Introduction to the Guitar Guitar Lesson

Chapter 1: (02:18) Lesson Introduction Series Overview

Welcome to the Phase 1 Basic Guitar series with Eve Goldberg! Eve begins this lesson series with the assumption that you are brand new to the guitar. Before she dives into playing techniques, she explains essential information such as guitar anatomy, holding the guitar, proper posture, and the tuning process.

Eve's series focuses primarily on song accompaniment - specifically accompanying a vocal melody on guitar. She teaches the fundamentals of guitar accompaniment by covering various songs and repertoire. In upcoming lessons, Eve will begin with basic right and left hand mechanics. Then, she will introduce chord shapes and various accompaniment techniques.

Eve's Philosophy on Learning Music

As a beginning guitarist, it is very important to realize that you do not need to have complete mastery over the instrument in order to produce effective music. The vast majority of popular songs recorded over the last century are comprised of a few simple chord changes. This statement is especially true of the folk, roots, country, blues, and bluegrass genres. An effective guitar accompaniment can be achieved by playing a simple chord progression cleanly and in time.

Eve Goldberg Biography

Eve Goldberg is a renowned Canadian folk / roots musician from Toronto, Ontario. Her original compositions blend a wide range of traditional and contemporary folk styles, country, roots music, and bluegrass. She began her professional performance career in 1990. Since then, she has performed at countless clubs, theaters, and festivals throughout Canada and the Eastern United States such as the Kennedy Center, the Mariposa Folk Festival, the Kennedy Center, the Ottawa Folk Festival, and the Stan Rogers Folk Festival.

Recordings

Eve released her first album, Ever Brightening Day, independently on her own label called Sweet Patootie Music. Her later albums Crossing the Water and A Kinder Season were both released by the Borealis Recording Company, a Canadian folk label.

Organizations

Throughout her musical career, Eve has remained heavily involved in various musical organizations. In 1999, she helped found Common Thread: Community Chorus of Toronto. This community choir consists of seventy singers. It performs a wide range of popular traditional and contemporary folk music from songwriters and composers across the globe. Eve is also an organizer of The Woods Music and Dance Camp. This annual camp is held in Ontario. In addition to these organizations, Eve serves as the office manager for the Borealis Recording Company.

Eve Goldberg Links

Official Website

MySpace Page

Borealis Records Official Site

Common Thread Chorus

The Woods Music and Dance Camp

Eve Goldberg on Facebook

JamPlay Performances

For additional samples of Eve's playing, check out the Entertainment section here on JamPlay. You can hear performances of her original compositions "Watermelon Sorbet" and "Let Me Rise." "Watermelon Sorbet" was the theme song to CBC Radio's Richardson's Roundup program. It can also be found on a compilation of acoustic guitar works entitled Six Strings North of the Border. Chapter 2: (03:44) Philosophy and Learning Styles Music Philosophy

Many people believe that performing music is only for people born with exceptional natural talent or professionals. This is not so. Music is something for everyone to experience and enjoy. Don't be frightened by learning this new skill, especially if you are older and have been out of school or a regular daily learning environment. Have a patient outlook towards your guitar training at all times. Do not get angry or frustrated if at first you struggle with a new concept or guitar technique.

Learning Styles

A. Kinesthetic / Tactile Learners

Kinesthetic learners find it easiest to learn new skills through hands on experience.

B. Auditory Learners

Auditory Learners absorb new information best by listening to oral instructions.

C. Visual Learners

Visual learners are able to master new tasks in the most efficient manner when they are provided with a visual demonstration.

Be aware of how you take information and your learning style. Keep this in mind if you are having a hard time learning a certain concept. The information may just not have been presented in a way that matches your personal learning style. Eve tries to explain all subject material from all three perspectives. However, if you find that another instructor teaches more in line with your learning style, watch his / her lessons to fill in any gaps.

If you ever have a question about anything that Eve covers or you need further explanation, feel free to write in for extra help. The JamPlay instructors are always here to help. However, due to touring / recording schedules and other commitments, it may be a few days before the instructor is able to answer your question. Chapter 3: (01:14) The Guitar and Its Parts Anatomy of the Guitar

A. Headstock

The headstock is located at the end of a long, slender piece of wood called the neck. Tuning pegs are fastened to the headstock. The strings are wrapped around the tuning pegs to hold them tightly in place.

