Beginners Guide to Playing Major Guitar Scales

Guitar scales are extremely beneficial guitar practice exercise and if you aren't learning them, then you are at a serious disadvantage. Three important benefits of learning guitar scales are as follows:

THEY BUILD STRENGTH

The constant upward and downward left to right movement of your hand across the fretboard builds lots of strength in your hands. The stronger your hands become, the easier it becomes to hold down the strings and produce clean sounds on your guitar. You are definitely going to need strong hands, especially when it comes to playing those difficult barre chords.

THEY FAMILIARIZE YOU WITH THE GUITAR

Most beginners spend most of their playing time at the same general area of the guitar, usually on the first 5 frets. When you play guitar scales, your fingers and hands travel all across the fretboard of your guitar. You will play notes and areas of the guitar that you may rarely play or familiarize yourself with.

THEY BUILD CALLUSES

One of the biggest challenges you will need to overcome as a beginner guitar player is the pain you will most definitely experience in your fingers. There is a good chance you have already experienced this annoying pain. It is because the skin and flesh on your fingertips is very delicate and in order to prevent further injury, your fingers will naturally develop calluses from continuous playing. Calluses are your best friend and when they finally form, you will see a huge difference in your ability to play the guitar. You will be able to play for longer periods of time as well as hold down strings more firmly.

LEARNING YOUR FIRST SCALE

Now that we have seen the benefits of learning guitar scales, let us jump right in and learn your first scale. I am going to show you how to play the C major scale on your guitar, because that is the first scale I was taught. This is often the first guitar scale that most beginners are taught because the notes of this scale contain no sharps or flats.

The C Major scale consists of 7 different notes plus an eighth note which is just a duplicate of the first note but an octave higher: C D E F G A B C. The first note is known as the root of the scale and the last note is better known as the octave of the scale. The 1st note, or root of the scale tells you what the name of the scale is.

So how are the notes of the C Major scale found you may ask?

Lets first look at all existing notes in music first:

C - C#(or Dflat) - D - D#(or E flat) - E - F - F#(or G Flat) - G - G#(or A Flat) - A - A#( or B Flat) - B

Each scale begins and ends with the same note and all major scales adhere to the same general rule known as whole steps and half steps:

W W 1/2 W W W 1/2

So to get the C Major Scale, we start at C and go one whole step to D, then another whole step to E, then a half step to F, then a whole step to G, then a whole step to A, then a whole step to B, then finally a half step to C again giving us:

C D E F G A B C

So now that we know how to find the notes of the C Major Scale, how do we play this on the guitar?

First lets take a look at the strings of the guitar, which will give us a good starting point to finding the notes of the C Major Scale:

E ---------------------------------1 String (High E)

B---------------------------------2nd String

G---------------------------------3rd String

D---------------------------------4th String

A---------------------------------5th String

E---------------------------------6th String (Low E)

The easiest way to finger the C Major scale would be as follows: 5th string 3rd fret (C), then a whole step to the 4th string (open d), then a whole step to the 4th string 2nd Fret (E), then a half step to the 4th string 3rd Fret (F), then a whole step to the 3rd String (open G), then a whole step to the 3rd string 2nd Fret(A), then a whole step to the 2nd String (open B), lastly a half step to the 2nd string 1st Fret (C).

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Guitar Motivation – Easy Tips To Get Back On Track With Your Guitar-Playing

Have you come to a point in your guitar-based hobby where you can't get motivated to play? The thought of pulling out the guitar and going through songs just seems like too much to organize.

Well, you might be caught in a slump, but that doesn't mean that you can't kick yourself out of it. Here are some very simple strategies to jump start your guitar practices and get yourself some guitar motivation.

1. Have confidence in yourself. A lot of the problem to not wanting to pick up your guitar is because you might be beginning to feel like you can't play. Tell yourself that by doing a little bit at a time, you can eventually become a guitar-playing machine.

2. Schedule time to practice. If you don't make a conscious effort to interrupt the normal layout of the day to fit in some guitar practice time, you might never get your guitar motivation back. Plan out, in your mind or on paper, when and for how long you can spare time to practice the guitar. Even ten or fifteen minutes can get you into the groove again.

3. Find a quiet space to practice. It's pretty unbearable to practice the guitar where there are all sorts of noise and distractions to keep it from being enjoyable. Find somewhere that you know is to yourself for a half hour at least and just jam.

4. Practice what you want. Maybe you didn't want to play again because the thought of another scale or practice riff just sounded terrible to you. Then don't play them! If you sit down to your next guitar practice knowing that you can play whatever you want, you're almost guaranteed to get your motivation back.

5. Reward yourself when it's over. Another thing that guitarists miss out on is a little reward to themselves for completing their agenda. It can be small like buying an ice cream cone or going to the movies, but the purpose is to let yourself know that you did a good job.

Gaining that old guitar motivation again can be a bit tough if you've been forced to practice on things you didn't want or more than you wanted. The next time you sit down with the guitar, make a pact that you're going to play on your own terms.

