Learn Guitar Quick » Blues

Economy picking lesson with Rob Chappers – PART TWO

Bob — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 10:00:19 +0000

Here’s Rob again with Part Two. More exercises and applications…

Economy picking guitar lesson with Rob Chappers – PART ONE

Bob — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:00:15 +0000

Rob Chappers again. A good explaination of economy picking with some expercises to get your chops up to speed…

Is Playing The Guitar For You by Christiane Perrin

Bob — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 10:00:09 +0000

You are apparently interested in playing the guitar. Or maybe you are educating yourself before you make a time and money commitment for a child. I believe that being able to play a musical instrument can be very satisfying and enriching, provided the choice of instrument is appropriate and provided that it is voluntary. I will focus this article on the choice of instrument.

The guitar certainly has been, and probably always will be, one of the most popular instruments. Why? I imagine it is because a classic guitar can be taken just about anywhere. You can always play a few strings and soon have a circle of people join you in singing. Even young people join in, especially when some of the classic rock songs are being played.

Ask yourself, or your child, the question what you/they ultimately want to achieve. Will guitar palying be for your own personal satisfaction, where you can play for yourself for hours, and don’t really care what it sounds like to other? Or do you want to be able to play for others, join a a band? Will you be fully committed to practicing?

Your choice of guitar and how you plan to learn to play guitar will depend on your ultimate goal. Getting started with playing the guitar can be expensive, and it does not have to be. If you are unsure, check in the classified ads about buying a used guitar. You can always upgrade later. Call a guitar teacher or talk to the folks at the local music store in your area and ask them a few questions.

Electric guitars require a higher upfront investment, becasue they need an amplifier. It also might require some soundproofing for the room you plan to play in, unless you live in a very remote location. Neighbors generally do not appreciate a group of teenagers jamming at full volume at 10 pm or on a Sunday afternoon. And it is amazing what sound effects can be created with guitar and amplifier. It opens up a whole new avenue of creativity.

Learning how to play the guitar requires a good teacher or good learning program (book, video, audio) and commitment on your part to hours of practice. You can find a good teacher in your local area and you can find good programs on the internet. Many of these programs offer a combination of books and videos. Some include free newsletters or free sample lessons. Check the different avenues out so you can determine what works best for you. It might be a combination of learning with a teacher in person, supplemented by a downloadable program.

So before you run out, buy a guitar and sign up for lessons, ask yourself if you will dedicate several hours each week to practicing and playing the guitar. If you do, you will be able to enjoy many hours of enjoyment playing this wonderful instrument.

About the Author
Christiane Perrin is the mother of 2 teenagers who play guitar and drums. She herself plays the recorder.Playing The Guitar

Article source:
Is Playing The Guitar For You

Learn the modes in just 15 minutes – Part Two by Rob Chappers

Bob — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:00:30 +0000

A continuation from last time – presenting the remaining modes. Great video!

Guitar Learn Guitar By Not Playing Guitarby Peter Edvinsson

Bob — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:00:25 +0000

I suppose you think that you learn guitar by playing guitar. Well, do you learn to say the right things by talking all the time? Let’s take a look at the art of not playing guitar…

How can you learn to play guitar by not playing? Is it really possible to develop as a guitarist without touching the instrument?

In weight training it is an established fact that muscle growth takes place during rest, for example when you sleep. It doesn’t mean that you will become a famous muscle builder by sleeping. Sleeping is just a part of the overall picture called muscle growth.

Don’t ever think that you will become a good guitarist by not playing guitar at all!

But I define a good guitarist as a good musician. A good musician can convey his musical emotions to somebody else and this ability takes more than just practicing moving the fingers among all those guitar strings.

What can you do to become a better guitarist and a musician when you don’t play? Let me give you a few suggestions:

1. If you play classical guitar, get into the habit of often reading guitar sheet music without your guitar. This practice gives you training in the art of hearing the sheet music in your head and also gives you a better chance to really learn notational symbols in the music and rhythmic subtleties.

2. Take a week off from your guitar playing every now and then and use all your musical energy listening to good music or just being a good citizen. Learn to spot musical and artistic heights in the music. Listen to all types of instrumentalists. With concentration. My best listening position is laying flat on my bed with headphones on forgetting the rest of the world. Maybe you have another approach.

