Friday, October 13, 2006

 

Guitar improvisation and soloing

This is a series of 6 online lessons, apparently free where Pat Baxter offers valuable tips on guitar improvisation.
The information is free so as to bring attention to his new book called 'Rockin' The Modes'. If you like the lessons then check out the book aswell.

Guitar improvisation and soloing
To be able to improvise effectively you must be aware of, and familiar with, the music you're soloing over. Not to say you have to know the song inside-out, but you have to be able to identify the structure of the progression (what chords are being played) in order to to select what scales would compliment these chords. Then, to take it one step further, decide what notes in these scales on which to focus.

That's where the Major Scale comes in.


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Tips on recording guitar

This informative article by Recording Engineer Michael Laskow covers the basics of how to get a good sound when recording acoustic guitars.  Some great technical advice along with a set of 8 'rules' to follow.

I personally am not too happy about 2 of the rules he mentions but the rest of what he says I am in complete agreement with.:

Rule 2
• New strings will always sound better for recording than old.

This is correct, however, new strings at the time of recording WILL tend to go out of tune quite quickly and will most probably ocur whilst you are actually recording a take so the begginning of the number might be in tune but by the end it will not. New strings for recording do sound great but it is best to change them a couple of weeks before hand at least.


Rule 7 • A limiter/compressor will almost always help you get a better sound.

I also agree with this BUT there are very few people (and actually very few engineers) who really know how to use a limitor/compressor correctly. Improper use of a compressor will undoubtedly deteriorate the quality of the sound.  A well recorded guitar without compression will definately sound better than a guitar recorded and processed with a limitor/compresor that has been badly applied.

Here is the link to the article in full:
Audio Recording Center: Acoustic Guitar Techniques, Article
Recording The Acoustic Guitar

While the acoustic guitar remains one of the most simple instruments by design, it also remains one of the hardest to get a great sound on in the studio. It's really not brain surgery, but knowing some of the basic laws of physics doesn't hurt. Unfortunately, I skipped school that day and didn't learn my physics, so I had to learn how to get a great acoustic guitar sound one mistake at a time. After making those mistakes, I sat down and formulated these laws which are considered to be the Ten Commandments of recording the acoustic guitar (by me anyway).


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Interview with guitarist David Chastain

Guitarist David Chastain talks to GuitarWorld.Com about his career, learning the guitar and some of his production / Playing techniques

Guitar World
David T. Chastain’s playing is so varied from one release to another it is sometimes difficult to believe it’s the same guy. But Chastain manages to sound like himself even while playing guitar chameleon, equally adept at metal, neo-classical, fusion and progressive rock. Chastain has appeared on over 50 releases as guitar player and many more as producer.


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Wednesday, October 11, 2006

 

Learning Guitar

Read how learning to read Guitar TAB charts changed this teenager's way of learning guitar.

There is also a great rhythm guitar lesson on video to check out.


Learning Guitar - Report - New York Times
FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD Joe Hospodor parts his hair like Gregory Peck and plays surf music on an old-fashioned Telecaster guitar. This retro-minded teenager from Los Gatos, Calif., says he admires the Pink Floyd legend David Gilmour, but draws the line at Green Day: “I detest Green Day.”


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Top 5 Beginner Acoustic Guitars

Dan Cross takes a look at some of the best models of acoustic guitars for beginners.

The guitars covered are:

Seagull S6

Yamaha F310

Takamine G-240

Fender DG-7

Epiphone DR-100


Top Five Beginner Acoustic Guitars
 Your Guide to Guitar.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!
Buying a guitar can be an intimidating process, especially if you've never purchased one before. There are so many factors to consider, and so many guitars available, novices will surely feel overwhelmed. Fear not - help is available. The following five lower priced acoustic guitars all offer great value for their respective price tags.


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Play Better Classical Guitar

The title of this article says it all.

f you are a classical beginner then take a look...  you might be surprised at how close you are to becoming a better, more compitent player.

Play Better Classical Guitar - How to Quickly Advance from a Beginner to an Intermediate
The classical guitar is a difficult instrument to learn how to play. It takes perseverance and a lot of practice but with some practical tips you can make the transition from beginner to intermediate very quickly.

Play Better Classical Guitar - How to Quickly Advance from a Beginner to an Intermediate

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Tuesday, October 10, 2006

 

Tim Roth Video Lesson #1

Last month we reviewed the latest video lesson by Into Eternity's Tim Roth.
This has proved so popular that we have provided a link here to the first ever lesson that he published.

Enjoy.


YouTube - Timeless Winter Guitar Lesson
Guitar Lesson by Tim Roth of Into Eternity.
Summer 2006

 

Gibson Offer Guitar Lessons

gibson.com is the place to be.

Gibson have hired some huge names in guitar playing and have compiled a multi style, multi level interactive guitar school online that is apparently free and open to anyone.

