Guitar Hero Limit Zero

Guide to Buying an Acoustic Guitar

2011-12-29T20:14:00.001-08:00

So you want to buy your won acoustic guitar?

Music is something that most of us cannot live without. It has become such an integral part of our lives that we have become spoiled for choice when it comes to pleasing our ears. But amongst the endless cornucopia of sounds, melodies and instruments stands the Acoustic Guitar. The Guitar is probably the most played and most used instrument of all time. This is mainly due to its affordability and ease of use. Many people adore it and if you’re one of them then might’ve thought of picking a Guitar yourself. If so, read on!

· Like all major purchases in life, the biggest factor is price. Many people like going for cheap things only to realise that they were duped. It is therefore of great importance that when you want to purchase a guitar, compare prices with a wide range of models and places. A good quality guitar is one that has a strong body and overall integrity.

· The strings should be of high quality. Low quality strings wear out easily and do not last long. You might be thinking “I can always replace them, so why does it matter?” Well, in the long run it’s going to cost more to perpetually replace the strings than if you were to have high quality ones in the first place.

· One should also make sure that the tuner is of high quality. This is because some of the tuners are weak and end up breaking easily. This may also be expensive as you have to go back to the shop to buy new tuners.

· In this day and age, branding is of utmost importance. Always check out the company behind the Guitar. Companies usually have different styles and philosophies when it comes to instrument making. So be sure to do a little research about the company before you decide. My personal recommendation is Planet. They’re one of the best companies out there that constantly produce quality guitars.

· The durability of the guitar should also be put into consideration. Some guitars can last for decades while some barely make it in the first year.

· Size of a guitar also matters when buying it. Acoustic guitars come in various shapes and sizes. Your own body size will be a big factor in this, be sure to feel physically comfortable with what you’re buying.

· The casing of the guitar should also be considered as it’ll be needed for storage and transport. Poor storage will take precious years away from your Guitar, so ensure that the casing is of good quality.

· Also, ensure that the store provides a decent warranty for your guitar. It’s a pain to have to give up the whole thing when some small part breaks down.

· Most importantly, you’ve got to feel for the guitar that you’re buying. I know it sounds cheesy but a guitar is a very personal thing and it’ll be with you for a long time, so make sure you feel some sort of connection with it before the big purchase.

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Top 5 Benefits of Learning the Guitar

2011-12-25T23:45:00.000-08:00

Learning the guitar indeed has its benefits.

Among all musical instruments, the guitar stands out as being the most popular. Many people find guitar playing very ‘cool’ and is deemed as an image enhancing pursuit, this perhaps has a lot to do with the ‘rockstar’ image the instrument conveys.

But that apart, it goes without saying that a lot of school kids, college students and even young professionals love to learn the guitar. This is obvious from the fact that guitar classes are burgeoning and there are so many online courses also which seem to be bursting at the very seams.

While there is a certain dowdy and rather traditional image that learning and playing the piano seems to have, the guitar does not suffer from such bad press. While a lot of the joy of guitar playing seems to come from just being able to create tunes on the guitar, there are other benefits as well from this passion. Here are 5 of these benefits:

Mental Ability and Agility: There have been many types of research that indicates that playing the guitar is good for your mental ability and agility too. For instance, when learning to play the guitar, you have to assign a lot of things to your memory which jogs the grey matter of your brain to a very large extent. When children learn how to play the guitar, they have to memorize chords and charts, aspects of songs and even music theory as well as other aspects that help in keeping the brain quite agile. This also helps in multi-tasking as you have to use both your right brain as well as the lefty brain in order to ensure that you are able to do a good task while playing the guitar.

Self Esteem: Playing the guitar great enhances the self esteem and confidence of any person. If you know how to play the guitar, and are able to perform, at whatever level, you get a lot of personal satisfaction. This also greatly boosts your self confidence as you feel more assured of your capabilities

Social Skills: When you are young, it seems as if playing the guitar can serve the purpose of enhancing your social desirability. A guitar is always a great talking point whether it is in the college canteen or a train that you decide to start playing. A lot of guys also get some valuable help with dates from attractive girls by means of guitars.

Musical Inclinations: Playing the guitar is quite beneficial for those who want to hone their musical appreciation and skills also. Learning musical notations as well as chords also helps one to develop oneself musically and perhaps take up music as a professional artist or a music composer and director too.

The Fun Element: Playing the guitar spices up your life and makes it much easier for you to spend time with yourself, friends and family too. It can also help to brighten up the mood when you are feeling low or blue.

There are indeed so many benefits to learning how to play the guitar that you can start learning right away!

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Learning the Guitar? Top 5 Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

2011-12-07T12:37:00.000-08:00

There are many people who can play the guitar, yet only a precious few ever end up doing so at a professional level. Many even quit within the first month of learning. If you have considered quitting, you are not alone and the good news is that you don’t have to!

Below are five of the most common mistakes that many beginners make. These mistakes cause discouragement and eventual burn out. If you keep away from these mistakes, you are likely to learn your guitar lessons faster and proceed to become a better player.

1. Telling yourself that ‘I can’t make it’: Just in learning new skills, it is often easy for the beginner to listen to the negative voice that tells him or her that it’s impossible or it wouldn’t work. It is therefore important that you dress yourself with a positive attitude. Other than attitude, other factors such as physical strain and the tough discipline that is demanded for a guitar leaner are also factors that keep off beginners. However the joy of playing guitar at a professional league cannot compare to these teething problems.

2. Over ambitiousness: this is observed among learners of guitar playing who want to make great leaps in a short period. Skills such as tuning, using the capo, strumming and so on all require lots of time to learn and master. Do it too fast and it would lead to burn out and also produce unseasoned guitar players.

3. Finger picking: trying to push the keys on the fret board using one finger can lead to quick giving up. This is because it would not only give the learner a poor tune, but will also make it a very slow process of learning.

4. Not visualizing the chord playing: visualization referrers to the player seeing which finger is pulling the strings. This will be enabling you to learn how to place your fingers on the chord without having to check.

5. Inadequate finger strength: because guitar playing involves pulling the strings in a tough manner, it will often result in painful fingers. For most learners, this is the stage where they give up. This is a grand mistake that steals off the opportunity to make a pro guitarist. It should be understood that such painful finger muscles are a stage in getting the finger to be used to pulling the chords.

The selection of the above five common mistakes is based on frequently asked questions researched from several websites. The best way to learn fast and avoid these mistakes is to find a good teacher.

While there are several free causes or tutorials on guitar playing from websites, they are never equivalent to a human or real time coach. The benefits associated with the real time teacher far out way the costs. It does not eliminate the need for strict discipline required to produce star guitar players.

Find the right teacher, get the correct instruments and avoid the above five mistakes and you are on your way to stardom.

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How to Take Care of Your Guitar

2011-12-04T12:40:00.000-08:00

When you play a musical instrument, it is quite natural that you would be quite possessive about it and would take good care to ensure that the instrument is in tip-top condition. After all, if you have taken the trouble to learn playing the guitar painstakingly and have chosen your guitar from a choice of thousands of guitars, you will also be careful as to how you take care of it, as it becomes a part of your very life and almost like an integral member of your family. More than that, if you are an avid guitar player, it is quite true that you would consider your guitar to be a true and close friend.

One of the key aspects of taking care of the guitar is to ensure that you keep playing it regularly. After all, if you leave your guitar in the corner, you cannot expect it to be in top condition. One of the keys to taking care of your guitar is to ensure that you take good care of the strings that make up the guitar. You have to be sure that you are able to decipher the condition of the strings of the guitar. If the strings seem dull and listless, o if they are ready to break, then you must be sure to change the strings immediately. When it comes to changing the strings, one can take a couple of months or so to change these, based on your usage of the guitar.

