How To Play Guitar

Tips for the Frustrated Guitarist

2008-01-20T18:09:00.001-08:00

I've recently discovered that there is a real demand for something. I wrote about this in my newsletter last week. (If you don't receive my FREE weekly newsletter, "The Flatpick Post," why not sign for it on the right hand column of this blog?) Anyway, I've been getting a lot of emails recently from people who are beginning to learn the guitar--and it is just not coming together for them. Playing chords that are free from "dead" notes and being able to change quickly from one chord to another has caused a lot of people a lot of frustration. I have found Louise Slavnic's Guitar Made Easy, an instantly downloadable workbook, to be one of the best resources for the frustrated beginner, or the person who is returning to the guitar after a long time of not playing.

Here is a hint Louise offers for helping you learn to switch chords quickly: "When changing chord positions, do not remove hand from the guitar neck. Likewise, do not move your hand/fingers away from the strings. Keep the hand close to the strings, 'hovering' over the frets as your change to the next chord. This promotes the 'flow' of chord changing and ensures that you are developing the skill correctly."

It can take a long time to become familiar with each chord and to remember which chord is which. In her workbook, Louise suggests,"As you practice what has been outlined in the chord practice routine, follow this pattern: Say the name of the chord as you begin change.- Say the name of the chord as you position each finger."

Louise even provides information on how to condition your fingers for pain-free playing. She suggests soaking the fingertips of the chord changing fingers in mentholated spirits before and after practicing. Says Louise, "This helps to harden the skin so that the pressing is not painful. The fingers do not become ugly and hard,they simply become hardened enough to alleviate the pain. Some beginners choose to use a cotton bud to dab the 'mentho' on to their finger tips."

Louise also stresses something that I often harp on: Keep those fingernails trimmed! She points out that not only do long fingernails hinder chord formation and slow down the process or chord changing, but over a period of time they will put grooves in your fretboard!

On a lot of sheet music, the chords are either directly above, or below, the lyrics they go with. It is not always apparent just when to change from one chord to another. Louise gives this word of encouragement: "As you develop as a guitarist you will understand more and more the need for a guitarist to 'feel' a song as you play it. It is important to play according to music, but it is just as important to be part of it. You will feel the time to change the chord sometimes even though the composer does not always point out exactly where to place the chord change--you feel it. The more familiar you are with a song, the better you will play it, so do not be discouraged by the way you play the song to start with." With time you will not even have to think about when to change the chords!

If you're one of those folks who have become discouraged and frustrated with the learning process, Louise's guitar instruction may be just what you need. For more information:
Click Here!

tip drill lyric

2007-12-31T04:52:00.001-08:00

Right well. Why would I waste time doing this? Hmm...good question. 'Cos I'm not wasting time, . I'm just helping you budding songwriters explore the marvelous world of lyric writing with a little encouragement from me...this should cut down your threads saying "how do I write lyrics?".

So...the first question.

Why write?

1. It will help you release all excess emotion in a controlled manner. It will help you cope with difficult situations.
2. You have written a riff...simple; you need lyrics. So now...I'm going to tell you one very important thing.

1st Rule: Don't write for the sake of writing. Make it personal, make it meaningful.

Now, if i was a normal self-disciplined person like all you fine people are, then I would probably tell you what to write, or simply how to write it. But, this is me. So I'll get back to that. I just want to make an observation; there are lots of people who suffer 'writers blocks'. Now this is when the person isn't inspired, and has followed my first rule. So how do you break out of this? Well, you could **** up your personal life. That's sure to give ya something to write about, . But no, there are easier ways...though I will include that one.

Inspiration?

Inspiration?

1. You are having troubles in your personal life. This is one time when you can truly write what you feel and have it sounding pretty good.
2. Walk around, perceive the beauty of the world, the magnificence of people, the self-absorbed cruelty of people, the fake beauty that you?re likely to see all around you?look at the ?fake plastic trees? and always remember them.
3. Read. It doesn't matter what, just read. A newspaper - make a political song? Maybe a book that makes you think, maybe a thriller, **** who cares? At least then you'll get an idea of how to write WHILST also getting a plot/story for your lyrics. Want some good authors?...then ask me...hell I have a thread about them somewhere. A lot of "English is caught not taught"...

Now...the hard part. "I know what I want to say...but I can't say it." Sound familiar?...not to worry.

I'll take bits of various songs to demonstrate thoughtful/meaningful lyrics.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
What Do You Want Me to Say? - The Dismemberment Plan

Verse:
I lost my membership card to the
human race so don't forget the face
because I know that I do belong here

Verse:
Go down the checklist let's see:
feelings are good dishonesty is bad
and keeping it inside is worse still

Chorus:
What do you want me to say?
What do you want me to do
to let you know that I still love you?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
So just a simple extract there, but if you study it, you'll see wit and intelligence.

In Depth: Verse 1
First line shows how some people don't get accepted and are ostracised (they become outcasts).
Second & third line shows that he wants to belong and to be accepted, even if the people aren't willing to do this for him.

In Depth: Verse 2
First line, looking for the qualities that he needs to fit in.
Second & third line elaborate on what he's found. Basically, it could be about writing a song...so yea, that'll go there in tips.

In Depth: Chorus
The person in the song is anguished at not being accepted and what he has to do to get their love. It's simple, yet so unbelievably honest.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I believe that these lyrics could qualify as Emo...so now I'll slot in a description on how to write emo lyrics. Please note, below is not my own work but is courtesy of MarkMac...say thanks to him when you get the chance.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So you want to write EMO... okay, I'll share what I've come up with so far.

