guitar Overview
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The guitar is possibly the most popular instrument in the world, used in a huge number of styles of music. As with most musical instruments, the guitar was formed from alterations of several other instruments which preceded it in history. It was likely formed with influences from the lute, oud, and many other string instruments across Europe and the Middle East. The main distinguishing characteristics of the guitar are that it has frets, is plucked with the fingers or a pick (rather than using a bow) and is tuned in a combination of fourths and thirds.
The versatility of the guitar is one reason for its popularity. There are many varieties that are used in many styles of music. The nylon string guitar is used for classical music, steel string guitar is used for rock, pop, country, blues, jazz, and many other styles. And the electric guitar is a mainstay in rock, heavy metal, and other harder styles of music. In rock and pop music, the guitar usually fills two roles: lead guitarists play melodies and solos, while rhythm guitarists play chordal accompaniments. There is a lot of overlap of these two roles and a guitarist can combine them as well, playing melodies while accompanying themselves simultaneously, just as a pianist does.
Some of the great classical guitarists are Andres Segovia, Narciso Yepes, and John Williams (no, not the Star Wars composer . . . its a different John Williams). Some of the most influential electric guitarists are Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, B.B. King, and Eric Clapton.
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Guitar for Beginner Playing
Learning the guitar can be great fun and requires a lot of practice. We believe that the best way to get started is to play music that you like right away. You’ll need some instruction on the proper way to set up and tune your guitar before starting and also how to learn from The String Club scrolling tablature videos. Watch the videos below and then try your hand at some of the beginner songs that we have selected if you are just getting started on your journey to guitar playing.
What to Watch First to Get Started
Guitar Songs for Beginners
A great way to get started on the guitar is to have a fun experience with playing music you know. Our scrolling tablature guitar videos are like playing a video game, except you are learning real music! Try playing along with these easy songs to get used to following the scrolling tablature. It is the easiest way to start learning fun music right away and you get to play along with backing tracks for a richer musical experience.
Articles for Beginner Violin Students
Here are some articles that will help you practice the right way, develop the right attitudes for success in music, and assure that you are on the right track for your musical growth. Its important to learn proper playing techniques, but it is equally important to "learn how to learn" a musical instrument. If you have poor practicing habits, you may find that getting better at your instrument is an extremely slow process even though you are committed to it and practicing regularly. Practicing the right way can supercharge your learning!
For More Advanced Violinists
Have you already been playing for a while? If so, you may be ready for some more challenging pieces. Here is a selection of enjoyable music to get accustomed to our scrolling tablature videos. Some of the music here will require more challenging hand shapes, faster notes, and shifting into higher positions. The great part of playing along with the scrolling tablature is that you can slow the music down to focus on the skills you need to build and make a practicing loop to work on the hard parts over and over. See more advanced violin songs