Electric vs Acoustic Guitar?

One question I hear often from people who want to learn guitar is "Which is better, acoustic guitars or an electric guitars?" Personally, I don't think one type of guitar is better than the other. Both instruments get the job done, but they aren't the same. What matters is what you're looking for in your guitar. The acoustic guitar brings simplicity while the electric guitar has a high amount of customizability, with various effects and features that you can add on to build your custom sound.

Why you should get an electric guitar
         The majority of guitar players you ask will say that the electric guitar is easier to play, and it is true. Electric guitars come in thinner necks than their acoustic counterparts - and this means that you'll have more strength available in your hands to press down your strings. In an electric guitar, the strings are closer to the neck; meaning that you won't have to press as hard to get a clean, sustained sound. The frets are also closer together on an electric guitar than on an acoustic guitar, so you won't have to stretch your fingers as far to hit more notes. This works wonders for lead players, who have a larger range of notes to choose from when playing leads or soloing.
            Electric guitars also come with the luxury of having a wide range of effects available to choose from. The most common effects you'll hear from an electric guitar are distortion (crunchy sound used most often in rock and metal) and delay, which can add repeats, echoes, and reverbs to the guitar. The electric guitar offers style, versatility, and comfort that acoustic guitars lack.

Why you should get an acoustic guitar
             Lets say you are at a family gathering or a picnic and you have no electric power available. All you have is the people around you and the calm, serene life that only exists in nature. In this setting, an acoustic guitar is what you want. With an acoustic guitar, you don't need a power source, an amp, cables, effects pedals, or additional accessories. The acoustic guitar is natural and convenient. Those with a smaller budget should also get an acoustic guitar. A decent acoustic guitar costs half the price of a decent electric guitar. (A good acoustic should cost $150 while a good electric costs $300) You also don't have to spend additional money on accessories (previously mentioned) that electric guitar players need to have. Some listeners also prefer the natural, balanced tone of an acoustic guitar over the loud, electronic, artificial sound of an electric guitar. Acoustic guitars offer convenience, affordability, and a natural tone that electric guitars lack.

Song Review/Playalong - Jamie All Over

Today I'll be reviewing "Jamie All Over" by the pop-punk band Mayday Parade. It's a simple, catchy song that the band used as its album opener for its critically-acclaimed debut album "A Lesson In Romantics" The song is a fan favorite and remains as one of the bands' most popular songs to date.

  How to play: The song is in the key of C#. The verses keep a simple progression with a slight key change in the prechorus. If you don't have a capo lying around, you can play C#-G#-F# but most guitar players will play it with a capo on the first fret and play C-G-F.

The first verse is played with the chords C#-G#-F#, and the strum pattern is DD-DUD-DDD (sustain the last down strum) For the pre-chorus, the song shifts to the key of Am and the chords change to A#m-G#-C#-F# . The pre-chorus is all muted, down strumming. The chorus goes back to the key of C and  returns to a chord progression similar to the first verse, C#-F#-Am#-G#. The strum pattern is simply alternating down and up. After the chorus, the second verse returns to the same progression and strum pattern as the first verse. C#-G#-F#. Once again, if you have a capo on your first fret, then you can play the chord shapes a half step lower than what you'll actually be playing. Playing a C shape chord becomes C#, and a G chord becomes G#, and so on.

I think this song is a great album opener and a great rock song in general. The band maintains an energetic flow throughout the whole song, and the chorus is insanely catchy, easily capable of getting stuck in your head for days. One thing this band does really well is write addictive songs that leave you hooked while also keeping the structure and progression simple and easy to play. That isn't to say that the musicians are incapable of their instruments, later songs on the album showcase their individual talents. Daniel Lancaster, lead vocalist of Stages and Stereos closes the song singing the final bridge/second chorus. His high pitched, emotional delivery fits the song perfectly.

Guitar Tunings Series - Part 4 (Drop A Tuning)

Drop A Tuning is an extremely low-sounding tuning that is used in metal. From standard tuning, the guitar is dropped 4 whole tones with the sixth string tuned down another step. The strings will be very loose and will most likely get out of tuning as you go higher down the fretboard, so you'll have to get your guitar intonated, (adjusting the length between the bridge and the body of the guitar)  Drop A is commonly played on a seven string guitar, but on a six string guitar there are several variants to drop A tuning. One common tuning is AADGBE, with the sixth and fifth strings an octave apart. This can be used play different types of octave chords, which can also make your power chords sound a lot fuller. British rock band Muse uses Drop A tunings in several songs. Other popular bands that use Drop A tuning include: A Day To Remember, Five Finger Death Punch,

Muse plays in Drop A Tuning in their song Liquid State. It has a metal feel to it with the muted, down-strum power chords, but most metal songs are slower. I like how the synth rolls alongside the guitar in the verses, it fills in the high range spectrum in the sound mix. Muse songs have a large sound to them -  these songs are meant to fill giant arenas and are written with hooks that are meant to be chanted by large crowds of fans.

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of Drop A Tuning. I think it sounds sloppy, especially when it is mixed with heavy distortion and effects. If you want to play a guitar at such a low tuning, then why not buy a bass guitar? Mixers and engineers need to be careful when dealing with bands who play in Drop A, because chances are high that you'll be hearing a muddy mix (an unbalanced mix heavy in low notes) This problem can be fixed by boosting vocals in the mix, having guitar leads that utilize the higher end of the guitar neck, or adding synth riffs.