I just checked it out, you can choose your style, teacher, level, instrument, and the type of tuition you are looking for (lesson, exercise, technique or tool).

I was impressed and will certainly be spending a lot of time there.


Jazz News :: Gibson Guitar Launches Online Guitar Lessons
Gibson Guitar Launches Online Guitar Lessons

Gibson Guitar, the world's premiere musical instrument manufacturer has announced Gibson Guitar Lessons on line with some of the world's greatest musicians on the company's website. Working closely with great companies like Homespun and Hal Leonard, Gibson offers fans the opportunity to learn lessons live on the web from featured artists like Hubert Sumlin and Sonny Osborne.


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New Guitar Training Product

Take a look at this press release about a New Guitar Training Product recently launched.


10 DVDs, 5 CDs, 100 page lesson manual and suplimental web material.

PRICE: $249 (temporary offer price of $199)
With full 60 Day money back guarantee.

New Guitar Training Product: Guitar Lessons for Serious Students
Learn & Master Guitar is the perfect product for students looking for serious guitar lessons that have grown frustrated with trying to learn from books, software, or cheap introductory videos with little useful content.

(PRWEB) September 26, 2006 -- Learn & Master Guitar is the perfect product for students looking for serious guitar lessons that have grown frustrated with trying to learn from books, software, or cheap introductory videos with little useful content.


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Monday, October 09, 2006

 

Guitar forums

Guitar.com - Promises to be a great site when it is up and running.

In the mean time, you just have to get over to their FORUMS

http://www.guitar.com/discuss/default.asp

They are HUGE and there are so many to browse.

::: Guitar.com - Launching soon :::
Welcome!

The new guitar.com is in production. We hope you’ll come back to see what we’ve done, it’s pretty exciting. The new guitar.com will be a place for guitarists to interact musically and socially. We’ve developed Rype, a desktop application that allows musicians to record, edit and produce music. Rype has a social network built around it to allow musicians to collaborate, send each other music files, projects for collaboration, video chat, voice chat and instant message via Skype. Form virtual bands on guitar.com, then launch Rype, produce your songs and post them for sale on iTunes.


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Chord Chart for Cell Phone

What will they think of next... Chord chart for your cell phone?

Check it out

Chords4U Announces The Availability Of Guitar Chord Finder Pro – A Chord Dictionary For Your Cell Phone

7 September, 2006


Follow research amongst fellow musicians’ chords4u, a new entrant in the production of applications for cell phones, is pleased to announce the immediate availability of Guitar Chord Finder Pro, a guitar chord dictionary that runs on a cell phone. With 100's of chords in its memory bank, Chord Finder Pro provides all guitarists with a reference standard chord dictionary. Displaying common chords and the more exotic, such as Augmented, Diminished, 9th and 13th (to name but a few), Guitar Finder Pro is suitable for all guitarists from learners to the more advanced.

Guitar Player - Chords4U Announces The Availability Of Guitar Chord Finder Pro – A Chord Dictionary For Your Cell Phone

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Riff Building

Take a look at this great online lesson on riff building.

It starts off by showing you the basic pentatonic scales used in a typical blues/rock song, then progresses on to show you how you can build a riff by using the notes in those scales. This lesson seems to bring it all together for the beginner showing how scales can be used to your advantage and why it is important to learn them.

Welcome to our first guitar lesson from Billboard Magazine's top rated instructor, Scott Morris. This first lesson will focus on riff building using a three scale progression. The first thing to learn is the scale below, a Pentatonic Minor. Pent means five and tonic means notes so basically, you will be playing a five note scale. The notes in the A Pentatonic scale are A, C, D, E, G, then ending back with A note (one octave higher). Begin by slowly learning this scale.

Guitar Lesson: Riff Building Using a Three Scale Progression at OnlineRock

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The Indie Bible

Check out this review on the Indie Bible over at guitarnoise.com

They really seem to like it.


Okay, say you're part of a Goth band that's just finished work on a great demo and now you're wondering what the next step is. No? Perhaps you're a country songwriter who's looking for some help to get your songs heard by the right people. Maybe you're just someone who'd like to get your song up on the internet.

The Indie Bible @ Guitar Noise (www.guitarnoise.com) free guitar lessons

This is what the publishers have to say about it.

The Indie Bible is over 330 pages and contains:
[view sample page]

  • 4000 publications from around the world that will REVIEW your CD!
  • 3200 radio stations from around the world that will PLAY your songs!
  • 500 vendors and services that will help you to SELL your music!
  • 200 sites where you can UPLOAD your band's music files!
  • 500 useful resources to help PROMOTE your band!
  • Over 50 articles that will help your career to MOVE forward rapidly! Authors include Tim Sweeney, Daylle Deanna Schwartz, Jeri Goldstein, Brian Austin Whitney, Derek Sivers, Diane Rapaport, Janet Fisher, Jodi Krangle, Lord Litter and many more! [view list of articles]

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Sunday, October 08, 2006

 

Best way to learn the guitar

A detailed look at the best way to learn to play the guitar.


