Guitar 101

You can play a lot of music with guitar, from a simple love song to heavy metal song. It is one of the most versatile instruments ever invented and it is so easy to play! You just need to master the fundamentals of guitar to make it work. Although, it may take a lot of hard work to know all the basics and you may need to have a formal instruction to fully understand the potential of the instruments.

Before you get excited strumming your guitar, you really need to learn some of the basic terms and parts of a guitar that you will need to know in order to proceed with the lesson.

• STRINGS. A regular guitar has six strings. They come in different size and note value as well. In a typical tuning, the first string, which is found at the bottom {the thinnest and highest sounding among the six), is an E note. The next string (thicker than the first and the sound is lower) is a B note. The third string up is a G note. The next string is a D, the 5th string is an A and the last string which is the thickest and lowest sounding and the closest to your body is another E. When in tune, the 1st and the 6th string should produce the same note but different pitches.
• FRETS. If the string divides the guitar from left to right, frets are the small metal strips that divide the instrument into sections from top to bottom. Some guitarists would describe this as the space on the neck between each metal strip. Therefore, the 2nd fret would refer to the second gap between frets that is found on the neck than the second actual metal piece. Placing your fingers on a string in between two of the frets can enable you to play a note. The higher you get on the frets, the higher the note sounds. Lastly, each fret is a half-step higher than the previous one.

Other terms to remember:

• Headstock. This is the top-most part of the instrument where the tuning pegs are situated.
• Nut. A small piece of material that can be found in the junction of the headstock and the neck. You can find small grooves carved out in order to guide the guitar strings to their tuning pegs.
• Neck. This is the long and slim part of the guitar that holds the frets and strings. This is where you place your fingers in order to play individual notes or to create chords.
• Body. This is the large base of the guitar that is connected to the neck. The body of the guitar differs with each kind. For instance, acoustic guitars usually have hallowed out bodies, with the circular sound hole in the middle to project the sound of the instruments. On the other hand, the body of the electric guitars has "ýýpick ups' instead of sound holes to capture and project the sound of the strings being played.
• Tuning Keys. Keep the strings in place and permits you to adjust the pitch of the string by turning the peg
• Bridge. It is a small piece of hardware being utilized to anchor the strings at the base of the body

Knowing these basic terms will help you get through with your lessons. So, ready your guitar and let the jamming start.

Imagine how great it will feel to learn the guitar real fast! Click here to find out about guitar lessons online and soon you'll be strummin away.