Guitar Improvement - Reasons You'll Play Better With Your Eyes Closed

By Kyle Hoffman

Guitarists can give some pretty good advice every now and then, but you know when something they tell you for guitar improvement sounds a little screwy. You might actually be wondering how having your eyes closed when you're trying to maneuver across an instrument with over twenty frets with six strings can be beneficial!

Actually, learning to play with your eyes closed will give you a much better understanding of your own playing habits, help you to better recognize parts of the guitar, and develop your ability to learn by ear. Check out these 6 reasons how playing with your eyes closed can push more improvement into your skills.

1. Improving your knowledge of familiar chords comes quicker. It seems like when you first begin learning basic chords, everything depends on your ability to see how you form them when that really isn't the case. Forming chords correctly is more about muscle memory and when you take your sight out of the equation, you have nothing to rely on but your ability to remember the formation of your fingers.

2. Your understanding of the fret board will increase. Sometimes when riffs are being played that have you jumping around to different frets up and down the board, you can get tangled up and start hitting wrong notes. If you were to practice those riffs with your eyes closed, you would find more guitar improvement on your ability to feel subtle differences between the different frets on the neck.

3. You can recognize your mistakes easier. When you're looking down at your hands and you're trying to get through a difficult guitar progression like walking through high mud, you might over-look some of your own fundamental mistakes. With your eyes closed however, those mistakes become bold statements that stick out in your perfect melody and you're almost forced to smooth them out.

4. Your memory will become better. Looking at the frets and where your fingers are going can sometimes cloud your memory when you have a few tunes to memorize. Without your sight, feeling your way through the song is much more effective and you'll find your memory improving with each practice.

5. Stylistic features in a song will become clearer. It's pretty easy to be able to copy the aspects of a song, but learning to play like the original writer or composer is difficult. Help your ability to recognize those small stylistic features in a song by shutting your eyes a few times.

6. You can learn to make better adjustments to song tempos. It's so extremely important to play along with a song's tempo that deciding to take your own will result in a musical train wreck. Avoid those musical catastrophes by adjusting to the song's speed without relying on your eyes, but just your ears and fingers.

There are so many ways to increase your guitar improvement, and any way that you can connect better with your instrument will help. Over your next few practices try a few standard pieces with your eyes closed and try to remember the music in everything but your vision. - 18423

About the Author:

Kyle Hoffman is an accomplished guitarist that enjoys performing on stage and just learning as a hobby. If you're looking to create a solid foundation to learn the guitar the RIGHT way, visit How To Guitar learn as part of Kyle's well-known guitar weblog, How To Guitar Tune

A Cross Section Of Premium Motion Picture Story Lines

By Alyce Herman

The list below has some good movie reviews. If you are looking for a movie download site here are some phrases to search. A good starting point might be "Movie Download Web Sites", after that try "DVD Movies" or "Internet DVD Rental".

Strange Behavior: This shocker in regards to a grisly murder in a tiny MidWestern town (shot in New Zealand!) got inexplicably excellent reviews in numerous places. You wonder what all the excitement was in reference to. Cast includes Michael Murphy, Louise Fletcher, Dan Shor, Fiona Lewis, Arthur Dignam, Scott Brady, and Charles Aisle. (98 minutes, 1981)

Strange Interlude: Talky Eugene O'Neill play becomes marathon of central opinions exposed only to spectators in journal of Gable, Shearer. It is about growing old without settling their complications. This is a preoccupying film, with Shearer at her brilliant best. Cast includes Norma Shearer, Clark Gable, Might Robson, Maureen O'Sullivan, Robert Youthful, Ralph Morgan, Henry B. Walthall, and Alexander Kirkland. (110 minutes, 1932)

