“Tuning in to the Accomplishment of the Guitar: How to Become a Virtuoso”
Learning the guitar can seem like a daunting task, but the reward of becoming a master is well worth the effort. Everyone has heard of Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Slash – they are the epitome of virtuoso guitarists. But how did they reach this level? It takes dedication and a good knowledge of the instrument to become a world-renowned guitar player. To become as successful as these guitar legends, there are some essential steps you need to take.
Tuning
One of the most fundamental and important activities for any budding guitarist is to tune their instrument. The strings on the guitar will naturally stretch and become less taut over time, or after a heavy practice session, which can lead to different notes sounding out of tune when trying to play chords and scales. Fortunately, there are multiple ways to get your strings in tune before playing.
The most common is learning to tune by ear. Although this can take some time to master, with enough practice, you’ll quickly learn how to identify whether a string is sharp or flat and make the necessary adjustments. An alternate approach is to use an electronic tuner which is essentially a digital version of a tuning fork. It produces a particular note, and you can compare the sound of your string to the tuner to see if it is in tune or not.
Chords
Learning to play chords is a great place to start when learning how to play the guitar. Chords are two or more notes played together at the same time, typically on multiple strings at once. By being able to switch between chords quickly and accurately, you will quickly progress towards playing more complex melodies and progress towards becoming a guitar virtuoso.
The first step in learning chords is probably the most tricky – learning where your fingers need to be placed on the fretboard. This requires you to have a basic knowledge of music theory and fretboard diagrams. To start with, focus on the 3 main chords – E major, A major, and D major. These will have all the required fingerings for you to get started on conquering the fretboard. As you continue to practice switching between these, start to introduce 7th chords, bar chords, and even 9th chords.
Scales
From mastering the basics of chords, being able to play scales is essential to attain the level of mastery needed to become a world-class guitarist. A scale is a series of notes that when played in succession, form a pattern which can be identified by your ear. Typically, scales begin with a root note, followed by repetitive intervals up the fretboard to reach the octave note and back. By playing the same scale in different octaves, you give yourself the opportunity to explore all the tonal possibilities the guitar has to offer.
To become a great master of the guitar, you need to practice the different modes – something that requires vast amounts of dedication. Start by focusing on the chromatic scale, as it provides all the notes available on the fretboard, and therefore a great foundation to build on. Once this is mastered, move onto the major, harmonic minor, and finally the diminished scale. Taking the time to understand each of these fundamental scales will arm you with all the knowledge you need to play any solo, riff, or melody.
Conclusion
Although it can take some time to perfect, with enough practice and dedication, the guitar can be easily mastered. Tuning the instrument accurately, learning the many chords available, and most importantly, understanding the scales, all lead to becoming a guitar virtuoso. The reward is self-improvement as well as the endless applause from adoring fans and jamming colleagues. Finally, relax and enjoy the journey – it’s not a race!
“Tuning in to the Accomplishment of the Guitar: How to Become a Virtuoso”.