Guitar Terminology

As in many facets of artistry, there are many words and phrases relative to the art that outsiders may not understand. For the sake of helping one understand guitar lingo, as well as helping one know what they are buying when shopping for a guitar, here is a short list of common words and phrases the aspiring guitarist should know.

Acoustic
Sound that is not enhanced electronically

Amplifier
A device for amplifying the signal of a guitar's pickups—a guitar usually plugs into an amp through a cord with two quarter-inch jacks on either end. Amplification can change the sound of a guitar dramatically and is one of the most important pieces of equipment in achieving a guitarist's sound.

Arpeggio
To play the notes of a chord individually rather than together as a chord

Bend
To bend the string at a certain fret by pushing the string into another string's space

Capo
A guitar accessory that holds the strings down at a certain fret so that chords can be played as if they were open

Chord
A combination of notes played simultaneously

Cutaway
A part of the guitar body that's been removed so it's easier to reach the fingerboard's top notes—most electric guitars have at least one cutaway

Effects Pedal
Plugs from an electric guitar into an amplifier and changes the sound of the guitar according to the effect the pedal has been programmed with

Harmonics
A ringing sound similar to a bell, created by placing a finger gently on a string and picking that string

Octave
An interval eight diatonic scale degrees above a given tone

Pick
A small piece of shaped material that is held in the pick hand and used to pluck or strum the strings of the guitar—typically made out of vinyl or plastic, but some are also made of glass, metal, and stone

Pull Off
Fretting two notes on the same string, playing the higher of the two notes, and while that note is still ringing, pulling the finger off the higher fret

Tablature
A method of notation for string instruments—usually indicates a tone with notation referring to the finger and string used to create it



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