The second aspect of taking care of a guitar involves ensuring that the guitar is properly tuned. You can use a tuning fork to tune the guitar or perhaps an electronic tuner to tune the strings. If you are net savvy, then you have a lot of online tuners to help you with the task too. If you love your guitar and enjoy playing it, it makes immense sense for you to keep it well tuned so that you do not have to scurry to tune it when you need to play the guitar.

Another immensely important thing to consider when taking care of your guitar involves getting a good guitar case. Guitars are made of fine wood that is well weathered in order to make it possible for you to get the high quality timbre. So you cannot afford to be careless with the guitar. In fact, this is what the guitar case is for, so that even if you go out with the guitar, it is well protected from wear and tear. At the same time, you have to be careful that your guitar is free from the extremes of temperature as that would protect it from cracking, swelling and also shrinkage.

One of the best ways to take care of your guitar is to take it to the guitar technician at least once a year. This is important as there could be some flaws or defects in the guitar that you as a layperson may not be able to know about, which the technician can correct.

Taking care of your guitar is not really as difficult as some people think it to be.

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Top 10 Essential Guitar Tips for the Beginner

2011-12-04T12:33:00.000-08:00

For beginners, learning the acoustic guitar can be a challenging process that is often accompanied with many disappointments. However, here are some tried and tested tips that’ll give the budding guitarist a relatively bump free learning experience.

1. Find a guitar that fits your size. It is important to feel physically comfortable with the instrument you are playing. This helps create a connection between you and the guitar which will make the learning process easier and more enjoyable.

2. When you’re just starting out, it’s recommended that you master pick holding. If you get the habit early on, it becomes way easier in the long run. People I know who did it this way ended up being extremely good players, more so than the average guy.

3. Learn to self tune your guitar. After all, you will not always be playing in the presence of your coach. Knowing how to tune your guitar is the most basic and essential skill for any learner. You could start by learning how to use a digital tuner and then move on to just using your ears.

4. When playing, it’s a pretty good idea to keep your fingers and palms clean and dry. This provides better grip and will cause less wear on your strings.

5. Always have good posture, especially so when you’re just starting out. Good posture gives you stability, comfort and confidence. This, in turn, helps you to strum and change chords better.

6. Change your guitar strings regularly. The tensile strength within guitar strings is what determines the quality of the tunes played. Therefore, learn to change the strings by yourself and do this regularly.

7. Use a capo; this is a clamp that you use to modify the tensile strength of your guitar strings. If your guitar does not have this tool, then you need to buy one as soon as possible. You can also learn to tune your guitar using the capo from online lessons.

8. Do not be discouraged by the calluses. Calluses are painful spots in the fingertips that occur in beginners. This happens because the skin around the fingertips rubs against the rough strings so often that it causes wear and tear. This is inevitable. Instead of feeling annoyed, you should feel a sense of achievement when you see these calluses. It just means you’ve been practicing a lot lately.

9. Be one with music theory; a good grounding in theory classes is what will prepare you to be a professional player.

10. Get a good teacher. Period. I cannot stress how important this is, you must get a good teacher. It is as they say; you can only be as good as your teacher. The choice of a teacher is therefore one of the most significant decisions that you will make in your guitar playing journey.

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For What It's Worth (Buffalo Springfield - Forest Gump Soundtrack) How To Play

2011-10-15T09:57:00.000-07:00

How to play lessons you can 'swipe ideas' from for 'For What It's Worth by Buffalo Springfield'

"For What It's Worth" is a song written by Stephen Stills. It was performed by Buffalo Springfield and released as a single in January 1967; it was later added to the re-release of their first album, Buffalo Springfield. The single peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100chart. This song is currently ranked #63 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time as well as the eighth best song of 1967 by Acclaimed Music.

Buffallo Springfield playing "For What It's Worth" at a TV Show

SIMPLEST VERSION

How to play For What It's Worth (with harmonics)

For What It's Worth acoustic cover

Led Zeppelin - For What It's Worth (Buffalo Springfield cover)

One of my favorite band, Led Zeppelin covering Buffalo Springfield's For What it's Worth live in concert. Included on this video are two live performances of the cover. The first being during the Communication Breakdown medley as recorded on the famous bootleg "Live on Blueberry Hill", the second one comes from a much darker and creepier performance of the song recorded live at Seattle in March 21st 1975, both are some of my favorite live Led Zeppelin moments.

Buffalo Springfield: For What It's Worth Guitar Chords

(Can't read properly? - click here: http://bit.ly/phe7Ea)

Buffalo Springfield: For What It's Worth   E                           A There's somethin' happenin' here.         E                A What it is ain't exactly clear.           E                   A There's a man with a gun over there           E                    A A-tellin' me I've got to beware.  -                       E I think it's time we stop.           D Children, what's that sound? A                     C           E E A E A Everybody look what's goin' down.  -  E                          A There's battle lines bein' drawn.          E                    A Nobody's right if everybody's wrong. E                           A Young people speakin' their minds           E                  A A-gettin' so much resistance from behind.  -                       E I think it's time we stop.      D Hey, what's that sound? A                     C           E E A E A Everybody look what's goin' down.  -  E                        A       G What a field day for the heat. E                        A       G A thousand people in the street E                 A          G Singin' songs and a-carryin' signs E             A              G    E Mostly sayin' hooray for our side.  -               E It's time we stop.      D Hey, what's that sound? A                     C           E E A E A Everybody look what's goin' down.  -  E                A Paranoia strikes deep.           E            A Into your life it will creep. E                            A It starts when you're always afraid.             E                      A Step out of line, the men come and take you away.  -             E You better stop.  Hey, what's that sound? A                     C           E E A E A Everybody look what's goin'..            E You better stop.      D Hey, what's that sound? A                     C           E E A E A Everybody look what's goin'..            E You better stop.      D Now, what's that sound? A                     C           E E A E A Everybody look what's goin'..            E You better stop.           D Children, what's that sound? A                     C           E E A E A Everybody look what's goin (fade out)  -  RIFF:   E             A E --------------------------| B --------------------------| G --------------------2-----| D -------2--------2h4---4-2-| A ---2h4---4-2--0-----------| E -0------------------------|

I'm Gonna Be Your Friend : New Bob Marley And The Wailers Video Raises Awareness Of East Africa Crisis

2011-08-09T00:33:00.000-07:00

Bob Marley & The Wailers' 1973 track High Tide or Low Tide - 'I'm Gonna Be Your Friend' has been globally released by the Bob Marley estate, Simon Fuller, & Chris Blackwell, Island Records founder, as a download together with a powerful film – to raise awareness and much needed funds for the desperate situation in East Africa where more than 9 million people are dying of starvation.

Bob's music has always conveyed a message of hope, unity and love. And this is a message needed now more than ever.

The Marley family wrote a letter asking the public to support the effort:

To Friends,

We are reaching out to you today to ask a favor. We believe that you can help us stop children dying [in] the most devastating food crisis happening today in East Africa.

Not one child should be denied food nor water. Not one child should suffer from the conflict caused by grown men. Over three million woman and children are suffering. They are innocent. They are not political. They are starving. Bob Marley, then and now, stands for an Africa united, for one love, for the protection of children worldwide. Please join us as we, along with Save The Children, stand up together as friends to put a stop to this needless waste of life, to feed our children and to save their lives.

We are asking you to please post our video message to your Facebook page. This generous act will help us reach through your friends and ours over two hundred million people worldwide.

One love,

The Marley family

Dozens of the world's biggest stars have joined the cause and are encouraging their fans to watch the video and donate.

Below is a list of the celebrity supporters:

Rihanna
Shakira
Beyoncé
Justin Bieber
Cristiano Ronaldo
David Beckham
Victoria Beckham
Jennifer Lopez
Carrie Underwood"
Gwen Stefani and No Doubt
Ryan Seacrest
Lewis Hamilton
Elton John
Andy Murray
Enrique Iglesias
Scotty McCreery
Annie Lennox
Queen
Emma Bunton
Lauren Alaina
Jamie Murray
Britney Spears
Bruno Mars
Madonna
Muse
Muhammed Ali
U2
AC Milan
Charlize Theron
Conan O'Brien
AT&T

Go to ImGonnaBeYourFriend.org to make a donation.

