I sit in with a lot of bands and people. I'm constantly asked to play a song that I've never heard, with people that do know the song. It can be intimidating! Having a grasp on some theory concepts, common song structures and some listening skills, y ...
Capos are a tool and just like any tool, has it's own purpose and place. Some people use them as a crutch and I think for certain players, that's okay too. If you're just starting out, then yes by all means, use the capo on fret 3 and a play a G chor ...
What guitar player doesn't like a new toy? New guitar, new amp, new pedals... the reality is that while that may inspire you to play more, it doesn't matter in the bigger picture. Guitar players tend to think that without the latest gadget they're mi ...
This is a follow up to my "Know Not Memorize Your Fretboard | Steps" video lesson. In that video I talk about using the dots to learn the 6th and 5th string to learn half of the notes on the guitar neck (6th and 1st string are both E, so once you kno ...
They're the same fret, but why would I call something a Bb instead of an A#? Why are there two names for the same note, same chord or same scale? The basic answer is when spelling out a scale, each note name gets one degree... not two. There is ...
What you can do with licks is virtually limitless: changing the first/last note, playing with the rhythm and even changing what beat you start the lick on will give it a different feel (more on this on my blog “Phrase Development”). But one of the co ...
So you want to be Jimi Hendrix but you're not even sure how to solo. Sure you know a few scales, even can play a halfway decent lick but when it comes to improvising you just end up playing the same scale up and down or just draw a blank. You are ...
It's happened to everyone, where you're playing and feel like your just recycling the same things over and over. The biggest thing is getting yourself out of your normal routine. 1) Only allow yourself to use new ways to play the chords If yo ...
So after listening to a E.L.O. record or two you think you could be the next Jeff Lynne. Writing a bunch of songs and start collaborating with everyone you've ever admired. Somehow you just keep writing songs that sound the same or just get writers b ...
I'm probably in the minority here, but I've found people that obsess over their fingering for a certain chord/arpeggio/scale is time better spent elsewhere. You want to have a decent idea of what the most efficient way to finger them are, hence why I ...
