Guitar Lovers

My uncle taught gave me my first guitar lesson at age 7, and many of the tips he shared back then have continued to stick with me. It turned out that while we both have musical tendencies in our blood, we don’t learn in the same way or at a comparable pace. He has an impressive ear for notes and melodies and is able to replicate most songs after hearing them just a few times. I’m not like that at all.

Maybe it’s because of my classical piano training, but I need to be able to see notes in front of me. Playing by ear just doesn’t work until I’ve got a song down cold. That’s why a guitar tuner is so essential to my playing. It would take me far too long to tune the guitar during a performance without some aid. Perhaps some day I’ll develop a better ear, but until then I’ll have to rely on technology.

Last year, a guitarist named Dave Carroll was travelling across the country with his band. He was waiting for his flight to leave Chicago when he notices the baggage handlers throwing guitar cases to each other – his band’s guitar cases! Upon arriving in Nebraska, he discovered that his Taylor guitar had been smashed. United Airlines did nothing to help Carroll, despite his repeated requests and complaints. So he recently wrote and performed a song called “United Breaks Guitars,” which got more than 3 million views in its first 10 days on YouTube.

United Airlines has probably learned its lesson after the whole world knows that its employees broke someone’s guitar. But the point of this story is that not everyone will handle your guitar as carefully and lovingly as you do, so you should invest in a good guitar case. Even though Carroll’s case didn’t prevent his guitar from being ruined, his situation was the exception – few people would actually throw someone’s guitar like that. In general, a good guitar case will prevent damage to your guitar. Don’t leave home without one!

Traditionally, heavy metal bands play a step or two down from standard tuning. Though some may dismiss metal as a bunch of noise, listening to a band like Slayer, early Metallica or even newer bands like The Bled or Killswitch Engage will let you know that these guys can play as well as any bona fide blues guitarist.

The major chords are typically E or D (the latter being the most popular), but it really depends on your own personal tinkering. Personally, I like to alternate between standard (EADGBE) and D-standard when I’m playing on stage and I can do this with ease with a guitar tuner.

Tuning that is catching on, however, is BF#BEG#C#. It’s great for thrash, but if you’re looking for something on the technical side, I highly recommend standard or D-standard.

Learning to play at least one musical instrument in your lifetime is already a great accomplishment. You will experience the joy of creating music that can soothe your soul and delight your senses. Guitar playing is one of the most rewarding things you can learn. It will build flexibility in your hands and enhance your memorization skills.

Playing alone, in a band or simply jamming with friends can be fun. When you have already mastered your beginner’s guitar, you can progress to buying more expensive brands that give out better sounds. Don’t forget though to take care of your instruments well. Always keep them in guitar cases when not in use to prevent them from encountering accidents that may cause damage.

Every time you travel, you always want to make sure your belongings are safe in your bag or luggage.  The same is true of your musical instruments. You want them to be protected and safe as well.  Whether it’s a saxophone, trumpet, violin, or guitar, your instrument needs a case so you can take it anywhere.  For guitars, you can have an acoustic guitar case, electric guitar case, or a bass guitar case.

Some of these cases are made with ballistic nylon and foam padding for everyday travel.  They are very lightweight and have pouches for carrying extra strings, tuners, and more.  If you will be traveling frequently and will have to put your case in car trunks, vans, or airplanes, you will need a sturdier case.  For those times, there are strong box guitar cases that are made of hard shell plywood.  Its interior is plush lined for superior cushioning, and there are three buckles for a more secure closure.  It also includes a lock and key.