Learn to Play the Guitar Right From Home

October 23, 2010 by  
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You can learn to play guitar right from the comfort of your own home. Once you learn how to play the guitar, you will also understand the concept of playing other musical instruments as well.


It is not difficult to learn to play the guitar. Like any other type of lesson, you have to take it one step at a time. The first thing that at home lessons will teach you is to get familiar with the guitar, understand how to tune the guitar and then learn the basic chords. A guitar is one of the easiest instruments to play. You can pick up a used guitar and get started with your at home lessons. With an electric guitar, you are putting out more money and also need an amplifier, but with an acoustic, it’s just you and the guitar.


By learning at home, you can see if you have a knack for this instrument and then move up to other guitars. You will get to know the sounds of the guitar as you play along with CD’s and DVD lessons in an at home program.


The most important concept you have to understand when you want to learn to play guitar, or any other instrument for that matter, is that you have to practice. Good musicians are those who have a passion for music and want to learn to play. The more you practice playing the guitar, the better you will become at mastering this instrument. If you really want to learn how to play the guitar, you can do so by using a learn at home lesson package.


Learn at home lesson packages cost a fraction of what you would expect to pay for guitar lessons at a local music shop. Instead of having to spend hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars with private lessons, you can have your own private lessons, right in the comfort of your own home, and get expert training. You only need to purchase a guitar and an at -home guitar package to learn to play guitar and you will be on your way to being a guitarist. Whether or not you are a good guitarist is up to you and the time you invest in lessons, practice and learning to master the instrument.

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Troubleshooting Speed Problems

October 19, 2010 by  
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Is there a riff/solo you can’t play? This happens quite a lot when you hear a new cool song and you tend to blame your cheap guitar or something and throw it away and look at signature models for the whole week and decide you can’t play worth crap.


This guide will help you speed up and play that thing faster than the original.
So lets troubleshoot.


Note: This lesson does not include any tablature of any sort and is just to refine your technique of playing songs. Sometimes, you do the correct thing in practices but not in playing songs.


This lesson is divided into two parts :


I – FOR THE LEFT HAND (when your left hand lets you down)
II – FOR THE RIGHT HAND (when your picking hand lets you down)


Problem 1: Using all fingers


There can’t be a single hero to fight villains for the whole world. Yeah, using all fingers is very important. You might be able to go faster with just three fingers at once, but in the longer run, practicing with all your fingers is very important. There are a lot of chromatic exercises which can help you. You just know where you can use the other finger.


Problem 2: Distance of fingers from the frets


The biggest and most common problem I get to see with guitarists is that they raise their fingers too high from the fretboard when they just used that finger to play a note. Keep all your fingers very close to the fretboard, just enough to get them inaction when required and not to close to mess up or mute the string. This is very important. This is the main problem when you can’t play a riff or lick. So go check yourself.


Also, check the action of your guitar.


Problem 3: Barring a fret in a solo


Yea, this is a bad thing to do. Give your fingers as much freedom they can get. For those of you who don’t get what this means, Barring a fret means sticking your index finger all the way up to two or three strings when playing a solo. This happens a lot while playing the basic pentatonic when the index finger doesn’t have to change positions. Don’t bar the fret and try again. Maybe you can do it this time. Do some stretches and you can hopefully conquer this problem


*Note : Sometimes you have to bar you finger when tapping on multiple strings together.


Exercises:


Stretch your fingers, use all the above methods and keep on practicing the same thing. Boring but gives great results.


If nothing else works, use the good old slow-it-down method. Use all the techniques given above while playing slow and increase your speed by practice.


Problem 1: Picking style


I know this old crap but if you can’t play a thing just use economical picking. No harm is done. Sometimes even alternative can’t even do it. Some songs do use a specific picking pattern but to most listeners, there is no difference. If you don’t know what alternative or economical picking is, it is explained in one good lesson I read. Go check it out.


Problem 2: Right hand movement


OK, when you strum quick patterns which require great right hand stamina, make sure that you are moving just your wrist, not you whole goddamn arm. YEAH, seriously, just move your wrist. Most of these riffs are palm-muted so go rotate your wrist.


Exercises:


Use a metronome and stop at specific beats. If you are playing 32nd or 16th notes at a great speed, its is important that you know when to stop or fret.


Just start a metronome, play sixteenth notes for half a bar then start playing again after a quarter beat.


