Basic Technique - Revision history

Meambobbo: /* Fingering */

2015-07-01T03:12:08Z

‎Fingering

Meambobbo: /* Picking */

2015-07-01T03:09:14Z

‎Picking

Meambobbo: /* Manipulating Dynamics */

2015-07-01T02:59:50Z

‎Manipulating Dynamics

Meambobbo: /* Picking */

2015-06-30T04:56:24Z

‎Picking

Meambobbo: /* Picking */

2015-06-30T04:33:13Z

‎Picking

Meambobbo at 00:34, 12 June 2015

2015-06-12T00:34:03Z

Meambobbo: /* Left-Hand Grip */

2015-03-15T05:43:09Z

‎Left-Hand Grip

Meambobbo: /* Left-Hand Fretting */

2015-03-15T05:41:55Z

‎Left-Hand Fretting

Meambobbo: /* Downstrokes and Upstrokes */

2015-03-15T05:41:24Z

‎Downstrokes and Upstrokes

Meambobbo: /* Homework */

2015-03-06T01:14:29Z

‎Homework

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 You would use your '''i'''ndex finger on the first fret, then your '''m'''iddle finger on 2nd fret, '''r'''ing on 3rd, '''p'''inky on 4th.  Note that you can hold down any frets behind the one you are playing without any real impact on tone.  This can somtimes improve economy of motion.  For example, look at the following tab:
           r------
        m------------

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 '''Your common picking motion should come from either your wrist or elbow, ''not'' your finger/thumb joints'''.  As your technique develops, you may be able to add inflection and accents using your fingers, but as a beginner, you don't want to get in the habit of using them exclusively.  This can lead to difficulty crossing strings, strumming, and speed, as well as leading to injury.
-The motion is similar to waving hello to someone.  You are "chopping", not "slapping" or "flapping".  The relative distance from your hand to the guitar body should not change much during your picking motion.  You want to "push through" the string, applying greater and greater pressure against the string until it slides off the tip of the pick.  You do ''not'' want to apply some tension to the string then move the pick from the body, which I call "pecking", like a bird trying to eat a worm.  The motion you use to play a single string should also work for multiple strings by simply continuing it (if you are "pecking" it will require a pecking motion for each string).
+The picking motion is similar to waving hello to someone.  You are "chopping", not "slapping" or "flapping".  The relative distance from your hand to the guitar body should not change much during your picking motion.  You want to "push through" the string, applying greater and greater pressure against the string until it slides off the tip of the pick.  You do ''not'' want to apply some tension to the string then move the pick from the body, which I call "pecking", like a bird trying to eat a worm.  The motion you use to play a single string should also work for multiple strings by simply continuing it (if you are "pecking" it will require a pecking motion for each string).
 The pick should also remain "pointing" at or perpendicular to the guitar face, so it is equally easy to pick [[#Downstrokes and Upstrokes|downstrokes]] as well as [[#Downstrokes and Upstrokes|upstrokes]] through the string.  As you push on the string, it will push back on the natural give of your pick and your grip, until the pick is angled enough to allow the string to slide off its tip.

