We have some great fingerpicking lessons here at Rhythmstrummer.com, most notably the two ones in our free guitar lessons section. I often see or talk to folks who want to learn to fingerpick the guitar, but do not really know where to start.
I think first it helps to identify what sort of music you want to play, though if you don’t know yet that is fine. There are kind of two schools of thought when it comes to picking hand position. The first are those play alot of alternating bass, and perhaps wear a thumbpick at times. Alternating bass style sounds best if you slightly mute the bass strings with the heel of your hand, which means dropping your wrist, which in turn puts your fingers at a different angle to the strings. I personally can’t play this way, it feels awkward picking the strings with my fingers and that i have no power. But i don’t play much alternating bass music, so don’t take my word for it. People like Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, and Tommy Emmanuel certainly don’t sound awkward.
The other position is a more classical position, with the wrist raised a bit, which to me gives the fingers power to pluck the strings. The finger plucks the string at an angle, not parallel, pivoting from the big knuckle, and drawing the tip of the finger back towards the palm. Be sure to keep enough tension in your finger joints so they don’t extend to much, which would cause you to brush the next adjacent string on your way back. I still have trouble with this. Try not to bounce off the string or bring the finger up after you pluck it, always follow through to the base of the palm. This may take some work.
So i just wanted to distinguish between those two schools of playing. Neither one is right or wrong, it just depends what kind of music you want to play. Some folks see musicians with a thumbpick and just think thats the only way to play, others think you have to study classical guitar. While i always feel some basic classical guitar training is good, both from a technique standpoint plus the advantage of learning to read music, it may not make sense if someone wants to learn to play alternating bass or country blues.
Moving onto simple songs. Besides the alternating bass lessons presented in the beginning of this post, i like House of the Rising Sun as a simple fingerpicking guitar song. It gets you in the mindset of assigning a certain finger to each string. We have a free lesson here which outlines the chords. For fingerpicking you are going to want to assign your index finger to the 3rd string, your middle finger to the 2nd string, and your ring finger to the 1st string. The main fingerpicking pattern for House of the Rising Sun involves what is called an appregio for the right hand. Lets take the first chord, A minor. You thumb is going to pluck the open 5th string, and then you will pluck the 3rd, 2nd, and 1st strings consecutively with the assigned fingers. The pattern is the same for all the other chords, except that the string the thumb plucks is going to change depending on the chord. The main rule of thumb, (pardon the pun), is that the string is the lowest note of the chord. So for the D chord its the open 4th string, for the F chord its the fretted 6th string, etc.
If folks are thinking about learning to take up fingerpicking guitar i hope that gives you some good basic information. And check out our free lessons for some easy guitar songs.
Archive for the ‘Acoustic Guitars’ Category
Learning to Fingerpick the Guitar
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009Simple Software for Home Recording
Monday, October 19th, 2009Hi Everyone,
In this blog post i wanted to talk about some simple software for the musician wanting to do some home recording. I am going to assume you want to use your computer for recording, and have a simple interface box to get audio into your computer. There are usually two parts to recording with a computer, the software, often called a DAW, or Digital Audio Workstation, and the interface, which is usually USB or Firewire. The interface is what you connect your mic up to, and it converts the recorded signal into digital to be stored on the computer. Some common interfaces include the Digidesign Mbox, Motu Ultralite, Apogee Duet, or the Presonus Firebox. There are a ton of interface options out there, whether you are looking for two inputs or ten. But i digress, as today i wanted to look at software.
One of the first things to consider when choosing DAW software is will it run on your chosen operating system. Some options are Mac or Windows only, or example Logic Pro only runs on a Mac, and Sonar only runs on Windows. So get that part out of the way, make sure what you are looking at is compatible with your computer.
Secondly you want to make sure that the DAW software you are using is not restricted to using a certain proprietary interface. To my knowledge the only place you need to worry about this is Digidesign’s Pro Tools, it will only run with Digidesign interfaces or M-Audio interfaces which are Pro Tools M-Powered compatible. Not necessarily a bad thing, as Pro Tools is fine software and makes good interfaces. But some folks don’t like to be restricted in what they can use, so if that is you, think twice about making a purchase. Otherwise if you are looking at Mac software make sure it and the interface support Core Audio Drivers, which is the universal Mac audio driver. For Windows the equivalent is ASIO/WDM. So as long as your software and audio interface are compatible with those standards you should be good.
