Proper Picking Techniques

Holding a guitar pick is pretty simple as long as you apply some basic common sense. The guitar pick should be held between your thumb and index finger on your picking hand. You will want to keep your wrist locked and utilize your elbow as the pivot point to move the guitar pick to pressure the guitar string.

Some people will recommend using a light grade sand paper on your guitar pick to sharpen the edge and help it grab the strings. This is a good trick to use as your competency improves.

It is recommended that you use a medium or heavy gauge guitar pick with a standard width. There are some over sized picks that you can use for the very beginner or for the younger guitar players. These picks are good for strumming and for establishing the very fundamentals of using a guitar pick. Lighter gauge guitar picks tend to be flimsy and can break quite easily.

Name brand guitar picks are usually good to start with, but guitar picks, next to guitar strings are probably what you will be likely to replace the most, so it is important to finds picks that are within your budget and picks that last based on your playing abilities and preferences.

It is recommended that you learn to be able to use a guitar pick using both down and up strokes on the strings. Your picking hand will become fatigued very quickly if you utilize only up or only down strokes with the guitar pick. You will also be able to play much faster over time if you are able to pick using up and down strokes.

For the very beginner, start by just using open strings (no pressure on the guitar strings or neck from your fret hand), and practice using up and down strokes on each string. As you are able to produce a consistent ringing from the open string, practice going a little faster along each string.

When you feel comfortable with your ability to pick up and down consistently, try playing some notes on the fret board and using the same exercise until you are comfortable with the sounds being produced. These sounds should be a clear ringing, sustained sound with no "dull" non-ringing of the notes.

To prepare for strumming some chords, practice by strumming the pick along the open strings, again with no pressure on the guitar strings or fret board, as you did in the beginning. Be sure to use both up and down strokes to keep your pick hand from getting tired and developing your up and down picking ability equally.

Once you are comfortable with the individual notes, move along to strumming some chords, using simple chords first and being sure to be able to ring out each note of the chord both individually and together. Once you re comfortable with a few basic chords, try changing between those chords until you are able to do so efficiently and without stopping between chords for finger placements on the guitar strings.

For all your guitar strings and accessories needs check out:

www.trurewindmusic.com

Kevin Uhrig is a singer and guitar player and director of http://www.trurewindmusic.com, and believes in providing good information to allow consumers to make educated decisions.

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The Anatomy of the Guitar

This video describes the various parts of the guitar that you will need to become familiar with as your ability to play the guitar gets better.



For all your guitar strings and guitar accessories needs check out: www.trurewindmusic.com

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The basics on playing the major and minor chords

I was searching you tube for some ideas on topics and I found this cool video about playing the major and minor chords on your guitar.

This is a great video for the beginning guitar player, just getting familiar with where to place your fingers on the guitar strings.

While playing the guitar for the beginner may seem like a difficult thing to start to understand, it is much easier to grasp if you break it down into small pieces.

One of the first exercises is to understand the difference between the basic chord fingerings.

This video demonstrates how to play the most basic major and minor chords, like A, E, D, C, and G.

There is even a final demo that teaches how to play the basic part to Gloria.

For all your guitar strings and guitar accessories needs, check out www.trurewindmusic.com.



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Getting Started Playing Guitar - How to Choose the Right Guitar Strings for you!

When you are making a decision to take up a hobby like playing the guitar, the last thing you need is a complicated process on how to decide what types of equipment to buy, and how to create the different sounds that a guitar can make.

If you are just beginning to play, you are likely to want to go with a nylon guitar string, as they are easier on your fingers and will allow you to learn how to apply the correct amount of pressure with minimal discomfort to your fingertips. Nylon guitar strings produce a mellow, soothing tone. If you are going to play the classical guitar, you are likely to want to stay with these guitar strings, as they are very common in the classical style of guitar playing.

Ball-end nylon strings are popular for the folk-style guitar player. These strings can handle the strumming associated with folk style playing.

Silk and steel guitar strings are what you want for finger style playing, because they are gentler on your fingers.

Bronze guitar strings provide a brilliant, bright tone and are often used on acoustic guitars. They are wrapped in a bronze coating to provide the "brightness" commonly heard from an acoustic guitar.

There are also mutliple choices for the electric guitar player as well. Flat-wound guitar strings are easier to play and produce a tone that is common in jazz styles.

Nickel wound strings, commonly found in brands like Ernie Ball, they are made from pure nickel wire wrapped around tin plated hex. Nickel strings produce a warm, rich toneThese are the types of strings that are commonly heard in rock-n-roll style guitar playing.
Round wound strings, popular in manufacturers like GHS, are made of nickel plated steel, and they produce a bright, long-lasting tone, commonly used in heavy metal, rock, country, blues, and pop styles.

There are also multiple gauges (or thickness) of guitar strings to consider when making your choice. Heavier gauges are better for rhythm style playing and lighter gauges are better for bending and playing solos. It is important to determine which thickness is best for your needs, and remember that they may change as your ability improves. I would suggest a medium light to medium gauge if you are just beginning, as these can be a little more versatile than heavier gauged strings.

For the guitar strings you need and more visit:
http://www.trurewindmusic.com/

Kevin Uhrig is a singer and guitar player and director of http://www.trurewindmusic.com/, and believes in providing good information to allow consumers to make educated decisions.
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www.trurewindmusic.com