The Teacher: “Encourage others.”

The answer to this Zen query is significant to me concerning guitar playing, for a couple of reasons. Finding new ways to encourage my students is one of them: If a student seems to be uninspired, I start looking for ways to spark (or rekindle, as the case may be) their interest in playing the guitar. I ask them to bring in some songs they want to learn, and we pick from them. I demonstrate by playing my guitar along with the song as we listen to it. Other times I might show them something they didn’t know, or play them a song of my choice in hopes that they may try and learn it.

Another thing it made me think of was how recently a good friend of mine encouraged me to revisit the instrumental piece “Mood For A Day” by Steve Howe of Yes, so he could hear me play it again…it had been so long! I can’t tell you how glad I am he encouraged me to play it, because it has been great re-learning and playing this piece again!! And I can play it even better than I could when I was 16!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hey_Joe

One reason this is a great song for beginners to learn is that it has all five open chords (E,G,A,C,D), one right after the other in a simple pattern:

http://www.bruceclement.com/music/homebrew.htm

Slide guitar is most often played (assuming a right-handed player and guitar):

With the guitar in the normal position, using a slide called a bottleneck on one of the fingers of the left hand; this is known as bottleneck guitar.
With the guitar held horizontally, with the belly uppermost and the bass strings toward the player, and using a slide called a steel held in the left hand; this is known as lap steel guitar.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slide_guitar

Turn On the Bright Lights is the debut studio album by American post-punk revival band Interpol. It was recorded in November 2001 at Tarquin Studios in Connecticut, and was co-produced, mixed and engineered by Peter Katis and Gareth Jones. It was released on August 19, 2002 in the United Kingdom and August 20 in the United States, through independent record label Matador Records. Upon release, the record peaked at number 101 on the UK Albums Chart. It reached number 158 on the Billboard 200 in the United States, as well as spending 73 weeks in the Billboard Independent Albums, peaking at number five.

Many have pointed out the similarities between Turn On the Bright Lights and the music of Joy Division and The Chameleons. “PDA,” “NYC,” “Obstacle 1″ and “Say Hello to the Angels” were the singles from Turn On the Bright Lights, and a video was shot for each with the exception of “Say Hello to the Angels.”

Critical reception

Interpol’s debut album gained so much critical success that not only was it hailed as one of best debuts of 2002, but is considered by some to be one of the best all around records of the decade. Turn On the Bright Lights made several critics’ Top 10 lists of 2002.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turn_on_the_Bright_Lights