If you feel and enjoy musical and artistic expressions in the music these will probably be implemented in your own guitar playing sooner or later.

3. Be a good musical friend by helping somebody else to play. It will help you become more unselfish and like people more. Well, maybe you already like people sufficiently but to learn to like people is part of our development as musicians as we are supposed to give of ourselves to others when we play.

4. Prepare your body and mind for playing guitar by learning the art of relaxation and stretching your muscles. You can of course find articles on these subjects on the net. Performing in a relaxed manner will help you enjoy your own music more and will help your public to relax and enjoy your music too.

5. Take time to sit down, or stand up if you like, and ponder about what guitar playing means to you. Is there something that you would like to develop in your guitar playing that will give you more joy and happiness. Set a realistic goal and write down what you can do every week to accomplish that goal.

I believe in practicing on my guitar of course but I hope that these pieces of advice concerning not playing guitar will increase your love for your guitar and the art of playing and giving musical joy to others!

About the Author
Peter Edvinsson is a musician, composer and music teacher. Visit his site Capotasto Music and download your free sheet music and learn to play resources at http://www.capotastomusic.com

Article source:
Guitar Learn Guitar By Not Playing Guitar

Learn the modes in just 15 minutes – Part One by Rob Chappers

Bob — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 10:00:46 +0000

Here’s another way at looking at modes. I’ve discussed this before, as something I’ve heard Joe Satrianni recomend – practice modes over a pedal tone.

A Snapshot of an Acoustic Guitarby Melville Jackson

Bob — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 10:00:51 +0000

If you love country music and if you are serious about learning the art of playing guitars, you definitely need to start with an acoustic guitar. An acoustic guitar can be use to genres like bluegrass, jazz, blues, country, and folk. An acoustic guitar can be played without an amplifier. Made of fine wood like spruce, maple and mahogany, the tone of the wood is what defines a guitar and sets it apart. The wood from these trees are more resonant than the others and guitars makers refer to them as “tone woods”. The bracings inside the instruments vary from maker to maker. These bracings determine the quality of the tone.

The quality of an acoustic guitar can be tested in the following way. Hold a lit match in front of the sound hole and tap the top of the guitar. If the tap on the top of the guitar produces enough air to extinguish the match stick, the guitar is well made and is likely to produce a good tone.

There are various designs and types of acoustic guitars.

1.Flat Top: This is a very popular kind of guitar. It has a flat back. The tones of these guitars depend on the method used to manufacture them.

2.Classical: A classical guitar shares some of the features of a flat top guitar. These guitars have wider finger boards. As these guitars do not support steel strings nylon strings are used.

3.Bass: This type of guitars is similar to flat top guitars but they produce deeper sounds.

4.Archtop: This type of guitar has a curved top with a flat or rounded back. The curved shape of the top increases the amplitude of the sound waves by excluding the standing sound waves that are formed inside the body of the guitar. This increase the volume of sound produced by the acoustic guitars.

The variations in acoustic guitars are in terms of shape, size, tuning and the number of strings. You can choose from acoustic guitars with 12 or 6 strings, child size guitars for your kids etc. Value packages that include all the different accessories in one kit are available in markets. There are many well known brands to opt for. You can also shop through the internet and some websites allow you to browse through models so that you can choose the right guitar according to your personal preferences.

About the Author

At World Music Supply, we offer acoustic electric guitars in all your favorite models and styles. Buy beginner drum sets, bass guitars, wireless studio microphones, dj lighting & recording equipment online. We’ve got something for everyone, in top brands like Fender, ESP, B.C. Rich, and Jackson.

Guitar Lesson 1 – Warm-up Exercises by Dean Dimarzo

Bob — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 09:40:46 +0000

Dean calls them warm-ups, but they’re really great technique and speed-builder exercises too.
Note the great tip which tends to get overlooked by many students: always use a metronome!

Try these. Start out slow and build…

How To Improve Chord Changesby Kathy Unruh

Bob — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:16:30 +0000

Would you like to know how to improve your chord changes? Of course you would! Is there some secret formula or magic trick that will make your fingers quicker? No… but there are some “muscle memory” exercises you can do to strengthen them. This will make a big difference in your playing.

