Five of the greatest and most impressive guitar solos, from Jimmie Hendrix to Van Halen.

Guitar solos are the place where master guitarists get to show off their skills. For a few music bars, the audience’s focus shifts away from the lead singer, and the guitarist gets the full attention. The best solos bring something original to the table and create an emotion that listeners won’t easily forget. 

Get your lighters ready, and let’s look at a few of the best guitar solos of all time. 

1. Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, Guitarist: Brian May

Bohemian Rhapsody is Queen’s best-known song. It was a number-one hit when it came out in 1975. It hit the number-one spot again in 1992 after Freddie Mercury’s death. This piece remains popular over 40 years after its first recording. And for a good reason.

Freddie Mercury wrote this song from start to finish using a complex musical structure that doesn’t follow the rules. In an interview, Brian May discusses how Freddie wanted a guitar solo in the song and gave Brian May a free hand to work on it. May wanted the guitar to sing its own verse and wrote the classic guitar solo.

Brian May’s guitar solo in this song is short and sweet. The guitar interlude is crucial in tying the musical piece together. The first half of the song starts as a lyrical ballad. Then the guitar interlude signals a new episode in this rhapsody. It takes the piece from ballad-like rock to an emotional opera worthy of the stage. The song heads into rock and roll and ends on a smooth reflective note. 

Brian’s vibrato techniques and lyrical lines touch an emotional chord tying Freddie Mercury’s complex piece together. 

2. “Comfortably Numb” by Pink Floyd, Guitarist: David Gilmour

Many consider the guitar solo in Pink Floyd’s Comfortably Numb the best guitar solo of all time. This piece contains two solos by David Gilmour, but the second one steals the show.

In a 1993 interview with Guitar World, David discussed how he wrote the guitar voice for Comfortably Numb. He “banged out five or six solos” in the studio and then listened to the playback. Then he pieced together the best parts for a well-structured solo with the interest of creative improvisation.

Guitar solos have become favorites because of the guitarist’s intricate fingerwork and original techniques. However, in Comfortably Numb, the behind-the-scenes studio work is responsible for half of this solo’s charm. The delay and doubling of the guitar’s voice create a full edgy sound–almost as if two guitars are playing at once.

The smooth tone, rapid rhythms, and expressiveness of the guitar’s sound make this solo unforgettable.

3. “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses, Guitarist: Slash

Slash’s guitar solo in Sweet Child O’ Mine is one of the most memorable of 1980s rock. This song was Guns N’ Roses first hit song to hit Billboard’s Top 40s. 

But Slash was responsible for much more than just the guitar solo. His sweet riffs on the guitar were the inspiration for the creation of the piece. While Slash entertained the rest of the band during a rehearsal, he struck gold. Axl Rose listened in, liked what he was hearing, and began jotting down lyrics to match Slash’s notes.

The Sweet Child O’ Mine guitar solo begins with a relaxed, laidback tone before it steadily increases in energy. The bends and vibrato on the strings require a talented left hand. 

Slash makes use of the pentatonic scale in this piece. He builds energy with upstrokes and downstrokes as he plays. Although he tends to be more understated than other guitarists in his performance style, his raw improvs connect the audience to the piece on a rich emotional level. 

4. All Along the Watchtower, Jimi Hendrix, Guitarist: Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix admired Bob Dylan’s work and enjoyed covering many of his songs. In All Along the Watchtower, Hendrix reinterprets Dylan’s classic song, turning it into a creative masterpiece. Even Dylan admitted that Hendrix improved upon this piece.

Hendrix’s version came out in 1968 and included not one but four different guitar solos in All Along the Watchtower. In one of the solos, he uses a cigarette lighter to slide up the guitar neck. 

Hendrix was full of musical ideas and enjoyed bringing psychedelic sounds and original techniques to the guitar. His distinct musical voice makes this song a classic rock hit. 

5. “Eruption,” Van Halen, Guitarist: Eddie Van Halen

When Eruption first appeared on Van Halen’s debut album, it caused a stir. However, it was only by chance that this piece made it onto the album. As Eddie was practicing for an upcoming gig, his producer overheard him playing and encouraged him to record it.

Eddie Van Halen was using a tapping technique. But, instead of using it on one or two notes like most guitarists, he was playing a solo almost entirely with hammer-ons, pull-offs, and tapping. This technique requires both hands to tap out the notes going up the guitar neck while muting the bass notes.

The rhythm Van Halen uses is also tricky. Sometimes he taps on the first and fourth sextuplet notes, and sometimes he emphasizes the third and sixth notes. This makes it one of the most challenging solos for other guitarists to recreate. Van Halen’s imaginative style makes him one of the top 10 guitar soloists in rock history. 

Learn from the greatest guitarists, and put theory into practice.

Rock stars such as Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, Brian May, and others brought guitar solos to life with their innovative techniques and creative interpretations. 

You, too, can master skills on the guitar by listening to the classics, watching expert guitarists’ fingerwork, and learning guitar theory. To boost your skills,  Simply Guitar can help you lay the framework for music theory and walk you through chords and strum patterns step-by-step. 

Who knows? One day your guitar solo may hit the charts.

FAQs.

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In this beginner’s guide, we will teach you everything there is to know about natural and artificial guitar harmonics.

When you first pick up the guitar, your want to learn where the notes are on the frets and how to strum. However, as you advance in your skills, you discover new techniques to make your songs come to life. 

Guitar harmonics are fun to play and not too difficult once you learn how to find them on the guitar. This technique can add a bell-like quality to your strings. Are you ready to learn a new skill? Let’s dive into how to play natural and artificial harmonics on the guitar.

Are you ready to learn a new skill? Let’s dive into how to play natural and artificial harmonics on the guitar.

What are guitar harmonics?