Blog Reflection

What I’ve done

I’ve gone over different guitar tunings, explained how to tune your guitar into that tuning, displayed the different styles of music that the tunings can be played in, and have shown examples of songs that use that tuning. I’ve also reviewed songs and have explained different guitar scales which are used to create guitar solos.

My best post and why it’s good

My best post was “Lets Learn Guitar Scales! (Major Scale)” because I feel that this post appeals most to readers. A lot of people who play the guitar pick it up for the sole reason of playing leads and solos and this post introduces readers into the world of guitar solos. At the end there is also a really cool guitar solo that shows what you could sound like if you apply these scales into your guitar playing.

What I’d like to improve on

I’d like to work on making my posts longer and putting more of my own detail and insight into my posts. My posts contain a lot more information than they do of my analysis and balancing out my information and analysis would make my blog posts better.

What I’ve learned about myself as a learner

I’ve learned that I try to finish my assignments too quickly and it messes up the quality of my posts. I need to put my time into my research, stop and think about it, then mix in my information with my own analysis.

Where I’d like to go

I’d like to add in more of my personal journey as I learn about playing guitar. I want it to have less information and show more of my thoughts and concerns as I learn how to play the guitar. In order to do this, I’ll have to plan time in my week to practice guitar instead of just practicing whenever I feel like it. It’ll have more appeal to new guitar players who are frustrated with the rate at which they’re learning. Maybe it’ll encourage them; knowing that they aren’t alone and its normal to have bumps in the road as they learn the guitar.

Lets Learn Guitar Scales! (Minor Scale)

Today, we'll be learning the Minor Pentatonic Scale. Its a very versatile scale, and is used commonly in jazz, rock, and blues. Many new guitar players learn this as their first scale, and I've heard of guitarists who only play the minor scale.The scale formula is 1 b3 4 5 b7 1. John Mayer is a well-known artist who has used this scale in songs like Vultures and Crossroads.

To play the minor pentatonic scale in the key of A, you can barre the fifth fret with your root note (A) being played on the sixth and first E string. Then place your forth finger on the 8th fret of the same string. Then move down a string and place your first finger on the fifth fret, and your third finger on the seventh fret. You can repeat this step for the 3rd and 4th strings. For the final two strings, place your first finger on the fifth fret and your forth finger to on the eight fret. The picture above (courtesy of justinguitar.com) diagrams the minor pentatonic scale.

I really like the sound of the minor pentatonic scale, and I'm using it to practice licks for improvisation. My favorite worship artist, Gungor, also uses this scale in a lot of his songs and I would love to replicate his riffs and licks and play them at church. My favorite song, Church Bells uses a wide mix of scales (predominantly this one) to make a beautiful worship song. The vocal melody also sounds like it is in the minor scale, which shows that you can use the minor scale on multiple instruments to make a beautiful blend of music.

Lets Learn Guitar Scales! (Major Scale)

Guitar solos; everybody loves them, they sound great; and are the only reason some pick up a guitar in the first place. Have you ever wondered how these people do it? Well this blog post will show you how.

Guitar solos are played on scales. Scales are a set of notes ordered by pitch. The first scale most guitar players should learn is the major pentatonic scale. The major pentatonic scale's pattern goes Root-2-3-5-6. It is the most versatile scale, and is often used to make chord progressions. The photo above highlights notes used on a pentatonic scale; you can change the key that your scale is in by moving up and down the fretboard. The video below demonstrates how a guitar solo can sound when using the pentatonic scale.

The pentatonic scale can be played by playing the third fret on the fifth and sixth strings, the second fret on the second, third, and fourth strings, and the third fret on the first string. The root note is played on the third fret of the sixth string, and the third fret of the first string. 

I am still learning the major pentatonic scale, but its a fun scale to play and I use it to play along to a lot of the pop songs I hear on the radio. The main challenge I face is in my speed of playing. I'd like to play it at a super fast speed (like the one heard in the video below) but I know that speed is something that comes with practice and experience. With a lot of hard work and practice, you will be able to advance in your guitar playing. Your skill is a reflection of your effort!

Song Analysis - Last Night For a Table of Two

The third song from Mayday Parade's Monsters in the Closet is Last Night For a Table of Two. The song is in the key of B-flat major. The chord progression for the majority of the song is  B♭-Cm-F-A♭-E♭. The song begins with a riff using the previously mentioned chords. This riff is also used in the choruses of the song. The progression for the verses of the song are B♭-F♯-D♭-B♭.

I like the song; the passion can be felt in Derek Sanders' and Jake Bundricks' dual-vocal performance and the other instruments blend together very well. The band reminisces about a past relationship with a bitter ending (a theme visited quite often by this band)
Mayday Parade always has a way of adding their own twist to songs and differentiating themselves from bands with similar style, this can be seen 2:06 into the song in the break and guitar solo that precedes the bridge. One thing I would do differently is raise the pitch of the key from B♭ to C. If I had to complain about one thing, I would say that the instrumentation would sound better in the key of C, but Derek Sanders' vocal range shines in the B♭ range and he is an amazing vocalist in my opinion.