Vital Steps for Soloing Success in Lead Guitar learning
September 3, 2010 by Cyn
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There are various reasons we learn to play guitar. While some want to be like rock stars and get all the glamour and fame that comes with it, others simply want to learn how to play guitar and sing along just to impress girls. Irrespective of the aim of your quest to learn guitar, the actual guitar learning and play is what separates the wana-be guitar players and those that actually play. As in most things in life, learning guitar takes lots of practice and dedication. If you really want to learn how to play lead guitar, then read the following three steps very well.
The first thing you must do is to learn as much arpeggios and scales as you possibly can. All the solo guitar works have been known to face serious obstacles by the players' inability to master much scales and arpeggios. You have to ensure that you can play them is as many ways as possible. Playing them in many different keys are also very important.
The second vital step you should take to be able to properly play guitar is to try jamming along with your favorite song after you must have learnt and mastered some arpeggios and scales. You will be able to learn more and faster too if you can device good practice methods and try to record your self while playing rhythm guitar and then follow it up by trying to solo over it. You don't have to concentrate on the notes and how they sound whenever you are improvising. It may be quite tempting to start playing very fast soon as you grab bits of guitar playing but it is very necessary you remember that you have to learn to be accurate before trying to play fast. It will be easier for you to recognize how any scale would sound over a certain cord if you can easily rip through it and figure out a good ending point to make it sound fluid.
Third vital step towards learning how to play lead guitar is by indulging in practices that would help to build finger dexterity. And help to synchronize the pick hand with the fret hand. The practice isn't like drinking a cup of coffee but you will gain speed by adequately learning it. These, may seem burdensome at the beginning but by the time you get more matured as a guitar player, you will discover that these ‘simple' exercises are quite useful while warming up before practices.
Learning how to play guitar may seem demanding but the experience is quite rewarding. If you don't play guitar, you are definitely missing the exhilarating feelings in the world that are cause by merely wailing out a hot guitar lick. Playing guitar can never be termed a lazy man's idle because of the work and dedication that is required.
You should simple follow the tips mentioned above to learn guitar playing but don't forget that you have to memorize as many arpeggios and scale as possible.
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Vital Steps for Soloing Success in Lead Guitar learning
Do You Want To Learn And Master Guitar?
August 27, 2010 by Cyn
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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!
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Author Elizabeth Davis
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Do you want to learn Guitar?
August 25, 2010 by Cyn
Filed under Online Guitar Lessons
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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!
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Do you want to learn Guitar?
Learn Guitar By Playing Easy Guitar Songs
August 20, 2010 by Cyn
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There is a lot of information and courses available, and to be honest, some of them are very good. Of course, you’ll need to beware the rip-off offers, where the tag line reads “learn how to play the guitar Instantaneously”. That isn’t achievable, never was, never will be. But in case you do discover the proper site and stick with a learning program which you find motivating and enjoyable, you are going to definitely be able to learn to play acoustic or electric guitar. It will take work, but it is more than worth it in the long run.
Practice is key, and practice you must if you’d like to grow to be a good guitarist. You’ll find that practicing the exact same techniques every single day can get somewhat tedious, that’s why it’s essential that you start learning to play easy guitar songs beside your standard exercises. Having the ability to perform songs is the goal of learning the guitar, but more importantly, learning songs will develop your technique, and keep you motivated at the same time.
For instance, take a look at the way in which I’ve been teaching beginners for many years:
- Teach my students elemental guitar techniques
- Polish and advance the basic techniques though learning beginner guitar songs
- Next I teach my students how to play chords
- Next, don’t just play chords randomly, practice all of them by playing songs
- Rinse and repeat, so work on other techniques refine the new techniques by using them in songs
To put it briefly, I’ve found that difficult exercise routines wipe out all enthusiasm a guitar student has. However, practicing any technique in the context of a guitar song, a song that is famous and will cause the student pleasure when playing, will motive the student to practice the technique. And rest assured, practice enough, and you will be able to do it soon, guaranteed. This method of learning the guitar works, no question about it.
So returning to the original question of whether you can learn how to play the guitar by yourself, my answer is a definite yes. Mind you, learning the guitar will take practice, and lots of it if you want to become a good guitarist. The most famous guitarists were beginners at one time as well, they went through the exact same process as you are about to. Learning how to play the guitar will be a bit more challenging from time to time, but remember that you are learning a wonderful new hobby, one which will cause you, your friends and family countless hours of happiness down the line.
