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.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Saturday, February 1, 2014
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.
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.
Sunday, January 19, 2014
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.
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.
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