Even nearly 40 years after the song's debut, "High Tide Or Low Tide" lyrics still provoke chills. Bob Marley, one of my favorite late icon, used his music for social change, tells about one of his mother's prayers.

"A child is born in this world, he needs protection," Marley sings, quoting his mother. During the song's chorus, he pledges unconditional friendship: "In high seas or-a low seas, I'm gonna be your friend."

Easy 2 Chord Guitar Song - Songbird by Liam Gallagher from the Band Oasis

2011-07-17T17:53:00.000-07:00

Here is a easy but beautiful almost 2 chord guitar song entitled
'Songbird' by Liam Gallagher, from the Band Oasis. You'll notice that
it's the bass note that is carrying the movement of this easy 2 chord
guitar song. Hope you add this one to your arsenal because it's
such a beautiful song, one that is perfect for acoustic guitar.



Song: Songbird Album: Heathen Chemistry Added by: Luke Bird
(written and sung by Liam Gallagher)
Chords
G        (320033)
G/f#     (2x0033)
Em       (022000)
/F#      (2x0000)

Intro
....Three, four
G   

Verse 1
G    
Talking to the songbird yesterday
                      G/f#  Em
Flew me to a place not far   away

She's a little pilot in my mind
                        /F#      G
Singing songs of love to pass the time

Gonna write a song so she can see
                         G/f#     Em
Give her all the love she gives to me

Talk of better days that have yet to come
                              /F#     G
I've never felt this love from any  -  one

Chorus
She's not anyone
     G/f#   Em
She's not anyone
                  /F#    G
She's not anyone

Verse 2 (Same chords as verse 1)
A man can never dream these kind of things
Especially when she came and spread her wings
Whispered in my ear the things i'd like
Then she flew away into the night
Gonna write a song so she can see
Give her all the love she gives to me
Talk of better days that have yet to come
Never felt this love from anyone

Chorus
She's not anyone
She's not anyone
She's not anyone

Outro
(Same chords as verse)

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Dave Grohl Learned Guitar with a Chord Book and a Beatles CD

2011-05-11T17:36:00.000-07:00

Foo Fighters main man Dave Grohl has been talking to Music Week magazine this week about a variety of topics including his musical beginnings.

“I didn’t take lessons to learn how to play guitar,” he said. “I have a chord book and figured out to read the simple chord charts and I had The Beatles’ Anthology and put on those greatest hits records and played along all day long. That’s kinda where I learned how to play guitar but that’s also where I learned to understand basic composition: verse, chorus, verse, arrangement. I started playing guitar when I was about 10 and I started the drums when I was maybe about 13/14; even with the drums I just learned how to play on a bed – I didn’t have a drum set I just had pillows – and would listen to records and play along. I don’t play conventional chords, sometimes I’ll write riffs, ... [sighs] I won’t look at the fret board as a scale... it’s hard for me to even talk about because I just don’t even know how to explain it.”

Grohl also said that, despite performing with numerous bands over the years, he always comes back to the Foo Fighters.

“The Foo Fighters is more than a band to me,” he said. “The Foo Fighters is a family of friends, musicians and crew who have been together 16/17 years and when I go out and play with someone like John Paul Jones I am in awe of him as a musical presence. And I feel blessed that I have the opportunity to jam with one of my heroes. But there’s always the Foo Fighters in the back of my mind, and in my heart, I can’t ever let the Foo Fighters go. I can’t not be in this band.”

From: (http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/News/foo-fighters-0509-2011/)

Want to start learning guitar? Let us at GHLZ (Guitar Hero Limit Zero) help you.

Get your free chord chart & a copy of Guitar Songs in a Breeze - 48 easy to play songs you'd either love or hate at: http://bit.ly/l9MUNw

BASICS - The First Step to Mastery

2011-03-25T03:15:00.000-07:00

When thinking about STARTING, you will always come across the basics of
the skills that you want to acquire.

The basics are the foundation of fun. Basics in chord playing. Basics in
scale & modes memorizing. Basics in scale & modes application. Basics in
tapping, hammering, arpeggiating, sweeping, slapping etc.

Learning the basics is the key to entering the nex t step of your exploration. Get it right early and build up on that.

“To think less of yourself is a slap on your creator.”

The book “The Self-Talk Solution” by Shad Helmstetter said that w e talk to
ourselves, (I wonder… do I talk to myself? Hmmmmm…). And unfortunately,
more than 75% of w hat w e tell ourselves don’t w ork for us.

That is, instead of telling our self that “ I can do it”, we end up telling
“what if I fail?”, “what if I don’t make it?”, “what if its very hard for me?”
and all negative possibilities that the mind IMAGINE for our self.

Because of that, w e take so much time thinking about to do or not to do,
and worse end up not starting at an activity at all.

Basics may not be the best to give you fun immediately, but it will eventually and we have no choice but pass through it's stage.

This is an excerpt from:
Guitar Dust Off! : Practical How To's & Empowering Attitudes On Practice & Motivation (click here for more)

Great Words From Steve Vai

2011-03-23T04:09:00.000-07:00

Steve Vai Shares Insights About How To Becoming Successful

1. How do I make it in this business?
2. How do I record and get it out, get people to hear it, and it becomes successful...

FIRST, IDENTIFY WHAT YOU REALLY WANT.

"The Only Thing Thats Holding You Back, Is The Way You Are Thinking."

Vai talks about:

> The power of visualization.

> How do we find time for our instrument despite the complaints?

> What to do when we get discouraged?

> Owning the music

Background: 'Whispering A Prayer' by Steve Vai
From Guitar Center Sessions

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Underlying Chords Of A Scale

2011-03-19T05:24:00.000-07:00

Have you downloaded the PDF yet?

TWO CHORD SONGS

2011-02-03T20:56:00.000-08:00

Here are some songs that uses 2 chords (or less) that you can easily play on your guitar & build your repertoire with. Have fun!

EXODUS - Bob Marley

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nv584jRwh0s
Am (really could work with 1 chord ^_^)

DOWN IN THE VALLEY - The Browns

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GucC_Zbyw1o
E - B

ANYONE ELSE BUT YOU - Moldy Peaches

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtBMF0BqDrU
G - Cmaj7

ACHEY BREAKY HEART - Billy Ray Cyrus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TViQT0B8seA
A - E7

ELEANOR RIGBY - The Beatles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaRNrDaoMqw
C - Em (sometimes Em7)

JUST MY IMAGINATION - Temptations

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap3Sdp4nGqM
C - F

FEELING ALRIGHT TRAFFIC - Dave Mason

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIYLZOp_Bzc
C7 - F7

DREAMS - Fleetwood Mac

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=in8dEG0bZKQ
F - G ( on chorus, F can be substituted by Am)

FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN - Grateful Dead

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdO_CmfFKYE
A - B

HEY GYP ( Dig the Slowness) - Donovan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRb5piRhyBY
G - F

JAMBALAYA - Carpenters

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtBWzBR4lN4
G - D7

PAPERBACK WRITER - The Beatles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taADLPtyDb0
G7 - C

SONGBIRD - Oasis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KJgBkreAuw
G - Em

SOMETHING IN THE WAY - Nirvana

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOAd7tDM8f8
Em - C

WHAT I GOT - Sublime

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oKxFSpZAno
D - G

WORKING CLASS HERO - John Lennon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njG7p6CSbCU
Am - G
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HOW GUITAR THEORY CHANGED A HATER’ S MUSICIANSHIP FOREVER

2011-01-31T14:33:00.000-08:00

My Dear Friend,

From where I’m standing, this may sound weird right now. I used to hate music theory - I thought it was boring, difficult, and entailed a lot of memorizing. Not only that, some say that it could damage my creativity. So I geared away from music theory for years.

