Step one is starting with a guitar that’s in tune and this short video will show you how to do it.

Make it easy on yourself and use an electronic tuner

The easiest way to tune a guitar is with an electronic tuner. You’ll often hear them referred to as chromatic tuners, which just means that they can tune to any of the 12 notes in the chromatic scale.

I personally use and recommend the Boss TU-80 (amazon affiliate link) but the Korg TM-40 also works well.

Both include a built-in metronome, which is why I prefer them. You’ll need a metronome to work on tempo and rhythm anyway, so why not have one device for both?

For standard tuning the six string notes when played open (not pressing down on any frets. are E A D G B E. This is starting with the low E string (the fattest one), which is also known as string number six.

If you don’t have an electronic tuner you could use a piano, a tuning fork or someone else’s guitar. An electronic tuner is just easier to use.

No tuner available? Answer…

Relative tuning

If you find yourself in a situation without a tuning device (i.e. you’re sitting around a campfire in the woods), you’ll still need to tune your guitar relative to itself.

One way to do this is by fretting notes on the 5th fret (mostly) of one string and listening to see if it’s in tune with the next string.

For example, starting with the low E string (#6, the fattest one):

1. Fret the low E string (#6) on fret #5 and play the note; it should match string #5 (A) exactly when played open
2. Fret the A string (#5) on fret #5 and play the note; it should match string #4 (D) exactly when played open
3. Fret the D string (#4) on fret #5 and play the note; it should match string #3 (G) exactly when played open
4. The Exception: Fret the G string (#3) on fret #4 and play; it should match string #2 (B) exactly when played open
5. Fret the B string (#2) on fret #5 and play the note; it should match string #1 (E) exactly when played open

Three final tips to remember when tuning

• If a string is out of tune lower than the desired pitch, slowly turn the tuning knob up to the pitch. Turn the knob too quickly and you’ll likely break more stings, especially for strings #1-3.
• If a string is out of tune higher than the desired pitch, first tune to a note below the desired pitch, then back up slowly. This will help the string stay in tune longer. Tuning down often leaves slack in the string that later releases and changes the pitch.
• Even if you’ve tuned your guitar with an electronic tuner, it’s still a good habit to check the relative tuning.

One method of relative tuning I didn’t mention in this video is tuning with harmonics. This is a more advanced tuning technique that I’ll save for a later post, but I found two good examples here and here.

Tuning your guitar is the first step toward making your guitar sound better. If you don’t have one, I recommend you pick one up and it will make your life a lot easier.

** The featured image for this post is from freedigitalphotos.net / Pixomar

How To Tune Your Guitar is a post from InTune Studios - Where aspiring musicians learn to play

Yup.

This is the most important place to start if you’re a beginner guitar player. Even if you’ve played for a while it’s important to review the basics.

If you’re holding the guitar or standing or sitting improperly, chances are your playing isn’t what it could be.

Why this is important

When playing guitar, you want to be comfortable.

When you’re comfortable, your body is relaxed and free from tension.

When you can minimize tension, your playing will be smoother, quicker and more musical.

Too much tension, improper playing, standing or sitting incorrectly can cause serious physical injuries.

Playing while sitting

Sit in a chair with no arms so the guitar body and your arms have a full range of motion.

If you play right-handed (strumming or picking hand) then place the guitar over your right leg.

Keep your back straight, but not too stiff. Don’t slouch.

Hold the guitar body up against your body so it is straight. Don’t tilt the guitar back to see the frets or strings. You’ll likely end up putting undue strain on your wrist or some other joint(s).

Align the sound hole with your belly button (roughly). Shift your right leg in if you need to.

Hold the guitar so the neck is parallel to the ground. To far right or left and you’ll be forced into an uncomfortable position.

Playing while standing

The major difference between sitting and standing is that your guitar is being held up by a strap.

• Hold the guitar against your body, straight up, not tilted back
• When standing, raise the neck a little higher than the body so you can access all frets easily
• Adjust the strap so sound hole lines up with your belly button

There are plenty of examples of some amazing players hanging their guitars way lower than they should.

You can also look at some others like Hendrix, BB King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, George Harrison, Derek Trucks, and Eric Clapton. The list goes on…

They’re all holding their guitars just about belly button height.

I’d rather stick with those guys as my examples.

** The featured image for this post is from freedigitalphotos.net / imagerymajestic

Guitars: You’ve Got to Know How to Hold’em is a post from InTune Studios - Where aspiring musicians learn to play

It happened this morning and it was a disaster.

