Are You Learning Guitar the Right Way?

Have you ever wondered if you're learning guitar the right way?

After working on playing guitar for a few months, a beginning guitar student will wonder if there's something he or she can be doing better so that they learn guitar the "right way." The first thing to keep in mind is that everyone's tastes and goals are different, so you may want to start thinking instead in terms of learning the "right way for me."


The guitar is a very versatile instrument.

Since the guitar is so versatile, there are many approaches to teaching and learning. One of the first things you and your guitar teacher should do is have an interview to help you understand the different teaching methods and ways of getting started. The type of music you like, the equipment you own, your previous musical background, and the level of commitment will all be considerations. It's a good idea to think about these things before you set up your first lesson. Hint: "I just want to learn guitar, I want to learn songs," and other general statements Don't Help! Dig deeper and find what really would make you want to stick with learning guitar. Think about particular artists, bands and styles of music. The more details you can provide the better.

So, what's the right way to learn then?

Set goals, learn technique and remember that you're supposed to be having fun. If you've never played an instrument before you'll have to develop a basic skill set to work from. Your guitar teacher will help you learn what tools you'll need to play the style you like. For example, if you want to play rock guitar you need to work with using a pick, and you can't give up on it. Too many beginning guitarists get discouraged and think they'll find a short cut to learning. Believe me, it will catch up to you and you're not going to like relearning something.

When Your Best Isn't Good Enough, What Do You Do?

 What now, you may ask.

Beginning guitar students have lots of doubts in the beginning, and it can be very frustrating. Let's say your guitar teacher has given you a song you really like, you've practiced and practiced and it's just not coming together. What do you do now? Have you reached a plateau, or are you not going to play any better?

Analysis, but not too much.

The first step is to record yourself and listen to what your playing sounds like. Is it as bad as you thought? Better? Worse? Be a critic, but don't beat yourself up over it. Listen with an open mind and be objective. Think about whether the whole song sounds bad or whether it's certain spots that you continue to have trouble with. Play the recording for your teacher so you can get a second opinion.

Ask for your teacher's honest opinion.

Any good guitar teacher will be honest about the good and points of your playing, so ask for his or her opinion. Maybe the song is too hard for you at this point in your development and you need to acquire more skills. I had a 10 year old student who wanted to learn Crazy Train after he'd been playing for only a few months. He insisted he'd "practice real hard", but the my bad news for him was that he just didn't have the technique down. It's hard to accept the fact that you can't play what you want to play, but like anything else, you need to be prepared to wait.

Trust your teacher or your gut instinct?

I've had students who get advice from so many different sources it makes things worse instead of better. Keep in mind that not everyone teaches the same way, and not everyone learns the same way. I let my students give it a shot, but if after a few weeks the song isn't fun anymore and they've hit the proverbial brick wall, it's time to step back and learn the techniques you'll need before you attempt the song again. Not ready to give up? More power to you, but again, don't be afraid to learn something that's a little easier to play.

Concentrate On The Music, Not Your Hands

Focus on the music.

Beginning guitar students tend to watch their hands instead of the music. This usually happens when they're close to having a piece of music memorized. As their confidence in the song grows, they tend to watch their fingers, look up to see where they are, and then get lost.

Don't practice mistakes.

Listen to yourself perform the song and watch for trouble spots. While I don't advocate watching your hands, I also don't advocate never looking at them. If you've made a mistake, stop, look at your hands and reposition your fingers. Narrow down the trouble area, and slowly and deliberately play through the passage several times. Don't try to speed up until you can play that section perfectly.

Don't go too long without listening to the song.

With You Tube, DVDs, CDs and iTunes available, there's no reason to not have a recording of the song you're trying to play. Listen and/or watch so you're sure you understand what the song is supposed to sound like. It's best to do that when you're not trying to play along. You'll be surprised at what repeated listening can do for you. It helps develop your ear and lots of times you'll hear things you missed when you listened earlier.

Play the song for you guitar teacher so you can gauge your progress.

I have students question why I make them play what they're working on, and the answer is quite simple. We want to correct mistakes, check fingering, and hear how things are progressing. When I took up banjo playing after years of concentrating on guitar, I made the mistake of trying to learn a song I didn't have a recording for. I practiced it for months, then when I tried to play it with others it turned out that I was adding extra notes. I actually quit playing the song for several months and concentrated on listening to the recording when I wasn't trying to practice the banjo. Only after I could visualize how the song went did I go back and re-learn it.

Want to Improve Your Playing? Be a Positive Thinker.

Sending negative messages to yourself.

It never fails to amaze me how many students start off a song with a phrase like "this is the one I always screw up." Or, "I just can't get that part to sound right." They'll then proceed to experience the self-fulfilling prophecy and screw the song up or complain, "see, that part doesn't sound right."

What causes these problems?

In many cases it's not lack of practice, but lack of confidence. Do negative thoughts or statements instill confidence? Absolutely not. How do you develop the ability to play confidently? Start off by listening to yourself play the song. Isolate the trouble spots, and concentrate on smoothing them out. If you continue to think a part doesn't sound right, listen to a recording of it. Don't try to play along at first,  just listen several times so you know exactly what it sounds like. When you can hum it or sing it, then go back and fix your mistakes.

There's plenty of help available, do some research.

With You Tube videos, guitar teacher websites, recordings, and all types of instructional material available, there's really no reason to struggle on your own. Find a guitar teacher, watch videos of the song you're trying to play, or any combination of those.

Change your attitude and your outlook.

I've talked a little about this in other posts, but it bears repeating. Think positive thoughts, focus on what you're playing, and try to improve each time you play. Practicing the parts you already do well doesn't help. Work through the difficult passages, playing them slowly at first, then build up the parts around them. I tell my students to work on the hard part, then add a measure or two that lead into that part, and then on the measure or two after it.

Don't Lose Your Momentum, or, Keep On Keepin' On

Does your interest in learning guitar seem to be disappearing?

Don't worry, it's something we all go through. Call it a rut, a plateau, a screeching halt, whatever, everyone slams into the wall at one time or another. Sometimes it seems you're just not getting anywhere, or the music doesn't seem all that interesting, or you get this hopeless feeling that you're getting worse instead of better. These are complaints guitar teachers hear a lot.

Breaking out of the rut.

Although it sounds counter intuitive, sometimes taking a little break can help. I'm not talking about stopping lessons for 6 months, putting the guitar away, or anything that drastic. Instead, learn a different technique or style of music. After my guitar students have worked on notes for a while we switch to chords, then advanced strumming, then more difficult songs, you get the idea. In addition, you can recharge your batteries by taking a few days off from practicing. Listen to some music, watch some videos, visit some instructional websites, do something to make you want to play the guitar. I've exposed students to music they never heard before, didn't know it existed, and ended up liking it better than what they thought they wanted to learn.

Picking out the fun stuff.

Learning guitar is hard, especially in the beginning. Your fingers hurt, you sound terrible, and you're sure you're the worst guitar player ever! If you don't have a guitar teacher, find one. As soon as you're capable of it, try to find others to play music with. There are lots of people at the same level, and it really helps to try to make music together. You may have to play simple songs, but once you're a little more comfortable you'll be surprised at how good it feels to be in a group with similar interests and abilities. At our studio we run beginner jam sessions where there's no pressure, you only need to know a few basic chords, and you learn to work together. If your guitar teacher is working out of a method book teaching you notes, ask about simplified songs that you could play that are available. We use the Hal Leonard Guitar Method and supplement it with Easy Pop Melodies and Easy Guitar books.

Follow these tips and you'll find it much more fun to practice. And remember, talent is overrated, it's sticking with it that makes the difference.

How to Keep Getting Better on Guitar

Making steady progress.

Everyone wants to make steady progress on the guitar, but be prepared for times when it doesn't seem to get any better. We all reach plateaus, and sometimes it can be very frustrating. A plateau is just a temporary setback, so try to accept it as that. When I was first learning guitar and later banjo, I remember sitting there wondering if I just ran out of talent or skill, and that was as good a player as I was capable of being. Over the years many students have told me "I think I'm getting worse instead of better." Here are some ways to help you get off the plateau and back to making progress.

Work out the details.

Whether you're a beginning guitar player, an intermediate player, or even a guitar teacher, there are times when it's easier to play what you know and not work on the hard parts! I'm as guilty as anyone, with a list of songs that I've never finished for whatever reason. Sometimes it's a physical problem, sometimes it's mental, and be honest with yourself, sometimes you just don't like the song well enough to finish it.

Physical problems.

I've had students who will complain about not being able to execute a particular fingering, complaining that either their fingers aren't long enough or that the pinky doesn't work. Before giving up, you can try using different fingerings or playing the passage on a different part of the fingerboard. The nice thing about the stringed instruments is that you can play the same note in different places. Maybe you can find the same notes higher up the neck where the frets are closer together. Most students don't take the time to strengthen the pinky, they just chalk it up as not being able to get it to work. Practice some stretching and strengthening exercises and you just might be surprised at the difference.

Mental problems, or, don't think.

