How many times have you been to see a band play at a local club and you've been blown away by not only the guitarist's skillful playing but also the clarity and quality of their guitar sound? Or maybe you've been less than impressed with the sound coming from the guitarist's rig? A good guitar sound is a vital component of a great-sounding live performance, or any great recording. Think about the signature guitar tones of the great players such as Mark Knopfler in Dire Straits, or David Gilmour of Pink Floyd. Would their albums be half as memorable if it wasn't for not only their great guitar playing but also their distinctly individual guitar sounds?

I've been playing guitar as a hobby for 20 years, and professionally for the past 5 years. In this time I've picked up a lot of experience that have helped me to get a guitar tone I'm happy with - it's taken many years, but by bearing the following tips in mind, I'm almost completely happy with my sound(us guitarists are rarely entirely happy!) - and I hope there's some useful info in here for you too.

1. Less Is More

The truth is that we all love to buy the latest gadgets and toys for our guitar rigs. Whether it's a new wah pedal, distortion box or multi-effects unit, it's a lot of fun to explore and experiment with the different sonic textures these add (or subtract!) from your guitar tone. The trouble is, you might find that the more pedals and signal processors you put between your guitar and your amplifier, the weaker your guitar signal gets...

One thing many of us guitar players forget is that the most important factor in determining your sound is your fingers. What you PLAY is what counts. Try using a cleaner signal path with as few digital boxes as possible, and let your amp do the talking.

2. Less Gain, Less Pain

Using excessive amounts of gain on your amplifier can have disastrous results that not only annoy your fellow band members, but also (and most importantly), your audience. Lots of gain can mean your guitar produces a horrific feedback squeal during the the gaps in your playing, which can cause hearing damage, as well as audience members leaving the gig early.

Excessive gain means your signal becomes distorted, which is great for musical styles such as rock and metal. But take the example of Angus and Malcolm Young of AC/DC... Those guys use minimal amounts of gain and let the sheer volume of their amps do the distorting. This means their sound cuts through in the mix very clear, as their sound is more solid and less broken up by distortion. Of course, you have have to work a little harder to sustain your notes (by using vibrato), but the difference in clarity to your sound is the reward.

3. Learn to really use your multieffects unit

If you're using a multi effects unit, for example a Line 6 or a Boss GT-8 or similar, you'll know just how amazing these boxes can sound. There are so many great amp simulations available, the possibilities are virtually endless. However there are so many variables, you could go mad with option anxiety before you finally find your dream guitar tone!

I think the trick here is to ignore the factory presets and design your own tones from scratch. It helps to listen to your favourite albums and try to emulate the same guitar tones you hear. The factory preset tones are usually designed to wow you in the store to make you buy it, however they're not really suitable for live use or recording. Take the time to read the manual and really understand and get to grips with the operation of the unit, and you'll be more confident in shaping your own unique guitar sound.

Whether you already play piano or are about to learn, you want to play well. Maybe you want to impress your family. Or perhaps you want to be able to impress your friends. Maybe you simply want to play well for your own enjoyment. There are many things you can do to ensure that you don't fall into any bad habits while perfecting your playing. This article will offer some piano playing tips that will help you develop your skills.

Tip #1: One Hand At A Time

When learning to play a new piece, begin by playing with only one hand. Learn the hand movements and play the piece with each hand separately. If you are right-handed, this exercise will strengthen your left hand. Once you know how to play the piece with each hand separately, you may be surprised how easy it is to play it with both hands.

Tip #2: Foot Off The Pedals

When playing a piece that normally requires the use of the pedals, try playing the piece without the pedals. Doing so will allow you to hear the passages more clearly and identify any notes that sound wrong, ill-timed, or uneven. When using this tip, take care not to "hold" notes in an attempt to mirror with your fingers what the pedal would normally do.

Tip #3: Use Variety While Practicing

Any piano playing tips that are effective will focus on your mind. While strengthening your hands and fingers and gaining coordination in them is important, your brain will naturally begin to tune things out after a prolonged period of time. When learning a piece or practicing scales, use a little variety to keep your mind interested. Doing this will strengthen your memory.

Tip #4: Be Regimented While Practicing

Though you may be tempted to simply sit down and play when practicing, resist this temptation. This often results in developing bad habits that can impair your playing ability in the future. Instead, resolve to follow a regimented practice routine when learning or improving upon techniques. You may find that doing so allows you to learn to play pieces efficiently in half the time it would normally take. But, make sure to also give yourself some time to "just play" during your practice session. Balance is productive.

5. Change your practice routine every three to six weeks. While it is important to have a consistently balanced practice routine, that doesn't mean you have to practice the same stuff in the same way forever. Change to a different warm up plan once in a while and you'll learn piano in a more holistic way mentally. Throw in different chord scales into your warm ups as you learn piano. Learn a different style or piece now and then. You may think if you like one style of piano piece better than others the best way to learn piano is to concentrate on that style. It is true that you should spend the most time on the style you like the best, but learning as many styles as possible will actually increase your versatility within the style you like best. You may even find yourself mixing in some things to create a whole new style of music that is your own as you learn piano.