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Guitar - General/Questions Answered by Expert Dave Dixon
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Guitar tab | 7/13/2011 |
| Q: Dixon, I am a beginner guitarist and I was wondering, when reading tab, how do I know which guitar ... A: Are you saying that on the tabs you're looking at, they start with 2 guitar parts, but later on in ... | |
| Aria | 1/22/2011 |
| Q: Dave, i have a Aria guitar that I bought in 1973-74 time frame.It just says Aria on top of the ... A: I'm afraid I don't know if there's a particular model name for your guitar. Replacing a pickup isn't ... | |
| power supply | 1/19/2011 |
| Q: I just purchased a 1 spot power supply to eliminate bulk and some hum. Also I bought a couple ... A: You could well be onto something about the rating of the power supply - if you're powering multiple ... | |
| string bending | 9/17/2010 |
| Q: I've been playing a while and when bending strings upwards my finger always winds up under the ... A: Thakns for your question. On a frum like AllExperts it's hard to answer this one, as I can;t ... | |
| 7-stringer | 9/15/2010 |
| Q: ok so i recently asked a question regarding a 7 string guitar and i recieved a lot of info about the ... A: Opinions on pickups can be subjective. Personally, I've always preferred passive pickups over ... | |
| guitar string | 7/5/2010 |
| Q: Acoustic guitar sounds.... heavy, light, bright etc? I want a boomier but bright sound.... i am a ... A: Basically heavier gauge (thicker) strings give a heavier/bassier sound than lighter gauge (thinner) ... | |
| Basics On Bass Guitar | 5/27/2010 |
| Q: I am new at playing bass guitar. I can play some songs on Guitar Pro tabs but i want to learn some ... A: I have a website where I publish guitar/music tutorials, and many of these are quite ... | |
| tuning your guitar | 4/10/2010 |
| Q: how do you tune your guitar down a step and a half to four/four count A: Down-tuning and 4/4 count are actally two separate things.... Tuning youru guitar down by a step ... | |
| I am a beginner. | 3/14/2010 |
| Q: I am willing to learn how to play an acoustic guitar. i am confused about the variety of guitars in ... A: You probably ought to be looking for a 6 string acoustic guitar with steel strings. Which ... | |
| How to set up a screw in whammy bar | 2/17/2010 |
| Q: I've just bought a bran new guitar and i put the screw in whammy bar i doesn't do anything to the ... A: Thakns for your question. Once the whammy bar is screwed in, you should rotate it so that it sits ... | |
| hi....just need a general opinion of my playing | 12/11/2009 |
| Q: or feedback from an expert.....i try to be as versatile as possible,but i just don't feel like i'm ... A: I've listened to some of your stuff and you certainly have a very broad range, and technical ... | |
| hi....just need a general opinion of my playing | 12/9/2009 |
| Q: or feedback from an expert.....i try to be as versatile as possible,but i just don't feel like i'm ... A: From what I've heard, you certainly sound competent, and seem to be able to play in a number of ... | |
| How to evaluate? | 11/30/2009 |
| Q: I see how publications rank guitar players, and I can't figure it out. How is the quality of a ... A: Singing with a microphone is an interesting point. The microphone would help, but only in certain ... | |
| How to evaluate? | 11/29/2009 |
| Q: I see how publications rank guitar players, and I can't figure it out. How is the quality of a ... A: I don't think you can truly evaluate all guitarists as the variety in styles means that it just ... | |
| problem with capos? | 11/20/2009 |
| Q: I have been having problems with my capo and keeping tunings on my two guitars. I have an Epiphone ... A: That's a good capo that you've got there, so I'd expect it to work OK (although there is always the ... | |
| Amps and cabs | 11/19/2009 |
| Q: I'm currently playing through an Egnater Tourmaster 100-watt head, run through a homemade speaker ... A: 4x12 cabs aren't inherently louder, but those extra speakers help to project the sound more. I'm ... | |
| Guitar tuning dead spots | 11/13/2009 |
| Q: new to the guitar... i have a steel string, acoustic. My problem is tuning it. When i tune it, as i ... A: This sounds to me like your guitar isn't set up quite right for the strings you are using. Inside ... | |
| Guitar care | 11/12/2009 |
| Q: I just bought my first acoustic guitar. When dusting/cleaning can I just use normal household ... A: Dusting your guitar with a soft duster should be adequate in the way of routine care and attention. ... | |
| Major chord shape | 11/9/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering where do the major chord shape come from, i mean if you look at any major chord you ... A: Chords are made up of a series of notes from a scale. In the case of a major scale, the 1st, 3rd ... | |
| Guitar Cable Problem | 11/1/2009 |
| Q: i have a problem with my guitar cables..when i insert in guitar there are some buzz sound..what i m ... A: Have you tried withi with another cable? If the problem only happens wiht one cable, then it would ... | |
| locking nut? | 10/28/2009 |
| Q: Can I put a locking nut on my Squier 60's vibe?? I use a lot of violent tremolo but I don't have ... A: You probably could fit a locking nut to your guitar but there some other options which, if I were ... | |
