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The 12-String Guitar: Tips and Tricks
By Gert de Meijer |
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The 12-string guitar has a long history and we find some astonishing playing among roots-musicians like Leadbelly and Blind Willy McTell .
Contemporary guitar players like Leo Kottke and Michael Hedges gave us some of the finest 12-string-playing ever done.
A lot of guitar players want to play the 12-string guitar but soon stop after a few attempts. Why?
Most start playing the things they are used to on a 6-string. And then it sounds either brilliant or lousy.
They experience it as sort of a limited instrument. But I think of it as a different instrument.
I have had a strong love for the 12-string guitar a long time, and..... before I ever heard of the artists I mentioned,
Of course I discovered that things I composed on a 6-string wouldn't sound right at all on a 12.
But getting aquainted with the possibilities of a 12 , I now compose and choose the instrument that fits best.
I will give you some basic information about the 12-string guitar , some helpful tips and some examples in tablature.
Tips
Firstly, you'll need to lower your tuning a whole tone. So if you have the common Spanish tuning (EADGBE) lower it down to DGCFAD .
Second tip: Don't use light string-gauges, but use medium instead. If you want to play the 12-string, you shouldn't be afraid of somewhat heavier strings. Myself I use very heavy strings from 058 to 014.
Of course you need a guitar that can handle the tension of the strings, otherwise your guitar will be broken into two pieces. So, consult your local dealer or luthier first.
Let's start with a medium gauge-set, meaning about:
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