History of the guitar

The guitar has been one of the most popular musical instruments today. Most of the kinds of music that one hears from the radio use guitars in many ways. Pop, rock, reggae, blues, ballads and everything else is influenced by the guitar.

The guitar, together with the drums and the piano compose the modern music scene equipment set. The playability of the guitar has made it one popular instrument. A guitar can be played by a learning child or an experienced guitar player. It’s not picky with its players. 

Today, the electric type of guitar is mostly used in musical production. The guitar has gotten a very good accompaniment in the form of the effects box. Today, guitars can emulate the sounds of a piano, a violin, even the sounds of the human voice. The guitar is continuously widening its horizons.

With the functions and features of the modern electric guitar, one can’t help thinking about the beginnings of the instrument.

Where did the guitar come from?

This article tries to give a brief history of the wonderful musical instrument, which is the guitar.

The creation of the guitar cannot be traced to a single person. The guitar came about through the evolution of its predecessors. Its image has also undergone change throughout the centuries.

Today, playing the guitar is a symbol of talent and musical prowess, but during the early times, the guitar was actually a symbol of being poor and it was refuted by most classical musicians.

Predecessors

There have been many guitar-like musical instruments in the ancient times, up to at least 5,000 years ago. Instruments which look like the guitar were seen in statues which were recovered in archaeological expeditions in the Iranian region of Susa.

However, the very first documented mention of the instrument dates back to the fourteenth century. Back then, they said guitar-ancestor had three pairs of strings (usually referred to as double courses) and a single string with the highest tone.

Some say that the word “guitar” came from the word “qitara.” Qitara is an Arabic name for the different kinds of lutes during the early times.

Evolution

The guitar, as we know it, is said to originate in Spain. It is believed that the people of Malaga invented the instrument. The guitar evolved from having three pairs of strings to four pairs of strings and eventually six single strings.

The guitar began to become popular in the 16th century. It was played by the lower and middle classes as a counterpart for the vihuela which was played by the aristocrats. The vihuela was tuned like a lute but had a body similar to that of the guitar.

The guitar took serious evolution during the 18th century: the double strings where replaced by single strings and a sixth string was added. In the 1800s, Antonio Torres de Jurado gave birth to the classical guitar.

Basically, he increased the size of the body of the guitar. The guitar still struggled during these times because it was considered as an instrument for the taverns - an instrument which cannot be used for classical music.

In Spain, where people hated the piano, the guitar found refuge. However, it was also tainted with views that guitars are for undesirables.

Electric guitar

The modern electric guitar was born in 1931. The electric guitar uses electronic “pick-ups” to be able to produce sound. The pick-ups convert the vibrations from the strings into electric signals. The body of the electric guitar is semi-solid or solid, depending on the design.

The structure of the guitar took a great leap when the electric guitar was born, no longer did its sound depend on the structure and construction of the body, but on the quality of the pick-ups and soundboard.

The sounds of the electric guitar can also be altered to be able to achieve a desire tone. The use of guitar effects box has given the guitar a wide array of sounds. The electric guitar is continuously garnering popularity in all fields of music, even in classical music.

The guitar is a very dynamic musical instrument. Through evolution, the guitar has made its mark on the modern music scene. From crude instruments with many variations, the guitar has become a real and much-sought after instrument.

What are the different kinds of guitars?

An Introduction

The guitar is one of the most popular musical instruments today. There are different kinds of guitars that are available out there for different guitar players. Guitars are different in terms of playability, overall appearance and sound quality.

Here are some of the types of guitars that guitar players or aspiring guitar players can choose from:

Acoustic

If one wants go get into the guitar world, you can start learning with an acoustic guitar.

Acoustic guitars are dependent on their structures and body shapes in resonating sounds. Unlike the more modern electric guitars, they don’t rely on other external devices in making sounds. The natural vibrations of the strings are resonated by the body of the guitar.

Acoustic guitars are generally made out of wood. The neck is usually made from mahogany and the fret board is made out of maple or rosewood. There are many kinds of acoustic guitars, here are some of them:

1) Classical

Classical guitars are very popular. They are usually the choice guitar for beginners. The strings are usually made from nylon. These are usually played in a standard sitting position and used in playing classical music. Classical guitars produce think and whole sounds which are very warm to the ears.