Thats all, if you don’t find this lesson helpful at all, maybe you are picking a song too fast for you. It is very important that you proceed in a orderly fashion picking easy songs first. You can’t play Malmsteem at your first go, its true, they don’t call them GUITAR GURUS for no reason.


View the original article here

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Do You Want To Learn And Master Guitar?

August 27, 2010 by  
Filed under Guitar Learning & Playing Tips

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By: Elizabeth Davis

New to guitar?  This article will help you to develop better guitar playing skills.

Obtain a Good Teacher!  There is no replacement for a skilled guitar teacher.  You can purchase all the books and videos you want, but to really be a skilled guitarist, it is crucial to study from a professional.  A qualified guitar teacher has the experience and wisdom needed to teach you how to master the guitar.  Books, videos, and the Internet, lack information and advice.  A good teacher will correct your mistakes if you are doing something not right to free you from bad habits or techniques, and will furthermore encourage you when you are doing a fine job.

Do not be discouraged!  The initial time playing any instrument can be overwhelming, and you could tell yourself that this is merely too hard to continue.  We all have to study from step one, and everybody has been in the same boat! Everything takes practice, and it is a requirement to be uncomplaining with yourself.  Give yourself a pep talk everyday, saying these words aloud “I can do this, and it will be simple for me.”  The motivation, and words of encouragement to yourself will hurry up the process to make things alot easier for everything in life that you wish for, or try to accomplish.

Practice everyday!  You will become more familiar with your instrument after you take the time to practice everyday.  This will get so simple for you over time with your devotion to learn.  Try to free up at least 20 minutes of time each day to practice your guitar.  Find a time and place where you will not be interrupted.  Disruption can prevent your concentration and snap a good rhythm.  Warm hands, and stretch fingers before playing. Ask your teacher for the best practice exercises that are correct for your style of play.  Create a calendar of helpful practice sessions.
The duration of your practice is not necessarily the most crucial.  The quality of the practice is what really counts and matters the most!   Make sure your teacher is giving a well rounded method, since this helps to obtain the most out of your practice sessions.

Slow Down!  Many brand new guitarists rush through a song in the beginning, trying to play exactly like the radio. 
Before touching anything accurately, you should learn to take things gradually, and be able to play well at a much slower rate.  You can at that time increase the tempo as you progress.

Watch your posture!  Playing the guitar must not be very agonizing and uncomfortable.  If you notice yourself with various aches and pains in the shoulders, neck, back, etc, you probably are not in a helpful position to play. Ask your  teacher to show the best ways, and next do your best to stick to it.  Ask your teacher to correct you after the correct posture fails.

Get a metronome!  A very valuable part of playing the guitar, is the skill to keep good timing.  A tool that will help you to be better with this is called a metronome.  You can buy this at any guitar shop.  When working with a metronome, it is best to start at a slow tempo in the very beginning when you are initially learning how to play. 

Change the strings!  The type of guitar strings that you apply determines the sound quality that your guitar produces. How often do you replace the strings really depends on how often you play.  Professional guitarists can change their strings previous to every gig.  Others who do not play so often, can replace the strings every 2 months or so.  Once again, it really depends on how often you play, and how well you care for your guitar.  Do not wait until your strings break before you change them, and you must replace all channels all together.

Trying new things!  If you are feeling uninspired in the way you are performing, why not try something recent and uncommon?  If you have learned a specific song on the electric guitar, why not try the same song on an acoustic guitar?  If you only play your guitar with a pick, exercise your fingers this next time.  Maybe you solely enjoy playing blues guitar, so why not try a little jazz or classical?

I hope these guitar tips were helpful!  Most importantly, never give up, and be proud of the accomplishments that you have acquired!  Persistence is the key with and in everything!  If you really maintain a sincere desire to learn and to keep on with your practices, you will be amazed at all the beautiful music that you have learned!

 

 

About the Author

Author Elizabeth Davis

http://simurl.Com/easy-video-guitar

I am hoping you have found this article informative and useful.

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Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Do you want to learn Guitar?

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Guitar Lesson – What It Means to Be Well-Rounded As a Musician

August 23, 2010 by  
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Any musician who desires to become successful is eventually confronted with the question of how well-rounded he or she wishes to become. In fact, this question may need to be answered several times during a career – yielding different answers each time.

Because I am a guitarist, I will approach the subject from that perspective.