Self-fulfilling prophecy time. Here comes that part I can't play. I always screw this part up. I can never get this part to sound right. Sound familiar? Almost any one of those problems can be solved by not over thinking the problem, thereby building self confidence. Guitar is a lot like sports. While talent is important to some extent, the ability to play the part perfectly has a lot more to do with how you perceive it. Get rid of those negative thoughts. If you think the part doesn't sound right, listen to recordings, get your teacher to help you make it sound right, then move along. I have students who can play passage perfectly, but they still come in convinced it "just doesn't sound right when I play it."

Secrets To Overcome Stage Fright

How to you get to the point where you can relax when playing on stage?

You will be nervous the first few times, no doubt about it. Learning to relax is a skill that you develop over time by playing in public when you can. My very first solo performance came when a friend who thought he was being funny signed me up for my high school talent show. I did a Jonathan Winters stand-up comedy routine, and was as nervous as I could get. After a few performances, when I realized they weren't going to boo me off the stage, I got to where I could relax and enjoy myself. There's doubt when you're up there by yourself, so confidence in your ability is the key.

Performance experience, practice, and passion are the keys.

The hardest part for me, even now, is when I play a song in public for the first time. I practice it until I'm confident that I can play it flawlessly, but there's still that tiny bit of self doubt in the make of my mind somewhere. After I've performed it in public a few times it becomes part of my song list and I don't really think about it.

Warming up helps too.

Some songs give me trouble even after I've performed them live, so then what I'll do is practice them a few times before I go on stage. I try to play the song faster than usual, so it seems easier to play it when the time comes. Difficult passages get played a few extra times, making me feel more confident about my ability to play them correctly. I start out playing chords, doing some stretching exercises for the left hand, and rolls or finger picking patterns with the right hand.

Sometimes you're just going to have a bad night.

The other thing I've learned is that sometimes the harder you try, the worse you get. Once you can accept that, it will help you relax and things will get better. I'd like to tell you that it never happens, but it does. Sometimes there's a reason, maybe your day didn't go well, or you got bad news about something, but other times you're just having an off night.

Don't get discouraged.

This last piece of advice is simple, you just have to keep trying. The more you perform, the easier it will become, and that's a fact. In my case, I'd say that I've replaced being nervous with being excited about playing. There's still adrenaline flowing, but now it's positive energy.

Everyone goes through it.

Whether you're a beginning guitarist, or a more advanced player, your experience will be the same. So go to some low pressure open mics, jam sessions, and musical gatherings. You'll always find someone who's in the same situation and you can help each other get over being nervous. I start my guitar and banjo students out with a controlled, slow jam, with no pressure. You don't have to play a solo unless you want to, you don't have to sing, you just get used to playing with others.

Give it your best shot, practice a lot, and get out there and mingle. Before you know it you'll be over your beginner's fears, you'll be relaxing, and best of all, you'll be enjoying music!

Avoiding Information Overload

Are you suffering from TMI? (Too Much Information)

There are literally thousands of resources for learning to play guitar. Beginning guitar players are being bombarded with information, opinions, learning methods, DVDs, you name it. There's really way too much to choose from, so your progress stops because you don't know who to listen to.


What should you learn first?

Some guitar teachers advise you to learn notes, some think it's chords, other think it's songs, and still others think it's technique. Here's how I approach teaching a beginning guitar student. Keep in mind that I don't engage in "cookie cutter" lessons where I teach the same way whether you're 8 years old or pushing 80.


There are things you should think about.

Even though you're just starting out, you should give some thought to what you're trying to do. For example, if you goal is to play and sing, you should probably start out by practicing chords. As soon as my students can play 4 or 5 chords I get them working on a song. It's a lot more fun to practice chords when they end up sounding like something. Don't buy a chord book with the intention of just memorizing all the chords. Unless you have a use for a give chord you're not likely to remember it.

Note reading, tabs, and chord charts.

While it's easy to find tablature, or tabs, for songs, it's still a good idea to learn at least a little about standard notation. Reading music is not as difficult as most people think it is, and there are lots of times when it's more useful. Tabs are not standardized, so most of them don't indicate rhythm. To use a guitar tab you'll need to have a recording of the song and preferably a way to slow it down. The program we use to slow songs down is: RiffMaster Pro. (Affiliate link.) The advantage to tab is that it's a number system so it's easier to read sometimes. Most songbooks come with the chords listed at the top of the 1st page and placed over the correct words.

Find yourself a teacher, at least in the beginning.

A professional, experienced teacher can help you sort through the choices available as well as answer questions. One of the problems with teaching yourself to play guitar is that it can take a long time to learn what a teacher could show you in a few minutes.

The main thing is to get started doing something!

After reading this post, I'm hoping you're ready to get started. Another negative from too much information is not knowing where to start, and putting off learning the guitar completely. Once you're on your way to playing you can make educated decisions about what to learn and in what order.

Any questions or comments? Post them below this article and I'll be happy to reply to them.

Tips For Using An Electronic Tuner

Getting in tune and staying in tune.

Lots of people buy electronic tuners which look easy to use, but then they have trouble getting in tune. I've had students tune to the wrong notes, not be able to figure out which way to turn the tuning knobs, or my favorite "that's close enough." Here are some tips to help you get in tune.

• Know which notes your instrument is tuned to. Standard guitar tuning from the 6th string, (the thick one), to the 1st string: 6=E, 5=A, 4=D, 3=G, 2=B, 1=E

•  What kind of tuner do you have? Chromatic means it has all the notes on it. A guitar tuner has just the guitar notes. It's worth the slight extra cost to buy a chromatic tuner. Many guitarists use alternate tunings and/or tune lower than standard pitch. A chromatic tuner enables you to match these tunings.

•  What the symbols mean. A sharp, the one that looks like a pound sign # means the string needs to be tuned lower. A flat, the one that looks like a lower case b, means the string is too low and needs to be tuned higher. Pick the string so you can tell how much it changes when you make it higher or lower. The thicker the string, the less you have to turn the tuner to change it. By playing the string you can also be sure you're tuning the right one. A common mistake is to play one string and tune a different one, resulting in a broken string.

• How to get an accurate reading. There's a tiny microphone built into the front of the tuner, so you need to be fairly close to it with an acoustic guitar. Electric guitars can be plugged directly into the electronic tuner. For best results, pluck the string every few seconds so the tuner receives a steady signal. Sometimes an adjacent string will vibrate sympathetically, so if the needle bounces around, stop the other strings. I usually use my left hand to deaden the strings and the right hand to pick with.

• Clip on tuners. Tuners that clip on to the peghead work by vibrations. If the tuner doesn't respond just try moving it a little. Most of the time that fixes the problem.

• How often should you tune your guitar? I highly recommend that you tune each time you play the guitar. Weather can affect the tuning, and the strings do tend to stretch, so tuning each time you practice is a good habit to get into. This also makes it less likely that your guitar will be way out of tune.

By following the tips above you should have a much easier time keeping your guitar in tune.

Still Trying To Learn To Play Guitar?

It's a trick question!

What's the difference between I'm going to learn to play guitar and I'm going to try to learn guitar? Trying implies that you're not sure about your decision to play, while going to shows more determination.
When a beginning guitar student signs up for lessons and then tells us they're willing to give it a try, or that they're going to try it for a couple months, a red flag goes up. Like any other pursuit, you need to commit to it. We have students that "don't want to spend much money in case I don't like it," or will buy an el cheapo instrument until "I get better." What message are you sending to yourself? It screams maybe I'll be lucky and be able to learn guitar.

Go in with a can do attitude. 

Music is something you can enjoy for a lifetime if you keep at it. I have a parent who keeps telling his child she needs to become more passionate about music, yet he's been telling me for a couple years about how he loves music and hasn't done anything to pursue his so-called love. So when you decide you're serious about learning and when you commit to learning, that's when your success rate increases.

I'll leave you with 2 of my favorite quotes:

Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right. 
Henry Ford

Do, or do not, there is no try.
Yoda 

Memorizing Difficult Passages

What's keeping you from playing the song perfectly?

Beginning guitar students often hit a plateau where they wonder if they'll ever get any better. This usually happens after a couple months, when they realize what they've gotten themselves into. A mental block forms, and pretty soon they've convinced themselves that "that part doesn't sound right." Sometimes that's true, but a lot of times it's their perception of what it's supposed to sound like.

How to get over it and get on with it.

• Listen to a recording of the song. By listening to a correct version of the piece, you start to understand exactly what it should sound like. The best time to do that is when you're not trying to play the song. I had a banjo song that I learned wrong, and the way I corrected it was to listen to the recording over and over until I knew what it was supposed to sound like.

•  Slow down. I know, it sounds better fast. I also know if you can't play it slow you can't play it fast. Slow, deliberate practice is how you get over the hump and polish up the song.

• Have your guitar teacher play it with you. Learn the phrasing, the correct fingering and the correct dynamics. Practice the trouble part, then the parts before and after it, then build up speed.

• Be patient. Too many beginners try to do too much too soon, and then can't understand why they're not making enough progress. Take the advice above and you'll find that your progress will be slow but steady.

If you have any questions, comments or subjects you'd like to have me address, leave a comment and I'll be happy to help.

