Electric Guitar Bridge and Whammy Bar

The electric guitar is made up of three basic elements – the body, neck and headstock.

The Body

The body is the main part of the instrument and may be solid, hollow or a bit of both. Hollow bodied guitars usually have f-shaped holes, like a cello.  Shapes vary widely ranging from the standard ‘Stratocaster’ and ‘Les Paul’ shapes to the ‘Flying V’ and ‘Explorer’ shapes.  In essence they can be virtually any shape.  Think of Dave Hill’s guitar.  The top of the instrument may be flat or curved.  The protrusions either side of the neck are referred to as ‘horns’.

The Neck

The neck of the guitar may be made of a single piece of wood or two or three pieces glued together.  The point where the neck joins the body is known as the neck joint.  Necks may be bolted, glued, or may be part of the same piece of wood as the body.  The fingerboard or fretboard may be made from ebony, maple or rosewood.  The wire divisions set into the neck are called the frets.  They are usually marked at set places with mother of pearl or ink inlays.  Most electric guitars have an adjustable rod running through the neck for added strength.

The Headstock

The end of the neck is called the headstock.  It usually displays the make of the guitar and houses the tuning pegs or machine heads.

The Hardware

The switches, knobs and all ‘added on’ elements of the body and headstock are referred to as the hardware.  The point where the strings are held on the body is known as the bridge.  It may be equipped with a whammy bar or tremolo arm for that ‘Hank Marvin’ effect.  Some guitars are designed in such a way that the strings go across the bridge and are anchored onto a tailpiece at the end of the body.

The Nut

At the other end of the neck the strings pass over another bridge where the neck is joined to the headstock.  This is called the nut and may be made of metal, ivory, wood or bone.

Pickups

Electric guitars have one, two or three pickups whose job is to pick up the vibrations of the strings and send them to the amplifier. The player can select which pickups are being used at any one time by use of the pickup selector or toggle switch located on the body.  Naturally, this affects the sound.

Although the guitar itself is quite a simple, straightforward piece of kit, its construction requires the hands of a skilled luthier.  Electric guitars do need to be maintained and so electric guitar parts are readily available.  Some you will be able to fit yourself and others will need the skill of a professional guitar repairer.

Photograph by Andres Rueda

Fender Effects Pedals and Amp

Today’s guitar players have an almost infinite array of electric guitar effects pedals available, creating effects at the touch or ‘stomp’ of a button; hence they are often referred to as ‘stomp boxes’.  You’re not limited to a single pedal.  Several can be connected at once using patch cables.  Alternately, you may want to connect your effects pedals together onto a patch board.  This allows you to collect all your effects into one place to facilitate transportation and streamline the organization.

It’s worth noting that if you have too many pedals connected together, this can result in an irritating hum or buzz.  This can be corrected by the use of a noise gate pedal.

Here are a few of the more popular effects pedals available today:-

Distortion

As its name implies, it clips the signal, affording it a distorted sound which has been extensively adopted by players of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock.

Chorus

A chorus medal duplicates the signal and mixes it back in with the original sound, creating a lush and fuller chorus effect.

Flanger

A flanger copies the signal like the chorus pedal but adds a delay but with a series of repeats.  These repeats are alternately longer and shorter, producing a still thicker effect.

Wah Wah

Made famous by Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton, the wah wah pedal modifies the signal by allowing higher and lower frequencies through as the pedal is rocked, much like the accelerator pedal of a car.  The name is onomatopoeic.

Reverb

As in ‘reverberation’, this adds an echo to the original signal.

Talk Box

A Talk Box incorporates a speaker with an air-tight plastic tube attached to it.  The end is taped to the microphone, extending far enough for the player to put it into their mouth.  By changing the shape of the mouth, it is possible to modify the sound produced.  For a good example of its use, listen to Peter Frampton’s classic ‘Show me the way’.

Boost

At the flick of a switch, this simply turns up the volume, or, alternately, takes it down.  It may be used in preparation for a guitar solo, or to let a quieter instrument through.

Overdrive

Overdrive offers a form of ‘smoother’ distortion.  It seeks to emulate the sound made by an amp pushed beyond its recommended limitations.

Distortion

This is the gear above Overdrive.  Listen to Van Halen if you don’t know what I’m talking about.

Fuzz

Dave Davies of the Kinks achieved this effect by slashing the internal walls of his speaker cabinet.  Ike Turner, reputedly, did it by simply dropping the thing.  The effect is a hard, gritty form of distortion.  Listen to the Kinks’ ‘You Really Got Me’ or ‘All day and All of the Night’.

Compressor

Very popular in Country and Western music, the Compressor seeks to maintain a middling volume level.  It makes the loud parts quieter and the quiet parts louder.

Delay

As its name implies, it copies the signal, enabling you to have a sound repeated once or several times.  Think Roy Harper or, perish the thought, U2.

There are a host of other effects available to today’s electric guitarists.  Most stores will allow you to try their electric guitar effects pedals at your leisure.  So shop around and experiment and don’t forget to look online for some of the best deals available.

Photograph by charlietphoto

Mesa Boogie Tube Amp

When you play an electric guitar, the sound you make is dependent on a number of things, including good amplification. The guitar itself has its own ‘voice’, its own sound, often peculiar to itself; something that distinguishes it from other instruments.  Just like a car engine, it has its own sound.

The electric guitar amp you use makes a world of difference to the sound you are going to make.  How the amplifier is balanced in terms of bass, treble distortion and so on, will affect the sound.

The speaker you use also has a role to play.  The speaker may be part of the same unit as the amp, or a separate box.  Either way, this is where the sound is delivered and it’s an important part of the setup.  Even the cables you use have an influence.  Use the best.  It’s worth it in the long run.

Finally, of course, your own musical ability will invariably affect the overall sound that you make.