You can hear subtle guitar harmonics every time you play the guitar. A note on guitar strings creates vibrations between the fret and string base.

The name note is audible because you play it intentionally. Then you have additional pitches that are less audible. These overtones are harmonic.

These overtones are harmonic.

When you play guitar harmonics, the string can vibrate from a fret to where the string meets the headstock. This technique brings the overtones to the forefront while the fundamental note takes a back seat. With this technique, you get a bell-like sound.

Guitar harmonics can add an impressive new tone to your guitar playing.  

Natural vs. artificial harmonics and how to play them.

There are two different types of harmonics you can play on the guitar: Natural and artificial harmonics. Let’s look at each type. 

How to play natural harmonics on guitar.

Playing a natural harmonic is not hard at all once you know where to find them on the fretboard. Follow the step-by-step. Then try playing natural harmonics on your guitar.

Step 1: Find the fret marker

To play a natural harmonic on the guitar, you can lightly rest your finger over any string on the fifth, seventh, or twelfth fret bars. These frets should be easy to find since there are dots that mark these frets. 

Step 2: Lightly touch the string 

After you find the fret, place your finger above the fret bar and lightly touch a string. You don’t want to press down too hard to fret the note. The string should touch only the tip of your finger and nothing else.

Step 3: Pluck and release

Once you pluck the string, release your finger to get a crisp, bell-like harmonic note. If you are using a capo, remember to count up the fifth, seventh, or twelfth from the capo instead of the headstock.

Different harmonic techniques.

Natural harmonics are straightforward to play. However, you have different techniques you can try when you play artificial harmonics on the guitar. These include tap harmonics, touch harmonics, and pinch harmonics. 

Artificial harmonic techniques can be tricky at first, but with practice, they can become second nature. To warm up your fingers so you can play these techniques nimbly, try these finger exercises: 5 Guitar Finger Exercises for Every Guitarist.

How do you read guitar harmonics in tablature?

Standard music notation indicates guitar harmonics with diamond-shaped notes and a dot next to the tablature numbers.

You may also see the words Harmonics or Harm above the staff.  These words indicate a natural harmonic. If there are several notes in a row you should play, you may see a dotted line after the word Harm. Here are a few other harmonic terms and their abbreviations that you commonly see in tablature: 

A final word on guitar harmonics.

Harmonics can be satisfying to play and give you a new dynamic to your guitar. For beginning guitarists, it is simpler to start with open-string harmonics. Then you can try out different techniques with artificial harmonics. 

To excel at guitar playing, you can download the Simply Guitar app. This app lets you stay on track while practicing guitar at home. It can also give you real-time feedback to strike all the right notes. Try it free for two weeks to see if it is for you!

FAQs.

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What are digital guitars, and how do they work? This article goes over everything you need to know about these cool instruments and showcases some of the best digital guitars of 2022.  

The music we make is changing, and so are the instruments we use to create it. Inventors and instrument-makers have merged musical instruments with technology, opening a new avenue for musical creation. 

Now, some guitars look and sound completely different than their predecessors. 

Let’s check out some of the new guitar designs that people are coming up with and the musical powers they grant you. 

What is a digital guitar?

Digital guitars–guitar synthesizers or midi guitars–come in many unique shapes and sizes. Some look similar to electric guitars. They have standard-looking bodies decked out with steel strings and long necks. Other digital guitars look different. Their bodies have odd shapes (in some cases, they look nothing like a guitar), and some fretboards have buttons instead of strings.

How do digital guitars work?

A digital guitar is an electronic musical instrument that produces sound by converting the strings’ vibrations into digital data. The data is then processed by a digital signal processor, which converts it into an audio signal that can be amplified and played through a speaker or headphones.

The digital signal processor can be programmed to change the sound’s timbre, pitch, and other characteristics. 

Digital guitars typically have various features that allow the player to control the instrument’s sound. These features include neck and body sensors, which detect the position of the player’s hands on the neck and body of the guitar. The signals from the neck and body sensors are used to control the instrument’s sound.

History of digital guitars.

Digital guitars aren’t a new type of guitar about to take the industry by storm. They’ve been around for a few decades. 

SynthAxe is a guitar-like midi controller that was manufactured in England in 1985. It uses electronic synthesizers to produce sound via the stringed neck. However, as the first of its kind, it was expensive, and only a handful of professional musicians ever used it. 

It wasn’t until the early 2000s that companies like Yamaha and Starr Labs began creating digital instruments. 

Starr Labs’ Ztars use buttons on the fretboard instead of strings–giving the instrument some polyphonic qualities.  

In 2010 the You Rock Guitar was introduced. Using ‘virtual’ strings, the midi controller senses your finger positioning along the fretboard, determining the pitch of the notes.  

These are just a few designs that have emerged over the years. Manufacturers continue to create and develop new models to this day. 

If you’re curious about the history of the guitar, take a look at our blog, Who Invented the Guitar? A Brief History.

What are the pros and cons of playing a digital guitar?

Pursuing a musical instrument (digital or other) can be a deeply fulfilling experience. Just like any instrument, there are some pros and cons to using a digital guitar.

Pros: 

• Ability to play unique sounds.
• Seamlessly connect your instrument to DAWs and other digital devices.
• It can be easy to transport.
• Make you look like you’re from the future.

If you’re looking to play an instrument that resembles the guitar, the digital guitar may not be an ideal choice. 

Cons: 

• Digital guitars don’t sound like acoustic or electric guitars. 
• Digital guitars don’t typically feel the same as electric or acoustic guitars–many of them look and feel entirely different from actual guitars and require you to play them differently.
• They often require an amplifier or computer for sound. 

The five best digital guitars in the market.

Shopping around for a digital guitar? Start your search on the right foot and check out our top choices for 2022.

