Guitar for Dummies

✍ Scribed by Phillips, Mark;Chappell, Jon;Co, Cherry Lane Music

• Publisher: For Dummies
• Year: 2015
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 411
• Series: For Dummies
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

The bestselling guide now updated with video demonstrations and audio tracks online The guitar is one of the most versatile instruments in the world, which is why it's so appealing to musicians. "Guitar For Dummies, 4th Edition" gives you everything a beginning or intermediate acoustic or electric guitarist needs: from buying a guitar to tuning it, playing it, and caring for it. Fully revised and updated, with online video and audio clips that help you learn and play along, you'll explore everything from simple chords and melodies to more challenging exercises that are designed to satisfy players of all levels. Additionally, new players can dive into the basics of guitar and accessory selection. Whether you prefer the cool sounds of the acoustic or the edgier tones of the electric, your guitar will get a lot of use as you play your way through the lessons presented in this integral book. But your journey doesn't stop at the last page! With an updated multimedia component, you have access to more than 80 online videos and 35 audio tracks that help build your talent. Play along with online videos and audio tracks to develop and reinforce your new skills Tune your guitar, change strings, and make simple repairs to keep your instrument in working order Choose the right guitar and equipment for your needs Explore numerous musical styles, including rock, blues, jazz, and country

"Guitar For Dummies, 4th Edition" guides you in the development of your strumming talent--and who knows where that can take you!

