How to Play a Surf Guitar
Surf guitar is a classic American art form that never went away. A number of specific techniques make up this distinctive rock idiom, but fortunately none of them are outside the grasp of the novice guitar player. Once you've learned the basics, there is no end to what you can do with them. You'll have your friends shimmying on the beach in no time.
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Instructions
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Turn your amp to Clean, without any distortion or overdrive. A clean tone distinguishes surf guitar from most other rock forms.
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Turn the reverb all the way up. You can never have too much reverb when playing surf guitar. It gives the guitar sound that distinctive "twang."
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Learn tremolo picking, which gives surf guitar its distinctive rhythm. Tremolo picking (or trem picking) also allows you to play faster surf rock songs than simple down-stroke picking does. While not an advanced technique, it does require some practice.
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Learn palm muting, another necessary technique for getting that unique surf guitar sound. When playing single-note riffs, palm-mute to get a muffled sound. Only your chords should ring open. Play around with palm muting. See what gives you the sound you like best.
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Teach yourself a simple surf guitar riff. There's no need to learn an entire song. Just learn a distinctive riff that you like a lot. Spend time practicing your techniques on this riff.
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Tips & Warnings
Immerse yourself in surf rock recordings by acts like Dick Dale, the Chantays and the Surfaris.
