Welcome to Dansm's Guitar Techniques! My name is Dan Smith, I'm a first-year
grad student at Harvard,
and I've been playing guitar for 5 years. The main purpose of this page is to
instruct beginners on the basic techniques required to play the guitar,
like strumming, hammer-ons, slides, and bends. I have received many e-mails
on this subject so I hope the page is helpful. If you are having problems with
these techniques, please consult a guitar teacher because he will be able
to help you more than I can. Also, you may want to check out my
beginner's page, because it will give
you some more information on playing. Good luck, have fun, and keep playin!
Tuning Your Guitar
if you aren't in tune, you won't sound good
Beginner's Guide to Chords
chords are the basis of guitar, and this
page will tell you how to form them
Strumming Patterns
if you are having trouble coming up with
an appropriate strumming pattern, this page should help!
The Slide
the slide is one of the most basic techniques
in guitar
The Hammer-On
a widely used technique in all types of guitar
The Pull-Off
also widely used, this is the
opposite of the hammer-on
The Bend
one of the best techniques available to
guitarists, and one of the most fun
Harmonics
a really cool-sounding technique
which can be used in any application
Vibrato
a way to add interest to held notes in solos
Muting Techniques
a widely used way to expand your sound; this page details
palm nuting and fret-hand muting
Fingerpicking
one of the most versatile techniques available,
especially for acoustic guitar
Dansm's Home Page
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since 8-30-97
© 1998 Daniel E. Smith. Last updated 6-7-99