Learn to Play Guitar - Free Tips For Beginner Guitar Players

Top 20 Guitarists Of All Time - Guitar Players

All About Gibson Guitars - Trivia For Guitar Players

Gibson Guitars are an icon of the guitar industry. Gibson is currently a major player in both the electric guitar and acoustic guitar market. The company was originally named after Orville Gibson who made mandolins in Kalamazoo, Michigan at the end of the 19th century. Gibson used the same method to initially make the big body archtop acoustic guitars.

Gibson Guitars were one of the first to come up with the adjustable truss rod inside the neck of the guitar to give it strength. This remains in use today to also allow guitarists to impact on the neck relief.

Even today, just about every guitar has an adjustable truss-rod that runs through the neck of the guitar. This was developed by Gibson Guitars in the early days to give strength to the neck. The floating pick guard is also an innovation of Gibson.

After doing much experimenting with the amplification of the sound from the guitar in the 1930s, Gibson released the ES range of semi-acoustic guitars. The ES initials stands for "Electric Spanish". This is not a reference to the nylon string classical guitars that we know today. The term Spanish is used to separate the guitar from the Hawaiian guitars that were lap style guitars.

With the increasing popularity of electric or amplified guitars, the top end of the finger board could now be heard. Gibson Guitars had the idea to introduce the cut away style in the body shape. This was to be forever used in future electric guitars and many acoustic guitars and led to the world of the lead guitar hero.

Gibson's first majorly successful electric guitar was the es-175. It was also slightly different in that it had a pointed cut away. In 1950, with Fender's new Broadcaster guitar, Gibson was under pressure to produce it's first solid body guitar. This resulted in the issue of the Les Paul Standard electric guitar.

Gibson and Fender were not the only ones developing the solid body electric guitar. At the same time, development work was also being undertaken by Rickenbacker, National and Bigsby were also involved in testing.

Les Paul was one of the foremost guitarists of the time. His real first name was Lester. Paul had himself been tinkering with the idea of solid body guitars. His first concept model was referred to as the log guitar. He approached Gibson Guitars with his ideas in the 1940s but was rejected outright. Once Fender released the Telecaster, Gibson went back to Les Paul and asked him to work with them.

The original attraction of solid body electric guitars to Gibson and other makers was because of a number of issues. Firstly, ease of construction. Secondly, while the shape of the body of the guitar did not alter the sound, the solid body greatly increased the sustain of the natural sound. And lastly, electrifying hollow body guitars had always caused a great problem with feedback. This was virtually eliminated with the production of the solid body electric guitar.

The first Les Paul Standard guitar was released in 1952. Les Paul received an endorsement contract for a 5 year period which was worth 5% of retail sales. The first Gibson Les Paul cost $210 and was referred to as the Gold Top.

1958 was a big year for Gibson Guitars. In this year they gave the Les Paul a new cherry sunburst finish which is extremely popular among collectors today. Gibson changed the shape of the Les Paul Junior and Les Paul Special to now have a double cut away. The new style later became the SG which stands simply for Solid Guitar.

The same year Gibson Guitars also began getting radical with their body shape. They bought out the first double neck guitar. They also introduced the Flying V shape and the Explorer shape. This was a response to guitar players placing more emphasis on the look of their guitars as well as the sound and playability. Gibson Guitars were able to stamp their mark on the guitar industry for many years.

Author: Terry Booth has an interest in Gibson Guitars [http://www.guitarplayersworld.com/Electric/gibson_guitars] since being given his first electric guitar, (a Japanese Les Paul copy) as a young child. Visit his website GuitarPlayersWorld.com [http://www.guitarplayersworld.com]

Advice For Beginning Guitar Players - A 10 Article Primer

Greetings fellow aspiring guitar players everywhere! I am an amateur guitar player. Over the years I have developed a great love for this amazing instrument. I decided it would be fun to write a series of articles targeted towards the beginner guitar player or the person who is thinking about taking up the guitar as a hobby.