I was so frustrated that I wanted to smash my guitar against the wall.

Thankfully I didn’t do it (and don’t think I ever would), but it helped me remember how important it is to push through these moments.

Check out this video to find out how to handle frustration during guitar practice.

1. Put down the guitar and walk away

When I feel this defeated I just need to stop for a moment.

When I’m irritated I get tense.

Tension is the enemy of playing an instrument so there’s no way I’m going to play well if my frustration is escalating.

2. Go do something else for a little while

Try to find something that energizes you. Do something that puts you in a good mood.

Go outside if it’s a nice day. Take the dog for a walk. Go for a run.

If you’re spiritual at all, go pray or meditate. Play with your kids.

Do anything else that will get you out of the funk you’re temporarily in.

3. Acknowledge that not every day will be your best day

Sometimes my expectations for myself are so high that they’re unreasonable.

We’re imperfect human beings. We all have tough moments but we can’t let them halt progress altogether.

Tell yourself that you’re just in a rough spot. This is supposed to be fun.

If you played it really well once, you can certainly do it again.

4. Try it again later

After step #1, I think this is most important.

If possible, try again later the same day. This is especially true when it comes to guitar.

Since muscle memory plays such a huge role in developing technique, it’s important to go back and correct your mistakes as soon as possible.

This time, take it slower.

Whenever I’m struggling to play a song well, it’s usually because I’m hurrying or not focusing.

I want to play at full speed the first time, but it usually doesn’t work this way.

Try to play again slower than you know you can.

Play it perfectly.

Then, if you’re feeling good, raise the tempo gradually.

Question: How do you handle those moments when you’re frustrated with your instrument?

** The featured image for this post is from freedigitalphotos.net / Arvind Balaraman

Ever Feel Like Smashing Your Guitar To Pieces? is a post from InTune Studios - Where aspiring musicians learn to play

freedigitalphotos.net / Nutdanai Apikhomboonwaroot

This is serious.

And I almost didn’t believe it when I first read it.

A few years back, Yamaha and Applied Biosystems sponsored a study on the health benefits of playing an instrument. The conclusion is startling:

playing a musical instrument can reverse multiple components of the human stress response

Yes, this literally means that playing guitar or singing can fight the harmful effects of stress.

And it’s no secret that stress can be linked to chronic health problems ranging from heart disease to cancer, and from diabetes to inflammatory diseases.

This was a legitimate scientific experiment

In Phase 1 of the study, subjects were asked to do a frustrating puzzle exercise. In Phase 2, they were randomly broken into three groups and did one of the following:

• continued the puzzle exercise,
• relaxed by reading newspapers or magazines of their choice, or
• participated in a recreational music making session

Some important details of the study you must know:

• none of the subjects considered themselves “musical”
• recreational music making was 3x more effective than just relaxing and reading
• recreational music can reverse the body’s response to stress at the genomic level

This blows my mind.

Health problems that could kill us.

Recreation is key

It’s important to emphasize that the study used recreational music making sessions.

Improve your life by learning in an environment focused on encouragement and fulfillment. Fixate on mastery and performance and you could end up more stressed out.

Neither I nor the study suggest dropping exercise and a healthy diet in favor of an instrument. But the data make a compelling case for picking up an instrument to blow of some steam.

Give it a try. Your life may depend on it.

Question: What’s your experience with recreational music making? How does playing an instrument improve your life?

Playing an Instrument May Save Your Life is a post from InTune Studios - Where aspiring musicians learn to play

freedigitalphotos.net / phanlop88

Singing is similar to any physical activity. If you’re reckless or don’t have proper training, you’re likely to hurt yourself.

In the cases of John Mayer, Adele, Keith Urban and others, they’re in the business of using their voices every day. They’re likely to get injured; it just comes with the job. It’s no different than a professional athlete being more likely to sprain an ankle than the average desk jockey.

They can also afford to take months off to have surgery at the earliest detection of a problem.

Most of us can’t.

Sooo, we must take precautions to reduce our chances for injury. Here are some guidelines to follow.

Stay hydrated and develop healthy habits

Drink the recommended 8-10 glasses of water every day. Although ice cold water may feel great on a hot day, it’s not best for vocal chords that will be vibrating rapidly. Drink water at room temperature, especially if you’re planning to sing in a few hours.

Keep in mind that water takes a while to actually hydrate you. Chugging a gallon of water five minutes before your set will only leave you bloated. Drink a few glasses a few hours beforehand and then sip during the show.

