Archive | September, 2009

Learn Guitar – Tab Or Sheet Music?

Ricky Sharples asked:


Many guitarists are adamant that the only way to learn guitar is by learning to read sheet music. Some even go so far as to say that if all guitar tab was removed from the world the level of guitar playing would be much higher. The main objection to that idea is that many famous guitar players never learnt to read sheet music. Some even have trouble with tab. Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Tommy Emmanuel and Jeff Beck are shining examples. Of course, all these guitarists were following their own idiosyncratic ways of expressing themselves through the guitar rather than learning a broad range of music but there are still those who are thinking of a whole world of music that is closed to people who have not learnt to read notation. What would possibly be raised if tab were eliminated would be the level of communication between guitarists because we would all be speaking the same langusage.

But it is highly unlikely that guitar players who have more of an instinctive approach to the guitar will ever take the trouble to learn theory and standard music notation. At the same time the people who have made the effort to learn to read music will continue to feel that they have a greater understanding  of the guitar and the ability to learn new music faster than guitarists who do not have a background of theory at their fingertips.

You could say that the bottom line is what works for the individual. If you can play guitar but can’t read music, does that make you an inferior guitarist? A weakness with learning from tabs is that timing and rhythm can’t be learnt from tabs but some people write tabs incorporating the elements of sheet music notation that show note values and timing, and this kind of notation is very easy to learn.

There are those guitar players who see sheet music notation as a language that was invented by keyboard players and is not very well suited to the guitar. It should be noted that without learning musical theory as well, learning to read music is just a part of the language of music and is not a great deal more useful than tabs. Also the amount of music theory a guitarist learns is in proportion to his interest in music in general but will not necessarily make him a better guitar player than a guy who doesn’t read music.

It has often been pointed out by guitar players who play in an open or alternate tuning that if you are used to reading and playing music in standard tuning you might find it very difficult to sight read a piece written in an alternate tuning using standard musical notation. If this is true it would suggest that reading standard music is not the key to universal understanding of the guitar.



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So What's the Best Way to Learn Guitar?

Nick seigal asked:


While the guitar has been a popular instrument for many years, more and more people are wanting to learn to play it for themselves. Teens may fantasize about becoming the next big rockstar, but there are many people who just want to learn to play the guitar just so they can enjoy making music. So many of these enthusiastic guitar fans don’t find the best way to learn guitar however, and after a few fruitless attempts they give up.

Everyone learns a bit differently. Besides that fact, we all have different resources, different schedules, jobs and demands on our time. If you are not making the strides you wish you were, perhaps it is because you haven’t found the best way to learn guitar. There are many methods to learn to play this instrument out there. A few are listed below.

Theory Books

There are lots of theory books that you can buy to teach you how to play the guitar. Some are actually very good, and if you learn best this way, an excellent theory book may be the way to go. This method is cheap, and you can learn at your own rate. However, most of us don’t do well using this method by itself. If you are patient and determined however, this may be the best way to learn guitar for you.

Video Lessons

You can find video guitar lessons on tapes and DVDs in most music stores as well as online. You may even find some video lessons online, some of which are even free of charge. Learning with a video is dynamic and you may stay more focused. Like the theory books, these lessons allow you to practice whenever it is convenient for you. The only real drawback is that you can’t get feedback or personalized attention like you would with a teacher.

Private Lessons

If you have time and money to dedicate to your pursuit, most people are successful if they take private lessons. A good guitar teacher can design a program that is customized to your learning style and you get feedback and one-on-one attention to keep you on track. They can also correct any mistakes you may be making early, so they don’t become habits. This is the best way to learn guitar for many people.

Learning by Ear

Some people who were born blessed with natural musical ability find learning the guitar by ear to be fun and effective. With modern technology that allows us to slow down audio, this is a lot easier than it used to be in generations past.