Bob Lucas
www.blguitars.net 

How Much Should I Be Practicing?

To make steady progress everyone needs to commit to practicing. The single most important thing is to DO SOMETHING EVERY DAY! If you can only practice for 10 minutes, do it. We recommend no less than 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week, but we also realize that sometimes that’s just not possible.  The more days you miss the easier it becomes to not practice. Pretty soon you’ve convinced yourself that you just don’t have the time to put into learning to play. Try to set a specific time to practice each day, and if you’re on a tight schedule practice what will benefit you the most. Each practice session should consist of warmup exercises, picking techniques, working on songs and making practice enjoyable. See if you can play that difficult part 5 times in a row without a mistake, the whole song twice without a mistake, you get the idea. Remember to practice slowly so that you’re not practicing mistakes. Play through the whole song or exercise, then go to the trouble spots and work on those. Not sure what you should practice? Ask your instructor.

What's It Worth To You To Learn Guitar?

How much is learning to play the guitar worth to you?

Beginning guitar students need to consider how much they're willing to spend to get started. There are decisions to made concerning what type of guitar to buy, accessories, music, and lessons. Here are some choices in the order of their importance.

Choosing an instrument. Do you like acoustic or electric guitar better? It used to be that everyone recommended that you start on an acoustic simply because it was lot cheaper. The price gap isn't there any more, so if you or your son or daughter prefer electric guitar there's really no good reason to start on an acoustic first. The electric guitar has thinner strings so in most cases it's a little easier to play. Acoustic guitars also offer nylon or steel strings. The nylon strings are not as hard to push down, the down side being that they're harder to keep in tune since they stretch more than steel strings. Most full sized nylon string guitars also have a wider neck since they're meant to be played with your fingers instead of a pick.

How much money are we talking about? You can expect to spend around $150 and up for a decent, playable instrument. Almost all manufacturers offer a package with everything you'll need including the guitar, a case or gig bag and if it's an electric guitar, an amplifier. Some also have picks, extra strings and an electronic tuner. While you can find cheaper guitars at a big box store, if you don't know anything about guitars you're best off spending a little more and getting one from a music store.

Cases. The choices are a gig bag, which is a soft, zippered case, a chipboard case, a fancy name for cardboard, and a hardshell case, the strongest and most protective of the 3. A beginner grade guitar probably doesn't need the most expensive case, but should you choose an upgraded model, don't skimp on the case.

Instruction. There is an abundance of material to choose from. Private lessons, books, CDs, DVDs, internet courses, You Tube videos and the list goes on. Your choice should depend on how you learn, your budget, and self discipline. Our teaching studio gets lots of calls from frustrated individuals who discover that it's not as easy to teach yourself as it seems. I like to point out to them that the problem is mainly that you can't ask a video a question, nor can the video correct bad habits that you may be developing. One more thing, YOU WON'T LEARN TO PLAY IN 7 DAYS, ONE WEEKEND, OR 30 DAYS! Muscle memory simply can't be developed in a short time. Yes, more practice will mean more progress, but be realistic about how long it's going to take.

Music stands, guitar stands, electronic tuners, etc. It never fails to amaze me when I have a student tell me they practice sitting on the bed, with the book alongside them, in the living room with the book on the floor, or my favorite, with music playing in the background! Buy yourself a music stand, get a chair with no arms, and set up a practice room where there will be a minimum of distractions. A guitar stand is nice since the guitar will be calling out to you "play me, play me." Get in the habit of tuning your guitar each time you practice. While it's nice to be able to tune by ear, electronic tuners have gotten so cheap that there's really no reason to not buy one. Pitch pipes, tuning forks and tuning by ear all work, but they each depend on your ability to match sounds. That's a skill that most beginning guitar students need to develop.

Set a budget, consider the priorities, and then get busy. How you get started isn't as important as getting started. Do some research, figure out how much you're willing to spend, and then dive in. Playing guitar is a skill you can enjoy for a lifetime.

Why Do You Hate to Practice?

Finding out why you can't get yourself to practice more.

Let's say this right up front, there are times when everyone feels that way. Read that again! It can be anything from a bad mood, a discouraging session the last time, to just not feeling motivated. The first thing to do is stop and think about why you're feeling like you do. Is it the songs? Does it just seem too hard? Are you too busy?

The choice of songs can certainly make you not want to practice.

I'll have students who will work on a song for a few weeks before finally telling me they just don't like the song. If you don't tell me, I don't know. Most guitar teachers choose a particular song to teach you a technique or skill, but there are definitely more songs like that one. A beginning guitar student sometimes just bites the bullet and doesn't say anything. So, tell your teacher you don't like the song and in most cases you can learn a different one that teaches you the same skills or techniques.

Knowing that a song is too hard.

Not seeing any progress when you're putting in the time may mean that the song is just too hard for you right now. Again, tell your teacher how you feel and see if there's an alternative. He or she may suggest an easier piece or may be able to break it down into smaller parts. There are also times when you'll think a song is too hard but there's really some other reason.

Got too many things you need to get done?

We here it over and over again how a student didn't have time to practice. Yes, there are times when it's not possible, but more often it's because they didn't make time. Scheduling practice at a specific time each day will help you stay on track. Missing a practice day once in a while is fine, but just like doing exercise, the more often you miss the easier it becomes to make an excuse. We usually recommend that our students practice at least 5 days out of 7. Scheduling a day off can be as important as scheduling the days and times you practice.

Master One Thing at a Time

Multi-tasking is overrated, I repeat, Multi-tasking is overrated.

Beginning guitar players are understandably excited about learning the instrument, but that can also get in the way of progress. There are so many concepts, techniques, and skills you need to learn, it can be very hard to know what to work on first.

Mastering one thing at a time.

• There are lots of ways to get started on playing guitar, and what you learn first is at least partially decided by what you want to do with the guitar. For example, you may want to play and sing, which means you'll work on chords, then strumming techniques and then ways to spice up your playing.
• Jazz or classical guitar? You should start out by reading music, being able to play single notes, and then adding chords.

• Rock or country guitar? Chords, scales and lead guitar techniques. Every style of music has its own sound, but before you can learn that you need to build a good foundation.

Pick one aspect of playing whether it's notes, chords, scales or songs, and then concentrate on that until you're able to play and move around easily. Only after you master one thing should you think about learning something else.

If you have any questions or comments, I'd love to hear from you. For more tips about getting the most out of lessons be sure to visit my webpage: www.blguitars.net

Finding a Guitar Teacher

How to find the right guitar teacher for you.

Are you tired of struggling with online lessons? Not having much luck teaching yourself? Is your friend or relative losing patience with you? Sounds like it's time to find a guitar teacher. Beginning guitar students have lots of choices these days, but that's not necessarily a good thing! There are resources all around, some of them great, some good and some pretty bad.

Don't believe the hype!

Regardless of what you read, you WILL NOT learn guitar in a week, a weekend, 21 days, or whatever they promise. Yes, you can improve, play a few simple songs, or learn a some technique, but the time frame is just not going to happen. I've played and taught guitar for over 40 years, and I can tell you with absolute certainty it ain't gonna happen. Guitar mastery is about muscle memory, repetition and good old "paying your dues."


Logical progression.

One of the things I've found with DVDs, CDs, tab books and online lessons is the lack of clarity. Yes, you need to learn a basic set of skills, but not necessarily in the order that a particular book, method or teacher is introducing them. I have students that want to know when they're going to learn chords, or when they'll be a able to play a favorite song, and the answer is usually something along the line of when you're ready. Music is made of melody, harmony and rhythm, and it's very difficult to try to learn all of those elements at once. So, what should you learn first? Decide what you like, whether or not you're going to sing, and take into consideration any prior experience you've had on guitar or other instruments. No experience? Probably at least a basic understanding of note reading, rhythm and eventually, chords. Want to play and sing? Chords first. Remember that everyone's different and there isn't a "one size fits all" way to learn guitar. This is where finding a teacher is helpful.


So, how do you find a good teacher?

• Ask around. Have any friends, relatives or business associates that play guitar? Sometimes a referral is the best way.
• Call local music stores. Most music stores offer lessons and have a variety of teachers who teach many different styles. The guitar is a very versatile instrument, so if you can find someone that plays and likes the music that you like, that will be helpful.
• Bulletin boards, Craig's List, local newspapers. Our town has a local newspaper that has classifieds and there are usually ads for music instruction. The internet can also be a good place to find someone, especially if they have a website with lots of information.

Next post I'll go into what questions are frequently asked and what questions you should ask. Some teachers and music stores offer a free introductory lesson or a short term commitment, so that's worth checking out to be sure you and the guitar teacher get along.

Your Fretting Hand Has 4 Fingers and a Thumb, Use Them!

Actually, your pinky will work if you start using it.

I hear it and see it all the time, beginning guitar students doing everything they can to avoid using the pinky. They find lots of creative fingerings to get around it instead of exercising it, working with it and training it to function. Yes, it's hard at first, yes, it seems easier to use one of the other fingers, no, it's not the best way to play the guitar. With a little time and effort your pinky can work as well as the others.