Down to You: Prinze and Stiles futilely try to buddy us up by talking straight away into the camcorder, clarifying how their once idyllic college romance went bust (albeit not as bust as the film). In someway, this film manages to find room for subplots in reference to a Television show and a friend who has a try as an adult-film entrepreneur with a sort of bohemian knowledgeable porn actress. Cast includes Freddie Prinze, Jr., Julia Stiles, Shawn Hatosy, Selma Blair, Zak Orth, Ashton Kutcher, Rosario Dawson, Henry Winkler, and Lucie Amaz. (91 minutes, 2000)

The Delta Factor: Alright Mickey Spillane story in regards to a private eye on a ClA mission to save a scientist imprisoned on an island. Cast includes Christopher George, Yvette Mimieux, Diane McBain, and Ralph Taeger. (91 minutes, 1970)

The Buddy System: Desolate baby tries to play matchmaker between his lone mommy and a grown-up buddy, could-be novelist and tool creator Dreyfuss, however there are spiritual problems. Pleasantly played although excessively recognizable (and overlong) romantic comedy. Cast includes Richard Dreyfuss, Susan Sarandon, Nancy Allen, Jean Stapleton, Will Wheaton, Edward Fall, and Keene Curtis. (110 minutes, 1984)

Lars and the Real Girl: Sugary film in regards to socially shocked Gosling, who buys a life sized doll and treats her as if she's alive, to the appall of his older sibling, and brother in law, and the neighbors in their tight knit society. Luckily, an understanding physician (Clarkson) guides them in the right direction. Cast includes Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer, Patricia Clarkson, Kelli Gamer, and Paul Schneider. (106 minutes, 2007)

Blind Faith: 2 brothers, one a patrol commander and the other a defense attomey, find their relation and their own sense of self esteem as black gentlemen in 1950s America turned upside down while the commander's child is implicated in a murderer. Tough and striking drama, which opens in the late '80s, concentrates on the racial separate and unfair due process system. Cast includes Courtney B. Vanee, Charles S. Dutton, Kadeem Hardison, Lonette McKee, and Garland Whitt. (107 minutes, 1998)

The Sugarland Express: Exact amusement, based on truth, in regards to a youthful couple escaping to Sugarland, Texas, to recover their child (whom they decline to give up for adoption), and the cops who chase them all the way through Texas. Cast includes Goldie Hawn, Ben Johnson, Michael Sacks, William Atherton, Steve Kanaly, and Louise Latham. (109 minutes, 1974)

So Dark the Night: Renowned Parisian investigator is set to work throughout his holy day in the French country side. An impressively made B film, something of a sleeper in its time, agonizes only for absence of appeal on the part of its (mainly obscure) cast. Cast includes Steven Geray, Micheline Cheirel, Eugene Borden, Ann Codee, Egon Brecher, and Helen Freeman. (71 minutes, 1946)

This short list is an example of the variety of films you can find online that you can download. Don't forget, search with terms like "Movies On Line" and "Full Movies Online" to find download sites. You can search "Movie Download Sites" if the others don't help you. - 18423

About the Author:

What makes a movie download illegal? Movies Download The source of a movie download will determine the picture quality. Xbox 360 cannot play a movie download that is MPEG-4 formatted.

The Tone Woods of Acoustic Guitar

By Eugene Walker

Believe it or not, your sound is only as good as your wood. Each wood has a very distinct sound that is individual to every acoustic guitar. Like a finger print, it cannot be recreated, even if another piece of wood is taken from the same source.

This is due to the wood's unique characteristics. Perhaps there are knots in the wood, or a slightly different grain pattern. Maybe there are some other subtle differences but in the end, it all affects how the wood resonates. Resonate is a fancy word for vibration, which is what wood does when you attach strings to it.

How freely the wood resonates will affect your volume (how loud you are) and your tone as a result of that. This explains why that plywood (laminate) guitar sitting in the pawnshop or music store doesn't sound that great: The wood is too stiff to vibrate freely.

That's why you may frequently hear the saying "Solid top". While that may sound great in a sales pitch, the reason it's actually important is that it's real wood, not plywood. This transforms your tone to give you a much nicer sounding guitar.

