Learn To 

Play Guitar Course

Click For More On Learn To Play Guitar Course!

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Learn Acoustic Guitar DVD: Learn Without Adquiring Bad Practice Habits

By Glenn Henderson

Understand that becoming a better guitarist means becoming a better musician as well. When developing your musical skills, make sure to think beyond skills that are specific to guitar.

Like you probably have done, I have read a ton of interviews with great players and articles written by many of these same players. I often found it frustrating whenever the subject of learning to play guitar came up or when advice was offered on improving one's playing. With a small number of exceptions, very little time and space was offered on this.

But for many people, it is a very disconcerting experience. I have gotten letters from people who have read some things I have written, and become afraid to practice! They are so aware of, and on their guard against, excess muscle tension, and the devastating effects for the developing player, they are afraid to touch a string!

Don't compare yourself to others. There is no need to do this anyway. Music should not be a competitive sport among people, only within yourself. Compare yourself only in relation to where you are in your strategy! Are you on your way to reaching your next short term and medium term goal towards your ultimate goals? Are you on schedule, does your strategy need to be revised?

As I have said, some people become paralyzed, afraid to play, afraid of undoing work done in practice sessions by what they do when they play. And for those who play professionally, it is of course, absolutely necessary that they continue to play, even if they are doing "remedial" work on their technique.

You can undo bad habits you have learned along the way. You can begin the process of undoing bad habits right away, when you begin to acquire the correct understandings, and use the approaches based on them.

Knowing the fact that the approach you use to learn the guitar is the key-determining factor in your success or failure to actually learn, this conclusion follow:

Work on a lick you want to learn. You'd be surprised how many times you can work through a lick in just a few short minutes. - 18423

About the Author:

Guitar Instructional DVD: Techniques, Tips And Grooves In Just One Pack

By Chris Ghiaciuc

Like you probably have done, I have read a ton of interviews with great players and articles written by many of these same players. I often found it frustrating whenever the subject of learning to play guitar came up or when advice was offered on improving one's playing. With a small number of exceptions, very little time and space was offered on this.

Its not uncommon to see the player's advice be summed up in a grand total of three words: Practice! Practice!! Practice!!! Well of course we all know that practicing is the main ingredient. But rarely are we told much more than that. In my long quest to become an excellent player and to help my students do the same I carefully took note of what worked and what didn't. What parts conventional wisdom is accurate and what parts are (at least in my opinion) are not. I believe the twenty concepts that have proven to bring great results to those who use them are:

Remember that its ok to daydream and fantasize about where you are planning to go, but it can't stop there. Don't wish without planning! Don't dream without doing! And always, always, have a strategy.

You may need to revise certain aspects of your strategy as time goes on and that's ok, but don't try to go forward without one if you want the maximum results in the shortest amount of time. In my early days learning to play guitar, I wasted a lot of time aimlessly desiring to get better without having a clue as to how to plan for it. Sure I practiced a lot, but without direction and without an efficient path to follow. Most of my substantial progress as a musician came only after I developed a strategy and worked with it.

The way you view yourself (as an artist and not merely someone who owns a guitar and plays it sometimes) is very important to the way you will think about what you are doing musically. The way you see yourself will also effect the results you will get as you are expressing yourself.

Now that we have the proper attitude in focus, let's talk about how to go about "managing" the process of changing bad playing habits. How do we actually conduct ourselves, and our practicing and playing? As I have said, some people become paralyzed, afraid to play, afraid of undoing work done in practice sessions by what they do when they play. And for those who play professionally, it is of course, absolutely necessary that they continue to play, even if they are doing "remedial" work on their technique.

I believe "Self Expression" is the pinnacle of all art. Anything less, "is less" in my opinion. I'm not going to debate that view or try to persuade any of you to also believe it. Instead I am going to assume you already hold that view and discuss ways in which I may be able to offer you both philosophical and practical advice.

For instance, practice chord changes. Perhaps switching from an F barre chord to a D open is driving you crazy. Spend ten minutes going over and over the change. - 18423

About the Author:

Acoustic Guitar Lessons DVD: Determine What and Where To Practice

By Rashad Holt

Imagine yourself having the skills that you desire. Focus on that and concentrate. Convince yourself that you can do it. Convince yourself that you are already on your way to reaching your first goal - because you are. Its easier to manifest your desires when you can imagine yourself already in possession of it. Keep your positive mental attitude always.