 Exercises to strengthen the pinky.


Most guitar students spend way too little time warming up. You need to stretch and strengthen your fingers and loosen up before you start to actually play songs and scales. Here are a couple of basic exercises to get you started. The important thing to remember is that YOU HOLD THE 1ST (INDEX/POINTER) FINGER DOWN THROUGHOUT THESE EXERCISES.

Exercise 1:

• Play the 1st string, (the skinny one), with your 1st finger at the 1st fret.
• Play the 2nd fret, 2nd finger, 1st string.
• Play the 3rd fret, 3rd finger, 1st string.
• Play the 4th fret, 4th finger, 1st string.

So you should have played the 1st fret, 2nd fret, 3rd fret and 4th fret using one finger for each fret. Now go backwards, 4th fret, 3rd fret, 2nd fret, 1st fret. Practice this exercise twice on each string, playing as many strings as you can play comfortably. Remember, it's like any other exercise program, start out slowly and don't play it to the point of being in pain. Most beginning guitar students will be able to play the first two or three strings. As your fingers get stronger you'll be able to play the exercises more easily and on more strings.

Exercise 2:

• Again, start at the 1st string, 1st fret, 1st finger.
• Now play the 1st string, 3rd fret with your 3rd finger. Don't forget to leave the 1st finger on the 1st fret.
• 4th fret, 4th finger, 1st string.
• 3rd fret, 3rd finger, 1st string.

Again, do this exercise twice on each string, as many strings as you can do comfortably.

Exercise 3:

• 1st string, 1st fret, 1st finger.
• 1st string, 2nd fret, 2nd finger.
• 1st string, 4th fret, 4th finger.
• 1st string, 2nd fret, 2nd finger.

You know the drill, twice on each string, as many as you can do comfortably.

Start out each practice or playing session with these exercises and soon your pinky will work as well as your other fingers.

Thumbs up.

There's always a question as to whether or not you should use the thumb to fret notes. Most classical guitar players and teachers frown on that, but most players in other styles of music find it useful. Jimi Hendrix, Chet Atkins, and many others have used the thumb, so if it's convenient, use it. I use my thumb to fret the 1st fret of the 6th string when I play the F chord, and at other frets as well. Some people have hands that are too small for that to work, but you should feel free to experiment. I sound like one of those drug commercials on TV....."ask your teacher if using the thumb is right for you!"

Are You Spending Too Much Time in Your Comfort Zone?

Practicing what doesn't need practicing.

First of all, yes, reviewing old material is good. What many beginning guitar students do is practice what they already know, not what they're supposed to be learning. I hear the "that's too hard" excuse many times in the course of a week. Usually it means, "it's easier to play what I already know". The way to improve your guitar playing is to be trying new songs, picking techniques, working on rhythm and all the other things your teacher is showing you.

Getting distracted.

Where do you practice and how many times during practice is there an interruption? Cell phones, the internet, texting, television, way too many distractions. I even had a student tell me one time that he had the radio on in the background while he practiced!  Upon further questioning, he assured me that it was at a very low volume and not at all interfering with what he was doing. Wow.

Goals during practice.

Is it possible to have set goals and still have fun playing the guitar? Absolutely. There are times when you do need to be completely serious, but there are also times when you can let go. I encourage my guitar students to make a game out of practice. See if you can play the song or exercise a certain number of times without a mistake. See how slow or how fast you can play. Make up words to the songs, you get the idea.

Get out of the comfort zone.

Everyone needs to push once in a while to keep improving. Problem areas include never being able to memorize a song, going back and playing songs that are way too easy at this point, and never totally finishing a song. If there are still trouble spots, FIX THEM. Don't practice mistakes, and don't avoid the harder passages. Almost every song has at least one, so work it out.

But I Don't Deserve a Good Guitar

Do you deserve a new guitar?

Have you been thinking about buying a new, better guitar don't think you "deserve" it. I have students who believe they should earn a more expensive instrument by attaining a certain level before they reward themselves. Then there are others who go out and buy an instrument that's probably more than they need, or is it? There are two schools of thought, and maybe after reading this post your viewpoint will change. At the very least you'll have some food for thought.


The guitar as a reward.

Setting goals and offering a reward, in this case a new guitar, can be a motivating factor, but are you sacrificing something that would make beginning guitar much easier? Does your current guitar at least play and sound good? Buying an inexpensive guitar used to be a much worse idea. Basically, if you bought a cheap guitar you got a cheap guitar. With the lower price point more competitive now, the manufacturers are improving the quality. The bar has been raised and it's much more difficult to pass off a poorly made guitar. So, if you're happy with your present guitar you probably should keep it for a while until you reward yourself with a nicer, better sounding one.

The guitar as a motivational tool.

The other way to look at it is by investing a larger amount of money you'll be more motivated to practice. When you've handed over more of your hard earned cash it shows a higher commitment level than the ever popular "I won't lose much if I quit." Beginning guitar students have that attitude a lot more than you'd think, and I can't but think to myself, strike one. When they come in with a guitar that's obviously been given serious thought, it shows that it's not just a trial period to see if they like it.
Many of the major brands including Martin, and Taylor among others, have entry level guitars that are
well made and reasonably priced. Does a Baby Taylor or a Martin DX sound as good as their expensive guitars? No, but when you own a guitar made by a reputable builder you know you haven't wasted your money on an entry level instrument.

So the main points to keep in mind are to do some research, get some opinions from guitar players you know, and most important, try to choose an instrument that you'll keep for at least the first couple of years until the guitar bug gets you. Once that happens you'll be hooked.

What's Your Excuse?

Having trouble finding time to practice?

We all have busy schedules, but those that really want to learn guitar simply find the time! I've heard enough excuses that I've toyed with the idea of writing "The Beginning Guitarist's Excuse Book.) Kids, family, work, vacations, you name it, there's a never ending list of excuses.

Get up earlier? Are you kidding me?

Learning to play guitar, or any other instrument, requires commitment and time to practice. Too many people are content with practicing 15 to 20 minutes a few days a week, then upset because they don't see much progress. I go through their typical day, and if it seems like there's not a spare minute, they look at me like I'm a space alien when I suggest staying up later or getting up earlier.

"I haven't practiced, should I come to my lesson anyway?"

Another pet peeve. You should absolutely come to your guitar lesson anyway, we can still teach you something. Skipping the lesson is like skipping the gym, the more you do it the easier it becomes. Your guitar teacher can find lots of ways to fill the time even if you haven't picked up the guitar all week. You can work on theory, rhythm,  scales, finger exercises, or just spend the lesson doing what you should have done all week, practice.

"I'm going to take a short hiatus."

Again, bad idea. I can tell you with absolute certainty that the vast majority don't come back, or at least not in a short time frame. Usually it's a couple years later, accompanied with lamenting about how they should have stuck with it.

The bottom line.

The bottom line is that if you're going to pursue anything, playing music, writing a book, learning a skill or a hobby, you have to commit yourself to it. My theory is that if you really, truly want to do it, you'll find the time.

What Are You Working On?

Are you practicing or just "noodling around" on your guitar?

To make continual progress, you need to be working on something. While it's fun for a beginning guitar player to perform songs he or she already plays well, it doesn't do a lot for moving forward. I'm not saying playing guitar should be all work and no play, but if you're looking to play better it's necessary to work at it. Each serious practice session should at least have a couple of goals, things you're working on.


Scales and alternate picking.

One way to move along is to improve your playing techniques. Scales help with muscle memory as well as developing your ear. Most people seem to think that playing by ear is a mysterious skill that can only be learned by talented, gifted students of music. However, once you know a little theory and you get used to the sound of scales and chords you'll find that it is a skill that most people can learn. Using alternate picking, (picking down and up), is a good technique to develop while practicing scales. It helps you find the strings and maneuver the pick. You'll find that many songs have passages that are simply scales or parts of scales.

Songs that are a challenge.

You don't have to choose a song that's way over your head, but your playing will improve with songs that are at least a little more difficult than what you're used to. Most beginning guitar books and most teachers will provide you with songs and exercises that get progressively harder. I don't encourage my students to gloss over songs, but I do try to keep them moving forward. Once you've got a song to a level where you just need to polish it up, see if your guitar teacher thinks you're ready to tackle another.

Keep on keepin' on.

The last bit of advice for today is to not get discouraged, don't be in too big a hurry, and remember that playing guitar is a long term commitment. Too many times the student will "pull the plug" when things get more difficult, and then years later pick up the guitar again, wishing they hadn't stopped!

Guitar Players That Have Influenced Me the Most

Today I thought I'd name a few of the guitarists I listened to when I started playing.

This is by no means a complete list.

Doc Watson. I discovered Doc on a trip to our local library's record collection. It was a 33rpm album simply titled "Doc Watson".  Back then the albums described the artist as well as the songs on the record. I read that he played fiddle tunes on guitar, with a pick, and when I heard him do that I was amazed! There were very few bluegrass guitar players doing that in the 1960s. He also plays country blues using his fingers instead of a pick, and it was my first introduction to open tunings. I had no idea as a beginning guitar player that anyone tuned to a chord. If you're not familiar with Doc, check him out. Even though he's in his 80s now, he's still an awesome guitar player!