Before the wood actually gets to your guitar, it undergoes quite a few steps. First off, most tone woods are either industrially logged. This is common for many production model guitars. Still sounds great in most cases, but there are some imperfections.

Higher end guitars have their wood hand selected. It is usually cut by hand and the select chunks are chosen for quality and then shipped back to home base for further processing.

Most manufactures of decent acoustic guitars season their woods for a period of time. This removes excess moisture and hardens the fats, oils, murr (gum), and other sticky things that are naturally found in wood. This seasoning protects the wood from warping and prepares it structurally for the building stage.

From that point, a piece of wood is then book matched. This is the process where one single cut of wood is sliced into two pieces. This forms two identical pieces of wood, which can then be used for the front or back of the guitar. That explains why you have that line running down the back of your guitar (it's usually white). That line just covers up the seam.

Now, onto the woods. Here are some of the neatest and powerful woods out there:

Spruce - Spruce is an extremely strong wood, which is important for building a guitar. It offers some very nice crisp highs and a much more powerful volume. Great wood choice. Used on the majority of guitars.

Cedar - Slightly more mellow than Spruce and has a very warm feel to it. It has a beautiful glow and is aesthetically pleasing.

Maple - A great all round wood that offers a good balance of highs, mids and lows. This is something that many guitarists desire for an all round good projection and clean sound. However, because of this equal balance, it can also sound quite flat for the acoustic world so it's often used on electrics. It is highly desired for it's beautiful grain and lusture.

Koa - Known for it's high range, Koa is known for it's solid tone. It doesn't have a good bass response but makes up for it in the high end of the dynamic sound spectrum.

Mahogany - Great projection and nice treble. The flatpickers dream when combined with the dreadnaught body type because it offers such a great response and tone.

Brazilian Rosewood - This wood is probably the most wanted piece of wood for guitars in the world. It's becoming increasingly rare as it's becoming extinct, therefore jacking up the price tremendously. It offers a huge bass response with nice treble and mids. Unfortunately, most only come on limited edition guitars that are at the top end of the price spectrum.

Indian Rosewood - The more popular alternative to Brazilian Rosewood and is far more accessible. Has virtually the same tonal characteristics, just not as powerful. It's used on most professional guitars.

Cocobolo - My personal favorite! In my humble opinion, it takes many characteristics from the above woods and combines them to form a truly unique sound. It produces a great bass, awesome volume and phenomenal overtones. This wood will most likely be on my next acoustic. I suggest you do the same.

...Keep in mind that there are many, many more species of tone woods available to you. There are also some great subtypes of the above woods. For example, Taylor guitars use Sitka Spruce on many of their models and limited edition guitars. It's in the family of spruce, but offers something different.

In the end, the above comments are extremely subjective. While I have played many of the woods mentioned above, my ear likes things that your ear may not. The only way to find out is to hunt them down and try them for yourself. Many companies use the above woods listed, so it shouldn't be extremely difficult. - 18423

About the Author:

Want to download free guitar guitar backing tracks? Visit Planet of Rock to improve your lead guitar playing and get access to ozzy backing tracks today.

Some Short Hollywood Movie Reviews To Look At

By Max Kline

For years now, the video store was the way to get movies. These days you can stay at home and get movies from a movie download site. Below is a sample of some of the movies you can find using movie download sites.

Educating Rita: This is an amusing adaptation of Willy Russell's level play in reference to a youthful working class spouse who desires to better herself, and chooses boozy professor Caine as her mentor. Walters is phenomenal in her film debut performing her role and Caine has one of his best roles as her mentor. Cast includes Michael Caine, Julie Walters, Michael Williams, Maureen Lipman, Jeananne Crowley, and Malcolm Douglas. (110 minutes, 1983)

Dennis The Menace: This is a movie version of the 1950's comic strip. With his parents out of town Dennis is staying with the neighbors Mr. and Mrs. Wilson. As usual Dennis is making life miserable for poor Mr. Wilson.