Flamenco guitars are almost similar to the classical guitars; however, these guitars produce crisper and thinner sounds than the classical ones.

2) Steel-top

Steel-top guitars are much similar to the classical guitar. These, however, are constructed to be more resilient. The parts of the steel-top guitar are reinforced and their bodies are significantly larger than the classical guitars. They produce a warmer tone than the classical guitar.

3) 12-String guitar

A normal guitar usually has 6 strings, but the 12-string guitar, as its name implies, has 12 strings. Each string is accompanied by another string with the same note but is usually tuned in a higher octave. This kind of guitar produces a semi-chorus effect which is very pleasant to the ears.

4) Resonator

This type of guitar is similar to the steel-top guitar, but the steel in the middle of the soundboard is used to resonate the sound from the vibration of the guitar strings. This produces a very thin and distinct sound.

These guitars are usually used in playing the blues. There are also variations of the resonator guitar; the square-neck resonator guitar is played on the lap like a piano or organ. The round neck resonator guitar is played like a common guitar. Resonator guitars work very well with glass or metal slides.

5) Archtop

The archtop guitar is inspired by other instruments such as the violin and the cello. An archtop guitar usually has the f-hole design. Jazz players prefer archtop guitars. Some archtop guitars can reach prices of about $25,000 USD.

6) Acoustic Bass

Acoustic bass guitars are bass guitars without electronic pick-ups. The body of the guitar is used to produce the sounds. These are usually 4-stringed guitars but there are acoustic bass guitars which have 5 or 6 strings.

Electric

Electric guitars make use of electronic pick-ups to amplify the vibrations of the guitar strings. They are usually connected to electric amplifiers. Electric guitars usually have a solid or semi-solid body type.

They don’t use the body for sound resonance and thus, they usually make very little or no sound when played without an amplifier.

The concept used by electric guitars is- the energy of the strings are diverted into electrical impulses are not directly into sound to be able to achieve an amplified sound.

Electric guitars usually have control knobs for changing the volume or the tone of the guitar. There are also pick-up selectors in electric guitars. Many electric guitars use multiple pick-ups to achieve the best guitar sounds.

These pick-ups gather and produce different tones from the guitar. The tone knobs are usually used to shift from a bass-intensive sound to a treble-intensive sound or vice versa.

Some electric guitars also have whammy bars. These bars are attached to the guitar to shift notes without changing the finger positions in the fret board. Whammy bars are used to produce “crying” guitar sounds.

This is a very useful tool in doing rock and roll songs or even ballads. The use of the whammy bar in less expensive guitars is not advised because it may cause the strings to go out of tune.

These are some of the basic types of guitars that are available out there for everyone. Guitars are made to fit into the preferences of the player in terms of playability and sound. Choose the guitar that best fit your preferences.

Learning the Guitar Lingo

The guitar is one of the most sought-after musical instruments today. Its popularity is manifested all through-out the radio stations and the music videos in MTV. Almost all types of music in modern pop culture have been influenced by the guitar in one way or another.

For people who would like to get their hands on a guitar, they must first learn the guitar lingo. The guitar lingo is made up of weird-sounding words that are unique to the guitar world.

The guitar lingo also applies to the guitar parts. You must be able to know the parts of a guitar to be able to know how to play it. Here are some of the guitar parts:

-Body

This is also referred to as the sound box. This is the largest guitar part and it comes in different shapes and sizes. The acoustic guitars usually have a hollow body, while electric guitars have solid or semi-solid bodies.

Acoustic guitars have hollow bodies because they rely on the body structure for sound resonation. Electric guitars use electronic pick-ups to amplify the sound.

-Headstock

The headstock is the part at the end of the guitar which holds the tuning keys. It is connected to the neck of the guitar.

-Nut

The nut is the piece between the guitar neck and the head. It is a small rod with indentations to hold the guitar strings in place.

-Neck

The neck is the long section which holds the fret board.

-Fret board

The fret board is divided into different notes by small metal rods. The number of frets in a fret board varies depending on the type of guitar and the brand. Modern electric guitars usually have 20-22 frets in the fret board.

-Bridge

It is a part of the guitar’s body and it is important in sound resonance. It gives some sort of elevation for the guitar strings so they can produce nice vibrations.