1. Load up on literature: You can't write EMO if you don't have a good grasp on writing in general. Regardless of how complicated your words get, you need to have a feel for all the different literary instruments like metaphor, allegory, analogy and even onomatopeia. If you don't have this, stick to writing simple, raw emotive lyrics like the stuff you hear from Blink182. Mind you, I'm not saying that's a bad thing. I think that "In Too Deep" by Sum41 is actually a well-constructed lyrical song for its genre.

2. Load up on your angst of choice: EMO's big draw, particularly to college and older listeners is that it bleeds. It's gut wrenching in an intelligent, melodic way and it deals with issues in a very open and honest manner. Also remember that EMO likes dealing with more mature issues. For example, you won't really find any EMO songs about rebelling against authority, while most teen punk is littered with such sentiments. "Anna Begins" by the Counting Crows depicts a guy waking up at night beside his girlfriend and wondering what they're really about. Coldplay's "Yellow" touches on how a girl has everything her way and how the guy can't seem to turn her his way.

Important to remember: you're also loading up on angst because you're going to need to sing with angst. EMO singers have notoriously depressing tones. Crows, Staind, Coldplay, Lifehouse, etc the voice produces much of the feel.

3. Now you're talking about saying everything you feel in a few, simple catchy phrases. This is accomplished by using those literary instruments I was talking about. Look at this line from Counting Crows' "Round Here" -

"Round here, we talk like lions, but we sacrifice like lambs.
Round here, it's slipping through my hands."

The sentiment of disillusionment just drips in these two lines. To achieve the same effect by using literal lyrics would take much longer, and won't have the same effect. Lyrics shouldn't be literally visual. You're not narrating a story, you should think more along the lines of imparting an emotion.

The problem with a lot of beginning writers is that they lock on too much to trying to depict an event. i.e. "I've known you for a while, I know everything about you, I do everything for you, you're amazing but you never notice me" is how a lot of starting lyricists would treat the subject of unrequited love. But I'm not talking about being overly flowery either. Coldplay's "Yellow" goes:

I swam across,
I jumped across for you,
Oh what a thing to do.
Cos you were all "Yellow,"

I drew a line,
I drew a line for you,
Oh what a thing to do,
And it was all "Yellow."

Your skin, oh yeah your skin and bones,
Turn into something beautiful,
And you know
for you I'd bleed myself dry

You might think these lyrics are terribly simple but the truth of the matter is that, coupled with Chris Martin's vocal style, it's very well-constructed. The repeating lines show to the urgency of his actions, the line "Oh what a thing to do" highlights the uselessness of what he's done. Then of course comes the required "thesis statement" which is, "For you I'd bleed myself dry". As you said, you can accomplish a lot with a few simple words and this song shows it.

Important: Note also the use of onomatopeia in these songs. Actually, I don't think I mean onomatopeaia in the strict sense of the word, I'm just saying you should use the correct type of sound at each portion of a song. Though it's not a song that's EMO, a song I use to illustrate this to people is Sum41's "In Too Deep". The line, "Maybe we're just trying too hard, when really it's closer than it is too far." The word "Maybe" produces the exact sound you need. Try singing it with another two syllable word, like "Perhaps" and it doesn't work because its not onomatopeically sound. You can't just replace "closer" either with say, "nearer" because even though they have the same syllables, the sound of the words are not the same. Be conscious of how your individual words sounds at the key portions of your song.

We could deconstruct any number of EMO songs in this way and I suggest you do because it'll give you an idea of what you need to do to build one.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now...me (benjmc) again...

Issues:

1. Over using rhyme. I do believe everyone will admit that people on UG tend to fall into this trap. Basically, if you have nothing to say, then using rhyme will probe you to say something, anything, to fill up the page. But this goes back to rule 1...if you've nothing to say, for **** sake don't make a song saying it. Unless that is your actually topic, and you do it in a creative and thoughtful way, So...basically, too much rhyme is alot worse than no rhyme. If you express all your ideas in a logical way, then no one should notice about rhyme anyway. And I know some of you may have got critiques saying "you need a certain rhyme scheme, don't wander" but that's just not right. Speak the truth, not some over rhyming piece of garb. Rhyme is often misused far too much. People don't understand how to rhyme without forcing a song. I'm going to have to go back to that sometime...so listen to me, listen to Pyro, listen to MarkMac, listen to Buzz...we all agree that you shouldn't rhyme too much. But...if you get to an advanced stage in your songwriting you will realise if your non-rhyming song works..and you'll realise how to use rhyme to it's full potential.

Guitar Beginners Lesson - Lesson 4 - Modes

2007-12-31T04:12:00.001-08:00

History of Modal Playing:

A type of scale useful to know other than the major and minor variants is called the MODE. There are seven types of modes in western playing, and you may be surprised to learn that modes pre-date the diatonic scales (major and minor), which didnt evolve until the 17th century.

The modal system can be traced back to Ancient Greek times. During the middle ages, it was taken up by the christian church, where it dominated western music for several hundred years.

What Are Modes?

Like diatonic scales, each of the seven modes comprises eight notes from root to octave. The notes used by ALL of the modes equate directly to the white notes of a piano keyboard- hence the notes of a C major scale.

You may be wondering what practical use modes have for you. That's a resonable question. It's been asked countless times on here. Originally, the modes were veiwed as a fixed series of pitches and notes, not a set of relative intervals.

Modern usage, however, has reinterpreted a mode merely as a scale with it's own set of intervals. Therefore, it is possible to transpose any of these modes into ANY key, creating seven new types of scales, each with it's own unique set of characteristics.

Familiar Sounds:

After you play all of the modes I will tab, you should be able to recognise that the Ionian mode is in fact, the Major scale by another name. Also, the Aeolian mode uses the same set of intervals as the Natural Minor scale.

