My Dictionary of Guitar Terms

[Russ]

I have a "Dictionary" of guitar terms that I use in order to remind myself what is going on. Sometimes I can hear a word quite a few times and it's meaning just won't sink in until I write it down and read it in my own words for a while. Anyway, I thought I'd share it with you since we are all beginners here. You are welcome to copy and use it for yourself. I'm sorry if it doesn't make sense to you, but I write it so I will understand it. I'm not lookin' to impress or mislead anyone with wrong information. These are just the things I've needed help with. If I'm wrong, please correct me. Thanks.

Guitar Dictionary

Alternate Picking: Picking strings in down and up motions
Arc: Can show bar for chord diagram/ Curved line connecting numbers in tab. Shows hammer-on or pull-off depending on direction of fret numbers
Arpeggio: Plucking each string tone of a guitar chord.
Box with Number above last measure: Number indicates which ending to use. 1 would indicate to only use it at the first ending. 2 would indicate to use it only at the 2nd ending, etc.
Chord: Major chord formed by 1st, 3rd and 5th note of that scale
            Minor chord formed by 1st and flatted 3rd note (or 3rd lowered by ½ step or 1 fret)
            Blues- Dominant 7th, Major 7th, Minor 7th chords formed by 1st, 3rd, 5th and flatted 7th notes?
Coda:Looks like a target, when you see the sign, it's telling you to jump to the end where you see it again and play that section. Go back to the Coda and play from there.
D.S. al Coda: Start from the beginning and play to the Coda sign.
Double Stop: 2 notes played together as in finger picking tab/1 on top of the other struck in unison.
(ES) 335 Guitar: Electric Spanish
Finger Picking names for strumming fingers: T- thumb/ I- index/ M- middle/ - ring ?
Grace Note: Played so fast it really doesn’t get recognition. May be tabbed as a small gray number.
Lead Guitar: Often does solos or ads body (single notes over >) to rhythm strumming.
Legato Slide: Indicated in tab with diagonal line between numbers and an arc over tab. Strike first # and don’t strike second number. (See Shift Slide)
Melody: Voice or instruments that play melodic lines (single notes). Sax, trumpet, piano, lead guitar (solos plus)
Open Chord: Chord with open or unfretted plucked (strummed) strings
Power Chord: Consists of 2-3 notes usually used in Pop or Rock type music
Quick Change: Bar 1- 1 chord/ Bar 2 4 chord/ Bar 3 goes back to 1 chord to finish 3rd and 4th bars
Root Note: Lowest note in pitch of chord
Rhythm Guitar: Keeps the beat and plays the chords of the song
Rhythm Section: Drums, bass, guitar, keyboard all accompany chords. This section keeps the beat in proper time using appropriate chords (except for the drums).
Second Position: Index finger starts at 2nd fret.
Shift Slide: Indicated in tab with diagonal line between numbers. Strike both numbers.
Slur: Line connecting 2 notes such as Hammer-On situation
Syncopation: Striking strings more on the “and or up” of the beat and letting it ring out. Griff
Tie: Arch ties notes together
Trill: Multiple hammer-ons and pull-offs done together as rapidly as possible.
Triplet: 3 notes played together in 1 beat
Tweedlies: Griff Hamlin’s word: 1 set of hammer-on or pull-off
Vibrato: Shaking the string to vary the sound
Voicing: Different fret board finger positions to form same chord

 

[Ray_UK]

Great stuff Russ, I've meant to do something similar but have ended up with a folder full of hand written scraps of paper

I did spot one small thing & I may be mistaken & if not it may be a just a typo...

Minor chord formed by 1st and flatted 3rd note (or 3rd lowered by ½ step or 1 fret)

I think that should have the fifth as well, the same as a major chord?

 

[Spencer]

Thanks for puttin this up Russ. Some good reminders in there!