B. Tuning Machines

The tuning machines ensure that the tuning remains stable for as long as possible. Most electric guitars feature six tuning machines on one side of the headstock. Turning the tuning machines alters the pitch or tuning of each string. Turning the tuning peg in a counterclockwise motion raises or sharpens the pitch of the string. Turning the peg clockwise lowers or flattens the pitch.

Most acoustic guitars feature three tuning machines on each side of the headstock. In this case, the three tuning machines on the bottom portion of the headstock work in the opposite direction.

C. Nut

On their way to the tuning pegs, the strings pass through an object made of bone or plastic called the nut. The nut is mounted where the neck meets the headstock. However, on classical guitars, the nut is not fastened to the guitar. Rather, it is held in place by the tension supplied by the strings. The nut keeps a precise, even spacing between all six strings. It also keeps the strings at a fixed height above the fretboard.

D. The Neck

The long slender part of the guitar is called the neck. The fretboard is glued on top of the neck. Fretboards are either made out of rosewood, maple, or ebony. Maple produces a brighter tone. Rosewood and ebony sound slightly darker.

Slits are carved into the fretboard for installation of metal strips of wire. These strips of wire are called frets. The majority of acoustic guitars feature 20 frets. Electric guitars typically have 21 or 22 frets. Many guitars designed for hard rock and metal feature 24 frets. Ibanez has recently started to manufacture a guitar that features 27 frets.

Most guitars feature position markers on the fretboard to help keep you oriented. Most Strat style guitars feature pearloid dot inlays. The double dots indicate the 12th fret. As you continue to explore up the neck, these positions markers will become very handy. Position markers are also listed on top of the fretboard. These dots are typically very small. Classical guitars are typically the only type of guitars that do not feature fretboard markers. Guitars manufactured by the Parker Company also do not feature fretboard markers.

E. The Body

Acoustic guitars have shoulders, hips, and a waist. The large chamber connected to the neck is called the body. The top part of the body is called the soundboard. The bridge is connected to the saddle, which in turn is connected to the soundboard. The strings connect to the bridge at this end of the guitar. Striking the strings produces vibrations, which exit through the soundhole.

F. The Bridge

The bridge performs the same jobs as the nut at the opposite end of the guitar. The strings are anchored to the body at the bridge. It also maintains even spacing between each of strings. The height of the strings above the guitar is also maintained by the bridge.

Bridge pins securely hold the strings in place. These pins must be removed when you change your strings.

Classical and electric guitars do not have bridge pins. On a classical guitar, the strings are looped and tied around the bridge. Electric guitar strings have small steel balls on the ends that hold each string tightly against the bridge.

G. The Saddle

The bridge and bridge pins are mounted on a piece of wood called the saddle. In turn, the saddle is mounted on the body.

H. The Pickguard

The pickguard protects the body from damage. The pick will gradually damage the body over time as a result of constant contact. The pickguard prevents this costly problem from occurring.

F. Strap Pegs (Pins)

Most guitars feature two strap pegs. One is typically located on the side of the body directly in line with the bridge. The other is placed close to the upper side of the neck.

Strap locks will ensure that your strap remains attached to the strap pegs. They can be purchased at almost any store where guitars are sold. Straps have a tendency to work their way loose over time. If you are standing up while playing, you could accidentally drop your guitar to the floor and damage it. At the very least, this mishap will negatively affect your performance.

You can have pins added by a luthier if your guitar does not have them. However, this requires drilling holes in the body. You must have a reliable professional do this work. Do NOT drill holes for strap pegs in a nylon string (classical) guitar. This will cause a severe loss in tonal quality. Classical or nylon string guitars (this includes flamenco models as well) must be played with a footstool, suction cups or with a clamp stand when playing standing up.

Additional Anatomy for the Electric Guitar

A. Pickups

The pickups sense the vibration of the strings. This vibration is transformed into an electric signal that passes through the guitar cable and comes out of the amplifier. Most Strats feature three single coil pickups. The other type of guitar pickup is called a "humbucker." Les Pauls feature two humbucking pickups. Humbuckers are essentially two single coil pickups that are wired together.

