Modern Electric Guitar Techniques: What You Need to Know
08 October 2021
Modern electric guitar playing involves a range of techniques and styles that allow musicians to create unique and expressive sounds. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced player, understanding these techniques can enhance your playing and broaden your musical expression. In this article, we’ll explore the essential modern electric guitar techniques that every guitarist should know.
1. Slides
What It Is: Slides are a technique where the guitarist moves their finger along the fretboard to smoothly transition from one note to another. This can be done with the finger itself or using a slide tube.
How to Use It: Slides create smooth transitions between notes and chords. This technique is often used in blues and rock to create expressive and emotional sounds.
2. Bends
What It Is: Bending is a technique where the guitarist pushes a string up or down to change the pitch of the note.
How to Use It: Bends allow for pitch changes and create the effect of "stretching" sounds. This technique is particularly popular in rock and blues, where it adds emotional expression to solos.
3. Tremolo
What It Is: Tremolo is a technique where the guitarist rapidly changes the pitch of the note using a tremolo bar (whammy bar) or by rapidly moving their fingers.
How to Use It: Tremolo adds richness and movement to the sound. It is often used to create effects that mimic vibration or quivering.
4. Fingerstyle
What It Is: Fingerstyle is a technique where the strings are plucked with the fingers instead of a pick.
How to Use It: This technique allows for a variety of textures and sounds, suitable for both acoustic and electric guitars. It is commonly used in jazz, blues, and folk to create more intricate and layered soundscapes.
5. Palm Muting
What It Is: Palm muting is a technique where the guitarist uses the edge of their palm to lightly mute the strings near the bridge, producing a dampened, percussive sound.
How to Use It: Palm muting creates punchy and rhythmic accents. This technique is widely used in rock and metal to achieve a tighter and more aggressive sound.
6. Harmonics
What It Is: Harmonics are created by lightly touching the string at specific points while plucking it, producing high, bell-like notes.
How to Use It: Harmonics add a metallic and clear character to the guitar sound. This technique is often used in rock, metal, and even jazz to create distinctive and unique tones.
7. Vibrato
What It Is: Vibrato is a technique where the guitarist slightly oscillates their finger on a string to create a subtle pitch variation.
How to Use It: Vibrato adds expression and emotion to notes. It can be achieved with finger vibrato on the fretboard or with a tremolo bar to create a vibrating effect.
8. Tapping and Sweeping
What It Is: Tapping is a technique where both hands are used to strike the strings on the fretboard, creating fast and complex phrases. Sweeping involves a smooth, continuous motion of the pick across the strings to play arpeggios.
How to Use It: These techniques allow for rapid and intricate melodic lines and chord progressions. They are often used in progressive rock and metal to showcase technical prowess and speed.
9. Use of Effects
What It Is: Modern guitarists often use effects such as distortion, reverb, and chorus to alter and enrich their guitar sound.
How to Use It: Effects help create a wide range of sonic textures and styles, from saturated distortion to atmospheric and spatial effects. Proper use of effects can significantly expand the sonic possibilities of the guitar.
10. Advanced Techniques
What It Is: Advanced techniques like finger tapping and sweeping involve complex and innovative ways of playing that push the boundaries of traditional guitar techniques.
How to Use It: These techniques enable the creation of fast, intricate patterns and complex compositions. They are especially prominent in genres like progressive rock and metal, offering a high level of technical skill and creativity.
Conclusion
Modern electric guitar techniques offer a wide array of possibilities for creating unique and expressive sounds. From fundamental techniques like slides and bends to advanced methods like tapping and effect usage, each technique adds its own character to the performance. Mastering these techniques can help guitarists develop their style and expression, making their playing more dynamic and engaging.