So what that out of the way lets look at some actual software. I will try to list a few different packages for both Mac and PC that i feel cover different areas along the price spectrum.
At the high end of the price point we have Logic for Mac. Logic was previously owned by Avid and was purchased by Apple around 2007. They then released Logic 8, which uses a similar visual footprint as Garage Band, and other Apple programs. The current version is Logic 9 For about $500 street price it includes 10 gigs of royalty free loops, and 16 gigs of sound effects. This is truly professional level, and the various samples and loops i have heard sound astounding. The basics are not overly difficult, but expect to put in some serious time to use this software to its full potential.
On the PC side we have Sonar Producer Edition for about the same price. It includes a ton of virtual instruments. So you can use your computer or a USB keyboard and record strings, acoustic guitars, and anything else your heart desires. This is very handy if you want to see how that string quartet or electric guitar sounds alongside your composition, but don’t have an electric guitar or can’t bring in string players. One thing that seems cool about Sonar is that you can rip, burn, and manage your cds and audio files from within the software. It apparently will convert to and from almost any format. Not that separate software won’t do this, but i can see it being one less step if you just recorded something, and want to quickly convert it to mp3 to email to someone.
Other top end contenders include Cubase for both PC and Mac, Digital Performer for Mac, Ableton Live for PC and Mac, as well as Pro Tools, which also runs on both operating systems. Ableton Live is interesting, being marketed mostly at electronic musicians and those working with loops. It offers a pretty unique recording mode that allows you to record while triggering different loops and sections, allowing for a very improvisatory and free flowing approach to making music. I have not used it extensively, but the demo is worth checking out if you are into that.
Pro Tools is probably still the most widely used recording software, being at the forefront of many large recording studios. It offers top notch effects, virtual instruments, and improved midi editing. Like i mentioned above Pro Tools only works with Digidesigns audio interfaces, but that is fine for some folks. If you plan to record at home but then take the session to a professional studio that uses Pro Tools, its as easy as saving the session to a portable hard drive and bringing it over. Music sessions recorded on the consumer LE based version of Pro Tools are perfectly compatible with the more expensive version found is larger studios.
So the above options are great, but what if you don’t feel like spending $500?
One of the most popular recommendations is Audacity. It is free, and runs on both PC and Mac. You can record up to 16 mono channels at once, slow down audio and keep it at pitch, and apply a handful of effects. So while its not as full featured as some other choices, free is good. Plus if you decide you want to delve more into home recording you can always purchase a different software package later on.
While not quite free the company Propeller Head recently released a software package aptly titled Record. Its aimed a musicians, not recording engineers, and features an intuitive, streamlined work space. Its priced at $250, and runs on both Mac and PC. It features a bundle of effects and synths as well, and can record up 64 tracks per project, which should be plenty for the home musician. One thing is it does not allow the integration of third party effects, so that is something to keep in mind if you want to buy an expensive reverb plug in later on.
One of my favorite affordable priced recording software packages is Reaper. It runs on Windows and the Mac version is still in Beta, though i have used its basic features fine with no problems. Reaper emphasizes usability, and does not include any loops or any extra fluff in its install package. At 4 megs, the install file is quite small, and can be run off a thumb drive for the ultimate in portability. Reaper includes a multitude of good effects, and most importantly allows you to try the full version for thirty days. After that thirty days they ask that you buy a license, which for the individual at home is a very reasonable $60. I highly recommend folks check it out if they are looking for a recording software option but are not sure where to start. It also features a very good online instruction manual.
So there are a few options for home recording software. Many of these companies have full featured or partially usable demos, so i always recommend trying those before dropping a load of cash on the full version. I think with the higher priced stuff its hard to go wrong, its more a matter of what works with your computer and hardware, and which software package’s workflow you like best.
