The Right Tool for the Jo Picks

One of the most overlooked parts of guitar playing involves the tiny choice of which guitar pick to use.  Think about it...

The guitar pick is the main point of contact between your musical ideas and the guitar.  And yet many guitarists hardly give a second thought to what pick to use.  It never occurs to them that one type might work best for their particular musical situation.

Here are some guidelines to picking picks ...

1. Thinner picks work best if you're doing a lot of strumming.
They offer less resistance as the pick moves across the strings.  The downside is that because they are thin, they 'flap' a lot.  All of this motion in the pick decreases their precision.

2. Thicker (or heavier) picks work best for single note lines that require a lot of precision and speed.
A thicker pick gives you more control, especially if you're needing to execute a lead part (fast, single-note runs.)

3. Experiment with different sizes of picks.
Picks come in a variety of sizes. Find a size and shape of pick that is comfortable for your hand.

4. Nylon picks last longer than cheaper plastic picks.
Cheap plastic picks have a tendency to split and break under the rigors of playing. Nylon picks last longer and are more durable.

5. Don't be afraid to change picks 'on the fly' according to the type of playing you are doing.  If I have a night of strumming acoustic guitar then I'll grab a thin pick.
But if I am in the studio and need to play an intricate part, I'll pull out a heavier pick.

6. For 'general purpose' playing, a Jim Dunlop nylon .73 medium pick works very well for me.
From time to time, go ahead and experiment with different types, sizes, and gauges of picks.  This would be a relatively low-cost experiment for the 'high yield' it could return.

Six Key Guitar Learning

Here are some guitar learning hints that I've seen proven time and time again.

1. Be Realistic.
Don't put unrealistic goals on yourself for how much time you can devote to guitar. Just relax and say to yourself - "I'm going to take 'small bites' every day..."
Playing and practicing your guitar 20-30 minutes a day is a good, workable plan.

2. Be Patient.
Put aside your inner measurements and private unrealistic goals that discourage you when you don't meet them.  True Learning takes time. Just relax and take it one step at a time - one exercise, song, or skill at a time.

3. Play for Others.
Get other people involved in your journey. As soon as you can play a song, grab some of the people in your house, swallow your pride, and play it for them. This is one of the best ways to stay inspired to keep going.

4. Relax.
When you get all tensed up about this or that task, you don't learn very well.  It can quickly become a big "stress-fest." Don't be too hard on yourself, and when you feel physical tension or get too frustrated, stop and come back to it later.

5. Keep Moving.
Don't get stuck. Your biggest enemy when actively practicing is getting stuck in the swamp of some dreaded exercise or song that you just can't get perfect. If you find that you are stuck on something, move to a new exercise or song and re-focus.

6. Strive for Control.

Not Perfection. It is much more important that you can play an exercise slowly and in
control, than playing it fast but poorly executed. When you get to Carnegie Hall, then you can worry about perfection. But for now, while you are learning, look for controlled competence, not perfection.

Learn How to Really Practice..!

Maximizing practice time is a struggle of everyone from beginners to pros. But the truth is rarely pleasant to practice. But it really is the only way to get real results to improve your guitar playing. Focus on practice time is very important to become a professional guitarist.

And here are some tips that will help you get the most out of your practice time:

1. Make Consistent.  

Have dedicated time to practice. If you wait to practice until you have a few minutes of extra time then the best day you'll never get around it. Instead, set aside 10 or 15 minutes at convenient points in the normal routine of your everyday. Do it in the morning or evening when the atmosphere quiet.

2. Focused Attention.
Most of us, unfortunately find that practice time is very limited, so you must make the most
of every minute. Truthfully, more can be accomplished in 15 minutes of focused attention on a single aspect of your playing than 45 minutes of 'just messing around' with your guitar as you watch TV.