| Building a guitar | 10/13/2009 |
| Q: Hey, I'm building a guitar for myself and I was just wondering if willow wood would be a good choice ... A: I can't recall ever having heard of willow being used for guitar building, so I'm going to guess ... | |
| Guitar Stands | 10/8/2009 |
| Q: My name is Will Hart.I am in the Engineering Design and Development class at Glencoe High School in ... A: I've not got a whole lot of experience with guitar stands - I have a couple which I've used for ages ... | |
| which hand | 10/7/2009 |
| Q: I took guitar about 16 months a go, what an experience, so far it has been fun and rewarding, ... A: If you're right-handed, then the accepted way to play is to strum/pick with your right hand and fret ... | |
| amps | 9/24/2009 |
| Q: I have a mesa boogie maverick 2-12 and a fender blues deville 1- 12 i would like to run a two amp ... A: I think there are two ways that you can do this - one I'm familiar with, the other one I'm aware of ... | |
| Scales and Music Theory | 8/31/2009 |
| Q: I have been playing guitar for almost 2 years and am trying to learn scales and haven't a clue what ... A: I have a website where I publish guitar/music tutorials, and there is some material there which ... | |
| Tuning up | 8/9/2009 |
| Q: I recently bought restrung my guitar. I'm very beginner but I think I did a fair job with this. My ... A: Are you sure that you are tuning the string to the correct octave? A tuner will show a note name as ... | |
| help | 8/7/2009 |
| Q: i have an epiphone sg special and when i bought it there wasn't a volume knob it it was just two ... A: Most knobs just push straight on. I have seen some cases where the hole in the middle of the knob ... | |
| nylon strings | 7/21/2009 |
| Q: I have old l96l Martin and afraid to change the strings.........I have just signed up for beginner ... A: If they've been in for a while, the pegs can get a bit tight. I've had this problem before, and ... | |
| different ways of playing the guitar | 7/18/2009 |
| Q: I'd just like to know about the different ways of playing the guitar? I know there's strumming, ... A: To be honest I don;t think there's a definitie list for this, as there's no limit to human ... | |
| Lessons | 6/3/2009 |
| Q: As a musician I've primarily taught myself how to play guitar. After three years I think i've made ... A: I don't think there's any substitute for quality time spent with a guitar teacher, especially for ... | |
| acoustic guitar string humming | 5/20/2009 |
| Q: i have a yamaha l6 acoustic and when i pluck the high e the a string humms very slightly i have ... A: Does the humming disappear when you fret the string? For example, no humming at all if string is ... | |
| Guitar warp | 2/7/2009 |
| Q: Last August I bought a guitar. But now as it has come to winter I bought a humidifier. I ... A: I suspect that you may be able to do something about this, such as drying the wood in a controlled ... | |
| chord sequence | 1/17/2009 |
| Q: why is it that at times the d major chord is used with the chords of the a minor scale even though ... A: Typically you would expect to see chords which are diatonic to the key however you may, as you have ... | |
| korg 1500 pedal problem | 1/1/2009 |
| Q: Happy New Year i own a korg ax1500g guitar processor. whenever my adaptor heats up my pedal stops ... A: My first instinct would be to blame the processor rather than the power supply. However, I think ... | |
| Power chords blues key of G | 12/4/2008 |
| Q: What are power chords for blues in the key of G? A: For a 12 bar blues in the key of G the chords are G5 (G-D-G, C5 (C-G-C) and D5 (D-A-D), played as ... | |
| Mini-amp | 12/3/2008 |
| Q: Im currently using a Marshall MS-2 Microamp when i go to school to play, but i keep noticing that ... A: I'm sorry to say that you may just have found a basic shortcoming of your amp. i had a mini amp ... | |
| Size of Guitar | 12/2/2008 |
| Q: We have a 7 year old boy who is keen to learn the guitar.Can you advise what sort of guitar we ... A: For a 7 year old, I'd recommend a 1/2 or 3/4 size guitar as a fullsize one is most likely to be too ... | |
| Pickups | 10/21/2008 |
| Q: Hey Dave how's it going? I have a quick and simple question for you. WIll putting humbuckers ... A: You should be fine putting those pickups into a guitar with a trem. You're right that some pickups ... | |
| fender strat pick up noice | 10/1/2008 |
| Q: Is there any solution to single coil noise on fender mex strats? I have a jimmy vaugh 96 strat, ... A: Pickup noise can be a generic problem with single coil pickups, in comparison to relatively hum-free ... | |
| Epiphone Lp 100 | 9/12/2008 |
| Q: Being fair and square how is Epiphone Les paul LP 100 on a scale from 1 - 10 I am planning to change ... A: How good a guitar is can be a very subjective question, as certain styles of guitar are more suited ... | |
| Best practice amp for Metal? | 9/9/2008 |
| Q: I have just started playing guitar, I bought an ESP KH-202 LTD, I haven't bought an amp yet. I love ... A: I don't think you're being unrealistic in looking for a decenct practice amp on that sort of budget. ... | |
| tremlo trouble | 9/6/2008 |