How Do Electric Guitar Amps Work?

An amplifier is made up of three components – the preamp, the power amp and the speaker.  Each has its role to play in the creation of the sound made by the electric guitar.

The preamp

The preamp receives an electronic signal from the instrument.  The preamp houses the bass, treble, middle, gain, drive and volume controls that you can adjust yourself.  Depending on how advanced it is it may boast a whole host of other effects for you to play with.

The power amp

This receives the signal from the preamp and supercharges it.  The bigger the power amp, the bigger the sound.

The speaker

The signal is passed from the power amp to the speaker(s) which convert the signal back into sound.

What to look for in a Second Hand Electric Guitar Amp

Of course, you don’t have to buy a brand new guitar amp, but you do have to know what you’re looking for.  Here are a few things to consider:-

1.   Compatibility.

Make sure that the amp you’re buying has been designed with your particular electric guitar in mind.  Guitar Amps are made for specific instruments so, although you can get a sound when you plug your guitar into a bass or keyboard amp, it probably won’t be the one you’re looking for.

2.   Price

Second hand amps can be very cheap although buying used goods, especially something that may have been thrashed, overloaded or generally abused, may not be worth taking the risk for.  Consider what a new one would cost before you buy.

3.   Expertise

Take somebody along who knows what they’re talking about.  Even better, get it checked by an expert.

Electric guitar amps are an important component whenever your guitar is to be amplified.  It can make or break the sound and will therefore make a significant difference to the performance given.  Take time and care in the selection of your electric guitar amplifier.

Photograph by billaday

Wild Electric Guitarist

Playing the guitar is a joy and, as with the learning of any musical instrument, one can spend a lifetime perfecting a technique.  However, with regular practice and enough commitment, most people are able to achieve pleasing results quite quickly.

The beginner guitarist should start by adhering to a few simple rules.

1.    Don't start lesson 2 until you have mastered lesson 1.  You’ll be excited and want to rush to play tunes you know but, take a little time at the beginning to learn the basics and your progress will be that much faster.

2.    Don't let your left thumb sneak over the neck of the guitar. This changes your playing position- and not in a good way. Your thumb should always be positioned in the middle of the back of the neck, whether you are playing at the top or the bottom of the fret board.

3.    When playing a simple melody, first read or tap the rhythm through. Next try to name the pitch of the notes. Then play the melody using first your index finger (i), then your middle finger (m), then a combination of the two.

4.    Sit up straight. Your posture has an effect on the sound you produce and your stamina.  Correct posture will allow you to play comfortably for much longer.

5.    Record yourself so you can see how you are progressing.  Is your rhythm steady?  Is each note clear and free of buzzes or rattles?  You may have to look at the pressure you are applying with your left hand.  Are your fingers positioned accurately between the frets of your guitar?

6.    Try to grow the fingernails of your right hand and keep the nails on your left hand short.

7.    Practice every day. This will help to toughen your fingertips.

8.    Regarding your left hand, your fingertips should make contact with the fret board at right angles. The tips of your fingers should be fretting the string, not the flat of the finger.

9.    If reading notation for the first time, resist the temptation to write the letter names on the notes. Learn one position on the stave (the 5 lines music is written on) each day. For example, the note that straddles (half above and half below) the bottom line is E.

Playing the guitar will give you years of enjoyment and, by following these simple steps you will graduate from beginner to skilled guitarist before you know it.

Photograph by Lorri37

]]> http://www.fatfingermusic.com/playing-guitar-9-simple-rules-beginner-guitarist/feed/ 0 http://www.fatfingermusic.com/6-methods-tuning-guitar/ http://www.fatfingermusic.com/6-methods-tuning-guitar/#comments Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:56:45 +0000 admin http://www.fatfingermusic.com/?p=85

Tuning Pegs

Your guitar will need tuning on a regular basis. To do this, you need to know the names of the strings and how they should sound. When you are playing the guitar, the upper most string (6th), plays the lowest note. This can lead to confusion when instructions refer to the 'top' string. Generally 'top' and 'bottom' refer to the pitch (high and low) of the string rather than its position.

Starting with the 6th (bottom) string, the tuning is:

E     A     D     G     B     E

6th   5th  4th  3rd    2nd   1st

BASS             TREBLE

There are various ways to tune:-

1. Using a pitch pipe. A six note pitch pipe will give you the notes you need for tuning, although this is not as easy as it sounds since the timbre of the two instruments can make the matching of pitch difficult for the beginner.

2. Using a piano.

3. Online Guitar Tuner

4. Tuning Fork

5. Electronic tuner.

6. Relative tuning also referred to as open E tuning. This involves tuning the 6th string to E from a known source such as a pitch pipe, a piano or a tuning fork, and then using this as a basis for tuning the other strings by:-

a) Fretting or stopping the 6th string at the 5th fret. (A fret is the space between fret bars on the finger board of the guitar so the first space is the first fret). Play the note. This should give you an A, which is the note to which you should tune the 5th string using the tuning pegs, until the two notes seem to be of he same pitch.

b) Stop the 5th string at the 5th fret. This gives you a D, which is the note you need to tune the 4th string to.

c) Play the 4th string, fretting it at the 5th fret. This gives you a G, which is the note to which you should tune the 3rd string.

d) Careful! Play the 3rd string at the 4th fret. This gives you a B, which is the note you need for the 2nd string.

e) Play the 2nd string at the 5th fret. This gives you an E, which is the note you need to tune the 1st string to.

This sort of thing does get easier with practice. If you now play the 1st and 6th strings, they should sound good together as they are both tuned to E, two octaves apart.

If you are happy with the tuning, it is a good idea to record the pitch of each string for future reference.

Tuning Electric and Acoustic Guitar

Photograph by ind{yeah}