Anton
Flying With Your Guitar
Thursday, October 15th, 2009Flying with your guitar is always a risky proposition. Before September 11th I was always able to carry my guitar on board in either a gig bag or a regular hardshell case. Then after the airlines got stricter i started reading on internet forums about more traveling musicians having to check their guitars as luggage. This conjures up all sorts of mental images like smashed or stolen guitars, and cases torn apart by the baggage conveyor belts. While these things do happen, i think flying with your guitar is definitely possible if you prepare and take the proper precautions.
For starters I always assume I will check my guitar as luggage. I know some folks that these days still manage to carry it aboard the plane, but i would hate to have to end up checking my guitar and all its in is a regular hardshell case. All it takes is one gate attendant who feels like enforcing the rules. In the past I have heard of people who “gate check” their guitars, which means you carry it through security, then hand it to a baggage handler right before you get on the plane, and receive it right when you step off the plane. While this sounds like a great idea, some of the X-Ray security chutes are not wide enough accommodate a guitar case, which means they will make you go back and check it. In addition, if you do make it through security and they gate check the guitar, it is still subject to be smashed in the cargo hold by other luggage sliding around. So I don’t even consider the option of trying to carry it on, and it removes a lot of mental stress of trying to get on the plane.
So that narrows down our options to having to check the guitar as luggage. Lets first talk about how to prepare the guitar itself, then what sort of case to put it .
There are two main types of damage that can occur to a guitar during the luggage handling process. The first is crushing weight from other baggage, which a good case should protect against; the second is whiplash damage to the neck/headstock area. This happens when a guitar case falls over, but the guitar inside still has a little bit of wiggle room around the neck area. The case hits the ground, and the guitar, having room to move and falling slower than the case, slams into the padded area where the neck rests. The result of this is a broken or cracked headstock. But you can protect against this. First loosen all your guitar strings so they are nice and slack. Next you want to make sure the neck of the guitar has absolutely no room to move vertically once the case is shut. This is accomplished by stuffing sheets of wadded newspaper in the space between the underside of the headstock and the bottom of the case. The guitar neck should still rest on the padded part of the case. Then you stuff more newspaper on top of the headstock/neck joint area. When you close the case you should have to smash the newspaper to get it shut, and now the headstock is safely suspended with no room to move. So if the case is standing on its end and gets knocked over, the neck should not be able to whip lash back and forth.
That brings us to the case itself. I feel by far the easiest way to check your guitar is in a specially designed flight case like a Calton, Accord, or Karura. They are light, reasonably sized, and bomb proof. But they are also expensive; an entry level Calton will cost you $700. Some people may not be able to or want to spend that much. Fortunately there are cheaper solutions. One that has worked well for me is the Case Extreme. It is basically a case for your case, and made out of thick, heavy plastic. Your case sits inside it, and the Case Extreme protects it from being crushed and smashed. I can stand on top of it and walk around with no visible deformation to the Case Extreme. At $235 it is much cheaper than a regular flight case. I have one and it has served me well over a number of flights. It is pretty big though, and may not fit in some car trunks, which is the one downside. So if someone is picking you up from the airport make sure they have a decent size car, or be prepared to put it in the back seat. If using one of these I would still protect my guitar’s headstock as mentioned above.
So there you have it, some good solutions to take your guitar with you on your next relaxing vacation. Take the proper precautions, pack your guitar securely, and it should be fine.
Insurance Policies for Guitar
Friday, October 2nd, 2009
Hi Everyone,
I wanted to post about something a little different today, insurance policies for guitars, and instruments in general. An insurance policy for your instrument is probably not the first thing on the mind of young teenager just starting out, but there are probably some of us who are older adults, have professional jobs, and can afford to buy a nice instrument right from the start. I would have to have my nice new D-28 stolen, stepped on, smashed, or other wise damaged. For the price of a major repair you can probably insure your instrument, and even add multiple instruments to that same policy. Lets take a look.