B. Pickup Selector Switch

A toggle switch is used to select a specific pickup(s). The positions of the toggle switch are setup just like the pickups. There are five possible pickup selections available on most Strats. Three of the positions are for each of the single coil pickups. The in between positions blend the sound of the bridge and middle pickup or the neck and the middle pickup. The bridge pickup features a bright, treble sound. The neck pickup produces a warmer, bassier sound. The middle pickup produces a middle ground sound between these two extremes. Experiment with your guitar and explore the different tones that each pickup produces. Compare the sound of a single note played with each of the pickup options.

C. Volume and Tone Control(s)

Most Strats feature a single volume knob that controls the volume of all three pickups. Les Pauls feature two volume controls - one control for each pickup.

Most guitars feature two tone controls - one for the bridge and one for the neck pickup. When the tone control is turned down, the high end or treble is decreased.

D. Output Jack

The electric guitar connects to the amplifier through a patch cable. The patch cable connects to the output jack of the guitar. Typically, the jack is located somewhere around the side of the body or the front of the body near the volume and tone controls.

E. Bridge Systems for Electric Guitars

1. Floating Tremolo

Most Strat style guitars have floating tremolos. The tremolo is the "whammy bar" that is used to lower or raise the pitch of a note. Pressing the bar downwards lowers the pitch of a note. Pulling the bar upwards raises the pitch. You cannot alter the pitch as much with this system as with a double locking system. Springs that are covered by a plate on the back of the body help maintain equilibrium and keep the strings in tune.

2. Fixed Bridge

These systems do not feature a whammy bar. They are installed on most Gibson style guitars.

3. Locking Tremolo

Refer to the "Lesson Information" section of lesson 1 from Kris Norris' Phase 2 lesson series to learn about locking tremolos. Chapter 4: (02:40) Holding the Guitar Holding the Guitar / Proper Guitar Posture

Playing the guitar properly begins with proper posture. Proper posture involves the entire body. Remember that the entire body is one system. Everything affects everything else. Playing with proper posture will enable you to play with the greatest ease and comfort. Improper posture results in poor playing technique and potentially career-ending injury.

Sitting in a Chair

Do not sit in a chair with arm rests. This will prevent you from holding the guitar in a comfortable position. Also, do not sit on a very soft chair or couch. Otherwise, you will sink in to the cushioning. This prevents you from playing with proper posture.

Legs

The legs are the foundation of the body and proper posture. Any structure requires a solid foundation. Always follow the following guidelines regarding proper leg positioning.

1. Never cross your legs. It limits circulation. It's awkward. Most people do this just to raise the guitar higher. That's why you should always wear a strap instead!

2. Keep the feet about shoulder width apart. When playing sitting down, keep them parallel. If standing up, then you may find it more comfortable to keep one foot slightly in front of the other. Leading too much with one foot can cause back issues that affect the shoulders. This tension can spread to the hands and affect playing.

3. The groin area and feet should form an isosceles triangle (two equal sides). The ancient Egyptians understood that the triangle is the strongest geometric shape. Consequently, you must position the base of your body in this formation.

Shoulders

Keep the shoulders relaxed and loose at all times. Don't shrug them at all. Your arms should feel like they are hanging effortlessly from your body. Do not lift your right shoulder to bring your right hand closer to the strings.

Do not lean over so that your face is closer to the fretboard. Keep the spine as straight as possible at all times. Playing slouched over for extended periods of time will hurt your back.

The Strap

Always wear a strap regardless of whether you are playing sitting down or standing up. This is true of both electric and acoustic guitars. Raise your left hand slowly until the bicep no longer must use any force to raise the arm. Adjust your strap so the neck meets your left hand at this position. Play with the strap adjusted the same way regardless of whether you are standing up or sitting down. Pay no attention to rock guitarists who play with the guitar slung down around their knees. This is very improper posture. It makes playing the guitar much more difficult.

Positioning the Guitar

The guitar should remain mainly flat against your body. Do not let the guitar tilt down your leg. This will make it hard for your left hand to play chords and scales. A lot of students complain that they cannot see the fretboard as easily when the guitar is flat against their body. You will get over this in time. Use the dots on top of the neck to help orient you if necessary.