-Pick-up

The pick-up is an electronic device which acts like a microphone. It picks up the vibrations from the strings and converts these vibrations into electrical impulses. They are usually found in electric guitars

-Amp

The amplifier is like a speaker box where the sounds of the electric guitar come off.

-Capo

This is a device which is attached to the fret board. This thing allows a player to play the same chord structures but on a different key.

Listed below are some of the different words that one might encounter in learning how to play the guitar.

-Riff

Guitar riffs pertain to musical pieces which are parts of a song.

-Reverb

It is added to the sound of the guitar through an effects box or through amplifiers to make the sounds a little bit more natural.

-Tablature

Guitar tablatures or more commonly known as guitar tabs are written music for guitars. It is similar to musical pieces (with notes and other musical symbols) but the notes are translated into guitar frets. It’s a useful tool in learning how to play the guitar.

-Vibrato

It refers to a guitar technique where the string is slightly bended in a fast rate to make a longer resonating sound.

-Arpeggio

This refers to a technique where one takes out notes from a specific chord. He can then use these to make an adlib lead technique or add to the rhythm of the song.

-Pick

This is the small device which guitar players use in striking the guitar strings. It is usually made of plastic.

-Whammy bar

This is an attachment to the bridge of electric guitars which can be used to bend the pitch of the notes. One can pull the whammy bar to be able to make his guitar “cry.”

-Plucking

It’s a picking technique where a player does not strum the strings all at one but hit the strings one by one to be able to get a softer and more defined tone.

-Palm mute

This is a technique where a player uses his picking hand (usually the right hand) to mute the strings while strumming to be able to get a distinct tone. It is very popular in the punk rock world.

The world of guitars is composed of many other new words. One must be able to master these or at least have an idea of what these are to be able to appreciate the wonderful instrument that is the guitar.

Exploring the parts of a guitar

Guitars have been used with so much diversity in many musical forms.  The instrument is known by many as a classical solo instrument and the basic musical instrument in rock music.

In the previous chapter we looked at the “lingo.”  Now, let’s apply some of what we learned and get acquainted with this magnificent instrument; know its parts: 

1.  Headstock.  This is found at the edge of the guitar’s neck. It is tailored with the instrument’s head for adjusting the pitch.

2.  Tuners.  The tuners keep the strings of the guitar stretched beginning at the base down to the knobs. Tuners likewise allow the guitar player to alter or modify the pitch either flat or sharp, depending on the player’s choice of music. 

3.  Nut.  This is a tiny strip of hard medium or material which supports the strings in the intersection whereby the “headstock” meet up with the “fret board”.  The strips can be made of plastic, bone, graphite, brass or any hard medium and indented so as to secure the stings in position. The nut acts as one of several endpoints assisting the tension of the string.

4.  Fret board.   Also known as the fingerboard, it is a lengthy wood plank inserted with frets of metal that composes the top of the guitar’s neck.

The fret board of a classical guitar is flat and is a little curved diagonally on an electric and acoustic guitar.  The curve is calculated by the radius of the fret board that is the range of a “hypothetical circle” of which the surface of the fret board makes up a segment.

The smaller is the radius of the fret board, the more that the curve is evident.  When a string is pinched against the board, the string’s “vibrating length” is shortened thus creating a higher pitch sound or tone.

5.  Frets.  These are strips made of metal, particularly nickel alloy set in alongside the fret board that are positioned in points in conjunction with the string’s length that mathematically divides it.

When the strings are pushed down from the rear of the frets, this cuts the string's length of vibration to give off different tones or pitches.  

6.  Neck.  The neck is composed of the guitar's fret board, frets, tuners, truss rod and headstock; all are fastened to long extension made of wood.  Usually, the wood that is used for the fret board will be of a different kind from that used on the remaining neck parts.

The firmness or stiffness of the guitar’s neck in accordance to its body is one determining factor of whether it is of good quality or not.

7.  Body.  The acoustic guitars body is an echoing cavity projecting the vibrations through the guitar’s sound hole which enables the audio of such instrument to be clearly heard even with no amplification.

In acoustic guitars, its body is a big determining factor in the overall sound it produces. The soundboard or guitar top is a delicately engineered and crafted component that is usually made out of red cedar, spruce or mahogany.