3. A Dedicated Spot to Practice. 
Your practice area doesn't need to be fancy. It can be very simple--a small corner of a room.  You just need a place with a chair (preferably with no arms), a music stand, your guitar (and a guitar stand), a metronome, a pencil, and an amp if needed.
 
 4. Make it Easy to Practice.  
Here are some quick ideas to make practicing easier.

-Keep your guitar out of the case and on a guitar stand.  You'll be amazed at how much your guitar will 'call to you' when it's visible.  Keeping your guitar out on a stand will inspire you to practice every time you walk by it. 

-Keep your music out on a music stand.  A music stand is a relatively inexpensive purchase.   And it's much better for holding your materials than trying to prop them up awkwardly on a coffee table or chair.

 

To Obtain Speed...Slow Down!

Everybody wants to be able to play at full speed. This tip is all about that So you wanna play fast?  This is one of those counter intuitive secrets.

That's right.......  Slow Down!

True speed begins with control and the only way to get control is to Slow Down.   Building speed takes a bit of time to train the fingers and your motor skill muscle memory. Do you know what they call fast playing that's kinda sloppy?  They call it sloppy playing. So here's a simple process for building your speed:

1. Buy a metronome and get used to playing with it. 
A metronome is going to be your way of measuring speed.  An Olympic sprinter works with a stopwatch to gauge progress. Musicians work with a metronome.

2. Start slow on a favorite exercise. 
Take a favorite scale exercise - for instance, pentatonic scales.  Set your metronome at a nice, comfortable tempo, like 60 bpm (beats per minute) and play through the scale in sixteenth notes (4 notes for every beat of the metronome.) You'll start slow and build up to faster speeds just like a sprinter warms up before a race. Resist the urge to skip this step!

3. When you can play it perfectly, then adjust the metronome speed upward just slightly (62 bpm.) 
When you can play it at that speed (perfectly) a couple of times, then increase the speed to the next level, (this time to 64 bpm.)

4. Repeat this step up process until you reach your top tempo.  
You need to work your way up gradually to your top speed.  When you start losing control, you've reached your top tempo.  Write the top speed down.

5. You'll do this same process for each of your exercises.
Starting slow, and increasing incrementally...noting your top tempo for each one.

6. Your top tempo will change!
If you practice this "go slow to get fast" process every day for about 20-30 mins. you can't help but increase your speed.

You won't notice much change for the first 3 days, but by the end of the first week, you will notice your top tempo going up a bit. Building speed takes some time.  Be patient and don't give up!  Don't forget, I've got the system of exercises that can take you to guitar mastery...including speed.

To Learn Barre Chords... Lower Your Wrist

Barre chords are often one of the biggest hurdles you'll face when you're learning how to play.
(In case you don't know, 'barre chords' are those chords that require your index finger to stretch across and push down more than one string at a time. It allows you to make chords anywhere up the neck.)

Most of the trouble comes when folks just can't quite get enough pressure against the strings and they end up withnotes that either 'buzz' or 'thump' (completely muted.)

 

Mastering barre chords is a game of focusing the right  amount of pressure to get a clear sound.  I've taught
thousands of people how to play barre chords effectively  so here are some ideas that'll help:

Squeezing the guitar neck doesn't work.  
You can squeeze  your guitar neck until the varnish begs for mercy and you probably aren't going to get that F chord to ring out clearly. The answer isn't in your squeezing muscles of the hand either. It's more about precision.

The strength needed for barre chords really comes from just the index finger. 
(and supported by the thumb on the back of the neck.)
Keep your index finger straight--straight as an arrow.  If you're getting buzzing or dead notes, it's usually the index finger curling or your wrist coming too close to the back of the neck.
There'll be some training involved. But for now, just don't let that index finger bend, keep the pressure on.

The Keys..  Lower your wrist.
Resist the urge to raise your palm and wrist up against the back of the neck. Sometimes you'll feel like this is  the only way to get enough pressure, but actually it's fooling you!  It won't get the job done.
When playing barre chords, lower your wrist away from the back of the neck, letting your hand arch over the fret board a little more. That's how you'll keep your first finger straight and apply pressure where it's needed down onto the fret board.