If you've gotten familiar with other types of scale positions in your guitar playing carreer, but have never tried modes, you should have very little trouble getting to grips with the seven types of modes.

The Modes Themselves:

Below this, you will see seven TABS. Each one shows the correct fret and string of the mode outlined above the staff. The intervals are typed under the specific mode.

I've tabbed these all in the key of A.

The Ionian Mode in A:

E[-------------------------------------------------------------------
B[-------------------------------------------------------------------
G[-------------------------------------------------------------------
D[--------------------4--6--7--------------------------------------
A[---------4--5--7-------------------------------------------------
E[--5--7------------------------------------------------------------
Tone, Tone Semitone, Tone, Tone, Tone, Semitone

The Dorian Mode in A:

E[-----------------------------------------------------------------------
B[-----------------------------------------------------------------------
G[----------------------------2-----------------------------------------
D[----------------2--4--5----------------------------------------------
A[-----2--3--5---------------------------------------------------------
E[--5-------------------------------------------------------------------
Tone, Semitone, Tone, Tone, Tone, Semitone, Tone

The Phrygian Mode in A:

E[------------------------------------------------------------------------
B[------------------------------------------------------------------------
G[------------------------------------------------------------------------
D[------------------------5--7-------------------------------------------
A[-------------5--7--8---------------------------------------------------
E[--5--6--8--------------------------------------------------------------
Semitone, Tone, Tone, Tone, Semitone, Tone, Tone

The Lydian Mode in A:

E[-------------------------------------------------------------------------
B[-------------------------------------------------------------------------
G[-------------------------------------------------------------------------
D[---------------------4--6--7--------------------------------------------
A[----------4--6--7-------------------------------------------------------
E[--5--7-------------------------------------------------------------------
Tone, Tone, Tone, Semtitone, Tone, Tone, Semitone

The Mixolydian Mode in A:

E[-------------------------------------------------------------------------
B[-------------------------------------------------------------------------
G[----------------------------2--------------------------------------------
D[----------------2--4--5-------------------------------------------------
A[-----2--4--5------------------------------------------------------------
E[--5----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tone, Tone, Semitone, Tone, Tone, Semitone, Tone

The Aeolian Mode in A:

E[--------------------------------------------------------------------------
B[--------------------------------------------------------------------------
G[----------------------------2--------------------------------------------
D[-----------------2--3--5------------------------------------------------
A[------2--3--5-----------------------------------------------------------
E[--5----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tone, Semitone, Tone, Tone, Semitone, Tone, Tone

The Lochrian Mode in A:

E[----------------------------------------------------------------------------
B[----------------------------------------------------------------------------
G[----------------------------------------------------------------------------
D[-------------------------5--7----------------------------------------------
A[--------------5--6--8------------------------------------------------------
E[--5--6--8------------------------------------------------------------------
Semitone, Tone, Tone, Semitone, Tone, Tone, Tone

There, I hope that helps.

How To Play Guitar Book Download Free Now

Guitar Beginners Lesson - Lesson 3 - Barre Chords

2007-12-31T04:06:00.001-08:00

Barre Chords:

Barre chords are essentially open-string chord shapes that can be formed at different points on the fingerboard.

To form a barre chord,

1. The first finger is stretched across the width of the fingerboard.

e.g.

E[--2-----
B[--2-----
G[--2-----
D[--2-----
A[--2-----
E[--2-----

Kind of like putting a capo on a certain fret.

2. The remaining three fingers are used to form the chord shape.

e.g. An E Barre Chord thats the shape of an E chord, but is actually F#.:

E[--2-----
B[--2-----
G[--3-----
D[--4-----
A[--4-----
E[--2-----

So now, you are forming an E chord shape, but since it has moved up the fingerboard, you are actually playing F#.

Essentially, the first finger acts as the nut, or zero fret. The great thing about barre chords are that they allow open-string chord shapes to be played in any key.

The most commonly used barre chords are E Shaped (like the exercise above) and A Shape. Less common are those formed around the open C and G chords. They are possible, but much trickier to pull off. Barre chords are also sometimes known as "slash" chords.

Why do barre chords work?

Barre chords work because the first finger acts as a repositioned nut from which open string chord shapes can be built. In practice, this is more complex since you no longer have a first finger to fret individual notes.

Some guitarist like the way the open string chord shapes sound. Others appretiate the ease with which chord changes can be made. Therefore, some players choose to, instead of forming barre chords, they place a CAPO on a fret instead.

The capo works by fitting over the strings of the fingerboard and pressing down, using a clamp on the back, acting just as the first finger of a barre chord would word, but now, you have the first finger back, being able to fret individual notes.

If a capo were fitted on the fifth fret, and a standard E Major chord shape were formed, the resulting chord would be A Major.

The E Shaped Barre:

As we worked on above, the E Shaped barre chord works by having the first finger pressed against all the strings of a certain fret.

After this is done, the remaining three fingers are free to form an E Major chord shape.

The E Major Chord Shape:

E[--0-----
B[--0-----
G[--1-----
D[--2-----
A[--2-----
E[--0-----

If a barre is formed on the fourth fret, and an E Major chord is formed, the resulting chord is G#.

The correct chord name for an E Shaped barre chord can always be found by finding the barred note you are fretting on the sixth string.

The A Shaped Barre:

The A Shaped barre works in the same way as an E Shaped barre, but you only need to barre the first five strings. The sixth string is optional, because the ROOT will always be on the fifth string.