Then one day, I bumped into a friend of mine who happens to play guitar too. We had a little chat and guitar playing was brought up. He took his mp3 player out and let me listen to this particular track. It had the right blend of pounding rhythm and a powerful guitar melody over an ambient background of bass & electric guitars. In short, it was a beautiful track - and as you may have guessed, it was written & recorded by him.

The funny thing was, I played guitar ahead of him. In fact, I was already playing gigs when he was just starting out. I was really shocked when I heard his track - he was already playing better than me, and honestly, I was jealous! At that very moment, the only thing that ran in my mind was 'how the heck did he get that good so fast?'

I just had to know his secret, so I asked him.

At first, he just stared at me, thinking that I was just teasing him because he knew I had a long head start. I had to look at him in straight in the eye to let him know that I was dead serious.

And his answer blew my mind.

'Practice with knowledge of basic music theory'
I felt like I was stung by a bee the size of a man when those words came ringing into my ears.

No! No! No! That just did not sound right, I thought. Remember, I did not want anything to do with music theory. I had to ask him, WHY theory?

It's simple, he said. The early phase of learning guitar can be compared to a visit at a big amusement park for the very first time. You may find rides that you like the most 'here & there' and explore more. But going back to your favorite rides can be a pain in the butt if you don't know your directions and you can get lost. And that would be a drag if you only had one day to spend in the park. So, the best thing to do is to bring a map with you.

That way, you'll know where to find the perfect rides to warm-up, and then the ones that you can get crazy at, followed by those for cooling down. That way, you'll have your amusement park experience of a lifetime.

But wait, isn't that boring? Isn't it that exploration is a part of the fun? I asked.

Yes, that may be the case, he said. But remember, you only have a day to spend at a park that would take more than a day to explore all in all. Music theory will give you an idea on how the 'different rides' can be connected and explored in a way that is more efficient, effective & time saving - so you could practice more with less time & effort.

The secret behind music theory lies behind the concept of 'understanding & being familiar' with the environment that we're engaged with.

Look at it this way, he said. Playing for the first time is like watching a television in black & white. Yes, you can already produce some result but you'll be seeing things with lesser definition & clarity. With theory, you could turn that black & white set into a high definition colored TV.

You'll be seeing your scales, your riffs, and your chord progressions, etc. in a whole new perspective & appreciate & understand them more with greater detail. Remember, geniuses have this characteristic of seeing things in greater detail.

BUT THEY SAY THEORY CAN BE DANGEROUS FOR CREATIVITY.

He laughed and answered, 'Clearly, reality is far from that. Think about the greatest musicians of the past like Beethoven, Mozart, Bach & the present like Vai, Satriani & Malmsteen. These guys knew theory. Can we say that their works are not creative?

At first, his answers seemed like blurred words on a billboard. After our meeting, I had to drag myself to a bookstore to get my first theory book.

AT FIRST, I FELT LIKE MY BRAIN WOULD EXPLODE.

What I was reading wasn't making any sense. True enough, there were things to memorize - and I hated memorizing. My brain was just not synced to deal with heavy mental gymnastics. But I continued.

BUT SOMETHING WAS MISSING.

There must be an easier way do things I thought. Then one day, I came across a book about the brain, memorizing & creativity. There, I learned some tricks that people use to make their studying, comprehension & memorizing a lot easier. I took out a separate notebook where merged those concepts with music theory.

THE MISSING LINK WAS FOUND.

And soon enough, I got familiar with the songs for my gigs faster and the exercises from other materials became clearer to me. I was even able to write my very first complete song. Things were picking up!

By that time, I was juggling 3-5 music theory books for cross referencing, not to mention videos & instructional sites on the internet. I kept my notebook with me all the time. One day, a friend of mine, who's teaching at a music school accidentally, saw my notebook and asked me if he could use it for his students too. I said yes.

I then realized that, what if I took my notes & compiled them in a single source so that I could share it to my students in a more logical & organized way.

AND THE DAVID SLINGSHOTS GUITAR THEORY PROJECT BEGAN.

Whenever I would finish a chapter, I would test it on my students. The response was amazing. Some would even bug me about the next chapter, so I kept on working on my notes.

AFTER TWO YEARS, THE COMPLETE DAVID SLINGSHOTS GUITAR THEORY (DSGT) WAS BORN.

HERE’S A GLIMPSE AT WHAT’S INSIDE DSGT:

PARADISE I: Basics That Matter

> How to Memorize the Most Important Formula in Western Music… in a manner that’s so easy, even a kindergarten could do it.

> How to Land on the Right Note Most of the Time, If Not All of the time

> more…

PARADISE II: Memorizing the Fret Board

> 3 Tricks to Memorizing the Entire Fret Board You’ll Love

PARADISE III: Discovering Scales

> A Simpler Look at What They Are & How They Are Formed

> more…

PARADISE IV: Modes

> Interesting Background & Memorizing Those Weird Names in a Zing!

> The Secret Behind Their Formation – It’s easier than you think!

> more…

PARADISE V: Tonality

> If music was a kingdom, you should know your people… Here, we go up close & personal with the important notes of music

> Ever got confused with the terms Tonic, Dominant, Subtonic, Supertonic, Subdominant & Submediant? Then this is for you.

PARADISE VI: The Golden Ticket to Chords

> Want to make & derive your own chords so you don’t have to always bring a chord chart every time? > How are chords formed and how to transform them minor, diminished, 7^th, suspended, augmented, dominant etc…

> Plus you’ll get a list of songs that uses these chords so you can apply them practically

PARADISE VII: The “X” System

> Discover how to multiply the chords you already know by FIVE

> If you’re tired of the basic chords you know, this is for you

> Discover why people use capo and how to maximize them

> Discover how to locate the strongest notes to play over a chord

PARADISE VIII: Secrets to Practicing & Memorizing Scales

> What scale to dig first?

> 7 Tips When Digging Into Scales

> If you only had space for 3 scales, what should they be?

> Tricks on determining what scale to use

PARADISE IX: Chord Progression, Leading & Substitution

> Discover how to create your own chord progressions

> A trick on how to memorize chord leading easily

> Golden Chord Progressions

> Discover what chords can replace another to spice up your progressions

PARADISE X: Appendix

> Pathway to Improvisation

> Creating your melody or solo

> 10 Tips for a memorable melody

> Chord Inversion, Voicing & Slash ‘/’ Chords

> Form & Song Structures

> How to practice by Visualization

> Chord simplification chart

> more...

WITH DSGT:

> You'd be memorizing songs, riffs & licks easier because you know what’s happening within

> You'd be building a stronger repertoire

> You'd be composing songs in a breeze with more flavors attached

> You'd be fast charging your learning. One specialty of DSGT is that we've injected methods that boost retention of concepts of theory

> You'd have a strong foundation that would connect the dots of the amazing & wide world of music

> You'd be playing with others more confidently & comfortably because you know what you're doing

> You'd be able to 'ride' the music conversation better. If you happen to observe, the difference between a novice & an advanced player is their ability to communicate. And music is about communication & expression.

> You'd be able to share more to others & in return you'd be learning more

> You'd be taking your music appreciation & listening experience a notch higher with your new level of understanding

> And if this is your first time to encounter the topics under DSGT, I assure you that your music experience will change for the better

FOR THE PRE-LAUNCH PRICE OF JUST $ 19.95,

YOU'LL ALSO GET 22 JAM TRACKS FOR FREE =)

NOTE: I'm having some friends at the Conservatory check DSGT at this moment. PRICE WILL INCREASE TO $ 24.95 (that's 20% more) when they finish checking. So hurry! If ever they find any error from the version you'll be getting now, I will be sending you the CHECKED version for FREE. So, there is really nothing to lose if you order now in our Pre-Launch Sale. =)

By uncovering guitar theory, you’d be tapping on a thousand year history of collective human intelligence, developed by the greats that came before us. These concepts will continue to exist whether we like it or not. It has helped me and my students in a way that I’m very much thankful for.