Best way to learn guitar
From Guitar Noise Wiki
While everyone will find their own best way to learn guitar, it is useful to create a standard answer to the frequently asked question What is the best way to learn guitar?

Best way to learn guitar - Guitar Noise Wiki

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Saturday, October 07, 2006

 

Open Tuning instruction

In his free article promoting his new book, Bob Brozman not only covers some of the different open tunings that you may come accross but he also gives you tips on how to play with them and get an effective sounding result.

Open-Tuning Tricks:Chords and Classic Turnarounds

Bob Brozman Guitar Lesson: Open-Tuning Tricks - Chords And Classic Turnarounds

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Cheap Acoustic Guitar

A Brand new Acoustic Guitar for under $33

I saw this on ebay, the guitar actually cost $10 the shipping costs $23

It is probably a really bad instrument but for someone who isn't sure if guitar playing if for them or not it might be a good buy.... Or Maybe Not !!!


eBay: Beginner BU-CA Acoustic Guitar +ACC+WARRANTY$32.98TOTAL (item 280035769294 end time Oct-16-06 18:04:24 PDT)




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Guitar Questions

Here are a selection of the questions and answers to be found on the Guitar Lesson World FAQ.


  1. I am a beginner; should I buy an acoustic or an electric?
  2. I am a beginner; what guitar should I buy?
  3. Is this a good guitar?
  4. Where can I find information on playing bass guitar?
  5. Can you send me the tablature for a song or make it for me?
  6. I have really big or small hands.  What can I do to make it easier to play?
  7. Do you have a compressed file with all your lessons?
  8. What is Drop D tuning and Double Drop D tuning?
  9. What does it mean when it says to tune down a 1/2 step or a full step?
  10. Can you send me information on a particular guitar topic?
  11. Can you do a lesson in the style of a particular artist?
  12. Why can't I get the sounds on your site to work?
Q. I am a beginner; should I buy an acoustic or an electric?A. There is no single correct answer to this question. This decision should be based on your own musical tastes and what you wish to accomplish on the guitar. If you want to learn how to play acoustic guitar music, then you should start out on an acoustic. The differences between acoustic guitars and electric guitars is the sound they make and what they feel like when you are playing them. Generally, acoustics are harder to play. They use thicker strings and the strings are a little bit harder to press down. However, all the theory and methods of playing guitar apply to both.

Guitar Lesson World: Resources - F.A.Q.

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Friday, October 06, 2006

 

Guitar pick or plectrum

All you need to know about guitar plectrums or picks.

Size, shape, technique.

How to Hold a Guitar PlectrumAs a guide you should hold the plectrum with your thumb across it and your forefinger pointing down. This is if you are holding the plectrum with 2 fingers (it is possible to hold it with 3). Again this is only a guide as it should be held in whatever way is comfortable for you. The diagram to the right shows method.

The Guitar Pick / Plectrum

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Guitar lessons by style

What a site - short but sweet guitar lessons ordered by style.

You chose your style, (country, blues Rap etc) and then get a whole long list of short lesesons on how to play licks and riffs and even whole songs in that style.

If you really practice several of these lessons you will find yourself begining to dominate your chosen style in no time.

Whats more, the web site has over 22 different styles to chose from with nearly 3500 lessons in all.

    There are 3495 published guitar lessons at WholeNote

http://www.wholenote.com/lessons/lessdir.asp


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Zen Guitar

Free Music Lessons by voulenteers.

With zen exercises and on the whole a slightly different method of learning to play guitar.

Zen Guitar Lessons/Archive


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Thursday, October 05, 2006

 

Guitar Effects Freeware

Just found this freeware program.. It sounds great, I haven't hat time to install it et but will be doing so in the next few days...

I'll keep you posted.

Guitar FX is a cool software that's actually capable of turning your computer into a guitar effects processor. Simply plug your guitar into the microphone or line input, and you can use this virtual stompbox to play a variety of music. It offers several presets, including "hard rock", "high gain lead" and "solo" effects. However, you can click through several tabbed menus to easily create custom tones. They can be saved as pre-sets for future use. Once you have the desired configuration, GuitarFX runs transparently in the background. Among the effects, you can apply distortion, compressor, flanger, reverb, chorus, delay and a number of other filters. Enjoy real-time distortion with noise reduction and threshold control. You can save your recordings to your hard drive. GuitarFX supports a number of sound cards. These include SB Live, AWE64, Yamaha, SoundMax and all cards with DirectSound or WDM drivers.