I put together a 10 part series of articles that might help those that are interested in pursuing the guitar, or who are just in the beginning stages of playing. Hopefully you'll get something out of the series that will be helpful to you as you begin this fulfilling journey of creating beautiful music with your guitar.

How To Choose A Good Guitar (Part 1)

Picking out your guitar can be a fun experience, especially if you have the money to buy the one you want. You may not even know what kind of guitar you want or what kind of music you'll end up playing. You may also wonder if you'll play it enough to make it worth spending so much money.

Actually there are some good, relatively cheap guitars out there that will provide you with many hours of playing pleasure. They also won't break your pocketbook.

Here are some important things to keep in mind when you're shopping for a new guitar.

Electric or Acoustic?

It is generally recommended that beginning guitarists buy an acoustic first. The main reason for this is that it's harder than you think to get an electric guitar to sound good. Another reason you may not want to start with an electric guitar is, you'll also need to buy effects and an amplifier, and that can get very expensive.

If you're starting out and you're not sure what you will be playing, don't spend big dollars on a guitar at first. When you buy an acoustic guitar there's no need for all the extras. What will concern you is finding a guitar that feels and sounds good. Once you've been playing awhile, you'll know a lot more about what you want and then you can choose more wisely.

Cheaper Isn't Always Better

Here's the bottom line. Just because you don't have a whole lot of money to blow on atop of the line guitar, doesn't mean that you should get the cheapest thing either!

If the guitar that you buy doesn't feel good or sound good to you, you won't want to play it. I'll

say it again, don't buy the cheapest guitar. In fact, a badly made, cheap guitar is no fun to play. If your guitar sounds bad, chances are you're likely to put it down and never pick it up again.

The good news is, there are lots of good, inexpensive guitars out there. What I mean by inexpensive is anywhere between $99.00 and $300.00. If you look around and are patient, you will find a guitar in this price range that's a pleasure to play.

Play Everything

The best way to find out what features and feel you like in a guitar, play as many as you can. Play your friends guitar. Go to all the guitar shops and play everything there. Take notes. There are a lot of factors to consider.

Don't be swayed by popular brand names. Just because a guitar has a name you've heard of on it doesn't mean it's a good guitar. It also doesn't mean its right for you. It's best not to go shopping with preconceived notions about which guitars are "the best." Every individual guitar is different. Every manufacturer turns out the occasional dud -- and the occasional gem. Don't be a snob and refuse to look at unknown brands. You might miss out on something special.

What is it made of? Some cheap guitars have tops made of plywood. You don't want that, because over the years the guitar will pull itself apart. (It also won't sound very good, since plywood isn't known for its fine resonant qualities.) For acoustic guitars, a spruce or cedar top is ideal. Most acoustics you see will use one of these two for the top. As long as it's real wood, though, if you like the sound, it's probably fine. The back, sides, and neck can be just about any solid wood; mahogany and curly maple are both popular and attractive.

The fretboard is usually either rosewood or ebony. (Fender Guitars puts lacquered maple fretboards on many of its models, which seem to hold up well.) Ebony is preferable, because it's extremely hard and won't wear as easily, but rosewood is perfectly fine. If the fretboard has been painted or stained, it's probably bad news.

Is it well-made? Look carefully. The frets should be even, and none of them should stick out more than the others. Many acoustic guitars have binding around the edges of the body. That's a good sign, but it isn't strictly necessary. Run your hands all around the edges of the body. If it feels like the wood doesn't quite meet properly in some places, don't buy that guitar. Hold the guitar up and sight down the neck. The fretboard may be either flat or slightly curved side-to-side, but if it doesn't look even, the neck may be twisted or warped. (This is something you're more likely to find in used guitars than new ones.) From the side, the neck should look straight. The tuning machines should work smoothly.

Does it feel good? This is the most important consideration. It's even more important than the guitar's sound

Is the neck a comfortable width? Different guitars have necks of varying widths. Classical guitars have very wide necks. Electric guitars usually have narrow necks. Most steel-string guitars' necks are somewhere in between. If you have thick fingers, a wider neck will make it easier for you to play. If you have small hands, a narrow neck is more comfortable.

