How to Do Ttrills on the Guitar

A trill is an advanced guitar technique that with practice, can be a great addition to any guitarist's bag of tricks. You hear trills all the time in guitar solos and even in classical music. With a little practice, you will be well on your way to soloing like a pro on the guitar.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Guitar

1. Place the forefinger of your left hand on the tenth fret of the 1st string (high E string). If you are left-handed you will be using your right-hand instead.

2. Pluck the high E string.

3. With the high E string still ringing, place your ring finger on the twelfth fret of the high E string. Do not pluck the string again. When doing a trill you will only pluck once per trill. If you did this step correctly, you should hear the twelfth fret clearly. It will be a distinctly different tone than the note you originally plucked.

4. While still holding down the tenth fret of the high E string, lift your ring finger off of the twelfth fret. You should once again hear the original note.

5. Place your finger on the the twelfth fret once again. Remember, you do not pluck the string again. The force of your first pluck will be all you need to perform the trill.

6. Lift your ring finger on and off of the twelfth fret repeatedly.

7. Gradually build up your speed. Perform step 6 at faster and faster speeds as your fingers grow stronger until you can perform the trill quickly and smoothly. That's it, you now know how to trill on the guitar.

Tips & Warnings

• Listen to some recordings of great guitarists doing trills. This will help you understand the timing and the finesse necessary for making your trills sound professional.
• If you feel any discomfort when practicing the trill, take a break. This can be tough on your fingers at first. Give your hands time to get used to this new technique.