| Q: finally a string broke and i am new to Floyd rose type guitars and so i took all the strings off at ... A: A rite of passage any Floyd Rose owner is learning the hard way that you should do string changes ... | |
| Guitar Tuning - quick easy question | 8/2/2008 |
| Q: Hey Dave, First, thanks in advance for your help with this. I am getting back into the guitar after ... A: OK - now I understand :-) The song has been transcribed so that it's in the KEY of B major, but ... | |
| amp setup | 7/22/2008 |
| Q: I am completely new to playing guitar. I am learning on my own and am completely illiterate to ... A: For the sound you are aiming to get I would suggest starting with the following settings and then ... | |
| Guitar Tuning - quick easy question | 7/22/2008 |
| Q: Hey Dave, First, thanks in advance for your help with this. I am getting back into the guitar after ... A: I followed the link you gave, but got an error. When it says to tune to B major, it means that the ... | |
| guitar learning | 6/25/2008 |
| Q: I am a 19-year-old boy from Bulgaria who started playing the guitar about a half a year ago. I've ... A: I don;t think you have left it too late to learn guitar and if you find a good teacher and ... | |
| Beginning guitar player... | 6/9/2008 |
| Q: I recently picked up one of my friend's guitars at his house, and just started plucking away, ... A: I have heard of people picking up bargains on Ebay, but personally I don;t think that a guitar is ... | |
| Beginning guitar player... | 6/8/2008 |
| Q: I recently picked up one of my friend's guitars at his house, and just started plucking away, ... A: My personal approach to learning guitar is fairly theory-oriented, so what I'm going to suggest ... | |
| buzz | 5/29/2008 |
| Q: I just bought a new Les Paul Studio and a very cheap amp. I played it with and without the amp I ... A: You could be right to suspect the amp, but there may be something else which is causing your ... | |
| Music theory and solos | 5/20/2008 |
| Q: I'm strugling to figure out how to solo over sus chords. As I heard (l,4,5&1,2,5) sus chords aren't ... A: As you have suggested, scale choice depends on the scale used to write the song. The chords used ... | |
| Getting rid of single coil pickup noise | 5/19/2008 |
| Q: I've got a G&L S-500 and I'd like some recommendations on how to get rid of the pickup noise when I ... A: Single coil pickups are inherently noisier than humbuckers, however there may be factors which are ... | |
| B add 11 chord | 5/7/2008 |
| Q: the first song I ever learned on guitar has a chord in the book which says B (11), and is tabbed: ... A: An extended chord is one that includes all the degrees from the root, up to the degree to which it ... | |
| Music.. | 4/14/2008 |
| Q: I have a couple guitar related questions..Please just put a yes or no for each question, if you ... A: Playing 'outside'/chromatic notes in small amounts (e.g. as passing notes, or to move between one ... | |
| Where to go from here? | 3/21/2008 |
| Q: I've been playing rock guitar for 10 months now, and have learned a few songs, scales, chords, and ... A: You've made a good start by learning some scales and chords. Personally, I'd encourage you to ... | |
| songs | 3/14/2008 |
| Q: Hey. I've been playing guitar for about 2 years now (electric and acoustic). Lately I've been trying ... A: You might want to see if you can track down some of Nils Lofgren's stuff. He does a lot of acoustic ... | |
| guitar amp setup | 2/5/2008 |
| Q: !! i have a 100w fender roc pro 1000 amp/speaker (all in one) and I'm really bothered by my lack ... A: The order that you link effects together is important. As a general rule... Envelope filters, ... | |
| confused | 12/9/2007 |
| Q: Ok, i got this guitar from my grandpa, its from the 60's and if you have seen a gibson super 400 ... A: It may be that this guitar is a copy of a Gibson Super 400 - it's not uncommon for manufacturers ... | |
| 6 way switch 1959 x350 Guild Straford | 12/6/2007 |
| Q: , If you could help me out please,, I am trying to find a 6 way switch,, mine still works but it has ... A: Before you replace the switch, you might want to consider seeing if it can be repaired. If the ... | |
| friend's wrist hurts | 10/30/2007 |
| Q: Dave, I'm teaching a friend beginner guitar. She is playing a classical guitar (wide neck with ... A: I think that the first thing I'd look at is her thumb position. Really, she needs to have her ... | |
| holding the pick | 10/29/2007 |
| Q: My question concerns holding the guitar pick. I have been playing guitar for many years. Recently, ... A: I have a website where I publish guitar/music tutorials. Surf on over to www.cyberflotsam.com and ... | |
| shredding / holding pick | 10/11/2007 |
| Q: i've noticed that a lot of shred guitarists use their pinky as a type of anchor on the high e string ... A: I'm afraid I can't really give you any advise about this particular technique as it's not one I use ... | |
| rattling string | 7/22/2007 |
| Q: i have a les paul and the top E string rattles like crazy. when i took off the string i realized the ... A: Gibson have used a number of different types of tuners on their Les Paul guitars over the years. ... | |
| Keys and Power Chords | 6/21/2007 |
| Q: hey i'm a beginner at scale theory, but i started to write a song that is in the key of G major, and ... A: If you wanted to use the G, Ab and A powerchords, then I would suggest the key of D minor, where ... | |
