Are you sabotaging your chances for success?
"I'm going to give it another month, and if things don't get better I'm selling the guitar." This is another classic example of not making the time, but making plenty of excuses. What is going to change in the next month when that's the attitude you're carrying around with you?
How to make it work.
Don't try to convince yourself that you have no time. If you want to something badly enough you make time for it. Yes work, family life, political campaigns, vacations and everything else you mention does hinder your ability to make time. The problem is, you need to have an iron clad schedule that nothing can change. Start off with a few minutes a day, get into the habit of making it work, and pretty soon you'll find that you feel awful when you miss a day of practice. I always use exercise as an analogy, it's great when you commit yourself, but blow it off for a few sessions and pretty soon you're your old couch potato self.
Choose your environment.
A comfortable, padded chair with no arms, a sturdy music stand, a metronome and a kitchen timer are all you need to get started. Turn off the cell phone, close the door and issue a do not disturb mandate to the rest of the occupants in your home. Convince yourself that this is your private time and that phone calls, emails and text messages can certainly wait for you to finish practicing. Set the timer for whatever amount of practice you feel you can get in and don't let anything stop you.
Have a reason for practicing.
Practicing an instrument is not "running through each piece a few times." Pick a song, a technique, a trouble spot, or something else that needs work and get busy on that. Record you practice session and listen to it at the end so you can hear some progress. If you don't have a teacher, get one! It sounds self serving, but there's a lot more motivation if you're accountable to someone.
So don't give up easily, set aside a specific time to practice, make sure you're in a quiet place that makes it easy to practice, and work on something. Again, get yourself a teacher so you have to show that you've worked on playing on a weekly basis. The more you practice, the easier it becomes, the easier it becomes the more you'll want to practice.
Showing posts with label guitar playing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label guitar playing. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Being Logical and Taking Your Time
The method to your teacher's madness!
It happened again the other night, a student who "wants guidance" but doesn't recognize it when he's getting it. Here's what he needs to be looking for and listening to.
Why do we play songs at the lesson?
The best thing a music teacher can do for you is listen to you play, then play the song with you. This helps you learn to make music with other people, understand why timing is important, and it helps you get over nervousness/stage fright. Yes, I know, you play better at home. THAT'S WHY I'M PLAYING TOO!
I can't make the song sound like the recording.
The recording has been made by professional musicians with thousands of dollars' worth of equipment. In addition there is more than one guitar on the record and someone is singing or otherwise providing the melody. You're supposed to be playing rhythm guitar which means keeping a steady beat. A common beginner mistake is to try to strum with the phrasing of the tune to the song instead of a straight rhythm part.
Beware the evils of internet overload.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record about this point, watching You Tube videos of a "guitar teacher" showing you how to strum, how to play chords or whatever, you have no idea who's teaching you. He or she may know exactly what they're doing, or, they may not be a much better player than you are. Keep in mind that a good guitar player isn't necessarily a good teacher.
Take your time and learn it right.
The key to learning guitar is not multi-tasking. My emphasis is on teaching and learning each technique as a separate function. Don't worry about palm muting if you can't change chords in time. Don't worry about complex strumming patterns until you can play the song up to speed.
Summing it all up.
Learning to play guitar or any other instrument is a time art. Hurrying through so you can learn the next technique catches up to you in the long run. In the words of Ringo Starr: "You know it don't come easy."
It happened again the other night, a student who "wants guidance" but doesn't recognize it when he's getting it. Here's what he needs to be looking for and listening to.
Why do we play songs at the lesson?
The best thing a music teacher can do for you is listen to you play, then play the song with you. This helps you learn to make music with other people, understand why timing is important, and it helps you get over nervousness/stage fright. Yes, I know, you play better at home. THAT'S WHY I'M PLAYING TOO!
I can't make the song sound like the recording.
The recording has been made by professional musicians with thousands of dollars' worth of equipment. In addition there is more than one guitar on the record and someone is singing or otherwise providing the melody. You're supposed to be playing rhythm guitar which means keeping a steady beat. A common beginner mistake is to try to strum with the phrasing of the tune to the song instead of a straight rhythm part.
Beware the evils of internet overload.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record about this point, watching You Tube videos of a "guitar teacher" showing you how to strum, how to play chords or whatever, you have no idea who's teaching you. He or she may know exactly what they're doing, or, they may not be a much better player than you are. Keep in mind that a good guitar player isn't necessarily a good teacher.
Take your time and learn it right.
The key to learning guitar is not multi-tasking. My emphasis is on teaching and learning each technique as a separate function. Don't worry about palm muting if you can't change chords in time. Don't worry about complex strumming patterns until you can play the song up to speed.