This very thin slice of wood, generally measuring only 2 - 3 mm thick, supported by different kinds of internal brackets, is the most pronounced and important element in influencing sound quality.

Most of the sound is produced by the guitar’s top vibration as the momentum of the vibrating cords is transmitted to it.

8.  Pickups.  This is what really amplifies the cords sound. Most guitars have one to a maximum of three pickups. The kind of pickup is reasonably important, depending on a particular sound that you are aspiring for.

9.  Pickguard. Commonly called the scratch plate, is a plastic guard or any laminated medium which protects guitar’s top finish.

The pickups as well as almost all electronics in other electric guitars are framed and inserted atop the “pickguard”. On “acoustic guitars” and several “electric guitars”, the pickguard is directly inserted to the top of the guitar, and on guitars having carved tops; the “pickguard” is raised.

10.  Bridge.  On acoustic guitars, the key objective of the guitar’s bridge is to hand over or shift the string’s vibration to the “soundboard”, which then shudders the air within the guitar, thus increase and strengthen the sound created by the cords or strings.

Go ahead, explore the parts of your guitar to better acquaint you with this wonderful instrument, test it too and see where it will take you.  Enjoy!

How to care for your guitar

Caring For Your Guitar:  Effects Of and Solving Humidity Problems

The major idea in understanding and being aware of facts about humidity is that what meteorologists refer to as "relative humidity."  This applies to the air’s ability to take in water or retain or to dry up objects that contain moisture that air surrounds. 

The best or perfect level of humidity for a guitar changes from one musical instrument to another, subject to the humidity situations in the workshop or factory where the guitar was assembled. 

The humidity at the time that the instrument was being assembled set up the primary dimensions of your guitar.  This configuration of dimension is permanently sealed into the entire structure when it is being assembled. 

Therefore, when humidity changes, each component will expand or shrink unevenly, yet the dimensions of the guitar’s structure will remain uniformly constant.

The most frustrating problem in the care and maintenance of a guitar of high quality is the wood’s tendency either expands or shrinks with humidity changes.  Damage brought about by humidity changes requires costly repairs.

Guitars of high quality are made from solid wood all over, which is why these expensive kinds sound much better compared to low-priced instruments.   However, solid woods are very much susceptible to changes in humidity because of the fact that they easily can expand or shrink.

High humidity connotes a “waterlogged” sound from your guitar; it will lack projection and volume having a lifeless and damp tone.  The guitar can also be damaged structurally when in high humidity. 

Usually "bloating" at the back is a problem, most especially when the back of the guitar is made of extremely hard wood, particularly rosewood.  This problem is brought about by the expansion of wood causing the glue on the brace’s edge to detach. 

When a guitar is kept in the basement, a problem that may occur is wood deterioration triggered by intense humidity resulting in a damp basement area.

The problems brought about by extremely low humidity levels are even more severe.  Excessive loss of moisture in the tone woods makes the sound of the guitar brittle.  At some point stress on the wood can result in cracks due to uneven shrinkage. 

Here are ways to fight humidity:

1.  Watch your guitar closely.  Examine it every so often so you can watch out for signs of humidity. Observe its back; when there is a drop in it will sink a bit and you can notice this clearly.

When humidity rises, backs grow an arch. If the back becomes very, very flat, introduce some moisture, such as placing a dish of water in your storage area. 

2.  Store your guitar in its casing away from any heat, especially in winter.  Keep the case lying flat on the floor and never let it lean or hang it on the wall.

3.  During certain periods when the humidity is extremely high, keep your guitar in a room where there is available air-conditioning system as it dries out the air. 

When outside conditions are not too hot, such as in spring or a rainy day, keep your instrument in a warm room, but do avoid the basement, as it tends to cool a lot.  

4.  There are many available devices to handle with extreme dryness.  When low humidity occurs in your area only in chilly or cold weathers, a furnace-mounted of good quality humidifier can be very effective as well as hassle-free. 

There are also console humidifiers having rotating belts that are very efficient and space saving, ideal when your space is limited. 

"Dampit," is a very effective device that is placed inside the guitar to discharge moisture that is directly inside your guitar. 

A guitar that is good sounding now can be a wonderful sounding guitar even ten years later as long as it cared for properly and carefully. 