A regular A Major chord looks like this:

E[--0-----
B[--2-----
G[--2-----
D[--2-----
A[--0-----
E[-(0)----

Again, the sixth string is optional, and even though its musically correct, in some cases it just makes the chord sound wrong.

And most players like the lessened strength it takes to hold down one less string in an A Shaped barre chord anyway, so this should'nt be a problem.

So, forming an A Shaped barre on the second fret of the fifth string, will result in a B Major Chord.

E[--2-----
B[--4-----
G[--4-----
D[--4-----
A[--2-----
E[-(2)----

I find the chord sounds better when the sixth string is not played.

I would go into C Shaped and G Shaped barres, but, since they are so uncommon, and this IS the beginner forum, I'll leave them out.

Allthough, if you wish to know about the C and G Shaped barres, then, please, by all means PM me, and I'll edit this lesson to include those chords.

Well, I hope this can help with your barre chord needs.

How To Play Guitar Book Download Free Now

Guitar Beginners Lesson - Lesson 2 - String Bending

2007-12-30T18:52:00.001-08:00

String Bending History and Gauges:

String bending was originally developed by blues and country players to mimic the sound of bottleneck guitars, or much later, pedal steel string guitars.

Bending has now become one of the most widely used effect in most guitar styles, as it can provide greater texture to your sound, as well as added emotional dimention.

The principal factor which governs the degree in which you can bend a string is its thickness, or GAUGE. String widths (gauges) are generally expressed as decimal fractions of an inch and can be found on any package of strings you buy.

Weighing up the pros and cons of each type of thickickness or style of string is really a matter of personal taste.

You must take into account that while thin, light gauge strings are more pliable and easier on your fretting fingers, they are more likely to break with continued use, create a shoter sustain, have a lower volume, and the degree in which they can stretch makes them more troublesome to keep in tune than that of higher gauge strings.

Some players maintain that higher thickness strings simply sound better than thin ones.

If your guitar uses light gauge strings- where the first string is no more than .10 inches thick- you should be able to alter the pitch of a note by at least a tone. Allthough this can also be achieved with steel string acoustic guitars under the most favorable circumstances, it is almost impossible to reach a semi tone on classical or flamenco gutiars, or with evem with thicker electric strings.

With their degree of pliability, the treble strings are most often used for bending, which causes them to break most frequently. So it's wise to keep a supply a spares in your case.

Bending The Strings:

This is one of the most basic and widely used techniques of the modern guitarist today. It is usually achieved by playing a string, then bending the string up or down to create a pitch change.

It can also be produced mechanically with a tremolo arm.

String Bending Exercise:

-Play the 8th fret of the second string. Now, remember that sound, because it will come in handy when attempting to bend up a tone.

- Place your 2nd finger on the 6th fret of the 2nd string.

e.g.

E[------------------------------------
B[------6----------------------------(F)
G[-----------------------------------
D[-----------------------------------
A[-----------------------------------
E[-----------------------------------

- Pick this note. You are playing an F.

-While the note is sustaining, push the string upwards (towards the roof) untill the pitch increases by what you assume is relatively close to a tone (remembering the 8th fret we played earlier)

-You should now be hearing the note G.

At first it may be difficult to stop or get to the correct pitch, but this will come with practice. In fact, some styles of playing dont even need pitch-perfect bending. A slightly flat note in blues playing can be a very nice effect.

Take care, however, not to bend the string to much (called "Over Bending") unless it is called for, because this will make the note sound sharp and not as good.

As an alternative, it is also possible to pull the strings downward, rather than push them upwards. This is generally used when bending the bass strings, because, if the low E string is bent up wards and/or the high E string is bent downwards, it is likely that the string will slip off the fingerboard of your guitar, producing a very unpleasant sound, and killing the note.

This should'nt be too much of a problem considering that most players find it easier to push the treble strings upwards and pull the bass strings downwards anyway.

Well, i hope this can help with some string-bending questions.

Untill the next lesson...

Guitar Beginners Lesson - Lesson 2 - String Bending

2007-12-30T18:47:00.001-08:00

Guitar Beginners Lesson - Lesson 1- Harmonics

2007-12-28T19:08:00.001-08:00

Lesson 1

Harmonics:

The term harmonic refers to the bell-like tones you get by damping specific frets on the guitars fingerboard.

It is worth learning harmonics since they can provide you with some very usefull playing effects.

How Do Harmonics Work?

Each time you strike a guitar string, the sound you hear is the result of a number of different components which, when taken together, form what is known as the HARMONIC SERIES.

The dominant sound you hear is known as the FUNDAMENTAL. This is the string vibrating along the full length of the fingerboard between the bridge and the nut, and consequently the element which defines the pitch of the note. However, their are further tones which can also be heard:

These result from shorter frequencies vibrating along different parts of the string, are strict multiples of the fundamental, and are known as HARMONICS, or OVERTONES. The balance between various hamonics and the fundamental is what creates the tonal characteristics of an acoustic note produced by any instrument.

The Harmonic Series:

You can hear a harmonic in isolation by playing a note muted by the left hand at specified points on the guitar fingerboard. The easiest to produce is an OCTAVE HARMONIC.

Place the tip of your finger EXACTLY above the twelfth fret on any string. (Be sure not to ACTUALLY press down on the fret). Now pick that note. All you should hear is a bell-like tone. This is the harmonic, the fundamental having been muted by your finger.

The pitch of the harmonic you hear depends on the mathematical divisions of the string that is resonating. By muting the fundamental at the twelfth fret, you divide the string in half. The twelfth fret being exactly in between the nut and bridge. This is known as the FIRST HARMONIC.