| Best guitarist ! | 5/22/2007 |
| Q: Platini , Maradona , Zidan ; they're the best football players in the world & for ever ! Now , who's ... A: I really don't think it's possible to characterise some as "best". If you look purely in quantative ... | |
| problem with harmonic | 5/15/2007 |
| Q: firstly ill tell you what guitar i have, because this is mostly uncommon. i use the guitar of my ... A: If your guitar has individually adjustable saddles, then you may be able to adjust each individual ... | |
| Techniques | 5/6/2007 |
| Q: I have some questions, how can I get those perfect pinch harmonic, do you have any videos?. Also, ... A: When playing harmonics, it helps to understand how and where harmonics occur (take a look at ... | |
| Steel Guitar | 5/1/2007 |
| Q: I saw your site . This is very good & useful . But I have some questions : 1- What is the steel ... A: I assume here that you are talking about acoustic guitars (all electric guitars have steel strings). ... | |
| Pick up ! | 5/1/2007 |
| Q: I want to know : what's the pickup ? what's the difference between normal guitars & pickup guitars ? A: The pickup is an electromagnetic device which enables the vibration from the guitar strings to be ... | |
| Music.. | 4/8/2007 |
| Q: I have a couple music theory questions..please just put a yes or no next to each question. If I ... A: The key that a piece of music is in is governed more by the underlying chords than by the scale(s) ... | |
| Left-handed beginner | 4/8/2007 |
| Q: Should a left-handed beginner learn guitar in the usual right-handed fashion, or reverse it and ... A: In my opintion, it's better for a left-hander to try and play as a right-hander bvecause (a) chord ... | |
| Acoustic Effects | 3/29/2007 |
| Q: Howdy. I was wondering what effects (if any) you would use to get the best live tone from an ... A: It depends a lot on what type of music you're playing. There's a school of thought that says ... | |
| Guitar choice | 3/18/2007 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could answer a question that I have about a choice between two guitars. The ... A: but it's kind of hard to answer this one. There are differences in the necks between different ... | |
| Music theory.. | 2/20/2007 |
| Q: I was wondering if the A melodic and the A harmonic minor scales are used in the key of A minor as ... A: The 3 different types of minor scale are not interchangable. Which scale you use should be inferred ... | |
| Fingers getting in the way | 1/15/2007 |
| Q: I just bought my first guitar ever and I'm trying to teach myself. I played piano for 8 years and ... A: There are some exercises you can do to try and train your fingers to behave better. I have a website ... | |
| tone knobs | 1/14/2007 |
| Q: I bought a Fender Lite Ash Stratocaster "$700" (my first electric guitar) I've played acoustic for 1 ... A: Single coil poickups have a tendency to buzz, and because of the way your guitar is wired, some ... | |
| chord substitutions | 1/6/2007 |
| Q: I have heard a little about this but don't know what it means. Can you explain what they are and ... A: There are a few ways in which you can substitute chords. It helps if you're up to speed on music ... | |
| feedback? | 1/4/2007 |
| Q: * Running: Fender Lite Ash Strat ($650) on Fender G-Dec Amp ($300) *PICKUPS: 3 Seymour Duncan ... A: The behaviour that you describes sounds typical of what I would expect with non-humbicking pickups. ... | |
| Boss ME-5 and best pick ups | 12/5/2006 |
| Q: .. 1.I have a boss ME-5 effects combo pedal...It is great except for the hum...any Idea what would ... A: If you're experiencing hum, and you have a strat style guitar, then it's probable that it's coming ... | |
| gutar/bass amps | 12/3/2006 |
| Q: I have a stagg CA.10 guitar amp if i get a bass guitar do i need a new amp? A: Yes...if you get a bass guitar, then you will need a bass amp. In theory, you could plug your bass ... | |
| learning guitar | 11/30/2006 |
| Q: few weeks ago i started learning guitar by using on-line lessons and basically all by myself i am in ... A: Really there's no way of saying how long it will take someone to learn guitar using any particular ... | |
| learning something new | 11/17/2006 |
| Q: heyy, well im 13 years old and i play the bass and guitar. Last year my band teacher asked me to ... A: A good place to start might be my website, where I publish guitar/music tutorials. These tend to ... | |
| playing | 10/26/2006 |
| Q: I have a few questions. What is tremolo picking? How do you do it? When you are soloing, ... A: Tremolo picking is very fast alternate picking where the same note is picked a number of times. When ... | |
| Can I change my pickup to a humbucker? | 10/25/2006 |
| Q: I bought a mustang...which has two single coil pickups... but I want to know if I can change 1 ... A: It should be possible, but unless you are competent with tools and electronics, I'd suggest you get ... | |
| A Major chord | 9/13/2006 |
| Q: Dave, I just started playing a month ago. I have been working through the mild to moderate ... A: It always hurts when you first start playing guitar, but it shouldn't be as bad as it sounds for ... | |
| Squier Affinity Strat questions | 9/12/2006 |