Jammy Guitar

The Jammy G is as sleek as it is portable. You can quickly take it apart and put it back together, making it ideal for travelers.

This midi controller has the shape and aesthetic of a guitar. With a body, neck with 15 frets, and steel strings, it feels like you’re playing the real thing. However, the device struggles with certain techniques like slides, mute-palming, and hammer-ons. 

As advertised, you can use this device to play virtually any instrument as a guitar. The Jammy G comes with classic, acoustic, and electric voices and a Jammy Guitar app to help you learn how to play. You can connect this midi controller to your computer, tablet, or phone, and it has a 4400 mAh battery, allowing you to play for up to six hours. So you can play it anywhere.

Jamstik 7 Bundle Edition

The Jamstik 7 comes with a guitar strap, case, extension piece, batteries, and some picks. So you’re fully equipped to jam to your heart’s content.

With just seven frets, the midi guitar is compact and easy to bring around. While some musicians may dislike the lack of frets, you can easily access higher frets by changing the settings on your laptop. The Jamstik 7 has a set of steel strings, giving it a guitar-like feel. With wireless capabilities, you can position yourself comfortably while playing. 

There are tons of cool sounds for you to experiment with. However, like other midi controllers, it doesn’t produce sound independently. You need to connect it to a device. 

Suzuki 49-Key Q-Chord

The Suzuki 49-Key Q-Chord doesn’t look like a guitar. However, it has all of the essential elements.

The device has a strum plate on the body, a short neck with buttons, and a speaker to project sound. And with four octaves and 109 midi voices, it offers users a ton of sounds to play with.

What’s cool about the Q-Chord is that it’s compatible with other midi controllers. The device is great for anyone who wants a convenient medium to create fun sounds and interact with other musicians. 

Pocket Digital Guitar

All of the digital guitars on our list are easy to pack and carry around, but when it comes to portability, the Pocket Digital Guitar is in a league of its own.

However, this device is more of a training tool than an instrument. 

The Pocket Digital Guitar is a digital set of frets, and they can quite literally fit in your pocket. The device has steel strings and comes with a cool training tool that teaches you chords and other fingering positions, and it has a built-in metronome. 

Not every environment is suited for playing guitar, but with this tool, you can sharpen your skills anytime and anywhere.

Sensus Smart Guitar

Last but certainly not least is the Sensus Smart Guitar. This instrument is the first of its kind, a full-blown guitar (It creates sound via vibrating strings) with amazing digital capabilities. 

The instrument looks and plays just like an electric guitar. However, embedded in the body and neck are modulators that allow you to manipulate the sounds without the assistance of a computer. 

The IoT device offers musicians a new level of expression. You can easily jam with people long-distance, record your music, and add infinite sound modulations. 

Digital guitars need digital teachers.

Digital guitars come in all shapes and sizes. Some emulate a guitar, others are guitar-like midi devices, and some are neat training tools. With smart guitars emerging, who knows what kind of music guitarists will make.

Speaking of neat tools. Simply guitar is a fantastic app that helps beginner guitarists learn and practice essential guitar skills. You can practice with short and effective lessons at a time and place that works with your schedule. Try it today!

FAQs.

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This article teaches what guitar frets are, their purpose, and how many frets there are on an acoustic and electric guitars.

Frets are important components of guitar playing. Without frets, finding notes and chords becomes guesswork. Guitars with fewer frets can sound smooth and mellow, while a guitar with more frets may have a brighter sound. 

However, when strings start to buzz, it may mean that your frets need work. So how do you clean and level frets on your guitar to get the best sound?

Read on and find out everything you need to know about guitar frets. 

What are guitar frets?

Guitar frets are strips of material spaced at specific intervals on the fretboard. Most often, the fret material is a nickel alloy. Other materials such as bone, wood, ivory, and stone don’t bend easily and are difficult to fit into a fretboard. 

Strings can easily bend over the domed top surface of the fret. At the bottom of the fret is a shaft that fits into the guitar neck. Some frets are glued into the fretboard, while others are set firmly into the wood. 

What is the purpose of guitar frets?

Frets divide the guitar into sections based on the Western music scale. They give the musician a guide making it easy to find standard notes. Each fret creates a point of tension for the guitar sound. If a guitar has no frets, the string vibrates from the guitar bridge. 

The number of guitar frets.

Most guitars have between 19 and 24 frets. The number of frets can vary based on the type of guitar and the genre of music you play. Acoustic guitars usually max out at around 20 frets, while electric guitars have at least 21 frets. 

How many frets are on an acoustic guitar?

Acoustic guitars can have 18 to 20 frets. However, the upper frets on an acoustic guitar are more for aesthetics than for use. The high frets on an acoustic guitar are hard to reach. Many guitarists don’t use the upper frets at all and stick to the 12 to 15 frets that are easily accessible. 

How many frets are on an electric guitar?

Electric guitars usually have at least 21 frets up to 24 frets. When a guitar has fewer frets, the tone of the guitar has a warm, mellow tone. Many jazz players prefer a guitar with fewer frets because of its smooth, jazzy sound. 

However, a guitar with 24 frets gives you four full octaves and can be easier to play. If you enjoy playing songs in the metal genre, you may need 24 frets for some songs.

What is fret leveling, and how do you level guitar frets?

When you play the guitar regularly, the strings can wear down or scratch the frets erasing the fret crown. A flat fret can be uncomfortable to play and may cause your guitar strings to buzz. The strings need to be able to contact the tip of the crown to give a clear sound. Leveling the frets puts them back at a standard height. So how does it work?

Step 1: Check your fret level with a fret rocker

Leveling, crowning, and polishing frets is a time-intensive process that can take up to five hours. So, before you start, make sure that fret leveling is necessary. Use a fret rocker to check your frets. The fret rocker has three sides, so you can measure the frets closer together and farther apart. Straddle three frets and see if the tool is stable. If it rocks, this means that the frets are unlevel. 