Remember that you should be having fun playing the guitar. If it is more stressful or difficult than you think it should be, it could be the learning strategy you’ve chosen that is making it this way. If you really want to find the best way to learn guitar, you may need to try many methods before you find the one that you like best. If you have the money and the time to practice regularly, you’ll find that having private lessons will be the quickest way to achieve the goal you’ve set.



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Does pick type really make a difference in your guitar playing?

sickest DB alivee 29 asked:


I play guitar and I know that smaller picks and bigger picks sound different but thats not what i am asking about. I’m wondering if picks from different companies really make a difference. Some picks cost much more than others but do they really differ from each other that much? For instance if i got a pack of Fender brand picks, and a pack of First Act picks (same thickness and size) would it make a difference in my playing?

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Mini Guitar Lesson – How To Play Two Great Chord Progressions You Must Know To Be Able To Progress To Becoming A Great Player!

by Mike Jones

Here’s another Mini Guitar Lesson by Mike Jones from Killer Guitar Tips.

Great guitar players do not just happen out of thin air. Great guitar players have practiced their art and practiced on a regular basis! But be WARNED… Many people practice the wrong things. They actually practice BAD habits. In order to progress you need to practice the right things. I know this sounds blatantly obvious but many, many people get this wrong. They practice things that they actually like which could be reinforcing their bad habits they have already acquired.

YOU’RE in the minority! CONGRATULATIONS!!!! You’re in the select 5% of people who will be practicing the CORRECT methods and techniques that will catapult your guitar playing into hyperspace.

So stay tuned…

Let’s get straight on with this mini guitar lesson…

We will start with a really cool chord progression that’s great to play pentatonic riffs over when you are jamming with a friend, it will make you sound like a great player with no effort whatsoever!

So here it is, it’s real easy… Play one bar of each chord A, G, D, and A. Now keep on playing these chords over and over while your friend makes up a solo using the Am pentatonic scale at the fifth fret!! It sounds great.

Why not swop parts and get your friend to play the chords while you solo over this sequence in Am. Just listen to yourself sounding like a top pro player!

Now now have a progression you know that will fit in at any jam night or venue. You will be able to get up with a friend and sound like a real pro guitarist. It just takes a little practice ideally with your friend.

Another great little progression that goes along with this nicely and is the backbone of many great songs is a 4 bar sequence that repeats itself over and over again and is commonly known as the ‘turnaround’.

Lets take a closer look at this so here goes:

Play the 1st bar G, the second is Em, the 3rd is C and the last is a bar of D.

Play the rhythm of 4 beats to a bar and repeat this turnaround to your hearts content.

Again this is a superb jam sequence. Why not get your friends to jam along to it in the key of G. You play the rhythm and they solo over the top then change around, you solo they play rhythm.

Oh, and dont forget that my full guitar audio/video program is loaded with lots of amazing chord sequences that will allow you to lay down great sounding rhythm guitar that will astound your friends and rock your audience.

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So You Want To Learn Guitar Skills?

Roland Jefferson III asked:


It is a very popular desire in that many people all over the world want to learn guitar and don’t always have a teacher or the financial means at their disposal to hire a teacher that can help you. In fact, in a society where music is not even considered as an imperative subject in school, guitar teachers are becoming more and more scarce. The ones that you can find are extremely expensive and often far too booked up to even consider taking new clients that wish to learn guitar-playing techniques. There are many things that you need to consider when looking for a teacher and even more options for you to explore on your own especially if you are driven and have the desire to learn guitar.

Guitar Playing On The Net

One of your main options in today’s busy rat race is to grab your guitar and have a seat in front of your computer. The online presence offers more resources for you to learn guitar than any book or other archive you could possibly locate. If you wish to learn to play a specific guitar like an acoustic or maybe you’re interested in learning the steel guitar, it is all available online. In fact, there are so many outlets to learn guitar online that most of them are free in the way of online guitar lessons. It is even possible to download a program that is like an instant tutor with the hands and the guitar fret board so that you are able to mimic the tutor’s actions on your own guitar.