Although I have met people who knew what they wanted right from the get-go, most young beginning guitarists don't really have much of a clue as to all of the possibilities that can eventually open up for them. Some of these possibilities demand specific skill sets.

This is the reason why many instructors preach “well-roundedness” from the very beginning. This approach gives the student a running chance to get to a point where an intelligent decision can be made easier when the time comes.

For example, if a guitarist decides after 5 years of study (by whichever means) that he or she wishes to become a session player or a pit musician, and this person never bothered up to this point to learn how to read music, he or she will have lost that 5 years. These two disciplines require a musician to be a monster of a reader (among other things.)

It is true that for many of us, goals can change as time goes by. This is why this “well-roundedness” can be extremely helpful.

But let's make it personal. It is also true that even though all you may want to do is to make money playing in a club band, the fact is that the more well-rounded you are as a guitarist:

1. The more valuable you are as a teammate in a band.

2. Your abilities will be greater than those of your teammates who are not as well-rounded as you.

3. It allows you to pursue other avenues if, later on you decide to go in a different direction. In short, it gives you options

So if you agree with this logic, “well-roundedness” seems to be the ticket.

But just what does it mean to be well-rounded?

Well I think we've established that learning how to read music may just be a factor. Having that ability certainly will not hurt you and may even help you a lot.

You are also going to have to eventually:

1. Know all of your chords -including jazz chords.

2. Be able to read all manner of variations of chord charts.

3. Have performance skills

4. Know how to play in all styles of music.

And you should also give consideration toward:

1. Eventually be able to play at least credibly:

2. Acoustic guitar

3. Electric guitar

4. Classical guitar

5. 12-string guitar

6. Mandolin

7. Ukulele

8. 4 and 5 string banjo

9. Some type of ethnic instrument such as the Balalaika

This means that you should theoretically gear your practicing towards these ends.

Yeah, sure.

Look, none of this means very much to you if you are just starting out, but if you've been at this for awhile, you need to start considering these things if you want to be a pro – and make money like a pro.

In the meantime, develop good study and practicing habits. This is one of the hardest things to do. Many of us view practicing in the same manner as if we are on the way to our execution. We don't always feel like it.

But it is how we get better. And the better we get, the better we can feel about practicing – so that we can get even better.

There is another thing that you should do as soon as you learn enough chords and that is to play with other musicians as often as possible. This is how you develop performance skills.

Playing with other musicians is nothing at all the same as playing alone in the family room. This is a skill and a lesson in interaction that you need to begin learning as soon as possible.

And don't be stubborn about learning different styles of music. Your creativity will suffer – not to mention your commercial value due to this stubbornness.

This is what it means to be well-rounded. Develop this attitude of well-roundedness as soon as possible in your playing career.

It gives you options.

Here is the original post:
Guitar Lesson – What It Means to Be Well-Rounded As a Musician

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Guitar Lesson – The Well-Rounded Musician

August 18, 2010 by  
Filed under Guitar Learning & Playing Tips, Online Guitar Lessons

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Any musician who desires to become successful is eventually confronted with the question of how well-rounded he or she wishes to become. In fact, this question may need to be answered several times during a career – yielding different answers each time.Because I am a guitarist, I will approach the subject from that perspective.

Although I have met people who knew what they wanted right from the get-go, most young beginning guitarists don’t really have much of a clue as to all of the possibilities that can eventually open up for them. Some of these possibilities demand specific skill sets.

This is the reason why many instructors preach “well-roundedness” from the very beginning. This approach gives the student a running chance to get to a point where an intelligent decision can be made easier when the time comes.

For example, if a guitarist decides after 5 years of study (by whichever means) that he or she wishes to become a session player or a pit musician, and this person never bothered up to this point to learn how to read music, he or she will have lost that 5 years. These two disciplines require a musician to be a monster of a reader (among other things.)

It is true that for many of us, goals can change as time goes by. This is why this “well-roundedness” can be extremely helpful.

But let’s make it personal. It is also true that even though all you may want to do is to make money playing in a club band, the fact is that the more well-rounded you are as a guitarist:

1. The more valuable you are as a teammate in a band.

2. Your abilities will be greater than those of your teammates who are not as well-rounded as you.

3. It allows you to pursue other avenues if, later on you decide to go in a different direction. In short, it gives you options

So if you agree with this logic, “well-roundedness” seems to be the ticket.

But just what does it mean to be well-rounded?