It can do wonders for you too.

Sincerely,

Paul Trajano

P.S. Again, if you’re guilty of not having a good grasp of music theory, I guarantee that you’ll be a different musician with these concepts.

P.P.S. Even great musicians that came before us studied at least the very basics of music theory. Do you think it’s an accident that they became great?

P.P.P.S. If you want to save more time, money & effort, then DSGT is perfect for you. Invest now on a material that will unlock infinite possibilities for you – consider this your guitar ‘rosetta stone.’ Guitar theory/music theory is one of the real secrets to advancing & making your guitar journey a lot easier & exciting!

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Guitar Chord Shifting & Strumming Exercises for Beginners

2010-12-10T12:55:00.000-08:00

These videos were taken a few months back while I was visiting my niece. I had nothing to do so I took my laptop out and recorded. Sorry for the not so great quality. =)

These exercises are related to basic guitar playing lessons. Good for total beginners and can also serve as maintenance warm-ups for the intermediate & advanced. There will be 6 parts in this series. I'll be uploading the rest as soon as I get them edited.

PART 1
(DAD-G-DAD)

PART 2
(CGC-F7-CGC)

PART 3
(AEA-D-AEA)

PART 4
(EB7E -A-EB7E )

PART 5
(GDG -C-GDG )

PART 6: THE IMPORTANT THEORY BEHIND

Hello! It's Paul Trajano once again, and in this video, I'm gonna
reveal to you the no-brainer theory behind our
'Guitar Chord Shifting & Strumming Exercises for Beginners.'

In the previous videos, we've seen 5 chords exercises.

(DAD -G- DAD)
(CGC -F7- CGC)
(AEA -D- AEA)
(EB7E -A- EB7E)
(GDG -C- GDG )

After watching this video:
> You'd be able to surely locate 3 correct chords of any given Major key everytime
> You'll discover the strongest & most stable chord used in a Major key
> You'll be able to discover the most common chords used in pop, rock, the classic blues shuffle,
folk and other non-classical, non-jazz songs so that you could...
> compose your own stuff
> & be a step closer to playing by ear

SO let's start.

If you listen to closely to the exercises in the past 5 videos, you'll notice that
the chord progressions have the same 'movement' or theme.

That is because they are all '1-5-1-4-1-5-1' chord progressions, just belonging to different keys.
If you have no idea what I'm talking about,
please do stick around til the end of the video because this is very important
and very exciting.

Now let me explain this in the easiest way that I can.

In western music, we have what we call a 'key.' Think of a 'key' as a house.
And in a particular house lives "seven chords."

In this video, we will be concerned with 3
chords out of the seven, and those are the major chords of a given key. I want to
make this clear to you. Out of 7, there will ALWAYS be 3 major chords in a given key
and they are the 1st, the 4th and the 5th chords of a key or the 1-4-5.

The most important thing to remember about learning chords is that it
does not matter how many chords you know, but the knowledge of which chords go together that will enable you to play songs.

Here are 2 facts:
1: 99% of two chord songs use the 1st and 5th chords of a key.
2: 90% of three chord songs use the 1st, 4th and 5th chords of a key.

I'll now show you the trick on how to pick out the 1-4-5 chords of any Major key.

1st note: The name of the Major key will always be your 1.
For example, video 1 uses the chords DAD-G-DAD and that is in the key of D.
That makes 'D' our 1. Usually, a song would start & end with the 1.

Now, with the use of a guitar, we will derive the 4 & 5.
The 4 will always be placed 'below' the 1. And 5 will always be just a whole step from the 4.

Let's take a look at the other examples from videos 2-5.

That's it.

Now, here's a tip to bring you closer to playing by ear.

Apply these to a three chord songs when trying to decide whether the chord progression of a song moves from chord one to four or chord five.

1) Chord 1 moving to Chord 5: the sound drops down (think of 5 as being heavier than 1.)

2) Chord 1 moving to Chord 4: the sound goes up (think of 4 as being lighter than 1.)

That's it!

Before I go, here are other chord progressions that uses 1,4 & 5

1) 1 - 4 - 5
2) 1 - 4 - 5 - 4 - 1
3) 1 - 5 - 1 - 4 - 1
4) 1 - 5 - 4 - 5 - 1

Now, go get your guitar.
Practice the 5 exercises from the previous videos by heart.
Compose your own stuff with these chords.
And have fun!

Note: We've used the 7th chords (B7 & F7) in the previous exercises as substitutes
for the normal chords B & F for the sake of easy in fingering
for beginners.

Please leave a comment & share if you find this tutorial useful.
Join us at www.facebook.com/GuitarHeroLimitZero

Thanks!

Waaaiiiiit!
I'd like to thank you once again for
watching this video. And as token of gratitude, I'd
like to give you these.

Paradise 1 of David Slingshot's Guitar Theory: Knocking Giant Confusions and Beyond
& Guitar Songs in a Breeze vol.1

Just go to www.facebook.com/GuitarHeroLimitZero
Just subscribe under the Join tab and I'll send you
the instant download links for these treats.

See you there!

Tommy Emmanuel 'Back' on Electric Guitar - .'The Journey'

2010-12-08T09:36:00.000-08:00

Photo Taken Lexington for the Herald-Leader by Mark Cornelison

Watch out for the 'behind the scenes band talk' at the end of the video.

Youtube Video Caption: Here is a sneak peak into the makings of the Australian tour where Tommy plays with his band for the first time in 15 years. Apologies for the sound quality...it was LOUD in there!

Song: The Journey

Tommy Emmanuel is one of my favorite guitarist and I consider his audacious skill with the acoustic guitar a must see! Here, we see Tommy back on electric guitar after years of only performing acoustically. His album 'Only' and youtube videos are good places to start if this is your first time reading about him.

The song starts of as dreamy and then shifts at around 2mins and escalates another level... It's really nice to see a player on a different perspective after establishing his territory in the scene.

As like I've read at guitarnoize.com, 'his such an amazing talent it seems a waste to be confined to one specific style of instrument!'

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Electric Guitar Tuning Tips

2010-12-04T14:50:00.000-08:00

from: http://guitar.dracony.org/2010/12/03/electric-guitar-tuning-tips/

Like ordinary acoustic guitar that has tuning system by getting the string in the right tightness corresponding to the other strings. As you get the clear idea of the tuning approach of the acoustic guitar, you will also know the way of the electric guitar tuning.

If you want to play in the right way using the best of your electric guitar here are some electric guitar tuning tips:

1. Get the right string. It is a must that you have the right tuning balance but if our strings are not giving you the best, you should buy a new set of strings that will sound better. It is the string that will help the guitar to sound and if you do not have the best strings, you will not get the right combination to set the matter in the right direction.

2. Know how to get the string in the right tightness. The same way with the acoustic guitar, you should have the ability to get the right tightness of the guitar strings to produce the chord sounds. The guitar strings have different material used as well as different thinness of the circumference so you need to get the right balance of the strings. Sometimes, even if only one string is not in the tune, you will have much problem with the sound of the guitar; to avoid such, you need to be careful in choosing the right combination.

3. Electric guitars come with tuning system. It should be the consideration of the electric guitar tuning tips – the right balance of the volume, the pitch, or the strength of the guitar. There is a tuning section in the body of the guitar that will help you in achieving the right combination. You can also have a great time of extending the tuning system down to the speaker to see if there are possible problem of the connection.

As you see, in electric guitar tuning you need to consider matters to avoid any kind of static sounds that may sometime cause disturbance. It is a must that you take a time to learn this stuff for you to have an edge in getting the matter done.

You can also read the manual of your electric guitar to be able to get the product information correctly. The manual will show how to play the guitar well without any problem. Moreover, you will also get the right way of handling the item if you do your best to read the manual.

All these ways will help you in learning the best way to tune electric guitars without much problem. You will also have the edge of the guitar lessons if you make the matter in the right order.