Choosing the Right Guitar

Don't play a guitar that is too big, bulky, or heavy for you. Many players run into back and shoulder problems from playing heavy guitars such as Les Pauls night after night. Similar problems may result from playing a large hollowbody or acoustic guitar. Most likely, these problems will not manifest themselves immediately. It may take decades for the issue to come to a head. However, they could eventually knock you out of commission for a long time. Why would you do anything that could potentially lead to injury?

The Shoulders and Back

The spine must remain straight and relaxed at all times. Stretch your spine towards the ceiling without arching your back. While doing so, do not allow your shoulders to slouch in a forward direction. The shoulders must remain relaxed and loose at all times. Do not shrug them at all. Your arms should feel like they are hanging effortlessly from your body. Do not lift your right shoulder to bring your right hand closer to the strings.

Forearm / Elbow

The inside of the elbow should wrest on the upper bout. Consequently, the right hand hovers right over the back edge of the soundhole. Striking the strings in this location will produce the best, loudest tone. You do not want to block the soundhole or else your tone will be quieter.

The Abdominal Muscles and Lower Back

The abdominal and lower back muscles support the upper structure of the body. You must find a position where the spine remains straight while utilizing the minimum amount of effort from these lower muscle groups. Using the minimum amount of effort is of paramount importance to proper guitar technique.

Pain and Discomfort

If you experience pain or discomfort in any body part, immediately stop playing and address the issue. Adjust your playing posture until you feel comfortable and relaxed. If you are used to playing an electric or steel string acoustic, classical guitar posture will feel quite awkward at first. This will pass in time. However, always draw the line between feeling awkward and experiencing pain or discomfort. Chapter 5: (02:35) String Names and Numbering Open String Names

The tuning process begins with learning the name of the note produced by each "open" string. A string is played open when the left hand is not used on the fretboard.

The thickest string (closest to the ceiling) is referred to as the sixth string. This string produces the pitch "E."

5th string - A
4th string - D
3rd string - G
2nd string - B
1st string - E

Memorize these string names as soon as possible. This information is extremely rudimentary and important. A lot of what you will learn later expands upon this basic information. Notice how the lowest and the highest string are both tuned to the note E. The "high" E string is tuned two octaves higher than the lowest string.

To remember the string names, use this pneumonic device: "eat a darn good breakfast everyday. Or, you can use Mary Flower's pneumonic device: "every acid dealer gets busted eventually." Chapter 6: (01:15) Finger Numbering When a specific left hand fingering is designated within a tablature score, each finger is assigned a letter or number. The left hand thumb is always indicated by an uppercase letter "T." The index finger is labeled as "1." The middle finger is labeled "2." The ring finger is assigned the number "3." Finally, the pinkie is labeled as finger "4." The left hand fingering for a specific chord or note is usually indicated directly below the tablature staff. This prevents guitarists from confusing the left hand fingering with the fret numbers listed on the tablature lines.

Piano Confusion

If you have experience playing the piano, this number system is probably quite confusing. Pianists refer to the thumb as finger "1." Consequently, the index finger is labeled "2," and so on.

Left Hand Fingering and Standard Notation

In standard notation, the left hand fingering for a note is usually indicated directly to the right of the note head. The numbering system listed above remains the same for standard notation.
Chapter 7: (08:29) Guitar Tuning You must tune the guitar prior to every practice session. It does not matter how recently you played it. The guitar is not like a piano. The strings go out of tune much more quickly. They will slip out of tune in a matter of hours as the guitar sits in its case. Get in a habit of tuning your guitar prior to performing your daily warm-up exercises. If your guitar is not in tune, everything you play will sound bad regardless of how well you play it.

There are many ways to tune the guitar. One popular method is the "Fifth Fret Method."

The Fifth Fret Method

Tune the sixth string to a piano or some outside source like a pitch pipe. A tuning fork will enable you to get the A string in tune.

Once the low sixth string is in tune, use the following process.

Step 1: Fret the note A at the 5th fret of the 6th string. Match the pitch of the open 5th string to this note.