Summing it all up.
Learning to play guitar or any other instrument is a time art. Hurrying through so you can learn the next technique catches up to you in the long run. In the words of Ringo Starr: "You know it don't come easy."
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Frustrated and Other Negative Terms
Are you slowing your progress with negative thinking?
I have a new student, he's been playing for 4 weeks, and he must have used the word "frustrating" no less than 15 times at his lesson! Are you doing that too? Yes, beginning guitar lessons is very hard at first. Your fingers feel fat, they won't go where your brain tells them to go and to add insult to injury they hurt when you play. Wow, no wonder he was frustrated.
How to overcome the beginning guitar player blues?
I have a new student, he's been playing for 4 weeks, and he must have used the word "frustrating" no less than 15 times at his lesson! Are you doing that too? Yes, beginning guitar lessons is very hard at first. Your fingers feel fat, they won't go where your brain tells them to go and to add insult to injury they hurt when you play. Wow, no wonder he was frustrated.
How to overcome the beginning guitar player blues?
- Accept the fact that you're a beginner. No one starts playing the guitar or any other instrument without feeling frustrated. After a couple lessons you realize it's not a short term project.
- Make it a game. See how many times you can play song, exercise or scale without a mistake. Set the metronome to painfully slow, play the music, and when you can do that perfectly, in time, without stopping, kick the beats up a little. Key words, a little.
- Record yourself. Many beginning guitar students can't hear any progress, so one technique I recommend is recording yourself. Do that, listen to it, then put it away for a few weeks. The next time you listen to it you should be amazed at the progress you've made, provided you've been practicing in between.
- Get feedback from your teacher. When your guitar teacher suggests something or points out a problem area, pay attention! The goal before your next lesson should be to fix whatever the problem area is so you can move forward.
- Be extremely patient. I know, easy for me to say! Learning guitar is all about muscle memory and unfortunately it's not something you develop instantly. While practicing does help, the process really can't be accelerated that much. Playing music is definitely a time art.
- Lose the negative terms and thinking. Attitude plays a major role in your ability to progress. Don't allow your "lizard brain" as Seth Godin calls it get the best of you. Think positive thoughts and look at learning the guitar like the challenge that it is.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Is Your Guitar Teacher Inspiring You or Showing Off?
Inspiration or show-off?
There's a fine line when it comes to showing a beginning guitar student how a song goes, and having him or her interpret it as showing off. I've had students tell me I was showing off or trying to show them up, when actually I was playing the song fast enough that they would hear what it was supposed to sound like.
Does your teacher show off sometimes?
Absolutely! Most of the time it's when I'm asked to play something, maybe even on a different instrument. Students have asked me to play the banjo for them, or if they play banjo to play something on the guitar. Sometimes they're searching for credibility or checking to see if you really can play a particular song.
What's the problem?
The problem pops up when your guitar teacher does more playing than teaching. We're not talking about accompanying you, but rather playing instead of teaching. This happens a lot with teachers who are either inexperienced, lacking in self confidence or just trying to impress the student.
What should you do?
It depends on how comfortable you are with it. When I've been accused of showing off I explain why I played that song or passage in that way. I try to lead by example and make it clear that what I just played is for the benefit of the student. There are times when a certain technique or song has to be played at a faster pace for it to make sense. So, listen to what your teacher is playing, and if you have any questions or concerns about the motive behind it, just mention them and see what the answer is. Most of the time it will be played with every intention of instructing rather than showing off.
There's a fine line when it comes to showing a beginning guitar student how a song goes, and having him or her interpret it as showing off. I've had students tell me I was showing off or trying to show them up, when actually I was playing the song fast enough that they would hear what it was supposed to sound like.
Does your teacher show off sometimes?
Absolutely! Most of the time it's when I'm asked to play something, maybe even on a different instrument. Students have asked me to play the banjo for them, or if they play banjo to play something on the guitar. Sometimes they're searching for credibility or checking to see if you really can play a particular song.
What's the problem?
The problem pops up when your guitar teacher does more playing than teaching. We're not talking about accompanying you, but rather playing instead of teaching. This happens a lot with teachers who are either inexperienced, lacking in self confidence or just trying to impress the student.
What should you do?
It depends on how comfortable you are with it. When I've been accused of showing off I explain why I played that song or passage in that way. I try to lead by example and make it clear that what I just played is for the benefit of the student. There are times when a certain technique or song has to be played at a faster pace for it to make sense. So, listen to what your teacher is playing, and if you have any questions or concerns about the motive behind it, just mention them and see what the answer is. Most of the time it will be played with every intention of instructing rather than showing off.