When i was first looking at instrument insurance i went to my car/renters insurance agent. If you own a home it may be home owners insurance. Some folks had told me about getting their instruments tacked onto their renters or home owners insurance policy, and it was quick and easy. After talking to my agent it seemed ok, but there were a few things that bugged me. First was that such a policy was did not apply to professional musicians. I am not a pro, but i have a website, promote my playing, and am working on a cd. If something happened in the insurance company’s eyes that might be enough to label me a professional and deny my claim, so i did not want to take that risk. Second was determining the value of my instrument, which they did by comparing to other equivalent instruments on the market. Well i own a handmade guitar, the builder only makes a handful a year, and they seem to maintain their value. So we can’t just open a Musicians Friend catalog and figure out the price of my instrument, and how are they going to figure in depreciation if it gets damaged later on down the road? If i have to replace my guitar it may cost me the same or more. It may work for some people, but i did not want to just tack my instruments onto my renters insurance.
After looking around and asking fellow musicians i called up Heritage Insurance. I have no afilliation with them, and dont get any sort of kickback from this post. After a phone call with the rep i faxed in my list of instruments which included my guitar, fiddle, and flute. A few days later i got a call saying i was covered. And i had not even paid my premium yet, he said i would get a bill soon, but that i was covered starting now. Hows that for service. So for $250 a year i can insure as many instruments as i want for up to $10,000, i believe. I have to list the value of my instruments, and that is their replacement value if they are damaged beyond repair. My instruments are covered for almost anything, except i think acts of God or terrorism. Also if they are stolen out of the car i have to show signs of forced entry, so dont leave the car unlocked.
If you have a certain level of musical instrument to me $250 is not much to pay for peace of mind and knowing you can get your instrument fixed or replaced if its damaged. I fly with my guitar often, and would not do so without insurance.
If you own some expensive instruments something like this might be worth it.
Playing Guitar Standing Up
Thursday, September 17th, 2009I wanted to talk about an aspect of guitar playing that may be a big deal to some, not so much to others. And that is playing guitar standing up. I think for electric guitar players its less of an issue, but i know alot of us acoustic players tend to play sitting down. However, if you ever plan to perform i would say spend some of your practice time playing standing up. There are a few things that are a bit different and will take some getting used to.
For starters you cant really hunch over the guitar and look at your fretting fingers as you are playing. I think this is probably better for ones posture, but it also forces you play more by feel than by sight. You can kind of look down at the top of the neck and reference your finger position from the fret markers on the side. So that takes some getting used to, and playing your usual tunes will be different at first, especially if they involve any hot solos.
I find it easiest to play standing up if my guitar is up high, pretty much where it would against my chest if i was playing sitting down. This may look a bit odd compared to alot of rockers who bang out songs with their guitar slung low, but its what works for me. Experiment and see what works for you.
Personally i like it when performers stand up to play. I feel it lends more energy to a show. Coming mostly for an acoustic/traditional music background, alot of performers will sit down to play. This can work ok, especially if the stage is elevated enough. But for high energy music i enjoy it more if the performers are standing. But thats just me.
photo by envisionpublicdads
If you play acoustic guitar there are two main ways to attach a strap so you can play standing up. First off you will need a strap button installed on the butt of the guitar. Its recommended to a competent repair person do this, drilling the hole wrong can split the heel block on the inside of the guitar.
Next you will need affix the strap to the other of the guitar. Some musicians will do this by just tying the other end of the strap to the peghead. I feel this works ok, but i prefer to have a stap button installed on the heel of the neck.
This lets me have more control over the angle of my guitar in relation to my body. If you get a strap button installed be sure to get it on the treble side of the neck or the bottom of the heel. Again, have a qualified repair person do it, drilling out the hole wrong can split the heel of the neck, which is no good.
I think playing standing up is something worth experimenting with, even if you only do it some of the time. Plus its easier to jump off stage and start crowd surfing if you are standing.
A Good Fingerpicking Guitar
Thursday, September 3rd, 2009Hi Everyone,
While most of our lessons here involve easy guitar songs, strumming, and singing, we also have some great lessons on fingerpicking guitar. The other night was reading Acoustic Guitar Magazine and i came across a great guitar for the beginner fingerpicker. Its the Seagull SWS Mini-Jumbo.
In some past blog entries i wrote about good guitars for beginners, as well as some good guitars for fingerpickers. While most any guitar will work for fingerpicking, there are not really any budget minded guitars that are specifically designed for it. Not anymore.