Well I think we’ve established that learning how to read music may just be a factor. Having that ability certainly will not hurt you and may even help you a lot.

You are also going to have to eventually:

1. Know all of your chords -including jazz chords.

2. Be able to read all manner of variations of chord charts.

3. Have performance skills

4. Know how to play in all styles of music.

And you should also give consideration toward:

1. Eventually be able to play at least credibly:

2. Acoustic guitar

3. Electric guitar

4. Classical guitar

5. 12-string guitar

6. Mandolin

7. Ukulele

8. 4 and 5 string banjo

9. Some type of ethnic instrument such as the Balalaika

This means that you should theoretically gear your practicing towards these ends.

Yeah, sure.

Look, none of this means very much to you if you are just starting out, but if you’ve been at this for awhile, you need to start considering these things if you want to be a pro – and make money like a pro.

In the meantime, develop good study and practicing habits. This is one of the hardest things to do. Many of us view practicing in the same manner as if we are on the way to our execution. We don’t always feel like it.

But it is how we get better. And the better we get, the better we can feel about practicing – so that we can get even better.

There is another thing that you should do as soon as you learn enough chords and that is to play with other musicians as often as possible. This is how you develop performance skills.

Playing with other musicians is nothing at all the same as playing alone in the family room. This is a skill and a lesson in interaction that you need to begin learning as soon as possible.

And don’t be stubborn about learning different styles of music. Your creativity will suffer – not to mention your commercial value due to this stubbornness.

This is what it means to be well-rounded. Develop this attitude of well-roundedness as soon as possible in your playing career.

It gives you options.

About the author: My name is James Emery Vigh, and I am an author of guitar method books for kids and adults as well as history books on famous battles. I am also an independent film maker. My current project combines animation and live action to teach the guitar to kids.

From:
Guitar Lesson — The Well-Rounded Musician

10 Most Important Things When You Learn Guitar

April 24, 2009 by  
Filed under Guitar Learning & Playing Tips

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  1. Get a good guitar that will not impede your learning ability. Make sure the action (distance of the string to the neck) of the guitar is good and that it is correctly intonated (the bridge adjusted so the strings are the correct length) or you will have tuning and playing problems. Also learning on light gauge strings is advised to stop finger strain. It is worth paying a few extra dollars to have the guitar ‘set up’ before your start to play. Here is a more comprehensive guide to selecting a good acoustic guitar.
  2. Get a good teacher or a good Guitar Lesson DVD or software or a great Learn Guitar Online Course that explains the methods of learning in a simple and easy manner and will ensure you are playing songs or at least riffs within the first couple lessons. Avoid learning boring scales and exercises that will just de-motivate you! You will have to learn these too, but it can be done later.
  3. Practice every day for at least 15 minutes, and always practice what you cannot play yet rather than playing what you already know or you will not progress. Try to learn simple versions of songs you know so you can sing along even if it’s just in your mind with the song.
  4. Learn a mixture of chords, single notes, scales and riffs even at the first stages of learning. This is important to develop your technique and strength in the finger and wrist.
  5. Have the guitar, if possible, in a place where it is easily accessible, so you will want to pick it up often. If it’s in a case in your closet you will forget about it.
  6. Know how to tune your guitar. Always have a tuner to ensure you are in tune otherwise you will sound horrible. If you don’t have a tuner you can use our free online tuner.
  7. Use a metronome (click to download free metronome software!) so you can stay in time and develop a sense of rhythm. This is one of the most neglected areas of learning and often the biggest cause of bad habits later on in a student’s progress.
  8. Try to learn to play songs you enjoy and play a style you like. Don’t play Bob Dylan if you like AC/DC. However its not a bad idea to learn new styles but stick to what you know and like at least when you are still Learn To Play Guitar Fast.
  9. Take a recording device (your MP-3 player e.g.), record yourself and listen back to it. No matter how awful it may sound it will improve both your desire to learn guitar, and your ability to play better. Also if you want to play lead guitar, play over a recorded rhythm part so you have a musical backing to play to. This will improve your solo ability dramatically.
  10. Set a stopwatch or timer for 3 minutes and continue to play without stopping. Sounds too easy? Try it! It is a lot more difficult than you think. Most students play on average for about 30 seconds before stopping and starting again!

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Buying An Acoustic Guitar And The Importance Of The Neck Angle.

