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Before you actually practice your guitar,
let’s go over a few basics. If you are already familiar with the material covered in
this chapter, skip ahead to the next chapter right away. If you are not, take some time to
study this chapter. It will help you learn the later information more easily and
efficiently.
Do not get intimidated by all the
names of the guitar parts shown below. The names are merely presented here for us to
better communicate with each other. For instance, when the book says, "Position your
first finger on the 2nd fret," or if you read "Keep placing your left-hand thumb
behind the neck," you will know right away which parts of the guitar are being
discussed because you have studied or referred to the illustration.
HOW TO TUNE
YOUR GUITAR
Each string of your guitar is to be
tuned with a specific note or pitch. Although many other tunings exist, the most standard
and widely used way to tune each string is as follows:
| 1st
string = E |
2nd
string = B |
3rd
string = G |
| 4th
string = D |
5th
string = A |
6th
string = E |
In the illustration below, the
location of each note is shown as it appears on a piano or electric keyboard. When
tuning, remember that tightening a string will raise the pitch of the note, and loosening
will lower it. Tightening and loosening are accomplished by rotating the tuning head
either counterclockwise (to raise) or clockwise (to lower).
If you do not have a
keyboard at hand, here is one of the easiest tuning methods:
-
Using either a tuning
fork or electric metronome which has A4 440Hz tuning pitch, tune the 5th string to A.
-
Next, press the 5th
fret of the 6th string and tune it to match the open 5th string. (Open means you do
not press the string.)
-
Similarly, press the
5th fret of the 5th string and tune the open 4th string to match the pitch.
-
Press the 5th fret of
the 4th string and tune the open 3rd string to match it.
-
Press the 4th fret of
the 3rd string and tune the open 2nd string to match it.
Press the 5th fret of
the 2nd string and tune the open 1st string to match it.
Notice that except for
the tuning of the 2nd string where you press the 4th fret of the 3rd string, all the
others have you press the 5th fret of the preceding string.
It may take a little
while until you can tune your guitar with absolute confidence and at ease. Be
patient and keep practicing so that your sense of pitch will improve and the tuning will
become easier. When you are uncertain as to whether two strings are in the same
pitch or not, loosen the string you are tuning down and bring it up slowly. Repeat
this process many times and you will start getting a good sense of whether the pitch is
too low or too high.
BASIC MUSIC
NOTATION
STAFF:
Music is written on a staff which consists of 5 lines and 4 space between the lines.
MEASURE and BAR
LINE:
The staff is divided into measures. A bar line separates one measure from
another.
DOUBLE BAR LINE:
This is used to indicate
the end of a piece of music.
REPEAT SIGN
The ( )
tells you to go
back to a previous sign ()
and play the same music once more.
COUNT OR RHYTHM
The majority of today's
music is played with a definite beat or rhythm. The beat is a steady, regular pulse
or count throughout the music that is just like the ticking of a watch. Musicians
rely on this regular pulse whenever they play.
Pacing yourself with
your metronome, tap your foot and say ONE-TWO-THREE-FOUR, ONE-TWO-THREE-FOUR....Notice how
steady and equal each count is in time and speed. Your goal will be to become able
to keep track of the beat as accurately as the metronome.
NOTES
Notes are symbols that
indicate musical sounds How long you sustain or hold the sound depends on
what kind of notes you are playing.
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NEXT
[ Intro] [Ch. 1] [Ch. 2] [Ch. 3] [Ch. 4] [Ch. 5]
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