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Learn Guitar By Playing Easy Guitar Songs
Learn To Play Guitar While Mastering Simple Beginner Guitar Songs
August 20, 2010 by Cyn
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Training yourself how to play the electric/acoustic guitar requires time and perseverance, but the outcome will be more than worth it, you are going to never look back. Firstly, make sure you find a high quality, highly regarded website to learn the guitar from. I’ve come across numerous websites, which I will not name in this article, which attempt to get amateur guitar players to believe they can become a guitar god over a weekend. However, this is not possible for a number of reasons, but you are going to discover for yourself once you begin playing. Getting good takes practice, that is the ultimate key of learning guitar.
Practice is vital, and practice you must if you want to become a good player. You will find that practicing the same techniques every day can get monotonous, that is why it really is essential that you start learning how to play easy guitar songs beside your normal exercises. Having the ability to play songs is the ultimate end goal of learning your guitar, but more importantly, learning songs will develop your technique, and help you stay enthusiastic at the same time.
For example, have a look at how I have been teaching beginner guitarists for many years:
- Teach my guitar students fundamental guitar techniques
- Polish and advance the essential techniques though learning easy guitar songs
- Afterwards, learn to play guitar chords, and the way to change between them
- After that, you should not simply play chords randomly, practice all of them by playing songs
- Master more techniques
- And keep on practicing the fresh techniques in real songs
The above approach to learning how to play the guitar guarantees that the student will continue to be motivated, and that is key to getting adequate practice. If you merely practice monotonous exercise routines day after day, chances are that you will have enough of practicing the guitar after about 2 weeks… But if you learn to use your newfound skills to actually make music, you will definitely remain motivated and keep on practicing. You can expect to desire to practice even more, since you’ll want to play the song perfectly. And the more you play, the better you become, this is a fact.
Learning how to play guitar online is especially possible these days, there is no question about it. Be sure you find a website that offers a well structured approach to learning, and you are going to be off to an excellent start already. Learning how to make music is among the best things I have ever done for myself and my family and friends, I hope you will do the same.
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Learn To Play Guitar While Mastering Simple Beginner Guitar Songs
Short On Spare Time? Learn Guitar Online! That Almost Rhymed!
August 20, 2010 by Cyn
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Like many people have started doing with their education, you can now learn to play the guitar online. And just like taking online courses for school, it requires self-discipline and dedication to become successful. Many people aspire to learn things outside of work, but when you are tied down with priorities like family, school and work, it’s almost impossible to find time for guitar lessons. Now, thanks to the internet, people can learn to play guitar online.
There are many companies that allow you the opportunity to learn to play the guitar online, by offering lessons through the internet. Having the ability to download the content of each lesson and practice them in the comfort of your own home allows for you to learn guitar at your own pace. There may be no instructor to personally guide you through the learning process, but when you’re learning the guitar online, there is a huge community waiting to answer any questions you may have.
Having no instructor to look over your shoulder requires you to give each lesson your full attention and time that’s required to learn the guitar. Leaving you with no motivation but yourself to keep pushing you on your way to learning the guitar.
A key difference between personal lessons and online lessons is the amount of attention you will receive from the instructor. While a live instructor can challenge you to play more difficult pieces by playing for you and getting you to try it too, a virtual instructor cannot convey the same challenge and urgency. Bringing up the subject once again, that you must be truly dedicated to learning guitar, be it through private lessons or learning online.
Online classes are normally self-paced, but there is usually also a set time in which you should complete each lesson. This keeps your attention throughout the whole course so you’re not procrastinating.
So for those of you who are short on spare time to take formal lessons. Learning guitar online is a great alternative as it allows you to learn at your own pace, in the comfort of your own home. Oh and did I mention it was cheaper?
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Short On Spare Time? Learn Guitar Online! That Almost Rhymed!
Guitar Lesson — How to Deal With Double Sharps and Double Flats
August 17, 2010 by Cyn
Filed under Guitar Learning & Playing Tips, Online Guitar Lessons
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On occasion, you may, as a guitarist, run into a situation where you will run into double sharps and flats. The good news is that it is rare in popular music. The bad news is that you still may run across them now and then, and you may as well learn how to cope with them.
Let’s start this off by talking about keys and major scales in particular.
Recall that major scales have a formula ( 1 + 1 + 1/2 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1/2)
There are also rules concerning the construction of these things:
1. You must use every letter of the musical alphabet ( ABCDEFG ). You cannot skip a letter. Ever.
2. You must use the major scale formula.
3. You must never mix sharps and flats in the same scale. A major scale will have sharps in it, or flats in it, or none of either.
So, if I wanted to construct an A major scale, I would start off with rule number 1 — Use every letter.
A B C D E F G.
Now it becomes a matter of whether or not there are any sharps or flats. So let’s apply the formula:
1 step above A is B
1 step above B is C#
1/2 step above C# is D
1 step above D is E
1 step above E is F#
1 step above F# is G#
1/2 step above G# is A
So my A major scale is: A B C# D E F# G# A (There are 3 sharps in this key C#, F# and G#)
Most of your “pop keys” will not have more than 5 sharps, but what if I’m in the key of G#? Let’s construct this headache of a scale:
1. Use every letter. I will start by using G# because I know that that is the key. I also know that I will be using sharps and not flats because I cannot violate the rule that concerns mixing sharps and flats. But at this point I don’t know where these are so:
Rule number 1 — Use every letter. G# A B C D E F G#
Rule number 2 — Apply formula ( 1 1 1/2 1 1 1 1/2 )
1 step above G# is A#
1 step above A# is B#
1/2 step above B# is C##
1 step above C## is D##
1 step above D## is E##
1 step above E## is F##
1/2 step above F## is G#
G# A# B# C## D## E## F## G#
Look at all of the pretty double sharps! What’s up with that and how did they get there?
In truth, these guys are a pain for any musician. It forces even the best and most cultured musicians to “think fast” (as you can imagine). But they are not hard to understand if you know what a sharp (#) really does.
A sharp (#) raises a note 1/2 step. That is the definition of a sharp. So, for example a C## is a C raised a half step twice.
Now let’s look at the Chromatic Scale:
A A#/Bb B C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A
Recall that this baby is a 1/2 step scale. That is, the numeric distance between each and every note in this scale is 1/2 step.
Now, what does a sharp do? It raises a note 1/2 step.
That means that if I wanted to (I wouldn’t, by the way) I COULD express a D as A##### (D raised a 1/2 step 5 times)
1/2 step up from A is A# (raise number 1)
1/2 step up from A# is B (raise number 2)
1/2 step up from B is C (raise number 3)
1/2 step up from C is C# (raise number 4)
1/2 step up from C# is D (raise number 5)
Fortunately you will never, ever see this to this extent — it’s too demented even for classical music.
But you will see double sharps on occasion.
So going back to the despised G# major scale
G# A# B# C## D## E## F## G#
A B# is really a C, but because of the rules of major scales it has to be represented as a B#.
A C## is really a D, but because of that rule, it has to be represented as a C##.
A D## is really an E.
An E## is really an F# (This one’s fun!)
An F## is really a G
So, if you have the misfortune of seeing a piece of music in the key of G#, you might run across an E##m7 chord — which is really F#m7!
Now ain’t that special?
Again, you may play for years before you are forced to deal with something like this on a practical level (and certainly not to this extent. A piece of music will be written in Ab rather than G#). But sooner or later you will, so it’s important that you understand what’s going on.
Now dealing with double flats is the same problem — only in reverse. The definition of a flat is to lower a note 1/2 step.Double flats are far less common though. If you can understand double sharps, you won’t have much of a problem understanding double flats.
10 Easy Ways To Improve Your Guitar Playing Today
October 3, 2009 by Cyn
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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.
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…
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 |
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Learn And Master How To Train Your Ear
March 29, 2009 by Cyn
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What do we mean when guitar players say that someone “has a good ear?”
Actually, the term can mean several things. When someone has a good ear, they can accomplish at least one of the following:
1) they can identify, usually by note name, the various pitches that they hear, and sing those pitches in tune;
2) they can identify chords by name; and/or
3) they can identify instruments or a combination of instruments within a musical work.
Having a good ear is something that most musicians strive for and an important skill for everybody who wants to learn guitar. Having a bad ear means that you can’t recognize or label the music you are hearing.
I know how important a good ear is for playing guitar. If you are a songwriter or guitar player, having a good ear is vital because the best way to improve your songwriting craft is to listen to the music of the professionals. But if you can’t really identify what you are hearing, you’re missing out on opportunities to improve your guitar playing. Throughout my years as a music teacher, I have observed something interesting and very important. The marks that my students make in music theory studies are usually very close to the marks they receive in ear training. And more than that, I can usually gauge how a student is going to do in one course by looking at their progress in the other. For example, students who do well in theory but poorly in ear training will usually see their ear training marks rise over time. And students who have great ears but weak theory skills will generally experience better marks in theory over time. In other words, music theory and ear training go hand in hand. The first and most important thing you can do to improve your ear is to improve your theory skills. Why? When you understand how music is structured, your ears have a reason for what they are hearing.
Here’s one good example. In any key, there are three or four certain chords that work well to reinforce that key, and are more likely to occur than any other chords. Knowledge of theory helps you know and identify those chords. So when you are listening to music and trying to identify the chords you are hearing, you can focus in the most likely choices. Besides improving your theory skills, here are some other pieces of advice for you:
1) Try some of the ear training websites that are out there. Just do a search for “online ear training” and you’ll find lots of resources that can help.
2) Try purchasing some ear training software. These days, most university aural perception programs incorporate computerized training into their curriculum.
3) Try writing down the melodies that you hear being played. Transcribing music in this manner actually does not require strong music reading skills, and you will find that what skills you do possess will improve greatly and quickly. Take a simple song, and play it on your CD player a bit at a time, writing down whatever notes you hear. Even if you aren’t sure of the rhythms, write whatever pitches you can. If you’re stuck on a note, find it on your guitar, and then write it down. This is the best ear training exercise there is!
Practicing your guitar playing is crucial to becoming a better musician. But be certain that you don’t neglect your ear!
Gary Ewer is the author of The Essential Secrets of Songwriting and Gary Ewer’s Easy Music Theory. He is currently an instructor in the Dept. of Music, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_26528_48.html This article was written by: Gary Ewer http://www.secretsofsongwriting.com
Occupation: Instructor, Dalhousie University. Gary Ewer is a Halifax born composer, arranger, clinician and music teacher. He received his Bachelor of Music degree from Dalhousie University in 1982. He continued studies in composition at McGill University under alcides lanza and John Rea. Returning to Halifax in late 1985, he taught trumpet, theory and history at the Maritime Conservatory of Music. In 1990 he began teaching in the public school system in Halifax, primarily at St. Patrick
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Playing Lead Guitar In A Band
March 15, 2009 by Cyn
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A successful band is more than a group of good musicians – There are many other factors besides musicianship that affect the success of a group. Today I would like to outline some of them so that you may avoid the pitfalls and problems that all bands face when trying to achieve success.
Firstly, I would like to talk about group direction. Before anyone even thinks about picking up their instrument, the direction of the group should be discussed and agreed upon. There are a few different directions a band can go. A ‘60/40’ group is one that plays approximately 60% old pop standards and 40% ‘top 40’ tunes. A band heading in this direction will play most of its gigs at dances, hotels, weddings etc. and can be assured of a steady income. Recognition for a band like this will probably be restricted to a local level.
Another direction a band can head is to play mainly original material and aim for a recording contract and tours. A band heading in this direction will not make a lot of money until they are well known.
When starting a group, it may be better to go with a ‘60/40’ group to gain experience and money for better gear. Whichever group you decide on, make sure that you all agree on the number of musicians, the types of instruments and the style of music that you are going to play.
You must choose a style of music that everyone in the band enjoys. It is a good idea to listen to other established groups playing live to gauge the popularity of different styles and to get a feel for which genre you would like to play in. Once you have decided upon a style, stick to it. You will notice that your crowd will get smaller because you are playing to a niche market; but you need to remember that you can’t please everyone and it is far better to give really pleasing shows to a select group than average shows to many.
It is extremely important to think about the structure of your band. Basically, a group can be broken down into two parts – the ‘rhythm section’ and the ‘lead section’. The ‘rhythm section’ includes the bass guitarist, the drummer and the rhythm guitarist. It is the job of the rhythm section to lay down the beat of the piece of music. The drummer and bassist should work together to set the beat up; the rhythm guitarist should fill the beat to give the whole rhythm a full finish.
The ‘lead section’ includes the lead guitarist the vocalist and other things like the keyboardist etc. This section should work together to embellish upon the beat that the rhythm section sets up.
It is important that each member does their part and does not overdo it. You must remember that you are working as a team in order to achieve a combined sound.
If your band is really serious about getting out and playing and making a real impact on the music scene, then you should spend a lot of time on rehearsal – probably more time on that than anything else (apart from maybe sleep). It is important to be organized and to not let each other down as bands often breakup over commitment issues. When you start rehearsal, make sure that you have a goal for the session and that you keep record of what you achieve.
Rehearsal is important but I really can’t stress enough to you the importance of playing to a crowd. You will gain 20 times the amount of experience on stage as you would in the rehearsal room. Work on a good stage appearance and think about the things that you are going to say to your audience. It is most important to connect with your audience. You should practice these things in the rehearsal room.
It’s not all band work – you need to practice by yourself as well. Think of it as your responsibility to the other members in the band to keep your skill level up/increasing and to know your parts as best you can before you get to rehearsal. You will save countless hours if you work on band music outside of band rehearsal.
The most important thing when it comes to making a successful and tight band is unity. If the band works as one, it will achieve good things.
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