Guitars

1
Guitars

• So Much to Learn, So Little Time.

2
Introduction

• A guitar is a 6 string fretted instrument
• Variations include 7 strings and 12 strings
• Electric guitar is one that uses some sort of
  electronic amplification
• Acoustic guitar is one that does not use
  electronics but a hollow wooden body to produce
  sound/acoustics

3
Introduction

• There are acoustic-electric guitars with a hollow
  wooden body
• a pickup/mic is within the guitar to pick up
  the sound (can be played on an amp)
• The acoustics produced within the body of the
  guitar are picked up by the mic inside the
  guitar

4
Parts of A Guitar

• Three main parts to a guitar
• Body
• Neck
• Headstock
• Many different parts on each of the three main
  parts (not necessarily on all guitars)

5
Parts of A Guitar
Headstock
Body
Neck
6
Body

• Parts and their function
• Bridge the base of where the strings are held

7
Body

• Knobs such as volume knob (controls volume of
  guitar) and tone knobs (controls the pitch of the
  guitar)

8
Body

• Pickups found under the strings to catch the
  vibration of the strings to produce a sound
  through the guitar (similar to that of an
  electric acoustic)

9
Body

• Switch switches that control what pickup will
  pick up the sound, sometimes called a
  rhythm-treble switch

10
Body

• Pick Guard main purpose is there to stop one
  from scratching his/her guitar but also covers
  the wires

11
Neck

• Fretslittle metal rods that section off parts of
  the neck (when talking about frets the part in
  between one metal and another metal rod would be
  considered the fret)

12
Neck

• Markerssomething on a fret of a guitars that
  mark off frets in equal amounts to help a learner
  
• Usually a dot or something that serves the same
  purpose

13
Headstock

• String Holders knobs that hold the strings in
  place (attached to the tuning keys)

14
Headstock

• Tuning Keys key on the side of the headstock
  that can be turned to loosen the strings or
  tighten them (used for tuning the strings)

15
Headstock

• Name and/or Symbol at the top of the head stock
  as a signature of where the guitar was made

16
Headstock

• Basic knowledge of strings
• Strings are numbered from bottom to top from
  smallest to largest
• 1st string is on the bottom and the smallest
  whereas the 6th string is on the top and the
  largest

17
Knowledge Needed for Playing Guitar

• To get an good sound out of a guitar it first
  must be tuned
• Basic knowledge of the strings
• Need to know chords
• Need to know strumming patterns

18
Basic Knowledge of Strings

• Strings are numbered from bottom to top/from
  smallest to largest
• 1st string is on the bottom and the smallest
  whereas the 6th string is on the top and the
  largest

19
Basic Knowledge of Strings

• Strings have names eBGDAE (the first string is
  the only one not capitalized to show it is the
  first/bottom string

e---------------- B----------------
G-------------- D------------- A-------------
E--------------
20
Basic Knowledge of Strings

• 1st string is e
• 2nd string is B
• 3rd string is G
• 4th string is D
• 5th string is A
• 6th string is E

e---------------- B----------------
G-------------- D------------- A-------------
E--------------
21
Tuning A Guitar

• The standard tuning of a guitar is a 440 pitch
• There are a few ways to tune a guitar
• One way is to use tuning forks (one really can
  not depend on them because they may not be 440)

22
Tuning A Guitar

• With the tuning fork method you tap the fork so
  it rings and then tighten or loosen the string of
  the guitar until it harmonizes/rings with the
  forks
• The second and hardest way would be by ear (this
  method is never reliable to get you a 440 tuning
  but the strings will be tune together, just not
  to the 440 pitch)

23
Tuning A Guitar

• Tuning by ear you basically tune the strings
  together by making them ring, for instance, if
  you put your finger on the fifth fret of E than
  that note should ring with an open (no frets,
  just plain string) A

24
Tuning A Guitar

• The third way and most accurate way is to use a
  tuner (it has a 440 pitch marked on it with an
  indicator that tells what pitch the string is by
  moving left to right like a speedometer hand

