Here is a clip we shot with one of our guitar instructors, Jairus Mozee. There’s no instruction on it but it’s certainly inspiring.

Check it out!

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Easy Ways To Play Minor Chords On Your Guitar….

The guitar is one of the most popular musical instruments for composing diverse genres of music as far back as I can remember. And in order to learn to play the guitar correctly, you need to first gain knowledge about the basic chords. These include major, minor, power, augmented and diminished chords. Here we’ll deal with only the minor chords. In music, the term minor chord is referred to a chord that has a root, a minor third and a perfect fifth.

Since a minor chord plays such an important role in a variety of music, here are some fundamental tips that you can use to start playing them right away. A great example of the minor chord is the C minor chord. The reason I mention that one is because it’s generally the easiest to learn. You can actually play a C minor chord (Cm) from C major. All you need to do is lower the major third one-half step. This will automatically result in Cm.
3 Methods In Playing The C Minor

1. Simply place your index finger on the B string and first fret. This is the simplest way to start.

2. Next, you can try positioning your pinkie on the high E and the third fret. Then place your ring finger on the B string and third fret. Lastly, put your middle finger on the A string and third fret. Then place you index finger on the D string and second fret.

3. Put your ring finger on the A string and third fret. Then put your pointer finger on the B string and first fret. Follow by placing the middle finger on the D string and second fret.

*You can also play the E minor by placing your index finger on the A string and second fret. Then put your middle finger on the D string and second fret. Simply continue practicing these movements, and you’ll definitely see the results.

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If you want to develop a great sound when you play, having a guitar that is properly tuned is an absolute MUST. Now, there are a few simple instructions that need to be followed so that the guitar can be tuned the correctly. The guitar tuning basics of an open string guitar are listed below:

1. E : this is the thickest string, it is also the lowest sounding string and is the sixth string on the fret board.

2. A : this is the fifth string

3. D : this is the fourth string

4. G : this is the third string

5. B : this is the second string

6. E : this is the first string and it is
also the thinnest

Tuning a guitar ensures that the strings provide the right note and pitch each and every time. I know you’re probably asking, what do you use to do the actual tuning.

Well, the part of the guitar that you use to do the actual tuning are called the tuning pegs. And these “tuning pegs” have to be altered to provide the right note.

3 Types of Tuning:

a. Reference Tuning (tune the guitar’s strings to another source)

b. Relative Tuning (must have at least one of your strings in tune
with a reliable external source)

c. Electronic Tuning (have a more precise pitch than a pitch pipe)

There is a basic tuning standard that all guitarists need to follow; this can be used for all guitar tunings. But on the other hand, some guitarists use an alternative style and hence tune their guitars with that particular sound in mind. For example, blues guitarists and finger stylists use altered tunings. It can be used irrespective whether the guitarist is a novice or experienced.

The other source here can be any musical instrument, like a piano or even another guitar. The pitch of the reference instrument is played and then it is followed the guitar is tuned accordingly.

The hardest form of tuning is relative tuning. This is done without the help of any reference. Hence it becomes extremely difficult for a new guitar player to be able to tune his guitar.

Lastly, it is electronic tuning. This is the easiest and most simple way to tune your guitar. If you have an electronic guitar then you can use the electronic tuner. It is even better if you have a good or the best electronic guitar.

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The Purpose Of The Whammy Bar…

There actually a ton of name in which this incredible guitar accessory has been labeled. Examples its nicknames include the vibrato bar, twang bar, tremolo arm, and the tremolo bar. That’s quite a few, I know. No matter what you call it, the tremolo bar or whammy bar has one core function and that’s to create a vibrato kind of sound on the guitar.

With help of some creativity and imagination, the whammy bar can be used in a ton of situations. If you play around with it enough and just experiment, you’ll find and unlimited number of sounds this thing can generate.

Where can you find this thing called the “whammy bar?” Well, if you look right along the bridge of the guitar, you’ll have found it. To be able to use a whammy bar, there needs to be a hole at the bottom of the bridge where the strings tuck in. If the hole is not present on the guitar, then it might not be possible to use the whammy bar (…what a bummer).

But for those of you that do have a hole in your guitar, you’re in for something really special. You’ll be able to generate sounds that aren’t even imaginable on another guitar. You’ll be able to formulate sounds that are much deeper than normal, sounds full of dissonance.
The whammy bar gives the best sound when played on just one note instead of the whole chord.

It needs to be pressed down gently towards the guitar while pointing the bar in the direction of the head stock. Players use the whammy bar to make their compositions exclusive and more effective.

Though the whammy gels the best with a single note, it can also be used with the entire chord. By pressing the whammy bar down slowly, a player can generate a very soothing effect. But this needs to be done correctly to get the desired melodious effect for the listeners. Extra care should be rendered when using the whammy bar for chords. It can get chaotic if you don’t go slowly on it.

There are different variations that can be tried with the whammy bar. Positioning of the whammy bar plays a very important part in creating music. Like when you hold the whammy in the direction of the head stock. This makes the sound a softer and deeper. When you hold the whammy bar facing the bottom of the guitar and play it softly, it results in the pitch going up.

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The Anatomy and Parts of a Guitar

A new guitar player first and foremost needs to become familiar with all the parts of his instrument before she or he starts to learn to play. Now different types of guitars may have additional parts but the basic parts will remain the same for across the board.

The three main parts of a guitar are the body, the headstock and the neck.

The headstock is also known as the peghead and is located at the top of the guitar. The headstock can be attached at an angle or flat so that it forms a plane in sync with the neck of the guitar.

The straight long portion that is present between the headstock and the body is known as the neck.

And the entire lower portion of the guitar is known as the body. It is here that a major part of activity takes place when the guitar is in use.

The other parts that constitute the guitar are tuners, the nut, frets, the bridge and the guitar strings.

The tuners are also known by a variety of names. Out of the many, tuning pegs and tuning keys are the most popular. The tuners are placed along the headstock of the guitar in 1 out of the 3 typical configurations.

The small piece that is present between the neck of the guitar and the headstock is known as the nut. This may look like a small piece that is not important but it actually serves two critical functions.

The frets of the guitar are placed along the body of the guitar in equal spaces. The frets can be small, raised metal bars or even simple lines that are marked on the neck of the guitar.

The point where the strings attach to itself to the lower end of the guitar is known as the bridge. The bridge is located on the body of the guitar.

Lastly, but most important are the guitar strings. These are important because without the strings, the guitar would not be able to produce any music.

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