Friday, July 8, 2011
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.
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.
Monday, June 20, 2011
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.
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.
Monday, May 16, 2011
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.
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.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
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
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
Thursday, March 31, 2011
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.
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.
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.
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.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
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.
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.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
New Year, New Goals
Will you be a better musician than you were last year?
Now is the perfect time to assess your skills, give some serious thought to what you'd like to accomplish and decide how you're going to get there. Beginning guitar, like any other skill, needs goals that you can not only attain, but perhaps even pass. Be realistic but not over cautious. I've had guitar students who are more than happy to be a little better when they could make much more progress.
What are you working on?
Pick a song, style or skill, and work on it. What is the one thing holding you back and how do you fix it? Consult with your guitar teacher and have him or her help you zero in on what you need to work on.
Finding a good teacher.
There are lots of good guitar teaching websites, but there's nothing like taking guitar lessons one on one, in person. Your teacher will get to know you, help you through trouble spots and keep you motivated. Most people need to have someone to give them feedback, encouragement, and wisdom. Your guitar teacher can catch a developing bad habit and show you something that may take you a lot longer with no one to demonstrate what it looks and sounds like.
Setting aside the time to practice.
The biggest obstacle adult guitar students face is finding the time to practice. Make it clear to other members of the household that you're not to be disturbed, get yourself an inexpensive kitchen timer, set it for 30 to 45 minutes and start practicing. The difference between success and failure when learning guitar is 20% talent and 80% desire. Do you really want to learn to play guitar? Set aside the practice time every day. I know you're busy, I know you have other obligations, but if you want to achieve your goals you need to put in the time.
Now is the perfect time to assess your skills, give some serious thought to what you'd like to accomplish and decide how you're going to get there. Beginning guitar, like any other skill, needs goals that you can not only attain, but perhaps even pass. Be realistic but not over cautious. I've had guitar students who are more than happy to be a little better when they could make much more progress.
What are you working on?
Pick a song, style or skill, and work on it. What is the one thing holding you back and how do you fix it? Consult with your guitar teacher and have him or her help you zero in on what you need to work on.
Finding a good teacher.
There are lots of good guitar teaching websites, but there's nothing like taking guitar lessons one on one, in person. Your teacher will get to know you, help you through trouble spots and keep you motivated. Most people need to have someone to give them feedback, encouragement, and wisdom. Your guitar teacher can catch a developing bad habit and show you something that may take you a lot longer with no one to demonstrate what it looks and sounds like.
Setting aside the time to practice.
The biggest obstacle adult guitar students face is finding the time to practice. Make it clear to other members of the household that you're not to be disturbed, get yourself an inexpensive kitchen timer, set it for 30 to 45 minutes and start practicing. The difference between success and failure when learning guitar is 20% talent and 80% desire. Do you really want to learn to play guitar? Set aside the practice time every day. I know you're busy, I know you have other obligations, but if you want to achieve your goals you need to put in the time.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Finger stretchers and warm-ups.
Here are some ways to prepare yourself for practice or performance.
- Warming up: Some simple exercises to warm up should be the first thing you think of when you're preparing to practice or or perform. Playing some chords, picking out notes or scales, and stretching exercises are all important. If you play fingerstyle guitar, doing some right hand arpeggios is also necessary.
- How to stretch your left hand. Doing stretching exercises helps to strengthen fingers as well as gain independence. Too many beginning guitar students avoid using the pinky. While it's possible to play without it, there are good reasons to use it. Start out by playing the 1st string, 1st fret with your index or 1st finger. Without taking that finger off, play the 2nd fret, 2nd finger, 3rd fret, 3rd finger, then 4th fret, 4th finger. Reverse the fingering, 4th, 3rd, 2nd, 1st and do that at least twice on each string. The key is to not take the 1st finger off during the whole sequence. The exercise will become increasingly harder as you get to the thicker strings. Be careful not to try to do too much at first. If you're in pain, stop. Once you can do that, try using different finger combinations to help improve dexterity. Ultimately, all 4 fingers should work equally well.
- Right hand exercises. Fingerpicking players should play different arpeggio patterns while gradually increasing speed. Getting a steady thumb beat going, followed by smooth picking with the fingers will sound good. A simple arpeggio pattern: Thumb, Index, Thumb, Middle. The thumb alternates bass notes, the index plays the 2nd string and the middle finger plays the 1st string. Once you get a solid bass line going, add the other fingers and try to play a slow, steady rhythm.
