Guitar Class

Welcome To Guitar Class!

The Parts of the Guitar

Image source http://www.fretjam.com/parts-of-the-guitar.html

 

 

Parts of an Acoustic Guitar

Body: The body of an acoustic guitar is the large section of the guitar below the neck. The body amplifies the vibration of the strings when a note or chord is played. Different woods provide different tonal qualities and effect the “voice” of the guitar. Plywood does not vibrate as freely as solid wood, and the glue used in plywood does not transmit vibrations at all, which makes the tone thinner sounding.

Bridge: The bridge attaches to the body and the strings get pinned into the bridge. The bridge is very important to the tone and plastic bridges are horrendous at transmitting sound. Once again the type of wood used here influences the voice of a guitar.

Bridge pins: Bridge pins are used to hold the strings in the bridge.

Frets: The pitch of a note is caused by the frequency of the strings vibration. When the string length is shortened by being pressed against a fret it’s frequency gets higher and so does the pitch of the note.

Headstock: or Peg-head The part of the neck above the nut where the machine heads are attached. The headstock affects the volume and sustains a bit. Larger headstocks absorb more string vibration than smaller peg-heads.

Machine Heads: Machine heads are sometimes called tuning knobs or tuning buttons. They tighten or loosen the strings. Cheap machine heads can be difficult to turn or loosen the string tension quickly, or worse yet keep breaking strings because of sharp edges.

Neck: The neck is the long part of the body up.

Nut: The nut is the piece of material between the fretboard and the headstock which the strings rest on.

Saddle: The saddle is the part that fits into the bridge that the strings rest across.

Soundboard: The soundboard, (also called a top), is the face of the body. This is where most of the sound is produced. A quality solid wood top is very important to the guitar’s voice.

Soundhole: Contrary to popular belief the soundhole does not allow the sound to escape out of a guitar. It’s size actually affects the balance of treble and bass tones.

Text source Guitar_Parts_Diagram_MagnoliaGuitar2011cc 

Headstock and strings diagram:

Fretboard diagram:


 

Fretboard Diagram

The diagram below is used on Better Guitar to represents the guitar fretboard. The left side represents the nut of the guitar and the vertical (up and down) lines represent the frets. The horizontal lines (side to side) represent the strings of the guitar with the one on the bottom being the low E (the fat wound string) and the top being the high E string. You would get the same view if you laid your guitar flat on the floor (with the headstock to your left and the body to your right) and looked down on the neck. Numbers below the fretboard are fret position numbers.

 (Image Courtesy Of Guitar Fretboard Diagram)

Nut, Strings and fret numbers:

Guitar strings are numbered 1 through 6. The 1st string is the thinnest, unwound string. The next thicker string is called the 2nd string. The next thicker string is called the 3rd string. The next thicker string is called the 4th string. The next thicker string is called the 5th string. Finally, the thickest string is called the 6th string. Each string also has a (note) name (E, B, G, D, A, E) that you will learn as you learn the notes on the fretboard.

Notes on each string

Throughout this website, you will hear phrases such as “Place your 1st finger on the 1st fret.” The term“1st fret” actually means the space between the nut and the 1st fret. However, you will typically place your finger closer to the first fret than the nut. In the same way, the 2nd fret means the space between the 1st and 2nd frets, etc.

 

Notes on each string with added Sharps and Flats:  #’s & b’s

 

 

Getting Started

Throughout my tutorials and in class, you will hear phrases such as “Place your 1st finger on the 1st fret.” The term“1st fret” actually means the space between the nut and the 1st fret. However, you will typically place your finger closer to the first fret than the nut. In the same way, the 2nd fret means the space between the 1st and 2nd frets, etc.

Finger Numbers

In order make to teaching easier, fingers are numbered:

  • Your thumb usually doesn’t play notes. It is notated, T.
  • Your index finger is called your “first (1st) finger” and is notated 1.
  • Your middle finger is called your “second (2nd) finger” and is notated 2.
  • Your ring finger is called your “third (3rd) finger” and is notated 3.
  • Your pinky is called your “fourth (4th) finger” and is notated 4.

 

Chords to start learning:

 

*Please note that there will be videos on how to read these chord charts coming up!

 

 