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 |Basic Technique#Manipulating Tone|Tone}}
-The location on the pick where it should initiate contact is very near the tip; however, this will vary depending on the desired dynamic level you want to achieve.  For loud, aggressive playing, you will really want to "dig in", using more of the pick.  Similarly, how tight you hold the pick will also determine how far from equillibrium you displace the string before it begins to slide and snaps off the tip of the pick.  Both of these variables should be kept within a comfortable range.  You don't want to use either method to the point of discomfort without trying to incorporate some of the other method first.  Eventually, it will become very natural to vary both the amount of pick used and right hand tension at the same time without even thinking about it.
+The location on the pick where it initially touches the string will be relatively close to the tip.  Depending on your [[Choosing a Pick|pick choice]] and how you grip it, there will be a certain amount of pick surface you apply to the string where you can pick comfortably and with sufficient control over dynamic range.
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 The motion is similar to waving hello to someone.  You are "chopping", not "slapping" or "flapping".  The relative distance from your hand to the guitar body should not change much during your picking motion.  You want to "push through" the string, applying greater and greater pressure against the string until it slides off the tip of the pick.  You do ''not'' want to apply some tension to the string then move the pick from the body, which I call "pecking", like a bird trying to eat a worm.  The motion you use to play a single string should also work for multiple strings by simply continuing it (if you are "pecking" it will require a pecking motion for each string).
 Depending on [[Choosing a Pick|your pick choice]] and how heavy-handed you are, even with a [[Holding the Guitar and Pick#The Pick|good grip]], you may find it is difficult to "release" the string without significant force...causing the resulting string resonance to be too strong with fret buzz and a detuned sound during the attack of the note.  Try loosening your grip on the pick, or maybe even try a thinner pick.
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 {{top}}
-=== Manipulating Dynamics ===
+===Downstrokes and Upstrokes===
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+|Basic Technique#Manipulating Tone|Tone}}
-The location on the pick where it should initiate contact is very near the tip; however, this will vary depending on the desired dynamic level you want to achieve.  For loud, aggressive playing, you will really want to "dig in", using more of the pick.  Similarly, how tight you hold the pick will also determine how far from equillibrium you displace the string before it begins to slide and snaps off the tip of the pick.  Both of these variables should be kept within a comfortable range.  You don't want to use either method to the point of discomfort without trying to incorporate some of the other method first.  Eventually, it will become very natural to vary both the amount of pick used and right hand tension at the same time without even thinking about it.
+A '''downstroke''' is when you push the pick from closest to your head towards your feet.  It feels like you are pushing the pick down through the string(s).  This is the most common picking stroke, similar to a hammer motion or how you hit a table top with a stick.  An '''upstroke''' is the reverse, almost like you are pulling the pick up through the string(s).  An upstroke may feel a little strange at first.  It's not necessary to master it at first - just be aware that you eventually will need to use both.  You don't want to start making big circular movements with your hand where you are picking the strings going down but moving your hand far away from the strings when coming back up.  Naturally you will have to move it slightly away from the strings when coming back up if you are only using downstrokes, but it shouldn't be drastic.  This will only make upstrokes that more difficult to master when you start to incorporate them into your playing.
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-=== Manipulating Tone ===
+=== Manipulating Dynamics ===
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-The main method to manipulate tone is ''where you pick the string''.  Moving close to where the strings touch the bridge, you get a very bright, metallic sound, similar to sitar.  Moving closer to the middle of the string (12th fret), you get a more hollow, bell-like sound, similar to a harp.
+The location on the pick where it should initiate contact is very near the tip; however, this will vary depending on the desired dynamic level you want to achieve.  For loud, aggressive playing, you will really want to "dig in", using more of the pick.  Similarly, how tight you hold the pick will also determine how far from equillibrium you displace the string before it begins to slide and snaps off the tip of the pick.  Both of these variables should be kept within a comfortable range.  You don't want to use either method to the point of discomfort without trying to incorporate some of the other method first.  Eventually, it will become very natural to vary both the amount of pick used and right hand tension at the same time without even thinking about it.
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-===Downstrokes and Upstrokes===
+=== Manipulating Tone ===
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-A '''downstroke''' is when you push the pick from closest to your head towards your feet.  It feels like you are pushing the pick down through the string(s).  This is the most common picking stroke, similar to a hammer motion or how you hit a table top with a stick.  An '''upstroke''' is the reverse, almost like you are pulling the pick up through the string(s).  An upstroke may feel a little strange at first.  It's not necessary to master it at first - just be aware that you eventually will need to use both.  You don't want to start making big circular movements with your hand where you are picking the strings going down but moving your hand far away from the strings when coming back up.  Naturally you will have to move it slightly away from the strings when coming back up if you are only using downstrokes, but it shouldn't be drastic.  This will only make upstrokes that more difficult to master when you start to incorporate them into your playing.
+The above section on ''dynamics will also affect tone'' in most cases.  Playing harder usually causes the string to slap against the frets during the initial part of its sound, adding a kind of raucousness to your playing.  If anything, it makes your playing more percussive and each note can be heard more clearly.  Rock music typically involves compression or distortion of the signal, which tends to reduce the dynamic range of the instrument.  Thus, picking dynamics tend to influence tone more than actual volume.
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 |Basic Technique#Muting|Muting
 |Basic Technique#Left-Hand Grip|Grip}}
-Start with picking.  '''Your common picking motion should come from either your wrist or elbow, ''not'' your finger/thumb joints'''.  As your technique develops, you may be able to add inflection and accents using your fingers, but as a beginner, you don't want to get in the habit of using them exclusively.  This can lead to difficulty crossing strings, strumming, and speed, as well as leading to injury.
 The motion is similar to waving hello to someone.  You are "chopping", not "slapping" or "flapping".  The relative distance from your hand to the guitar body should not change much during your picking motion.  You want to "push through" the string, applying greater and greater pressure against the string until it slides off the tip of the pick.  You do ''not'' want to apply some tension to the string then move the pick from the body, which I call "pecking", like a bird trying to eat a worm.  The motion you use to play a single string should also work for multiple strings by simply continuing it (if you are "pecking" it will require a pecking motion for each string).
 {{top}}