- Isolate trouble spots. When preparing a song for performance, spend extra time on troublesome passages. Work through them slowly, paying particular attention to using the correct fingering, playing the right notes, and then tightening up the rhythm with a metronome. Don't practice a song too long without listening to it.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Do I Have to Use the Pick?
Don't give up on the pick too soon.
Many times a beginning guitar student will play with a pick for a few weeks and then decide it's easier to play without it. While this is true in the early stages, if you get used to not using the pick it becomes much harder later on. How do I know this? That's what I did! I spent the first 6 years of guitar playing using just my fingers until a friend of mine convinced me that some songs just sound better with a pick. After deciding he was right I worked on using the pick on at least a few of the songs. It was very frustrating, especially when the pick would drop into the hole or go flying across the room.
Start out slow, hold the pick tight enough to not drop it but don't make a fist.
As I got better at using the pick, I found that using a pick that had grips on it, (Jim Dunlop nylon), made it easier to control. The thickness was also much more important than I realized. The best thing to do is to try different picks and see which ones work for you. They're extremely cheap and there are lots and lots of different sizes, shapes, thicknesses and materials. A very general guideline is that a lot of accomplished guitar players use thicker picks for solos and playing fast, and lighter, thinner picks for strumming. Ask your guitar teacher, or better yet, buy a dozen and experiment.
Gradually build up speed and don't get discouraged.
Pick single notes first, be very deliberate, and make accuracy your top priority. The most difficult thing about starting to use the pick is finding the strings. Since you have no feeling it feels like you're kind of swinging the pick at the strings instead of striking them. A good way to practice is to pluck a note and let the pick rest on the next string. That way you learn to judge the distance between the strings. Set your metronome to a slow speed and aim for clear, crisp notes. Once you've mastered a few easy songs, work on scales, solos or fiddle tunes to increase your speed and dexterity. Repetition is the key to learning to use the pick.
Many times a beginning guitar student will play with a pick for a few weeks and then decide it's easier to play without it. While this is true in the early stages, if you get used to not using the pick it becomes much harder later on. How do I know this? That's what I did! I spent the first 6 years of guitar playing using just my fingers until a friend of mine convinced me that some songs just sound better with a pick. After deciding he was right I worked on using the pick on at least a few of the songs. It was very frustrating, especially when the pick would drop into the hole or go flying across the room.
Start out slow, hold the pick tight enough to not drop it but don't make a fist.
As I got better at using the pick, I found that using a pick that had grips on it, (Jim Dunlop nylon), made it easier to control. The thickness was also much more important than I realized. The best thing to do is to try different picks and see which ones work for you. They're extremely cheap and there are lots and lots of different sizes, shapes, thicknesses and materials. A very general guideline is that a lot of accomplished guitar players use thicker picks for solos and playing fast, and lighter, thinner picks for strumming. Ask your guitar teacher, or better yet, buy a dozen and experiment.
Gradually build up speed and don't get discouraged.
Pick single notes first, be very deliberate, and make accuracy your top priority. The most difficult thing about starting to use the pick is finding the strings. Since you have no feeling it feels like you're kind of swinging the pick at the strings instead of striking them. A good way to practice is to pluck a note and let the pick rest on the next string. That way you learn to judge the distance between the strings. Set your metronome to a slow speed and aim for clear, crisp notes. Once you've mastered a few easy songs, work on scales, solos or fiddle tunes to increase your speed and dexterity. Repetition is the key to learning to use the pick.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Do You REALLY Think You Can Learn Guitar in 7 Days?
Right now on Amazon: Master the Guitar in 7 Days $.099
Seriously? Wow, why the heck has it taken others so long? And we're talking Mastering the guitar, not just playing it. Here's a dose of reality, it's not going to happen! Yes, you can learn a 2 chord song in 7 days. Will you have it mastered? Doubtful. Is it a song you'd be proud to show your friends? Hey, you guys want to jam on Skip to my Lou? Google play guitar in 7 days and you'll be shocked and amazed at how many courses there are. Here's the hot tip of the day, save your money. Beginning guitar, getting better at guitar, mastering the guitar is a long term investment of time and money. If it were possible in a short time, there would be a lot more great guitar players.
OK, how long does it take?
The guitar is a very versatile instrument. I've had students who took lessons for years, and I've had students who were happy with knowing enough chords to strum and sing some songs. Remember, it's not how long you've played, it's how many hours you put in. I can tell you that it won't be a week or even a month. The big secret is that like every other worthwhile skill it takes time, dedication and practice. Getting by the total beginner stage in about 6 months is a good goal. The most important consideration is how good to you want to be?