25
How to Play

• After learning the basic knowledge of guitars,
  chords and strumming patterns comes into play
• Chords are basically a sequence of notes played
  together to get one note
• You place your fingers in different positions to
  cover these notes

26
How to Play

• For instance, a G chord would be

e------3--------- B------3--------
G-----0-------- D------0------ A------2-----
E------3----
27
Reading Tabs

• Before jumping to learning chords, tabs must be
  understood
• On a tab there will be six strings unless shown
  otherwise
• A tab is upside down to the guitar (the top
  string on a tab is the bottom string on a guitar)

28
Reading Tabs

• The number on strings means the fret
• Frets are numbered too (the first fret is the
  very first fret on the top of the neck, closet to
  the headstock)
• If the number is 2 then that indicates that the
  fret on which the note is played is fret 2

29
Reading Tabs

• The nine means that its the ninth fret on the
  4th/D string

e--------------- B--------------
G-------------- D------9------ A-----------
E----------
30
Reading Tabs

• Tabs also have keys
• Bbend the string
• B--bend string up
• /-- slide (slide finger/s without taking hands
  off the notes to a different note)
• Sslide

31
Reading Tabs

• Hhammer (switching from one note to another in
  just one pick/strum with keeping one finger on
  the first note)
• P pull (the opposite of hammer although
  similar-you literally pull one finger off a note
  to another note with one strum)

32
Strumming

• Strumming patterns mostly come naturally (there
  is no real way to explain or tell someone how to
  strum a song, the beat is something you listen
  for and strum along to)
• Basically listen to patterns in the song and copy
  it

33
Strumming

• Tabs sometimes have the number of times to hit
  the note represented by repeating the fret number

e--------------- B--------------
G-------------- D------9-9-9-- A-----------
E----------
34
Strumming

• Basically how often the number is there indicates
  how many times that note is hit. The tab on the
  last slid show that the note on the ninth fret
  and D/4th string is hit three times

35
Strumming

• Also how far apart the numbers are on the fret is
  the length of pause to hit the other note. The
  tab and the previous slide shows that the notes
  are hit right after each other with little pause

36
Tips for Guitar

• As an experienced guitarist of three years, these
  are my tips
• Do not get a guitar to look at, learn how to play
  it
• Practice at least a half hour a day (if time is
  free)
• Never let anyone get you down about youre skills
  (keeping practicing)

37
Tips for Guitar

• Never brag even if you are the best, let others
  do it for you
• Never trust a strap, youre guitar might fall (I
  experienced that one more than once)
• Gibson Les Pauls are the best guitars (my own
  taste)
• Please keep your guitar in good shape

38
Tips for Guitar

• Clean it polish it
• If playing a half hour each day then change
  strings every 6 to 8 months, if not they will go
  dead (no sound)
• Have loads of fun

39
Accessories, Accessories

• Guitars have many different accessories
• Amplifiers
• Paddles
• Chords
• Picks

40
Accessories, Accessories

• Straps
• Speakers
• Tuners
• And much more

41
Conclusion

• Guitars are very fascinating technology. They are
  very fun once knowing how to play them. They have
  many accessories to play with that make a guitar
  more enjoyable. The hardest part is learning how
  to play, especially on your own.

42
Accessories, Accessories
Amplifier
Stand
Tuner
43
Accessories, Accessories
From left to right String changer, steel finger,
pick holder, and guitar picks
Bunch of effect paddles is a hard-shell paddle
case
44
Conclusion

• Guitars are very fascinating technology. They are
  very fun once knowing how to play them. They have
  many accessories to play with that make a guitar
  more enjoyable. The hardest part is learning how
  to play, especially on your own.

45
Conclusion

• I learned on my own without any of the knowledge
  that is presented in this slideshow. From this
  slide show you should be able to pick up a guitar
  and start learning how to play. Once learned in
  playing guitar then good talent comes with
  practice and time. So go get a get a guitar and
  start rockin!!!