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 As for left hand position or how you "hold" the neck, there are basically two different extremes.  Neither is "correct" - you will vary this depending on what you are trying to play.
-The <u>proper technique</u> I was taught when I first started and lots of instruction books use is to ''place your thumb in the middle of the back of the neck'', then angle your hand so your ''fingers are parallel with the frets'' when laid on top all the strings.  Then curl your fingers so that the very tips of your fingers are used to fret the strings.  As you play more, the tips of your fingers will callus and become firmer, making them ideal for making contact with the strings.  This technique is great for classical guitar or acoustic, where there's less need for muting, lead playing, and vibrato.  You can finger complex chords and reach notes on the thicker strings higher on the fretboard.  However, if you observe most modern rock guitar players, even the well-learned virtuoso ones, most deviate heavily from this technique.
+The "proper" technique I was taught when I first started and lots of instruction books use is to ''place your thumb in the middle of the back of the neck'', then angle your hand so your ''fingers are parallel with the frets'' when laid on top all the strings.  Then curl your fingers so that the very tips of your fingers are used to fret the strings.  As you play more, the tips of your fingers will callus and become firmer, making them ideal for making contact with the strings.  This technique is great for classical guitar or acoustic, where there's less need for muting, lead playing, and vibrato.  You can finger complex chords and reach notes on the thicker strings higher on the fretboard.  However, if you observe most modern rock guitar players, even the well-learned virtuoso ones, most deviate heavily from this technique.
-The <u>modern technique</u> involves placing your ''thumb closer to (or in some cases wrapped around) the top of the fretboard''.  Your fingers will naturally be more flat than curled when fretting, and it will be difficult to impossible to turn your wrist to make your fingers parallel to the frets.  There are a couple advantages to this.  First, you can sometimes use your thumb to fret a note on the 6th string, which allows for some more interesting chords.  Second, flatter fingers are more useful to mute neighboring strings while fretting.  Third, this technique allow you to use rotation of your left wrist to perform bends and vibrato, which naturally has more control than trying to use your finger muscles or bending your left wrist.
+The "modern" technique involves placing your ''thumb closer to (or in some cases wrapped around) the top of the fretboard''.  Your fingers will naturally be more flat than curled when fretting, and it will be difficult to impossible to turn your wrist to make your fingers parallel to the frets.  There are a couple advantages to this.  First, you can sometimes use your thumb to fret a note on the 6th string, which allows for some more interesting chords.  Second, flatter fingers are more useful to mute neighboring strings while fretting.  Third, this technique allow you to use rotation of your left wrist to perform bends and vibrato, which naturally has more control than trying to use your finger muscles or bending your left wrist.
 As I said neither technique is correct, and you will likely always be somewhere between both extremes.  I would suggest attempting to use more ''proper technique'' when starting, as it is more difficult to develop.  As we move more into lead playing and bends you will want to gravitate more towards ''modern technique''.

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 |Basic Technique#Left-Hand Grip|Grip}}
-As for the left-hand, the important thing is the ''quality'' of your fretting.  (''Fretting'' is the act of pushing the string down against a fret.)  You want to push the string down right "behind" (towards the nut side of) the fret, so that it is held firmly against the fret.  This gets a ''clean'' sound.  If you hold the string lightly against the fret or far away from it, the string has the ability to come off and slam down against the fret as it resonates, which sounds like metal hitting metal.  It is noisy, making it more difficult to hear the note you are trying to play.  It also dimishes sustain, causing the note to fade out more quickly.  A badly-fretted note will sound like "pinck" whereas a well-fretted one will sound like "biiiiiinnnngggg".  Open strings are automatically fretted perfectly and make a good reference to determine how well you are fretting; however, they do have a bell-like quality that you cannot get from a fretted note.  They are also less likely to have fret buzz - there's only so well that you can fret a fret.
+As for the left-hand, the important thing is the ''quality'' of your fretting.  ('''Fretting''' is the act of pushing the string down against a fret.)  You want to push the string down right "behind" (towards the nut side of) the fret, so that it is held firmly against the fret.  This gets a ''clean'' sound.  If you hold the string lightly against the fret or far away from it, the string has the ability to come off and slam down against the fret as it resonates, which sounds like metal hitting metal.  It is noisy, making it more difficult to hear the note you are trying to play.  It also dimishes sustain, causing the note to fade out more quickly.  A badly-fretted note will sound like "pinck" whereas a well-fretted one will sound like "biiiiiinnnngggg".  Open strings are automatically fretted perfectly and make a good reference to determine how well you are fretting; however, they do have a bell-like quality that you cannot get from a fretted note.  They are also less likely to have fret buzz - there's only so well that you can fret a fret.
 Try to use the tips of your left-hand fingers to fret - this flesh is a little firmer than your fingerprints and makes for a cleaner fretting.  ''It may be a bit painful at first, especially on the thin strings.''  You definitely don't want your finger tips to become raw and painful or start bleeding - don't overwork them at first.  Over a week or two, your finger tips will start developing calluses, protecting them from injury, reducing pain, and making them firmer.

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 * Practice the --1--2--3--4--3--2--1-- excercise above on each string.  Go slow at first.  Try only using one finger to fret at a time, then try it again while holding the frets below the one being played.
 * Repeat the --1--2--3--4--3--2--1-- exercise while focusing on "proper" left hand grip, then repeat again using "modern" grip - modern grip should be more apparent on the 1st and 2nd strings, while the proper or classical grip and modern grip seem more similar for the 5th and 6th strings.
 ==Q/A==