How to improve your strumming and fingerpicking

/by

Strumming and fingerpicking are crucial elements of playing rhythm guitar. Both are skills that you can make lots of improvement on with simple practices. 

What’s the difference?

Strumming involves hitting multiple strings at the same time to create a rhythmic pattern. You can use your fingers or a pick to strum, and there are multiple patterns you can use to get different sounds, including all downstrokes, all upstrokes, or any combination of up and down. 

 

Example: “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver 

Fingerstyle involves plucking individual strings with your fingers. Fingerstyle playing often incorporates using the thumb for bass notes and the other fingers for higher notes. This gives you the ability to play complex melodies and harmonies. 

Example: “Norwegian Wood” – The Beatles 

Here are some tips to improve your strumming: 

 

Practice your timing 

You can use a metronome to practice staying in rhythm, or play along with the track to make sure your timing is right. If you’re using a metronome, try starting slower and gradually increase your speed. 

 

Make sure your wrist is loose 

 Your strumming wrist should be relaxed, not stiff. Nerves can make your muscles stiffen up. Try limbering up before practice with some stretches. 

 

Grip your pick correctly 

 Hold the pick between your thumb and index finger. Don’t grab it too tight (it can cause your arm muscles to stiffen) and don’t grab it too loosely, because you may drop it. Try out some different pick sizes to see what works best for you. 

 

Count out loud 

You can practice saying the beats out loud for strumming patterns – like “1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &”. This will help you understand where the beats should fall. 

 

Try different strumming patterns 

If you’re feeling stuck with the basic “up and down” patterns, check out these strumming patterns for everyone from The Beatles to Green Day. 

 

Here are some tips to improve your fingerstyle 

 

Mind your hand positioning 

Your strumming hand should be relaxed and placed so that your fingers naturally fall onto the strings. Your thumb (denoted as p) will handle the bass strings (low E, A, and D), while index (i) plucks the G, middle (m) plucks the B, and ring (a) plucks the high E string. It takes some time to develop this muscle memory, but with regular practice you’ll be on your way! 

 

Let your thumb be independent 

 Your thumb should be moving differently than your fingers. While holding a chord, try letting your fingers pluck out the melody while you play a bassline with your thumb. 

 

Use a metronome 

Just like with strumming, a metronome will make sure that your timing is even, and will build up your rhythm skills. 

 

Stay relaxed 

Hand tension will slow you down – especially if your hand cramps up. Try establishing a stretching routine to limber up your hands before you get to practicing. 

 

Try a course 

Let the experts walk you through! Acoustic Fingerstyle 1 and 2 will teach you all of the fundamental techniques and ideas you need to become a great fingerstyle guitar player. 

 

How to read tablature and chord charts

/by

When you’re starting out playing guitar, tablature and chord charts can look like another language. They’re fairly easy to learn and understand – and they’ll make playing guitar so much easier for you.

Chord charts 

In a chord chart, the six vertical lines represent the guitar strings, from low E on the left to high E on the right. 

The horizontal lines represent the frets, starting with the second one from the top (the top of the fretboard is called the nut). 

There will be circles on the fretboard that represent where your fingers go. Sometimes, they will include numbers. Each number corresponds to a finger – 1 for pointer, 2 for middle, 3 for ring, and 4 for pinky. 

At the top of the chart, you’ll see Xs and Os. They don’t stand for “kisses and hugs” – they tell you whether or not to play the strings that are “open” – not fretted. X stands for “don’t play” and O stands for “play”. 

A sidebar on barre chords 

If you see a horizontal line over more than one fret, it represents a barre chord, where you put your pointer finger horizontally across the fret and hold down however many strings are indicated. Sometimes, there will be letters on the right hand of the diagram that says “[number]fr”. This indicates that the barre is played on a certain fret – in this case, the fourth fret, and the circles underneath it are played on the sixth and fifth frets. 

Public domain

Barre chords can be challenging, so don’t worry if it takes you a while to master this skill!

Tablature 

Tablature makes it easy to play solos, riffs, and other song parts without having to understand sheet music. 

Also known as “tabs”, tablature is easy to find for many songs (including in the Fret Zealot app). 