| Q: Just got a sweet Squier Affinity Strat for only $70, slightly used. My two questions are: 1. The ... A: To lower the action on your guitar, you need to adjust the pairs of small hex bolts on the bridge ... | |
| Practising | 8/29/2006 |
| Q: I been playing for quite a while but have never actually 'practised'. I mean, I've practised to ... A: Structuring your practice time is a wise move, as it helps you to get the most out of the time you ... | |
| guitar type? | 7/25/2006 |
| Q: I just purchased a guitar, Explorer type that has a jackson logo on the head stock but i'm pretty ... A: My theory that it could be a Jackson Kelly is shot to pieces - it looks like no Jackson I've ever ... | |
| What I will buy | 7/13/2006 |
| Q: I asked:"Hi, I am starting paliyng guitar, I want to spend arround 300$,I want a good guitar with a ... A: For that sort of music you'll need something with a fairly heavy sound, so the main thing you need ... | |
| What I will buy | 7/13/2006 |
| Q: I asked:"Hi, I am starting paliyng guitar, I want to spend arround 300$,I want a good guitar with a ... A: I'm not personally familiar with Cort guitars, so can't really comment on them. ESP and Yamaha are ... | |
| Flying V | 6/27/2006 |
| Q: I have always loved flying v's and have decided to buy one. I have been working this summer and ... A: When you pay extra for a Gibson, you are paying a certain amount for the name, but a big proportion ... | |
| Wah pedals | 6/16/2006 |
| Q: My question concerns wah pedals. I would like your opinion on which is superior: the Morley Power ... A: I've used a Dunlop Cry Baby before, but not a Morley so I can't really offer you an opinion as to ... | |
| guitar suddenly getting out of key | 6/13/2006 |
| Q: I've got a custom Les Paul...I've adjusted the bridge myself for it to be "technically" in tune; ... A: I'm not sure i understand your question/problem. You should be using the tuning machine heads on the ... | |
| tuning | 6/12/2006 |
| Q: i have a Shine SIL70Q guitar whitch i have had 4 over a year and a quater now but i never restrung ... A: I know just the problem you refer to, as it occurs on any guitar with a floating bridge, such as a ... | |
| Where to find value info on my Guild D-60 nt | 6/12/2006 |
| Q: Where can I find the value of my Guild D-60 nt? I may be interested in selling it and want to get an ... A: I would suggest checking out the ads in the mainstream guitar magazines to see if you can see ... | |
| value | 6/11/2006 |
| Q: i have a 1980 les paul deluxe, mohogany guitar, and just wanted to know what range it is worth, for ... A: Value can depend some factors which you haven't provided info for, such as condition and whether or ... | |
| Which guitar should i buy | 6/11/2006 |
| Q: I have been playing guitar for 18 months now and i decided i want to buy another guitar but i am ... A: I assume that you mean the Jackson DK1 Dinky (I'm not aware of a DK2 model). The 2 guitars that you ... | |
| learning to play the guitar | 6/9/2006 |
| Q: I am 27 years old and I just started playing the guitar. I don't know anything yet. Is it possible ... A: Age shouldn;t be a barrier. Personally, I think that being a bit older can actually be an advantage, ... | |
| bridge setting | 5/24/2006 |
| Q: i bought an epiphone sprcial a while back when i decided to change the strings i noticed the 1/2/3/ ... A: I'll have to be honest and say that I don't know why they point in different directions. However, I ... | |
| foot stools (sitting with the guitar) | 5/14/2006 |
| Q: hey man, well im 15, and have been playing guitar for about 4 years now, but the ironic thing is, ... A: There are far more important things in life than worrying whether a classical purist may criticize ... | |
| pickups on guitars | 4/29/2006 |
| Q: i was looking at the ibanez GSA60 and the fat strat. would ibanez S470BK, what difference will i ... A: By "single pickup" I assume you mean "single coil pickup" (i.e. a pickup with only one coil, rather ... | |
| Can I play electric guitar well without a pick | 4/26/2006 |
| Q: --- Sorry to bother you again but, I really like Eric Clapton and would like to know ( if you are ... A: I'm pretty familiar with Eric Clapton's playing. If you are wanting to get into that style, then ... | |
| Can I play electric guitar well without a pick | 4/26/2006 |
| Q: I am now learing guitar on a nylon string guitar and I don't use a pick. I would like to get a ... A: Sure, you can play without a pick. Like you say, some really good players don't use a pick - Mark ... | |
| historical shape of guitars | 4/26/2006 |
| Q: Andy A: There is some design to allow for playing comfort, but that's not always the case. Sometimes ... | |
| practicing / lessons | 4/8/2006 |
| Q: I started playing guitar when i was 13, learned enough chords to play in punk rock bands till I was ... A: If you're already comfortable with the basic technique side of things, then this might be a good ... | |
| Another Question About Guitar Education | 3/21/2006 |
| Q: Dave, From one Dave to another, your answer to my last question was extremely help ful, and Im ... A: What you include in your daily practice routine will vary as time passes. As you become more ... | |
| New guitar advice | 3/18/2006 |
| Q: I'm in the process of looking for a new guitar and I needed a little help. I have been playing for ... A: Although they're probably in the same bracket as PRS, ESPs are good quality guitars. You might also ... | |