Are the strings at a comfortable height from the frets? This is called action. Most people prefer a guitar with "low action," meaning the strings are relatively close to the frets. Low action makes a guitar easier to play.

Is the body a comfortable size? This is something a lot of people overlook. Most steel-string acoustic guitars have what's called dreadnought style bodies. These are big guitars, and if you're a small person they can be quite uncomfortable to play. When you sit down with the guitar in a normal playing position, you should be able to reach the sound hole easily, without having to stretch. If it's even a little uncomfortable, it will affect your playing. People play best when they're relaxed and comfortable. If the dreadnought body is a problem for you, consider a smaller guitar.

Does it sound good? Have someone else (a salesperson or a friend) play the guitar for you. Just because it sounds good to you when you play it doesn't mean it will sound good to your audience. What "sounds good" means is subjective, of course. If you like the sound, it sounds good.

What else do you need?

o A case. A flight case or hardshell case is best. Cardboard cases and nylon gig bags don't provide nearly as much protection.

o A strap. Pretty much any strap will do, but it's a good idea to buy a strap lock at the same time.

o Something to tune with. Since you're just starting out, a pitch pipe or electronic tuner will make things easier for you.

o Strings. The strings that are on the guitar when you buy it have been on it too long already. You need to change them. To start out, (for electric or steel string guitars) buy "light gauge." They're reasonably easy to play, but aren't so thin you'll break them right away.

o Picks. Buy a lot. You're going to lose them. To start out, get an assortment of sizes, shapes, and thicknesses, and try them all. Decide what works best for you.

In the next article, we'll discuss the basics of learning the guitar.

Eric Jacobson lives and plays his guitar with his wife and 4 kids in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. He is passionate about sharing his love for the guitar, and is always on the lookout for good programs and learning systems for beginning guitarists. He reviews some of the better programs he has found that teach good fundamentals and are easy to follow.

You can find out more at his blog here: [http://youtoocanplaylikeapro.blogspot.com/]

11 Damaging Mistakes Guitar Players Make and How to Avoid Them

Do you know how some guitar players practice most days of the week, work hard, and are passionate about their guitar playing, but they always struggle to be able to play guitar the way they want? They are frustrated because they don't improve fast enough, begin doubting their guitar playing potential, or even feel discouraged or angry with themselves when thinking about how long it is taking them to become a better guitar player.

Can you relate to that? I sure can, I just described myself 15 years ago.

There are specific reasons why guitar players go through such frustration and disappointment. Here are 11 key mistakes guitar players make and repeat over and over again that you should definitely avoid.

1. Teaching Yourself To Play Guitar. Many people attempt to teach themselves how to play guitar. Yes, it's true that some well known players were 'somewhat' self taught, but I do not suggest following that strategy even if your favorite player was self taught. If you are 100% sure that you can build powerfully effective learning and training systems on your own, that's great. However, if you are like most of us, doing it alone is the hardest, most time-consuming, stressful, and frustrating way to learn anything. This is a mistake that you should avoid. Some guitar players think it will impress others if they say, "I am a self taught guitar player". That statement might impress a few inexperienced people, but being self taught is not a 'badge of honor'. Would you rather impress others with your guitar playing or with an unimportant statement about your guitar playing? I'm not criticizing self taught guitar players, I'm only saying that there is no advantage to being self taught... and no, it is not true that being 'self taught' makes us more 'original'. In fact, the opposite is usually true.

2. Taking Guitar Lessons From Ineffective Guitar Teachers. Unfortunately, most electric guitar teachers receive ZERO training on how to teach guitar. What is worse is that the vast majority of teachers do little or nothing to improve their guitar teaching skills. Want some proof? Use google's keyword tool . Type in this keyword phrase: 'improve guitar teaching skills', 'guitar teaching skills', or 'guitar teaching training' and you will find that less than 10 searches per month are done for these topics at google! Of course there are some highly effective electric guitar teachers around, but there are a whole lot more ineffective teachers.