Yesterday I gave one of my students a series of simple chord progressions to practice. As he was playing through them I noticed that he could transition easily from the C chord to the Em chord, but he had difficulty moving from Em back to C. That’s because it’s easier for the hand to close than open, and moving from Em to C requires that your stretch and open your hand. The problem he was having also affected his timing so that he was unable to keep a steady 4/4 rhythm.

Repetition is the key to improving chord changes, but there are some ways to speed up the entire process. One of the first things you need to do is to practice being observant when you’re playing. Take mental notes of any difficulties you are having so that you can create your own improvement plan . Many beginner guitar students seem to ignore the importance of listening to themselves. But this is an essential ingredient to becoming a better guitar player.

After identifying the problem my student was having, I was able to provide some simple exercises he could do to improve his chord changes. The first exercise was to focus on only these two chords by using a chord drill.

SIMPLE CHORD DRILL:

Strum Em and begin counting to four
Move to C BEFORE reaching the number four
If you can do this, reduce the count to three
When you can easily move from Em to C in three beats…
Try it in two beats, then in one beat.

It’s important to keep a steady count. Use a metronome to prevent the tendency to slow down your count.

The next excercise is called “chord bouncing” (my own term)…

CHORD BOUNCING

Strum any chord (let’s use C Major)
Lift all your fingers up off the fretboard, while still holding the shape of the chord, and strum the strings again (open)
Set them back down on the strings and strum the chord
Practice strumming this with a count: 1 (fingers down) 2 (fingers up) 3 (fingers down) 4 (fingers up)

Your goal is to place your fingers exactly where they need to be. Try to set all your fingers down on the strings at the same time. This is a great exercise for training your fingers to memorize a chord shape.

Continue practicing these exercises until you can change smoothly from one chord to the next without losing the beat, or shape, of the chord. Be careful not to overdue it! You only need about four or five consistant repitions every day to improve your chord changes!

About the Author

Kathy Unruh has been providing guitar lessons to students of all ages for over 25 years. For free guitar lessons, plus tips and resources on songwriting, recording and creating a music career, please visit her website at: AbcLearnGuitar.com

Learn Guitar Quick: How Do We Define a Scale?by Bob Matthews

Bob — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:00:40 +0000

A specific scale is defined by its intervallic formula. In other words, it is not necessarily the specific notes, but the pattern of intervals that defines a specific scale. And it’s also this same pattern of intervals that gives the scale its characteristic feel or tonality. By altering the intervallic scale formula, we change the type of scale being played. We can change the key of the scale by starting the intervallic formula on a different note.

For instance, the major scale is defined by the following pattern of intervals:

W-W-H-W-W-W-H

(Where W=whole step and H=half step)

So, if you take the C major scale as an example (C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C), you will see that it follows the pattern above. If you take a look at your guitar fretboard, you will be able to determine whole steps because they are two frets apart. Half steps, on the other hand, are adjacent to each with no fret between them.

So let’s compare the C major scale with the major scale intervallic pattern: C and D are a whole step apart. D and E are a whole step apart. E and F are adjacent to each other and so, are a half step apart. F and G, G and A and A and B are each a whole step apart. Only a half step separates B and C. So we have demonstrated to ourselves that the C major scale conforms to the major scale intervallic formula.

To form major scales in other keys, we simply start with a new root note and apply the intervallic formula. The key of the scale is determined by the root note. So, for instance, to form the D major scale; we start at D and apply the W-W-H-W-W-W-H major scale formula.

A whole step up from D is E.
A whole step up from E is F#
A half step up from F# is G
A whole step up from G is A
A whole step up from A is B
A whole step up from B is C#
A half step up from C# is D

So the D major scale is D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D

The natural minor scale is defined by the following pattern of intervals:

W-H-W-W-H-W-W

As you can see, this pattern is different from the major scale intervallic formula. It is these differences in interval placement that give these two scales different characteristic feels or sounds from each other.

The major scale tends to create a lighter, happier mood. It is often used in country and folk music.

The natural minor scale has a darker, edgier sound and is frequently used in heavy metal and rock music.

The type of scale e.g. major, minor, diminished, augmented, etc. is determined by the intervallic pattern of whole and half steps. Altering the intervallic formula changes the scale type. The key of the scale is determined by the root note of the scale. By starting the same intervallic formula on different root notes, we retain the scale type buy change the key.