Chet Atkins. I heard his name time and again, and finally checked him out. I was under the impression that he was mostly a country guitar player, so was quite surprised at the many types of songs he had on his albums. He was a fingerstyle player, with a solid, alternating bass line going while the fingers played the melody and some harmony to the songs. You would swear that you were hearing more than one guitar. In fact, John Fahey, an accomplished guitarist in his own right, said in a Guitar Player Magazine interview that he was sure there was "no way that's just one guitar." Chet made albums with a diverse group of his contemporaries including Jerry Reed, Les Paul, Mark Knopfler and others. Again, if you're not familiar with Chet or his music, there's still plenty of it available.

Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey and Paul Simon.

Peter and Paul are the ones from the folk group Peter, Paul and Mary. I was absolutely a fanatic about fingerpicked, acoustic guitar and these guys were my favorites. I'd say I learned most of what I played by listening to these 3. Paul Simon got me hooked when he recorded Anji, a guitar instrumental that I still play. All of these guys demonstrate the 3 Ts of music: Timing, Tone and Taste.

Still crazy about guitar after all these years.

While that hardly scratches the surface, I think it demonstrates how other players can shape your playing. I've been playing guitar for over 40 years and I can honestly say that I still love it. So if you're just beginning guitar, find a good teacher, immerse yourself in the kind of music you enjoy, and open your eyes and ears to as many types of music as you can. I've always felt that I could learn something from everyone, even those that play music that's not necessarily what I like. I've learned and added songs, licks and tricks from all kinds of artists, guitarist or not.

How Often Should I Change Strings and What Kind Do I Get?

How long you go between string changes depends on a few factors.

Do your strings look rusty or black? Change them. Have they been on your guitar for more than a year? Change them. Does your guitar keep going out of tune? Change them. When in doubt, it's best to replace your strings. The nice thing about guitar strings is that they're fairly inexpensive, so there's really not much of an excuse for not changing them.

What kind of strings should you use?

Guitar strings are pretty confusing especially to a beginning guitar student. There are multiple thicknesses, brands, materials, and much more to consider. Again, since they're not very expensive if you find a set you don't like, get rid of them.


There are three basic types of strings, and many variations.

A classical guitar has nylon strings, an acoustic has steel strings, and an electric also has steel strings although they're usually made of different materials. Nylon strings have 3 or sometimes 4 wound strings which have an inner core of nylon or silk wrapped with very thin wire. The unwound strings are nylon and resemble fishing line.

A steel string, acoustic guitar has strings that are usually made of nickel, bronze or phosphor bronze. The bronze strings have a brighter sound than nickel and project a little better.

Electric guitars have strings that are usually nickel, and they're generally thinner (lighter) than acoustic guitar strings.

Those are the bare bones basics of guitar strings. In future blogs I'll go into more detail about ways for a beginning guitar student to choose the right strings.

Playing Under Pressure

Have you performed a piece well at home only to fall apart at your lesson?

I know how you feel! I had to take Class Piano when I went back to college, and even though I could play well at home, when I had to play for the teacher it seemed almost impossible. Since then, I've narrowed down the causes and the solutions.

• Confidence: The pressure mounts immediately when you lack confidence. Knowing your teacher or the person listening will be critical, you try extra hard to play well. Just another case of stage fright even though there's no stage. How to solve the problem? Record yourself, play for friends and family, go to open mic night, play in jam sessions. All of these are confidence builders. The more you do it, the more relaxed you become.
• Positive Thinking: I can't tell you how many times during the week my students preface their playing with telling me "I always mess this part up," "I'll probably screw this up even though I played it perfectly at home," and many similar comments. Two words: self-fulfilling prophecy. 
• Knowing, Understanding and Liking the Song: For a beginning guitar student it's difficult at the start because you probably don't have the skills to play like you want to. That doesn't mean you can't like the song and practice it until you know it well. I record assigned songs for my guitar students and tell them not to go too long without listening to it. They'll think they have it memorized only to be shocked when I point out that they've learned it wrong. 

So get out of your comfort zone, play in public if you can, or if you can't at least find someone to play for. Negative thinking only makes it worse, so make a game of learning the song. Parts that give you trouble need to be isolated and worked on. See how many times you can play that section without making a mistake. Play slowly so you don't make mistakes and that builds muscle memory as well as confidence. I always tell my students to please tell me if they don't like a song. There are usually many more available that teach the same concepts. Don't be too hard on yourself. Learning guitar takes time, so don't be discouraged if you think you need to move faster.

Five Questions to Ask Yourself About Taking Guitar Lessons

Self Assessment for Beginning Guitar Players

As I said in a previous post, the hardest students to teach are the ones who have no real idea of what they want to play on guitar or why they're even taking lessons. Saying "I just want to play guitar" is far too broad of a statement when you think about the versatility of a guitar. Answering the following questions will help you focus on what you have in mind.

1. What kind of music do you enjoy the most? Don't just answer "I like all kinds of music." We're looking for specific styles.
2. Who are your favorite guitar players? Name no less than 5. Don't worry about whether or not you think they're beyond your ability, just name names.
3. What is your main reason for choosing to learn guitar? Do you want to be in a band, play and sing for fun, jam with other people? Again, "I just want to play guitar" is not helpful.
4. If you could play like ONE GUITARIST who would it be? We all have favorites and I know picking just one is difficult, but it gets you thinking about what you really like. I have guitarists that I like but don't necessarily want to play like them. For instance, I like listening to jazz and classical music on the guitar, but it's not my main interest.
5. Name the songs you'd most like to play. Having a list of songs is a good step towards learning to play guitar. Seek out a teacher, present him or her with the list, and get advice about which songs to start with. Depending upon how long you've been playing, it may not be possible to play them immediately, but that's a great way to set goals. 

Remember, playing guitar should be fun, relaxing and enjoyable. 

Are You a "Google Beginning Guitar Student"

Save money, teach yourself, it's FREE!

We have lots of new students who sign up for private lessons after becoming frustrated with trying to teach themselves guitar. There are all kinds of sites available, from free beginning guitar lessons to a course that contains videos and CDs, to membership sites that promise to teach you something new each month. Are they all worthless? Absolutely not. However, the number one thing a beginning guitar student needs is guidance. A roadmap to help you negotiate the tricky steps of learning to play in some logical order. They teach you chords, note reading, how to read tab and much more, but if you're not at least a little experienced you can be completely overwhelmed.

What should you learn first?

Getting started on guitar can be confusing because there are lots of ways to get started. You can learn notes, tabs, chords, or some combination of those. Let's look at the different ways and see how each approach would be used.

Note reading

The traditional way of getting started on guitar is to get your trusty Mel Bay, Hal Leonard or Alfred's book one and just start working through it. While reading music for guitar isn't as prevalent as it used to be, it's still useful. We recommend that our beginning guitar students with no prior music experience at least get through book one as a foundation. Most of the method books have a logical way of getting started, so if you've never played before that's a good way to get a feel for playing guitar.

Chords

When you hear someone playing and singing, most of the time they're accompanying themselves with chords, so if you're thinking about that as your reason for taking up guitar, chords are a good place to start.

Tabs or tablature; the negatives

Tab is a number system that enables you to play songs without having to be able to read music. While it's got many advantages, there are drawbacks as well. The biggest problem with tab is that no one has standardized it, so there are many markings that mean the same thing. On the surface it seems easy, but like reading music, there's still a learning curve. The other main problem is that most tabs don't notate rhythm, so if you don't have a recording of the song you're not likely to be able to get the tab to sound like it.

Tabs or tablature; the positives

The biggest positive is that it's easier to read for a lot of people. When you read notes, the symbols represent sounds, so the higher or lower the note is in the staff indicates how it will sound. In tab, the lines represent the strings and the numbers are the frets, so it does away with having to identify the names of the notes. The other positive is that it takes some of the guessing out of playing. On the guitar you can play the same note in several locations on the fingerboard, so you could possibly figure out a solo by ear and be playing it in a different place than the original artist played it.

Take your choice

Now that you know the main ways to get started on beginning guitar, just do it! Teacher, videos, member sites, or a combination can all work if you're willing to put in the time and become a true student of the guitar.

What Kind of Guitar Pick Should I Use?

What's the difference in picks?

There are tons of choices when it comes to guitar picks. Different thicknesses, shapes, materials, themes, and who knows what else. I've seen picks made of metal, plastic, tortoise shell, wood, rock, and even had students use a piece of a milk carton or a coin! We'll cover the important differences, then it's up to you to decide. Since picks are extremely cheap, the best advice is to buy an assortment and see what you like.

Shapes and sizes.  Triangles, teardrops and ovals. Those are the basic shapes and there are variations. A lot of people use a triangle shaped pick with rounded corners except for the point. The main thing is to not get one that's real big or real small. After you've experimented with different picks you'll probably find one that you like more than the others.
Thicknesses.