3. Seeking New Guitar Information (tricks, tips, tab) Without A Proven Strategy To Reach Your Specific Musical Goals. We need information, advice, help and music to play, but without a proven strategic learning and training process that is specific to you, your skill level, your musical style and what you want to be able to do as a guitar player, information won't get you where you want to go. It is better to first seek help in developing a customized strategy for you to become a better guitar player. After that strategy is in place, then it is time to deal with learning the right information.

4. Not Knowing Specifically What You Want To Be Able To Play. Most guitar players are not specific enough when they think about (or tell others about) what they want to be able to do with their guitar. To say, "I want to play whatever I wish to play" is too vague. How can you (or your guitar teacher) develop a specific and effective guitar training strategy unless the goals you have are specific? It's like saying you want to be a great athlete, how can you effectively train with such a vague goal? Sure there are things you can do to become faster, stronger, more flexible or whatever, but it's much easier if you first get specific such as, I want to train to be a gymnast, or a long distance runner, or a body builder. Yes you can still improve without a strategy, but it will take a lot longer and be much more frustrating. You can always change your goal later if you discover you want to do something else instead.

5. Not Enough Focus On Things That Matter Most To Making You A Better Guitar Player. Have you fallen into the trap of practicing guitar without focusing on the specific things that can quickly begin to improve your guitar playing? Many people really do not understand and apply this concept in enough detail.... for example, I have a student named Mark who used to take lessons from another teacher in the past. Mark was studying sweep picking arpeggios with his previous teacher, and was making some progress. However Mark did not understand what 'specific' things he needed to focus on first before attempting to master the sweep picking arpeggios he was practicing. This was holding him back and making him feel very frustrated. Mark's previous teacher only knew how to 'teach' arpeggios and general sweep picking concepts. He did not really know how to "train" Mark with the specific things to focus on and how to overcome the challenges Mark was having.

6. Too Much Focus On Things That Are Not Core To Your Goals. In addition to not focusing on specific things, many guitar players focus on the 'wrong things'. Some enthusiastic guitar players become temporarily obsessed with things which are distractions from other things that could be helping their guitar playing much more. Here is an example: I used to get so frustrated and angry when I could not play something perfectly, I'd lock myself in my guitar practice room and say, "I'm not coming out of this room until I master this damn lick if it takes me the next 19 hours! No breaks! No food! No human contact! I'm gonna nail this!" And I did master it. On the surface, it might seem like I was on the right track and practicing in a good way.... But in reality, I was spending my time only to stop being angry and frustrated. I was not investing my guitar practice time wisely by focusing on the things that mattered most to making a better guitar player. In other words, my perseverance was commendable, but my strategy to master important long-term goals was weak. I allowed myself to be distracted. I don't make this same mistake anymore, and I urge you to also avoid it! Focus on the things that really matter for your guitar playing right now. If you are not sure how to do this, seek out a proven guitar teacher today.

7. Focusing On The Right Things, But in The Wrong Order. This is a common mistake that even many advanced guitar players make which causes a lot of wasted time and frustration. Imagine you want to improve your ability to create your own cool guitar solos. Let's assume that you are advanced enough to truly understand all the primary and secondary elements of composing guitar solos (or you have a guitar teacher to help you). Each of the many elements need to be learned and/or practiced in order to easily create awesome solos that you like. Where should you begin? What should you focus on first, second, third? Which of these things should you practice simultaneously? There is always a specific order in which musical skills should be learned and mastered in order to EXPLODE your musical skills. Unfortunately, that order is totally different for every person, style of music, musical goal, skill set and knowledge, so giving an example here would be pointless. My advice, find the best teacher you can and study with him/her in order to be able to do what you want to do with your guitar much faster and easier.

8. Not Isolating Problem Areas. Few guitar players are aware of the small things that hold them back in big ways. Because these little imperfections seem insignificant to us, we often ignore them. The truth is, small hinges open big doors. In the video mentioned above I explained how allowing your guitar pick to lose its momentum when you are 'not picking' a note on the guitar makes your playing slow and sloppy.... which will make you feel very frustrated. This is why I was sure to make a special point to help you avoid that mistake.