There are also many programs and lessons that are available online that claim to make you learn guitar like Jimi Hendrix and be producing licks in no time mainly geared at the electric guitar fanatics however, with experience like anything else is the most achievable way to learn guitar like a pro. These “become a killer guitarist overnight” systems might work for some but they typically cost an arm and a leg and success is not guaranteed. You must believe that to learn guitar effectively, you are going to need a ton of practice and there is no short cut around that.

If you are particularly interested in the electric guitar, it will be extremely important for you to either learn to read music, unless you already can and implement the notes according to the notes on the guitar fret board. This is often a very exhausting and frustrating thing to do because there are many notes on the keyboard and it is a very long process. However, there is a cheater way to learn music notes if you don’t know how to read music and that is through a system called guitar tablature. You will need to learn guitar tablature in order to successfully pick out a song on the guitar. Guitarists who don’t read music invented this system in order to benefit all those guitarists out there who can’t read music and there are many!



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Acoustic Guitar For Beginner – How To Choose Your First Guitar

The kind of music you want to perform have to be your main concern when getting an acoustic guitar for beginner. You will also take into account the kind of individual you are and of course your budget. Fortunately, guitars are quite cheap comparing to other instruments. Check out the price for a piano or a drum set and you will see. A nylon-string classical guitar is best suited for playing classical, Latin and some kinds of folk and pop music. Rock, bluegrass, and other kinds of pop and folk songs work better on a guitar with steel strings.For beginning guitar players, it’s suggested to perform the various types before making a final decision as to what sound you prefer.

Numerous teachers suggest a guitar with nylon strings as a first acoustic guitar for beginner. The reason is that those strings are not so hard on the guitarist’s fingertips. This isn’t always the best recommendation, because not everyone wants to perform the sort of music that a nylon-string guitar produces. Some want to perform like a rock star, or simply don’t love the tone that comes from a nylon-stringed guitar.

If you wish to learn to play music made by steel strings then the evident choice is a steel-string guitar. You’ll eventually develop calluses on your fingers after about one to two months of steady practice.If, in spite of this, you want to study classical music, don’t be enticed by a steel string guitar.

A classic guitar is considered classic because the dimensions are similar. So, keep that in mind if that’s the sort of guitar you are in the market for. Their bodies are smaller and their fingerboads wider, which produces a unique classical sound. It is the feel and the tone to these classical guitars that varies. As is true when buying any guitar, you need to try out several of them before deciding the acoustic guitar for beginner that you are going to purchase.The steel-string model of acoustic guitar for beginner that people usually start out with is the six-string dreadnought guitar. There is only a slight variation between dreadnought guitars and they provide a sound that beginners are often looking for.

The wood your trainee acoustic guitar is made of is important as it will influence the tone of the sound the instrument makes. A spruce top is the most common for an acoustic guitar for beginner. Make sure your new guitar has a solid spruce top rather than a two-piece one. A solid top is long-lasting. Your choices of wood for the back and sides will likely include mahogany, rosewood and spruce. If you want a lighter tone, look for guitars that have back and sides of mahogany. You will get a heavier tone from a guitar that features rosewood back and sides.

The “action” is the term for the area between the neck and the strings. When getting an acoustic guitar for beginner, another thing you wish is a fairly low action. An action that is too high it can be a distraction and a hindrance to learning.

While you are out getting an acoustic guitar for beginner, you will want to pick up a decent electronic tuner at the same time. As a novice you have not yet developed an ear. If you can tune your acoustic guitar for beginner quickly, you will have more time to perform, which is really what the beginner wants to do.

Simon Mourrain has been a guitar player for over 10 years. Visit his website http://acousticguitarforbeginner.info and get a HUGE head start on your Acoustic guitar for beginner learning. Click Acoustic guitar for beginner to find free videos as well as information on guitar theory.