March 30, 2009 by  
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When looking for a guitar to easy learn on it doesn’t really matter the price range that you have in mind. Years back a low cost guitar would be a nightmare to play, and for a beginner it was worse, I had one for my first guitar. These days with advanced machining and mass production techniques there are a large number of guitar manufacturers turning out quite good guitars at low cost.

Regardless of the price if you take any two guitars of the same make and model, even with consecutive production numbers it’s quite likely that one will be easier to play than the other.

How well a guitar plays is determined by the action. The action on a guitar is the distance between the underside of the strings and the frets. The frets are the thin metal strips that lie across the neck. The maximum distance is found in the area where the neck and body join. If the distance is greater than say 3mm then it will be harder to play the guitar up the neck than it should be and for a beginner it can totally discouraging. Keep in mind that that a small difference can mean a lot. A 4mm gap is a big step up from 3mm.

There are four things that influence the action.

1. The Saddle Height

2. The Nut Height

3. The Truss Rod Adjustment

4. The Neck Angle

The first three can be adjusted. If the neck angle is bad then adjusting the other three will bring about little change to the action. Picture a guitar lying level on its back and you place a straight edge along neck and extending down to touch the bridge. The bridge is the piece of timber attached to the body of the guitar that has the strings attached to it, and the saddle is the (usually) white plastic strip that sits in the bridge and has the strings running across it. When the neck angle is good then the neck and the top of the bridge will be on the same line. When the angle is bad then the straight edge will point to a spot closer to where the bridge joins the body and is a really bad case it would touch the body of the guitar first.

Now we cannot carry out this test in a music store, however what we can do is sight down the neck and it’s fairly easy to see where the line of the neck points to, it should be in line with the top of the bridge.

This is all probably a lot to absorb in one go, the important thing is to be aware of the action and any good guitar salesperson should know all this and be able to point them out to you so you can make the best choice so you have a guitar that is easy to play.

Lastly do not buy a guitar because you like the color of it, buy the guitar that sounds good and plays well.

Good Luck

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My Gibson’s Learn And Master Guitar Review

March 28, 2009 by  
Filed under My Learn & Master Guitar Review

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Disclosure: The opinions offered here are my own based on my experience. All information is verified as accurate at the time of review. If you choose to visit one of the courses I reviewed on this website and make a purchase I may receive a commission, how ever I do not allow this to interfere with my rating and review process. I never accept paid reviews and each product is thoroughly tested by me. All opinions offered here are my own. I am open to reviewing any guitar-training course – please feel free to email me with your suggestions.

What you get with the Gibson’s Learn And Master Guitar course

I learned guitar with the DVD course from Learn & Master and here is my review:

Learn And Master Guitar Review

When you order Learn & Master Guitar, you get 20 DVDs. Each of the two sessions per DVD is between 30 and 60 minutes long. All DVDs have an on-screen menu, so you can go right to a lesson with your remote. In addition to the DVDs you get 5 audio CDs (each has appr. 12-18 jam-along tracks of about a minute length), plus a 100 page Lesson Book (and a bonus book, if you order the expanded version).

These bonus lessons cover the same material as the regular lessons, but in more depth and give you additional information.

For example, when lesson #1 teaches you the basics of a guitar and finger exercises, you will in bonus lesson #1 find some neat tips and tricks beyond the basics, like whether you should consider purchasing an electronic tuner, string winder, or metronome. I got a lot of great information from the bonus material.

All lessons are both on DVD and in the lesson book so you can watch the videos, and follow the written lessons at the same time, or just flip through the book as a quick reference to refresh your memory later, which is also very handy.

The Learn & Master Guitar course has received some educational awards. The guitar teacher guiding you through the course is Steve Krenz. You can read more about the rewards and Steve on the Learn & Master website.

I like most that when you watch the videos, you feel you have a real guitar teacher sitting next to you and talking to you.

Learn & Master Guitar Chord Exercise

First Steve explains something to you, then he gives you a training assignment as your ‘home work’, and at the end of each session you have to answer a couple questions to test whether you are ready to go to the next lesson. If that sounds too much like ‘school’ to you, let me tell you that it’s not – after all, you set your own schedule and pick what you want to learn.

With the course you also get access to the online member section of the website which is kind of neat as you can upload videos (e.g. you playing a song) and ask other members for their input, and you find a handful additional resources there. However, Learn and Master is not meant to be an online course, so don’t expect there to find constantly updated new learning material or thousands of members online.