Be Patient.
Musicians are 'athletes of small muscles. And it just takes time to develop the tiny muscles used for making barre chords. So some folks just give up on barre chords too soon. How long should you expect?  Weeks or months usually.  So don't get discouraged after three days of trying.  You may not even be doing anything.., it's wrong !.  It just takes a little time for both muscle development and muscle memory.

You'll see the breakthrough.  Just keep at it.....!

How to select a good set-up guitar

Learning guitar is challenging enough, without having attempted hard with a hard instrument to play. So that is why I suggest that you have your guitar properly set up by a best guitar tech in your area. Is this really your guitar like it could be played. A job set-up is something that every guitar tech at your local music store will be able to do for a nominal fee is usually less than $ 50

A general set-up tasks include:

1. Adjusting the Truss Rod. 
The truss rod is the metal reinforcement that runs length of the guitar's neck (inside the neck.)  It needs routine adjustment to make the action (the distance between the strings and the frets) as low as possible without buzzing. This rod adjusts the 'bend' in the neck forward or backward and should only be adjusted by someone who is experienced. Just the right amount of tension and your guitar plays 'like butter.'  Too much, and your guitar ends up in splinters at your feet.

2. Adjusting the Bridge and the Nut.
The bridge (by the tail piece) and nut (by the tuning pegs) are the two places that the strings make contact with the guitar. Sometimes these need to be filed or sanded down to get the proper action on a guitar. A good tech will check this and make adjustments as needed. On some guitars (mostly electrics), the bridge will be adjustable using tools and your tech will know how to do it.


3. Changing the Strings.

Along with all the adjustments, a set-up will include a new set of strings, properly stretched out and ready to play.

 When all is said and done, a proper set-up job will make your guitar as easy to play as possible, so that you can get back to making music.

How to tune up the guitar easily..

Hi Guys.........!

Some of these tips will make you play better, some will make your guitar sound better some will just make playing easier.

This is a 'sound better' tip..
One thing I have found as a professional player that never fails to improve a guitar's sound is that's right put on a new set of strings. Nothing puts the sparkle and punch back into your sound like a fresh set of strings.  I'll never forget when I found out how often studio players changed their strings.  I thought, "How do they afford that?" Well, it's their gig,  They either show up sounding great or they don't get called back.
Here are a few hints about guitar strings:

1.  The brand of strings isn't as important as the fact that they're new!

Strings come in two kinds - coated and uncoated.  Coated strings are 'slicker' feeling when you play them because they have a coating that keeps dirt and oils from tarnishing the strings (and it keeps their

tone sounding bright.) So coated strings sound "new" longer. From my experience, individual brands don't demonstrate as much real-world playing difference as the marketing

would imply.  I prefer 'Elixir Polywebs' because I like the feel of the coating.  But there are other brands that offer coated strings too.

2.  The gauge of strings is important. 

Lighter strings are going to be easier to push down though they sound a little 'smaller' in tone.  If you're just beginning, I recommend a lighter guage string set. Heavier strings will increase your sustain and volume but they're also harder to push down. Experiment the next couple times you buy new strings to see what works best for you.

3.  Your strings have a "life-cycle." 

Most strings (coated or not) will sound 'fantastic' for about the first 4 hours of playing time; then 'really good' for about 3 days; after that, you'll notice the tone beginning to 'dull' a bit

(depending on how you observe #4 below.)

Coated strings will last a good bit longer (and sound 'new' longer) because they stay untarnished. They cost more, but it's worth it to me.

4.  Wash your hands before you play. 

Your hands have oils that you don't even notice...so strings get 'gunked up' and corroded...losing that clear 'ring.'  Washing your hands before you play minimizes this oil transfer so your strings

last longer.

5.  Steve's Rule of Thumb...

If you can't remember the last time you changed your strings, then it's time.