Other types of harmonics are possible too: The SECOND HARMONIC divides the string into three equal sections, the THIRD HARMONIC divides it into quarters, and the FOURTH HARMONIC divides the string into five equal segments.

The frets for these types of harmonics are these: 12th Fret=First Harmonic, 7th/19th Frets=Second Harmonic, 5th Fret=Third Harmonic, In between the 4th and 5th Frets, and the 16th Fret= Fourth Harmonic, and the 3rd Fret=Fifth Harmonic.

Heres a diagram: (They are applicable to any string)
Numbers in brackets= Harmonic Number

E]--12(1st)---7/19(2nd)--5(3rd)--4/16(4th)--3(5th)-
B]--------------------------------------------------------------
B]---------------------------------------------------------------
D]--------------------------------------------------------------
A]--------------------------------------------------------------
E]--------------------------------------------------------------

Pinch/Fretted Harmonics

It is actually possible to play harmonics (Pinch, Fretted, or even Fake harmonics if you prefer) for any note on the fingerboard.

What a person does is: they fret a certain note of any string (Lets take 2nd fret of the first string as an example) and the left hand frets the notes in the conventional way, while the right hand simultaniously mutes and plucks said harmonic.

For our example, fret with your left hand the 2nd fret of any string. Now, since every twelfth fret is an octave, rest your index finger lightly on the 14th fret of the string while still holding the 2nd fret.

Now, with your thumb/fourth finger, pluck the note while your index finger is still lightly pressing on the 14th fret. You should hear an OCTAVE HARMONIC.

This can work with any fretted note providing you have sufficient fret range, and you follow the harmonic series with open strings.

I hope this helps with some of your harmonical questions.

Guitar Make Money Playing - How to Set-Up Your Own Guitar Show

2007-12-28T18:37:00.001-08:00

Before the Show

Step 1: Where do I find a place?
The best place I have found to have shows is rental halls. These places include:

Ambulance/Firehouse halls
Recreational centers
Civic organizations (VFW, Moose Lodge, Knights of Columbus, American Legion, etc.)
Churches

I have found that most of these places charge between $40 and $100 per hour to rent the place for the night. You may also be able to find a place to host your show for free. The most likely place to have this is at your local church. With your church or similar organization, you can agree to share a percentage of the door with them. I have also seen shows where there was no cover, but the church was accepting donations.

You may also try finding a local business owner that you know to have a show there. It does not matter what the business is, as long as the show is after hours. I have seen people host successful shows at computer service shops and paintball centers. Skateboard parks also seem to be popular since most people who go there listen to "band" music anyways. I was in a band before that played a show at a Sam Goody music store because one of our band members was a former employee there. It was one of our most successful shows because it was during Christmas time in a mall. Many people watched us and we also had the "in & out" crowd with frequent passers.

Some people, especially older citizens, may give you a hard time if you tell them you want to have a rock show at their place. To avoid conflicts, you may want to have an adult or a responsible, well-mannered band member call them. Tell them what you have in mind and be clear about it. Be able to answer any questions they may ask also.

When?
Try to book these halls at least 2 or 3 months in advance. Be careful around August and September because many of them fill-up with wedding receptions. Friday & Saturday nights are usually the best days to book these shows. BE SURE TO LOOK AT OTHER EVENTS. If there is major show happening in town or something else that could cause your audience to go somewhere else, avoid booking on that day. As for time, most shows in my area start at around 5pm, which I think is too early. I have noticed most people come in the door around 7pm. A safe bet would to book your show between 6-10 or 11. Most kids have curfews, so be weary of that.

It is recommended that you NOT host a show at your house. There are several reasons behind this and here is an example:

A few years ago, I was in a band that was not gigging very often and there was a young booking agent who was looking for acts. We got booked for a show of his, but it was not until the week before that we found out the concert was at his house. When we pulled up, there was a band playing in his driveway. At that point, we were thinking about turning around, but ended up staying because it was our only gig.

We were the only band that stayed for the entire event and I noticed several problems. The biggest problem was the host would not allow anyone to use the bathroom in his house and there were no porta-potties available. How long do you think people are going to stay at your show if they cannot use the bathroom? In addition, there were no food & drink available. We ended up having some pizzas delivered and people were stealing water bottles I had brought for the band. The last major problem was once nighttime hit, the only lighting available was one streetlight.

Several other factors involving hosting a show at your house include noise ordinance & liability. With any outdoor show, check with your local law enforcement agency first to determine what their policies are on noise. With liability, what happens if someone hurts himself or herself on your property? The property owner can be liable under these circumstances. However, rental halls and churches have insurance that is paid to cover such incidents.

Step 2: Who is playing?
Without music, it is a little hard to have a show. You may decide to just have your band play or have multiple bands. Both have their pros & cons.

Unless you are a well-known band in your area, I would advise to NOT play by yourself. If you do, you are likely to just bring in family members or the same people who come to all your other shows (i.e. girlfriends, little brothers, friends who want to play an instrument but have no talent, etc.)

I have found a good number of bands to have for a "typical" show is 5-7 (For a 4-5 hour show.) That gives each band about 30 minutes with a 15-minute break time in between. I have also seen newly formed bands play for 10 minutes because they only had 3 songs. You could also give more time to a popular band. You can negotiate this once you know your line-up.

If you have too many bands for your show, people will get bored and leave. I was once at a show at a recreation hall that had 10 bands in 7 hours. The first band had an audience of about 80 people. By the time, the 7th band went on, there were close to 150 people there. Once the 9th band went on, that had dwindled back to 80. We were the last band to go on and we played in front of 12 people! 8 of them were people we brought.