 

[luckylarry]

Good Stuff Ray. When I took computer classes many years ago I learned to make my own dictionary as well. It really helps and does in face help the memory. Great tip.

 

[Lame_Pinkey]

Great stuff Russ, I've meant to do something similar but have ended up with a folder full of hand written scraps of paper

I did spot one small thing & I may be mistaken & if not it may be a just a typo...

Minor chord formed by 1st and flatted 3rd note (or 3rd lowered by ½ step or 1 fret)

I think that should have the fifth as well, the same as a major chord?

Correct Ray a minor just has the 3rd flatted but still contains the 1st & 5th.

LP

 

[Russ]

Chord: Major chord formed by 1st, 3rd and 5th note of that scale
            Minor chord formed by 1st and flatted 3rd note (or 3rd lowered by ½ step or 1 fret) and 5th note of that scale
            Blues- Dominant 7th, Major 7th, Minor 7th chords formed by 1st, 3rd, 5th and flatted 7th notes

Awesome! Thanks everyone. I knew you guys could help me out.

 

[Lame_Pinkey]

Quadruplet - 4 notes played together in the space of 1 beat

Quintuplet - 5 notes etc etc

and the list could go on 

LP

 

[Lame_Pinkey]

P.H. = pinch harmonic
P.M. = palm mute
N.C. = no chord , harmony is implied

 

[Russ]

Thanks for that. I won't use this info because I'm not there yet. I use my dictionary for terms that I am or have worked with. Since I don't recognize the terms, I guess I don't need them yet...  ;D

 

[MikeS]

What you have writen for DS al coda is actually DC al code (Del capo-capo=head=the start)
DS al Coda indicates that you should look backward for a "Signa" Kind of an s with a line through it and dots in the loops of the S.

 

[SunnyOne]

I do that kind of stuff too as I go along. I sooo understand not wanting to put anything in your little dictionary until you get to where you use it because otherwise it means nothing to you.

 

[Lame_Pinkey]

NC = no chord, harmony is implied : is probably relevant to your dictionary Russ as most of the material you have been doing in BBG has or is NC.
The parts in which you play single notes is where you would find NC to be in most sheet music.
So you have already been working with it.

LP

 

[Russ]

Thanks Mike.

LP, I have seen this before and do feel it's relevant. Thanks.



                                             

 

[mnissen]

Some good info Russ.  Thanks for posting it!  Mike.

 

[Russ]

Recently added this one due to Griff's latest E-mail 

Ghost or Pre-Bend: Bent before plucking indicated in tab by arrow straight up.

Oh and, I did add NC after LP mentioned it 

 

[Russ]

I was getting tired of not getting a lesson to soak into my fingers, so I started watching Griff's videos that I've downloaded. I thought I had an understanding of what noodling was, (though I'm not anywhere near advanced enough to do it), until I watched the video mentioned. It turned on a light bright enough that I decided I wanted to add it to my list, so I remember it when it comes time to learn.

Noodling: The key in learning to noodle (or soloing) is choosing a note on a particular string, figuring out which “box” has that note in that position and using that note as an anchor. (Griff’s videos titled Major Minor Pentatonics.)

 

[panther]

Noodling: The key in learning to noodle (or soloing) is choosing a note on a particular string, figuring out which “box” has that note in that position and using that note as an anchor. (Griff’s videos titled Major Minor Pentatonics.)

Russ;
Sounds like some lights are going on for you, and now you are going to jump ahead of me..
"Panther"

 

[Russ]

Very doubtful. I haven't been able to get the triplets to sound correct on Hideaway Blues. It'll be a while.

 

[Russ]

Adding something to the list:

Oblique bend: One note is bent and another is held stationary. On a floating vibration system, the unbent string drifts flat as you bend the other. Works best with a solid bridge.

 

[Thatman]

Well put together Russ I can see that be a good collection over time. 

An thanks LP - I've always wondered what NC stood for.  [smiley=beer.gif]