Welcome back to part 2 of my useful tips for guitar players. Over the course of these two posts, I´ve been compiling some of my favourite tips that I have found very useful at some point or another during my development as a guitar player. These are all tips that I have previously shared on my social media for Guitar Practice, so I’ve also included the original image from each post.
I think it’s safe to say that these tips relate to a subject or topic that the vast majority of players will come across at some point. Even more so for younger players who are learning in the era of the YouTube and Instagram guitarist. Some of the final tips in this part will be particularly relevant for you.
So, I hope that you find some helpful points in this post, and if you missed part 1 then you can read that here. Although, these tips aren´t written in any specific sequence so feel free to read them how you like. Let’s jump into the second half.
12. Sometimes, playing an idea on bass can help you play it better on guitar.
This can be particularly useful for scale-runs and picking technique. The thicker strings and wider frets on bass make it more challenging so when you go back to guitar, the idea can feel easier to play.
13. Use an eraser to help clean the frets on your guitar.
Try polishing the frets with an eraser the next time you change your strings. It will help to remove dirt and grime and will give the metal of your frets a fresh shine, making them look cleaner and almost new.
14. Run delay and reverb effects in parallel to your guitar signal rather than applied directly to it.
This can be done via an amplifier's FX loop or by using an auxiliary channel in a DAW. The benefit is that it can allow for greater control of the wet/dry balance, resulting in a cleaner and more defined sound.
15. Remember to give your guitar regular check-ups and maintenance.
Things like action, neck relief, and intonation can all change over time and significantly affect how a guitar feels and sounds. Taking the time to learn how to adjust these aspects of a guitar is well worth it because sometimes simply changing strings isn't enough to keep a guitar in shape.
16. Try moving between inside and outside notes of a chord or scale to create tension and release when improvising.
Hitting a note outside of a chord or scale on a strong beat and then quickly resolving to an inside note is a great way to add more melodic interest to your playing.
17. Protect your ears.
As guitarist, and musicians in general, our ears are one of the most important tools we have.
Prolonged exposure to sound over 85dB can damage your hearing, and given that drums alone easily reach over 100dB, it’s no surprise that some studies have shown that around 24% of musicians experience tinnitus.
If you want to continue to enjoy hearing what you play, then use earplugs when in loud environments.
18. Split the melody and bass
When tackling challenging fingerpicking, try practising the melody and bass lines separately before playing them both together.
This will help you to better understand what each part is doing and how they should sound when combined.
It can also help to develop greater independence in your picking hand by training your attention to be able to focus on both parts separately, as well as together.
19. Pull down and away.
When learning the pull-off technique, try to exaggerate the motion by pulling your finger down and away from the fretboard.
Often, players new to the technique will simply lift their finger away from the string, which usually results in a very quiet or muted note.
This approach helps to achieve a note that rings out much clearer until you have built up the strength in your fingers to perform pull-offs with ease.
20. Play for fun.
It’s easy to take things too seriously when you’re chasing the dream of a career as a guitarist or musician.
This can sometimes affect your relationship with your instrument where playing and creating can feel more like a chore.
If you’re pursuing a career in music, remember to take time to play just for fun and keep in touch with the spark that made you want to play to begin with.
21. Be consistent with lessons.
If you’re taking lessons to help improve your playing or expand your knowledge, be consistence with your attendance.
Your tutor may not mind arranging lessons sporadically, but it is you that will miss out on the benefits of regular guidance and feedback on your playing.
This will slow your progress and no doubt your tutor will mind if you then complain about not improving.
22. Take time off social media
Social media is fantastic. The ability and ease to find new music and inspiring players from across the world is unprecedented. But with this comes oversaturation.
Being exposed to so many other creatives can lead to negative mindsets. It’s possible to become overly competitive or judgemental of yourself against the work of others, especially on hyper-realistic platforms like Instagram.
Take regular time away from social media and apply set times for when you go online in order to help stave off these negative mindsets.
Well, that concludes this two-part post covering 22 useful tips for guitar players. There is quite a lot of information in all this, so please feel free to bookmark these pages and revisit them when you like. This is something I do myself with these tips, as it can be a helpful reminder of thoughts and ideas that you already know, but sometimes forget.
I sincerely hope you’ve been able to take something away from these posts and would love to hear some of your own tips and tricks for all things guitar related. So, feel free to follow and engage with me on Facebook or Instagram. I’m pretty active on these sites and genuinely enjoy how they allow us to communicate and share knowledge across a global community of players.
Thanks for reading and happy practising.
David