The sound of a guitar is created by the echoing of wood. When the wood matures the echoing quality will improve, increasing your guitar’s worth.

This, plus the model, make and style that later will not be produced anymore, your guitar could be valued many times your purchase price now, in 15-50 years.

Just keep in mind that a good quality guitar is also an investment worth your trouble.

How to Properly Hold the Guitar

A guitar can be an easy and fun instrument to play.  Start by learning the correct method of handling the instrument.  Here’s how:

Your body and posture:

You must be comfortably seated, resting your back adjacent to the backrest of your chair making sure that your legs are in front and feet flat to the ground. This position is now your "footing" or support that your guitar is going to rest upon.

Picking up the guitar, held it close to your chest or stomach ensuring that the back of the guitar’s body touches your chest and the neck’s bottom is parallel to the ground.

The guitars thickest string must be directed close to the face and the thinnest string must be directed close to the ground.

Generally, a right-handed individual holds the guitar in such manner so that the “headstock” is pointing towards the left, while a left-handed individual holds the guitar in such manner that the headstock is pointing rightwards.

To play the guitar in a seated position, the guitar’s body should be resting on either one of your thighs. In most guitar playing approach, the instrument should be resting upon a leg that is farthest from “the headstock”.

Meaning, a right handed individual handling a guitar will naturally rest the instrument on his right leg, and a lefty will rest the instrument on his left leg.

Your right arm and hand:

Using the correct hand position is crucial in guitar playing. You will face many problems should your hand be in the incorrect position; your hands will easily tire, it will be difficult to for you to play particular chords and you could even hurt or injure your hand when you continue playing in the wrong hand position.

The right hand will be used to "strum" the guitar’s strings in order to produce the varying chord sounds. Rest your right hand and arm over your guitar.

The bicep must rest on the topmost part of the guitar’s body and the hand must be properly placed directly on top of your guitar’s sound hole (where sound will be produced).  Attune your body as needed, so that your position is comfortable.

A left handed individual, have two alternatives. The first of which is to purchase a guitar that is right-handed then re-string it (reversing the sequence of the guitar’s string), and the other option is to purchase a guitar that is left-handed. 

Give focus to your "fretting hand" or the hand that is near the guitar’s neck, when seated in proper guitar position.

Your fretting hand’s thumb must be resting at the back of the guitar’s neck, having your fingers positioned in a slight curled manner, balanced on top of the strings. Keeping these particular fingers at a slight curl at your knuckles is very important.

Your fingers:

Your fingers at your left hand should be bent as well as it should be pressed down onto the guitar’s strings that are located on the “fret board”. The neck’s back should be curved, in order that the hand is moulded into the neck’s shape.

Remember that it is alright for you to press or push the thumb at the back of the neck when creating your chords, though this is common when one is “playing scales”. Sample out or test certain thumb positions so you will know which one you are most comfortable with.

Do not worry too much about the strings that the fingers in your left hand are pushing down at this time; as still, you are just in the process of acquainting yourself with your instrument.

Never worry too, when you cannot play a good tune at this early stage.  There are still many things to be learned, many stages to go through and practices to do, in order for you to get the right tunes and the right notes to play.  You are just beginning, so be patient.

The important factor here, is that you can comfortably hold the guitar, being at ease with it, then the rest of techniques still to be learned will just automatically flow, at your fingertips!

Essential Guide to Tuning Your Guitar

The guitar is such a simple and convenient instrument:  just open the case and start playing.  Well, it’s not THAT simple.  A good practice before playing the guitar is to tune it first. 

Tuning the guitar prior to playing it will ensure that you will create harmonious music; for each string has a specific note to play and even if one goes out of tune, the rest will sound disarrayed. 

Note that some guitars may not need as frequent tuning (well constructed = expensive), but if ever it is well played (to the point of abuse, actually), then that just needs tuning as well.  Read on for an essential guide on guitar tuning.

The guitar presents a particular kind of difficulty in tuning because it has six strings, each of which has an individual pitch or a place in the musical staff assigned to it. 

The string numbers, as more popularly known, from top to bottom are 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, while their musical counterpart are mi, la, re, sol, si, and mi or E, A, D, G, B, and E respectively.

In order to tune the guitar correctly, one must have an axis or a reference pitch.  You will need the commercially available pitch pipe o, better yet, acquire a tuning fork in case you don’t have a reliable instrument at hand to give you an axis. 