Do yourself (and your listeners) a favor and put a new set of strings on your guitar.  You'll stay inspired when your tone is clear.

Find A Partner To Play.

Hi Guys....... in my posting today
I'll tell you some things I wish someone had taken the time to show me when I've just started learning guitar.
So, Let's do it ....!
 
This is the first secret is the most helpful thing I can tell you about learning to play. It can take years off your learning time and gives you motivation to do it constantly. It's very simple. It has nothing to do with how you hold the guitar or your hand. It has nothing to do with the amp you buy or how often you change the strings.

Looking for a Partner To Play
 
It's a simple story, but this is very useful for me when it started.  
Here's the story ...


Every Saturday night the best player in the city of Jazz will sift through just to have fun and some great music. During the few weeks, I and my best friend would just sit in the back and we have a soda and watch ... until we finally got enough courage to play. My friends play the saxophone. He is the firstborn had the courage to play. The next week I got up and played a few songs with the band. I was very nervous at all (and who knows how bad I sound) ... but they were friendly and encouraging to us both.

And every Saturday night, we'll go there and listen. Sometimes we play ... sometimes we are too shy. I always thought I played very bad in addition to these great players ... I came home embarrassed, but challenging to sit down and practice so I'll be better next time. Almost without my realizing it, something is happening ...

And now I'm getting better.
Very unexpectedly, one day I got a call from the duo of guitarist in the Jazz, said that he recommended me for a gig because they were unable come.
At that time I was 16 and it was my first professional gig. This is the beginning of my career and I have been playing professionally from then until now. And I can tell you that if it were not for my friend, I will never have the courage to get up and do a jam session the first!

So ... my advice

Someone said to me "You better play with the musicians then you will become a better musician." He's right. Do not shrink back from playing with others ... especially if they are better than you. In addition to motivate and challenge you. This is just a big fun! A neighbor, co-workers, a group of friends, music team at church, or local bands is a good choice to start.

Everyone knows someone who plays guitar and guitarist ... love to get together and play, so this should not be difficult. I tell you, this is worth making a few phone calls
this day.

How to learn to play the G chords

If you want to learn the guitar yourself, This is good news .....
Many people who successfully learn the guitar yourself, so I'm sure you can do it too.
Actually, the guitar is a very popular musical instrument is easy to learn, but obviously you need to learn and hard training also need the patience.

To learn and practice how to play guitar yourself, previously that you need is the information online, or you can search for books of old edition guitars at a guitar shop. First of all, information is very important and you really need is a guitar chord chart.

The next move is how to play guitar chord. For beginners, your do not need to know a lot of different chord.
Let's start now ...
How to play the G chord

First.
Look at your left hand, and ignore the thumb.
1. index finger, 2. middle finger, 3. Ring finger, and 4. pinkie.

Second.
In a chord chart, your'll see the index finger (1) must be placed on the second fret on the string number five.

Third.
Place the middle finger (2) on the third fret on string six numbers, namely the upper strings on your guitar.

Fourth.
Put the pinkie (4) on your number one strings on the third fret

Fifth
After your fingers are in the correct place, start slowly pick your guitar.

 Beginners will usually get the problem when you're learning to play chords, guitar strings sound dead. It often occurs as many of you do not press the strings too hard.

Then to learn to play the right chord, make sure your fingers are in the correct place and avoid touching the string with your middle finger (they should be remain open). If your touch it, sound would die.
Make sure your press the strings and between the small metal frets, and not right on it.

Practice continued, until you really mastered the G chords like a professional guitarist. After that, then get ready to learn next chords.

You know, there are hundreds of chords that you can learn, but for a beginner you should learn a few chords for play your first songs.
Basic chord of the most useful and you need to learn like G, C, A minor, E minor and D minor is very important. I hope these online guitar lessons can be useful for your.

Practice, practice and practice and hopefully you become a guitarist. Good luck ...!