How To Play the Guitar-5 Tricks That Rock The House

In order to make your solos stand out and emphasize notes the way that you want there are five tricks you must master.  These secrets of how to play the guitar will elevate your sound to the next level.

Hammer Down-Simply hold down any string on any fret with your index finger and then as the note is still ringing, without plucking a string, Hammer-Down or smash either your middle or ring finger on the same string one or two frets away.  The result is two sounded notes with one pluck of the string.  Practice this technique over and over and over again!

Pull Off-Very similar to the hammer down except you will pull off your ring or middle finger and leave your index finger fretting a plucked string.  Once again, practice this technique all over the neck on all all six strings.

Slide-Hold down a any string on any fret with your index or middle finger and then slide your finger up or down the neck will keeping the string pressed down.  You should practice this on all strings at various speeds and various lengths.  You must be able to control how far you slide your hands.

Bends-Strike a note and bend the strings up or down to alter the tone.  The bottom strings get pulled up and the top strings get pulled down.  One helpful hint is to use several fingers in order to move the strings for added strength.

Vibrato-A good vibrato is the most difficult of all to master.  If you listen to blues legends such as BB King or Albert King they have absolutely mastered this technique.  You will hold a string down with your index finger and then rapidly move your hand in an up and down motion to cause an echoing sound.  I would highly recommend watching a video online to master this advanced technique.

Guitar Lingo

Listening to people talk about their jobs or crafts can sound like a foreign language at times.  Guitarists talking about their sets or prized ax are no exception.  With this post, we are going to examine the lighter side of learning to play guitar and shed some light on a handful of the common phrases commonly used.

Nut-This is not a snack food or your prized jewels, however it is the piece on your guitar that raises the strings above the neck closest to the tuning pegs.

Bending up the G-String: This means you are simply bending up the string located fourth from the top one half or one full step to create a different note for dramatic effect. 

Running a Lake: You have not developed a super human power, however you are simply just jamming like Jerry Garcia would have wanted you to.

Wah Wah- You are not reverting back to your two year old version of your younger self.  Instead you are stepping on an effects pedal that alters the tonal sound of your electric guitar.  Jimi Hendrix regularly used this effect on most of his recordings and performances.

Chops- No, these are not pork chops unfortunately (but right about now that sounds fantastic).  These are simply just riffs or a combo of notes and/or chords.

Licks-If your girlfriend now thinks your cheating on her because of playing licks with the G-String, tell her to read this article.  A lick is another word for a chop, riff, run, or lake.

Your First Audition

As you’ve pumped in endless hours of hard work, learned many of your favorite songs, and even written some of your own material, it’s time to elevate you to the next step of your development.  After all, the reason you wanted to learn to play the guitar is to quite simply join a big rich rock band.  Here’s what you need to know before heading out the door:

Pack your gear.  You should have all of the following items neatly organized so you could find them in the dark with you at all times when you travel:  (2) electric guitars, 1 acoustic guitar, spare electric and acoustic strings, needle nose pliers, your cap, a TON of pics, two cables, your amp, extension chord, a rough demo of your materials with your name and phone number on it, and a business card.

Practice.  You will want to have your entire set memorized and sounding naturally.  They will also ask you to improvise or start jamming with them.  Be prepared to jump in on almost any type of music.

Research.  Check Google for the band you are auditioning for.  Make sure to dress similar to your new buddies.  (Example: It’s no longer cool to rock the Flock of Seagulls Hair Cut and a Michael Jackson glove).  Learn what kinds of music they are into and learn as many as these songs and riffs as you can.  They will likely prefer to stay in their comfort zone so get ready to roll with the punches.

You have 30 seconds to nail it.  The sad fact of the matter is that they will likely make up their minds halfway through your initial riff.  Make a darn good first impression and play your best stuff first.  If you save it for last, you may walk out the door regretting you didn’t lay it out on the line.

Show up sober.  Arriving under the influence of any substance will effect your ability to put your best performance forward.  Feel free to knock back a cold one after you claim your prize.

Relax.  Take deep breaths as you leave the house, pull up to the rehearsal spot, knock on the door, and plug in your guitar.

Have fun.  Keep in mind that you are auditioning for a group of regular people just like you.  They have been searching hard for a dire need to fix a problem with their band and are desperately hoping you are the answer.  Treat them like your friends and family and you will reap the rewards.