Avoid caffeine and alcohol, they both dehydrate you. You know what happens when you leave a rubber band out in the hot summer sun? You don’t want that for your vocal chords.

Smoking also dries and irritates the voice. It also affects your breathing, which leads to tension. Tension is bad for singing and most other activities.

Within an hour of singing, avoid any beverages or foods that produce that slimy mucous in your mouth (i.e. milk and other dairy, sugary fruit drinks and soda/pop). Tea (decaf) with a little honey and lemon is good, just don’t overdo the lemon because it can dry your throat.

Warmup properly

Before singing, warmup for a minimum of ten minutes. Twenty minutes is better. If you’re singing in the morning, warmup twice as long.

Every vocal warmup should start with a simple humming exercise. It is safe and low impact on your vocal chords and will loosen things up. You can then move on to the traditional vowel-centered scales and other exercises.

Don’t run a marathon when you trained for the mile

The amount you practice will show in your voice during performances. You’ll feel it and others will hear it.

If you only sing once or twice a week for ten minutes at a time, don’t expect to be able to perform well for a two hour show on a Saturday night.

If you plan to perform regularly, work up to the time just like any athlete would train for a competition or game day.

Don’t abuse your voice

Avoid screaming. On top of being bad for your voice, your family doesn’t like it either. Whispering is also straining on your voice, so avoid it as much as possible.

Talk in a normal tone, at a reasonable volume. Many men and women talk lower than their natural tone and this puts unnecessary strain on the the voice. In general, talking a lot throughout the day can strain your voice. Just be careful.

If you’re sick and can afford it, cancel the show. Illness presents obvious physical limitations like dryness, swelling or soreness, but it also affects your head.

If you’re worried about hitting high notes with your cold-lowered voice, chances are you’ll be far more tense than you should be. If you absolutely can’t avoid singing, drink extra tea and water, warmup twice as long, and avoid unnecessary talking before and after singing.

Invest in yourself with voice lessons

Whether you want to sing pop, rock or opera, qualified vocal instruction is crucial. It’s where you learn the foundation for proper breathing, vowel formation, register changes, posture, and many other important techniques. It’s like having a personal yoga instructor for your vocal chords.

In general, use common sense and don’t abuse your voice. If you like to sing, it IS your instrument, so take care of it. It’s also part of your body so why would you want to hurt yourself?

We found some great resources on caring for your voice here and here. They are a bit lengthy but include solid information.

Question: What other tips do you have to protect and maintain a healthy voice?

Avoid the Fate of John Mayer & Adele: 5 Ways to Protect Your Voice is a post from InTune Studios - Where aspiring musicians learn to play

Since Christmas day was on a Sunday this year, our church decided to write, record and produce an Online Christmas Experience so people could be at home with family. We wanted people to be able to listen to a Christmas message from their big, comfy couches if they chose to do so.

We had a lot of fun recording and filming this (we got lucky with the snow), so we hope you enjoy it.

The music in this video was recorded and mastered by Mike Jaworske of DeFunk Studios, Dave Mariano sang lead vocals and played acoustic guitar, Mike Jaworske played drums, Lee Klopfenstein recorded bass guitar and background vocals, and Elijah Bisbee played keys. Chris Cleary filmed, and Andy Rucker directed, filmed, and edited the video. Kevin Rush stood in on bass guitar for the video (Lee had to be with family the day we filmed).

Happy New Year everyone!

Lee and Dave

Happy New Year from InTune Studios! is a post from InTune Studios - Where aspiring musicians learn to play

freedigitalphotos.net / jscreationzs

So you’ve taken a few guitar lessons or have taught yourself some basic chords. You’re tired of playing those simple little kid songs from your beginner guitar book and want to learn your favorite tunes.

Where on earth do you start?

The key is breaking down the song into bite-sized pieces. Give yourself a chance to learn a segment of the song first, then move on. Take frequent breaks so you don’t burn yourself out.

Follow these six simple steps and you’ll learn new songs more effectively and quicker than before.

1. Listen to the song a few times to get the feel

The point of this step is to feel the groove of the song, not every note, chord, or strumming pattern. It’s to hear the dynamics. It’s to understand where the song is going. What are the other instruments doing? Are they all moving together, or are the rhythms off just enough to create a unique, syncopated feel? No matter how well you think you know the song, don’t skip this step because each time you’ll hear new things.