| Good grunge guitar/Humbucker pickup | 3/15/2006 |
| Q: I've been playing guitar for around a year. I play alot of grunge and nirvana style stuff. Latly my ... A: For replacement pickups I tend to favour DiMarzio or Seymour Duncan. These are not the cheapest, ... | |
| beginner | 3/14/2006 |
| Q: i'm a 32 years old and want to begin playing guitar. i have barely even held a guitar so i have no ... A: I would suggest avoiding the really cheap end of the market, as these guitars can be pretty ... | |
| Learning the Guitar Right | 3/13/2006 |
| Q: My name is Dave, and I love to play the guitar. Problem is, Ive been playing for almost a year now, ... A: Personally, I always put a reasonable emphasis on music theory in my tuition. I tend to start with ... | |
| Advice buying a guitar | 3/13/2006 |
| Q: I am an intermediate player who is looking to upgrade from a decent electric guitar to a really good ... A: Fortunately a couple of big name manufacturers also produce a more budget-friendly range of guitars. ... | |
| Modes and songwriting | 3/3/2006 |
| Q: Could you please explain this (again)? If the Song is in C the I note is C but if it's in Am the l ... A: Don't worry - nobody ever said modes were easy! OK let's stick with your A minor example. Over the i ... | |
| Modes and songwriting | 3/3/2006 |
| Q: Could you please explain this (again)? If the Song is in C the I note is C but if it's in Am the l ... A: In the key of C major, you have the following notes: 1=C, 2=D, 3=E, 4=F, 5=G, 6=A, 7=B Building ... | |
| guitar shape | 2/27/2006 |
| Q: I notice that most guitars, although they have the same basic shape, have various subtle differences ... A: There is no hard-and-fast rule such as "double cutaway sounds like 'x'" or "single cutaway sounds ... | |
| Twelve Stringed Acoustic | 2/22/2006 |
| Q: I hope you are fine. I'm thinking of buying my second guitar. I want it to be acoustic, and I've ... A: A 12-string guitar sounds more "open" than a 6-string because of those 6 extra strings. A 12 string ... | |
| Gibson SG or Epiphone SG? | 2/12/2006 |
| Q: Hey dude! i was wondering if you could help me out. I am in the UK an I love the worn brown faded SG ... A: When you pay extra for a Gibson, you are paying a ceertain amount for the name, but a big proportion ... | |
| a finger fix? | 1/28/2006 |
| Q: i have severed the pad on my middle finger and am finding it impossible to compress the strings on ... A: I know that Tony Iommi, the guitarist with Black Sabbath, severed the tips of his fingers in an ... | |
| Guitar Amp | 1/22/2006 |
| Q: Hey Dave. I've been playing guitar for about 6 years now, and I'm pretty good. However, I have a ... A: I'm not an electronics engineer, but I believe that this has to do with wiring in the amp acting ... | |
| Strumming Pattern | 1/20/2006 |
| Q: I have a question that I'm having trouble with. Everytime I play a song with chords it sounds ... A: From what you say, I assume that you're trying to play along using some printed sheet music. This ... | |
| Modes, root notes, progressions ext. | 1/12/2006 |
| Q: To be musically correct, when I write a piece of music, should my progressions always start/end at ... A: First of all, I wouldn't say that you have to start/end with the root note of the key you're playing ... | |
| picking priorities. | 12/20/2005 |
| Q: Its been around 2 years since ive been playing the guitar and till now while playing scales ive used ... A: Personally, I use alternate picking as my default picking style. I only really use economy picking ... | |
| musical notations | 12/10/2005 |
| Q: I'm learning this piece 'romance'. I've come across a notation - Piv V - what does this mean? ... A: I'm sorry, but I can't say that I've seen that before. Without seeing the actual notation (which ... | |
| dumb question | 12/6/2005 |
| Q: I noticed the acoustic players in my church often use a capo, but sometimes only one player is using ... A: What they're probably doing is using different chord shapes at different places on the neck. There ... | |
| Whammy bar | 11/11/2005 |
| Q: Hey, I own a Washburn Maverick BT4 which looks exactly like this: ... A: It should be feasible to fit a whammy bar to your guitar. To be honest, I couldn't say how much it ... | |
| guitar | 11/8/2005 |
| Q: I have been playing the guitar for 4 years without a pick. I just want to know if I can get any good ... A: There are a number of very accomplished guitarists who play without a pick. Mark Knopfler is a good ... | |
| theory question? | 11/1/2005 |
| Q: Im trying to study theory for the guitar.I hope i am getting a picture now of it.Maybe you can ... A: If you had a piece of music in the key of A minor you *could* just stick to A minor pentatonic ... | |
| Tricks for more amplifier distortion? | 10/21/2005 |
| Q: Hey, I've got a 100-watt Behringer GMX212 amp with two Jensen speakers ( ... A: Every thing has its own particular voice, and whilst you might be able to increase/decrease certain ... | |
| Hi- I was at the guitar center... | 10/11/2005 |
| Q: and I tried an Epiphone SG and a Gibson SG. The gibson was over a grand..the Epiphone was less than ... A: Assuming that both guitars are new (i.e. we aren't comparing a mint condition Epiphone with an old ... | |
| Guitar strings... | 9/7/2005 |
