Play 12 String Guitar

It is the bottom four pairs of It is quite tricky to connect with a pair of strings more-or-less simultaneously when using the finger nails or finger tips. Finger picking is possible but not particularly satisfactory unless you use plastic or metal finger picks on the ends of your fingers. When you play 12 string guitar it is more usual to use a plectrum, either to strum or to pick individual strings; - very often we use a combination of both techniques of playing in the same song. If you are looking to play 12 string guitar, I would recommend that you avoid the solid version.

It is the resonating body of the instrument which gives it such carrying power and characteristic sound. There are 'solid' electric 12 string guitars around but they lack the true character of the acoustic or electro-acoustic version. The pairs of strings vibrating together give the instrument an almost organ-like sound and much greater carrying power than the traditional acoustic guitar. The answer of course is the wonderful ringing tone which the instrument produces. So, if the strings are tuned the same, what is the point of having a 12 string guitar at all?

However, the lower four pairs of strings (E-A-D-G) are tuned in octaves whereas the top two pairs are in unison. The strings are arranged in pairs and also tuned in pairs to exactly the same pattern as the 6 string, the usual E-A-D-G-B-E. The 12 string guitar can be played in exactly the same way as a normal 6 string guitar.