Finding Bands
Myspace is the de facto way to find other bands to play on your bill. Style and experience will be YOUR decision. Newly formed bands are the easiest to get considering they probably have few, if any, gigs. You may also want to get a few bands that are on your level. I would definitely get 1 or 2 well-known local bands to play. With the better-known bands, make it seem like it is worth their wild to play at the show.

When messaging or talking to these bands in person, be clear to state when & where the gig is to take place and how long you want them to play for. I have noticed most bands will not ask you a lot of questions beyond this. Just tell them you will send them a message about the show a few weeks beforehand.

Step 3: Finding your niche & Things to consider
After you have the date set, the venue locked, and the bands to play it is time to decide how you want to run the show. Many people tend to bring in more people if they mention that it is a benefit of some sort. I have seen these range from Food drives to "scholarship" money raisers. You may also be able to make sure of a holiday or major event of some sort. A few months ago, a group of kids had a "Super Bowl" Party show. Super Bowl Sunday, they had bands play during the pre-game and then they would have bands play periodically throughout the game, especially during Half Time.

Security
This is an often overlooked, but major issue you should take into account. The first step you can take is to establish some rules at your show. For instance, you can state that there will be no drinking, drug use, fighting, moshing (Yes, I have seen this rule,) smoking, throwing stuff, etc. You could even go as far as to saying you cannot wear certain types of clothes. Too many rules however may turn people away. Be sure to make print outs of these rules and place them around the venue the night of the performance. I have also seen people post some of the rules right on the flyers to keep the riff-raff out.

You should have some people there to handle the crowd if things get out of hand. If you rent from the VFW or other civic organization, they will most likely have people there on staff to overlook things. If you are on your own, have a few parents there or other chaperones. I have had some venues in the past with a history of youth-related crime tell me if I wanted to have a show there, I would have to hire armed security guards.

Cover Charge
To cover expenses, you have to make money. Have 2 or 3 responsible persons work the door for the night. Be sure to have plenty of $1 bills and large bills to break. You should also go to an office supply store and get something to stamp hands with. Some people hate the large black permanent marker on their hands.

A common figure you could go by is $1 a band. Therefore, if you have 5 bands, the cover is $5. You can also say $3 if you are there when the doors open, $5 once the bands begin or $5 at the start of your show, then raise it $1 for every hour that paces throughout the night. If you are doing something such as a food drive, you could state $5 cover, $3 cover if you bring a canned good. I have also seen bands have a CD release party with multiple bands and the cover was $10. The reason it was $10 was because you also got the CD they were releasing as part of the show. That was a creative technique and they are one of the more popular local bands, so it worked. It also guaranteed CD sales for that show! You may also do something such as ladies get in for $2 less, or couples get in for $8 instead of $10.

Food/Beverage
How are you going to keep people at the show? People get dehydrated at shows and need something to drink. Having a variety of sodas and water for sale can keep your guests happy and boost sales. Be sure to have plenty of diet soda available for diabetics. As for food, you can simply sell bags of chips or candy bars. It would also be cool to rent a popcorn machine or see if the venue has one available. Most people will have eaten dinner before coming to the show.

Sound/Equipment
Your bands need to have a sound system to go through. Considering hiring a soundman for the occasion. If they are professional, they will cover all of your needs for the night. If hiring a soundman is out of your budget, you can find other means. If you have a suitable P.A. system, use it. Nevertheless, PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, have someone there who is able to maintain it for the entire night.

I was once playing at a show where one of the other bands brought the PA; our band always had the most complicated set-up considering the instrumentation we had. I went over to the sound booth and the sound guy was nowhere to be found. I went around panicking asking where he was at and one of the girls running the show told me he had left to get Chinese food! Real professional huh? I was at a show a few weeks ago and this same clown was running sound for the show. He left the PA all night on the same settings all night and you could barely hear the vocals of any band. He had just been hanging out in the backroom with his other band members waiting for them to go on.

Be sure the PA is adequate to cover the room you will be playing in. Test your equipment before using it at the show as well. Bring back-ups and plenty of mics/cables/etc. As for other equipment, you may find it more time efficient to have bands share a drum set. If you take this route, just tell the drummers to bring their own cymbals, snare, and sticks. You may also share amps, although a lot of guitarists are picky about their sound.

Hiring a band that has a PA can be an option as well. Tell them you will pay them a little extra and take turns running the system.

During the Show

Step 4: Set Up
Arrive at the venue a few hours before or whenever the place tells you to arrive. You need plenty of time to set-up equipment, tables for merchandise, food/beverage booths, chairs if needed, etc. Have a plan on what to do about a week prior to the gig. There should be plenty of people around volunteering to do grunt work. Look for anything around the venue that could be dangerous and be sure to print out your rules & any promotional posters/banners you may have. Also, be sure someone has an iPod or other means of playing background music in between sets.

It may be a good idea to have a meeting with the bands before the show to discuss the line-up and any other things they may need to know. I see this most often at churches. However, please do not ask them to pray with you. I was once at a show and a youth leader brought all the bands into a room and that was the first thing he said. Even though it was a church, I was very offended that he assumed every band playing was Christian.

The Line-Up
Read this paragraph twice, because it is important. DO NOT LET ANY BAND MEMBERS tell you some sob story that is going to require you to change the line-up. I see this at almost every show I go to where some bands have members who either cannot get their in time, are sick, do not want to play in front of 20 people, etc. You should tell them, if they cannot be there early or have to leave before a certain time, they should not have accepted the gig. Also, if they give you any more crap, tell them they are going to go on when you said or they cannot go on at all. Rule with an iron fist. Under very few circumstances, such as family emergencies, would I allow someone to change the line-up at the show.

