One of the things I have been doing lately to break out of ruts is to figure out keyboard parts and solos on the guitar. Most guitarist will figure out sax and violin parts but I like the way keyboard players have a certain way of playing different sequences.
A couple you should check out are:
In The Cage - Genesis. Tony Banks keyboard solo uses a lot of cool scale lines and pedal tones.
Firth Of The Firth - Genesis - I have been working on the main piano intro. Lot of arpeggios the move all over the guitar.
Cinema Show - Genesis - The end keyboard work is awesome. Lots of stuff to practice sweep picking with.
Roundabout - Yes and Rick Wakeman - Cool arpeggios that have some big stretches.
Just a couple of examples so check them out.
Hints, Tips, Tricks and Advice on learning and playing the guitar.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Lesson Times Available
I have a few lesson slots open for the summer.
Sundays: 12:00pm, 12:30pm
Mondays: 7:00pm and 7:30pm
If you are interested in one of the spots let me know. They will fill up fast.
Sundays: 12:00pm, 12:30pm
Mondays: 7:00pm and 7:30pm
If you are interested in one of the spots let me know. They will fill up fast.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Learning to play by ear.
With all the tabs and videos available today I find most students rely too much on them and spend little to no time actually trying to figure out a song or solo by ear. Many find this a daunting task that takes too much time and effort which is a shame because more can be learned by listening and playing along than a tab or video could ever give you.
Here are some shortcuts to help you get started. Start with an easy 3 or 4 chord song. As you get better move on to more complicated songs.
1. Start with the most popular keys: A, E, G, D and C.
2. Just try to figure out the basic progression by using the 6th string on the guitar and seeing if you can figure out the note changes.
3. After you have an idea as to how the song goes change the notes into chords. Just use Major, Minor and 7th chords to start.
4. Once you have the chord progression down try and nail down the exact chord. Many rock, blues and country songs stick with the basic major, minor, 7th, major 7th and minor 7th chords.
5. Trust your ear. If it sounds right it is mostly likely right. Don't over analyze what you are doing and don't worry about getting it 100% correct. You just want to get the basics. As you get better the more complicated parts will get easier.
So get to work. Don't cheat and when you are finished you can check your work against on line tabs and videos.
Good Luck!
Here are some shortcuts to help you get started. Start with an easy 3 or 4 chord song. As you get better move on to more complicated songs.
1. Start with the most popular keys: A, E, G, D and C.
2. Just try to figure out the basic progression by using the 6th string on the guitar and seeing if you can figure out the note changes.
3. After you have an idea as to how the song goes change the notes into chords. Just use Major, Minor and 7th chords to start.
4. Once you have the chord progression down try and nail down the exact chord. Many rock, blues and country songs stick with the basic major, minor, 7th, major 7th and minor 7th chords.
5. Trust your ear. If it sounds right it is mostly likely right. Don't over analyze what you are doing and don't worry about getting it 100% correct. You just want to get the basics. As you get better the more complicated parts will get easier.
So get to work. Don't cheat and when you are finished you can check your work against on line tabs and videos.
Good Luck!
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Standing In The Shadows Of Motown
If you haven't seen it yet I highly recommend the movie "Standing In The Shadows Of Motown". This is about the Funk Brothers which is the group of studio musicians who played on all the great Motown records. Fascinating look into the life of a musician and how those great Motown songs were recorded.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Lesson Availability
Latest lesson times available. Sundays 1:00pm and 7:30pm
I have no openings the rest of the week.
I have no openings the rest of the week.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Keep Your Guitar From Drying Out
If you live in area that gets dry during the winter, like Chicago, or is dry all year around be sure to keep your guitars well humidified. This is especially important if you own an acoustic guitar. When they dry out the tops sink or worse, crack making for an expensive repair. If you keep your guitar in a case make sure you have an in case humidifier like a Damp It. If you keep it on a stand in a room make sure the room humidity is 40% to 45%. Pick up a humidity gauge from a hardware store or a cigar store. I use an in room humidifier to keep my guitar room. They are inexpensive and easy to use. So be sure your guitar is well humidified.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Beginner Picking Exercise
Here is a great beginning picking exercise. Make sure to use a down / up (alternating) picking motion. The exercise is grouped as triplets which means 3 notes per each beat. Use all 4 fingers on the left hand (which are the numbers below the picking notations) and start slowly with a metronome setting of 60 beats per minute. Take your time and get it right before moving up to higher speeds.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
What Kind Of Guitar To Buy For A Beginning Student
A common question that parents and beginning students ask is what kind of guitar should they buy and how much should they spend?
First, always spend as much as you can afford.With guitars there is a big difference in quality in the different price ranges.
Anything below $100 will be inferior and more of a toy than a guitar.
From $100 - $200 the quality of the guitar can sometimes be very good or very bad. In this range most of the guitars are constructed of little to no actual wood. Mostly laminates are used. The tuners, frets and electronic components will be made of the most inexpensive materials available. Most of these guitars are made in Asia. They can be a good starter guitar but they won't last more than a couple of months to maybe a year or two before breaking.
