Many people find themselves inspired to play the guitar after hearing the works of a great guitarist. It’s in that moment that you realise you want to learn how to play that particular sound. If you’ve never played before, there are many types of guitars and guitar playing styles to choose from and so, it can be tough figuring out where to start. There are also specific techniques associated with each style which are explained below.

Rhythm Guitar

Rhythm guitar is often used hand-in-hand with a lead instrument, usually a melody sung by a vocalist. In this style, the left-hand holds a chord shape whilst the right-hand strums with a pick. Guitarists often use a pick but others prefer to use their fingers. The rhythm guitar is seen as the power engine of the band, producing the harmony and a solid foundation underneath the vocals or other leading instruments.

The rhythm guitar may either be an acoustic guitar, a hollow-bodied electric guitar or a solid bodied electric guitar-depending on the type of music being played.

Lead Guitar

The lead guitarist usually plays the important riffs and melody lines, whilst also playing solos in instrumental sections of songs. They also respond to the vocalist or other instruments, such as the sax or keyboards.
The guitar used depends on the type of music being played. For rock, blues, jazz or metal, the lead guitarist usually plays an electric guitar whilst for other styles, such as folk or bluegrass, steel string acoustics are used.

Finger picking

In this style, the guitarist holds a chord shape with their left-hand whilst using the fingernails of their right-hand to pick one or two notes at a time. However, in more advanced finger picking, both hands are coordinated to play bass lines, chords and melodies.

Fingerpicking often accompanies a lead instrument or vocalist.

If you’d like to learn how to play the guitar like a pro in the Guernsey area, then visit the School of Popular Music where we’ll teach everything you need to know!

For more information, contact us today by calling us on 07911 730994 or emailing at [email protected].

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