Guitar Noise Forums

In 1983 I joined a band as a bass player with more experienced members after a few months of noodling on my own in the bedroom. I could play some songs Our first practice session was a disaster. The song was a simple two chord one where my job was to alternately play 8 roots and 8 fives in a simple ...

It's definitely nothing personal, don't take it as such. I'm sad to say that this forum has stagnated a bit over the years and the members are no longer as active as they used to be. All the usual questions have been asked and answered so many times, over and over, and people are probably a little w...

Besides what Alan said, here's my 20p worth. Ionian mode is just major. Simple major. A chord progression of C G Em is a basic C major progress (I - V - vi if it matters or 1-5-6 in Nashville). There is no "mode" component at all and neither need nor advantage in thinking of modes here. A melody sho...

The music in verses is generally "the same", i.e. the chord progression and melody (the songwriting part). This isn't compulsory however. If you want to write songs with different music for every verse, that's your choice. "Prog" rock used to be like that sometimes. It'll be a little less poppy and ...

I also got a new guitar and the action is lower and i am 10 times better on that then my current high action guitar im gunna stick with the high action guitar for now though since it is strengthening my fingers. Don't do that. You'll be setting yourself up for lots and lots of unnecessary pain and ...

I am only a fair bass player and a mediocre guitarist, but I can play all the chords and whatnot. However I do clearly remember my struggles in the beginning. At times I thought I would never get it. My fingers would form a blob of spaghetti on the fretboard. My rhythm was nonexistent. I'd mute all ...

Most "chromatic" tuners have a setting where you can change the frequency of A, but yes, the default is 440. The difference between a "chromatic" tuner and one that is not is that the chromatic tuner can tune to any note, the others only to EADGBE. I have both kinds. With a chromatic tuner you have ...

Slated by whom?

Epiphone guitars have a good reputation and lots and lots of people love them.

Yes.

If I may offer a dissenting opinion, I started with an acoustic, oh more than 30 years ago and had a very hard time with it. Actually pretty nearly an impossible and very frustrating time. A little later I got a chance to play with an electric (unplugged for 90% of the time) and yowza! suddenly I co...

It sounds as if the guitarist simply mutes the guitar strings with his left hand and plays a few strokes. Often called "left hand muting". To do it, you simply make a barre with your index finger, laying it across the strings, but relaxed, not pressing down like you would with a barre chord and stro...

Both would be good choices. The amp might prove a little small if you a) want to use it for gigs and b) if you rehearse in a fairly open space. Typically, bass needs a much bigger amp than a guitar does at the same volume. In addition, you usually push a guitar amp much harder than a bass amp. A 15w...

Yes, that's a good start. Practice moving those shapes here and there. You'll find they sound good at various places around the neck. Hint: what notes sound good with the open E, B, e (and perhaps G)? Don't forget the A shape. Both with the 234 fingers, and more commonly, with only the 3 (ring) fing...

Not that there's anything wrong with using fingers, but if you find fast and fluid strumming difficult with a pick, you are probably using one that is too stiff. Very thin picks (.38-.56mm) are much easier for fast rhythm guitar than thicker ones. The thicker ones are often better for single note pi...