A tab consists of a graph with six horizontal lines, each representing a guitar string. The bottom line represents the low E string and the top represents the high E string. Numbers on each line indicate that the string is played, and the numbers correspond to each fret. A zero means that the string is played open. 

Tabs are read from left to right, and when multiple numbers are stacked on top of each other, that indicates a chord. 

Tablature makes it possible to learn even the most complicated riff simply by reading it.

Tuning tips for guitar beginners

/by

Playing in tune is absolutely critical to sounding good on the guitar. However, learning to tune your instrument is a skill that can take some time to develop. 

Here are some tips for guitar beginners to make sure you get perfect pitch every time. 

 

Pick your tuning device 

There are lots of devices to help you tune your instrument. You can use a keyboard or piano to match the notes, or you can use a device like a clip-on tuner or tuning pedal. The Fret Zealot app comes with a digital built-in tuner, making it the perfect on-the-go option to tune your instrument anywhere. 

 

Tune every time you play 

There are lots of reasons guitars go out of tune – older strings, environmental conditions, or just playing hard. Even if you don’t think you need to, give your guitar a tune each time you pick it up. 

 

Tune the sixth string first 

The sixth string (or low E) has the most tension, and can affect the pitch of other strings when it’s changed due to the increased or decreased tension it puts on the neck. 

 

Tune slowly 

You want to tune each string up incrementally. This will ensure that you get the pitch correct while reducing the risk of string breakage. 

 

Tune in a quiet place 

The tuner can pick up other sounds, so make sure you’re tuning in a quiet place. 

 

Listen 

Even if you’re using a tuner, listen to the pitch of the strings as you loosen or tighten them. This will help you develop your ear. 

 

Repeat

After tuning all the strings, go through them again at least once. Oftentimes you’ll find that certain strings (especially the low E) need to be tuned up again. This is caused by the tightening of the other strings ever so slightly bending your guitar neck, which then loosens the lower strings.

Essential guitar chords for beginners

/by

Just starting out playing guitar?

One of the first things you should master are the essential guitar chords. With just eight chords under your belt, you’ll be able to play many different songs! 

You can use these chord charts to learn – or use the Fret Zealot app to get the chords at your fingertips with colors that coordinate with each finger! 

Blue = pointer

Green = middle

Yellow = Ring finger

Pink = pinky

There are many different variations on how to play each chord – including barre chords. You can focus on these open positions (the easiest ones to play) first. 

To read chord diagrams: 

The far left vertical line represents the low E string, and the far right vertical line represents the high E string. Each vertical line in the middle represents each string from the bottom up. 

An X over a string means not to play that string. The O means leave the string unfretted, but play it. Each dot represents a fret which you should hold down with a finger. Some diagrams include numbers at the bottom of the diagram, which represent which finger should be on which string (1 for index, 2 for middle, etc.) 

Here are some other essential chords:

 

C 

 

D 

E 

G

 

Am

Dm

Em

 

How to build an effective guitar practice routine

/by

Whatever your level of experience with guitar is, practice is crucial to level up your skills, or just to stay in shape. Just like having a fitness routine, having a guitar practice routine is a good habit, and will ensure that your guitar skills stick around. 

Here’s how to build an effective practice routine: 

 

Define your goals 

 Do you want to master the guitar solo for “Thunderstruck”? Are you trying to learn a setlist of songs you can perform at an open mic or gig? Having concrete goals can help give you a reason to practice. 

Try writing down a list of short-term five goals you’d like to achieve in guitar, like playing an entire song fingerstyle or learning how to read tabs, and long term goals, like playing in public and starting a band. Put it somewhere you can see it to help motivate you to practice. 

 

Break it down 

An easy way to make a practice routine feel less daunting is to break it down into small sections. You can set a timer on your phone for each section if you’d like to. 

 

Here’s a sample practice breakdown:

 

Warm-up (five to ten minutes) 

Start with some basic scales or chord changes to warm up your fingers. 

 

Technical Exercises (15-20 minutes):

Play through scales, arpeggios and riffs. You can use a metronome to help with your timing. 

