Guitar Musician News

As far as instruments go, the bass guitar is one of the newest on the scene. It’s a completely original component of today’s bands and modern music and has not even been in existence for a century. Don’t let the name “bass guitar” fool you either, the bass guitar is not actually derived from the guitar.

While electric guitars were developed from acoustic guitars, bass guitars were developed from the double bass instrument. They were originally known (and are still sometimes called) electrical bass instruments or the electric bass.

The original double bass, or simply the bass, are the massive, classical instruments that have been around for several hundred years. They are played with the instrument resting on the ground, using a bow across the strings.

The bass guitar is of course held with a strap on a musician’s body and is played using one’s fingers. As opposed to the back and forth of the bow on its predecessor and the strumming with a pick of an electrical guitar, the bass guitar is typically played with either plucking or slapping movements of the fingers.

It is tuned to sound the same as an original bass with of course the added benefit of being able to be amplified. In the early part of the 20th century, as music was getting louder, the bass was being drowned out and was unable to be heard. And so the quest for an electrical bass began.

Leo Fender and the Creation of the Bass Guitar

Leo Fender was an amazing man, a visionary and is one of the single most influential people in modern music history. All of these things and many more is Leo Fender. However, one thing he is not is the inventor of the bass guitar.

In 1935, it was Paul Tutmarc who developed the first incarnation of the electric bass. It was to be played horizontally and held like a guitar and could be plugged in for amplification. However, his instrument never truly caught on. It was in 1951 that the bass began earning its spot in modern music.

Leo Fender created his Fender Precision Bass, which was mass produced and skyrocketed in popularity. Gibson followed shortly there after and the bass guitar became an important component of jazz ensembles and today, nearly all musical styles and bands.

Just as with the electric guitar, Leo Fender capitalized on previous inventions, tweaked them to his own specifications and mass produced them to extreme success. While he should be remembered fondly for his contributions, let’s not forget the original inventor of the electric bass, Paul Tutmarc.

Love guitars, especially vintage bass guitars? Then a visit to the Vintage Guitar Warehouse is a must. You can find great deals on guitars from Gibson, Fender and many more manufacturers. If you love music and vintage guitars, you’re going to love the Vintage Guitar Warehouse.

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Guitar video lessons have rapidly become a very popular and accessible way for nearly anyone to start playing the guitar without needing a dedicated instructor. As increasing numbers of people are learning the guitar, and they don’t want to pay for expensive private tutors, they are turning to video guitar lessons, as a cheaper, and almost as effective, alternative.

What Are The Benefits of Using Guitar Video Lessons?

The right videos are going to provide a method of viewing your guitar playing that is different than anything you’ve ever done before. While playing at home on your own can be fun, you may not know what the scales, songs or chords you are playing are supposed to sound like or if you’re doing everything correctly. By watching guitar lesson videos, you are able to see and here the correct way of playing something, so you can be sure you’re not making any fundamental mistakes.

What Types of Guitar Lesson Videos Are There?

There are numerous different kinds of lessons available to you depending on what kind of guitar you are playing, how you want to practice, and what types of guitar playing you are dedicated to learning. For people who’ve never played the guitar before, videos teaching how to properly hold the guitar, and how to play simple chords, are most appropriate.

For intermediate players, there are videos teaching how to play scales and simple lead guitar techniques, for example. You might also want to watch videos teaching music theory, and how to read music notation, to take your overall musicianship even further.

For more advanced guitarists, there are videos that look more in depth at improvisation, and music theory, as well as cover advanced lead techniques, like legato, and tapping.

Using Guitar Video Lessons Effectively

In the end, the right guitar video lessons are going to be extremely effective in providing someone learning guitar with a friendly face and a skilled teacher who can show you how to play a note, chord, or song that might be giving you difficulty. It might not be as nice as having someone who can watch your fingers and provide feedback, but it is much better than going at it alone.

Regardless of the quality of videos you find, you’re going to have to practice regularly if you want to get good. You should practice every day, for at least twenty minutes, watching the videos carefully, and follwing along with they’re instructions. In order to get the best results from guitar video lessons, you need to pay close attention to what is being taught in them, and do exactly as the person in the video is telling you. If you can do this though, you can be sure that your guitar playing skills will increase dramatically.

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If you’re in the market to buy an acoustic guitar, there are some important features you may want to consider before actually making your purchase. Acoustic guitars are unique in that you don’t need amplification in order to hear them. They have their own special way of producing sound and this sound is one of the more important features to consider when buying an acoustic guitar.

You’ll find numerous places on the internet to buy an acoustic guitar by the big names in the industry like Fender, Gibson, Martin, Yamaha, Takamine, Taylor and so many others. Each has their own special way of building acoustic guitars and each offers that special sound that they believe to be the best. However, you as the player will have to decide on the sound you are looking for. Because the internet does not offer the ability to actually hear the guitar in person, your best option is to visit your local music stores and sample the various brands to see which one works best for you. Keep in mind that even once you find a sound you like, it doesn’t guarantee that the exact model down the street will be the same. No two guitars ever sound alike even if they’re made by the same manufacturer.

When you buy an acoustic guitar you are making an investment in an instrument that you will more than likely have for years to come. It’s important that your choice is as close to perfect as you can get it. Some of the features you will want to explore while searching, in addition to the sound, is the wood used in the building process. Different types of wood produce different acoustic sounds and the one that appeals to you will be important. In fact you may find after some testing that even though the manufacturer is different, they used the same wood in the building process and as a result you’re having a hard time deciding between the two. Another feature that can affect the sound, is the finish used in the process. Different manufacturers use particular finishes and some models have nothing more than an oil finish. One other thing can have quite an impact on the sound of your new guitar and that is guitar strings. Heavier gauge strings tend to deliver a more mellow tone as opposed to light gauge strings which can accentuate the high frequencies. Also affecting the sound is the body size. Larger bodies offer a mellower sound and promote bottom end while a smaller body will have a sound that is thin. From here you can mix body size and string gauge to change the result to one closer to what you’re looking for.

Once you’ve settled on a sound you like, the most important asset when you buy an acoustic guitar is the comfort of the body and neck. You want a guitar that feels good both sitting and standing. Especially if you plan on performing for others. Acoustic guitars are not known for their comfort when it comes to the body as the whole reason they produce the sound that they do is because of body size. They are not like their electric cousin in that respect. Also, the neck is extremely important as the pressure you have to apply to the strings can be painful if the strings are too far from the fret board. If you have short fingers the thickness of the neck will also be a factor. The major manufacturers generally offer higher end acoustic guitars that take these requirements into consideration.

Once you have determined your favorite, more than likely the most economical price will be found at an online website. The internet offers you the opportunity to shop many online stores without leaving home. You can compare prices, brands, models and features all from your computer. If you’ve done your homework as suggested earlier you will probably already have one or two models in mind and comparing the online prices and features will be easy. Naturally the more you spend the better chances you have of getting a real quality guitar in all aspects. Typically if you spend between $600 and $800 you should be able to find a quality guitar. Many online stores offer excellent discounts as incentives to guitarists who buy an acoustic guitar online as opposed to going to a local store.