9. Learning And Practicing Guitar In A Step By Step Linear Process. Does following a linear step by step approach to learning, practicing and mastering guitar seem like common sense good to you? Yes it does... And that is why guitar players who follow such a path are NOT great guitar players. I'm going to let you in an insider's secret... The truth is, following a linear approach to learning guitar, practicing guitar, and mastering guitar is the NUMBER ONE REASON WHY "GOOD GUITAR PLAYERS" STRUGGLE TO BECOME "GREAT GUITAR PLAYERS"...

10. Practicing Guitar In The Same Way Your Favorite Guitar Players Practice Guitar. Have you ever read about how your favorite guitar players practice guitar and then tried to repeat the same practice routine? Yes, I've made this mistake too! It seems natural to use a similar guitar practice schedule that our favorite guitar players are using. This is a mistake, because your current guitar skill level and knowledge of music is probably very different from your favorite player. His/her challenges and needs are likely not the same as yours.

Professional guitar players practice for different reasons than most amateur players do. For example, before recording a new album I will practice very differently compared to the period before going on tour. Once I'm actually on tour my practice routine changes drastically again. The rest of the year my practicing schedule changes yet again. This happens because in each case my challenges and goals are totally different. When my guitar students ask me, "Tom, how do you practice guitar?" I'm careful not to let my students assume that they should practice the same way that I do. Your practice schedule and strategy needs to be built around YOU and you only! If you need help building your own practice schedule, email me directly.

11. Learning From Too Many Different Sources Of Information. There will always be many learning opportunities and various paths to take, but it is critical that you do not get distracted into following a piece of advice from one person, then another piece of advice from another person and then follow more resources from somewhere else and so on and so on... while different people may have some good ideas to offer, the fact is, distraction is a big reason why many guitar players who are actively learning, don't really move forward quickly... these people are always busy following totally different resources, teachers, philosophies, instructional videos, free online guitar lessons, but all of this leads them to take one step forward, then 2 steps to the right, then one step forward, then 3 steps to the left, then one step backward, then two to the right, then 1 step forward and then another step to the left...

Once you have an effective strategy to become the guitar player you want to be, ALWAYS stay focused on it (unless your goals radically change)!! The very best way to do this is to have ONE primary guitar teacher who helps you to become the musician you really want to be.

This doesn't mean that you shouldn't take advice from other people too, but you should have one 'primary' source of information, training and coaching, and see the other advice as an additional resource, but do not become distracted by it.

T. Hess is a professional touring guitarist and recording artist. He teaches guitar players around the world via online guitar lessons. Visit his site to get free guitar tips, assessments, surveys, mini courses and more.

NFL Players Tackle Metal with New CD

 

One can be forgiven if news of a band consisting of pro football players brings to mind the Chicago Bears’ “Super Bowl Shuffle.” But metal giants (literally!) Free Reign are the real deal. Recently, Dallas Cowboy players Marc Colombo and Leonard Davis teamed up with former Cowboy Cory Procter (now a Miami Dolphin) and non-footballer Justin Chapman to form Free Reign. The group won the “Most Metal Athletes” award at last year’s Golden Gods Awards and garnered raves from some of metal’s biggest stars.

“We had a great response/vibe with some of metal's elite—Rob Halford, Vinnie Paul, etc.,” said singer Colombo. “It reassured us we were on the right path.”

Now, the group are releasing their first full length album, Heavier Than Metal, which hits stores today. With the upcoming NFL season in jeopardy due to a lock out by owners, Free Reign may have more free time to tour than they had originally figured. Still, the band are making football their #1 priority… for now.

“Our tour schedule is still limited, due to our current jobs as football players,” said Procter, the band’s drummer. “And will be that way until we've all retired and passed that point in our lives. When that happens, we'll collect as a band and hopefully do as many shows as we can. With every show we do, the better we get as a live band. We've had some great shows and great insight from other bands to help us create a better show for our fans. When fans come to our show, they can expect loud, heavy hitting music that will leave you banging your head, with your metal horns in the air!”

For more information, visit Free Reign’s official website.

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