The Game: Nicolas Van Orton is a very wealthy man who has it all, but is bored stiff. Then, all of a sudden, his world is turned upside down. Nicolas is drawn into an impossible and intriguing situation. His life is turned upside down. This wild adventure he is on, is actually planned, it is a birthday gift from his brother Conrad.

Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade: The Nazis are still looking for religious artifacts. Now they are hunting for the Holy Grail. Indiana's father has gone missing in Europe. He was also seeking the Grail. Now on a desperate search, Indiana tries to find his father, and the Grail.

Meet The Spartans: This is an outrageous spoof of the epic movie 300. Wearing leather underwear and capes, 13 Spartans will take on the Persian army. The Spartans will have to battle the like of: Ghost Rider, Rocky, Paris Hilton, and many more.

Night of the Blood Monster: Lee is fine as Magistrate Jeffrey's who is a vicious judge presiding over "Bloody Assizes" after the Monmouth Revolt opposing Baron James II. The film itself is monotonous and grisly. Cast includes Christopher Lee, Maria Schell, Leo Genn, Maria Rohm, and Margaret Lee. (84 minutes, 1970)

Pearl Harbor: This epic movie looks at the devastation of that eventful day, December 7, 1941 when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. This story follows the incredible courage of a nurse and two daring pilots, who bravely move forward, all the time trying to deal with the overwhelming catastrophe before them.

Ricochet: Nick Styles is now the assistant DA of Los Angeles. Years ago, as a rookie cop, he helped put master criminal Earl Talbot Blake behind bars. Now Blake has escaped from prison. He has only one thing on his mind, revenge.

The Last Run: Average story of aging gangland driver who has to make one more run for his self image. Incredible photography shot by Sven Nykvist. Cast includes George C. Scott, Tony Musante, Trish Van Devere, and Colleen Dewhurst. (99 minutes, 1971)

Remember, be creative and use phrases like "Online Movie Rental". If a search does not yield a good result, try different searches. You should punch in "Online Movie Downloading" for another set of results. - 18423

About the Author:

If you take part in peer sharing movie download programs, you can end up with viruses and sub par quality downloads. Buy Free Online You put them in a very bad position, and should feel guilty about what you're doing. You can typically get free movie downloads as part of a movie rental membership.

Make Your Own Beats Using The Best Software-Take Your Music Production To Another Level

By Jason Harold

The proper software to make beats will bring your beat making skills up another notch. You will find it hard finding a good software to make beats if you listen to what everybody told you because people have their own opinion about which software is the best to make beats.

The truth is, there really isn't a better software to make beats that the one best for you. In order to make the best beats you can make you have to find the right software to help you. When you have the right software at your disposal you will eventually become a master at beat production.

How Do I Find The Right Software For Myself ?

Decide if the software you currently own can take you to level your trying to reach. It has to be able to provide you with all the functions that can help you make all the different styles you desire to make. Once you know what you need in a beat making software you can begin finding the right one that fits your profile well.

If you are missing something in your beat making equipment then you should know what you need to make your music production complete. There are some expensive beat making softwares out there that can cost more than most beat makers budget. This is the reason why many beat makers don't have the equipment they need to make the best beats possible.

Thankfully, you don't have spend your budget to get a quality beat making production setup. You can acquire a very inexpensive software to make beats which contains a lot of different sounds and samples you can play with. If your on a budget then this software is something you should take a look at because it gives you:

1. Produce music in all styles.

2. Export every beat you make as an MP3 file.

3. Win prizes when you show off your beats.

You can start producing nice beats with the proper software to help you. You can always improve as a beat maker and the right software will allow you to do so. - 18423

About the Author:

Don't settle for programs that have more flaws than benefits Click Here and bring a look at the top Programs To Make Beats that will bring your music production to the next level.