Complete Glossary of Guitar Terms

Complete Glossary of Guitar Terms

-http://www.guitarforbeginners.com/

• Accented note A note played with more emphasis than others.
• Action A word used to describe the distance of the strings off the fretboard, as in "high" or "low" action.
• Archtop A type of acoustic or semi-acoustic guitar, with an arched soundboard, often played by jazz guitarists.
• Arpeggio The playing of the tones of a chord separately, rather than simultaneously.
• Augmented The quality of a chord having its intervals as the 1st, 3rd and sharp 5th notes of the major scale. See this page.
• Barre chord A chord which uses the index finger to bar across several strings to act as the nut. Familiar shapes are fingered to the treble side of it. More here.
• Bend A technique used to raise the pitch of a note by pushing the string sideways across the fretboard. See Bending.
• Bridge The part of the guitar where the strings transmit their vibrations to the soundboard. Made of either wood or metal. See Anatomy.
• Capo A device which clamps onto the fretboard acting as the nut. Allows unfriendly keys to be changed to friendly. More here.
• Chord A group of scale notes which are played together, the simplest being the triad consisting of the 1st, 3rd and 5th of the scale. Read all about chords starting here.
• Dead note A muted note played with no discernible pitch.
• Diminished The quality of a chord having its intervals as the 1st, flat 3rd and flat 5th of the major scale.
• Double stop Two notes played simultaneously.
• Fingerpicking A pattern-based way of playing through chord progressions using the fingers. More here.
• Finger Style The art of playing guitar with the fingers rather than a flatpick. The thumb and up to three fingers are used. More here.
• Flatwound strings Steel strings which use flat ribbon winding rather than round wire for the thicker strings. Preferred by jazz guitarists.
• Fretboard The fretted surface of the neck where you do the playing, sometimes known as the fingerboard. See Anatomy.
• Fret The wire inset on fret board; also describes the distance between notes on the fretboard.
• F-Hole The F shaped opening in the sound board of some guitars, usually archtops or resonators.
• Ghost note A note played very quietly; the opposite of an accented note.
• Grace note An ornamental note usually played just before a main note.
• Hammer-on The creation of a new and higher note by hammering down on an already ringing string on a new fret; opposite of a pull-off. See this page.
• Harmonic       A bell-like sound created by gently touching the string at certain points. See Harmonics.
• Headstock The "top" of the guitar, where the tuning pegs are. See Anatomy.
• Improvisation The art of inventing music on the fly. This is achieved by knowing the structure of music, hearing it and inventing according to the rules.
• Interval The "distance" between any two notes, usually measured relative to the major scale. See Notes.
• Inversion The order in which the tones of a triad are stacked: Root position: 1-3-5; First inversion: 3-5-1; Second inversion: 5-1-3. See Slash chords.
• Legato Italian for 'tied together'. If you hammer-on or pull-off notes, you're playing legato style. See Hammer 0n and Pull off.
• Major The quality of a chord having its intervals as the 1st, 3rd and 5th notes of the major scale.
• Minor The quality of a chord having its intervals as the 1st, flat 3rd and 5th of the major scale
• Mode Another word for scale. The major scale yields 7 modes, one starting and ending on each note. More on modes here.
• Muting A technique used to muffle the ringing of notes, usually done with the edge of the hand placed gently on the strings near the bridge. Check out this page.
• Nut The small grooved piece of bone that the strings sit in between the fretboard and the headstock. See Anatomy.
• Palm mute A technique used to muffle the ringing of notes, done with the edge of the palm. See Muting.
• Pickup The electronic device used to pick up the sound of electric guitar strings. There are many types and configurations.
• Pitch pipe Old fashion device used for tuning guitars. Works by tuning to the notes created by blowing into its six tubes.
• Plectrum Official word for guitar pick.
• Power chord Not really a chord; a double stop consisting of a root and a fifth of the chord, omitting the third. Read more here.
• Pull-off The creation of a new note by pulling your finger off an already ringing note to a lower fretted or open note; opposite of a hammer-on. More here.
• Resonator The circular speaker-like device, usually chrome, that fits into the body of some guitars, used to increase volume.
• Root Sometimes referred to as 'root note' -- Another word for Tonic, or the first note of a scale.
• Saddle The upright blade which sits in the bridge, often bone, where the strings sit. See Anatomy.
• Scale A series of intervals, usually spanning an octave. Scales are more often viewed as a series of notes (generated by the intervals). More here.
• Slash chord A chord such as G/B, meaning a G chord with a B bass note. See Slash chords
• Slide A tube which fits on the finger and is used to slide along the strings to alter the pitch of notes (see Slide or Bottleneck Guitar); also the technique of sliding notes or chord shapes up the fretboard (see Sliding).
• Sound hole The round hole on the front of most acoustic guitars. See Anatomy.
• Sound board The front surface of acoustic guitars. This is where the sound from the strings is amplified via the bridge. See Anatomy.
• Sus4 A chord consisting of the 1st, 4th and 5th notes of the major scale. The (4) in effect replaces the (3). This chord demands resolution.
• Tablature A pictorial system of notation for guitar music, showing six strings and fret positions. More here.
• Tail piece The metal device usually used on archtop guitars to anchor the strings beyond the bridge.
• Tapping A hammer-on technique that is done with the right hand.
• Thumb pick A plastic pick which fits around the thumb and projects a blade out to act as a pick.
• Tonic The tonic; the first note of a scale; the main note of a chord, the note the chord is named after. Also known as the "root".
• Tremolo The very fast repetition of notes; or an electronic effect that varies the volume in a regular pulsating manner.
• Triad The simplest, smallest chord there is, consisting of the 1st, 3rd and 5th notes of the scale. More here.
• Trill       A rapid movement between two notes.
• Triplet A group of three notes played where two would be played.
• Truss rod A steel rod which fits inside the neck of some guitars. Its tension can be adjusted to straighten the neck.
• Tuner An electronic device used to tune guitars. More about tuning here.
• Tuning pegs The geared devices on the headstock used to tighten or loosen the strings. also known as Machine Heads. See Anatomy.
• Vibrato The 'wobbling' of notes, done by physically moving the strings across the fretboard. See Vibrato.
• Whammy bar      A lever attached to the bridge of electric guitars that can be used to alter the pitch of notes.