(ArticlesBase ID #1222765)

Kyle Hoffman is an established guitarist with years of experience in a number of successful bands. Read his valuable FREE report on what to look for in a fast electric guitar course at his popular guitar blog, How To Guitar Tune

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Get A Guitar Practice Amp – Small In Size But Not In Sound

After you buy a guitar, particularly an electric guitar, the very next thing that you probably need to do is buy a guitar amp. The problem with lots guitar amps though is that they are huge, pricey and tricky to tote around. But there's an alternative - a guitar practice amp.

These amps are sometimes referred to as called mini amps because of their small size, but do not let their diminutive proportions put you off. You see even a basic guitar practice amp comes with a great range of features such as distortion effects, overdrive and, naturally volume controls that go all of the way up to 11! The best thing about these tiny amps though is that they are battery powered, often by simply a single 9V battery, which means that they're an absolute breeze to carry around if you're gigging at the local hall or even a mates bedroom.

they're tough enough to permit you to play to tiny audiences and are sometimes favoured by street buskers for their convenience and great sound. You may also find a guitar practice amp for nearly every musical style with Marshall, Yamaha, Fender and Danelectro among some of the famous makers who produce them.

With their comparatively inexpensive costs, completely cool looks and warm rich sounds, all packed into a box small enough to fit in a little backpack, a guitar practice amp is a great way to rock without needing a team of roadies backing you up.

Dont be a mug and lug that big stack of amps around with you. Get a funky guitar Mini Amp at my website for only a few bucks.

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Why Is Practicing The Guitar Important?

Every student will realize the importance of practice when it comes to learning to play the guitar at an early stage. Whether you are a complete beginner, or a seasoned performer, you know how integral to your becoming a better player practice is.

It may sound very over-simplified to say that you have to make guitar practice a priority if you want to improve as a player, but that is really the bottom line here. Many people will argue that that is an impossible task with the amount of chores that need to be done in the majority of people’s busy and hectic lifestyles.

Despite this, many people find it increasingly difficult to fit the practice schedules into their everyday routines. Even children find it difficult to fit practice time in amongst all their schooling and extra-curricular activities. In today’s society, where we are busier than ever, guitar practice can often be shunted to one side in place of more seemingly relevant pursuits.

The first step to prioritizing your guitar practice is to ask yourself how important it is to you. Just by completing this relatively simple step you may find that there are things on your list of ‘priorities’ that don’t mean as much to you as your guitar practice, and yet you sacrifice the playing of a wonderful instrument in order to do them. Consider it against all of the other things that you feel are ‘priorities’ in your life, and ask yourself how important it is to you that you practice in order to become a better player.

When we prioritize something in our lives, the level of commitment that we are able to give to it often depends on the goals that we associate with it. For example, you may think that it is one of your priorities to get a bigger house. In your mind’s eye, you will have a specific goal in mind – a bigger living space – and therefore you are more driven to achieve that goal. The priority of this in your lifestyle becomes even more pronounced.

Playing the guitar is no different. Consider the level you are currently playing at, and then think of the standard that you would ideally like to be able to play. When you have a specific goal in mind, then it becomes a lot easier to lever your guitar practice into your everyday schedule. To define it even further, think of the feeling you get when you achieve a goal that you set yourself – keep this in mind when you set yourself your goals for playing the guitar.

The long and short of it is, that if you practice on a regular basis, then you will find that the standard of your playing will increase exponentially. With this goal in mind, think again of how much of a priority your guitar practice actually means to you.

Playing the guitar playing properly to a decent standard requires a high level of determination and commitment, and the guitar really is one of the most difficult instruments to learn to play well. When you practice, it should be seen as a necessity – like school or work. All of the best guitarists in the world made practice their number one priority.

One of the most important aspects of learning to play the guitar is that is has to be fun! It really is a great challenge – but it is also supposed to be enjoyable. If you look upon your guitar practice as recreation instead of a chore, you’ll find it’s much easier to allocate appropriate time to it.

Liam Gibson of LearnGuitar-User-Reviews, specializes in helping aspiring guitarists get the info that they need to make the right choices. Liam, a stage guitarist himself, leads his team of guitar experts to constantly review new courses and products in the market and make sure you get the best value products that work for you. Check out actual user reviews and feedback of the most popular guitar courses at LearnGuitar-User-Reviews.

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Learn Guitar Slowly To Speed Things Up

If you want to learn guitar there are a few general ideas that you need to be aware of. But it's one thing knowing that an idea exists, it's a horse of a different kettle of fish being able to put it into practice. For instance, one of the chief rules you should impose on yourself when you learn guitar is to practice slowly. Everybody's heard that before but it takes experience, disappointment and trying again and again before you are able to really understand the truth in this idea.

People say, "I don't have time" or "I don't have the patience" to learn guitar by practicing slowly. Those things are simply not true. You don't have the time to NOT practice slowly. You will actually learn faster by getting into the habit of letting your body learn in its own time. In fact, one of the first things you could focus on when you begin to learn guitar is to get used to the natural breaks that occur when you play scales or change chords. If you practice with a metronome, you will become aware of those moments when you are not able to keep in time without rushing or straining. This is because your body does not yet have a series of muscular movements set up to go from one place on the fretboard to another. Not only that, if you calm down and let your hands and arms move at their own pace, your guitar practice will be more enjoyable and you will find yourself looking forward to the times you have set aside in your day to learn guitar.