Learn And Master Guitar Is For Beginners And Advanced Players

Learn And Master Guitar Lessons For Beginners

Lessons 1 Through 8

  • Getting acquainted with your guitar, how to hold and tune it
  • Learn music, read notes and tablatur
  • Finger exercises
  • Chords

On the Learn And Master DVD videos and in the printed lessons book Steve will show you hands-on all you need to know to learn guitar. And as nothing beats the joy of jamming with other musicians, five Jam Along CDs provide you that very experience.

Learn And Master Guitar For Advanced Players

Chances are you have already learned how to play guitar by picking things up here and there, taking a few lessons, reading a book or watching some videos. You are able to play the basics, and now you’re ready to move beyond that.

The Advanced Lessons 9 Through 20

  • Make smooth chord transitions
  • Advanced chords, barre chords
  • Develop “muscle memory”
  • Work on your strum and develop your rhythm
  • Train your ear
  • Techniques such as tapping, bending, sliding
  • Isolate the difficulties you have with a particular song so you can focus on that part in particular
  • Why it is so important that your equipment fits you and how to make a good choice in selecting your guitar (action, strings, neck, etc)
  • and much more

I think many people become frustrated because they are trying to learn the chords, changing chords, and keeping time, all at once. As long as your brain and chording hand are working in terms of “finger 1 goes on the ‘e’ string at the third fret, finger 3 goes on the ‘A’ string at the second fret, and finger four goes on the ‘E’ string”, you’re going to take way too long. Once your muscles have learned the correct positioning, all of a sudden you will find yourself being able to put your fingers in the correct positions automatically.

In the advanced lessons Steve will give you an insider scoop on how to improve your chord transitions, a lot of great tips for ear training, how to best develop your rhythm sense and much more, so things should start clicking for you at some point. I also didn’t know that it makes such a difference to have your guitar set up correctly. Plus you can always contact Steve in the Learn And Master Guitar discussion board if you have a particular question.

How the Learn And Master DVD course works:

  • At the begin of each lesson you see the estimated time it takes to learn that lesson
  • You learn watching Steve explaining on video (and/or referring to the book)
  • You do your ‘assignments’ after each lesson so you have a plan what and how you need to practice
  • You answer 2 or 3 questions at the end of the lesson to find out whether you are ready to move on to the next lesson

What I liked most about the Learn & Master Guitar DVD Course

Steve Krenz

I like most that Steve Krenz, the instructor, is making the lessons very personal, you feel like you are sitting with a real guitar teacher, and he explains very well.

I like the assignments you get after learning each lesson, you know exactly what you should practice and how.

It was also very helpful to me that at the end of each lesson, when I was already eager to go to the next one, that there are 2 or 3 ‘are you ready to move on questions’ which sometimes showed me that I was in fact not ready

to move on but needed to practice the current lesson some more.

The course covers almost every style of music and guitar you can think of, acoustic, electric, classic, blues, etc.

Also I liked that the JamAlong audios at the beginning of the course play slow, but get up to ‘real’ playing speed gradually in advanced lessons. I thought I could play along a ‘real’ song right from the beginning, but was I wrong…

What Are The Downsides Of  Learn And Master Guitar?

  • You have to order it and wait until they ship it, no instant download available (but I remember that I got mine within a couple days)
  • There online community is nice, but there are not as many people online as e.g. at JamPlay
  • It looks expensive at first sight (actually I think it’s not, because of the great material you get with the course, and compared to what other websites and courses charge)

How Much Is It?

Learn & Master Guitar DVD Course

Click here to see the current price on the official Learn & Master website

I hope this review was helpful to you.

Buy Learn And Master Guitar

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How to Buy A Second Hand Guitar

March 15, 2009 by  
Filed under Guitar Buying Guide

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Often cheaper than a new guitar and just as ready to rock out, a second hand guitar could be the perfect addition to your collection or the perfect thing to learn on, but how do you know that your potential purchase isn’t a potential dud?

The truth is that some fantastic guitars, while expensive when new, are relatively cheap second hand. Sometimes you can find a custom or a limited edition guitar that someone is selling quickly for the cash and you can often get a real bargain if you know what you are looking for. It really pays to do the research before thinking about buying a second hand guitar as some sellers will push their price up to cash in, especially if they know they are selling to a beginner who is just starting to learn guitar and may not know much about them.

So what should you look for when inspecting a second hand guitar?