There are almost as many thicknesses as there are shapes and sizes! They vary from simply light, medium and heavy, to thousandths of an inch. My personal favorites are Jim Dunlop nylon picks with a .073 or .088 thickness. They have little bumps on them to help you grip them which is great if you play outside when it's hot and humid. Plastic picks tend to slip and become more pliable in the hot weather. Again, try various picks to see which ones you like best. My advice to my students is to not get one that's real thin or real thick to start with. The thin ones tend to make a slapping sound when you play and the real thick ones can cause your wrist to hurt.
Pictures, cartoon characters, famous people.  There are lots of people who collect picks since they're inexpensive and it's fun to find something different. We've had Star Wars, The Simpsons, South Park, Elvis and many other souvenir type picks. A personal favorite that I own is from Chuck Berry. It has a picture of Chuck on one side and "Roll Over", in honor of his song Roll Over Beethoven on the other side.  Finger picks and thumb picks.  If you play banjo or use your fingers to play, you'll also need a couple or 3 finger picks and a thumb pick. Like their flat pick counterparts they also come in gauges and different materials. Again, they're relatively cheap so see what you like best. Most people use a plastic pick on the thumb since metal on the thicker, wound strings tends to sound raspy.    So take a trip to your local music store and let the experiment begin. If you're in doubt ask your guitar teacher or a guitar playing friend for advice, but be warned that you'll get lots of different opinions.

The 3 Elements of Music

Music is made up of Melody

The melody is simply the tune to the song. Sing Yankee Doodle, Happy Birthday, or Jingle Bells and you're singing the melody.

Harmony

When you have a chord, or 2 or more notes that sound good together, that's harmony. Think church choir or a vocal group like Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Simon and Garfunkel, Peter, Paul and Mary and that's the definition of harmony.

Rhythm

The tempo or pace of the song and/or keeping a beat. Rhythm seems to be the most puzzling of the 3 as far as being able to catch on to it, but it's not too hard if you break it down. The next few blog posts will deal with basic rhythms, time signatures, and keeping a beat.

Most beginning musicians and either some who have been playing for quite a while seem to be confused about rhythm. It's a subject that could use a lot more emphasis than it gets. I've had quite a few students with previous lesson experience be totally lost when it comes to keeping a relatively simple beat.

Staying the Course When Practicing

What are you working on?

There seems to be a lot of confusion about what practice is. When you get your guitar out for 15 or 20 minutes, noodle around with a few songs and licks and then put it away, does that count as practice? Or, do you have to be your own taskmaster and force yourself to have every minute of playing be goal oriented? I hope it's obvious that the answer lies somewhere in between. My beginning students seem to be at one extreme or the other on this, with no visible middle ground. Most guitar teachers will encourage you to do both, play for fun and play to improve. Maintaining your focus is hard sometimes, but is a necessary part of advancing. Set aside a specific amount of your practice time to work on something that's holding you back.

Self assessment.

I would say that most of us know what we need to work on and sometimes it appears to be too difficult. The best thing to do is to pick one small improvement you could make and stick to it. Does your timing need help? Get out the old metronome, you DO have a metronome don't you, and set it to a comfortable pace. Smooth out what needs work and then move on. Are you missing the same notes over and over? Slow down as much as you need to so that every note sounds good and is clean and clear. There's no sense in practicing mistakes and I see way too many students do just that. I've heard it all before, it doesn't sound good slow, I can't get it, I don't like this song, it's too hard. Muscle memory is what you're trying to learn, so if you're teaching your muscles the wrong notes, that's what they're going to play.

Play for fun too.

After you've put in your work, play for the sheer enjoyment of playing. I know when you're first starting out that's not easy, but there must be at least a couple songs you can play well and enjoy doing. End on a positive note, leaving yourself open for more improvement next time.

Crystal Clear Notes and Chords

Do Your Strings Buzz When You Play?

String buzz or vibrations are caused by only one of two things: either you're not pushing hard enough or you're not close enough to the fret. To eliminate buzzing, be sure you push the string down against the fingerboard and keep the pressure on. Once your fingertips toughen up you won't have to use as much pressure as you do at first. Don't forget, the frets are the metal bars, not the spaces in between. Playing too far back towards the nut will cause buzzing regardless of how hard you press the strings down.

What's That Muffled or Deadened Sound?

The other most common obstacle to clear notes is a muffled or deadened note. The top cause is something being in the way. A sleeve, a piece of jewelry or another finger can block out a string. Bend the fretting hand fingers at both joints and arch them up so they don't hit the other strings. Push up your sleeve and remove the jewelry. The other causes are touching the fret or not pushing hard enough. Make sure your finger isn't right on the fret and that you're using enough pressure to make a clear note.

Follow these steps and your playing will sound better in no time!

Bob Lucas Guitar Studios
123 W. Clinton Place, 2nd Floor
Kirkwood, MO 63122
www.blguitars.net

Take Me Out To The Ballgame/Fingerstyle Guitar

Since it's opening day I thought I'd post my fingerstyle guitar arrangement of Take Me Out to the Ballgame. This was influenced by the picking of Doc Watson, Merle Travis and Chet Atkins.

To Play Fast, Learn to Play Slow

Learning to play fast.

At some point everyone sees or hears an amazing guitar player who seems to be able to effortlessly play at blazing speeds. How do they do that? The beginning guitar player sees no way to learn to go that fast, insists they sped up the recording, or used some other electronic trick. Then, they see that guitarist in person and realize he or she is capable of playing fast. So, how do you learn to increase your speed?
Believe it or not, the best way is to learn to play slowly. When learning guitar, you need to remember that if you can't play it slow there's no way you can play it fast. Yes, it's really that simple. Here are some tips for learning to increase your speed.

• Get a metronome and USE IT! I have students who buy metronomes and drum machines, use them for a short time and then give up on them. The most common mistake is setting a speed that you can't keep up with. Then the excuses start to come out. I can't play that slow, it's boring, the song or exercises don't sound good slow, and many more. Set the rhythm to a slow pace, concentrate on picking each note exactly on the beat, with each note being clean and clear. Don't try to play complicated songs or exercises at first. Don't speed up at all until you can play each note in time without missing a beat.
• Work on major, minor and pentatonic scales. Every song is based on a scale, so practicing scales is a valuable use of your time. You'll learn to recognize the sounds of the different scales which will help you develop the ability to pick out songs by ear.
• Listen to the masters. There are amazing guitarists in all kinds of genres. It doesn't matter if you like rock, metal, country, folk, classical or bluegrass music, with a little research you'll find someone you can relate to.
• Practice every day. You don't need to spend hours on exercises but you do need to work on them. One of the quotes I use is: if you think scales are boring, practice them until they're not boring. If you don't think scales are boring, practice them until they are boring, then repeat step one.
• Get help. A guitar teacher can help you progress by watching and listening to you play and giving you valuable tips and ways to improve.
• Find a practice buddy. Do you know someone who also plays guitar or perhaps another instrument that complements the guitar? Is there a particular style of music that you'd really like to play? Find someone to practice with and to hold you accountable. You can do the same for him or her.

There's lots of printed material to help you improve your speed, so check out all of the resources that are available. You can find books, online lessons, CDs and DVDs to help you.

To learn a song note for note, I highly recommend Riffmaster Pro Software. (Affiliate Link). The software enables you to slow down songs without changing the pitch, set up loops so you can work on individual phrases, change the eq settings to emphasize certain instruments, and export the slowed down songs you so you can record and practice them.

Should you purchase the program and have any questions about how to use it, just email me or leave a comment on this blog and I'll be happy to help you figure it out.

How Do I Know I'm Still A Beginner?

Are you still a beginner?

At some point every guitar student wants to know what they've achieved. With no one to compare their playing to, there's always a desire to find out if they're ahead, behind or comparable to someone that's been playing the same amount of time. The problem with this is that everyone learns at a different pace, has a different music background if any, and has put in more or less time. A student who practices an hour a day should be better than someone who practices a half hour or less. However, just like the number of years playing doesn't count, the amount of practice time may not indicate how well one is doing.

Quality practice vs quantity practice.

Beginning guitar players need to have a clear direction when it comes to practice. Getting the guitar out and running through your favorite songs isn't necessarily the way to practice. I encourage my students to play music they like, but that's after they've spent time concentrating on improving their playing. Take a page out of the sports coaches' book and warm up, work on specific skills, and then do the fun stuff. To warm up do some fretting hand stretches, right hand picking whether it's with your fingers or a pick, and loosen up. Too many students, beginners and advanced, ignore the advice about stretching, then they're amazed that they "play better after 15 minutes."

So, are you still a beginner?

I tell my students that on average it takes about 6 months to get off of the total beginner stage. At that point you should be able to play the notes in first position, be able to keep a basic rhythm, and play most of the open position chords. In addition, you need to be able to move from one chord to the next without losing time. Keep in mind that these are suggestions, not rules that are cast in stone. For example, you may not read music at all if you're more interested in playing and singing, or you may have concentrated on notes and not really worked with chords that much. That being said, the guidelines and milestones above should give you an idea of where you stand.

Sweating the Small Stuff

Don't sweat the small stuff?