| Q: (www.schecterguitars.com) The problem is I frequently break strings. Mainly the A and D string. ... A: The gauge of strings that you;re using certainly aren't so thin as to be fragile, so I don't think ... | |
| Ahh yes another beginner RIGHT HERE! lol | 5/27/2005 |
| Q: Ok, so I'm the lead singer in my band, The Reformatories. Yes I'm in high school. I'm starting to ... A: > wants to play like they've been playing forever? Be as comfortable as you possibly can with the ... | |
| Playing in key | 4/11/2005 |
| Q: I am a beginner guitarist, and have been thrust into the limelight a little early, with various ... A: You're on the right tracks, but not quite there. When playing in a particular key, then you can use ... | |
| tapping | 4/7/2005 |
| Q: when i mute the stings it is usually much more difficult to move up and down the neck fast. my ... A: I think that your problem may stem from the fact that your tapping quite hard - that's causing the ... | |
| Classical notation | 3/9/2005 |
| Q: The following is above the staff for a classical guitar piece "A New Irish Tune" by Henry Purcell... ... A: A text-only forum like AllExperts can be a bit frustrating when it comes to questions like this, but ... | |
| replacment nut | 3/7/2005 |
| Q: i have a ibanez artcore #afs75trd, and i need a replacment nut, but i dont know what kind to buy, ... A: I'm not familiar with this particular model of Ibanez. If it has a locking nut, then you will need ... | |
| amp questions | 2/10/2005 |
| Q: I am trying to find an amp and I have no idea what makes one amp better than another. I want an ... A: First of all, you won't find an amp that's suited to both guitar and vocals. Guitar amps are voiced ... | |
| guitar chord | 2/8/2005 |
| Q: I was just wondering: what is generally considered to be "a man's chord"? (As in a chord that is ... A: I don't like to think of guitar playing as being a competitive thing, so I don't know if I could ... | |
| guitar chords | 1/16/2005 |
| Q: is there a way to figure out the fingering of a chord with out looking it up, like some kind ... A: The secret to working out chord fingerings is to know the formula for each type of chord, so you can ... | |
| Hand Size | 1/14/2005 |
| Q: and haven't have much trouble with reaching chords and scales but in this song I am learning there ... A: I don't think that hand size is such a major factor, compared to, say, dexterity - especially if you ... | |
| dry | 1/11/2005 |
| Q: hey dave ive been playing guitar for 4 years and im 16 years old. people tell me that im good but ... A: It's good to aspire to be a better guitarist, but be careful about getting into contests about who ... | |
| tone | 12/9/2004 |
| Q: I was just wondering if there are ways to alter the sound of your guitar- I don't mean distortion, ... A: You might want to take a look at some of the guitar and amp modelling tools which really have come ... | |
| First Guitar | 11/26/2004 |
| Q: I'm a 16 year old who is very interested in playing guitar, but i have no experience with them. I ... A: I'll have to be honest and say that I'm not familiar with the brand of guitar that you mention. ... | |
| Tabs | 11/1/2004 |
| Q: I want to know how I can understand the tabs of a song. As for example a tab is like this G ... A: In tab, the horizontal lines represent the guitar strings, and the numbers show the frets where you ... | |
| Learning lead guitar | 10/31/2004 |
| Q: I've picked up guitar in my "older" years and feel fairly comfortable with the basic barre chords ... A: I have a website at www.cyberflotsam.com where I publish a number of guitar/music tutorials which ... | |
| noise | 10/22/2004 |
| Q: I recorded a song that I've been working. When I played the recording back I noticed this annoying ... A: I don;t know any specific exercises for this. All I can suggest it lifting your fingers almost ... | |
| Picking and general technique builders | 10/21/2004 |
| Q: Hi i was wondering how you go about building a real solid technique for both right hand ( picking ... A: I have a website where I publish guitar/music tutorials, and there are a few exercises on there that ... | |
| brands and sound (GIBSON/EPIPHONE) | 8/15/2004 |
| Q: Dave, thanks for taking your time to answer my question! I've been wondering whether you deem it ... A: The pricing of guitars is staring to get silly these days, especially in the vintage market. Gibson ... | |
| THE RIGHT PICKUPS FOR A JAZZMASTER!!!!! | 8/14/2004 |
| Q: I OWN A FENDER JAZZMASTER , AND THE SOUND OF IT WITH DISTORSION IS HORRIBLE! I´VE BEEN TOLD TO ... A: I'm not familiar with the pickup models that you mention. However, you might find it useful to ... | |
| guitar chords | 8/10/2004 |
| Q: Dave, I've actually gotten a lot smarter about chords in the last 2 days and answered a couple of ... A: For the Gin Blossom's tune I'm not too sure. If you just showed me "A/G#m" on its own then I'd be ... | |
| guitar chords | 8/9/2004 |
| Q: Dave, I have been studying chords a lot lately but I'm still very confused. I read music that will ... A: You actually got it right first time - the 2nd letter is the bass note. When a chord is written like ... | |
| music theory | 8/2/2004 |
| Q: Why study minor keys and modes? How does a musician use minor keys and modes? Give me a reason to ... A: If you want to get into music theory, then I;d say that you absolutely need to know the major scale, ... | |
