Jam Babble

I’ve written quite a bit about my love for the Learn and Master Guitar Program. I own it, I use it and suggest most beginner get a copy.

I’ve been using a couple of their newer courses lately and I wanted to share them with you.

Blues Guitar

The first is a course from their newly created “Spotlight Series” grouping of courses.

The spotlight series are smaller (fewer DVDs and CDs) programs that target a smaller niche of a larger learning area.

The first Spotlight Course I got to see was the blues guitar DVD, Learn and Master Blues Spotlight. The course is again instructed by Steve Krenz, the same instructor from the Learn and Master Guitar Course, but they’ve made some improvements in video and on screen post production quality.

Like the blues, which is very grass roots, they’ve carried that into the course. Rather then having this clean studio area where all the lessons take place, some of the lessons are done with Steve on Stage with a full band. This gives a great feel to what you’re learning and allows you to envision the over all sound of something that might sound boring alone with you’re guitar but sounds fantastic when played with a full band.

Guitar Setup

There’s been a second guitar course released as well from Legacy in the spotlight series. That course is Guitar Setup and Maintenance. While most of us opt to just get our gear setup by a professional lutheran at our local guitar shop there are those of us who have the DIY attitude.

This course will walk you through everything you need to know about setting up your instrument properly form changing strings, checking intonation and adjusting the neck.

This course won’t be for everyone, but for those that are interested in know how to do some of the more regular setup work to their guitar this is worth the $50 bucks.

As always, if you’re a complete beginner, check out our Learn and master guitar review. This is the course that started it all for Legacy Learning Systems. It’s the best self study guitar program available not just online but probably any where.

A lot of beginners get caught in the cycle of constantly learning to play other peoples songs exactly as they play them. If you’re goal is to play cover tunes and possibly in a cover band awesome, keep at it. How ever if you don’t want to just mimic someone elses style and music you need to break the habit.

Here’s you 3 step plan to break the Cover Habit

1.) Learn a great cover tune that you like, if you can sing and play at the same time do that. I know it might seem counterintuitive to learn another cover song when I’m telling you break the habit but trust me.
2.) Figure out what key the song is in, make note of the chords you’re playing and also what other chords go along in that same key. If you can notice the rhythm style you’re playing.
3.) Mix it up. What do I mean by this? Well first try playing the same chord progression but with a different rhythm and timing, maybe speed it up or slow it down. If you can sing the song as well try changing up the melody to the lyrics as well. Add in a few chords here and there that might not be in the original tune but make sense based on the key of the song.

If you do this with a few tunes you’ll not only start to create your own cool cover versions of tunes but you’ll also start to find your own voice as a guitar player. This could lead to writing a few of your own tunes as well.

Other Interesting Posts:
http://www.pianoplayingtips.info/memorizing-major-guitar-chords-caged-guitar-system
http://freeguitarstudy.com/2010/01/21/how-to-learn-the-guitar-neck.aspx
http://www.bestbeginnerguitarlessons.com/blog/learning-and-loving-the-guitar/how-to-learn-the-guitar-string-notes

I know lame title but I couldn’t help it. I wanted to put together this quick post on how guitar hero fans are kinda driving me nuts. I have played the game, and truthfully it is a little fun, how ever it’s not music it’s a game.

I believe that this game is creating awareness for guitar lessons and more young players are popping up, how ever I think we’re going to have a bunch of grouchy beginners on our hands when they realize that it’s a bit hard to learn the 5 shapes of a pentatonic scale then it is to play “american women” on HARD (damn you orange button).

Becoming a good guitar hero player is about practice so that is a solid skill that kids and young adults alike are learning from the game. Also for those sly enough to catch it there is a distinct rhythm to all the songs on games like guitar hero and rock band. You’ll find you’re much better at games like these if you’re able to pick up on the rhythm and notice that every song is just a series of patterns that are repeated (also known as Verse, Chorus and Bridge).

Anyways, I just wanted to share my 2 cents on this topic because I am hearing more and more about this. I don’t want anyones hopes to be raised that if you’re a solid guitar hero player most of those button pushing skills won’t translate over to the 6 string guitar.