If you want to learn more about playing the guitar like a pro, I recommend you read Jamorama, the worlds #1 guitar guide. Click Here to find out more.

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How To Play A Barre Chord In Under 2 Minutes

2010-12-01T10:30:00.000-08:00

I believe that all the guitarists once in a stage that would make him say:
"Barre chords are pain in the a*s."

Many guitar players struggle for years to learn to play bar chords. Beginning guitarists avoid them at all costs. But, classical guitarist and master teacher Douglas Niedt has released a new Guitar Technique Tip that enables almost anyone to learn to play a bar chord in under two minutes.

By Douglas Niedt

"...And yes, I know. The lengths of these videos add up to more than two minutes. But with the information in the videos, you can play or teach someone else to play a full bar chord in under two minutes."

Place your 4th finger (little finger) on the 4th string at the 7th fret. Be sure to place the finger
right up against the fret, but not on top of the fret.

Place your 3rd finger (ring finger) on the 5th string at the 7th fret. Push, squeeze, shove it as
close to the 7th fret as you can without displacing the little finger.

Your left-hand thumb should be opposite the 5th or 6th fret in about the middle of the neck.
The tip joint should NOT be bent. The tip joint should be flat or hyper extended. The left side
of the thumb will contact the neck.

Place your 2nd finger on the 3rd string at the 6th fret, right behind the fret.

Place the 1st finger across all six strings at the 5th fret. Place it parallel with the fret and
behind the fret, not on top of it.

Strum all six strings with the right-hand thumb.

90% of the time the bar chord (or barre chord) will come out fairly clearly the first try.

The trick, when first learning to play a bar chord on guitar, is to always place the bar last.

Use your arm strength. Don’t try to play bar chords using hand strength alone. Pinching or
squeezing hard between the thumb and bar finger is counterproductive. It results in extreme
muscle fatigue and distortion of the hand and finger positions. The barre chord will fail.

Instead, use your arm strength to hold bar chords. The muscles in your arms are far stronger than those in the hand and thumb. Pull the guitar against your chest with both arms to provide the strength to hold the bar chord. If you use your arm strength to maximum advantage, you can actually hold a bar chord without the thumb even on the neck!

The thumb is a passive participant. It stabilizes the hand and finger positions, and channels
the brute force of the arm muscles into holding the bar chord. For a full discussion of this
important classical guitar technique, see my tech tip: http://douglasniedt.
com/Tech_Tip_Little_Jennifer.html

When I first wrote the classical guitar technique tip about “Little Jennifer”, I received (and
continue to receive) sometimes severe criticism of the concept of using arm strength to hold
bar chords. Some teachers maintain that the weight of the arm alone is enough to hold a bar
chord. Oh yeah? Try that on a Db major full bar chord at the first fret:
Watch how arm weight alone is inadequate to hold many bars (video clip #3)

Using one’s arm strength is a basic technique used by all master guitarists (whether they
realize it or not) when playing anything, not just bar chords. This simple test will prove it: playthe guitar without the guitar resting against your chest. Keep one or two inches of space
between the back of the guitar and your chest. You will notice very quickly how little control
you have and how your left-hand fingers and thumb become fatigued. Most players don’t
realize it, but we are always maintaining a certain amount of arm pull of the guitar into our
chest. You simply can’t play the guitar without it.

Watch me demonstrate this simple test in video clip #4:

BAR CHORD DIDN'T WORK? EVERY STRING IS NOT CLEAR?
THIS IS HOW TO FIX IT.

First, figure out exactly which string or strings in the bar chord are not sounding clearly. Pluck each string individually to determine which string is not sounding clearly.

If the 3rd, 4th, or 5th string is not clear, that’s a simple fix. Those strings are held by the 2nd,
3rd, and 4th fingers, so they have nothing to do with the bar. Simply reset the finger on its
string more carefully or press harder.

If the 1st, 2nd, or 6th string is not coming out, the problem is with the bar. The main cause of bar chord failure is caused by the back joint of the 1st finger (the barring finger) being lower than the plane of the fingerboard. In other words, that back joint should be raised up so it is level with the middle joint of the finger. This means the bar finger must be straight or flat along its length from the tip to the back joint. When that is corrected, the success rate climbs to about 98%.

If the 6th string is not clear, put more finger pressure onto the fingertip of the bar finger.

If the 1st or 2nd strings are not coming out clearly, they may be under a soft, cushiony part of the bar finger. Move the bar finger up (towards the ceiling) or down (towards the floor) slightly so the first two strings are held by a firmer segment of the bar finger.

TIPS

Don’t try to practice bar chords for more than 30 seconds at a time. The hand and finger
muscles become fatigued very quickly when learning to play bar chords. Once they tire (and
you may not realize they are tired), if you keep trying to play the bar chord, it will get worse
and worse. Stop! Rest for 30-60 seconds, shake it out, and then try again.

Practice bar chords with the bar at the 5th fret as I have instructed. Playing bar chords on
guitar at the first fret for example, is far more difficult because the string tension is higher for
the bar finger at the first fret.

DISCLAIMERS

Yes, there is always some bad news.

These instructions will help you successfully play this particular (and very common) major bar
chord. Other barre chord formations will require a few tweaks and additional muscle
development to play clearly. However, all the same key principles apply to learning to play any
full bar chord.

Difficult full bar chords such as Db, Ab, and Bb in first position (show diagrams) also require
the use of these same key principles. But, they require far more strength which will require
using more of your arm strength as described above:
Partial barre chords (bar chords of fewer than six strings), hinge bars, and cross-fret bars
present different problems and will be topics of future technique tips.

REMEMBER:

1. Place the bar last. (Placing the bar last is for learning purposes. Eventually you will learn
to place the bar with or sometimes before the other fingers.)

2. Keep the back joint of the bar finger raised up.

3. Use your arm strength.

Bar chords on guitar are some of the most useful chord formations available to the guitarist
for any kind of music. Don’t think they are too difficult for you to learn. Don’t think they will take forever for you to learn. If you do it right, you will probably nail this one in less than two minutes.

Watch this video summarizing these important points:

ALL CREDITS TO:
http://www.douglasniedt.com

This article came from the magnificent Mr. Douglas Niedt

RELATED SECRET

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Unauthorized Biography of JIMI HENDRIX by Shaun Boothe

2010-12-01T07:17:00.000-08:00

Lyrics:

November 27th, 1942
Seattle, Washinton - Johnny Allen Hendrix was due
His mama named him
But at 17 just a little schoolgirl
Instead of raise him
She dumped him on whoever she could
Till his father came home, he was away at war
Renamed him James Marshall Hendrix
When he walked in that door
Growin up was so rough
They were livin so poor
There were times when he would starve
Mama drank too much and it finally caught up
And at 15 she was gone
And around that time's when he got his first guitar
Bought by his father for five dollars,
And little did they know it birthed a star
He would turn the radio on and he would play along
That's how he learned his chops
Then an electric guitar finally came along

A right handed supro ozark
A gift from his father, but the dope part
Is he was left handed so he electrified crowds
When he got onstage and played it upside down
Got in trouble with the law, stole a car, got cuffed
They said u can either join the army or get locked up
Came back a year later - honorable discharge
Went legit and hit the chitlin circuit hard
Little Richard, James brown
He was touring with the stars
Playing da background with his upside down guitar
But in 65 things would soon change
When he formed his own band
Jimmy James And The Blue Flames
See as a sideman he was too constrained
But as the frontman he could do his thing
And then performin at some hole in the wall club
Greenwich Village, New York
The young brother was discovered

By Chas Chandler from the animals
Told him ill make u famous in london baby vámonos
So he gave him a new name and a new band
And said London
Here he is The Jimi Hendrix Experience
And the british pop scene went delirious
Hey Joe, Purple Haze,
Who'd a thought he'd start a craze
Innovating on the stage
Changing the way guitars were played
But he didn't break America until he did The Monterey
Pop Festival
Where Jimi ended his set by settin his guitar aflame
And a star was made
A rock archetype,
Phychadellic voodoo child
Marcian-like
So outta this world he was larger than life

And they couldn't believe that
He would take something as undesirable as feedback
Use it like its music and fuse it into this new sound
Fuzz pedals, wah wahs, he was breaking new grounds

And it was cosmic the way it caused this epiphany
Of all the electric guitar's possibilities,
And it happened so fast
3 landmark albums in a year and a half
But then things would go differently
Pressure and the drug abuse
Would break the whole band up bitterly
But even with all the misery
Summer of 69,
He performed at woodstock and made history
And like that he was immortalized
And no one would achieve more in such short a time
An icon in the hippie movement
A half Black, part Cherokee kid that couldn't read music
Still he was onstage wit his Stratocaster
Fearless individuality - no master
But his mastery put him on top of the globe
A year later he was dead - rock n roll

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Santana's Guitar To Weep For Perth

2010-11-30T18:49:00.000-08:00

"Real-life guitar hero Carlos Santana will make his way down under next year for a string of shows around the country."

