Play 12 Bar Blues on Guitar: part 1
Playing the blues is a great way to get into improvisation, phrasing, rhythm guitar, swing feel and shuffle grooves. Here’s a step-by-step how to. 1) Choose a Key Any key will do but some guitar friendly blues keys are E, A and G. If you happen to be jamming with...
5 Steps to Learning Guitar Transcription
Listening to music and transcribing are two of the most valuable practices a guitar student can engage in. As with most rewarding practices, they require focus, time, and a lot of patience. But after a while you will see your improvisations soar to new heights of...
The Secret to Mastering Barre Chords on Guitar
Barre chords can be the breaking point for many beginning guitarists. Everyone who has learned them knows that they can cause a lot of frustration and discomfort. One issue is that every guitarist's hands and fingers are shaped a little differently, so it can be hard...
Six Ways to Break Out of Your Guitar Rut
Learning guitar is a long, sometimes frustrating process that never truly ends. You may have heard of the infamous guitarist’s “plateau,” that place where progress seems to stall.
Guitar Solos and Talking Rhythms
In a guitar lesson this week a student asked for help making her solos more musical. Since what makes a great solo is somewhat subjective, and the possibilities extensive, that can be difficult to teach. But one of the simplest tips that I give to students, especially...
How Learning Music Helps You Succeed at Everything
There's a great article in last Sunday's New York Times which asks the question "what is it about serious music training that seems to correlate with outsize success in other fields?" and looks for answers to over-achievers in areas as diverse as finance, tech, and...
Songwriting: How to Stay Creative
The first time a producer worked on my songs, I hated every idea he contributed. I thought my songs were better the way I’d been playing them.
Sight Reading Guitar and Compound Interest
I was teaching sight-reading to student who is preparing for college music auditions when it hit me: learning sight-reading is exactly like investing in an IRA. My financial advisor is adamant that I should never, ever - EVER! look at my monthly statements. Never....
Guitar Practice Yin and Yang
"Yin and Yang" is used to describe complimentary energies and states that work together in the natural world. The concept of Yin and Yang is one of balance as the ultimate creative force. When learning a musical instrument, the more perfectly balanced your practice,...
Guitar Practice Essentials: Faith and Constancy
What does it take for guitarists to learn new skills? Talent and experience alone don’t guarantee success; without two essential qualities, many talented musicians stop growing.
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