tapping: You can tap with your index finger on a written fret.



8. Pinch Harmonic: Another useful guitar improvisation technique where you need to pick the string and then touch it using the edge of your right hand thumb.



9. Natural Harmonic: You can't really do without this. Start by touching the guitar string lightly just over the fret bar and then pluck it. Make sure not to press it down.



10. Palm Mute: This is one of the easiest guitar improvisation techniques. You need to touch the guitar strings slightly using the palm of your playing hand.

For over 1000 Professional Guitar Backing Tracks, check out Planet of Rock, The #1 Secret Weapon For Guitarists.



Eugene is the founder of Planet of Rock Music Studios.



He is a professional guitar teacher and an ex band member of Black November which has toured and performed in Australia and Asia since 1997. He has contributed to publications as Guitar Player, Guitar World Acoustic, Maximum Guitar and dozens of magazines and websites worldwide.



In 2005, he has founded Planet of Rock Music Studios to provide affordable Guitar Backing Tracks for guitarists. As featured in Guitar Player, these professional backing tracks for guitar are great for lead guitar practice or live performances.



Jam with your favourite bands at the comfort of your own home or studio with backing tracks for guitar. It has also been used heavily in live performances by customers across United States since its inception.



Play like you have the entire band backing you up!



P.S: Remember to sign up for your free Ultimate Guitar Tone eBook (worth $29) at Planet of Rock!



Planet of Rock - You Rock. We'll Back You Up - For The Rock Star In You ....



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eugene_Walker

 

sb
April 06, 2008
Guitar backing tracks are essential armory that every lead guitarist should have. Without it, it would be extremely difficult to play solos or lead guitar.If you have moved from the basic stage into the advanced stage then it doesn't mean that you are ready to play the solo or lead live on stage. There are many more aspects to playing a guitar solo and one of them is learning to play with guitar backing tracks.

The good thing is that you can purchase some of best professionally recorded guitar backing tracks from companies such as Planet of Rock. It will come for a cost depending on the track and the band. These are a must for all those who are dreaming of playing their own solo someday in the near future.

What it really does is that it replaces the need for a band playing the background. For example: if you want to practice your solo with a Eddie Van Halen or a Jimi Hendrix number, you don't really need a bassist, drummer and rhythm guitarist. All you need is the guitar backing track for that specific number and you will be good to go. These tracks are perfect for a nice jam session when you are practicing without a band.

The reason why every guitarist should use guitar backing tracks is because they are options you can have for practicing advanced lead guitar techniques. This is a type of tool that will help you especially when you want to work on new licks or practice different type of scales like the blues scale, the pentatonic scales etc. You can even use them for rhythm guitar.

One of the important aspects of guitar backing tracks is that it will help you to improve your timing immensely. You will never go out of tune or end up playing the wrong scale. The reason why most guitarists in their advanced learning stage use these is because it helps them to prepare for live gigs.

Playing at a live gig is very different from playing in a studio. You will not have any room for mistakes as you will be playing right in front of an audience. So you will need to perfect your skills and the best way of doing that is by playing with guitar backing tracks. They are available for some of the top numbers in rock, metal, blues and alternative.
For over 1000 Professional Guitar Backing Tracks, check out Planet of Rock, The #1 Secret Weapon For Guitarists.

Eugene is the founder of Planet of Rock Music Studios.

He is a professional guitar teacher and an ex band member of Black November which has toured and performed in Australia and Asia since 1997. He has contributed to publications as Guitar Player, Guitar World Acoustic, Maximum Guitar and dozens of magazines and websites worldwide.

In 2005, he has founded Planet of Rock Music Studios to provide affordable Guitar Backing Tracks for guitarists. As featured in Guitar Player, these professional backing tracks for guitar are great for lead guitar practice or live performances.

Jam with your favourite bands at the comfort of your own home or studio with backing tracks for guitar. It has also been used heavily in live performances by customers across United States since its inception.

Play like you have the entire band backing you up!

P.S: Remember to sign up for your free Ultimate Guitar Tone eBook (worth $29) at Planet of Rock!

Planet of Rock - You Rock. We'll Back You Up - For The Rock Star In You ....

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eugene_Walker
sb
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