Perth's summer of music just keeps on getting bigger, with news announced today that one of the greatest guitarists of our time, Carlos Santana, will play at the Sandalford Estate in the Swan Valley.

Santana, who has sold more than 90 million records and played in front of more than 100 million people worldwide, will kick off his Australia/New Zealand Guitar Heaven tour in WA's popular wine region in March.

With his musical fusion of Latin rock, blues, soul and jazz, Santana has created his own style which transcends genre typecasting.

To date the Mexican-American guitar wizard has won 10 Grammy Awards and in 1998 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

At the tour he will show off his latest album Guitar Heaven ... The Greatest Guitar Classics Of All Time, which was released in September.

With the album debuting in the top 10 of the Billboard chart, Santana joins the Rolling Stones as the only musical act in chart history to score at least one top 10 album every decade beginning with the 60s.

The album features the who's who of the world's best vocalists to perform on every track.

Musicians appearing on the album range from former Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell, acclaimed cellist Yo Yo Ma to rapper Nas and veteran rocker Joe Cocker.

Tickets for the show on Sunday, March 13 go on sale Thursday, December 9.

Article from: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/santanas-guitar-to-weep-for-perth-20101130-18eve.html

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Every Guitarist Builds A 'House,' How Do You Build Yours?

2010-11-29T22:36:00.000-08:00

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business to live a more leisurely life with his wife and enjoy his extended family. He would miss the paycheck each week, but he wanted to retire. They could get by.

The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go & asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but over time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials.

It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career.

When the carpenter finished his work, his employer came to inspect the house. Then he handed the front-door key to the carpenter and said, "This is your house... my gift to you."

The carpenter was shocked!

What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.

So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less than our best into the building. Then, with a shock, we realize we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we would do it much differently.

But, you cannot go back. You are the carpenter, and every day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Someone once said, "Life is a do-it-yourself project." Your attitude, and the choices you make today, help build the "house" you will live in tomorrow.

Therefore, Build wisely!
Build your belief in yourself & your guitar playing the right way.

Discover how a City Guitarist, Stuck in a Rut for 5 Years... Single Change & Suddenly... Played Live on T.V & Radio, Went Into Recording and Got a Song Aired! (click here)

Good Luck!

Sincerely,
Paul

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Playing Guitar - Do You Need Natural Talent?

2010-11-27T03:18:00.000-08:00

Playing Guitar - Do You Need Natural Talent?
By Jamie Andreas

The guitar is such an emotional instrument that I think it attracts people of a highly sensitive nature. Because of this, I think we can fall prey to a few psychological conditions that make our progress as musicians much more difficult than it needs to be. One of these conditions is the chronic mood of doubt, which manifests itself as the question of "Do I have any natural talent for this? Can I learn to play guitar or am I kidding myself here?"

Over my forty years of teaching guitar I have learned a few things about this subject of "Natural Talent", and I think they would be useful things to share with the aspiring guitar players out there.

You Too Can Be A Superhero!

My first insight was when I observed how I reacted to my first experience in taking guitar lessons. I was practicing five or six hours a day. As a result of this, as well as having a degree of "natural talent", I got pretty good pretty fast. My guitar teacher was amazed, and would show me off to everybody as his "star pupil". He would always say, "Tell them how much you practice, Jamie". Now the funny thing is, I would lie about it, and tell them "Oh, maybe two hours a day". I did not want anyone to know how much I was working at it. I would rather them think I was some kind of genius who was divinely inspired!

Now, I forgive myself for this character flaw because I understand why I felt this way. This was the first time in my life I ever stood out at anything. People paid so much attention to me and it made me feel special. It was a good gig, and I did not want to blow it. Besides, my fondest desire as a child was to be a Superhero like in the comic books, and this was the closest I had come so far to fulfilling that career choice!

Learning What Being Special Really Means

When I started teaching, I got the opportunity to see large numbers of people attempting to learn to play the guitar, and I started to investigate this idea of natural talent. Was there such a thing? What were the reasons some people got really good, and others did not?

I noticed an interesting thing. A very good percentage of the students I was teaching seemed to have at least as much talent as I did. But very few had the burning desire that I had and few were practicing the number of hours I did. I noticed that there is a whole lot of natural talent going around, but that there is not a whole lot of love, dedication, and hard work.

I started to see how immature and downright incorrect my old way of thinking was when I was trying to be a Superhero. I began to realize how beautiful a thing it was that someone would love and need to play the guitar and would give so much of themselves to it. I am always moved when I see so many of my guitar students, some school teachers, landscapers, office workers, and mothers and fathers who make such a commitment to keep up their efforts to learn the guitar in the midst of an otherwise very full and demanding life. Maybe they only get to practice twenty minutes a day, but it is important to them, so they make the necessary sacrifices. I saw that love, dedication, and hard work were the really "special" things.

Okay, So What Is "Natural Talent"?

Natural Talent is a predisposition in the mind and the body to do the right thing. When a person who has natural talent for singing hears someone sing, their body and mind "know" what that person is doing to get that sound. And their body/mind knows how to do it too, or how to begin moving in that direction. (They do not have to know this consciously; they just "know"). Some students come in for guitar lessons, and they tend to do everything right, from sitting comfortably with the instrument to positioning and using the fingers. Others do everything wrong, and must be shown every detail on what to do.

Understand that most students fall somewhere in between the two extremes, of total clueless-ness and being a genius. They have some talent, but, if they do not have the strong desire and work really hard, it will get them nowhere.

Summing Up

With the right approach, anyone can learn anything. In fact, the more you really try, the more "Natural Talent" you will discover in yourself. It is like having a little voice in your head guiding you in the right direction if you will listen. You will find the more you listen, the louder that voice gets, and you will hear it more often.

Having "talent" is not the primary factor in whether or not you will become a good or great player. Your burning desire and desperate need to play, coupled with the correct understanding and approach are the most important things you must have.

There are lots of people with talent, but not a lot who allow their desire to grow and become powerful. If you can allow yourself to feel this need and desire, and use the power of that to overcome all the obstacles you might encounter along the way, you will find all the talent you need to be the guitar player you are meant to be.

Note: Extensive information on Jamie’s guitar methods can be found at her website, (CLICK HERE)

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The 5 Biggest Mistakes Guitar Students Make

2010-11-27T03:03:00.000-08:00

By Jamie Andreas

1 - Practicing Too Fast

Virtually all guitar students practice everything at a speed that makes it impossible for their muscles to work in a relaxed fashion. Unknown to students, their muscles are in a state of chronic tension during the whole time they are practicing.

This tension stays in the muscles due to the power of "muscle memory". Because of this, the student will be placing a severe limit on their guitar abilities. Everything will feel difficult because the hands, arms, and body have a level of tension during movements that simply does not allow for smooth action.

