Have you ever found yourself at a gig hearing an incredible sound coming from the guitars and wondered why you can’t get the same?

For many of you this may be the one topic that eludes you every time, I know it did with me for a lot of years. I’m talking about the Holy Grail for guitarists, the most sought after but rarely found thing called ‘tone’. You see, you can have the best gear in town, the most flashy set up, but still have it sound like mud without some core principles of great sound…which by the way is rarely taught unless you get into sound engineering and the like.

If you’re wondering how to get a great guitar tone then you’re in luck as there are quite a few things you can do to improve your sound instantly and at very little cost, and here is just one of them that will point you in the right direction.

Strings

Strings are something that guitarists are expected to know about but surprisingly a lot don’t, and they especially don’t know the effect it has on the tone and sound of your playing. There are 2 main things to think about when choosing strings – Flexibility and sound. If you plan to play solos (and my guess is you want to or you wouldn’t be reading this) then you’ll need to be able to bend the strings. The second part is the tone, and that comes from the thickness of the strong, the material and how it’s made.

As a general rule of thumb, the thicker the string the greater the tone.

Choose a set of strings that gives enough flexibility to bend while keeping that control over the note (no more), and gives a fat tone at the same time. If you tune down then you’ll also need to get a heavier gauge string to allow for the depth of sound and to give a little extra clarity. A heavier gauge for lower tunings also keeps the strings tighter, giving you more of a ‘crispness’ to your sound.

Have a close look at the different choices in strings and see what artists are using what (not just endorsing but actually using). You’ll find that there are so many different brands and a few different types, but there are one’s that will give you the edge you’re after for you’re style of music. Have a read of reviews online as well and see what people recommend, and then try them out for yourself!

Keep in mind that you don’t have to buy a standard set of strings in the packet…I get the guys in my local guitar shop to make up custom sets to get exactly what I want, why settle for what other people want to sell you? May as well get what you want:)

For more info on how to select guitar strings check this out

Technorati Tags: easy guitar lesson, electric guitar lesson, how to play guitar solos, how to play lead guitar

Have you ever wondered how to play guitar solos with the ‘slipperiness’ and ease that a lot of the pro guitarists do? There are a couple of tricks that don’t get talked about that much and are things that you can do immediately to enhance your speed and playing ability on any guitar neck.

First of all, let’s look at the natural things on a guitar that can make it a faster neck to play on, so if you’re in the market for a new one you can make the best choice for what you need at the time. The things to consider on a guitar neck when you’re looking for ease of use and speed for solos and fast riffs in general are neck width, coating, wood choice on both fret board and the neck back, and action (These are just the main neck considerations apart from other things to look for, but that for another time).

Neck Width – There are a few different choices when it comes to the width of the neck, from fatter necks that apparently give you more control over the notes but for some can hinder their speed, and the thin wide necks that are more aimed at speed and free movement. Regardless of which one feels comfortable to you, they are both personal choices as with the rest of these points and should both be played to get a feel for what’s out there and how it plays. I personally find a thin neck much easier to play, but that’s just the choice I have made.

Coating – This is quite often overlooked and can be a key factor in what you can do at high speed. Coating refers to the finish on the wood, so whether it’s a high gloss or more of a matt finish it can affect the way your hand slides across the neck. Some people stick to a gloss finish and find it hard to slide effectively, while others love the feel of it…once again, personal preference.

Wood Choice – You may not feel or hear the difference in the wood choice in the neck and that’s ok, but when learning how to play guitar solos the choice of woods on the fret board you’ll want to pay attention to. There are a few different choices available here from Rosewood, Ebony, and Maple etc…I have played most and found Rosewood was the one for me in terms of having the control over the notes I chose as well as being able to effortlessly slide across the neck, but I know guys that swear by Ebony fret boards. Try a few and look for the one that suits.

Action – This is where it gets fun and this is also the stage you have the most control over. The Action on a guitar simply refers to the height of the strings off the neck and the playability caused as a result. If a guitar has a fast action it means the strings are low to the neck and overall it’s a smooth easy play. Regardless of the previous 3 points, whatever guitar you own you should be able to do something with to improve the action, whether that’s filing down the bridge or nut, to lowering your tremolo system. To get detailed explanation of how to lower your action click here.

There is another trick you can do to make your guitar slippery to play, and that is oiling the fret board. It sounds a little weird and to be honest when I first heard about this I was sceptical, but it works! I’m not talking throwing engine oil over it, but what’s known in Australia as WD-40. Any form of spray lubricant from the hardware store will do nicely (you can also buy a specialized guitar spray from the guitar shop but it costs a bit more and does exactly the same thing). I’ve also heard of people using lemon oil, but I haven’t personally tried that so there’s not much I can say on it.

Just be warned, your fingers will get a bit oily and feel weird at first, but as it soaks into the neck you won’t notice it. I also get a dusting cloth or any smooth cloth and wipe the excess spray into the fret board, just to get an even coverage and less oil on my fingers.

If you oil the neck and make the string action as low as you can without causing any fret buzz, you’ll notice an almost instant improvement in your playing ability!

Technorati Tags: easy guitar lesson, electric guitar lesson, how to play guitar solos, how to play lead guitar