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Learning To Play Lead Guitar – What A Lead Guitarist Needs

Learning to play lead guitar is not a simple job. Playing the lead guitar live is not everyone’s intention.But if your intention is to become the next Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead) or the next Slash (Guns N’Roses) you must consider the information below.

Why is the lead so vital that the group wishes to keep him and respects him? Because he calls the shots. He decides on the music the group have to play. In other words, he is their guide.

The intention of the lead guitarist is to produce a rapport with the fans.He gets people’s attention and makes sure that he pleases them using his guitar knowledge.

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After you’ve decided which path you’d go, either a rock star or a blues type of a guy, you have to double check if you are in fact capable of stating your name and plunging into the vocation of your life as a lead guitarist. One should own and follow:

a. A goal Most guitarists don’t in fact know what they want that may lead to a dream or frustration. You must set goals for yourself. Set a time frame when you’ll be able to see the path you have to tread. .

b. Right Attitude . Your self-assurance have to stand out. Never let your energy spill. The crowd should never take advantage of you. You own the stage, remember that.

c. Practice Just because you have that part on being the lead doesn’t mean you have to stop practicing. You can not afford being the reason for negative remarks, except if that is part of your image. That is why you can not stop practicing.

d. Skills and knowledge What good are you without your talent in guitar mastery? Aside from the basic conformist way of performing the guitar, you have to figure out a way to reveal other tricks that will definitely blow your audience away. Take Carlo Santana for example, he is probably one of the best guitarist in the world. But how did he achieve this status? Well he showed people that he could play 2 guitars at once.

e. Flexibility, Discipline and Respect Joining a group or group demands its members to be flexible enough to manage the pressure, stress, and from time to time the attitude of the other members. Group members should maintain discipline and respect each other. It is the role of the lead to make sure of that. Take my word for it, without these 3 elements, the group will not last.

Remember, learning to play lead guitar is one thing but becoming a good lead guitarist is another. You definitely have to study the list above before deciding anything. Have you got what it takes to be lead guitarist?

Simon Mourrain has been a guitar player for over 10 years. Visit his website http://acousticguitarforbeginner.info and get a HUGE head start on your Learning to play lead guitar. Click Learning to play lead guitar to find free videos as well as information on guitar theory.

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Guide to Learning Guitar on Your Own

James Brown asked:


It is sometimes too tough to learn guitar when you are honestly not inclined to the instrument or even music per se. You will face many set backs and troubles while doing so. However if you successfully hurdle through it, there is no doubt that you will succeed in learning how to play the instrument. Erase the idea of failing from your mind because if you start learning guitar with this kind of outlook most probably you will really fail for sure. It is time to give yourself some strong convictions so that you could achieve something that you could be proud of. Let us see some few things you can do to ensure your success.

One, you search for motivation and inspiration. People, your loved ones or maybe even just listening to acoustic music will keep you motivated. If you hear one song that is totally captivating, do not ignore the fact that you would want to play the same and this is already a good start. You can motivate yourself for that matter without depending on anyone to motivate you. But it is all too well if you have someone who encourages you in doing just as that.

Two, you stay in an enlightened manner where you believe you can. The power of positive thinking will really work if you keep it that way. The stronger your belief that you can do it, the more you can achieve even the unachievable. That is direct way of saying that there is really nothing impossible if you just keep telling yourself that you can. Always remind yourself that guitar learning is just an easy challenge that you will conquer sooner or later depending on how slow or fast your learning pace is.

Three, devise a time table for you to regularly practice what you already know and will yet to know. In other words, just like a baseball player keep exercising for his game and even without game, it is similar time table for you too. You have to keep exercising and doing until you come to a point where you have already mastered one aspect of guitar player and once you achieve this then it is now time to go up into the next level. Believe me, no one can take your there except yourself.