Pitch pipes have a bad reputation of changing pitches after some time.  Tuning forks are more reliable and easier to use.

First, make the fork vibrate by tapping it lightly on any hard object while holding the handle.  Then, let the handle touch the guitar’s soundboard below or above the sound hole while gently moving it towards the bridge. 

This will locate the spot where the resonance is at its loudest.  You are supposed to hear a high pitched A (la) which should be the same as the sound produced by striking the first string while it is being depressed on the fifth fret.

Now that you have tuned the first string (E/mi), its open sound is the same as the sound of the second string pressed on the fifth fret.  The third string on the fourth fret is equal to the open second string (B/si). 

Furthermore, fourth string/ fifth fret equals open third string (G/sol); fifth string/ fifth fret equals open fourth string (D/re); and the sixth string/ fifth fret equals open fifth string (A/la).

In order to check the accuracy of your tuning, gently or lightly touch the fifth string directly above the fifth fret wire, without pressing the string to the fingerboard. 

By striking the string in this manner, it should sound similar to that high-pitched tone produced by the tuning fork.  Sounds of the string produced this way are called “harmonics.”

Harmonic 5 (Harmonic on the fifth fret) of the sixth string equals harmonic 7 of the fifth string (which is also similar to the open sound of the first string).  Harmonic 5 of the fifth string equals harmonic 7 on the fourth string.  Harmonic 4 of the third string is equal to the harmonic 5 of the second strung and harmonic 7 of the first string. 

Incidentally, harmonic 4 may require lots of practice for some, so I suggest that harmonic 7 of the sixth string be used to tune the open second string.  These pairs of harmonics, when sounded together, should produce only one steady tone.  If the sound the produce clash or seem wavy, they are not in tune.

These two methods of tuning must always go together.  You may use the harmonics method first then check with the other or vice versa.  If, after crosschecking, the strings do not agree with each other, you may have to repeat the whole process. 

If you still cannot get them in tune, your strings might be defective.  If your strings are new, this may even be worse—your ears need tuning!

To avoid all the hassles of manual tuning, costly electronic device called strobo tuners are available.  Just turn the dial to the string’s name and it will pick the string’s sound through a condenser microphone and tell you if it is in tune through a meter

Other conventional methods of tuning are through imitation of pitches from different musical instruments like the piano, flute, etc.  You can even use that portable but silly investment, the pitch pipe set.  But you have been warned!

Simple Instructions to Learn Chord Structure Easily

A technical knowledge of harmony is not an absolute prerequisite to the enjoyment of music, but the amateur musician and listener alike should be aware of harmony as an element of guitar chord structure.  He should be cognizant of certain basic principles, properties and uses of this element.

Harmony as an element is more sophisticated than rhythm and melody.  It is virtually non-existent in primitive cultures. 

Moreover, it is an element which appeared comparatively late in the history of music, and which was developed primarily in western civilization.

Harmony is a musical element based on the simultaneous combination of musical tones (as distinguished from the consecutive tones of a melody), or the accompaniment of a melody by chords.

A combination of three or more tones played simultaneously and perceived as sounding as a whole is called a chord.

A few rudimentary principles will help you understand the nature of conventional chord construction.  The simplest chord is the major triad, which consists of three tones.  We can build a triad by selecting the tonic of a certain major scale and by adding two or more tones above it on alternate degrees of the said scale. 

For example, if we start with the tone C as “do”, the tonic of the C-major scale, we get the triad do-mi-sol, 1-3-5, or using the letter names C-E-G.

The tones of any chord maybe arranged in different order, and they may be duplicated an octave above or below without changing the essential nature of the chord. 

This is the reason why oftentimes we see chords such as C/E, (the first inversion of the C major triad using the chord tone E as the bass) or C/G (the second inversion of the same triad using the chord tone G as the bass)

Building chords in thirds (on alternate scale degrees as described) was the basis of all conventional harmony from 1700-1900.

In the twentieth century serious music composers have expanded chord vocabulary by additional means of construction for the sake of more colourful and complex effects. 

Although additional means of construction have been introduced, modern pop, rock and jazz music still follow the conventional way of chord construction – by thirds.

