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Last time
I talked about looking the part with good equipment to
come across professionally, and ways to get up to speed
on your singing. This week, I'm going to share some
simple but often ignored pieces of information that can
really push the impression you make from just a guitar
player, to a fully fledged musician. |
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3. Be in tune
This is
possibly the most obvious tip but you would be surprised
how many people don't follow it. NEVER EVER trust your
ears for tuning when you are playing with or in front of
people. You may think you sound perfectly in tune and at
the same time you are sending someone (most likely me)
up the wall. A floor tuner like the Boss TU-2 is a
necessity. And don't skimp on a cheap one. They usually
have little to no shielding and introduce noise into
your rig.
There
is more to tuning though than the open strings. Your
guitar's intonation needs to be accurate as well. There
is no point being in tune until you solo and then you
are out of tune up the neck because your guitar's
intonation is shot. Check it now. Hit a string open, and
then do the harmonic at the 12th fret. Is it the exact
same note (only an octave higher)? Chances are it's not
and it will be noticed. There are plenty of guides on
line that show you how to intonate your guitars, but it
is worth getting it done properly (something that even I
still do). |
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Another
thing that having a tuner can help you with is something
I call pitch pressure. It's like the Doppler Effect you
hear when a siren is approaching or passing you. This is
the effect that some musicians experience (myself
included) at various times. Basically what happens is
that due to the acoustic surroundings, whether excessive
volume, frequency reflections, distance from sound
source, sometimes your sense of pitch gets put out a few
cents. There was one venue in particular that I used to
play that I would swear my guitar was sharp compared to
everyone else. But when I would tune, I was perfectly
set. It was just that my ears were not hearing the true
frequency spread.
When
you are in tune, you sound good. When you are not, you
sound like a looser. It's simple to do so make sure you
do.
4. Learn Pinch Harmonics
This
sounds so dumb it has to be true. The most boring of
licks can be livened up and turned into an ear catching
line with the addition of a simple pinch harmonic. The
sudden dynamic shift that is created by the pinch
harmonic will grab everyone's attention, and is the sort
of thing most people only hear on record. It is
instantly associated with being professional, and
professional is associated with talent. To perform the
pinch harmonic, simply follow your picking stroke on the
string with the slightest edge from your thumb, in the
same motion. It may take a little to get used to, but
when you nail it sounds fantastic. Keep at it and soon
enough you will be able to do it without thinking. Be
warned though, muff it, and it will sound terrible. So
make sure you can get it right every time before you
pull this trick out in front of anyone.
I
remember one night in particular, I had fresh strings on
and the harmonics were really just popping out with
ease. Being in a venue with a great in house PA, the
notes would just feedback perfectly for infinite
sustain.
That
night on stage, I was a god. All because of this one
simple trick.
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5. Learn One Solo Really Well
It
doesn't matter what you do, but if you impress someone
once at any given task, they will remember. And that
goes especially for lead guitar. All it takes is one
great solo rendition and you will always be thought of
as a great guitarist.
Choose
a recognisable solo, one that people will know. It
doesn't have to be flash, but that does help. Learn the
solo note for note as best as you can. Try to mimic the
solo as much as humanly possible. All the bends, the
vibrato, the feel and mood. Learn it so well you can
play it without thinking.
Then
let it rip.
Hear me playing it live one
night right here. And if you listen
carefully, after the fast descending run towards the end
you can just hear the crowd in the background cheer.
That is the greatest feeling in the world.
The
other advantage of this is the confidence that you can
play that well. And being a good guitarist is all about
confidence.
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Wrap Up
That
concludes my guide on How To Fake Being A Better
Guitarist in Five Simple Steps. I hope that now you have
the tools to at least get you some respect and hopefully
fool the average and not so average Joe you are better
than you are. These are no substitute for real practice
and hard work, but they all work hand in hand. If you
want to be a good guitarist, it will take time, but at
least you can spead up the appearance a bit. |
