Producing a pleasing, clear tone.
Buzzes and vibrations. Making your notes crystal clear, well defined, and crisp is a true art. Step one is to make sure your note's not buzzing. Getting a buzzing or vibration sound is caused by not pushing the string down hard enough, letting the pressure off, or playing too far away from the fret. Remember, the fret is the metal bar, not the space in between. So play close to the fret, keep firm pressure on and hold it. Once your fingers are stronger and tougher you really don't have to push all that hard. Press the string down just hard enough to get rid of the buzzes.
Clear tone, part 2.
Deadened or muffled strings. After you eliminate the buzzing, strike the string or strings again and see if any of the notes sound muted or muffled. In most cases this is caused by something being in the way. There should be space between the side of your hand and the side of the guitar neck, you need to play with the tips of your fingers, and you need to see if there are any sleeves, bracelets or other parts of your hand blocking the strings. The other cause is having your finger right on the fret, (the metal bar), instead of behind it. These steps will help you clear up the tone that a beginning guitar player is striving for. Your guitar teacher can work with you if you're having trouble finding the cause of the problem.
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2 comments:
Good to see you on here. I took guitar lessons from you when I was a little kid back in the 1980's. You were in this tiny little shed behind Mel Bay. I stopped taking lessons after a couple of years and even lost interest in playing. Then I started playing again, put in the work I should have when I was taking the lessons, and have been going again for over 20 years. I gig around town and have students of my own. You really made a difference for me, whether you knew it or not! I'll be checking this blog regularly now for tips I can use to help my students. Good work!
Thanks a lot for your comments. One of the most gratifying things about teaching is having someone contact me years later to let me know they're still playing and that I was a positive influence.
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