There are several ways to play any one chord. Each chord has a specific set of notes. The different ways to play the same notes are called “voicings”. For this example we are using “A major”. The A major chord consists of an A, a C#, and an E. Any combination of these 3 notes will make an A major. Learning as many “voicings” for each chord adds more diversity to your playing. Shown below are 5 different ways to play A major just using the top 4 strings.

For some more A chord voicings click here.

Another guitar effect gadget you might want to buy is a compressor. Compressors are very useful tools that help even out your sound.

What they do is boost softer notes while taming louder ones. It’s like having someone constantly fine tuning your volume, only electronically and in milliseconds. The adjustment is made before the note even hits the speaker. So if you happen to hit a note too soft or hit another one too hard the adjustment is made before the note even hits the speaker.

Now don’t think you have no control over your own dynamics. The compressor can be adjusted to kick in at certain points. You can control how much control the compressor has over your playing.

By the nature of how it operates it also has the ability to act as a sustainer. As a note’s sound begins to fade the compressor takes the diminishing volume and keeps it up at a constant level. This is very useful in all kinds of rock, blues and modern country.

Like so many other effects pedals there is no shortage to choose from. Boss, MXR, Joe Meek, and Johnson are some popular ones. Just search Guitar Center or Musician’s Friend website to see how many there are. Compressor pedals start at around 100$ and can be as much as 300$. Rackmount compressors can be a whole lot more.

Introducing 60 Second Lessons! Timely tips from master guitarist John laGreca make learning the guitar a breeze. John laGreca’s 60 Second lessons podcast will be available on iTunes later this fall. Stay tuned and keep strummin’!

Learning to play a musical instrument can have a great impact on your child’s development, including both social and intellectual benefits. If your teen loves to play Guitar Hero or Rock Band, they will certainly love how exciting and achievable learning to play a real guitar can be!

John LaGreca has years of experience teaching beginning guitarists. His students learn the fundamentals of guitar as they actually play along to some of their favorite rock songs starting with their first few lessons.

The LaGreca teaching method employs the student’s own tastes and musical interests to fine-tune lessons tailored to the unique interests and capabilities of your child. Instead of forcing kids to learn tedious, uninteresting exercises, John motivates and excites his younger students by teaching them the basics of picking, chords, strumming, and reading tabulature in the context of tunes chosen by the student!

John is not only a patient, enthusiastic and highly qualified teacher, he is also a working musician; for a young person interested in music there’s absolutely no better teacher than a practicing professional.

Schedule your child’s weekly half-hour lesson for your convenience. Afternoon classes, evenings and weekends are available. Call 908 755 4383

Offering lessons for adult students. Evenings and afternoons, John teaches the basic fundamentals of guitar study. If you’re considering diving back into guitar, or if you’re trying it for the first time, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll work from your own musical interests – rock, country, folk, classical or jazz standards.

Schedule your weekly half-hour or hour lesson for your convenience. Afternoon classes, evenings and weekends are available.

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