A guitarist (sometimes known as a guitar player) is someone who performs on the guitar. Guitarists may perform on a wide range of instruments from the guitar family, including classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists sing or play the harmonica in addition to playing the guitar while they are performing.
In order to sound the guitar, the guitarist can use a variety of techniques. These include finger picking, which is dependent on the type of strings used (either nylon or steel), strumming with the fingers or a guitar pick made of bone (or horn), plastic (or metal), felt (or leather), or paper, as well as melodic flatpicking and fingerpicking.
There are many ways that the guitarist might use to choose notes and chords, including thumbing, picking with one's finger over many or all strings at a single fret, and using guitar slides, which are often made of glass or metal. It is possible to mix and match these left- and right-hand methods when performing.