So you can barely squeeze in any time at all in a day to practice, huh? There are many of us that share the same dilemma, but by knowing what to practice in those short moments of time you can maximize your effort. For example, if you only have ten minutes in between jobs, or other things you need to do, here is a list of some of the things you can do:

Here is a simpler scenario for beginning players. Perhaps you suffer from the common complaint of not being able to change chords smoothly so you can sing that old favorite of yours without feeling like a new driver learning to drive a stick shift (go, stall, go, stall, etc.)

As weeks and months go by, your old "bad habit" will begin to weaken, it will change. It will be replaced by the new finger action you are training into the fingers. The important point to realize is that the new habit will take over, if you are doing the proper proportion of correct practice on the bad habit.

Merely playing the music where the bad habit displays itself will not disturb the changes you are building into the fingers by your powerful, correct practice. As time goes by, the new habit will begin to show itself in your playing, and become stronger and stronger.

Segovia (the classical guitar master) wasn't well rounded - he didn't waste his time to master jazz or bluegrass for example. Yngwie Malmsteen didn't study intense jazz guitar. Most great jazz guitarists don't study classical guitar or heavy metal guitar.

Stevie Ray Vaughn never learned to play fusion or metal. Great country players usually don't study Progressive Rock. Of course there are examples of players that do learn and play in more than one or two styles, but most of the really great guitarists are known for the style they focussed on.

Music just happens to be your medium and guitar just happens to be your instrument, but YOU are the artist. From this day forward when someone asks you what you do or who you are, don't reply by saying you are a guitarist or musician. - 18423

About the Author:

Which Guitar Amp Is Best For You?

By Frank Frederics

Everybody likes music and if you are a guitar player you want that the sound that is produced that your electric or acoustic guitar have the quality you want. The sound of the quality is determined in first place by the quality of the instrument and in second place by the amplification equipment you have.

For this purpose, you need a good guitar amp. Choosing a guitar amp is not a difficult task, and the only thing you need to know are some basic tips that will help you to get the perfect guitar amp.

There are several types of guitar amps and all of them have different level of power, equalization and other important features that will help you to produce a different and more powerful, less powerful sound.

If you have a simple electric acoustic guitar and you are going to play your guitar indoor in a place that don't require a large place, you can use a small guitar amp that can cost about $100 or less. There are different brands but I don't want to talk about brands. For choosing a guitar amp the most important thing is select a good brand and test your instrument in the shop you purchase your guitar amp.

There are a couple of options you can test in the same place you are attempting to purchase the guitar amp. Also there is a special guitar amp of bass guitars. Bass guitar require a stronger guitar amp in capacity and you never should connect a bass guitar in a simple guitar amp because it could cause problem to your equipment.

I highly recommend that you ask to the seller the guitar amps that are specially designed for electric guitars in the case you have an electric guitar. - 18423

About the Author:

Can An Effective Piano Instructor Teach Me Piano?

By Michael Mickey Charles

A common misconception when seeking a piano instructor is that if a person can play proficiently, then they can also teach piano to students as well. However, this is not always the case! Many people can play the piano but not all of them have the patience and necessary people skills to be a good teacher. In fact, more often than not, accomplished piano players do not have that patience or teaching skills.

Because high level pianists work hard to achieve success, many of them struggle with teaching the basics to new students. Their fingers are itching to run up and down the keyboard whereas new players hesitate and stutter. A number of these experienced or professional pianists derive little enjoyment and satisfaction in teaching beginning piano and do not want to relive their own humble beginnings by teaching new students. They would rather practice for themselves, elevating their own talents. What is demoralizing is that some of these accomplished pianists have no idea they feel this way until they start to teach new students. Not everyone is built to be a teacher. Therefore, it is important that you gauge the instructors personality, research their accomplishments and ask for their previous experience as a piano teacher.

Make sure that they are able to supply references and phone numbers to allow you to contact their past clients. Also, take into consideration what level their past clients were at when they first began, were they brand new to the instrument or had they received previous training? If I have no experience what so ever are you still able to teach me piano? Also, what was the highest level achieved while being given lessons from this particular instructor? These answers can help you make a very educated and well thought out decision of who to hire. If the instructor has only taught piano players that have already completed the basic lessons, then you may want to consider hiring someone else who has more experience teaching the absolute basic skills. If they have very few clients that achieved an intermediate to high level of training, this may mean that they are hard to work with, or are lacking the personal skills to stay with the same client over a lengthy period of time.

The irritations encountered when seeking a good piano instructor is the reason why more and more people look to high-tech solutions from their computer. The internet provides a wealth of options in the form of online piano lessons. There is also piano lesson software and movie DVDs too. These high-tech options are quite safe and have proven to be an effective way to learn a new instrument such as the piano. Computer based instruction is easy to follow and fits perfectly into most peoples schedules. - 18423

About the Author: