We Play Guitar

Originally posted here:
We Play Guitar

How Music Theory Can Improve Your Guitar Playing

Follow this link:
How Music Theory Can Improve Your Guitar Playing

Why Getting a Guitar Instruction DVD Is the Best Way to Learn How to Play a Guitar?

Read the original here:
Why Getting a Guitar Instruction DVD Is the Best Way to Learn How to Play a Guitar?

Three easy-to-learn guitar songs

A lot of people give up quite early in their guitar learning career. This is not often because they lack the needed interest, but simply from the notion that learning the guitar is hard, something only gods have to do before bedtime. However, I have discovered in my brief existence on earth that this is not actually the case; you are probably not learning right. If you learn the guitar under a rigid and dour atmosphere, it might prove daunting. One of the problems with learning the guitar the fun way, is that people at the beginner level often feel that the songs to learn are hard to score. That's a real problem, and I am writing to make you have a sixth sense of songs that are easy for you to score as a beginner, all the while taking care to make sure they are not ridiculously simple pieces or boring trash.

My first take on this issue is that song by Eric Clapton. I wonder if you have heard of Sunshine of Your Love? Funny enough, this song is one of the major surprises in the guitar world. I know you're probably wondering why I have highlighted this song. Well, I did so because this is one song that was composed in minor pentatonic notes. Still don't get the point? In essence, you get to have fun learning the notes, as well as improve on your guitar theory as well. This will help you strengthen you in power chords, string bending and the notes as well.

Listen to Oasis, or more specifically, Waterfall, and you will know that the song will be worth scoring. The thing with this piece is that it is one song that a natural acoustic guitarist will fall for instantly. It allows for intense strumming – something acoustic guitarists love – and the chords are quite easy to pick up. In short, this song will leave your strumming abilities and your chord stock updated.

I don't' believe there is anyone on earth who has not heard Stand by Me, a masterpiece by Ben E. King? This song is very easy to pick up, because it employs only two chords, the A and E bar chords, so it would be ideal for you as a beginner. In essence, your guitar skills will be receiving improvement in the following areas: bar e chords, treble and bass line picking as well as your chord progression.

I understand how it feels to be frustrated when you can't play even just one song on the guitar you profess to be learning. I would however suggest that you get the basic guitar skills before you embark on the noble quest for easy songs to play. The songs will then serve as a witness to the fact that you have mastered the learnt skills and will help improve your qualities until you find yourself to be a state-of-the art guitarist.

Read more here:
Most guitar melodies are hard to score! As a beginner, here are three easy-to-learn guitar songs!

Avoiding Practice Burnout When Learning To Play Guitar

This article is about how to avoid guitar practice burnout – something that happens to all of us from time to time!

Yep it’s true. Many of us at one time or another has experienced those “blah” days where the last thing we want to do is pick up our guitar and practice. But don’t fret! Here you’ll discover valuable little tidbits to help keep you motivated with learning and practicing guitar, so let’s get started…

How to Avoid Guitar Practice Burnout:

1) Enjoy the process of learning guitar.

This sounds basic, but often beginner guitarist’s will focus on negative aspects about their guitar playing skill level. Instead of “beating yourself up” remember that all professional guitarists started off just like you. The truth is that learning guitar takes time, patience and practice.

As a beginner, you should not try to learn to play guitar too quickly. Why? In trying to learn guitar too quickly you’ll risk increased muscle tension which can actually reduce your guitar playing ability.

So slow and steady guitar lessons will benefit you best for long-term success.

2) Use the quality guitar learning methods.

Many people find that learning to play guitar using traditional methods is too difficult, overwhelming and time consuming. And because of this difficulty, many people give up on their dreams of learning to play guitar because the guitar learning techniques were inadequate.

Luckily though, now days you can get online guitar lessons that teach a new and revolutionary way to learn guitar that produces fast and effective results. These new guitar lesson techniques make learning guitar fun and easy. So, if learning guitar using traditional guitar methods is too difficult, or causing you too much frustration, know that there are new and improved ways to learn guitar that work extremely well.

3) Learn to practice guitar at your pace.

In learning to play guitar, you’ll discover that some days you’re more motivated than other days.

For example, some days you’ll feel like playing the guitar for hours on end, and at other times, you’ll only want to practice guitar for a few minutes. This is normal and if it’s one of your “off days” allow yourself to enjoy a break from a long practice section without feeling guilty.

4) Look to others for inspiration.

One of the best motivators in trying to achieve any goal, like learning guitar, is to look to other people for help and assistance. Consider joining a musicians group and online music forums where you can share tips, successes and troubles with other guitarists online.

Chances are, there will be another guitar player who has had the same problem you’re facing who can give you great advice. Learning how other people achieved their guitar playing success, and the pitfalls they incountered along the way (and how to avoid them), will help tremendously to inspire and motivate you along the way while learning guitar.

The #1 Reason Beginner Guitarists Give-Up:

The biggest reason many people new to learning guitar give-up is because they loose the JOY of learning to play guitar. Why? Many beginner guitarists are excited about their new hobby, and this excitement causes many people to rush into trying to play their first song as quickly as possible.

However by not FIRST taking the time to learn proper guitar basics, usually results in increased playing difficulties and frustration. And frustration is what eventually leads many beginners to give-up on their dreams of playing the guitar.

But don’t worry! By following the tips above, you’ll be well ahead of most people learning to play guitar.

Remember, to avoid practice burnout, it’s critical learn to play guitar at a consistent pace, allow yourself breaks from playing guitar as needed, and keep yourself motivated by seeking out other guitarists for help and inspiration.

See original here:
Avoiding Practice Burnout When Learning To Play Guitar

Learn And Master Your Guitar: 6 Easy Steps To Finger Tap Like A Pro

There are some very fun and exciting things that are unique to playing the guitar. One of these is called finger tapping. Although the theory behind finger tapping is nothing new, there is just something about guitar player finger tapping that sounds totally cool. Many other instruments such as the piano and saxophone have tried for years to emulate the sound of a guitar finger tapping. At the end of the day however, there’s nothing like a real guitar player finger tapping like pro.

Let’s take a look at 6 easy steps to learn and master beginner guitar finger tapping:

1. With your left hand, place your first finger on the second string, fifth fret.
2. With your right first finger pluck the second string on the ninth fret.
3. With your third finger strike the seventh fret
4. With your right first finger strike the ninth fret.
5. Quickly lift your third finger off of the seventh fret
6. Repeat steps 2 to 5

Let’s take a look at a longer explanation of what is occurring:

1. With your left hand, place your first finger on the second string, fifth fret: Remember to use proper left hand technique and place your left fingers just before the fret to get the best sound out of your guitar.

2. With your right first finger pluck the second string on the ninth fret: if you are holding the guitar pick you will want to place it somewhere else for right now. Later on as you improve your finger tapping technique you can place your guitar pick in between another set of fingers.

3. With your third finger strike the seventh fret: This is a technique called a hammer on, and will require practice in order to get the note sounding loud enough to be heard. If you have a guitar amplifier; turning up the volume will help you to hear your hammer on notes until your fingers are strong enough to not need extra volume.

4. With your right first finger strike the ninth fret: If you are having a hard time hammering on the note with your first finger try placing your middle finger over your first finger to give it some extra strength.

5. Quickly lift your third finger off of the seventh fret: You can either lift your left hand third finger as soon as your right hand first finger taps its first note, or you can quickly lift your left hand third finger away from the fret as you pluck the ninth fret with your right first finger.

6. Repeat steps 2 to 5: You now have the basic foundation to begin finger tapping!  Finger exercises will help you improve the different guitar playing techniques fast!

About The Author

The author invites you to visit: http://www.guitarinasnap.com

10 Easy Ways To Improve Your Guitar Playing Today

One of the most frustrating aspects of playing guitar is when you reach the point where you are not improving. Whether you are a novice or a seasoned musician, we all face the same problem when we learn guitar and ask the question, “Why am I not at the level I want to be and how can I get there?” To add insult to injury, we see our guitar heroes in magazines and on TV everyday and it seems as if they are constantly inventing new tricks and improving their skills. When we read about them in Guitar World to try to emulate their skills and learn their tricks only to leave more confused. Becoming the ultimate guitarist is far harder than it looks. So what is the key to success? While there is no one answer that can solve everyone’s problem, there are a number of concepts and theories that can help you break through the barrier that keeps you from reaching your full potential to learn and master your guitar. The one thing that you need to realize is that you don’t need to be a genius to become a great guitarist. The two key things you need to have in your possession are interest and commitment. You’ll never meet a great guitarist who isn’t passionate about music. They didn’t get to the level that they are at by being apathetic and lazy. They took the initiative to go out and try to learn something new. The guitarist who dares to challenge himself takes the risk of failing. This is where many musicians lose their battle with low self-esteem and quit. It’s not that they didn’t take the risk, rather, that they failed and couldn’t pick themselves up again. If you realize that failure is a part of growth and that it takes many jam sessions to get some tricks down, you have just acquired the first skill you will need to become the ultimate guitarist. I have compiled a list of concepts that I believe every guitarist should try out. Unlike other articles you will read, these short and simple steps ask you to do, rather that simply read. Thoughts and attitude are important but in the end it’s what you do that counts to your audience. Let’s get started with the top ten things you can do to obtain maximum results as a guitarist. Top 10 tips for success… Learn something new - Educating yourself is the first step to becoming a better guitarist. Whether you choose to believe it or not, there’s always something new to learn and master. If you are currently studying music in a conservatory, at school, or in college, you will find that learning will come more easier to you. If not, I highly recommend that you get in a program. While I believe in teaching yourself, I also know from first hand experience that motivation and encouragement from a teacher is priceless. Once you conquer the subject that you were learning, push yourself to learn something that you’re not quite comfortable with. Learning within your comfort zone often results with you running around in circles. Make your time count – Practicing does not make perfect, it makes permanent. That makes the time you spend playing your guitar all the more important. Don’t waste your time fiddling around on your guitar. Dig in and learn something that will aid you on your quest for musical success. Set goals and work towards achieving them. Whether it’s technique, tricks, or a new song, you can become better just by using your time more wisely. Listen to more music - The more music that you are exposed to, the better guitarist you will become. Listen to the bands that you enjoy most and draw inspiration from them. Take note of what the musicians are doing in their songs and make a list of the techniques you want to learn. This can be the motivating force that gets you to play your guitar more often. Surround yourself with excellence - When you play your guitar with people who are better guitarists, you not only learn from them but feel motivated to push yourself to keep up. At first this idea seems obscure. Why would you expose yourself to that kind of stress? Let’s face it, if there’s one thing that will make you get motivated quickly it’s the fact that people are counting on you. Don’t play with musicians who are arrogant and rude. Embarrassment doesn’t foster self-esteem and will only get you down. The people you want to learn from are patient and understanding. Eventually you will find yourself at their level. It happens faster than you might think. Ask yourself what will you do when you obtain the skills you want – What do you want to do with what you learn? Perhaps you want to make a CD or join a band and play at some local venues. Start planning for it now and use what you currently have. This ties into setting goals but is not to be underestimated. Knowing how you want to use your talent is important. Create a vision and use goals to act on it. Whether you want to play for others, or to the wall in your bedroom, the choice is yours. Teach someone how to play guitar - To teach is to learn. If the only chord you know how to play is a G chord, show someone that. Why? Because it reaffirms what you know and solidifies your knowledge. I can tell you from personal experience that I have learned more through teaching than I ever learned through being taught. It forces you out of your comfort zone and when questions are asked, you need to know the answer. I’m a firm believer that anyone can teach someone something if they want to. Give it a shot and see the results for yourself. Believe in your ability - Yes, I know how cliché this sounds. However, you need to hear it. You can do anything you put your mind to and if you choose to play guitar well, chubby fingers or not, you can! Don’t listen to what others say and be true to yourself. This can be hard seeing as we live in a critical society that doesn’t realize how much words can hurt. Keep at it and surround yourself with supportive people. More of a life lesson than a guitar lesson, but as far as I’m concerned music is intertwined with daily living. You are incomparable - In case you haven’t picked up the hint yet, you are the ultimate guitarist. There is no one like you and there will never be anyone who even comes remotely close to being like you. Integrate who you are into your music and you will never have a shortage of material. Your music will soon form into your own tone and style. Learn what worked for others - Whether you research your favorite guitarist or talk to your guitar teacher, ask others what worked for them. I don’t claim to know all the answers but when everyone puts their heads together, some really neat ideas start to flow. Networking allows you to give and receive at the same time. Crush your weakness - We all know where we lack the most in the guitar realm. For me it’s in technique and finger picking, for others it’s something different. Whatever it is, don’t ignore it while enjoying your recent victory. Keep attacking your weak points and you’ll soon see improvement. The secret is that you never stop seeing problems and you continually get better over time. You’ll never be stuck without something to do. Take out a sheet of paper and write them down. Then find the resources you need to help you destroy them. It’s not unlike a war, but in the end you always win. Don’t Believe The Popular Myths You may be surprised to hear that a lot of the common advice distributed amongst guitarists couldn’t be farther from the truth. There are myths and tokens of advice that get passed along and guitarists like yourself use them. Try as hard as you like, but you’ll end up realizing that what meets you at the end of the road is failure. To avoid that, let’s look at some of the most common myths floating around: All good players can play all styles: While great in theory, it doesn’t work out in practice. Throughout the history of this newsletter, I have consistently pushed trying various genres of music and becoming a more cultured guitarist. However, no where will you ever hear me, or any other teacher, say that you should be able to master all of them. The fact is that it takes a lifetime to master one style. Some take up two genres that mix well together, such as blues and rock, but those genres are the exceptions. You will never hear a neoclassical shred guitarist play country. Many jazz musicians take decades to perfect their craft and even then they still see areas that need improvement. If you want to be a great guitarist, take the genre and style that you’re passionate about and focus on it. Don’t get distracted with other music. Your guitar heroes are heroes because they mastered a genre. Very few will ever play outside of their specialty and that’s just the reality. You either have “it” or you don’t: Let’s face it, some understand music more easily than others. That doesn’t mean that you can’t be as good as them. Everyone can play guitar, it just depends on the effort and time you want to put in. There are dozens of specialties within music and no one knows all of them from the time they are born. Perfect pitch is developed, as is technique and originality. Look at where you started from as opposed to where you are now. Would you say that you are just as original as you were when you first picked up the guitar? I know I’m not. While things may come easier to others, remember that we all have our own struggles within music and that we are in it together. To sound good, you need the best gear - The best gear is nice, and yes, you do sound better. However, it’s unnecessary for those who aren’t interested in professional music or are just starting out. Beginners love to see the rack of guitars at their local music store and say, “I want the $2000 one.” That was me for years but the truth is that a guitar of that caliber is useless to someone who can’t play it. Learn on something modest and work your way up. Not only will the experience be more rewarding, it’s also nicer on the instrument and your self-confidence. In the end, the guitar is only as good as the person who plays it. I have heard crappy guitars sound half-decent when played by someone who knew what they were doing. The same applies to you. For those who can afford $5,000 guitars, my advice is go for it. For the rest of us, I say save your money and work towards being the ultimate guitarist. Think about it, if you sound good on a crummy guitar, how much better will you sound on something that can really produce a good tone? You need to be the most talented to succeed- All too often, as mentioned above, we tend to compare ourselves to others. The ultimate guitarist is you meeting your goals and making progress. There will always be others who sound better in certain areas but who cares? Be the person you want to be and music will be far more enjoyable. Success is measured on a personal level, not n how many CD’s you sell. The famous musicians in today’s society often find themselves wishing they weren’t so pressured by record labels. They want to be in your shoes where they have the choice to do what they want to do. Enjoy yourself and the rest will fall into place. See how fun & easy teaching yourself to learn and master guitar really is with the help of Guitar Secrets. Did you know the reason why most beginner guitarists put learning guitar in the “too hard basket” is because they choose lessons without structure. These beginner guitar lessons cover the basics and move into more intermediate topics in the correct order. This article is courtesy of http://www.guitartips.com.au

Tags:

• TOP 10 WAYS TO LEARN GUITAR (1)

Download A Free Report How To Improve Your Playing

The other day, I came across another great website: Guitar Tips.

You can instantly download a really good free report “50 Ways To Dramatically improve Your Playing Today”.

You can also sign up for an email newsletter once a week with excellent tips on how to improve your playing.

They sell a couple different learn guitar courses that I haven’t tried yet. But I’m really enjoying their free stuff ).

10 Most Important Things When You Learn Guitar

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!

Tags:

• most important things to learn on guitar (37)
• important things to learn on guitar (10)
• most important in learn guitar (2)
• whats the most important thing in learning the guitar (1)
• what is the most important thing to practice when learning to play guitar (1)
• what is the most important thing to learn guitar (1)
• what is the most important thing to learn about playing guitar (1)
• what are the most important things to learn when learning guitar (1)
• what are important things to learn on guitar (1)
• recording yourself playing guitar (1)

Learn And Master The Guitar: How To Hold Your Guitar

The first thing when you learn to play guitar is how to hold the guitar properly.  If you can hold it, you can play it!

It is very important that you are relaxed and comfortable.  There are many factors to holding the guitar correctly, especially you body shape and the type of guitar you are playing.  There is no ‘one size fits all’, it is a matter of experimenting with different positions until you feel comfortable.

Consider finding a couple different ways of holding the guitar. Try changing your body position as you are playing.  Doing this will spread the load over your body and make it easier for you to play for extended periods of time without getting tired or suffering muscle fatigue.

As you sit with the guitar think of the different joints involved, your shoulder, wrist and elbow. If you find you have tension in any of these joints just relax, wriggle a bit and move on.  As you get more advanced you will relax – it is just a matter of persisting through the initial hurdles.

With familiarity comes relaxation so don’t worry if things are not where you want them right now – it is a challenge for the beginner and comes with time and practice.

Next Page »