Four, always imagine yourself succeeding this hurdle and eventually you will be because sometimes our outlook will lead us to success. You just have to keep looking forward and see to it that you are not distracted. Keep focusing in achieving your pre-set goal and your outlook will see to it that you will arrive there. Do not give up half-way there because the time you spend thinking and thinking without doing is a time wasted when you could have spent it on learning.

Five, other people will tend to be better than you. Do not be discouraged when you see someone who can play beautifully like a pro. Instead, use this as a tool for you to achieve success.



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Acoustic Guitar Books – Learn To Play Guitar

The are lots of online alternatives for somebody willing to learn how to play the guitar. For instance, you can wish to study through acoustic guitar books. Numerous people would like to learn how to play this fantastic instrument. When you play guitar you can express yourself, your ideas, your feelings, etc.

There are so many acoustic guitar books on the market it’s confusing. And most of them claim to be the best. The whole process of guitar playing with guides is effective because you can obtain all the needed information so that you can learn without problems and effectively.

There are some advantages and cons in using acoustic guitar books. Some people just do not like books. They feel like they are back to school..Before you purchase any acoustic guitar books, make sure that you first look into these advantages and disadvantages.

Pros:

- The acoustic guitar books are usually easy to read and full of information

- Courses most of the time begin with the common fundamentals of playing guitar

- You will also be taught advanced guitar lessons on the later section of the book

- You are free to stop at any level once you’re already pleased with what you’ve learned

- Theory guides also offer training exercises to develop your playing skills

- The most familiar mistakes are listed

- Guides are usually quite cheap

- Acoustic guitar books can be found online or in a bookstore

- Total control, you choose when to learn

- You can study comfortably through the books

Acoustic guitar books the disadvantages:

- Often people will buy a book but not use it

- If you’re not motivated enough and you’re rather an impatient individual, you can’t learn through the use of theory books

- Sometimes it is tough to stay focused

- Reading a book is sometimes tedious for some people and so they can’t focus their attention to learning the essentials of guitar playing

- Using books is not that fun

- No physical demonstration

- You can’t obtain any feedback and so you can’t monitor whether you’re improving or not

- No help support

It is completely up to the person whether he or she will use a book to study guitar playing or not. However, you definitely must consider the advantages and disadvantages mentioned a bit earlier. You see, there are also other alternatives that you can turn to if you think that you can’t study with the books.

Luckily, the best packages contain several resources. Of course they will include one or two acoustic guitar books but they will also propose video tutorials, audio tracks, games and software. You should pick a course that include different kinds of learning resources, it’s a lot more fun and it makes the learning process easier and faster.

Simon Mourrain has been a guitar player for over 10 years. Visit his website http://acousticguitarforbeginner.info and get a HUGE head start on your Acoustic guitar books learning. Click Acoustic guitar books to find free videos as well as information on guitar theory.
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3 Ways To Get The Most Out Of Your Music Lessons

Whether you are taking a book, video, a real live human teacher, or online lessons, keep these pointers in mind in order to get the most out our your studies.

1. Acomplish and master each section before going on to the next: As you progress through your studies make sure you have each new method or idea conquered before moving on to the next. Lessons are planned to build upon each other and trying to rush through without fully understanding one will just lead to frustration and wasted efforts.

2. Study as if you were in school. Do some homework every night. If all you have is 15 minutes then use those 15 minutes. If you dont have time to read/watch and apply then do the application of your last lesson or drills such as scales and chords. Reading/watching and not having the opportunity to apply immediately will usually mean you have to relearn your lesson. Take notes. Especially if youre watching a video or working with a human. Also dont be afraid to write all over your workbooks and sheet music.

3. Apply what youve learned: Perform for and in front of others. Your church, your family, that spare piano sitting in your favorite department store (ask first). Nothing drives a music lesson home better than a recital. It will also magnify what you need to work on.

These tips work whether your a child or an adult. Studying to play an instrument is a great activity and pleasure time.

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