The Seagull SWS stands for “solid wood series”, features solid woods all around. Thats a solid top, back and sides, North American made guitar for $800. I think thats a pretty great feat. It also includes electronics if you want that. Its a mini jumbo size body, so its going to be a bit smaller and curvier than a dreadnought, making it more comfortable to play, yet you wont sacrifice volume or bass response.
The part that makes the Seagull fingerpicking friendly is the wider spacing at the nut. Its 1.8 inches, as opposed to the 1 11/16 found on most cheaper guitars, and even wider than 1 3/4, which is what you will find on most guitar designed for fingerpicking. That little bit of extra room really helps when performing intricate right hand fingerpicking patterns.
I have not played this particular model Seagull, so i encourage you to go find one at your local music store and decide for yourself. But i have always been impressed with Seagull guitars, and here is a reasonably priced all solid wood instrument that will improve in sound and grow with you as a player. Definitely worth considering.
Beginner Acoustic Guitars
Monday, August 10th, 2009Hi Everyone,
Some information i wish i had when i first started playing was how to choose a good beginner acoustic guitar. There are ton of different instruments out there available to the beginning player, and how is one suppossed to know what makes a certain instrument better than the other. As a beginner you don’t neccessarily have the developed ear to know what you want in an instrument tonally, and may not know all the aspects that go into guitar making such as wood type, body shape, fingerboard material, etc. I know i didn’t when i had been playing a short amount of time. Not that its a bad thing, its the same as getting into any other sort of hobby, you learn more about it as you go along. In this post I’ll be talking about some various things to look for when choosing a beginner instrument, and then I’ll list a few different instruments that i think work well for beginner players.
So you go into your local music store or perhaps a Guitar Center and there are a ton of acoustic guitars on the wall. They all look roughly similar, made of wood, and come in a few different body sizes. So where do you start?
Overall Fit and Finish
When you first pick up a guitar off the wall give it a quick visual once over. Are there any cracks or serious dings in the wood? Are all the joints still whole and not coming unglued? Give the guitar a quick shake, you should not hear any braces rattling around inside.
Solid Top
A first good main feature to look for in an acoustic guitar is a solid top. That means the top is constructed out of one piece of wood, not different laminates sandwiched together. Most guitars over $300 have a solid top, so if your budget allows it, its well worth it. A guitar top made of solid wood will improve its sound over time, whereas with a laminated top what you hear when you pick it off the wall what you hear is what you get.
Body Size
Be sure to try a variety of different acoustic guitar body sizes. Even with the beginner models there are a wide variety of sizes being made other than the dreadnought. Not that there is anything wrong with that body size, but for smaller folks the shape of a grand concert or mini jumbo may be more comfortable. When you sit down with a guitar your picking hand should easily be able to reach the strings. The upper bout (the edge of the guitar that your picking arm rests on), should not feel like its putting alot of pressure on the underside of your forearm. If you plan to stand and play guitar be sure to test that playing position as well.
Frets
Good fretwork is very important on a guitar. The frets are the metal bars that run along the fingerboard. They should be seated cleanly and level. A fret that is coming out of its fret slot can buzz against the string, which is quite annoying. You can sight along the neck from both its length and width to make sure that none of the frets are coming up. The fret ends should be flush and not sticking out. Running your hand along each side of the fingerboard will let you know if fret ends are sticking out, which can be a sign that the guitar is to dry.
Tuners
Your guitar should come equipped with a decent set of tuners. An out of tune guitar is no fun to play. Each tuner should turn smoothly and with some resistance, and should not slip when you detune a string. Tune up a prospective guitar and play it for a few minutes, strumming some chords and picking the individual strings. It should stay in tune, even with some harder strumming. If you constantly have to retune a certain instrument, you might want to look at something else.
Back and Side Woods
Until you get closer to the $1000 price mark most guitars are going to have laminated sides and back. Its not neccessarily a bad thing, a solid top will go a long ways towards providing good tone. If you can spring for an instrument with solid wood all around, thats great. Its tone will improve with age, and it will be an instrument that will grow with you as you improve.
