You are all in for a treat! One can never be awesome enough with the axe, so take a look below for cool guitar tricks you need to know. In case you missed part 1 of this series, check it out here.
Guitar Trick #1: Using Your Whammy Bar
Ever noticed that lever sticking out of your electric guitar? Yeah, that one. It’s called the whammy bar, and you can use it. Want to make some dive bombs? The whammy bar is your friend. Want to spice up your guitar solos? The whammy bar is magic. Check out this video:
Guitar Trick #2: Pinch Harmonics
Ever wanted to sound like Joe Satriani? One way to accomplish this is to apply a few pinch harmonics. Satriani does it all the time. You could be just like him. At least you could be someone using pinch harmonics. They’re particularly great for metal genres, so check out this video if that’s your jam:
Guitar Trick #3: Natural Harmonics
If pinch harmonics are too squealy and metal-y for you, then try out some nice and mellow natural harmonics instead. As with pitch harmonics, natural harmonics allows you to play a note at a higher pitch than normal. Check out this video to hear how you can produce the Super Mario Coin effect:
Guitar Trick #4: Behind the Nut Bends
This trick is awesome, as it’ll make your strings change in pitch. Try playing the low E string, and when the note sounds, push the string behind the nut with your left hand. This video does behind the nut bends greater justice than words ever could:
Guitar Trick #5: Creating Percussive Sounds On Your Acoustic
If you’ve ever seen a singer-songwriter busking in the streets, then chances are you will have come across at least one or two using this trick. In the absence of a drummer (those loud creatures found sitting behind the real star – you), being able to use your guitar as a drum is cool. Check this video to see how:
Guitar Trick #6: Descending Harmonics
If you liked the natural harmonics trick, then you need descending harmonics in your life. Pick a note, slide your fretting hand down the string, and voila: descending harmonics. They sound particularly cool when used in conjunction with distortion. Check this out:
Guitar Trick #7: Guitar Slides
Slides are a staple in the blues genre, but can be applied to anyone’s guitar playing. Simply play a note, and then slide into the next one immediately. It’s as easy as it sounds, but here’s a video showing you how, just in case:
Guitar Trick #8: Hammer-Ons and Pull-Offs
Two in one trick! How did I do that? That’s a trick for another day. To play a hammer-on you simply need to play a note and then hammer the string down on the next note. Like a slide, but with less grace. A pull-off is the opposite, where you… pull off… instead of hammering on. Does that make sense? No? Watch this:
Guitar Trick #9: Create Feedback
Ahhhh! The legendary feedback trick! Innovation by mistake. Mostly, it’s the bane of live events, but it can be a pretty powerful effect when applied properly. Crank the volume (not the gain) on your amp, and create so much feedback that you can’t hear the neighbors hammering on the door for you to stop. See how below:
Guitar Trick #10: Palm Muting Techniques
How about the opposite of being loud? Maybe something to create a warmer atmosphere? Try picking a chord with your palm muting the strings. This can be used whether you’re an acoustic or electric ax-wielder, with the latter producing chunky chords. Check it out here:
And of course, you can’t do any of the above without making sure your instrument is tuned to your liking, so if you’re still searching for an automatic guitar tuner that is right for you, check out Roadie 2.
What did you think of these Cool Guitar Tricks? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Main blog photo credit: Gavin Whitner, musicoomph.com