Step 2: Remove the strings and guitar neck from the body

To repair uneven frets, remove the guitar strings and neck. Bolt-on necks are the easiest to remove. Simply remove the bolts with a screwdriver. Once you separate the guitar neck from the body, you are ready to go to work.

Step 3: Mark each fret with a permanent marker

Use a permanent maker to mark the top of each fret. This trick helps you know if all the frets are level or not. Once all the marks disappear, it is time to stop sanding.

Step 4: Protect the fretboard with masking tape

The wooden fretboard shouldn’t come in contact with the sandpaper. However, for extra protection, you can protect the fretboard with masking tape.

Step 5: Sand the frets

A leveling beam is a straight block of wood covered in sandpaper. You can make one or buy your own. If the beam is large enough, you can lay the neck face down on the board and rub it back and forth using even pressure. Once all the marks from the permanent marker are gone, you know it is time to stop sanding.

Step 6: Recrown the frets

The frets are now level. However, your job is not over yet. You need to recrown each fret individually using a triangle file. This process can be painstaking and time-consuming. You may need the help of a luthier to finish the job correctly. With the crowns in place, you should have a comfortable guitar with a great sound.

How to clean and polish guitar frets.

After you level your frets, you want to finish the job by cleaning and polishing your frets. Over time your guitar frets can become dirty and dull from the moisture in the air, sweat, or the oil from your fingertips. You may notice a difference in how it feels to play the guitar and its sound. Time to clean your frets. But how?

Here are some steps to clean and polish your guitar frets:

Step 1: Take the strings off your guitar

To clean and polish your frets without making a mess, you need to remove the strings from the guitar. This gives you access to dirty frets and makes your job easier in the long run. 

Step 2: Protect the fretboard by using a fret guard 

You don’t want to get the polish on your fretboard when you polish the frets. Protect the wooden fretboard by using a fret guard. The guard has a slot that fits over the fret and lays flush against the fretboard. For the upper frets, you may need to cover the wood with masking tape since the fret guard may be too big to be useful. 

Step 3: Rub a polishing compound over the fret

Place a dot of polishing compound (such as Frine) on a microfiber cloth. Then, rub the polish firmly over the fret. You want to cover both the top and sides. Continue to clean until the fret looks clean and shiny. Polishing shouldn’t take more than a few seconds per fret.

Step 4: Use a cotton cloth to remove excess polish

After you apply polish to the fret and cover the top and sides, remove the excess polish. Use a cotton cloth and follow the same back-and-forth strokes you used to apply the polish. Also, if you notice polish on the wooden fretboard, wipe it off immediately.   

Step 5. Restring your guitar

After you finish polishing all your frets, it’s time to restring your guitar. Now is a great time to add new strings to your guitar. 

With a level, clean frets, and a new set of strings, it’s time to enjoy playing your guitar.

Learning is easy with guitar frets (and guitar apps).

Frets make playing the guitar easier. When your frets are clean and level, playing the guitar is more comfortable for your fingers and has the best sound. Frets can help you find the right notes—the right learning tools can make it easier to pick up skills on the guitar. 

You can try the Simply Guitar app if you want to play the guitar but don’t know where to start. This app is a no-stress way to learn the basics of guitar playing and can start you off on your musical journey.

FAQs.

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Want to write music for a string quartet? You’re in good company! We’ve put a few tips together so you can follow in the footsteps of Beethoven, Mozart, and Haydn to write musical pieces that will stand the test of time.

Writing for a group of string instruments is a bit like juggling. You feel pretty confident about what you are doing when you have two balls in the air, but three or more can get a little dicey. 

While duets may be simpler to write, writing for a quartet can be rewarding as you see it come together. 

Here are a few tips to make writing music for your string quartet yield a beautiful result.

Which instruments make up a string quartet?

A string quartet means that four instruments with strings will play together. Traditionally, this group consists of two violins, a viola, and a cello. These instruments work nicely together because each instrument brings a unique personality to the group. 

The famous composer, Rimsky-Korsakov, described the violin’s sound as brilliant, the viola as biting and nasal, and the cello as having a chest voice in his book Principles of Orchestration. 

While we could probably couch those descriptions in more flattering terms, Rimsky Korsakov shows some of each player’s personality and voice.

You can, of course, choose four different stringed instruments and still call it a string quartet. But composers such as Haydn, Beethoven, and Mozart used this combination of instruments in their string combinations, so most follow their example. 

Why mess with greatness?

Keep the range and key signature in mind.

If you plan to play the instruments via keyboard or digital piano, you don’t have to worry about the range and keys signatures. 

However, if you plan to wow your audience with a live show and string musicians, these factors will be necessary.

After all, if you’re bringing four different instruments together, you want the instruments to complement each other and not clash. 

Select a voice lead, or let each instrument have equal weight?

When you start writing, you need to decide if you will have a voice lead or if each instrument will have equal weight. Let’s look at these two approaches.

The pros and cons of each approach

Each approach has its pros and cons. Before deciding which way you want to write your piece, remember that the human ear habitually focuses on one melody. This means that the traditional approach sounds more orderly and is easier to write and play. 

A democratic approach with several overlapping melody lines can sound exciting to the ear. In this approach, the musicians need to be very in-tune with each other to pull it off. Otherwise, the music can quickly head into chaos.

Four-part writing.

Writing music for four different instruments in four-part harmony can be a bit tricky. However, we have a few tips to offer so you can break down this big project into simple tasks. 

Expand on basic chorale structure

You can look at a basic chorale structure to get an idea for your string quartet piece. You can break chorales into four voice parts: soprano, alto, tenor, and bass. This four-part harmony uses simple writing, so it’s easy for large groups to sing. Chorales often use the German bar form, an AAB melody pattern.