Electric Guitar FX Software

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Audio Visual guitar course for FREE

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=95253280&s=143444

Well this is a good one if you can get it to work.

You need the latest version of itunes.

Apparently its some sort of a demo to get you to by the hardware they are selling but in short its a full 35 lesson guitar course with audio and video along with included pdf documents. And its 100% FREE


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Free Guitar Tabs

Yet another site offering free guitar tabs (for educational use only).

This one has a large artist directory with some of the most famous hits from each artist.

Some are in true Guitar TAB format, others are just lyrics and chord symbols but the site is definately woth a bookmark in my opinion.

http://www.free-tabs.com/forum/_guitar_general_discussions.htm

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Wednesday, October 04, 2006

 

Online Practice Schedule

A great resource here to help you get organised and diciplined in your practice.

They have some good ideas here and also there are a few lesson type pages with information on blues and jazz study exercises.


Guitar Study - Schedule Here is a 3 hours +/a day schedule. The purpose is to use your time efficiently for practicing and creating music.

Guitar Study - Schedule, Organize Your Guitar Study

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Guitar lesson Podcasts

Eight Aspects of a Great Guitar Player or Musician

Guitar lesson Podcasts....

This is the first of what promises to be a series of podcasts offered by greenmonstermusic.com

Sounds promising...  check it out.

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Playing your guitar in public

The about.com guides have come up with this interesting article by Dan Cross on how to entertain with your guitar.

Pretty basic stuff but at the same time inspiring for those who want to sit at parties and play their guitar so as folks may sing along.

Play in public confidently and with ease with these helpful tips

There are times that arise, like during the holiday season, or around a campfire, when guitarists not used to the spotlight are thrust into it, often to perform music they don't know well, so that others can sing along.

Hints on Playing Guitar For a Crowd

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Tuesday, October 03, 2006

 

More Guitar Chord Sheets

http://www.iol.ie/~murphypj/

This site has a large selection of chord sheets for all your favorite songs.

Scroll down the left hand frame and you will discover a very large list of artists, each artist has several songs listed.

Get these whilst you still can - The major record companies are starting to crack down on this as a copyright infringement (even if you work out the chords yourself and publish them on a website it is still apparently an infringement)

Joni Mitchell

Alanis Chords

Neil Young

Rolling Stones

Police Chords

and many more on the site.

http://www.iol.ie/~murphypj/

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The BEST interactive chord chart online

http://www.chordbook.com/guitarchords.php

You Just Have to See This...

I found it earlier and have spent all day playing with it.

Its one of the best interactive online chord charts I've seen.

Apart from all the standard chords it has all those weird Jazz chords (7 9 13 maj 13 maj6 etc..)

It allows you to change the tuning, change the guitar sound, save your favorite chords, build chords..

Its great to find a tool like this for free use.

http://www.chordbook.com/guitarchords.php

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Garage Radio offering free lessons

Read these folks are offereng 7 days on free online lessons here.


 News and CommentaryMannieb writes "D'Addario, the worlds largest manufacturer of guitar strings, has partnered with WorkshopLive to offer one free week of unlimited access to online guitar lessons. (http://www.workshoplive.com)

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Monday, October 02, 2006

 

Free Advanced Guitar Lessons.

You might be interested in this free site offering some quite advanced lessons and tips.

I really like the Hendrix 'style' licks they show you how to play...

Not so good for beginners but for the intermediate / advanced its great.


PsYcHo LiCkS 101Free Guitar Licks and Lessons of Doom from Dale!

PsYcHo LiCkS 101: Free Online Guitar Lessons w/Tab and MP3

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Alternative Tuning

Here are some alternative tuning systems for you to have fun with.
Standard chord shapes won't really work with these but some curious results can be achieved... I could play for hours with these.

  • Standard Tuning
    EADGBE

  • Drop D
    DADGBE

  • Drop D down 1/2 step
    DbAbDbGbBbEb

  • Double Drop D
    DADGBD

  • Dad-Gad
    DADGAD

  • Open D Major
    DADF#AD

  • Open A Major
    AC#EAC#E

  • Open E Major
    EBEG#BE

  • Open G Major
    GBDGBD

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Review of multi-track recording devices for guitar

Rick Elswit explains in detail the ins and outs of getting a dedicated recording station for you guitar. This can be very usefull for acoustic players and singer songwriters who dont want to have the hassle of setting up a sound card and multiple recording software programs. Can be a very simple way out - a bit like the old 'tape recorder' days.

See what he has to say in this well worth reading informative artice.


Multitrack MindsBy Rick Elswit

Musicians who want to record at home have more options than ever before. If setting up a complicated computer-based studio doesn't sound like your idea of fun, check out a self-contained digital multi track. Today's units are more capable than ever; here we help you identify the features most important for capturing acoustic guitar.

Acoustic Guitar Central: Multitrack Minds, page1

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