 

Repertoire Practice (15-20 minutes):
Practice learning new songs. If you have an issue with a part of the song, break them into smaller parts and play through them slowly, gradually bringing them back up to speed. 

 

Creative or Improvisation Time (five to ten minutes):
Let your brain be creative and work on riffs or songs of your own. 

 

Review (five minutes): 

Review what you’ve practiced and make a note of what you’d like to improve on or try next time. 

 

Tips: 

 

Be consistent 

Even if you only have 20 to 30 minutes a day for practice, it can really add up. Check out these methods of making time to practice. 

 

Work on what needs improvement

Overcoming a challenging portion of a song or finally nailing that tough riff will give you confidence in your guitar ability. 

 

Incorporate Fret Zealot courses

Fret Zealot has hundreds of guitar courses – everything from song lessons, to strumming patterns, to player studies. Learning something new is a great way to practice. 

 

Record yourself 

You can use the record app on your phone to record your session and hear how you’re sounding. Hearing improvement in your playing is the best feeling! 

 

Keep it fun 

Learn what you’re interested in playing, whether it’s classical pieces or the latest trending song on TikTok. 

Learn these songs on guitar to take you to a warmer place

/by

Learn these songs on guitar to take you to a warmer place 

It’s February, you probably haven’t seen the sun in months, and it’s still cold out. What do you do?

Learn these warm-weather inspired songs to transport you to a warmer place – at least until spring shows up! 

 

Havana

This salsa-inspired 2017 hit will transport you to its Cuban city namesake – at least mentally. 

 

Island in the Sun

This 2001 hit from Weezer is like a 3:20 long trip to sunny Southern California. 

 

Hotel California

You may not be able to leave the mythical hotel this Eagles’ track is about, but at least you won’t need a parka. 

 

 

Californication 

“Californication” is the title track of the RHCP’s 1999 album. Its lyrics are full of SoCal imagery. 

 

Santeria

“Santeria” is also full of SoCal imagery, and will take you to Long Beach wherever you play it! 

 

 

Top songs for Galentine’s Day to learn on guitar with Fret Zealot

/by

Are you celebrating Galentine’s Day this year? If your girl gang is into making music, check out these songs made for jamming out to – that you can learn with Fret Zealot. 

 

“Dancing Queen” – ABBA

 

“What’s Up?” – 4 Non Blondes

 

“Love Story” – Taylor Swift

 

“Time After Time” – Cyndi Lauper

 

“These Boots Are Made For Walking” – Nancy Sinatra

 

“Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” – Shania Twain

 

“Juice” – Lizzo

 

“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” – Kelly Clarkson

Learn these AC/DC songs with Fret Zealot

/by

Australian rock band AC/DC formed in Sydney in 1973 by Scottish-born brothers Malcolm and Angus Young, as well as Colin Burgess (drums), Larry Van Kriedt (bass guitar) and Dave Evans (lead vocals). The band went through several line-up changes before releasing their debut album, High Voltage (1975). After the release of Let There Be Rock (1977), the lineup was set with the Young brothers, Phil Rudd on drums, Cliff Williams on bass guitar and Bon Scott on lead vocals. Scott died of alcohol poisoning only seven months after the release of Highway to Hell in 1979. The band tapped English singer Brian Johnson as their new frontman for 1980’s Back in Black – dedicated to Scott’s memory, and the second best-selling record of all time!

Check out these AC/DC songs you can learn with Fret Zealot. 

 

You Shook Me All Night Long

You don’t have to be a guitar pro to master “You Shook Me All Night Long” – the main verse and riff follow a simple G-C-D chord progression.

 

Highway to Hell

“Highway to Hell” is about the exhausting nature of constant touring, which Angus Young referred to as the “Highway to Hell”. Australia’s Canning Highway also was part of the song’s namesake.

 

Hell Ain’t a Bad Place to Be

This song was included on AC/DC’s fourth album, 1977’s Let There Be Rock. “Hell Ain’t A Bad Place to Be” also shares its name with a 2012 biography of the band.

 

Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

This song contains a commonly misunderstood line – often heard as “Dirty deeds and the thunder chief” (the correct lyrics are in the title!)