Are these courses any good at all?
Surprisingly, I'm going to say yes. I just can't imagine advertising something in that way when I'm sure they all know it's not going to happen. There's good material in a lot of the lessons, there's even good stuff available for free. The problem is in making outrageous claims. Playing and learning guitar without a teacher involves lots of self discipline, the ability to decide if you're doing things correctly, and being able to not want or need any feedback. You can't ask a DVD, a CD or a book a question. Without being able to actually watch a student it's very difficult to help solve problems. So, do you want to save a few bucks and be a do it yourselfer? Or, are you willing to make the sacrifice and spend the time and money to get started the right way?
Seriously? Wow, why the heck has it taken others so long? And we're talking Mastering the guitar, not just playing it. Here's a dose of reality, it's not going to happen! Yes, you can learn a 2 chord song in 7 days. Will you have it mastered? Doubtful. Is it a song you'd be proud to show your friends? Hey, you guys want to jam on Skip to my Lou? Google play guitar in 7 days and you'll be shocked and amazed at how many courses there are. Here's the hot tip of the day, save your money. Beginning guitar, getting better at guitar, mastering the guitar is a long term investment of time and money. If it were possible in a short time, there would be a lot more great guitar players.
OK, how long does it take?
The guitar is a very versatile instrument. I've had students who took lessons for years, and I've had students who were happy with knowing enough chords to strum and sing some songs. Remember, it's not how long you've played, it's how many hours you put in. I can tell you that it won't be a week or even a month. The big secret is that like every other worthwhile skill it takes time, dedication and practice. Getting by the total beginner stage in about 6 months is a good goal. The most important consideration is how good to you want to be?
Are these courses any good at all?
Surprisingly, I'm going to say yes. I just can't imagine advertising something in that way when I'm sure they all know it's not going to happen. There's good material in a lot of the lessons, there's even good stuff available for free. The problem is in making outrageous claims. Playing and learning guitar without a teacher involves lots of self discipline, the ability to decide if you're doing things correctly, and being able to not want or need any feedback. You can't ask a DVD, a CD or a book a question. Without being able to actually watch a student it's very difficult to help solve problems. So, do you want to save a few bucks and be a do it yourselfer? Or, are you willing to make the sacrifice and spend the time and money to get started the right way?
Saturday, December 4, 2010
How Many Chords Are There?
Guitar chords posters and wall charts.
In the studio I have a guitar chords poster and am frequently asked if that's all the chords. When I say no, they ask how many chords are there? 1000s! Then they ask how many I know.....1000s. How often do I use that many? Never. Once you have an understanding of music theory and how it relates to the guitar fingerboard, you can not only play lots of chords you can even make up your own. The number of chords you learn isn't nearly as important as knowing what to do with them.
The number of chords you use depends on the style of music you play.
A lot of beginning guitar students as well as more advanced players really only use a relatively small number of chords. For instance, if you play and sing, your chord playing will be somewhat limited by your vocal range. If you like Americana, Folk, Bluegrass or Irish music you'll be able to play using a handful of chords most of the time. Jazz, ragtime, classical and some rock music styles require more chords. I have students who play in jazz band in high school and they are usually pretty much shocked by how many different chords they have to know.
How many chords should you learn then?
Everyone should learn the basic, open position chords. There are many places to find them and that's really the first step. Being able to play major, minor and seventh chords is a good place to start. Buy yourself a chord book and experiment. Just because a particular style uses more of one type of chord it doesn't mean other styles won't use them sometimes as well. There are jazz chords that fit well in different types of music, so you just might want to play a few of them and see what you think.
In the studio I have a guitar chords poster and am frequently asked if that's all the chords. When I say no, they ask how many chords are there? 1000s! Then they ask how many I know.....1000s. How often do I use that many? Never. Once you have an understanding of music theory and how it relates to the guitar fingerboard, you can not only play lots of chords you can even make up your own. The number of chords you learn isn't nearly as important as knowing what to do with them.
The number of chords you use depends on the style of music you play.
A lot of beginning guitar students as well as more advanced players really only use a relatively small number of chords. For instance, if you play and sing, your chord playing will be somewhat limited by your vocal range. If you like Americana, Folk, Bluegrass or Irish music you'll be able to play using a handful of chords most of the time. Jazz, ragtime, classical and some rock music styles require more chords. I have students who play in jazz band in high school and they are usually pretty much shocked by how many different chords they have to know.
How many chords should you learn then?