That's certainly not true when it comes to music! What makes a great musician stand out? Attention to detail. We're talking clean, clear, crisp notes, impeccable timing, tone that's pleasing to the ear. Listen to some of the guitar masters such as Doc Watson, Tony Rice, Chet Atkins, Joe Pass, and countless others in all styles of music. It's amazing to just listen to them, watch them and see what it's like to hear a true master of an instrument. While I never got to hear Joe Pass live, I have gotten to hear Doc Watson, Tony Rice, and Chet Atkins to name a few. I consider myself to be a good guitar player, but these guys are from a different universe!

What sets them apart?

There's not one single element that you hear, but an overall sound that defines each individual. Each one has his own style, his own sound and his own approach to guitar as well as to music in general. A beginning guitarist needs to seek out the best players and learn from them. I remember my guitar teacher asking me one day what I was trying to do. I'd want to play classical guitar one day, blues, country, fingerpicking, Chet Atkins' style, if I liked it I wanted to be able to at least try it. I've always loved the sound of the guitar and the type of music wasn't as important as how it sounded.

Open your eyes, your ears and your heart.

After having taught guitar and banjo for years, I often get asked by students how I can stand to listen to a total beginner "messing up those songs." My reply is that if you're trying, I have all the patience in the world. Put your guitar lessons way down on your list of priorities, only practice once or twice a week and then complain about how you're not getting it, and my patience runs out in a hurry. You need to listen to good music, go to concerts and see the passion that the performers have, and soon you'll see if your heart is into it. Music can be enjoyed on many different levels, so open up and let it in.

Almost Anyone Can Play Guitar, Can't They?

The guitar's strong point? Versatility.

One of the coolest things about the guitar is how versatile it can be. When prospective students ask if it's too late to start the guitar the answer is almost always a resounding no. The determining factor is what kind of music you like, how much time you can devote to practice, and how realistic your goals are. A couple weeks ago I had a gentleman asking about guitar lessons, and it's one of the few times I've talked someone out of lessons. He had no musical background, no idea of what kind of music he wanted to play, and he was 87 years old. The age wouldn't have been as big a factor had he had one of the other ingredients. When I told him he needed to know what kind of music he liked, his response was that he could take golf lessons without having to be specific, so he just wanted "guitar lessons."

All of that aside, most people can play to at least some degree.

Playing the guitar can be enjoyable on so many different levels, deciding what you'd like to do is the first step. Some beginners are perfectly happy playing and strumming campfire songs, while others are eager to learn as much as they can about all aspects of playing. The guitar can be an accompaniment instrument, a solo instrument or part of an ensemble. How happy you are with your playing is determined by your interests and your satisfaction level. I've had students agonize over their lack of progress when they simply have no direction. How are you going to get somewhere if you're not sure where you want to go?

Take action now.

According to a recent poll, 85% of people who don't play an instrument wish they did! What's holding you back? Taking the first step and doing a little research is the most important way to get started. To me, and I know it sounds self serving, finding a good teacher is essential. While there are many courses, books, DVDs, CDs, and free lessons on the internet, nothing compares to the instant feedback you'll get from one on one lessons with a teacher. You can spend a long time learning something he or she could show you in a few minutes. You can be unaware of bad habits that are forming, and since a book or video can't watch you play, you could be facing the difficult task of breaking the habits.

Getting Your Money's Worth From Lessons

Are your lessons worth the money?

With all of the materials out there, is it worth paying for guitar lessons? I'd argue that the answer is yes for several reasons, even though it sounds self serving. The biggest reason is that you have someone to ask questions of, give you honest feedback and keep you on the correct path. As more and more information becomes available, and this isn't limited to music lessons, people become confused about what's important, where they should focus, and how much time they should spend on learning the concepts they've discovered. A beginning guitar student needs to forget about how overwhelming everything seems to be and to concentrate on one area at a time.

Getting your money's worth.

Your guitar teacher needs to know what you like, how you feel about your progress, and how you practice. These are some of the things you need to be clear about to get the most for your money. I've had students work on songs for weeks and then finally tell me they don't like that song. There are many others that will teach the same concepts, but I can't give you a different song unless I know you're unhappy.  Most beginning guitar students don't see much progress, so if you're in doubt about how you're doing, have your teacher give you an honest evaluation. Guitar is very slow going at first and it can be discouraging to say the least. If you're unhappy with your where you are, talk over ways to improve how you practice. Too many guitar students aren't really practicing, but they're just playing songs over and over. You need to have a specific goal for that practice session. Whether it's learning a new song, smoothing out trouble spots or improving the whole song, focus on what needs the most improvement.

Is It Possible to Practice Too Much?

How much is too much when it comes to practicing?

The law of diminishing returns. While it's extremely important to maintain a steady practice routine, there is a point where you've stopped making any progress that day. Usually after 45 minutes to an hour, it's time to take a break. Your fingers get tired, you quit hearing what you're playing, and you don't seem to be getting anywhere. That's how you know you need to do something else for a while.


I practiced that part over and over, but when I went to play it for my teacher I messed it up. Playing at home is a lot different from performing for someone else. Whether it's your teacher, your class, or a live performance, it's much harder to play in front of people. You need to build confidence in your ability to play the part that gives you trouble and you can't let it get the best of you. My students will say things like "here comes the part I hate", or "here's the part I always have trouble with", and guess what? They immediately have trouble with it! At that point the problem is in your head, not in your fingers.

How do you overcome this? No matter how painful it is, play in front of and with other people. I conduct a "controlled jam session" at the studio where I get students of the same level together so they can all experience playing with others. The first week or two everyone's timid, shy and pretty much unable to perform at their normal level. Once they become more comfortable and relaxed the tension slowly goes away and they play much better.

Open mikes, jam sessions and other outlets. Being nervous or scared is a common reaction, so the best thing to do is to learn a few songs that you can play well, record and/or make a video of yourself playing the songs, and play them for friends and family members. Most cities have open mikes or jam sessions, so the best way to get some experience is to just do it. At jam sessions, play along in the background until you're comfortable. Most jammers are very encouraging and you'll be surprised at how helpful they can be. At an open mike, it's only going to get better if you keep doing it. Again, most of the people attending will be very encouraging and helpful.

Be prepared. Before you leave the house be sure you have everything you need. Extra picks, strings, a capo, a strap and an electronic tuner should all be in your case. If you've never practiced while standing up, you'll be surprised at what a difference it makes. When you think you're ready, just go for it.

Learning From Other People

Pay attention, you just might learn something.

Over the years I've learned lots of licks, songs and tricks to enhance my guitar playing. The sources I learned them from are as varied as the techniques. Playing with others, whether they were better than me or not, reading guitar magazines, interviews, and ads, listening to recordings and watching live performances all contributed to my education. Yes, I took guitar lessons, had a great guitar teacher and learned a lot from him. At the same time I learned from the above sources. Doc Watson, Chet Atkins, Paul Simon, Peter Yarrow, and Paul Stookey were just a few of the many guitar players I liked, listened to and learned from.

Each style of music has an element you can add to what you like.

My guitar teacher questioned what I was trying to do, since there were many times when I'd hear something I liked and it was a different style. One week I wanted to play classical guitar, a couple weeks later it was Chet Atkins style, then country or maybe blues. When he asked me about it my reply was that I just wanted to play what sounded good on the guitar regardless of what kind of music they called it.

After saying all that, you still need to focus.

Even though it seemed like I had no sense of direction, I wasn't looking to be a virtuoso in those styles, but rather looking for something that would improve my sound and my playing. My main focus was on the folk and acoustic music of the day, but I never had that as my only interest. So map out a plan, listen to lots of different kinds of music and see if there's a way to work it into the music you like best.

Challenge Yourself!

Need to get off the plateau? 

Sometimes it seems like progress has come to a stop and you'll wonder if you'll ever get better. Relax, it's something that we all go through. I've had band practices where we just couldn't seem to do anything right and it was everyone in the group. When that happens, you just take a break and try again tomorrow. How to explain it? Could be you're not in the mood to play or practice, you've got other things on your mind, you're tired or there are more pressing problems.

Crank up the intensity and the challenge level.

After properly warming up, (you do warm up, don't you?), isolate the problem or problems and spend extra time on those. Set your metronome to a speed where you can play the passage comfortably, and then play through without a mistake several times. Don't increase the speed until you're sure you can get through the trouble spot perfectly. This builds confidence and makes you feel like you can play the difficult part with ease. If you catch yourself giving up and playing something you already know it just makes things worse. Issue a challenge to yourself and make it a game. Beginning guitar students tend to avoid the problem instead of working through it. Play so slowly you can't make a mistake and then build from there. The advantage of using a metronome is that you can increase speed in tiny increments so that you hardly feel like you're playing faster. Balance the intensity with the playfulness and you'll get off the plateau and on your way to playing and sounding better.

Not Happy With Your Progress on Guitar?

What may be holding you back and what to do about it.

Lately I've been getting more and more calls from beginning guitar students frustrated with their perceived lack of progress. Learning guitar is an ongoing process, and unfortunately it's one that you can't speed up very much. Here are some observations I've made recently as well as some helpful hints to improve your progress.

Expecting too much too soon.