From $200 - $500 the quality really improves considerably. The workmanship is much better. If it is a electric guitar the body will be made of wood, usually alder or basswood. If it is an acoustic the top part of the guitar will be made of wood and the back and side of a laminate. The hardware will be of a better quality and more durable. There are a number of companies that manufacturer both acoustic and electric guitars in this range. Good brands are Yamaha, Martin's Little Martin Acoustic, Taylor's Baby Taylor Acoustic, Simon And Patrick Acoustics, Seagull Acoustics, Takamine, Epiphone, and Ibanez. I bought a Yamaha acoustic guitar in 1980 for $125.00 and I still have it and I still play it.
From $500 to $1000 you can get a great, high quality guitar that should last you a lifetime if taken care of. The guitars in this range are perfect for the more advanced beginner or intermiadate player looking to trade up from his first guitar. Martin and Taylor have some great acoustic guitars in this price range that are made in Mexico. Fender and Gibson have a number of electric guitars in this price range they play and sound great.
$1000 and up. For most these are for the guitarist that have been playing for awhile. High quality woods, great electronics and most are made in the USA. On the acoustic guitar side Taylor and Martin are the two big names with other manufacturers such as Guild, Gibson, Collings, Santa Cruz, PRS, McPherson making some of the best acoustic guitars on the market. On the electric guitar side, Gibson, Fender and PRS are the big three while Musicman, Jackson, ESP, Rickenbacker, Heritage, and others made great guitars. There is an incredible amount of choices.
Should I get and electric or an acoustic? Base the type of guitar you get on the type of music you listen to and want to play. Buying an acoustic guitar when you want to play heavy metal doesn't make sense nor does buying an electric guitar to play folk music. If you don't have a musical preference than start with a good acoustic guitar with steel strings. Stay away from an acoustic with nylon strings. They might be easier on the fingers but they are difficult to keep in tune.
The best advice I can give is to buy something that makes you want to pick it up and enjoy playing regardless of the amount of money. Try a lot of different brands and styles. You never know what you might find. I know people who have bought $5000 guitars and hated them and returned them and others who have been playing $300 guitars for years and love them. Eddie Van Halen's first guitar he put together himself with $125 worth of parts and recorded a number of records with it creating a sound that many have tried to emulate.
First, always spend as much as you can afford.With guitars there is a big difference in quality in the different price ranges.
Anything below $100 will be inferior and more of a toy than a guitar.
From $100 - $200 the quality of the guitar can sometimes be very good or very bad. In this range most of the guitars are constructed of little to no actual wood. Mostly laminates are used. The tuners, frets and electronic components will be made of the most inexpensive materials available. Most of these guitars are made in Asia. They can be a good starter guitar but they won't last more than a couple of months to maybe a year or two before breaking.
From $200 - $500 the quality really improves considerably. The workmanship is much better. If it is a electric guitar the body will be made of wood, usually alder or basswood. If it is an acoustic the top part of the guitar will be made of wood and the back and side of a laminate. The hardware will be of a better quality and more durable. There are a number of companies that manufacturer both acoustic and electric guitars in this range. Good brands are Yamaha, Martin's Little Martin Acoustic, Taylor's Baby Taylor Acoustic, Simon And Patrick Acoustics, Seagull Acoustics, Takamine, Epiphone, and Ibanez. I bought a Yamaha acoustic guitar in 1980 for $125.00 and I still have it and I still play it.
From $500 to $1000 you can get a great, high quality guitar that should last you a lifetime if taken care of. The guitars in this range are perfect for the more advanced beginner or intermiadate player looking to trade up from his first guitar. Martin and Taylor have some great acoustic guitars in this price range that are made in Mexico. Fender and Gibson have a number of electric guitars in this price range they play and sound great.
$1000 and up. For most these are for the guitarist that have been playing for awhile. High quality woods, great electronics and most are made in the USA. On the acoustic guitar side Taylor and Martin are the two big names with other manufacturers such as Guild, Gibson, Collings, Santa Cruz, PRS, McPherson making some of the best acoustic guitars on the market. On the electric guitar side, Gibson, Fender and PRS are the big three while Musicman, Jackson, ESP, Rickenbacker, Heritage, and others made great guitars. There is an incredible amount of choices.
Should I get and electric or an acoustic? Base the type of guitar you get on the type of music you listen to and want to play. Buying an acoustic guitar when you want to play heavy metal doesn't make sense nor does buying an electric guitar to play folk music. If you don't have a musical preference than start with a good acoustic guitar with steel strings. Stay away from an acoustic with nylon strings. They might be easier on the fingers but they are difficult to keep in tune.
The best advice I can give is to buy something that makes you want to pick it up and enjoy playing regardless of the amount of money. Try a lot of different brands and styles. You never know what you might find. I know people who have bought $5000 guitars and hated them and returned them and others who have been playing $300 guitars for years and love them. Eddie Van Halen's first guitar he put together himself with $125 worth of parts and recorded a number of records with it creating a sound that many have tried to emulate.
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