Going back to the major chord, you may be wondering why there are lots of fingering for a certain major chord. This is possible because in the 12 frets of the guitar, the notes simply repeat themselves in increasing octaves, at their corresponding string. 

C, for example, is on the first fret at the B string, third fret at the A string, fifth fret at the G string, and on the eighth fret at the E strings.  As reference, here are the other notes and their possible fingerings:

D: 3rd fret at B, 5th fret at A, 7th at G and 10th at E;

E:  2nd at D, 5th at B, 7th at A, 9th at G and 12th at E;

F:  1st at E, 3rd at D, 6th sy B, 8th sy S snf 10th at G;

G:  3rd at E, 5th at D, 8th at B, 10th at A and 12th at G;

A:  2nd at G, 5th at E, 7th at D, 10th at B and 12th at A; and

B:  2nd at A, 4th at G, 7th at E, 9th at D and 12th at B.

So depending on how the melody of the song is arranged, the chord formation can assume any fingering position as long as the triad is formed and however it is conveniently played. 

Now that you have an understanding of the major chord, let us investigate its parallel counterpart the minor chord.  If the third of the major triad is altered by lowering it to one semitone (one fret on the guitar and two frets for each whole tone), the resulting triad will be C-Eflat-G, which is the minor triad. 

Check the fret board and investigate all the possible fingerings, for the minor chord.  You may see that if comparing it with the major chord fingerings, only one string is lowered when forming the minor chord, unless there is a doubling of the minor third (Eflat). 

If ever you are wondering why all the examples mentioned here are on the C chord, well, it now your turn to apply the lesson here.  Chart down the major and minor chord triads for the rest of the notes and … start strumming’!

Practical Guide to Practice Changing Chords

How quickly can your fretting hand switch from one chord to another?  The speed and confidence one has in doing chord changes will be the key to further mastering the guitar and successfully playing and creating music for the instrument.

The key to learning any instrument, like most intricate human activity, is to develop brain and muscle coordination, more commonly called, the muscle memory needed to play the instrument. 

If you picture a basketball player, for instance, the key to a good shooting performance is the proper hand-to-eye coordination in order to bring the ball up, prepare, aim, and throw it towards the hoop. 

The different muscles of the arms, wrist and hands will learn the right movements and strength needed to score.  Constant practice will condition the brain, eyes and entire body to know the routine of shooting the ball.

This is similar to guitar playing.  The muscles involved would be the arms, wrists and the fingers, with the eyes, ears and brain working in unison to relate the movements to the music being read and the notes produced by the guitar.  This is the mechanism that works when a guitar player starts to change chords. 

Luckily, there are simple techniques that can help the beginning guitar player to develop these muscle memories and ear training for proper chord changes.  Read on below and you will see that chord changes are not that difficult to do.

When changing chords, first memorize all the chords involved in the song.  Then visualize exactly which fingers of the fretting hand are involved in playing the chords. 

When playing simple barre chords, the most important finger is the index finger, which will squeeze all 6 strings across the fret board.  So as you move towards playing the chord, you have to position the index finger across the proper fret, or place, along the fret board before positioning the other fingers of the chord. 

When playing a broken or simple chord, it is usually the index finger that is the most important finger.  Primarily, the index finger and the thumb will form a stable anchor on the guitar neck in order for the other fingers to press the other strings of the chord. 

The index finger is usually played on the lowest fret and the highest string (by pitch, or string 1), where it could more easily find the proper note, and the other fingers can follow to complete the chord.

When playing a particular song, keep time with the music, but anticipate in which bar and on which beat the next chord will continue.  For beginners, it would be safe to practice the entire song slowly from beginning to end, taking care to change to each chord on time and on tempo.

When the student can play the entire song like this without chord errors, he can start increasing the speed to the song’s proper tempo.  It would also be helpful to identify particularly tricky chord changes.

For instance, 2 consecutive bar graphs would be a relatively simple change, because the guitar player needs only to slide his index finger (which is already in the barre position) to its proper position on the fret board and quickly press in the other strings of the chord.

Changes from simple chords to barre chords – and vice versa – and chords that are positioned at a far distance from each other along the length of the neck would be more difficult to do.  Isolate these difficult changes and practice the chord changes.