 

Thunderstruck

One of AC/DC’s most recognizable songs gets its name from a childhood toy of the Young brothers. In the liner notes of The Razor’s Edge 2003 re-release, Young said that they were searching for a name for the song when they came up with the “thunder” motif, based on their childhood toy Thunderstreak. “It seemed to have a good ring to it. AC/DC = Power. That’s the basic idea,” he wrote.

 

Back in Black

With an unmistakable opening riff, “Back in Black” was written in honor of AC/DC’s former singer Bon Scott who died in 1980.

 

Hells Bells

This song begins with the tolling of a bell – an actual, 2,000 lb. bronze bell made by John Taylor & Co. Bellfounders in England. The bell sound was recorded in a mobile studio inside of the bell foundry after the tracking sessions for “Back in Black” were complete.

 

All Screwed Up

“All Screwed Up” was featured on AC/DC’s 2000 album Stiff Upper Lip. This album was the last one produced by Malcolm and Angus Young’s older brother George Young, who died in 2017.

 

Whole Lotta Rosie

One of AC/DC’s most popular songs, “Whole Lotta Rosie’ started off as another song entirely. The main riff was featured on an earlier recording called “Dirty Eyes”, which had a different chorus chord progression and a slower tempo. It was recorded in 1976 for an EP that got scrapped and later recrafted into “Whole Lotta Rosie”. 

 

For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)

You might not associate AC/DC with classical literature, but Angus Young said that one of the inspirations for the lyrics of this 1981 track was gleaned from a story by poet and novelist Robert Graves. Young explained that the story was about gladiators in Ancient Rome preparing to fight in the Coliseum, who used the salute “Ave, Caesar, morituri te salutant” (“Hail Caesar, those who are about to die salute you”).

 

The Jack

“The Jack” (Australian slang for a venereal disease) was created when Malcolm Young, jamming out with Bon Scott, received a note from a woman who said she contracted it from Malcolm. Bon Scott began teasing Young with a blues riff with the phrase – and “The Jack” was born.  

 

Beating Around the Bush

Did you know that “Beatin’ Around the Bush” off of AC/DC’s 1979 album Highway to Hell is a cover? The song was originally recorded by Australian blues, rock and R&B band Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons. It was released in July 1976 and was featured on the soundtrack to the 1976 film Oz. 

 

Five signs that it’s time to change your guitar strings 

/by

Be honest – what’s the last time you changed the strings on your guitar? String mileage varies – some guitar players change them religiously every month, while others allow their strings to get “seasoned” a bit more. Whatever your preference is, here are five signs that it’s definitely time to change your strings:  

 

They look bad 

Strings that need to be changed may look dull, tarnished, or pitted. They might also look or feel dirty. 

 

They don’t sound as good as they should 

Strings may start to buzz or rattle near the end of their lifetime, and their tone might sound dull or flat. 

 

It hurts to play 

Old strings don’t bend as easily as fresh ones, so you might find yourself exerting extra strength to play. 

 

They won’t stay in tune 

If you find yourself reaching for a tuner more frequently than usual, it might be time to change your strings. Bear in mind that new strings may take a few days to stretch, so aim to do it a couple of days before any performances if possible. 

 

You have a broken string 

Breaks are a sign that it’s time for new strings – so if you have time, restring the entire guitar. 

Top songs you can learn with Fret Zealot to add to your setlist

/by

Is your setlist feeling a little stale? Freshen it up with these songs – that you can learn with Fret Zealot! 

 

Moves Like Jagger

A high-energy, crowd-pleasing 2010 hit from pop band Maroon 5, “Moves Like Jagger” will get your audience moving. 

 

Sultans Of Swing

With an instantly-recognizable riff, this 1978 Dire Straits hit should strike it out of the park with any crowd. 

 

What’s Up 

With only three chords and a simple strum pattern, this 1993z song by 4 Non Blondes should be a quick learn – but it’s guaranteed to get the crowd singing along. 

 

Fluorescent Adolescent

English band The Arctic Monkeys are one of the most successful rock bands of the past few decades. Try this upbeat 2007 song in your setlist! 

 

Radioactive 

This well-known 2012 arena rock hit by Imagine Dragons is a great pick to shake up your setlist!