2. Write down the overall song structure

Most songs can be divided into three simple parts that repeat: verse, chorus and bridge. For example: V1 – CH – V2 – CH – BR – CH – CH. Often the bridge is a slight variation of the verse or the chorus. Instrumental sections between are usually fragments of one of the main three components. When you break it down, you’re really only learning 2-3 parts and stringing them together. This is far less intimidating than trying to learn one long progression.

3. Fill in the chord progressions for each section

If you know your basic chords, I’d suggest trying this by ear first because it’s important to practice ear training. I used to be amazed by people who can do this (because I couldn’t) but trust me, it gets easier with practice. If you’re inexperienced or a beginner, just search for “song xyz guitar chords” in Google and you’ll find something. I’ll post later about the best resources for finding chord charts online.

4. Practice each section independently

It’s more effective to learn each section before trying to play the whole song from start to finish. Work on one part several times until you get it, then move on to the next. A variation of this is learning the first part, then the second, then playing the two together. You would then repeat this step with the third, fourth, etc. sections until you’re done.

5. Put it all together

This is the most fun part. If you’ve done a good job of steps 1-4 then this should come fairly easily. Try to play the whole song along with the recording. Don’t worry about getting it perfect. Just play through, don’t lose the groove, and enjoy the song you’ve worked so hard to learn. If you get stuck on a certain part, go back to step 4 and work on it.

6. Put down the guitar, and do something else for a while

I can’t stress enough how important this is. Our human brains, as powerful as they are, do better when subject matter is learned in bite-sized pieces and with frequent breaks. Spend 30-40 minutes on the song, take a break of at least 10-15 minutes, and hit it again later if you’re ambitious.

When I first started playing guitar, I thought I could master everything in one sitting. I’d play, and play, and play, and play…until I lost track of time. Sometimes this worked, but most of the time I ended up frustrated.

Not every song will go smoothly, but many will. More challenging songs may require you to repeat individual sections several times, but dividing the process into chunks is more manageable than tackling the whole thing at once.

Question: What are you experiences with trying to learn new songs? Feel free to leave a comment below.

6 Simple Steps To Learn Any Song on Guitar in 40 Minutes or Less is a post from InTune Studios - Where aspiring musicians learn to play

We truly believe that making music changes people’s lives

Yes, we want to help you learn guitar, bass, drums or how to sing, but we also want to improve your life

I (Dave) was once a very busy professional who was so wrapped up in my work that I barely noticed my suffering health and relationships. Now I lead a band and give guitar and voice lessons full-time. I want to help other busy professionals have a more creative and fulfilling life by learning guitar.

Lee was once a lanky teenager who was afraid of his own skin. Now he’s a confident husband, bass player, drummer, vocalist, songwriter, tech-guru, mentor, entrepreneur… (yes, the list goes on but we’ll save our full stories for future posts). Lee is great at instilling confidence in young minds and developing creative musicians and bands.

These stories may not mimic how your life has been or how you want it to be, but music does change lives.

InTune Studios is for aspiring musicians who want to get better

Before you say “that’s not me” and close your browser, you should consider whom we think to be aspiring musicians:

1. the 12 year old with dreams of playing in front of 10,000 screaming fans and hearing his songs on the radio;
2. the busy professional who, driving home from work, wonders how fun it’d be “someday” to play the guitar;
3. the person who wants to write songs that are about real issues and are truly unique and wants to record;
4. the woman who sings a few notes in the car and wishes she could sing to her husband on their anniversary;
5. the guy who picks up a buddy’s guitar and wishes he understood how to make music out of steel and wood; and
6. everyone else in between

In short, it’s probably you or someone you know. InTune Studios can help your daydreams start to look more like reality.

InTune Studios is a place that informs and inspires

We plan to share everything we know and everything we learn along the way. Although we teach music for a living, that doesn’t mean we know all. We hope that we never feel we’ve “arrived” and that we keep learning new things that we can share with you.

We’re big believers that humans were made to be creative. If we were to take a poll, most kids would agree, most adults would probably disagree.

Our goal for young minds is to give you the tools to make the music in your heads a reality. For busy adults, we want to give you the confidence to play again. Sounds a little backwards, doesn’t it?

If you’re interested in learning more, feel free to call us at 216.200.TUNE (8863) or contact us.

Question: How can we help you become the musician you always wanted to be? Feel free to leave a comment below.

Welcome to InTune Studios! is a post from InTune Studios - Where aspiring musicians learn to play