If it is still too difficult with the slow tempo, don’t play the last beat of the last chord and use the time to move your fret hand into position for the next fret.  Keep practicing these changes until the short passage can be played without error.

Afterwards, go back to playing the entire song as discussed above.  When you can play an entire song properly, try different strumming styles to accentuate parts of the song, or a particular beat. 

Or alternate strumming and light plucking to give volume and variety to the music of the song.  First, it is best to complete the song by actually copying how the original artist played it on the guitar. 

Then, you can add your own twists and extra technique according to your ear and taste.  This will help you develop your hands for more difficult chords and finger playing techniques.

Do this for every song, and before you know it, you’d be playing a new song like a seasoned guitarist in no time.  

How to toughen up those fingers; Stronger Fingers for Guitar Playing

Guitar playing is one of the most popular ways to personally play and enjoy music.  The appeal of the guitar is mostly due to its presence in practically all popular and rock music recordings.

Furthermore, it is an instrument that is very portable, versatile enough for many kinds of songs and occasions, and is more practical as an accompaniment to vocalists or other instruments.

Playing the guitar requires more than the requisite musical ability, dedication and practice.  A guitar player’s fingers must be dexterous and agile to allow quick single string or chord changes in rhythm or solo musical performances. 

However, those fingers also need to be tough and strong to be able to press the strings enough during those quick changes to produce clean tones.

All beginners will remember the first time they played the guitar for an extended period.  Our fingertips are originally soft at the very end, with thin skin protecting them.  First, we feel pain after pressing down on the strings too much.

After continuing to play, blisters will develop on the fingertips of the hand playing the fret board, specifically all fingers except for the thumb. 

If the aspiring musician hasn’t given up by then and continues to practice playing, the blisters will eventually dry up and leave calluses on the fingertips.  These calluses will protect the fingertips from the pain of playing, for a little bit.

Eventually, the pain builds up again, until the calluses keep building up and you end up with the thick rough fingertips of a guitarist’s left (or fret) hand.  And graduating to full chords, the entire 1st and 2nd fingers, which form bar chords across the strings, will also go through the process of pain, blisters and calluses. 

This process toughens up the guitarist’s fingertips, and makes it easy to press on the strings to produce the needed musical tone on the guitar.

The most effective way to strengthen the fingers and improve dexterity is to practice scales and chords on the guitar itself.  Chords and scales will help the beginner become familiar with the different chord progressions and musical setup of the fret board.

In other words, it will help the student master the instrument.  Knowing and playing chords and scales will embed the musical secrets of the guitar to the player and make it simpler to read, learn and perform music, and to create or write your own music for the guitar. 

As an added bonus, all that practice will greatly improve the strength and agility of the fingers.  With the dual advantage of musical training and strength and endurance improvement, a guitarist can develop the ability to perform several full pieces or songs in a long performance event.

However, there is a danger of over-training.  Tendonitis is a common affliction of over-exercising and is widely prevalent in professional athletes and musicians alike.  Tendonitis is caused by repetitive action of a limited set of muscles, causing inflammation and possible damage to tendons and joints. 

Because certain athletes and musicians tend to use a focused set of muscles in their activities, they share a certain propensity to this injury.

But this can be easily avoided.  Many persons over-train when they choose to ignore pain during practice and instead continue to do their activity.  This directly leads to tendonitis.  For guitarists, once you feel pain on your wrist or the tender part of your hands, stop. 

You should incorporate 5-15 minutes of rest in between sets of scales or chord practices.  Put the guitar down and shake your hand for a few seconds.  If you are not tired but still feel pain, change the practice method:  if you are doing scales, switch to slow strumming with full chords, instead. 

Changing the set of muscles you exert can help avoid injury and increase the strength of your fingers.

Finally, like an athlete, a guitarist should take care of his body with exercise.  Following are two stretching exercises that will improve the flexibility and strength of your fingers:

1. Stand straight with your arms at your sides and hands facing forward.  Stretch your fingers down and outward as far as you can and count to ten.  Relax and rest for a few seconds and make three repetitions.

2. With the same posture, hold the four fingers of your left hand 9except the thumb) with your right and push them towards the back of the hand.  Hold the stretch for ten seconds then relaxes, doing three repetitions.

Remember, strength and agility is achieved by practice, proper rest, and stretching exercises.  Now play on!