Everyone should learn the basic, open position chords. There are many places to find them and that's really the first step. Being able to play major, minor and seventh chords is a good place to start. Buy yourself a chord book and experiment. Just because a particular style uses more of one type of chord it doesn't mean other styles won't use them sometimes as well. There are jazz chords that fit well in different types of music, so you just might want to play a few of them and see what you think.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Are You a Settler?
Do you practice the same songs over and over?
Have you settled into a practice routine that's in your comfort zone? Is playing the same old songs keeping you from learning new material? While it's a good idea to review and not lose the skills you have, you also can improve your guitar playing by working on newer, more challenging songs. I see students who pretty much refuse to move forward once they're comfortable with their repertoire. Or, sometimes they get so hung up on a song they end up in a rut.
Become a pioneer instead of a settler.
While it's not easy to pioneer new sounds, stretching out and playing other kinds of music, listening to different genres, and exploring the fingerboard are all ways to improve your guitar playing. Not sure what kinds of music you'd like to play? Have your guitar teacher play some different styles for you, listen to some of the best guitar players and keep an open mind. There are fantastic guitar players regardless of the type of music they play.
How many of these names do you recognize?
Here's a list of guitar players you may or may not have heard of. Spend a little time listening and learning about them and you just might be surprised as well as inspired. In no particular order and in no particular style:
Have you settled into a practice routine that's in your comfort zone? Is playing the same old songs keeping you from learning new material? While it's a good idea to review and not lose the skills you have, you also can improve your guitar playing by working on newer, more challenging songs. I see students who pretty much refuse to move forward once they're comfortable with their repertoire. Or, sometimes they get so hung up on a song they end up in a rut.
Become a pioneer instead of a settler.
While it's not easy to pioneer new sounds, stretching out and playing other kinds of music, listening to different genres, and exploring the fingerboard are all ways to improve your guitar playing. Not sure what kinds of music you'd like to play? Have your guitar teacher play some different styles for you, listen to some of the best guitar players and keep an open mind. There are fantastic guitar players regardless of the type of music they play.
How many of these names do you recognize?
Here's a list of guitar players you may or may not have heard of. Spend a little time listening and learning about them and you just might be surprised as well as inspired. In no particular order and in no particular style:
- Chet Atkins
- Doc Watson
- Eric Clapton
- Jimmy Paige
- Tony Rice
- Joe Pass
- Django Reinhardt
- Carlos Santana
- Jerry Garcia
- Andres Segovia
- Julian Bream
- Les Paul
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Where Do You Practice?
Do you have a space set aside to practice in?
So, do you have a specific room or area where you practice? Please don't tell me it's in your unfinished, cold, damp basement! You do woodworking, you have a workshop, you do crafts, there's usually a room or area set aside, but you play guitar and you practice anywhere you can find room? If that describe you, it's time to reconsider your practice space. While it may not be practical to have a music room, it's certainly possible to set aside an area where you play your guitar.
Do you have a "musician's toolbox?"
I'm always amazed at how people will spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on other hobbies, but when it comes to music they want to spend as little as possible. They practice wherever they can, don't have simple basics like a music stand, metronome or electronic tuner, and then wonder why they don't make more progress. There are so many resources available that it's never been easier to access the tools necessary to learn guitar. You can find online lessons, metronomes, practice aids, and information concerning playing, practicing and improving.
It's time to set aside a dedicated space to work on your music.
Here are the essential tools plus a lot of others that can help you progress at a reasonable rate. I've had students that spend minimal amounts of time, effort or money and then can't understand why they're not learning guitar as fast as they think they should. So here's the checklist with a brief explanation of each item:
So, do you have a specific room or area where you practice? Please don't tell me it's in your unfinished, cold, damp basement! You do woodworking, you have a workshop, you do crafts, there's usually a room or area set aside, but you play guitar and you practice anywhere you can find room? If that describe you, it's time to reconsider your practice space. While it may not be practical to have a music room, it's certainly possible to set aside an area where you play your guitar.
Do you have a "musician's toolbox?"
I'm always amazed at how people will spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on other hobbies, but when it comes to music they want to spend as little as possible. They practice wherever they can, don't have simple basics like a music stand, metronome or electronic tuner, and then wonder why they don't make more progress. There are so many resources available that it's never been easier to access the tools necessary to learn guitar. You can find online lessons, metronomes, practice aids, and information concerning playing, practicing and improving.
It's time to set aside a dedicated space to work on your music.