The real secret is a super slow type of practicing that I call "No Tempo Practice". It has the power to unlock the professional level ability in any player.

2 - Not Paying Attention to the Body During Practice

We play the guitar with the body. That is the central fact that cannot be ignored. Students who have "natural talent" tend to pay more attention to what their body feels like when they practice and play. The majority of students are busy thinking and worrying during practice, and have no idea what the muscles they are trying to use really feel like. So, they allow crippling tension to be present during all the movements. Advanced players never allow this, and they are always on the lookout for body tension.

We must pay absolute attention to the whole body during practice, especially the shoulders, arms and hands. Shoulder tension is the biggest cause of finger problems. However, playing the guitar does require effort. One of the keys to making progress is learning the difference between necessary effort and unnecessary effort.

3 - Lack of Knowledge of How the Body Learns

There is an entire science of how the body learns new movements. It is called "motor control learning", or just "body learning." It is important to understand that there are definite laws of how the body learns new movements. When we follow these laws during practice, we will be successful; it is as simple as that!

The reason people struggle with guitar is because they have never been taught these laws, or principles of body learning. Anyone can learn them, use them, and be successful with guitar.

4 - Beginning at the "First" Fret

All guitar methods begin by teaching students to play at the "first" fret. This is wrong because the first fret is the hardest place to play. It causes great tension (even strain) in the arms and hands of a beginner. Also, the frets are furthest apart at the first fret, forcing the untrained fingers to strain in order to stretch into difficult chords and notes.

All of this immediately points the student in the wrong direction, away from developing true guitar ability. Because of the extra burden placed on the fingers, hands, arms, and shoulders, the majority of people who try to learn guitar fail.

The first place a student should learn to play in order to develop perfect and relaxed control of the fingers is higher up on the neck, where a beginner can learn to move the fingers in a relaxed way and without strain. Gradually, the student can move down the neck fret by fret, learning to be relaxed at each fret.

5 - Fighting the Energy of the String Instead of Using It

Once all these bad things have happened (and they happen to some degree in virtually all students) the student will actually be learning to "fight the guitar", not "play the guitar."

With every note that is played, the body will tense more and more, and that tension will be locked into the muscles, and be considered "normal" by the student. Some students with a lot of stamina will learn to play up to a point, but they will not play anywhere near as well as they could if all these bad things were prevented from happening.

Great players, who have learned to relax while playing, are actually using the energy of the strings as they play in the same way that a great diver uses the energy of the diving board to gain spring and power, or as basketball players use the energy of the basketball to control how they dribble the ball.

In all these cases (the guitar, diving, and basketball) force is being applied to a flexible medium. An expert in all these fields knows how to make their body "one" with the object they are applying force to. Then, they combine their own energy with the object in order to achieve their goal.

The unskilled player of any sport or any instrument is not becoming one with the object they are using; instead, they are fighting it. An unskilled guitar player is actually fighting the strings instead of using the string's energy.

This is why great players make it look easy, because it IS easy when you are using the energy of the string itself to help make the necessary movements. Other players look like they are having a hard time because they ARE having a hard time. They must learn why and how they have made it so hard. When they do, they can begin to undo all their playing problems and start to enjoy the wonderful feeling of playing the guitar easily. Anyone can do this. Anyone can become as good as they wish to be on the guitar!

Note:
Extensive information on Jamie’s guitar methods can be found at her website:(click here)

Guitar & The Art Of Love

2010-11-26T21:07:00.000-08:00

To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.
- Sun Tzu, the Art of War

This is about your guitar playing. But first...
Can you still remember the feeling when you first fell in love?

I can't really remember my first time so clearly & I think that's because my senses
are pointing at my most recent war with love.

The first time we met, everything just started to connect.
We were always together. But just as friends...

Flashback... I fought the feeling at first 'coz I didn't want to get hurt.

Hers was a face that many would chase after. She was 30 and I was 23.
Her social circle was of the powerful & rich. I was not the type that her parents would approve of.
I was just starting out with my life.
She was elusive... but somehow, she noticed me, and that eventually evolved into something bigger.
She was a beauty queen... generous & true...
So true about what she feels that the projection could really hurt.

I've been hurt by her so bad that I never thought it possible that someone could make me feel that way.

In all honesty, I don't know if we'd end up 'really together'.

But I love her... And even with battle scars, I still do. Give her all that I've got. Protect her at all cost. Still give a kick in the butt... But with just love. But our story, is just another story...

The love of music... and speaking in our case, the love of music through guitar is somewhat the same.

You feel the urge to fight it so you would not get hurt. You end up doing it anyway but with trials, you get scarred instead. You are unsure of where it will take you. But you know what you want.

Fight for it.
Because at the end of the day,
keep in mind that all things are rewarded - good or bad.

I hope that as you are reading this, a spark of love could be awakened.
A hopeful inspiration that giving is the path to receiving. Give yourself time to enjoy your guitar practice & playing. Remember love. Remember how it changed your world. Appreciate it. Share more of it. Get the thrill out of it.

Get the feeling and it will reflect in your music.

Be inspired with love.

Sing an intimate song to your love one, even with a
frog's voice... (candle light to compensate?)
Write a song etc...

The point of playing is Love.
I hope you don't forget that 'coz even the strong ones
fall in the pit but still rise back.

The point of it all... is the art of Love.

Do you want to discover more about yourself and how much your love of guitar means to you? visit: www.GuitarHeroLimitZero.com/dustoff.html

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How To Stand Out From The Crowd - The Guitarist Eating Bear

2010-11-21T13:49:00.000-08:00

Artists that stand out from the crowd have pretty

straightforward approach to success.

It’s really just a matter of

being willing to do what the person next to you will not.

Have you heard of the two friends who went camping and

had a bear come charging out of the woods at them?

As one of them turned to run the other bent down to take off

his boots and put some tennis shoes on.

“Are you insane?!” the other friend said, “that bear’s going to eat us!”

“You don’t understand,” the other one replied. “All I have to do to not get eaten

is run just a little bit faster than you.”

Now that's a nice friend! =)

But the moral of the story is simple and true.

Getting to the top 1-3% in ANY endeavor is really just a

matter of being willing to do a little bit more than everyone else.

Whether that’s being chosen to be the guitarist in a band during an audition or trying to get a name & recognition for yourself or team you are working with.

Sounds pretty simple right? And yet amazingly, the majority of people

who fail still wonder why they fail.

Doing more than everyone else doesn’t just mean simply working harder though.

It can also mean learning new things, letting go of preconceived ideas, embracing your uniqueness & keeping an open mind.

With the advent of information technology, more & more guitarists/artists

are being recognized and appreciated by others for what they do.

More & more are also wanting to learn the secrets of becoming a guitar

god etc. many of whom will want a quick and easy solution.

But only the people who are willing to go the extra mile will reap huge rewards.

This means being brave enough to be unique and be yourself.

Things like developing your own style, character, philosophy, approach

to your guitar playing and making your own materials.

You can achieve the level of playing that you want by yourself, but

if you truly want to build your DREAM, you’ll need to know yourself

better & get yourself equipped mentally, emotionally & to some degree spiritually.

One material that could help you on that process is

'Guitar Dust Off: Practical How To's & Empowering Attitudes on Practice & Motivation.'

This material does not showcase technical skills or anything related but to

the concept that allows you to conquer them.

If you there's a part in you that values dreams, you have to be willing to

leave your comfort zone and embrace yourself to give a step further than others would do.

This is very difficult to do if you don’t have a strong internal core.

But just remember: Principles that leads to success never change.

And these are what you'll find at 'Guitar Dust Off: Practical How To's & Empowering Attitudes on Practice & Motivation.'

If you want to learn the principles of developing a strong internal core that allows you to handle any situation and successfully navigate the sometimes rough waters of being an musician...

This material will help you do that:
Guitar Dust Off

To Your Success,

Paul Trajano

A simple friend who roots for your success

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