Step 5: The show must go on
If bands are running late or taking a long time to set-up, get on them as soon as possible. The last thing you want is for a band to take 30 minutes to set-up and people start leaving. You can always take the house music down and put the lights on them at a certain time, if they are not ready yet it will make them look bad. To avoid this all together, you may also have some of your band members or friends help other bands set-up.

Running live shows will come with experience and viewing. For the most part, just make sure everything flows well together and bands do not start acting up. If you notice that some bands are being obnoxious, unprofessional, drunk, etc. Turn their levels down and throw them off of the stage, then tell them they can play again when they learn how to act right. Be sure to watch your audience for things they like & do not like. You can use this for future shows. As a courtesy, have your band members stay the entire night. I really hate it when I see a band host a show and some of their band members are to be seen only on stage. It creates good relations if other bands see your guys in the audience.

If any major equipment is broken during the show, do not panic. Simply address the situation if needed. If the equipment is going to have a major impact on the bands performance, stop the show shortly until the problem is fixed. Do not let a band keep playing if a power amp is about to blow. If it is something simple, like a bad channel or broken mic, just fix the situation while the bands are playing.

When the show is over, it is over. The venue may charge you extra if your show goes on for longer than agreed upon. Make sure that your audience is leaving the building property and there are no stragglers. If kids are having problems getting home, help them if necessary.

After the Show

Step 6: Congratulations on your show!
If you made enough money that night, you may consider giving some of the bands a little spending cash. Consider giving more to bands that had to drive a greater distance or to bands that gave a great performance. You can also give more to bands who you saw that had their members stay the entire night. This will create good relations. If you did not make enough money, do not worry about it because most of your bands probably play for pennies to begin with.

Go around the venue and pick up any trash that may have accumulated over the night. Check the bathrooms also and be sure to clean the toilets if anyone made a mess. Leave the venue cleaner than when you came in, the venue will love you and will be more welcoming to future shows.

After you thank all the bands, be sure to thank them again on Myspace. Most bands will give you a comment within the next day or two, but be sure to get back with all of them. Be sure to say thanks to the person who let you rent the hall. For civic organizations that may have older citizens, it is best to write and mail letter.

Dallas Guitar Show - How To Play Guitar

2007-12-28T18:34:00.001-08:00

Dallas Guitar Show - How To Play Guitar

The Ultimate Guitar Speed Learning System

2007-12-28T02:14:00.000-08:00

This guitar course is not the least expensive online guitar course, and it is not for everyone, but if you are intensely serious about learning to play the guitar (acoustic or electric), you might want to consider this new package from Chris Elmore. I say "package" because this is actually a collection of 5 different best-selling guitar courses that cover all aspects of guitar playing. The audio and the video on these online courses are outstanding!

The Ultimate Guitar Speed Learning System is a unique combination of digital audio, professionally recorded audio and video clips, images and text based learning specially designed to fast-track your mastery in all aspects of guitar. It's all there, from basic playing to advanced techniques … plus lead breaks, solos, legendary songs, guitar theory and band jam sessions. Here's what you get:

Guitar Tips
Learn to play the guitar in 30 days online. With image, text and sound, you'll learn using all 3 mediums and really kick start your progress! With a lifetime access as well as the option to to download the entire site to your desktop, you can take it with you on your laptop, jam with friends as well as learn at the speed you're comfortable with!

Guitar Songs
Learn to play your favourite songs on the guitar using Chris's brand new step-by-step site. You'll get access to the hottest songs, tabs, video clips, step-by-step audio tracks and a whole lot more. You'll learn to play your favourite songs in an easy, step-by-step method any time of the day or night, in the comfort of your own home.

Guitar Leads & Licks
Take your playing to the next level with our latest project, Guitar Leads & Licks! Dive into the advance playing strategies of lead guitar and how you belt out those mind boggling leads you only see on television! You'll get into the fundamentals of the Ionian, Dorian and Phrygian scales. Guitar Leads & Licks will take your lead guitar playing to a brand new level.

Guitar Backing Tracks
Jam along with your own virtual band! With catchy drum beats, cool bass riffs and hundreds of synth tracks (including piano, violin and more), it's like having your own virtual band at your finger tips! Improve your strumming by jamming along to different drum beats. Compose your own original songs by exploring catchy bass riffs and synth tracks. Improve your lead guitar playing with your own backing tracks behind you... the choice is yours! With Guitar-Backing-Tracks, it's like having your own band to jam along with any time of the day or night!

Guitar Theory
Guitar Theory goes straight to the heart of music and explores the theory behind it all. Featuring lessons containing beats, signatures, rests, sharps, tempo's dynamics, consonants and a whole lot more... users will gain a thorough understanding of music theory and how it all comes together. Loaded with information, lessons, video's, sounds and songs, Guitar Theory is indispensable for the serious guitarist!

The Ultimate Guitar Speed Learning System is the most comprehensive guitar instruction I've seen. Plus 6 really nice bonuses--it would be well worth your time to check this one out! For all the details:
Click Here!

Online Guitar Lesson - JamPlay Guitar Lesson Review

2007-12-28T02:03:00.001-08:00

Online Guitar Lesson - Lesson 3: Playing Techniques

2007-12-25T03:59:00.000-08:00

The proper way to hold a pick is shown in the picture below along with examples of other techniques described later in this lesson. The most basic way to produce a sound on the guitar is to pluck a string that is open, or not being touched. Playing an open string or note is when you pluck a string without fretting it. To play a note you need to know how to "fret" a note. To "fret a note," place your finger behind the fret that you wish to play, push down, and then pluck the string.