Here are the essential tools plus a lot of others that can help you progress at a reasonable rate. I've had students that spend minimal amounts of time, effort or money and then can't understand why they're not learning guitar as fast as they think they should. So here's the checklist with a brief explanation of each item:
- A quiet place to practice. Self explanatory. You need a space where you can concentrate on building your skills. I cringe when I hear someone tell me that they practice while there's a TV, or worse yet, music playing in the background. How in the world are you going to concentrate with that going on around you?
- A computer connected to the internet. While it's not absolutely necessary, there is so much good information out there, I can't imagine not having a way to gather it. Just Google what you're interested in and it's out there somewhere.
- Electronic tuner, metronome and music stand. Even if you buy the orchestra style stand, a wooden metronome with a clock movement and a strobe tuner you're not looking at more than $150-200. Buy an electronic, compact tuner and metronome and a wire music stand, we're talking under $100.
- Instruction books, CDs and DVDs. There are thousands of resources out there for every imaginable style. No matter what type of music you like, whether you play acoustic guitar, electric guitar, 12-string guitar, any combination, there's a wealth of material. If you have a guitar teacher he or she will be happy to incorporate these materials into your lessons.
- A way to record yourself. Almost any computer is capable of letting you record yourself playing. This is such a valuable tool I can't over emphasize it. Make a recording and be prepared to be shocked! Remember, the recording is exactly what you sound like, it doesn't lie. You'll hear string squeaks, timing errors, a slightly muffled note, a lot of things you don't notice while practicing.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
How Often Should You Change Strings?
When do you need to change strings?
A fresh set of strings will make your guitar look, sound and feel better. (Kind of like the old barber poles used to say!) While there are no absolute rules, here are some tell tale signs that they need to be replaced:
Why are there so many different kinds of strings and which ones should you use?
The choices are downright mind boggling, but here are the major differences. If you have an acoustic guitar, most people use bronze, phosphor bronze, nickel or silk and steel strings. The bronze and phosphor bronze have a brighter sound, the nickel are a bit duller, and the silk and steel are light and easier to push down. As a result, silk and steel tend to go dead quicker and don't have as a bright a sound. For electric guitar, nickel is the most popular and it's more about thickness than the kind of string.
What gauge strings should I use?
There are lots of different gauges, and the thickness is really a matter of what you like and what kind of music you play. For example, bluegrass guitar players usually use a fairly heavy set of strings to get that nice, booming bass and to cut through the other instruments. If you do fingerpicking, a lot of players use lighter strings to move around a little quicker. The best thing to do is to experiment and see what sounds good on your guitar. Keep in mind that the lighter the strings are, the trade-off is less volume and tone. With electric guitars, the type of music again is a important part. If you do a lot of string bending you'll want to play lighter strings, if you play jazz you'll want to use heavier strings and so on. Again, guitar strings are not real expensive so the best thing is to try different brands and gauges and see what works best. Your guitar teacher or a more experienced friend can help you decide although the final decision depends on what sound you're looking for.
A fresh set of strings will make your guitar look, sound and feel better. (Kind of like the old barber poles used to say!) While there are no absolute rules, here are some tell tale signs that they need to be replaced:
- Do your strings look corroded or black?
- Has it been 6 months to a year, or worse yet, you can't remember?
- Does your electric guitar just sound kind of dull?
- Has your guitar become harder to tune?
- Do you have trouble keeping the guitar in tune?
Why are there so many different kinds of strings and which ones should you use?
The choices are downright mind boggling, but here are the major differences. If you have an acoustic guitar, most people use bronze, phosphor bronze, nickel or silk and steel strings. The bronze and phosphor bronze have a brighter sound, the nickel are a bit duller, and the silk and steel are light and easier to push down. As a result, silk and steel tend to go dead quicker and don't have as a bright a sound. For electric guitar, nickel is the most popular and it's more about thickness than the kind of string.
What gauge strings should I use?
There are lots of different gauges, and the thickness is really a matter of what you like and what kind of music you play. For example, bluegrass guitar players usually use a fairly heavy set of strings to get that nice, booming bass and to cut through the other instruments. If you do fingerpicking, a lot of players use lighter strings to move around a little quicker. The best thing to do is to experiment and see what sounds good on your guitar. Keep in mind that the lighter the strings are, the trade-off is less volume and tone. With electric guitars, the type of music again is a important part. If you do a lot of string bending you'll want to play lighter strings, if you play jazz you'll want to use heavier strings and so on. Again, guitar strings are not real expensive so the best thing is to try different brands and gauges and see what works best. Your guitar teacher or a more experienced friend can help you decide although the final decision depends on what sound you're looking for.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Decide to Conquer Bad Habits and Build Technique
When you first begin playing guitar, it's easy to develop bad habits.
