Archives for September 2010

Sore fingers from playing the guitar? You’re not alone. Most guitarists have gone through a phase of experiencing sore fingers. This phase can last anywhere from a couple weeks to a month or even longer.

The type of guitar and the strings you’re using can make a difference in how long it takes to get calluses on your fingers It’s easier on you fingers to start with either a nylon string guitar or an electric guitar.

If you already have a steel-string guitar, you should try to lower the action and to get l ight-tension strings. The action is the distance between the strings of the guitar and the neck. If your guitar has a low action is will be much easier to play. If it’s high, or you just want it checked, you can take your guitar to a music store and ask them to lower the action.

The action will make a big difference in how easy your guitar is to play, not just making it nicer for finger soreness. One caution, if the action is too low the guitar strings will buzz on the frets. That’s why it best to let a guitar repair shop do the adjustment.

Once your fingers develop calusses and get used to the strings, they will no longer hurt. Meanwhile, if they do hurt, try holding ice on your fingers before and after you play.. It may also help to soak your fingers in vinegar for around 30 seconds before you play the guitar.

For more solutions read Guitar Sore Finger Solutions

Most worship leaders use an acoustic steel-string guitar. The video in the post will show you the tools you need to use. It’s much easier to change steel-strings with a string winder.

Most string winders, like the one in this picture have an end that can help you remove the pegs that are seated in the bridge.

It helps to have nice guitar strings too. Here’s the video:

Guitar Tuners are easy to use. Some even play the pitches of each string, like the Qwiktune guitar tuner pictured to the right.. Most tuners simple tell you when the string is in tune by watching the needle. When it’s in the middle, that means the string is tuned. Using guitar tuners is the easiest way to tune your guitar.

My favorite guitar tuner is the Intellitouch tuner. What I love about this tuner is that you can tune your guitar accurately in a very noisy room. It literally clamps to the headstock of your guitar and senses the pitches by the vibration of the instrument.

Another nice feature is that is a chromatic tuner. That means it can sense any note, not just the regular six strings of the guitar. This means it will work on any instrument with a headstock. You can use it to tune a violin, a banjo, bass, etc. Plus, if you want to use alternate tuning for your guitar, it’s quite easy to tune with this tuner.

How To Tune A Guitar To A Piano

How To Tune A Guitar To Itself

You can get the first pitch with a tuning fork, or pitch pipe, or simple tune your guitar to itself.

1. Tune The 5th string by plucking the note on the 6th string 5th fret and then matching that with the 5th string open.
2. Tune the 4th string by plucking the note on the 5th string 5th fret and then matching that to the 4th string open.
3. Tune the 3rd string by plucking the note on the 4th string 5th fret and then matching that with the 3rd string open.
4. Tune the 2nd string by plucking the noteon the 3rd string 4th fret and then matching that with the 2nd string open.
5. Tune the 1st string by plucking the note on the 2nd string 5th fret and then matching that with the 1st string open.

This diagram shows where on the fretboard you hold down the place to tune the open string. For example, there is a ‘5’ on the 6th string, 5th fret to show it is the same pitch as the Fifth string open.

As you can see, you hold down the 5th fret of the string above the one you are tuning, except for the relationship between the 2nd and 3rd strings. You hold down the 4th fret of the 3rd string to get the sound of the 2nd string open.