Pickups
I see alot of posts on guitar msg boards that start with “I’m looking to buy my first acoustic guitar, and I would like it to have a pickup and a cutaway…” In my opinion a beginning acoustic guitar player shouldn’t worry about those things. Obviously if you are an electric guitar player and need something you can plug it right away and take to gigs its a different story. But a beginniner is mostly likely just playing at home, and won’t go high up enough on the neck for a cutaway. The money spent on those options would be better invested in a higher level instrument. There are a ton of aftermarket pickups that sound great, and cost less than a hundred dollars. If later down the line you decide you want a pickup its easy enough to have a shop install one. Plus alot of pickup systems that come installed on guitars have the preamp module installed directly into the side of the instrument. To me its just a bit unappealing to have a hole cut into a pretty piece of wood and electronics permanently installed.
Various Models
Below are a few different guitars along various price points. Some i have played, some i havn’t, but i think all are worth checking out if you are shopping for a first or second instrument.
Seagull S6 – I have played various models of Seagull guitars and i think they are a great value. They are aimed at the entry level guitar market and have a solid top, play well, and are good sounding instruments. This one will run you around $400. They also make a mini jumbo size guitar that is worth checking out.
Walden Guitars – I have not played any of these instruments. They seem to make a wide variety of body styles, and most options models have a solid top. They seem to run in the $300-$600 range, so probably worth checking out if you can find some at a local music store.
Takamine Guitars – These instruments are widely known for their good sounding built in pickups, so most of their models have one included. Worth checking out if you really want a guitar with pick up. i have played a few of their cedar topped models and they have a nice warm sound.
Taylor 110 Series – These are entry level guitars from Taylor with a solid top and laminated back and sides. At $600 i am thinking its probably a pretty good choice as an entry level instrument. They have an ebony fingerboard and bridge which is not something you see on a guitar at this price range. Ebony is the standard wood for fingerboards and bridges as its very dense, and usually only seen on guitars costing $1000+. There is no pickup or cutaway, so all your money is going towards wood quality and tone. I wish these were around when i was shopping for my first instrument.
Martin DX series – The Martin Guitar Co is perhaps the oldest and most widely known guitar company. Their pre Word War II instruments are considered by many to the holy grail of acoustic guitars. The DX series of guitars all have a solid top, and sides made out of some sort of high pressure laminate. At $500 i would say they are a good option for a beginner instrument.
Choosing Guitar Picks
Monday, August 3rd, 2009Hi Everyone,
One of the fun things about playing guitar and music is gear. Different guitar models, picks, amps, strings, capos, all of it can have an impact on your music, and there is alot of stuff to experiment with. For some gear can become kind of an obsession.
Guitar picks are one of the things that can really change your playing. Thankfully they are pretty cheap and there alot of different ones out there, so its easy to buy a handful and experiment.
In guitar playing I like to say that there are no hard and fast rules. Most players in bluegrass pick blazing leads with a flatpick, but player/luthier Wayne Henderson plays brilliantly with fingerpicks. If a certain way of playing really works for you then by all means pursue it. But for beginners just starting out i often recommend they use a flatpick if they want to strum, sing songs, and perhaps eventually play some lead guitar. Its easier to get more volume with a flatpick, and you won’t wear your nails ragged trying to strum with them.
For beginners its often easier to start out with a thinner pick. It’s not as much resistance as you move across the strings, which can sometimes throw beginners off with a thicker pick when they start to strum faster. Keep the wrist loose and relaxed.
Depending on what style of music you want to play you may need to eventually move to a thicker pick. Bluegrass styles where you want strong bass runs and need to be heard above other instruments often require a thicker pick. If I am playing lead guitar I like a 1mm pick at the thinnest.
Different types of picks will give a different tone. I like the nylon picks by Dunlop as they give me a nice smooth, round sound. When i played more mandolin i used the rounded side of a Fender heavy pick. Go your local guitar store, buy a handful of different ones, and experiment.
Acoustic Guitar Body Sizes
Thursday, July 30th, 2009Hi Everyone
I figured i would start this blog off with a post on acoustic guitar body sizes. Here at Rhythmstrummer.com our lessons are based on acoustic guitar renditions of great classic songs. They’ll sound fine on electric guitar as well, but we enjoy the sound of an acoustic instrument. There are alot of different guitars in our videos, and some of you might be wondering what is the difference, and i am shopping for an acoustic guitar what should i choose? These things come a variety of shapes and sizes. Lets look at the different options out there.