✦ Table of Contents

Title Page......Page 3
Copyright Page......Page 4
Table of Contents......Page 7
About This Book......Page 15
Icons Used in This Book......Page 17
Beyond the Book......Page 18
Where to Go from Here......Page 19
Part I Getting Started with Guitar......Page 21
The Parts and Workings of a Guitar......Page 23
How Guitars Make Sound......Page 26
Using left and right hands together......Page 27
Comparing how acoustics and electrics generate sound......Page 28
Before You Begin: Strings and Frets by the Numbers......Page 29
Tuning Your Guitar to Itself with the 5th-Fret Method......Page 30
Tuning Your Guitar to an External Source......Page 32
Getting a taste of the tuning fork......Page 33
Electing to employ the electronic tuner......Page 35
Using the audio tracks......Page 36
Assuming the Positions......Page 37
Sitting down and playing a spell......Page 38
Fretting with your left hand......Page 39
Picking with your right hand......Page 42
Understanding chord diagrams......Page 44
Reading rhythm slashes......Page 46
Discovering How to Play a Chord......Page 47
Part II Ready to Play: The Basics......Page 49
Chapter 4 The Best Way to Begin: Strumming Chords......Page 51
Fingering A-family chords......Page 52
Strumming A-family chords......Page 53
Fingering D-family chords......Page 55
Strumming D-family chords......Page 57
Strumming G-family chords......Page 58
Chords in the C Family......Page 59
Strumming C-family chords......Page 60
Songs with Basic Major and Minor Chords......Page 61
Fun with Basic Major and Minor Chords: The “Oldies” Progression......Page 67
Chapter 5 Playing Melodies — without Reading Music!......Page 69
Starting from the top......Page 70
Looking from left to right......Page 71
Getting a Grip on Left-Hand Fingering......Page 72
Using Alternate Picking......Page 73
Playing Songs with Simple Melodies......Page 74
Chapter 6 Adding Some Spice with 7th Chords......Page 79
D7, G7, and C7......Page 80
E7 (the two-finger version) and A7......Page 81
E7 (the four-finger version) and B7......Page 82
Minor 7th Chords — Dm7, Em7, and Am7......Page 83
Major 7th Chords — Cmaj7, Fmaj7, Amaj7, and Dmaj7......Page 84
Songs with 7th Chords......Page 85
Playing the 12-bar blues......Page 92
Writing your own blues song......Page 93
Part III Beyond the Basics: Starting to Sound Cool......Page 95
Playing Scales and Exercises in Position......Page 97
Playing exercises in position......Page 98
Shifting positions......Page 100
Creating your own exercises to build strength and dexterity......Page 101
Practicing Songs in Position......Page 103
Beginning with the Basics of Double-Stops......Page 107
Trying exercises in double-stops......Page 108
Playing Songs in Double-Stops......Page 110
Chapter 9 Stretching Out: Barre Chords......Page 115
Beginning with an open-position E chord......Page 116
Playing progressions using major barre chords based on E......Page 118
Mastering minor chords......Page 120
Delving into dominant 7th chords......Page 121
Trying minor 7th chords......Page 122
Combining barre chords based on E......Page 123
Major Barre Chords Based on A......Page 124
Fingering the A-based major barre chord......Page 125
Playing progressions using A-based major barre chords......Page 126
Minor chords......Page 128
Minor 7th chords......Page 129
Major 7th chords......Page 130
Power Chords......Page 131
Knowing when to use power chords......Page 132
Songs with Barre Chords and Power Chords......Page 135
Hitting Hammer-Ons......Page 139
Playing a hammer-on......Page 140
Getting idiomatic with hammer-ons......Page 142
Sounding Smooth with Pull-Offs......Page 144
Playing pull-offs......Page 145
Getting idiomatic with pull-offs......Page 147
Playing slides......Page 148
Playing idiomatic licks using slides......Page 150
Stretching Out with Bends......Page 151
Playing bends......Page 152
Getting idiomatic with bends......Page 154
Varying Your Sound with Vibrato......Page 158
Practicing vibrato......Page 159
Creating a thick, chunky sound as an effect......Page 161
Playing idiomatic licks using muting......Page 162
Playing a Song with Varied Articulation......Page 164
Part IV A Pile of Styles......Page 167
Playing Classic Rock ’n’ Roll......Page 169
Rhythm guitar......Page 170
Lead guitar......Page 173
Sus chords and add chords......Page 183
Slash chords......Page 184
Alternate tunings......Page 186
The pentatonic major scale......Page 188
Licks that you base on the pentatonic major scale......Page 190
Playing Songs in the Rock Style......Page 191
Chapter 12 Bluer Than Blue: Blues Guitar Basics......Page 197
Blues rhythm guitar......Page 198
Blues lead guitar......Page 203
Looking at general concepts......Page 211
Eyeing specific techniques......Page 214
Turnarounds......Page 216
Playing Blues Songs......Page 218
Chapter 13 Around the Campfire: Folk Guitar Basics......Page 221
Right-hand position......Page 222
Using a Capo......Page 224
Playing arpeggio style......Page 226
Tackling the Thumb-Brush Technique......Page 228
Considering Carter Style......Page 230
The basic pattern......Page 231
Accompaniment style......Page 233
Solo style......Page 234
Open tuning......Page 235
Playing Folk Songs......Page 237
Chapter 14 Maestro, If You Please: Classical Guitar Basics......Page 247
Knowing how to sit......Page 248
Figuring out what to do with the right hand......Page 249
Using the correct left-hand position......Page 251
Focusing on Free Strokes and Rest Strokes......Page 252
Playing free strokes......Page 253
Playing rest strokes......Page 254
Combining free strokes and rest strokes in arpeggios......Page 256
Trying a contrapuntal exercise......Page 257
Playing Classical Pieces......Page 258
Chapter 15 Sunglasses and Berets: Jazz Guitar Basics......Page 263
Extended chords......Page 264
Inside chords......Page 265
Outside chords......Page 266
Full chords......Page 268
Making substitutions......Page 269
Taking the Lead: Jazz Melody......Page 270
Introducing altered tones......Page 271
Making melodies from arpeggiated chords......Page 272
Playing Jazz Songs......Page 273
Part V A Guitar of Your Own......Page 277
Chapter 16 Shopping for a Guitar......Page 279
First Things First: Developing a Purchasing Plan......Page 280
Grasping How a New Guitar Is Priced......Page 281
Noting Some Considerations for Your First Guitar......Page 282
Sifting through Models to Match Your Style......Page 283
Moving On to Your Second Guitar (and Beyond)......Page 285
Construction and body type......Page 287
Materials: Woods, hardware, and other goodies......Page 288
Workmanship......Page 290
Before You Buy: Walking through the Buying Process......Page 291
Seeking expert advice......Page 292
Closing the deal......Page 293
Getting Wired with Guitar Amplifiers......Page 295
Starting out with a practice amp......Page 296
Powering up to a performance amp......Page 298
Effects: Pedals and Other Devices......Page 299
Investigating individual effects......Page 300
Hard cases......Page 302
Gig bags......Page 303
Strings......Page 304
Electronic tuners......Page 305
Straps......Page 306
Capos......Page 307
Other helpful goodies......Page 308
Surveying String-Changing Strategies......Page 311
Removing Old Strings......Page 312
Changing strings step by step......Page 313
Tuning up......Page 316
Changing strings step by step......Page 317
Tuning up......Page 319
Changing strings step by step......Page 320
Setting up a floating bridge......Page 322
Chapter 19 Guitar Wellness: Basic Maintenance......Page 325
Removing dust, dirt, and grime......Page 326
Caring for the finish......Page 328
On the road......Page 329
Temperature......Page 330
Considering Do-It-Yourself Fixes......Page 331
Adjusting the neck and the bridge......Page 332
Replacing worn-out or broken parts......Page 334
Tasks That You Shouldn’t Try at Home......Page 338
Part VI The Part of Tens......Page 341
Django Reinhardt (1910–1953)......Page 343
Chet Atkins (1924–2001)......Page 344
Jimmy Page (1944– )......Page 345
Eddie Van Halen (1955– )......Page 346
Blowin’ in the Wind......Page 347
House of the Rising Sun......Page 348
My Girl......Page 349
Twist and Shout......Page 350
Part VII Appendixes......Page 351
Appendix A: How to Read Music......Page 353
The Elements of Music Notation......Page 354
Reading pitch......Page 355
Reading duration......Page 357
Understanding expression, articulation, and other terms and symbols......Page 359
Finding Notes on the Guitar......Page 360
Appendix B: 96 Common Chords......Page 363
Relating the Text to the Website Files......Page 367
System Requirements......Page 368
Audio tracks......Page 369
Video clips......Page 377
Customer Care......Page 381
Index......Page 383
EULA......Page 411

✦ Subjects

Music;Nonfiction;Reference;Self Help;How To