Guitar Terminology You Need to Know

If you are thinking about taking guitar lessons or even teaching yourself how to play, before you pick up a guitar up it is important to learn the terminology. There are a lot of terms that are important to not only learning about the guitar itself but learning how to play. For example, if you do not know what the head of the guitar is you are already going to have problems. So, before you get ready to play, take a few minutes and look over the terminology so that you can get started the right way.

A guitar is constructed with various parts that need to work in complete harmony to produce the sounds that you want the guitar to make. The head of the guitar is one of the major parts of the guitar. It is where all the tuning machines are located and can be found at the very top of the guitar. Then you have the neck of the guitar. This provides the support of the guitar by taking the impact of the entire pull of the strings that are being played. It also is what allows you to hold the guitar itself.

The fingerboard is also a major part of the guitar. Sometimes called a fretboard, it is the long strip of wood that is laminated to the neck of the guitar. The frets are set into it and can allow the stopping of a string for a certain sound. The frets themselves are nothing more than rows of thin metal strips. The fret works as a contact point and sets the length of the vibrating sounds that come from the strings.

Next you have the bridge which is located on the body of the guitar. It works by separating the playing part of the strings from the anchor part of the guitar. You will also need to know what the soundboard is. It is a piece of wood that is attached to the front of an acoustic guitar that determines the quality of the tone and projection when you start to play. The sound hole is also on an acoustic guitar and can be found on the top. It works to enhance the overall sound of the music you are playing. With an electric guitar you have what is called a pickup. A pickup is an electronic device that changes the vibrations that come from the strings into an electric signal that comes from the amplifier.

The binding is the narrow piece of wood or plastic that is used to make the neck, body or head of the guitar strong and can improve the look of an acoustic guitar. The action is a word that refers to the distance between the frets and the strings in an acoustic guitar only. The action also refers to the attack which is the initial sound that you hit on a particular note before reaching the maximum volume. Finally you have the decay which is the word used for the gradual decrease in volume after a note has reached its maximum level.

This basic terminology will help you get started in learning how to play the guitar. In no time at all you will be playing like a professional.

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