The following examples have videos in avi format at the bottom of the page to help clarify how to use these techniques. To "hammer-on" a string, pluck a note then, while holding it down, fret a note on a higher fret of the same string. It should give you a smooth transition to the new tone. Now try to "pull-off" the note you just hammered on by letting go of the fret that you just fretted. Next, try sliding up by plucking a note then holding it down, and sliding your finger up the fretboard. Next we will try the bend. To do this, pluck a note, then push the string towards your face or away from your face all while staying behind the same fret. To make a vibrato sound, all you have to do is wiggle your finger up and down to produce a vibrating type effect.

Holding a pick

Fretting a note

Videos (Real Video Format)

Hammer-on and Pull-off	(34k)
String Bending	(33k)
Sliding	(21k)
Vibrato	(42k)

Online Guitar Lesson - Stringing a guitar (standard tremolo or bridge)

2007-12-25T03:57:00.000-08:00

Stringing a guitar (standard tremolo or bridge)

Loosen all 6 strings by unwinding at the tuning pegs.


String Winder: String winders can be handy tools for quickly loosening and tightening strings. Make sure you turn them smoothly to avoid string breakage.	Peg Tool: Attached to many string winders is a peg tool that allows you to easily remove the pegs from an acoustic guitar.

Place the first string through the tremolo or bridge

Put the new string through the tuning peg hole and wrap around (see picture to the right)

Peg Happiness: This shows one method of wrapping your string when you string it.

Tighten slightly so that each string can hold itself.


Top Left: This is where you feed the strings into the guitar when you are replacing them. Top Right: On acoustics, you have to feed it from inside the body of the guitar.	String Ball: This keeps a guitar string in place.

Repeat for all strings.

Tune to pitch (see how to tune below)

Stretch strings (see picture below)

String Stretching: Keep stretching and retuning your strings until the guitar stays in tune when you play it. The string was superimposed with a red line.

Repeat steps 6 and 7 until the guitar does not go out of tune when you play it.

Stringing a guitar (Floyd Rose Tremolo) - Pictures Coming Soon

Loosen the top nut

Loosen the strings with the tuning machines.

Loosen string lock bolts at the end of the bridge approximately 3 turns.

Repeat steps 5 - 8 for each string. It is suggested that you only replace one string at a time due to the nature of the tremolo.

Remove the old string.

Place the new string through the tuning peg and locking nut.

Cut the string and leave about 1 - 2 inches to work with.

Insert the string into the bridge saddle and tighten until snug but do not overtighten.

Repeat steps 5-8 for each string.

Adjust fine tuning knobs to the middle position.

Stretch strings and tune to pitch using the tuning machines on the headstock.

Tighten the locking topnut.

Stretch strings again

Use fine tuning knobs to tune to pitch.

Stringing a guitar (Classical Acoustic Guitar) - Pictures Coming Soon

Remove old strings

Tie one end of the strings to the bridge

Put the new string through the tuning peg hole and wrap around

tighten slightly so that it can hold itself.

Repeat for all strings.

Tune to pitch

Stretch strings

Repeat steps 6 and 7 until the guitar does not go out of tune when you play it.

6 String Guitar Tuning

Here's how you tune from a perfectly tuned Low E note.

Hold down the 5th fret of the Low E string and pluck it and the A string

Listen for a beating or pulsating. The faster the beating the more out of tune it is.

Adjust the A string until there is virtually no beating.

Hold the 5th fret of the A string and pluck it and the D string.

Repeat again holding the 5th fret of the D string to tune the G string.

Repeat again holding the 4th fret of the G string to tune the B string.

Repeat again holding the 5th fret of the B string to tune the E string.

Click on the or the to hear the note to tune to.

Low E	A	D	G	B	High E

7 String Guitar Tuning

Seven string guitars are tuned the same way as a six string except that they have an additional low B string. You can tune it by matching the low E string to the 5th fret of the low B string.

Low B

12 String Guitar Tuning

Note: Strings are numbered 1 - 12 from the High E string to the Low E string.

The chart below shows the notes that each string is tuned to. You might not know what an octave is. This term refers to an interval. It basically means that the note is 12 half-steps higher or lower than the original note. In this case, all the octaves are higher. This is explained in more detail in Lesson 11: Intervals Part 1. In the chart below, if the sounds are not given, that is because they were given in the chart above.

String:	Note:
12	Low E
11	E (octave)
10	A
9	A (octave)
8	D
7	D (octave)
6	G
5	G (octave)
4	B
3	B
2	e
1	e

Starting with a perfectly tuned Low E note, tune every other string the same way that you did for a 6 string guitar (shown above).

Hold down the 12th fret of the 12th string and match that note with the 11th string.

Hold down the 12th fret of the 10th string and match that note with the 9th string.

Hold down the 12th fret of the 8th string and match that note with the 7th string.

Hold down the 12th fret of the 6th string and match that note with the 5th string.

Match the 4th string with the 3rd string.

Match the 2nd string with the 1st string.

Online Guitar Lesson - Lesson 1: Guitar Anatomy

2007-12-25T00:32:00.000-08:00

To know the guitar, you must first learn what the different parts of the guitar are. The pictures below will show you what each part of the guitar is called.

Before you begin playing, you must also know how the frets and strings are numbered (See Figure Below). The strings are numbered from the lightest (thinnest) to the heaviest (thickest). So the thinnest string is the first string, and the thickest is the 6th string. A guitar in standard tuning is tuned to E-A-D-G-B-E. This shows the 6th string to the 1st string. In other words. 6th string - Low E, 5th string -A , 4th -D, 3rd -G, 2nd -B, 1st -High E. Look at the diagram to find out how the frets are numbered. Note: The 0 fret is also the open note on each string.