Step 2: Fret the note D at the 5th fret of the 5th string. Match the pitch of the open 4th string to this note.

Step 3: Fret the note G at the 5th fret of the 4th string. Match the pitch of the open 3rd string to this note.

Step 4: Fret the note B at the 4th fret of the 3rd string. Match the pitch of the open 2nd string to this note. This string features the only exception to the fifth fret method.

Step 5: Fret the note E at the 5th fret of the 2nd string. Match the pitch of the open first string to this note.

Note: The tuning listed above is referred to as "standard tuning." Other alternate tunings are sometimes used. These tunings are discussed in other lessons on JamPlay.com.

Tuning by ear is a skill that must be developed over time. Until you master this process, use some sort of electronic tuning device to help you. Chapter 8: (05:01) Electronic Tuners Purchasing a Tuner

Eventually, you will need to learn how to tune the guitar by ear. For now though, use an electronic tuner to help with this process. A reliable electronic tuner can be purchased at your local guitar store for around fifteen dollars. The Korg GA-30 Guitar/Bass Tuner is a great choice for beginning guitarists. This tuner also features a built-in microphone. The microphone allows you to tune an acoustic guitar without plugging a patch cable into the tuner.

Professional tuners such as the Boss TU-2 are designed for live performance situations. Chances are that you will not need a tuner of this quality to start with. These tuners require the use of two cables. They also have two outputs. One output silences the guitar signal when tuning. The other keeps the guitar amplified while tuning.

Using an Electronic Tuner

When using the tuner, the string number or open string note name will light up as it is plucked. A meter will indicate whether the note is sharp or flat. If the meter is to the left of center, then the string is flat. If it is right of center, then the string is sharp. If the appropriate string number or pitch does not show up, the note is too far sharp or flat for the tuner to register properly.

If you have any sort of a floating tremolo, you have to go through the tuning process twice if not three times. When the tuning of one string is changed, the tuning of the other strings adjusts slightly to even out the tension placed on the neck. This is one disadvantage of a floating or double locking tremolo system.

Troubleshooting

All tuners are slightly flighty. You have probably experienced this with your own tuner. Do not worry! Your tuner is not defective! Electronic tuners are highly sensitive devices. A number of issues can cause them to produce an inconclusive result. Extraneous noise in the room can confuse your tuner. As a result, you must minimize the amount of noise in the close proximity of the tuner. Sympathetic vibrations coming from other strings will also produce an inconclusive result. Mute all of the strings with the exception of the string you are tuning to eliminate this problem. In addition, always tune up to the desired pitch instead of down. This tends to produce a more accurate result.

Tone Knob

Roll the tone knob all of the way down on your electric guitar when tuning.

Picking

The location of where you pick also effects the tuning process. Try picking the string directly in the middle of the fretboard (the 12th fret). Do not pick the string too hard. This will cause the string to go sharp at first. Give the note time to settle in with the tuner. Let the note sustain for a second or two before taking the reading from the tuner. This becomes less of a problem when tuning strings of higher tension. It's easy to over attack a guitar strung with 8 or 9 gauge strings.

Improper String Installation

Improperly installed strings also cause tuning issues. Make sure your strings are fresh and in working condition. Fresh strings are always easier to keep in tune.

String Slippage

Creaking noises while tuning can be caused by a wrap of the string slipping out of place. Also, this problem can be caused by the string being pinched too tightly as it slides through the nut. This tension might equalize in the middle of a performance and knock your guitar out of tune. You can lubricate the nut with graphite from a pencil if you are experiencing this problem. Or, you can buy special lubrication from the guitar shop.

Capo Problems

Playing with a capo can cause tuning problems. The capo must be placed in the proper location and checked with a tuner. If it is clamped too tightly or too close to the fret, it will force the string to sound sharp. To eliminate this problem, give the strings a small tug after clamping on a capo. As a result, the strings will go slightly flat and balance out the problem.

Guitar Defects

A guitar with a warped neck and / or defective tuners will never stay in tune. Take your guitar to a professional repairman to address this issue.

Tune Up

Always tune up to a pitch instead of down to it. The tuning remains stable longer when the strings are tuned in this manner.

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