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Guitar Questions-Guitar Help-Faq's

Guitar maintenance, guitar technique, strumming, using this web site, soloing, music theory, and much more! If you don't find your answer, check out our archive of Expert Q&A's, or Ask a question to one of our experts!

Table of Contents

Strumming Questions	Theory Questions
Guitar Maintenance	Soloing Questions
Chord Changes/Bar Chords	Using AccessRock

GUITAR STRUMMING QUESTIONS

Q: Why can’t I keep time when I play "miss" strums?

A: Do the "miss" strum just as if you were strumming the guitar strings

Q: Why doesn’t my E Blues Rhythm sound like yours?

A: Use a small, wristy strum and dig into the strings more

Q: Why do my muted strums(not palm muting) sound bad?

A: Touch the strings very lightly, preferably with your finger, not directly over the fret

Q: Why does the palm muting on the E Blues Rhythm sounds inconsistent?

A: Try to angle your hand so that it is closer to parallel with the bridge

Q: How long will it take for me to play a whole song pretty well?

A: It depends on your natural ability, and how much "true" practice time you put in.

Q: Why do some notes have sharps(#) and some notes have flats(b)?

A: An F# is the same note as Gb - it can be written either way.
There are standard practices that dictate if a sharp or flat should be written. For instance, if the notes of a melody are ascending, a # sign is used. If the notes are descending, a flat is used.

For example: Ascending - E < F < F# < G, Descending - G > Gb > F > E

Q: How often should I change my guitar strings?

A: This depends on a few factors:

1. How much money you have
2. How much dirty, corroded strings bother you
3. If you play over 30 minutes daily, you should change about every month
4. If you play a couple of times a week, you should change about every 2 months
5. Check the String Life Lesson
   

Q: Why does my guitar go out of tune after I play it a while?

A: It is almost impossible to make your guitar stay perfectly in tune unless you have a locking-nut system. These systems take a long time to set up so that the strings will stay in tune.

There are many factors which can make the guitar go out of tune:

1. The nut
2. The bridge
3. # of springs or spring tension(on tremolo bridges)
4. Temperature or humidity changes

Quick Remedy - Take a soap bar and wet an edge of it. Scrape the wet edge across the nut slots and bridge slots. This will lubricate the slots so that the string won't get hung up in them. Don't know what a nut or bridge is? Click Here!

Q: My 6th string was making a tinny sound, so I went and got new strings. But the 6th string still sounds tinny! Why is this? My guitar is only about 5 months old and I play 1-2hrs a day.

A: This "tinny" sound could be caused by a number of things. I define the 6th string as the fattest string on the guitar. I hope you do also. Here's what I would do to troubleshoot:

1. Change the tinny string (no need to change all strings) - Once in a while, you do get a "bad" string. The string might sound dull or out-of-tune. I haven't heard a "bad" string sound tinny, but you never know!

2. String Gauge - If the guitar came with 010's (1st to 6th gauges - 010,013,017,26,36,46) and you changed to 009's, this will affect the sound of the guitar. The lighter strings will sound thinner. They might sound "tinny" if the nut and bridge slots were cut for 010's and you changed to 009's.

3. Nut, frets, or bridge - You play quite a bit each day. Since the nut, frets, and bridge are made of materials that wear over time, they could need some repair. It is possible that the nut slot or the bridge saddle for the "tinny" string might need filing or other repair work. Frets wear in the places where you play the most. If there is a worn fret, this can cause a string to sound tinny or like a Sitar (East Indian stringed instrument). These repairs should be done by a qualified repairman.

If you are unsure about any of the guitar parts I mentioned above, check out our guitar anatomy lesson. Please check out our lesson on string installation and intonation also.

Q: How do I begin using this site?

A: Register with access rock and get personalized guidance, be entered into giveaways, take live lessons, and get answers from our experts.

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Q: How do I change my email address so that I can continue to receive the newsletter?

A: Send us an email at newsletter@accessrock.com (In the subject line, write "my new email". In the body, type your full name and new email address).

Q: Why does my soloing sound stiff?

A: Get to know the scale better, get looser with the guitar licks you know-practice them more and try some new rhythms with those notes.

Q: How can I make my solo sound harder-edged?

A: Leave more space, use more repetition of notes and licks, use dynamics(louds, softs,
accents). Take the Soloing Runs and Ideas lesson!

Q: Why don’t my slides sound right?

A: Keep pressure on the string as you are sliding

Q: Why do my vibrato notes stop ringing?

A: Keep your finger next to the fret, bring your thumb over the neck

Q: I want some tips on smooth chord changes without having to stop and adjust my fingers.

A: When switching between chords, there are a few things that are important to remember:

1. Try to memorize the overall shape of each chord. For instance, the open position D chord looks like a triangle.
2. Practice each chord separately - when all fingers are on the chord, play the strings one at a time. Check to hear if all strings ring clearly without buzzing.
3. When playing chords that require strumming less than 6 strings, use the thumb or other fingers to mute the appropriate strings. For details on this, check out Access Rock's Strumming Basics Lesson.
4. SLOWLY practice switching, back and forth, between two chords. It takes time to switch even simpler chords quickly and smoothly. Practice each switch 15 to 20 times a day.
   
   

Q: Any tips on how to make my bar chords sound more crisp, Finger positioning and precision?

A: Bar chords require a lot strength in the finger. If the barring finger is weak, the chord will buzz or sound fuzzy. First, practice small barring with just one finger (use 1st, 3rd, or 4th finger). Start with 2 string bars:(Click Here for photos of these), then 3 string, 4 string, etc.. On larger bar chords where you have to bar all of the strings with the first finger, lean to the edge (closest to the thumb) of the first finger. This will give you a harder surface on which to push.
On any bar chords, it is necessary to keep the finger close to the fret!
Be patient and practice hard!!