How to learn to play Electric Guitar

Many people dream of learning how to play the electric guitar. Just imagine: after spending some time, you can perform your favorite rock, metal or blues songs for your friends and for your own pleasure. Moreover, in stores and on the Internet, you can choose and buy an instrument of any level – from the budget “Samick” to the cooler “Les Paul” or “Fender Stratocaster”, which are played by musicians of famous bands.

Is it difficult to play the electric guitar?

Mastering the electric guitar can seem like a daunting task that takes years. But it’s not. Despite the fact that the principle of playing differs from the acoustic guitar, everyone can learn to play music on the electric guitar. You just need to have the desire and sufficient determination. There are a lot of techniques, thanks to which, learning will be easy even for those who pick up the guitar for the first time. If you have the skills to play an acoustic six-string, you can master the electric version even faster.

It should not be thought that a special talent is needed to master this “science”, or that it is too late to start training in adulthood. Do not worry, independent rehearsals will not take much of your strength, and talent is only a tenth of success. Much more important is a positive attitude and regular practice. In just two or three months, it is quite possible to memorize the basic chords and performance techniques.

What is the difference between an electric guitar and an acoustic guitar?

The main difference is that acoustics does not need additional devices. Traditionally, it is used in those compositions where a quiet, warm and calm sound is needed. When playing an electric guitar, you cannot do without a number of components: amplifier, cord, picks, etc. Most guitarists also use effects pedals, which expand the possibilities of the sounds played on the electric guitar.

In addition, there are significant differences in the rules of sound extraction, in constructions, in the functions of certain parts of the instruments, as well as in the manner of playing. On the body of the electric guitar there are sensors – pickups that convert the vibrations of the strings into an electrical signal, which is then sent to the amplifier and the sound acquires the desired volume. The body of an acoustic guitar is equipped with only a hollow soundboard that resonates the sound.

How to play electric guitar correctly

Proper posture and hand placement is essential for playing a musical instrument. In the lessons at the schools of guitarists, this moment is given special attention. Beginners are taught to sit on the edge of the chair so that the body of the guitar rests on the left leg, under which, for convenience, a small stand can be placed. At the same time, the back is kept straight, without tilting or turning, otherwise you can quickly get tired. If during classes there is a feeling of inconvenience, the reasons are:

• incorrect posture;
• incorrect position of the hands;
• the elbow of the left hand, pressed to the body and others.

The ways of playing are very diverse, and each technique undoubtedly deserves a separate series of lessons. Here we look at three of the most popular methods:

• Playing with a mediator : Put the mediator on the index finger, pinch it on top with your thumb so that only the sharp end of the mediator remains visible.

  

• Fingering : Hold your hand so that it hangs freely over the strings.

  

• Tapping . With the fingers of the right hand, we strike and cling the strings on the frets of the neck, the left plays legato.

  

The main techniques involve the use of a mediator. The simplest of them, with which beginners usually start, is “brute force”. More complex are the barre, as this technique requires the left hand to be already sufficiently developed and the sweep, which produces a fast and spread sound often used by virtuoso guitarists.

Also, one of the first things a beginner guitarist needs to learn is learning chords and practicing how to transition from one chord to another. The most effective method of learning to change chords is considered to be repeated repetition of movements, which should be given time in daily training.

How to learn to play electric guitar on your own

When choosing a learning method, many people ask: is it possible to learn how to play on your own? The unequivocal answer is “yes”! The only disadvantage of home schooling is the lack of a full-fledged program “from A to Z”, as well as the many times increased duration of training. The advantage of studying at school is classes under the guidance of professional teachers, according to the methods they have worked out. This is confirmed by the fact that only a small part of famous guitarists are self-taught, while the rest have a musical education. If your desire is not to become a famous musician, but to play music for the soul, then you can do self-study.

To get started, you will need:

1. Electric guitar . A beginner is advised to choose an inexpensive tool, but from a well-known and trusted brand (Ibanez, Samick, Jackson, Yamaha).
2. A set of picks – from the softest to the hardest.
3. combo amplifier . If you don’t have one yet, you can download and install a special program on your PC and extract sound through computer speakers.
4. Tablature . You can learn to play either by notes or by tablature, and the second option is much easier. You can download and print the tablature on the Internet, it consists of six lines, where the top one depicts the thinnest string. On the rulers there are numbers indicating the frets, that is, it is clearly shown from which string at which fret the sound is extracted.
5. A metronome is a device for playing a clear rhythm.
6. A tuning fork is essential for tuning guitar strings.
7. Effects pedal , without which, at the initial stage, you can do without.

First of all, the beginner develops the hands using such simple exercises as pinching chords with the left hand, according to tablature, and extracting alternate sounds with the right (“brute force”). After obtaining sufficiently clear and rich sounds, it will be possible to move on to more complex techniques.