Guitar Technique Lessons

Here is a collection of all the technique lessons we’ve covered on this site so far. Use the menu on the left to find the technique that you’re looking to improve (I’ve divided them up by difficulty, to make this easier).

How do you know when you’re beyond the stage of “beginner guitarist” and have moved on to become an “intermediate guitarist”? If only there was some kind of guitar techniques list that you could tick off to keep track of your progress…

Well, the good news is that now you’ve found this page, which is exactly what this is- a guitar techniques list that you should have mastered before you can start to consider yourself an “intermediate” player. Obviously these things will vary from person to person, but it should be good enough as a rough guide.

1. Strumming

   The first thing that you should attempt to master on the guitar. Every guitarist should be able to at least strum some basic chords!

2. Fretting

   This is the other “first thing” you should get good at- fretting. There is actually more to this that just “placing your fingers on the strings”! You have to make sure that you’re as close as you can get to the fretwire without being directly on top of it. Also, you need to apply the right pressure- too much and your note will end up sharp (too high in pitch), and not enough pressure will lead to “fretbuzz”.

   To fret properly requires having good posture and hand position.

3. Alternate Picking

   Sometimes spelt “alt. picking” and confused by some as “alternative picking”, alternate picking is a technique where you play single notes with alternating down and upstrokes with the pick. Its a way to play twice as fast with the same number of movements- because when you’re playing will all downstrokes, you’re coming up past the string in between anyway…

   I suggest you either get alternate picking down (try this picking lesson), or fingerpicking…there’s no need to learn both as a beginner (although you’ll be much better off if you do…).

   A true master of this technique is the shred guitarist Paul Gilbert.

4. Fingerpicking

   A very similar technique to “pick picking” (for want of a better term…), but using your fingers…which makes it entirely different. The advantages of this technique include: a softer tone, more control over dynamics (loudness or softness), its much easier to play some chords (especially if you need to miss a string for a voicing)…and you’re not likely to misplace your fingers as you might do with a pick!

   The disadvantage is, of course, this isn’t a great technique for strumming a steel sting guitar…or any guitar really…

   Good examples of this technique being used can be found in tracks by Dire Straits, and Newton Faulkner.

5. Hammer-ons

   Haha! Now we’re getting to some more difficult stuff. A hammer on is basically where you “hammer” your finger on to a string to get it vibrating, rather than plucking it. For example, hammering your first finger (fretting hand) down on to the 5th fret of the g string to produce a C note. You should be able to create the note using only your fretting hand.

   It can be pretty difficult at first, before you’ve built up finger strength!

6. Pull-offs

   The opposite of a “hammer-on”, where you’re literally pulling your finger off the string to sound it. Thing of it as “plucking” the string with your fretting hand. Combinations of hammer-ons and pull-offs sound very fluid and create a sound called “legato” in music.

7. String Bending

   Literally: bending the string until it reaches a certain pitch. The strings are normally straight, but if you grab one and bend it, you increase the tension in the string and produce a higher pitched note. Its used a lot in blues and rock soloing (just make sure you’re not accidentally doing it when fretting chords!).

8. Palm Muting

   This was originally invented to control the volume of the guitar when playing with a singer, and its an absolute must if you’re into anything from 50’s Rock’n’Roll, to 21st century metal!

   Basically, you’re placing the side of your picking hand on the strings just by the bridge. This creates a very “tight” and “punchy” sound when used with distortion- as you’ve probably heard in many rock songs. You can also use it with a clean guitar to get a staccato effect.

9. Fret Hand Muting

   Similar idea to palm muting, only its with the other hand. Instead of fretting a note, just place your finger on the string to stop it vibrating. This technique is used a lot in funk and reggae styles to get that “chunka-chunka” sound (or, if you like, its the sound at the beginning of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Chile”).

   You’ll also want to use both of these muting techniques to avoid unwanted string noise when you’re playing.

10. Slides

    I’m not too sure why this wasn’t earlier on the list, but its here now. Sliding is when you play a note, and then slide your finger along the string until that note becomes another note. You can slide up (towards the body) or down (towards the head) and you should always have a target note in mind otherwise it’ll sound a bit pants…

    Also, the trick here is to keep the note ringing as you’re sliding (which means keeping it help down). If your strings are too old, though, this technique will be almost impossible from the friction (rusty strings on skin!).

So, I hope there’s enough there to keep you busy! If you’ve got all of these techniques off to a tee, its time you started looking at more advanced guitar techniques!