Chorales cater to voices, so they may differ in range and structure from strings. However, seeing how these simple four-part harmonies work together can be a good building block for writing music for string quartets.

Think linearly

While composing your piece in block chords can be easy, it is much better to approach each musical line linearly. When you dissect each musical line separately, it adds more depth and creativity to your piece. 

As you write for each instrument, think: 

• What are its strengths and weaknesses?
• What is its ideal voice range?
• Does this instrument carry the melody line or play a supporting role? 

Things to avoid

Avoid having the violins play in unison when you write for each instrument. Instead of showcasing talent, unison parts can display any tuning differences (however minor), making even good musicians sound out of tune. 

It is much better to have one violin take the main melody line and let the other violin play counter-melody to hide flaws better and give your piece a fuller sound. 

The structure of famous string quartets

String quartets have been the most popular form of chamber music since the 1750s. They use four instruments, and the pieces are usually divided into four movements. 

The structure of a string quartet generally follows this pattern:

• The first movement is in sonata form and played allegro in a tonic key. 
• The second movement is much slower than the first and generally played in a related key. 
• The third movement usually comprises a minuet and trio and is written in the tonic key 
• The fourth movement is also in the tonic key in rondo form.

These movements allow your piece to take on form and tell a story with a beginning, middle and end through music. 

Listen to the following pieces to see how famous composers created unforgettable stories through their string quartets:

• String Quartet Op 76 No 3, ‘Emperor’ by Haydn
• String Quartet No 19, K465, ‘Dissonance’ by Mozart
• String Quartet No 12, Op 96, ‘American’ by Dvořák 
• String Quartet No 14, Op 131 by Beethoven

You’ll notice that each composer took the same assignment but created a different musical story. Feel free to allow your personality to shine as you make your piece.

Writing music for string quartets is not the most straightforward assignment, but it can be rewarding–especially when you hear your piece come together. Before you invite musicians to play your work, you can layer your music on a keyboard or computer to check for any awkward spots. 

Not sure if you’re doing it right? We have a blog post for that. Check out these six things you shouldn’t do when writing music.

FAQs.

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Left-handed and learning guitar? This article shares everything there is to know about left-handed guitars.

According to statistics, about ten percent of the world is left-handed. That adds up to about 700 million lefties on the globe. If you are a leftie, you notice that the world revolves around right-handers whenever you pull out a pair of scissors. 

So how can you play guitar left-handed? 

As a leftie, you have a few options. You can play right-handed, restring a guitar, or buy a left-handed guitar. 

Let’s see everything you need to know to become a left-handed guitarist.

What is a left-handed guitar?

A left-handed guitar is a mirror image of the average guitar. Everything from the strings to the slant of the saddle is opposite. This allows a left-handed guitarist to strum with the dominant hand and finger chords with the right hand. Since the dominant hand is more graceful, strumming and picking with the left hand can make for smoother-sounding music. 

However, left-handed guitars are a niche market, while right-handed guitars come with more options. For this reason, many lefties choose to start on a right-handed guitar as beginners. 

Before you decide to play as a leftie or learn like a rightie, it’s best to study the differences. You can even try out both designs in a guitar store to see which style is more natural for you. 

Left-handed guitars vs. right-handed: What are the differences?

The guitar is a reasonably symmetrical-looking instrument. So, it would be easy to assume that a leftie can just turn a right-handed guitar upside down to make a guitar more comfortable to play. However, making a left-handed guitar out of a right-handed guitar is not that simple. 

Here are a few key differences between left-handed and right-handed guitars:

The strings

The main difference between left-handed versus right-handed guitars comes down to the strings. The bass strings should be at the top of your guitar, and the treble notes should be below them. 

However, if you flip a right-handed guitar over to the left side, the bass notes are now at the bottom. To make a right-handed guitar a left-handed one, you need to restring the instrument from top to bottom.

The pickguard

Many acoustic and electric guitars have pickguards. The pickguard rests under the sound hole. This guitar piece protects your instrument from getting scratched up by over-enthusiastic strumming. However, if you play a right-handed guitar upside down, the pickguard would rest above the hole. This position is not very useful and looks wrong visually.

The pickguard is correct when you buy a left-handed guitar–below the soundhole. 

The saddle

The saddle angle can also reveal if the guitar is for lefties or righties. Notice that the saddle slants slightly to give the guitar a proper intonation. A left-handed acoustic guitar’s saddle needs to slant in the opposite direction. This slant ensures that the low E is the longest string and the treble strings are shorter. 

The strap peg

The strap peg on a right-handed guitar is above the guitar neck. However, if you flip it to the left side, the strap peg is now under the fretboard. This would make it awkward to play guitar with a strap! However, when you buy a left-handed guitar, the strap peg rests above the fretboard. This allows you to attach a guitar strap without interfering with the strings. 

The body shape

Some acoustic guitars have a symmetrical shape, but not all guitars do. Many guitar bodies have a single or double cutaway. This ergonomic design makes it easy for your fingers to reach the strings on the upper frets. With a left-handed guitar, you can strum with your dominant hand. This puts you on an even playing field with right-handed guitarists. 

Famous left-handed guitarists.

Suppose you are a left-handed guitarist, no worries. You are not alone on your musical journey. Many famous musicians have walked the road you are on. (But did you know they were left-handed?)

Jimi Hendrix

While left-handed guitars are available in the musical world today, Jimi Hendrix missed out on this opportunity.

He still chose to play his instrument as a leftie, but he had to flip a right-handed guitar to do it. Notice the pickguard is above the soundhole in pics of Jimi with his guitar. (Okay, we admit the flipped pickguard doesn’t look silly when it’s in this guitar icon’s hands.) Jimi Hendrix went on to write one of the 5 Best Guitar Solos of All Time.

Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney is another leftie who chose to flip the guitar on its head and restring it.

George Harrison may be the official lead guitarist of the Beatles. However, Paul certainly had some shining riffs and solos of his own. Some even argue that Paul is the better guitarist of the two. Whether you are Team George or Team Paul, it is undeniable that Paul McCartney is a gifted left-handed musician.

David Bowie 

Although David Bowie was a leftie, he learned to play the guitar as a rightie.

Left-handed guitars were few and far between, so he decided to take the mainstream route. It doesn’t seem to have slowed down his career any! 

Some lefties find it easier to use the dominant hand to finger chords since it is the naturally stronger hand. Whether you use your dominant hand to fret or strum, practice is what makes perfect in the long run.

Kurt Cobain

Kurt Cobain was a frontman for Nirvana and the face of 90s grunge rock.

He wrote and played drums right-handed, but when it came to guitar, he played as a lefty. Was he right-handed, left-handed, or ambidextrous? With Kurt Cobain, no one knows for sure. Cobain unsuccessfully for the perfect left-handed guitar and flipped several right-handed models. When he got into the spotlight, Fender designed a left-handed guitar just for him. That’s just one of the perks of being famous—and left-handed.

How to hold left-handed guitars.

The proper guitar position is a critical part of guitar playing, whether right-handed or left-handed.

The right hand’s job on left-handed guitars

As a beginner, it’s best to start sitting down with the guitar. Remember to keep your back straight and your feet on the floor. You can also raise one foot slightly to balance the guitar. 

With a left-handed guitar, your right hand plays the frets. You don’t want to bend your wrist. Instead, keep the wrist straight and curve your fingers. Place your digit behind the fret bar to finger a chord. This finger position gives you the clearest sound. Play in the middle or on top of the fret can give you unwanted string buzz. Keep the thumb of your right hand upright and rest it on the back of the guitar neck for support. 

The left hand’s job on left-handed guitars

On a left-handed guitar, the left-hand strums or picks the strings. First, get a comfortable grip on the pick. You should hold it between the first knuckle of your pointer and thumb. Keep your wrist straight and strum using your entire forearm. Generally, you want to land your strokes between the soundhole and bridge. However, you can experiment with different strums for unique sounds. 

Check out How to Hold a Guitar Properly for more techniques on holding your guitar correctly. Just substitute the terms right and left with dominant and non-dominant to play a left-handed guitar.

The five best left-handed guitars on the market.

If you feel more comfortable strumming with your left hand and fretting with your right, a left-handed guitar may be for you. Here are some of our favorite options on the market for lefties:

1. Best for beginners: Lyx Pro Left Hand 39-Inch Electric Guitar Starter Kit

This small-scale Lyx Pro electric guitar is perfect for beginning guitarists ten years old and up. The starter pack includes all the necessary equipment for a budding rockstar to begin his musical journey. The 39-inch guitar has a beautiful Canadian Maple top and rosewood fretboard. Its classic SSS pickup and 20-watt amplifier produce a satisfying sound for practicing at home. A headphone jack allows students to practice with a favorite song or a backup track. Extra amenities include a clip-on digital tuner, replacement strings, and an instruction booklet. 

The Lyx Pro left-handed electric guitar is an affordable option for a beginning guitarist. This complete kit can make dreams become a reality.

2. Best budget acoustic model: Fender CC-60S Left Hand Concert Acoustic Guitar

This concert Fender guitar is comfortable to hold and easy to play. Beginning guitarists can learn the fretboard and strum patterns as they play this small-scale concert guitar. 

The classic dreadnought body with its spruce top is perfect for either strumming or fingerpicking. It gives off a rich sound without an amp. 

This left-hand concert-size acoustic is an inexpensive model compared to many other left-handed guitars. However, the quality of the build and sound is everything you expect from the Fender brand.

3. Best mid-range electric guitar: Ibanez GRX 6 String Solid-Body

The Ibanez brand builds a quality guitar that musicians love. However, they make models to fit into a variety of budgets. This mid-range Ibanez electric guitar looks snazzy on stage with its iridescent blue poplar guitar body. The New Zealand Pine fingerboard and white dot inlays give this guitar great aesthetic appeal. And the sound doesn’t disappoint. The infinity R humbucker pickups create a warm, high-output sound. You can also try out the 5-way selector switch and T106 tremolo to add a unique touch to your pieces. The great looks and sound quality of the Ibanez guitar make it a perfect choice for beginning or advanced leftie guitarists. 

4. Best for performing: Candy Apple Red Fender Newporter 

The Fender Newporter acoustic guitar has a sound you can take to the stage. The glossy solid spruce top with cream accents provides visual appeal. This lightweight instrument also packs in the sound with superior sound resonance and sustain. You can also plug in this instrument for added volume. However, the natural acoustic tones still shine through. You can play solo riffs with this instrument. Or, use it to back up a lead vocalist. Whether you go solo or join a band, this high-performing, unconventional instrument is ready to bring a sound that doesn’t disappoint. 

5. Best luxury model: Fender Kurt Cobain Jaguar 

This mid-century style guitar is a carbon copy of the Fender 1965 Jaguar that Kurt Cobain played at the forefront of the band Nirvana. This luxury electric guitar has a solid alder body, metal accents, and pearlescent fret markers. Not only is it a gorgeous instrument, but it also includes a super distortion bridge pickup and a three-position toggle switch. Some extra perks are its hardshell case and an exclusive Fender book on Kurt Cobain. The Fender Kurt Cobain Jaguar is a professional instrument built for legends. 

These are some of our top picks for left-handed electric and acoustic guitars. You can also check out some of our favorite right-handed kids’ guitars for comparison: Kids Guitar: How To Buy A Guitar For Children.