Dreadnought
The Dreadnought is probably the most popular acoustic body size out there, and most manufacturers offer some version of this model. It was originally developed by the Martin Guitar Company around 1916, and named after the large battleships of the early 20th century.
Dreadnoughts have a large body shape, with a slight waist and most of them are 14 frets clear of the body. They are generally between 4 5/8″ and 4 7/8″ deep, and between 15 5/8″ and 16″ deep at the widest point. These are big, kind of boxy guitars and may not be as comfortable to people of smaller stature.
Dreadnoughts have a big sound, with lots of boom and bass due to the body size. They function well as a rhythm guitar, accompanying voice, or in a bluegrass ensemble where one needs punchy bass runs and the volume to be heard over other instruments. They are perhaps not as balanced as smaller body sizes, but plenty of players over the years have used a dreadnought guitar for fingerpicking music and other styles where one needs an equal balance between all the strings.
Some popular dreadnought models include Martins D-18 and D-28, as well as Taylor’s DN series, and Larrivee’s D series.
Jumbo
Jumbo guitars are one step up from a Dreadnought in size. Certainly the most popular model that enters my mind is the Gibson J200, as used by countless singer song-writers. These have a big, loud sound, perfect for strummy rhythm guitar parts. These guitars are wider across than a dreadnought, at least 17″, and usually just as deep.
Many major manufacturers, including Martin and Gibson, make a jumbo model guitar. Folks who do alot of aggressive strumming may enjoy this body size, as well as taller people who feel they need a bigger instrument.
Mini Jumbo
Mini Jumbo’s are a bit more recent addition to the guitar world. They combine the bass and volume of a larger bodied dreadnought or jumbo guitar with the smaller waist, comfort, and balance of an OM. This body size usually measures around 16″ at its widest point, is 4.5-5″ deep, and is comfortable to hold due to the tighter waist.
Some good examples of a mini jumbo guitar are the Taylor GS body size, Martin’s M model, and Seagull’s Mini Jumbo. Folks who want a bit more bass and volume than a smaller body guitar, but find dreadnough’ts and full size jumbos uncomfortable might want to check out mini jumbos.
OM
The OM was developed by Martin guitars, and pre WWII examples are considered by many to the holy grail of smaller body guitars. This size instrument is much smaller than a dreadnought in both width and depth, usually measuring around 15″ across and 4 1/8″ deep. The sound is well balanced across the bass and treble strings, making it popular for fingerpicking music where all the notes need to be heard. These guitars are very comfortable to play sitting down.
Due to it being popular among a wide variety of players alot of manufacturers make an OM model guitar. Martin’s OM-28, Larrivee’s OM-09, and Taylor’s GC body size, which is very similar.
OOO
OOO’s are similar to OM’s, but with a shorter scale length, and some may be 12 frets to the body instead of 14. The body size is a touch smaller, so there is going to be bit less bass than an OM. This guitar is great for fingerpicking, but wont necessarily provide as big or full a sound when strummed with a pick as an OM or mini jumbo guitar.
Martin’s OOO is a classic example, and the small shop Santa Cruz Guitar Company makes a beautiful OOO, as does Larrivee.
Parlour
The smallest widely manufactured body size is the parlour or O style. Small instruments like these were usually played in peoples’ parlors, hence the name. They don’t have a huge sound, but are comfortable, well balanced, and alot of fun to play. These guitars work great for fingerstyle or classical music, where there are several parts that need to be balanced and heard simultaneously. The shorter scale length of these instruments can also make alot of left hand stretches much easier. Larrivee’s P model, Martin’s O model, and Santa Cruz’s PJ guitar are all good examples of the parlor guitar body size.
Ultimately what it comes down to is what guitar feels comfortable and sounds good for you. If you like to fingerpick a dreadnought or play bluegrass leads on an OM then go for it. Visit alot of guitars stores, play alot of instruments, and find out what works for your style. Sampling all those instruments is half the fun.
