Guitar Chord In Window System

The best way for a beginner to learn his chords is through a system of diagram known as 'Windows'. (The origin of this name will soon become obvious.) The window system is based on a pictorial representation of the guitar fingerboard as shown in figure.
The vertical lines represent the strings of the guitar, 6th, 5th, 4th and so on, reading from left to right. I have shown the top horizontal line as a double one, to indicate that it represents the nut, that is the point which divides the vibrating section of the strings from the part which goes on the tuning head. As you will see from the diagram of the guitar fingerboard on the opposite page, the frets are numbered downwards, 1st,2nd,3rd and so on. To show a chord in the window system it is merely necessary to add it's fingering to the basic diagram. Thus the first of our principal chords G is as shown below.

-CHORD WINDOW NO FINGERING

The circle on the 1st string shows the position at which the string should be pressed. The number inside the circle indicates that the third finger of the left hand should be used for this purpose, no other. It is important at this stage that you should use precisely the left-hand fingering indicated. To keep things as simple as possible I have given you only the four-string chord of G. Later on, when you learn the additional left-hand fingering that makes this chord into a six-string one, you may encounter unnecessary difficulty if you get into the habit of using the wrong fingers now.
-Chord Window G

What You, Guitarist Should Know ?

Now that you have the guitar, the very first thing to learn is how to tune it. This may sound crashingly obvious, but I have met students who have been messing about with the instrument on their own for months and are still totally incapable of tuning it. I even had the bloke, who when I complained of his lack of tuning, said: 'But I paid twenty quid for this guitar, and they said it was in tune when I brought it!' and he wasn't kidding.

A plectrum guitar should hold its basic tuning pretty well, once its strings have had time to settle down. But even so, the tuning should be checked at least each time you pick it up to play. During a playing session an experienced guitarist checks his tuning constantly and adjusts as necessary. In solo playing, the fact that a string is out of tune shows itself immediately to the ear when playing a passage across the strings. In chord playing, an out of tune string will make the chord sound wrong, and two out of tune strings will give a total effect something like musical toothache.

One method of tuning is to use a piano. The illustration below shows you where to find the notes you need for this.

It is helpful when tuning to a piano to place your foot on the right-hand pedal. This will cause the piano note to sustain and make it easier to compare the corresponding note on your guitar. Begin by finding the E above Middle C then pick your 1st string. Remember, the 1st string is the thinnest one on the instrument, and the 6th is the thickest. I stress this point, because students often find the numbering of the strings confusing in the first stage.

Well, how is your 1st string? Chances are it's out of tune. If you're starting from scratch with a new set of strings, or a guitar that hasn't been tuned in years, then it will be way out. To make matters worse, it is likely that you will have difficulty in comparing the pitch of the piano note with that of the guitar. The reason for this lies in the different tones of the instrument, coupled with the fact that at this stage your ear is not accustomed to such exacting tasks.

Don't worry too much if you're a bit of a 'tin ear' at the outset. I have known students who held up the class for long enough during the initial tuning sessions, winding away grim faced at their creaking machine heads. Tuning was about as simple to them as boarding moving bus with a parcel under each arm and they usually ended up sharp or flat, leaving the final adjustment to me. And yet, later on, some of these same students have become exceptional players, with great left-hand agility and tuning, as their ears have developed, presents no difficulty at all.

Guitar Action And Tuning

Assuming that the guitar you are trying is tuned to concert pitch and this is essential, because only at this pitch will the strings possess the correct tension now is the time to check on Action and Tuning. Find the 21th fret by counting upwards along the neck on the 1st string. Unless the guitar you are trying is a Spanish guitar there should be a position dot, or dots at this fret to guide you. When you have found it, press the 1st string down onto the fingerboard just behind the fret and hit the string with your Right thumb or plectrum.

Then take your Left hand finger off and play the open string. The two notes should form a perfect Octave. If they don't, either the bridge of the instrument is our position, or the Action is too high.

Action is the word used in describing the amount of forced needed to press the strings down behind the frets. Thus we speak of a high or a low Action, according to the height of the strings above the fingerboard. It will be obvious to you that the higher they are initially, the more effort is needed to press them down firmly behind the frets.

Generally speaking the strings should not be more than a quarter of an inch away from the fingerboard at the 12th fret, and they are in some cases quite a bit nearer than that. Just how near they can be is a complicated formula referring to bridge height, neck pitch and fingerboard straightness understood only by alchemists like my guitarrero friends James and Michael. As a mere player I take these mysteries on trust and leave them to the experts.

At the beginning your fingertips are sure to be soft, and when they start to get sore (as they will!) yo're going to think that a quarter of an inch Action at the 12th fret is pretty high. The only certain consolation I can offer here is that the soreness will wear off in time, if you keep on playing, because your finger ends will grow their own protective coating. I stress the phrase keep on playing because at one stage I didn't touch a guitar for over a years, and when I came back to it I found that although I hadn't quite forgotten how to play, I had to go through the uncomfortable business of thoughening up my finger ends all over again.

Your Guitar Tone

Don't buy a guitar solely on its appearance. You may be temped by some beautiful looking instrument only to find that it makes a sound like a leaky bucket. Sound is what you are looking for.

Your guitar should have a round, full tone in the bass and a singing, sustained sound on the top strings. Some guitars, because of bad construction, will sound flat and woody, with a muffled tone even on the open strings. Others will be over balanced on the bass side, with nothing in the treble but a tinny tinkle.

Draw your plectrum or the fleshy part of your thumb across the strings mid-way between the bridge and the end of the fingerboard. Does the sound ring on for some time after the stroke, or does it die almost immediately? If it fades too quickly try another, try another in any case, because it will give you some basis for comparison.

The chances are that the guitar will be out of tune, so ask the dealer to put it in tune for you before trying it. If he doesn't know how, he hasn't any business selling guitars. After all, would you buy a car from a salesman who didn't know how to drive?

If you try several instruments you will find a surprising difference in their tonal quality and sustaining power. And these differences may not always bear any apparent relationship to price. Sometimes, because of the strange vagaries of the guitar maker's craft, which is more of an art than a science, a cheap guitar may have a better tone than a more expensive one.

I stress the matter of the tone particularly because it is of prime importance, but you must also remember that tone is some extent a subjective matter and people have different opinions. What you should be looking for is a sound that pleases you, personally.

Within the obvious limitations of your pocket your instrument should give you the best possible value for you money. But the way, if you have a friend who is already a player, do your best to persuade him to go along with you and help in this testing. For one thing, he will already be aware of many of the points raised here, and for another you will be able to listen to him playing the guitars and get a truer impression of their qualities.