Guitar How-To

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A common question amongst novice guitar players is, “Why do some guitars seem to be easier to play and sound so much better than mine?” When you pick up a friend’s guitar you get the feeling that it is much easier to make a good sound and it carries so much further and makes a bigger impression on the audience.

The material that guitars are made from varies quite a bit and influences how they sound and how they feel to play. Your average el cheapo guitar is made from plywood whereas your more costly guitars will be made from rosewood, maple or mahogany. The wood your guitar is made from cannot be changed so you are basically stuck with the sound.

One feature that can be changed to some degree is the action. The action is the distance between the fretboard and the strings. If your guitar has a high action it will be more difficult to play than one with a low action. If your guitar has a low action the strings are more ready to respond under your fingers but if the action is too low the strings will buzz.

The strings themselves alter how the guitar feels as well as how it sounds. The strings you choose will depend on your individual preferences and you really should be constantly experimenting with different brands and gauges until you know what you want.

This video gives you the basic approach to playing the guitar.