So when you see a professional guitar player's hands moving up and down the fretboard at blinding speed, it might inspire you to go and do some practice, but if you try to force your hands to match the speed of a practiced guitarist, you will be working against yourself. Not only do you need to practice slowly but you need to learn HOW to do it and WHY you should do it. And it's not because somebody has told you it's a good idea, it's because you have found out for yourself through trial and error.

The next thing you will need to learn for yourself is the importance of repeating your guitar practice over and over. When you can play something through in time, without stopping, that's the beginning. Your aim should be to play your piece without thinking. You will be repeating movements no matter what you do, so it's best to get into the habit of repeating chord changes and guitar scales in a relaxed, intelligent way so that you get the most benefit out of the part of the day you use to learn guitar.

Do you want to learn to play the guitar? Learn How To Play A Guitar For Free is a constantly updated blog which contains all the resources you need for: learning to play solo guitar, how to learn guitar chords, how to learn to read and play easy acoustic guitar tabs, finding a free online guitar tuner, looking for free guitar lessons online, and how to learn guitar scales.

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Playing Lead Guitar – The First Steps

Playing lead guitar seems like the next logical step to getting some skills in rhythm playing. You might need to focus more on the quality of your playing when you switch to single note solos and lead guitar licks. To start playing lead guitar you will need to be familiar with the notes on the guitar fretboard. This might seem like a big job but it only takes a few minutes a day of finding the notes and playing them in all positions.

You will need to add sessions of alternate picking using scales to your daily guitar practice. Your picking technique is the basis of your lead guitar playing but there are other techniques like string bending and skipping as well as hammer-ons, pull-offs and string tapping.

If you are a rock or blues guitarist you will need to know the minor pentatonic and the blues scale. The blues scale is only the minor pentatonic scale with an added flattened fifth. You can also add a flattened third or seventh.

If you can make or download a twelve bar blues backing track to play in front of, just play the notes of the scale in any order, experimenting with your blue notes. You will gradually get the feel of playing solos as you start to break free from the scale structure and use licks to make your guitar speak.

Another way of practicing playing lead guitar is to focus on the notes you find in the chords. Start by making sure you have the notes firmly in your head, and play them in any order with your backing track playing.

You could devote some time each day to discovering playing lead guitar using arpeggios. This simply involves fingering chord shapes and playing them as single notes. You simply hold the chord shape and play the strings up from the sixth and down from the first, then in random order.

If you have not already learnt to read guitar tabs, you should start now. It only takes half an hour to get the basic idea, and learning tab will allow you to tap into all the lead guitar solos that other guitarists have written in tab and shared on the internet. You can find tabs on tablature archive sites, and you could also check out forums to see if the members post tabs of their work. And don't forget that guitar magazines are still alive and well, so take a look at any regular tab features they might be running.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/playing-lead-guitar-the-first-steps-1013732.html

Guitar Practice Amp

Guitar Practice Amp
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Fender introduces the next step in the ongoing evolution of its acclaimed and highly successful G-DEC (Guitar Digital Entertainment Center) amp series, the G-DEC 3. Available in 30-watt and 15-watt versions, the G-DEC 3 series takes an exciting leap forward in technology and content in that the world's top artists and session aces created many of its 100 presets and audio performance loops ...
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Build a Portable Practice Guitar Amplifier Amp Book CD
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Marshall GR15 CD Practice Guitar Amp with Upgraded 10 Jensen Speaker
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100 Watt Overdrive Electric Guitar Practice Amp G 100
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Peavey Rockmaster Guitar practice Amp
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Rare White Fender Mini Practice Electric Guitar Amp Amplifier
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JOYO JA 01 MINI AMP DIRECT GUITAR PLUG IN POWERFUL GREAT FOR PRACTICE
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Marshall Valvestate VS15R Guitar Practice Amp
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Can you give me name of a good guitar amp for under £250?

I need a good practice amp since my old one is breaking down. I would be very greatful if you could recomend some amps.

Any Line 6 model will blow you away not only with the value but dependability too. Just look at the artists using them, As I Lay Dying, Bumblefoot, Deftones, Fear Factory, Killswitch Engage, Meshuggah, Slipknot and the list goes on. Check out the "Line 6 Sider IV 15 or 30" Watt Amps. Or if those are to pricey try the Micro Spider it would still pack a big punch for a little amp. Heres the link for thoses amps, http://line6.com/spideriv/

And if these still dont fulfill your needs check in you buy and sell people are always selling great amps for really cheap there.

Many thanks for reading our Guitar Practice Amp article

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Beginners Guide to Playing Major Guitar Scales

Guitar Motivation – Easy Tips To Get Back On Track With Your Guitar-Playing

Get A Guitar Practice Amp – Small In Size But Not In Sound

Why Is Practicing The Guitar Important?

Learn Guitar Slowly To Speed Things Up

Playing Lead Guitar – The First Steps

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