Left-handed guitars for the win.

For a leftie who wants to play the guitar, two roads diverge. You can choose to invest in a left-handed guitar or a right-handed design. 

Whether you play a guitar upside down like Jimi Hendrix, right-handed like David Bowie, or decide on a left-handed guitar like Kurt Cobain, regular practice is key. You can build strength and grow your skills with the Simply Guitar app in as little as five minutes daily. This app takes you from the basics and lays a solid framework for more advanced material. Choose to try it free for two weeks and see if it works for you!

FAQs.

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Playing music in odd time signatures can be challenging–especially if you have no idea what they are or how they work. Luckily, this blog post looks at time signatures and what makes them odd.

You can recognize odd time signatures in songs when they are tough to count or dance to–it’s like they’re skipping a beat. 

Odd time signatures enable artists to harness their imagination’s depths, creating unconventional and unique music. They can be tough to grasp at first. But once you get the hang of them, they’re a piece of cake.  

So let’s take a closer look at odd time signatures, their components, and their impact on music.

What is a time signature?

Time signatures determine the song’s rhythm. 

In sheet music, they appear as two numbers, one on top of the other. For instance, the simplest and most common time signature is 4/4. 

We use them to measure or organize songs by dividing them into smaller sections. This helps musicians with timing and makes the song easier to remember. 

Time signatures consist of two elements, a beat and a measure or ‘bar‘.

Beats & measures

In musical notation, the beat represents a basic unit of time. We organize beats in bars or measures. There are many types of beats, such as half beats, quarter beats, and eighth beats, to name a few.

The time signature’s top number is the number of beats in a bar, and the lower number refers to the type of beat that you’re playing. For instance, 5/8  is five eighth notes per measure. As you can see, songwriters have countless variations to play within musical notation.

So what’s the deal with an odd time signature?

Odd time signatures.

Also known as asymmetric, unusual, complex, or irregular time signatures, a song has an odd time signature when you can’t evenly divide the beats into the bar. For example, they appear in sheet music as 5/4, 11/4, 5/8, and even 23/16.

It’s always nice when things fit perfectly into their framework. However, in the case of music, a particular number of beats can produce intricate and pleasing sounds. 

Odd time signatures are found in all types of music, including pop, electronic, and traditional, and they’re also popular in progressive rock and metal music.

Different types of odd time signatures.

When it comes to odd signatures, you can create almost anything you want. Although, some interesting examples could clarify the beat’s layout.

• 11/4—This signature contains eleven beats that are a quarter note each. We can break the beats down into 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2. You can also switch the beats to look like 1-2-3, 1-2, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, etc.
  
• 5/4—With five beats per measure, this time signature resonates at a frequency of a quarter note each. You can break this signature down into 1-2-3, 1-2, or 1-2, 1-2-3.
  
• 7/8—In this case, the signature has seven beats per measure, eight notes each 12-12-12- 1, or 123-12-12. 

As you can see, you can use time signatures–especially odd ones–in interesting and unique ways. 

How is odd time different from other signatures?

There are many different approaches that you can use regarding time signatures. 

A signature is odd because the number of beats does not fit evenly into a measure. Their distribution must be in unique patterns, creating an unconventional rhythm.

Music has a host of other time signatures, and each offers a distinct rhythm. In a simple or normal time signature, you can divide beats into two equal sections of notes. The most common forms are 4/4, 2/4, and 3/4. 

Compound signatures are similar to their simpler peers; only the beats break down into three equal parts. The introduction to Game of Thrones uses a 6/8 time signature. Some other common forms include 9/8, 12/8, and 3/8. 

Another interesting way to write music–perhaps more peculiar than the odd time signature–is the changing, or polymetric time signatures. Using a changing time signature, you can play with beats and measures, establishing a new rhythm as the song progresses.

Popular songs with an odd time signature.

Part of understanding odd time signatures is identifying their sound. Here’s a list of songs that harness irregular beats to capture their listeners’ attention, love, and praise.

• The Ocean by the timeless rock band Led Zeppelin. The song’s musical time signature operates within a 7/8  framework. 

• MGMT, a famous indie rock band, composed Electric Feel, which uses a 6/4 rhythm.

• Pink Floyd’s hit, Money, with a time signature of 7/4.

• You by Radiohead uses a changing time signature, mixing some simple and odd time signatures! The rhythm changes between 6/8 and 5/8.

Cool stuff right?

The more you practice listening to songs that use odd time signatures, the easier they are to identify, giving you a clearer idea of how they work.

However, like any skill, it takes time and practice. 

Learn how to play the songs you love in various musical time signatures with JoyTunes. Our app Simply Piano guides you through a custom lesson plan that helps you progress one step at a time.

You’ll be playing your favorite songs in no time!

FAQs

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Do you know what an arpeggio is, and why do you need them to play the guitar? In this article, we cover all the essentials of guitar arpeggios.

We know that arpeggios are essential to guitar playing because guitarists waste no time telling us they are.

Many guitar players don’t even touch their songs without warming up with scales and arpeggios. But for beginners, guitar arpeggios can be more complicated than strumming along to actual songs. 

So, where do you start? Is there an easier way to play arpeggios than hunting down each note across the fretboard?

The key is to learn arpeggios methodically and increase your skills step-by-step.

Also, you can learn shortcuts to help you simplify the process.

Let’s look at some practical examples to learn how to play arpeggios on the guitar.

What are guitar arpeggios?

An arpeggio takes basic chords and breaks them apart so you can hear each note separately. It’s similar to a broken chord, except broken chords allow notes to overlap in sound. 

For arpeggios, you want to articulate one note without the sound bleeding into the next. This note progression requires finger dexterity on the guitar.

When you play an arpeggio, you strum the three or four notes inside the chord separately instead of strumming the notes together.