| Speed Picking | 7/31/2004 |
| Q: I've been playing a while & although I can pick quite fast, my ability to do so is very ... A: Thaknks for your question. You're very wise to make sure that you warm up before playing - something ... | |
| Soloing | 7/29/2004 |
| Q: I've been taking guitar for a little more then a year and a half. I love i play everyday when ever i ... A: Sweep picking (also sometimes called 'economy picking' is where you use a picking stroke in the same ... | |
| Soloing | 7/28/2004 |
| Q: I've been taking guitar for a little more then a year and a half. I love i play everyday when ever i ... A: At the most basic level, solos are built from the scale which relates to the key of the song. For ... | |
| Help with Modes? | 7/27/2004 |
| Q: How do you use modes properly? I know that's a big question so let me just fill you in on what I do ... A: Glad you found the site helpful, and thanks four pointing out the odd goof. When it comes to playing ... | |
| how to acheive certain sounds | 7/6/2004 |
| Q: i am relativly new to guitar playing and know nothing about effects, but, i want to have certain ... A: So far as telling you exactly what equipment you need to get certain sounds goes, that might be a ... | |
| sweet child o mine solo | 6/24/2004 |
| Q: how are ya? could u please give me some tips or anything to help me playing the guitar solo for ... A: Slash gets his sound using a Gibson Les Paul and a Marshall amp, with a reasonable amount of gain, ... | |
| Guitar Theory | 6/19/2004 |
| Q: my question is based on music keys such as in songs i have a very basic understanding of them but ... A: I have a website where I publish guitar/music tutorials. A number of the tutorials cover scale and ... | |
| AMPS | 5/11/2004 |
| Q: Hey , i went lookin around today and brought my amp into sum stroes to try out guitars with the diff ... A: Personally I don't have any real problems with half stacks, provided that they're decent enough amps ... | |
| guitar power chord progressions | 5/4/2004 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could tell me the different power chord progressions for guitar. Thanks a ... A: A power chord is basically a chord which contains only a root and fifth degree (plus, usually, an ... | |
| Which type of guitar should I buy | 4/14/2004 |
| Q: I've been taking guitar lessons for about 6 months using my son's 3/4 size steel string guitar. I'm ... A: Beginners often find classical guitars more comfortable to play, as the nylon strings are a bit ... | |
| Guitar Strings | 4/12/2004 |
| Q: ... What are the different types of guitar strings? ( I know there is the metal kind but what is ... A: There are actually a few different types of metal string. The first kind are 'steel', and are ... | |
| Modes with Songs | 3/24/2004 |
| Q: I borrowed a MI music book of practice tracks from my guitar teacher. The book has a song in the key ... A: I'm sure I've already answered your question, but I got a reminder from AllExperts today saying that ... | |
| Modes with Songs | 3/24/2004 |
| Q: I borrowed a MI music book of practice tracks from my guitar teacher. The book has a song in the key ... A: First off, I'll be a bit pedantic. C Mixolydian conatins Bb, not A#. True, they sound the same ... | |
| Need new pickups for my Mexi-Fender Strat | 3/20/2004 |
| Q: Great, thanks for the response. Do you happen to know some double coil but "single-wide" pickups? ... A: The 2 big names in replacement pickups are Seymour Duncan and DiMarzio, and they both supply this ... | |
| Need new pickups for my Mexi-Fender Strat | 3/18/2004 |
| Q: I have a Fender Strat with no modifications on it as of yet. I have been having problems with noise ... A: Although some manufactures singler coil pickups branded as 'low noise, as a general rule single coil ... | |
| Lefty | 3/12/2004 |
| Q: I am a lefty, and I havent played guitar since I was like 10, and I have anm old acoustic guitar I ... A: I guess you should be able to 'flip' the guitar like this. However, one thing which you (or your ... | |
| choosing an acoustic guitar | 2/17/2004 |
| Q: my daughter would like to learn to play the guitar and i would like to buy her an nylon stringed ... A: Nylon string (classical) guitars are not really my area of expertise, as I tend to play either ... | |
| Effects Pedals | 1/31/2004 |
| Q: I currently own a Digitech GNX1 effects processor. This is the only device I use in trying to ... A: My forte is more music theory and technique than effects guru, but here goes... It's interesting ... | |
Guitar - General
Answers by Expert:
Dave Dixon
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
Guitar player since 1987. Studied at Musicians` Institute. Worked as guitar/music teacher since 1991.
Experience
Since joining AllExperts I have been getting rated with 9's and 10's from most of the people I've answered questions from, so I guess that I must be doing something right. Not all that many people can be wrong. Questions about theory, technique, equipment, players, history, etc. welcome - just about anything in fact. The only things I prefer not to answer are requests for transcriptions, or equipment assessments/valuations.
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