GUITAR TIPS

Photo credit: glowroad.com

THIS segment will be devoted entirely for would-be guitar players. Guitar tips for beginners.      

Nung naimbento yang karaoke...tinamad nang maggitara ang tao. Eh bakit pa nga ba mag-aaral matutong maggitara kung meron nang accompaniment pag gusto mong kumanta? Kumpleto pa. I say now's the time to bring back our interest in guitars. Dapat di nawawala ito. Iba yung may alam tayo. Talent should be honed. Sabi nga, great things start with small beginnings.  

I strongly suggest excited parents not to buy the most expensive guitar for your child this early. Baka kasi wala naman palang hilig yung bata sa gitara. Ikaw lang pala ang may gustong maggitara. You might just want your child to live your dreams or fulfill your frustrations. Baka iba ang hilig niya...masayang lang ang pera.    

  

As a practice instrument, a non-expensive guitar will do. Pag napapansin niyong mabilis siyang matutong tumugtog at may kusa siyang mag-practice on his own, that's the time na kailangan niyo na siyang ibili ng maganda at maayos na gitara. Isama na natin yung hard case (para maalagaan at magtagal ito) kung pasok pa sa budget. A hard case is good protection for your guitar against scratches, bumps and humidity.

When buying your child’s first legit guitar, try strumming it first. Does it sound muffled? Yun bang pigil o bamban ang tunog. Do not buy one that produces this sound. Is the sound produced by the strings reason enough for you to buy it? It should be pleasing to the ears. Yung may "brillo," sabi nga ni Sir Ryan Cayabyab. Don't be attracted by its overall appearance. Don't be lured into buying a beautiful guitar that sounds awful. Sayang lang. Is there enough space between the strings and the fretboard for easier playing? Meron kasing malayo ang strings sa fretboard. Mahirap yon tipahin. Try pressing the strings all at once on the fretboard by just using your pointing finger. Pag hirap ka, huwag mo yang bilhin. There will be tension just by trying to play a simple chord. Malakas o mahina ba ang tunog? Dapat piliin natin yung malakas.    

Photo credit: fender.com

Kung type ng iyong anak ay electric guitar at magbabanda siya...go ahead. You will, of course need an amplifier for this. Buy him/her one also. Kahit yung maliit lang na madaling buhatin anywhere. Kung acoustic guitar naman na me cable at pwedeng parang electric ang trip nya, pwede rin. You also need an amp for this.  If it’s a classical guitar he/she wants, go for it!  Afterall,  isn’t it better that your child is showing interest in music other than stuff that would bring about loads of problems in the long run? Behind every great talent is a supportive family.  

Locally, there are many reputable music stores selling a whole gamut of musical instruments -- parts and accessories included. Andyan yung JB Salonga music stores na high quality pa rin ang mga merchandise -- dito ako bumibili ng guitar strings noon hanggang ngayon. There’s Perfect Pitch, a subsidiary owned by G.A. Yupangco & Co. who is also the official carrier of three world-renowned brands: Yamaha - the world’s largest manufacturer of pianos and keyboards; Roland – top global producer of electronic instruments, including drums and synthesizers; and Fender – world’s largest guitar manufacturer (also known for its amplifiers). They also carry other brands like Godin & Seagull, Washburn, Zmaitis, Sabian, Markbass, Gator, and Line 6. This isn’t surprising considering that the Yupangcos pioneered music business in the Philippines having opened its first music store in 1967. Perfect Pitch caters mostly to bands though.

For those who value the quality of fine Filipino craftsmanship at an affordable price, RJ Guitars are the obvious choice. Today, there are 24 RJ Guitar Center branches and over 100 distributors of RJ Guitars across the Philippines and around the world. Check them out.

Kung trip mong matutong magmaneho eh di mag-practice ka. Practice makes perfect. Kung gusto mong matutong magluto, then make the kitchen your workspace. Kung gitara naman ang hilig mo, mabilis ka ring matututo pag palagi kang nagpa-practice. Basta andun yung drive at desire mong matuto...walang imposible. Pwera na lang siguro kung katulad ka nung kapatid kong walang rhythm sa katawan. Bale kasi 5 beats niya binibilang yung dapat eh apat lang. Pero sa ibang field naman siya nag-i-excel na di ko kayang gawin. We all have strengths and weaknesses. We all have talents and skills that are only honed if we practice hard enough.

Marami na ngang paraan para matuto agad maggitara. There are many tutorials in YouTube catering to guitar enthusiasts of all levels -- from beginner to advance to professional. Remember to also choose the easiest possible song/piece for your first lesson. 'Wag yung madaming chord changes agad at baka mahilo at umatras kang bigla.

Mga chord pattern lang: G-C- o di kaya E-A-D-. Mga ganyang simpleng chords dapat muna. Don’t do the F chord wherein all the four fingers are used to sound off -- mahirap patunugin ng ganoon ang strings pag nag-uumpisa ka. May ngawit o ngalay factor din. We’ll go into further chord instructionals (and secret techniques in my next blogs).

GA-1 Guitar/Bass Tuner   (Photo credit: korg.com)

Tungkol naman sa tuning...may battery-operated tuner na nabibili sa market. Korg is one of the best money can buy. Noon kasi eh we tune the guitar by ear lang -- gamit ang tuning fork (pag wala nito eh pwede rin yung pitch pipe) which produces a sound when you strike it against a surface then you bring the end with the round part close to your ear.  “A” or “la” ang note na maririnig mo. Dito mo isusunod ang "A" bass string mo sa gitara. Dapat kasi standard ang tuning natin. If you have a piano you can access, there's no need to buy a tuning fork (which is way cheaper than the electronic tuner).     

You’ve got to love your guitar as if it were your buddy or best friend. And believe me, it’s gonna love you in return. You’ve got to care for it so well that before and after use, you wipe its body and strings with a clean dry flannel cloth to remove dust and to avoid rust. While scratches cannot be avoided as part of wear and tear (dahil nga laging ginagamit), try very hard to protect your guitar from bumps because a heavy one can crack its body. Make sure your hands are clean! Your buddy will surely enjoy being handled by clean hands. No to sticky fingers!!!

Make it a habit to always play your guitar whenever time permits. Your willingness and drive to learn are the key factors in mastering your guitar and guitar-playing.