The Perils of Perfectionism
I'm going to make a big confession: I make mistakes when I play the guitar. Not only do I make mistakes, I make them nearly every single time I pick up the instrument. However, I learned quickly while playing in my first band that most of my mistakes are...
3 Essential and Easy Practice Tips
Finding your practice groove can take some time and effort but once you discover it, the rewards will be unmistakable. Here are 3 simple things you can try to make practice more fun and efficient: 1. Keep it short, but consistent You'll be far better off having fun,...
5 Reasons to Use a Capo
I love capos, but they have a bad rap. Sometimes when I suggest to a guitarist to use a capo for x reason, I'll get that look--the look that says "Seriously? I'm not a cheater but thanks for the suggestion." For those of you open to the tempting world of...
When to Change Your Strings
If you don't have a clue as to when or why you need to change out those guitar strings, look no further. This topic comes up frequently during lessons. Most often, students don't have a particular problem at the time--they just want to make sure they're maintaining...
Learning to Improvise
Improvisation can be one of the more complex and intimidating topics for any musician. But if you break the process down into manageable chunks, you may find you're closer to improvising on the guitar than you currently imagine. I think of improvisation as a constant...
5 Guitar Must-Have’s
Here are a five gadgets that are universally helpful to almost any guitar player. If you've been playing for any length of time, you likely have some or all of these items already. If not, maybe it's time to update that guitar wishlist! String Winder The string...
Chords Will Get You to Solos
Solos don't happen in a bubble. Even if you're a vocalist singing acapella (without accompaniment), there will almost always be an implied chord structure supporting what you're singing. When many people think of solos, they think of scales. While scales are essential...
My New Favorite Practice Amp
When searching for affordable quality gear to recommend to students, every now and then I come across a game changer; something that stops me in my tracks and forces me to rethink my previous assumptions. The Fender Champion 20 and 40 modeling amps presented one of...
Where Does Tone Come From?
You may be surprised at how much power you literally have at your fingertips when playing the guitar. Below are the top 5 factors in achieving great guitar tone. These are listed in order of importance: #1 - Where you strike the string Right/strum hand...
Scales, Soloing and Improvisation
One of the most common desires of aspiring guitarists is learning to solo or improvise. It often boils down to this: "I want to play like that guy!" In learning to play like [insert your favorite guitarist here], it will help to understand some key...