Practice Songs

Ring Of Fire - June Carter, Merle Kilgore
~~~~~~~~~~~~   As Performed By Johnny Cash

INTRO: G    C  G    C

G         C       G
Love Is A Burning Thing
               C      G
And It Makes A Firery Ring
         C    G
Bound By Wild Desire
              C       G
I Fell Into A Ring Of Fire

CHORUS:
D             C               G
I Fell Into A Burning Ring Of Fire
       D
I Went Down, Down, Down
        C           G
And The Flames Went Higher

And It Burns, Burns, Burns
    C       G
The Ring Of Fire
    C       G
The Ring Of Fire

Repeat INTRO Twice
Repeat CHORUS

             C       G
The Taste Of Love Is Sweet
                 C    G
When Hearts Like Ours Meet
               C      G
I Fell For You Like A Child
             C         G
Ohh, But The Fire Went Wild

Repeat CHORUS
Repeat CHORUS

And It Burns, Burns, Burns
    C       G
The Ring Of Fire
    C       G
The Ring Of Fire

Jason.D.Neus@uwrf.edu

Wicked Games

Chris Isaak

INTRO:Bm-A-E
 *Standard Tuning*
|-------------------------------|  |-2----0-----------------------------|
|0b--7s0-0b--7-5-3-2-0----------|  |---3----3--2------------------------|
|-----------------------2---1---|  |-------------4--2--1----1--2--4b----|
|----------------------4---2----|  |----------------------2-------------|
|-------------------------------|  |------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------|  |------------------------------------|Play 2x
       PART 1  00:00-00:17            PART 2  00:18-00:34

Melodic Fills: These are played at key parts in the song. Designated as 1 & 2.
|------------|                  |-----------|
|------------|Fill 1            |-----------| Fill 2
|----2---1---|                  |----1-2-4--|
|--4---2-----|                  |--2--------|
|------------|                  |-----------|
|------------|                  |-----------|

Verse 1:
Bm                         A                       E   {Fill 1}
The world was on fire and no one could save me but you.
Bm                            A                    E   {Fill 2}
It's strange what desire will make foolish people do.
Bm                     A                     E   {Fill 1}
I never dreamed that I'd meet somebody like you.
Bm                     A                     E   {Fill 2}
I never dreamed that I'd love somebody like you.

Chrous:
Bm A                   E                  {Fill 1}
I don't want to fall in love. (This world is only gonna break your heart)
Bm A                   E                  {Fill 2}
I don't want to fall in love. (This world is only gonna break your heart)
         {Part 2}          {Part 2}
With you.         With you.        (This world is only gonna break your heart)

Verse 2:
Bm             A           E                        {Fill 1}
What a wicked game to play, to make me feel this way.
Bm               A        E                       {Fill 2}
What a wicked thing to do, to let me dream of you.
Bm              A          E                        {Fill 1}
What a wicked thing to say, you never felt this way.
Bm              A         E                           {Fill 2}
What a wicked thing to do, to make me dream of you and,

Chrous:
Bm A                   E                  {Fill 1}
I don't want to fall in love. (This world is only gonna break your heart)
Bm A                   E                  {Fill 2}
I don't want to fall in love. (This world is only gonna break your heart)
         {Part 1}          {Part 2}
With you.

Verse 3:
Bm                         A                       E   {Fill 1}
The world was on fire and no one could save me but you.
Bm                            A                    E   {Fill 2}
It's strange what desire will make foolish people do.
Bm                     A                     E   {Fill 1}
I never dreamed that I'd love somebody like you.
Bm                     A                     E   {Fill 2}
I never dreamed that I'd loose somebody like you no,

Chrous:
Bm A                   E                  {Fill 1}
I don't want to fall in love. (This world is only gonna break your heart)
Bm A                   E                  {Fill 2}
I don't want to fall in love. (This world is only gonna break your heart)
         {Part 2}          {Part 2}
With you.         With you.        (This world is only gonna break your heart)
Bm       A       E
Nobody loves no one.

Here is a list of easy to play song.

Try and play some of them just get used to moving your hand and finger around the neck and playing different chords.

  1. A Hard Rain’s a Gonna Fall – Bob Dylan (A, B, E)
  2. Abracadabra – Steve Miller Band (Am, Dm, E7)
  3. All Along The Watchtower (Am, G, F)
  4. All Shook Up – Elvis Presley (A, D, E)
  5. Amazing Grace – Daniel Thomas (A7, D, G)
  6. Angel – Fleetwood Mac (D, C, G)
  7. Authority Song – John Mellencamp (A, D, E)
  8. Bad Moon Rising – Creedence Clearwater Revival (A, D, G)
  9. Blowin in the Wind – Bob Dylan (C, D, G) (super simple version)
  10. Breakfast at Tiffany’s – Deep Blue Something (A, D, G)
  11. Chasing Cars – Snow Patrol (A, E, F#m7)
  12. Donna – Richie Valens (Bb, C, F)
  13. Doo Wah Ditty – Manfred Man (C, D7, G)
  14. Down on the Corner – Creedence Clearwater Revival (C, F, G)
  15. Folsom Prison Blues – Johnny Cash (A7, B7, E)
  16. Houndog – Elvis Presley (C, F, G)
  17. I Got a Woman – Elvis Presley (E, B, A)
  18. I’ll Try – Alan Jackson (G, D, C)
  19. I’m Moving On – Johnny Cash (A, D, E)
  20. I’m On My Way – Proclaimers (C, D, G)
  21. Johnny B. Goode – Chuck Berry and the Beatles (A, D, E)
  22. King of the Road – Roger Miller (C, F, G)
  23. La Bamba – Los Lobos (C, F, G)
  24. Little Bitty – Alan Jackson (A, B, E)
  25. Leaving On a Jet Plane – John Denver (C, F, G)
  26. Love is a Rose – Neil Young (C, F, G)
  27. Lumber Jack Song – Monty Python (A, B, E)
  28. Margaritaville – Jimmy Buffett (C, F, G)
  29. Midnight Special – Creedence Clearwater Revival (C, F, G)
  30. Mony, Mony – Billy Idol (F, A#, C)
  31. Ob-La-Di-Ob-La-Da – Beatles (C, D7, G)
  32. Red Red Wine – Bob Marley (C, D, G)
  33. Rock Around the Clock – Bill Haley (A, D, E)
  34. Save the Last Dance for Me – Drifters (A, D, E)
  35. Semi-Charmed Life – Third Eye Blind (C, D, G)
  36. Sing Me Back Home – Merle Haggard (A, D, E)
  37. Stir It Up – Bob Marley (A, D, E)
  38. The Wild Rover – Dubliners (C, D7, G)
  39. Where Have All The Flowers Gone – Pete Seeger (C, F, G)
  40. Wild Thing – The Troggs (A, D, E)

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