Let’s just say that you have found a second hand guitar in the musical instrument section of the weekly classifieds and you are quite keen to go and take a look at it. Below is a list of hints that will help you when inspecting the guitar and talking to the seller:

When talking to the seller, ask them the following:

  • The make and model of the guitar – It is best if you can do some research on the guitar model to find out the asking price elsewhere, both new and used, and whether or not other people are experiencing problems with it. You can find reviews for almost any guitar submitted at Amazon, or you can go and ask at your local music store.
  • About the condition of the guitar – If they are honest, the seller may tell you about any damage that is undetectable upon rough inspection.
  • How long they have had the guitar – If they have had it for a long time, they should have a good knowledge of its history of use, repairs and maintenance etc. If they are not forthcoming with that sort of information, they may be trying to pull one over you.

When inspecting the guitar, check the following:

  • The overall condition – Look the guitar over and make note of any obvious damage – guitars often take a bit of wear and tear and if its just small scrapes and scratches then the guitar will probably be fine. Look for rust also , not on the strings, but on the hardware that is holding the strings and the pickups. If there is any rust in these places… run! It’s not worth it. What good is a guitar that may fall apart on you in the near future? Trust me – leave it alone.
  • The neck of the guitar – the neck is really important. Here are some areas to look at:
  • Make sure that the neck is not warped or out of shape in any way.
  • Check the area where the neck joins to the body of the guitar – look for cracks where it may have been broken in the past.
  • In the same fashion, check the area where the neck joins the head of the guitar.
  • Check the action – Action is a word that describes how close the strings are to the fret board starting at the head of the guitar all the way down to the bridge. It is preferable to have the strings very close to the fret board as to make it easier to press them down (not so close that they are touching of course). If the strings are nice and close to the fret board all the way along, you would say that the guitar has a good action. Pictured right is a guitar with poor action. Notice that the strings sit quite far off the fret board. Guitars with poor action are harder to play and don’t sound very good. You can fix the action on your guitar by taking it to a guitar technician, but it will cost you between $20 and $50.
  • The Intonation of the strings. Intonation is a word that describes the accuracy of each individual note that the guitar can produce on any string. If the intonation is correct, every note on the guitar will be the correct pitch – If it is out, the guitar will be impossible to tune and it will sound horrible. To roughly check the intonation, play the E shape barre chord on each fret of the guitar. As you move towards the bridge of the guitar, you should hear the chord keeping its pitch – if not, the intonation is out and you will need to get a guitar technician to work on the problem.
  • If the guitar you are looking at is an electric, you must plug it in and see how it sounds through an amp. Ask the seller if you can play it through your amp and if you don’t have one, ask someone if you can borrow theirs. Try the following when testing an electric guitar through an amp:
  • Turn the amp up to a fair volume level and then play with the volume and tone controls by turning them to full and then back to zero. Test the pickup selector by flicking its switch back and forth. Carefully listen to any sounds that are being made while doing these things. You are looking for scratchy sounds or clicks that might indicate old or worn electrics.
  • Strum a single chord and while the chord is ringing start playing with the controls like before, still listening for scratches or clicks or any other nasty sounds. Guitar technicians can fix these problems and most guitars need to be done about once every 5 – 10 years. Just be aware of this fact or you could find yourself spending more money than you first intended to get a good guitar to learn on.
  • Check the sound of the guitar – Before you buy, you want to know that the guitar sounds like it should? Once you have tested the guitar sound, go to a music store and ask to play on a new model of that guitar. If at all possible, use a similar amplifier to the one that you tested the second hand guitar on, and see if you notice any BIG differences. There is a simple rule that I like to follow: If you’re not happy with the guitar sound… Don’t buy it!

The most important thing to remember when shopping for a guitar to learn on is… Don’t shop impulsively. A guitar is a major purchase and you want to get the right one. Leave yourself time to go away and think about the purchase. If you have doubts when checking out a guitar, you are probably better to leave it and hold out for something that better suits you.

If you are a guitar beginner and a little worried about testing guitar in public – don’t worry. It is important to remember that you are not there to showcase your playing ability – you are there to discern whether your proposed buy is a good deal or not so just go for it.

If you are still worried, take an experienced guitarist along with you when you are looking at a guitar to learn on. See if you can persuade a teacher or a friend – most musicians love to help beginners who are interested in learning to play the guitar. Not only will they be able to offer helpful advice – they will be good moral support when it’s time to pick up the guitar and test it out in public.

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