Posture. To help develop good posture, sit in a chair that has no arms, position the music at eye level, and use a music stand. Too many of my guitar students tell me they practice sitting on the bed, on the couch or on the floor. The music is either on a coffee table, on the floor or on the side of the bed. This really puts you at a disadvantage.
Left Hand and Arm. To get the most length out of your fingers, be sure you're not doing any of these things. Don't rest your left arm on your leg. You'll restrict the movement of your left hand and this will slow you down. The thumb should be in the middle of the neck, and the fingers should be bent at both joints. Arch the hand so that the fingers don't bump into adjacent strings. You'll notice improvement in your chords as well as your notes.
Holding the Guitar Correctly. The important thing to remember here is that your left hand should not be holding the guitar up. Position the guitar so that your left hand and are can move freely. You can find lots of pictures in guitar books and on internet sites that show you the way to hold the guitar.
Pushing the Strings Down. A comment I get from my students is that it doesn't look like I'm pressing that hard, and the fact is, I'm not. Once your left hand fingers toughen up you won't have to push as hard as you did when you first started. Pressing too hard causes fatigue in the hand and arm muscles and also contributes to not being able to play clear sounding chords.
The Picking Hand. If you use a pick, most people hold it between the thumb and the index finger. Be sure the point is between the strings. You hold it tight enough so that it doesn't wiggle around, but not so tight that you feel like you're squeezing it.
Posture. To help develop good posture, sit in a chair that has no arms, position the music at eye level, and use a music stand. Too many of my guitar students tell me they practice sitting on the bed, on the couch or on the floor. The music is either on a coffee table, on the floor or on the side of the bed. This really puts you at a disadvantage.
Left Hand and Arm. To get the most length out of your fingers, be sure you're not doing any of these things. Don't rest your left arm on your leg. You'll restrict the movement of your left hand and this will slow you down. The thumb should be in the middle of the neck, and the fingers should be bent at both joints. Arch the hand so that the fingers don't bump into adjacent strings. You'll notice improvement in your chords as well as your notes.
Holding the Guitar Correctly. The important thing to remember here is that your left hand should not be holding the guitar up. Position the guitar so that your left hand and are can move freely. You can find lots of pictures in guitar books and on internet sites that show you the way to hold the guitar.
Pushing the Strings Down. A comment I get from my students is that it doesn't look like I'm pressing that hard, and the fact is, I'm not. Once your left hand fingers toughen up you won't have to push as hard as you did when you first started. Pressing too hard causes fatigue in the hand and arm muscles and also contributes to not being able to play clear sounding chords.
The Picking Hand. If you use a pick, most people hold it between the thumb and the index finger. Be sure the point is between the strings. You hold it tight enough so that it doesn't wiggle around, but not so tight that you feel like you're squeezing it.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Are You Worrying Too Much About Your Progress?
Does everyone experience the same thing when they start guitar?
If you've gotten off of the total beginner stage and you're starting to be able to play along with recordings, there are a few points to remember about your progress.
If you've gotten off of the total beginner stage and you're starting to be able to play along with recordings, there are a few points to remember about your progress.
- Some chords are more difficult than others. Many times my students will agonize over their inability to play C, F, Bminor, B7 or some other chord that has awkward fingering. It can be discouraging when you can play all but that one chord and it makes you feel like you're not getting anywhere. The advice I give everyone is to just keep going and force your chord hand to catch up.
- "It doesn't sound like the song." The art of rhythm guitar is something that comes from practicing, listening and trying to make it sound like the song. The problem is you only have one guitar, you most likely don't have thousands of dollars' worth of equipment, and you're still in the early stages of learning guitar. Again, don't agonize over the fact that you can't make it sound exactly like the recording. You may be listening to someone who's been playing for years and you can't expect to duplicate that sound at this point.
- Multi-tasking is overrated. Trying to do too much is a sure way to slow your progress. The more I teach, the slower I try to get my students to play. When we learn a new song, my first goal is to get the guitar student to simply strum a chord once when it changes. This develops your ear and helps you anticipate when the chords will change. The next step is to strum a couple of times, but give yourself ample time to get ready for the next chord.
- Keeping your strumming hand moving will make the chord hand go faster. Whenever you practice chords, try to keep strumming so that you don't lose time. You don't want to get in the habit of stopping between chords.
- Invest in something to slow songs down. At our teaching studio I use RiffMaster Pro (affiliate link), which is an excellent program to slow songs down without changing the pitch. This way you can practice at a slower speed but you're still learning the correct rhythm.
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