I can't stress enough how important it is to learn, understand, and be able to execute a technique or concept. Beginning guitar players tend to rush through things so they can play the songs they want to play. Like learning math, guitar depends on your building a solid foundation. Being patient in the early stages is extremely difficult, but it's what will make you a better musician in the long run. Well meaning friends will try to tell you to learn barre chords, scales, alternate picking and other techniques that you may not be ready for. This is where having a live, caring teacher comes in. Your guitar teacher can guide you and make sure you're learning things in a logical order. I'll sometimes get a theory question from a student and the answer will be that you really don't want to ask that question right now!

Information overload.

The internet is a great invention, but again, I'm seeing and hearing from more and more frustrated guitar players. The best way to avoid information overload is to take small steps and to be sure that you're ready for the next concept. Go slow and absorb all the things you've learned. Ignore the wild claims that convince you that you'll learn the "secrets" of playing guitar. Do you want to know the secret to learning guitar? Commit time and effort, know what your goals are and practice. And no, you're not going to be the second coming of Jimi Hendrix in one weekend! Sorry, you have to put in the time.


Realize how important small signs of progress can be.

Minor breakthroughs are very important. If you've been working on a song and can now play it flawlessly and up to speed, it doesn't matter if it's Yankee Doodle, it's a breakthrough. Savor it and use the positive feelings to encourage you and to help you advance to the next level.

Push yourself, but don't pressure yourself.

Trying to improve, working hard, and spending time practicing are all worthy goals, but you don't need undue pressure. The value of taking private, one on one guitar lessons is that there is no competition and therefore, no pressure. Learning guitar is tough enough without adding the burden of expecting more than you're capable of playing. 

Actually, your fretting hand has 4 fingers and a thumb!

What's so hard about using the pinkie?

Beginning guitar students are way too eager to avoid using the pinkie finger at all costs. It won't stretch that far, it's not strong, I can't get it to work right, and who knows what else? I've watched ______ play and he or she doesn't use it.

Practice stretching exercises and quit avoiding it.

When you're serious about learning and improving your guitar playing, you use all of the tools available to you. Your guitar teacher can give you plenty of stretching and strengthening exercises to get the pinkie moving. Start out on frets 9 through 12, playing them in both directions: 9-10-11-12 and then 12-11-10-9, and be sure to use all 4 fingers. The other secret is to leave the 1st finger down through the whole sequence. When you can do that comfortably on those frets and all 6 strings, move to frets 8 - 11. You'll be pleasantly surprised at your progress.

Should I use my thumb?

While classical purists frown on thumb use, many guitar players use the thumb to fret the 6th string. You'll be in good company joining Jimi Hendrix, Chet Atkins, Mel Bay, and many others in using the thumb. I use it on some difficult chords as well as in songs when it's convenient. Angie, by Bert Jansch and recorded by Simon and Garfunkel is an example of using the thumb. I use the thumb to play the barre chord F at the first fret. Guitar students with smaller hands may find it more difficult, but the best thing to do is try it and see what happens.

Get Rid of Distractions

What's keeping you from focusing on your practice?

I've had students tell me they have the radio on in the background, they practice sitting on the bed with the music opened on the floor, on the couch with the music on the coffee table, geez Louise, how do you expect to get anywhere like that?  Let's look at some ways to improve your environment which in turn will improve your ability to focus.

The room itself.

For playing guitar you need: a quiet space, one free of tempting objects that will steal your attention. The practice room should have door you can close, a way to record yourself, a computer or mp3 player so you can listen to recordings of what you're learning, and most importantly a music stand.

Essential learning tools.

I've said it many times, but it still falls on deaf ears......practice with a metronome or drum machine. Music is made up of 3 elements, melody, harmony and RHYTHM.  I know it's hard, I know the metronome can be more annoying than fun, but it's going to take your playing to the next level. There isn't much worse than playing music with someone who can't count.

An electronic tuner is the second tool. You can buy a good, chromatic tuner for under $30, and it's money well spent. The last thing you want to do is get used to your guitar being out of tune. That's probably the second worse thing if you're playing with others.

Something to write with. Write down your goals, write down what you need to work on, write down how and what you've practiced. Mark places that need work, circle notes you keep playing wrong.

Picks, replacement strings, and a capo. Do you have pick handy? I have guitar students that are proud of themselves for having one pick. Go crazy, buy yourself a dozen the next time you're at a music store, they're cheap! Try different sizes, shapes and thicknesses. You just might be surprised at how different they can be. Do you have an extra set of strings? Guitar strings are also cheap. You can buy a set for $10-20, and it's a good idea to have some handy. Strings can break for any number of reasons including operator error, being too old, playing too hard, or sometimes just because they have a weak spot. A capo, the little device that goes across the strings and replaces the nut, is used by lots of guitarists in lots of different kinds of music. Listen to Hotel California or Here Comes the Sun to hear a couple of examples of guitars with capos on them.

Other handy items.

A computer can be used to find songs, record and play back  your practice sessions, and to do research. You can find lessons, videos, and much more, just be sure to use the computer for its intended purpose, not just to play games! One of the most valuable items we use in the Studio is software that can slow songs down. I use Riffmaster Pro, (affiliate link), which is easy to use and understand. The best feature is that you can create, slow down and save a loop. This enables you to go back and practice or try to figure out a section of a song.

Making Excuses Instead of Making Time to Practice

Making excuses = Easy!
Making time to practice = Hard?

Making excuses for not practicing. 

Most guitar teachers have heard them all. We were out of town, I had to study, I had tests all week, I had a hockey, soccer, basketball or baseball game. While we don't expect you to give up these activities, it is amazing how there's always time to do these instead of practicing. Try to think back upon what you did all day, then tell me honestly that there was absolutely no wasted time and that getting the guitar out was not possible. There are more and more time wasters now than ever. Sending texts, video games, cell phones, ipods and countless other forms of entertainment are available to distract you and make you feel like you have no time.

Making time to practice.

Impossible thought it seems, almost everyone can find time to spend practicing their chosen instrument. Like everything else, it's easy to let it slide, and the more you let it do that, the easier it becomes to not practice. Miss a couple days in a row and pretty soon the excuses and perceptions will make it seem like you really don't have the time. Setting priorities, having a relaxing, quiet space to practice and not watching the clock are all viable solutions. Like in all worthwhile endeavors, even a little practice each day is better than none at all.

Developing your passion.

It's funny, but there always seems to be time to do the things we really love and enjoy. Explore the versatility of the guitar. Listen to as many different kinds of music as you can and be open minded. I'll mention a type of music and without hesitation a student will tell me how much they dislike that style. A lot of times it's because they're not familiar enough with it, or, they just didn't give it a chance. Open your mind and your ears and you may be surprised at how moving a particular song, artist or genre of music can be. When you hear something you like, explore it further. There are so many ways to play guitar it's almost guaranteed that something will move you and make you want to learn more.

DON'T Start From the Beginning

Mastering a piece of music.

There have been many times when I'll have a student get to a certain place in being able to perform a piece of music and not seem to be able to perfect it. The beginner usually decides that the best thing to do is to just start over and play the piece all the way through. The advice I give gets ignored, or worse, the excuses start coming. I've heard it all: I can't memorize things, I don't like this song, (translation, it's too hard and I don't want to bother finishing it), it doesn't sound good slow, and the list goes on. Beginning guitar students seem to have an especially hard time working on a song, being satisfied as soon as it resembles what it should sound like.

Isolating the trouble spots.

Trouble spots come in many forms. It can be rhythm, awkward fingering, a passage that you play wrong over and over, and more, lots more. Let's take a look at a couple of these and how to get over the hump.

Rhythm.

Solved by a) listening to a recording of the song, b), slowing down and working with a metronome,
c) having your guitar teacher go over the rhythm with you until you fully understand it. One technique I've used is to listen to a recording of the song when I'm not trying to play it. Listen to it over and over until you know exactly what the song is supposed to sound like. Don't go too long without listening, thinking that you know how it goes.

Awkward fingering.

Beginning guitar students and even more advanced guitarists seem to have a way of talking themselves out of using the pinkie on their left hand. Most give up on it way too soon, so they never develop the ability to use it. The concept of position playing on the guitar, one finger per fret, can almost always help you work out a fingering problem. An important point to remember is to use the same fingering consistently once you decide how you'll play that part of the song. Your guitar teacher can help you pick the finger combinations that work best. I always tell my students though, fingering is a suggestion and if you find something that's more comfortable, don't be afraid to use it.

Starting over from the beginning.

People learn things in many different ways, and one of the ways is to start over from the beginning if they make a mistake. When I learn a new song, I always try to play through the whole thing, no matter how slow and painful that may be. It's a way of seeing what you're up against, and after playing through it a few times you can usually find the parts that are going to be the most difficult. Another approach is to learn each measure one at a time, only moving on when you can play those notes well. Whichever way you choose to start, after playing the song a couple times listen and look for the parts that will be more difficult. Play those parts through a few extra times each day when you practice the song, so you can smooth them out.

For more hints and tips, or to register for guitar or banjo lessons, visit our website: www.blguitars.net

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