After you play each note, you should lift your fretting finger to mute the sound before moving on to the following one. Articulate notes as you play the arpeggios going up or down the fretboard.

Why are guitar arpeggios important?

Many guitarists recommend practicing arpeggios in addition to scales on the guitar. But why are arpeggios so important? 

Improve finger skills on the guitar

Arpeggios break up chord blocks into individual notes.

Your fingers must intentionally fret a note without string buzz. Then your finger should stop the note before moving on. 

When you play each fret separately, intentionally position your finger against the fret to get a clear sound with no fret buzz.  Then, each finger knows its part when you put the notes back together in a block chord. Arpeggios can help you become familiar with chord shapes and note articulation.

Add depth to guitar songs

Arpeggios also allow you to highlight the harmony in a piece and improvise.

Take a blocked chord and replace it with an arpeggio to play over the melody line. You can add rhythm and movement to a song or guitar solo. 

While arpeggios can be a great way to improve finger dexterity, they can also add depth to a piece. Especially in jazz or blues guitar rhythms, arpeggios are invaluable.

Playing through arpeggios is especially useful for guitar beginners trying to land chords and add interest to songs. 

The differences between guitar arpeggios & scales.

You often hear how important it is to practice scales and arpeggios, but are those the same thing? While scales and arpeggios are similar in some aspects, they have different purposes. 

A regular scale hits every note available in a key signature. In Western music, the scale uses whole and half steps. However, arpeggios can include different intervals. 

Use a scale that matches your key signature as you improvise guitar riffs. Or, you can play an arpeggio in the harmony line instead of strumming a blocked chord. 

Practicing scales and arpeggios can help you become familiar with the notes and chord shapes in different key signatures. To learn more about guitar scales, check out: How to Play the Major Scale on Guitar for Beginners. 

Learning scales and arpeggios can help you learn your way around the fretboard until you know it like the back of your hand.

Triads and arpeggios.

Chords have at least two notes but can have five or more. You can choose to arpeggiate any chord on the guitar. However, the most common arpeggios in guitar music are major and minor triads. 

A triad contains only three notes. And you can build one on the guitar by using intervals of thirds. 

To form an arpeggiated major triad, start with the root note of the key. Then add the third and fifth tones. Make a minor triad by simply lowering the third tone a half step. 

In addition to major and minor arpeggios, you can also have augmented, diminished, and suspended triads. 

Read up on other common chords in Guitar Chords for Beginners: Ultimate Guide.

Examples of guitar arpeggios on the fretboard.

Once you know what arpeggios are, you need to know how to apply your knowledge to the fretboard. So, what are some practical ways to play arpeggios on the fretboard?

Pick a key signature

To play arpeggios on the guitar, first, pick a key. You can start with the G key since this is one of the simplest keys in standard tuning. Then, run through the G scale from low G to high G and back down.

Play a chord in the key’s root position

Find a chord on the guitar in the same key signature as your scale. Since triads are common chords, you can use the root, third, and perfect fifth. In the key of G, you can play a triad using the notes G, B, and D. Now, arpeggiate the chord using those same three notes.

Try a two-octave arpeggio

Once you play the basic G arpeggio scale, add in another octave. Take the two-octave arpeggio up and then back down several times. Two-octave arpeggios force your fingers to find the same G, B, and D notes in different places on the fretboard. 

Play the arpeggio diagonally

Playing the two-octave arpeggio keeps the pattern in a vertical position. However, you can expand the arpeggio by playing it diagonally. You can use a metronome to play up and down the fretboard. Start slowly. Then, as you become more confident in your finger positions, you can speed up the pace.

Try different strum patterns

When you master your arpeggios, you can play them using different techniques and strum patterns. 

Try out techniques such as:

• Alternate picking– Pick strings using an up-and-down motion.
• Hammer-ons–Play one note and “hammer” a second note on the vibrating string using your finger.
• Finger rolling–Roll your finger from one string to the next to play successive notes.

You can kill two birds with one stone when you try new fingering techniques as you play arpeggio patterns.

Guitar arpeggios shapes.

Focusing on playing each note in an arpeggio can be overwhelming. That’s a lot of different finger positions to learn! To simplify the process, zoom out to look at the big picture. Paying attention to the shape of the chord blocks can help you fret the right notes. 

The CAGED system makes it easy for many beginning guitarists to find the correct chord positions on the fretboard. CAGED focuses on five basic chord shapes. These include C, A, G, D, and E. This memorization tool is a shortcut to help you play arpeggios like a pro without diving into complicated guitar theory. 

Most arpeggios use each of the five CAGED shapes. However, the diminished 7th arpeggio has only one shape. 

Minor arpeggio shapes

Major arpeggios tend to sound upbeat and happy and are slightly more common than their minor counterparts. However, you also run into many minor guitar songs, so it is necessary to know both major and minor arpeggio scales.

Minor arpeggios usually sound poignant, dark, suspenseful, or mysterious. 

Once you know the major open-string arpeggio shapes, it is easy to play the minor arpeggio shapes with a few adjustments. The basic chord shapes are the same. Keep the root note and the perfect fifth. Then, lower the 3rd interval for each major arpeggio a half step to make it minor. 

To practice, each of these arpeggio shapes starts on the root note of a chord. Then play the arpeggio notes up and down the frets until you land on the root note again. 

Guitar arpeggios all day.

Once you learn basic guitar scales and chords, you are ready to tackle arpeggios on the guitar. At first, arpeggios can seem complicated to play. However, they become easier when you stop focusing on each note and start memorizing them in CAGED shapes. When you master scales and arpeggios, you can start playing the guitar like a pro.

Learn more about the basic skills you need to play the guitar using the Simply Guitar app. With this structured program, you can learn guitar theory fun and easy.

FAQs.

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