The Guitar Resource

When you talk to someone you communicate different messages based on the volume of your voice, you should also be communicating on guitar by varying your dynamics when you play. When you are communicating your musical ideas you have to keep in mind all aspects of that communication. That includes notes, rhythm and dynamics. Just about all guitar players use the first in that list, many use the second, but too few pay real attention to their dynamics.

How can do you go about changing your dynamics?
Once way is to adjust your guitar knobs as you play. But another great way to do this is by changing how hard you are picking the string. This is a great way of changing your dynamics because you can easily change your volume from note to note without having to worry about fiddling with any knobs.


How can you practice changing your dynamics on guitar?
This is a simple exercise I read in an interview from Jerry Garcia. He would practice arpeggios and start real quite on one arpeggio (by picking very soft) and just play that arpeggio up and down in the same position, gradually getting louder by picking it harder and harder. Then once he was playing it very loud and aggressive he would begin to get quieter and quieter by picking softly.

Here is a G major arpeggio to try: (use alternate picking for all of these you practice)
--------------7----------------
-----------8-----8--------------
--------7-----------7-----------
-----9-----------------9--------
-10-----------------------10---
--------------------------------

After you get the hang of that you can try playing the arpeggios of any chord progression while varying your dynamics from one arpeggio to the next. Also try changing dynamics from note to note jumping from loud to quite. Make up your own patterns. Be creative with it.

Practicing this and being aware of your dynamics when you play guitar will add another great element to your style.