Other Interesting posts:
http://www.bestbeginnerguitarlessons.com/blog/learning-and-loving-the-guitar/tuning-your-guitar-without-an-electric-tuner
http://www.learnguitarblog.com/beginner-guitar-chords-using-only-three-strings/
http://www.guitarlessonscritic.com/blog/tuning-your-guitar-by-ear-without-an-electric-tuner/

This post isn’t so much about a tip as it is about learning to play and keep it simple. A poll conducted online in the UK ranked the top guitar riffs of all time. I read about it on several different blogs and it kind of blew my mind when I started looking at them all. They weren’t crazy all over the fret board guitar riffs, they were smart simple riffs that were memorable.

This is what song writing and successful guitar playing is all about. Sure it’s great to be a fantastic guitar player that can shred it up with the best of em but if what you create or play isn’t memorable then … well you get my point.

So what was the best guitar riff of all time?

Jimi Hendrix – Voodoo Child

You could learn this if you’ve been taking guitar lessons for a bit of time. In fact you could probably find 100 different tabs for it in an instant.

Who else followed up behind Hendrix:

Well rounding out the top 5 were:

2. Guns N’ Roses – Sweet Child O’ Mine

3. Led Zeppelin – Whole Lotta Love

4. Deep Purple – Smoke On The Water

5. Derek and the Dominos – Layla

I’m a fan of all of those tunes and at some point have gone looking for a tab to figure out how to play the slick little riff that Jimmy Page, Slash or Eric Clapton came up with.

Just thought all of your guitar players would find this interesting.

It’s the first lesson usually in a learn guitar dvd or from a private instructor, how to tune your guitar. Well it looks as if Gibson guitars is going to eliminate the need to tune a guitar yourself. Personally I think it’s great, but some may disagree.

This new feature as of right now is only available on one current model the Gibson “dark fire”, but it comes equipped to handle up to 16 different types of tunings including standard and several dropped tunings.

For anyone who plays live and just hates having to always stare down at that tuning peddle between songs this could be a great feature.

Of course the feature isn’t going to be for everyone since the guitar is well over $3000 USD. It’s possible that maybe anyone wanting to spend that kinda bucks on an electric guitar may have someone off stage right tuning their several guitars for them while they’re playing.

None the less it’s neat new technology coming down the line and if technology has taught us anything what seems luxury right now won’t stay that long forever. Thing back it wasn’t that long ago that flat panel displays and LCD or Plasma TV’s seemed to be the high end of that market only to become the standard today.

Check out the new Gibson Dark Fire.

This is a discussion I’ve seen a lot of on different music boards & guitar lesson websites. Beginner guitar players want to know what’s better to start out on, an electric guitar or an acoustic guitar.

From what I’ve read and researched it seems that the Fender Strat Pack is probably the most popular beginner guitar set out there, although this doesn’t mean that you should grab an electric to start with.

Here are a few things to consider when you’re first starting out and buying your first gutiar.

1.) What type of music do you like?

Myself I’m a big fan of acoustic type music. Some of my favourite tunes are acoustic versions of big pop hits so for me I rarely play an electric guitar. Since when most of us start out learning to play the guitar we do it because we dream of one day being able to play our favourite songs it makes sense that we take that into consideration when choosing what type of instrument we learn on.

For me, if I was into heavy hard rock then learning on an acoustic guitar wouldn’t be very fulfilling to me. I’d want to get that big CRUNCH sound that hard rock bands such as Nickel Back are getting on their recordings (NOTE: you will not get that big of a sound from a starter guitar and amp ).

How ever if you’re more into artists like Jack Johnson or other singer song writers then an acoustic guitar would likely make you feel you’re making bigger progress.

Take this point into consideration before you buy.

2.) It can hurt your Fingers

Learning on a acoustic guitar from the start can be harder on your fingers. The strings are a heavier gage and there’s generally more action between the strings and the neck. So when you’re first starting out your fingers are going to be sore. In contrast on an electric guitar the strings are lighter and there’s less space between the strings and the neck.

Many beginners find it tough to start out on an acoustic because it just seems too hard. Their not getting the right sounds from their chords, they’re finding it tough to compress all the strings when playing barre chords etc. From this stand point an electric makes a lot more sense when starting out.

3.) How much cash do you want to spend?

You can get a beginner electric of acoustic for a pretty low price. I’ve seen both acoustics & electrics for around a hundred bucks. Of course to get the most fulfillment from your electric you’ll also want a small practice amp. This might put your over all price up towards the $200 mark.

Few beginners will purchase both up front, so if you’re plan is to own both in the next few years I say start with an electric, learn the basics and then spend a few bucks on an acoustic.

It will be easier on your hands, you’ll feel better about your progress and you’ll eventually end up with both an acoustic and an electric.