Of course, the first part of learning any kind of guitar is learning the foundations, such as correct posture and fundamental techniques, the basic chords, some scales and maybe even some music theory.īut for those who have passed the beginner stage and are already more intermediate players, the next step towards fluency on the acoustic guitar will be practicing a variety of new styles and techniques. Instead of feeling limited to campfire-style strumming, you can mix in whatever techniques feel right to set the mood in a particular song or setting.Īnd that means you can create “magical moments” with your guitar, where you’re suddenly playing something amazing without even giving it too much thought.īut more importantly, you will have the broad repertoire needed to create your own sound…īecause the more techniques and styles you learn, the more ability you will have to pick and choose the ones that resonate the most with you personally.Īnd it’s the process of choosing those particular elements that will allow you to move past copying others, into creating your own individual identity as a musician. It’s like going from just learning a few words, to actually speaking a language fluently. When you become familiar with a variety of techniques (like different styles of fingerpicking, palm muting, bass, chords and melodies played together, percussive slaps, muted strums, and more), it gives you so much more opportunity to play music that expresses what you want to say. You’ll also become a better, more versatile and well-rounded guitarist in two important ways: The acoustic guitar is not just the “little brother” of the electric guitar, it’s a beautiful instrument that has stood the test of time in its own right.įrom long before the birth of blues in the Mississippi Delta nearly one hundred years ago, right up to modern-day studio recording sessions for artists across many genres, the acoustic guitar remains as relevant today as it was decades ago.Īnd so, when you go deep into exploring the styles and techniques available on the acoustic guitar, you won’t just sound great and have a lot of fun bringing your guitar to life. The important thing I didn’t always understand is this: Or, you might still be in the process of discovering the richness of the acoustic, as I was at one point in time. Maybe you’ve already fallen in love with the genuine, direct sound that no electric instrument can match – feeling the resonance of every note you play throughout your body, making the sound not only warm and beautiful, but also very personal. Maybe you already know the simple joy of just taking it off the stand, and sitting down to play without any expensive pedals or amps – with nothing between you and the six strings of your guitar.

Now, maybe you already know the answer, since you already pick up your acoustic guitar regularly. all hidden in one instrument, waiting to come out.Īnd once I found fingerstyle blues, I had a whole new language with a rich history within guitar music that was not only emotionally expressive and fun to play, but also made me understand much of today’s music in a far deeper way. It can actually sound like an entire band, complete with bassline, a rhythm section, chords, and melodies. Once I gradually discovered some of the fun things to play that deeply resonated with me, the acoustic guitar really came to life in my hands.įor example, as I learned more about fingerpicking, I was able to make the acoustic guitar sound like nothing else – from playing meandering arpeggiated chords, to playing chords and melodies at the same time!Īlso, I learned that the acoustic guitar can be so much more than just a vehicle for strumming a few cowboy chords we probably all know. I didn’t always love the acoustic guitar as much as I do today.īut over time, as I started to learn more and more acoustic styles and techniques, I really grew to love playing it.

Steel guitar chord dictionary