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Guitar Tips – When To Get New Strings
By Mike Hayes | March 8, 2010
I know a lot of guitar players only change their strings when
they break the problem is that their guitar has been producing an
incorrect pitch long before the strings actually break; the
result being that the all important development of the
guitarists’ ear is impaired.
It’s become fashionable to tune your guitar with an electronic
tuner, simply plug into one of these remarkable devices and …
hey presto your guitar is in tune … or is it? Actually, as you
might have guessed there’s more to it than that!
Your most important asset as a musician/guitarist is your ear
(your memory for sound) it’s essential that you don’t develop a
lazy approach to intonation, always be aware of the pitch of the
notes you are playing and make adjustments to the intonation
using finger vibrato to blend with the other instruments.
Tips for when to get new strings:
Tip# 1 - If your strings don’t play in tune all the way up the
fretboard:
Most beginner guitar players only play in the open or first
position as the player advances and begins to use more of the
fretboard intonation problems caused by old strings will become
more apparent. Generally, the problems usually occur notes above
the fifth fret.
Tip# 2 – If the harmonic produced on the twelfth fret does not
match the fretted note on the twelfth fret, that’s a good
indication that your strings need to be changed.
Tip# 3 - If your chords don’t sound right in the open position
and it’s difficult to get a good sound out of a variety of common
open string chords in the keys of G, D, A & E that’s also a clue
that your strings need to be changed.
String Brands: I’ve tried all the major brands and have found
“D’Addario” to be a very consistent, high quality and moderately
priced string.
String Gauges: The gauge of string you use is a matter of
personal preference based on the style of music you play, the
sound you want to achieve and your particular musical application
however, here is a basic guide to get you started:
Standard acoustic set .012 -.053
Basic “Strat” style electric guitar .009 – .042
Jazz style guitar .013 -.056
String types:
* nickel wound is a good all round string for electric guitar
* phosphor bronze works well for acoustic guitars
* half rounds and chromes are often the preferred type of string
for jazz.
Care: The best idea is to wipe your strings down with a lint free
cloth after you have finished playing, make certain to wipe the
under side of the string that’s where the corrosion sets in and
alters the diameter of the string causing the string to
vibrate at an irregular and inconsistent pitch.
Like everything in life the only place you can find shortcuts is
at the butcher’s everything thing else must be done one step at a
time; training your ear is no different and the first step to
accurately train your ear is by making certain your instrument is
producing the correct pitch.
Topics: Guitar Strings, Guitar Tips | No Comments »
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