| So, you want to be a guitar player huh? You want to | | | | piece of advice has two parts. The first part means |
| strut like Chuck Berry, be as cool as Keith Richards, | | | | listen to a lot of music. Try and have many influences. |
| rock like Jimi Hendrix and astound like Steve Vai. You | | | | Remember, there is no bad music, only bad musicians. |
| want to wake up in the morning a beginner and go to | | | | Be open to jazz, blues, rock, funk, pop, country, |
| bed at night an expert. You want to be | | | | classical, anything! We can learn such a lot by listening. |
| hero-worshipped and have people chant your name. | | | | It plays a major part in our musical development. The |
| Idolised, admired, remembered and revered. You want | | | | second part of this piece of advice involves you |
| your money for nothing and your chicks for free. You | | | | training your ears. Try to learn to recognise chords just |
| want all that and more!Good for you! You have | | | | by the sound they make. Be aware of the subtle |
| ambition; fire in your belly and a lion in your heart. It | | | | differences between a 7th chord and a 9th chord. It |
| takes a lot of gusto to want to be a great guitarist. I | | | | takes a long time to be able to do this properly. Stick |
| wish you well and hope you achieve your dreams | | | | with it and don't worry when you get them wrong. |
| many times over.Now that we've established that you | | | | Each time you try, you improve a little bit more. Advice |
| want to be a great guitar picker, how would you feel if | | | | number 5 - Use those ears!!6. PLAY WITH OTHER |
| I said I know the secret of being a great guitar picker? | | | | PEOPLE!! Join a band or form a band as soon as you |
| Furthermore, how would you feel if I told you I was | | | | can. You will learn so much from playing with other |
| going to share that secret with you right now, free of | | | | people. Put an advertisement in a music shop |
| charge? I suppose you would think there's a catch and | | | | advertising your services as a guitar player. Don't |
| that really I just want to sell you something. Well, it's | | | | worry if you don't feel ready, do it anyway. The |
| true that I do have an on-line store that sells great | | | | experience will be priceless! Everything improves when |
| guitar tutorials. It's also true that I would love you to visit | | | | you play regularly with other musicians. Your time, your |
| and buy everything in the shop. However, that's not | | | | feel, your technique, your confidence, EVERYTHING! |
| why I'm going to share this secret with you. No way, I | | | | Make sure you do this at the earliest opportunity! |
| have another reason for giving you this | | | | Advice number 6 - Take the licks out of your room |
| information.When I was starting out playing the guitar, I | | | | and into a band!!7. LEARN YOUR THEORY!! Ok, your |
| always wished that I could have known somebody | | | | guitar teacher will probably stress the importance of |
| who could already play and could teach me a few | | | | this to you. The more theory you learn, the more your |
| things. Unfortunately, in those early days I didn't know | | | | guitar playing will improve. Learn chord construction, |
| anybody that played. I had to struggle along trying to | | | | diatonic harmony, learn about triads, intervals, major |
| learn chords, scales and arpeggios from the printed | | | | scales, relative minors, modes, etc... A lot of guitar |
| page. I used to worry about whether I was holding the | | | | players don't like studying theory. Make sure you are |
| guitar correctly, or if I was putting my fingers on the | | | | not one of them. Advice number 7 - Read lots of |
| correct fret or string. A lot of it was pretty much hit | | | | music theory books!!8. VISUALISE!! A lot of people do |
| and miss. More often than not.....it was miss!!For that | | | | not realise how powerful a tool this is. There is nothing |
| reason, I would like to offer some advice to guitar | | | | you can't do in your mind! Visualisation will not improve |
| players that are just starting out. If you promise to | | | | your technique. The only way to improve technique is |
| listen and take notice of my advice, I promise I will | | | | to sit down and play for long hours. Visualisation helps |
| share with you the secret of becoming a great guitar | | | | in other ways. It helps you commit things to your long |
| player. Deal? Ok, settle down with a cold can of fizzy | | | | term memory. Use it when learning chords, scales, |
| pop, and read on......I'm going to list these pieces of | | | | arpeggios, songs, in fact, anything. There is however, a |
| advice one by one in a bulleted list. Remember, the | | | | time and a place for visualisation. You can use it while |
| deal is you read and digest the information and then I | | | | travelling on a bus, waiting for your date to turn up, |
| will tell you the great guitar playing secret. Press your | | | | while falling asleep at night, sunbathing or relaxing. You |
| focus and concentration buttons.........Now!!1. BUY A | | | | must NOT use it while doing anything that requires |
| GUITAR TUNER AND TUNE UP! If you don't know | | | | your full attention. For example; driving, using tools, |
| anybody who can tune the guitar for you, and you | | | | cooking and riding you bicycle. You get the idea, right? |
| can't yet tune it yourself, then you need to invest in a | | | | Also, do not ever think that visualisation is a substitute |
| tuner. Do this today! Don't struggle along on a guitar | | | | for hands on practice - it isn't! You have to do that as |
| that sounds like elastic bands on a shoebox. You will | | | | well. Advice number 8 - Practice in your mind!!9. BE |
| not get any enjoyment whatsoever from an out of | | | | INQUISITIVE!! The more you play the more chance |
| tune guitar. So, piece of advice number 1 - Tune it and | | | | you have of meeting other guitar players. Never, ever |
| keep it tuned!!2. CONSIDER LESSONS! When | | | | be afraid to ask them questions even if they haven't |
| beginning anything in life, it is good to get off on the | | | | been playing as long as you have. We learn off |
| right foot. A teacher, a mentor, an advisor, call it what | | | | everybody. Ask probing questions to see how they |
| you will. To teach is one of the most fantastic things | | | | developed their technique. Check out the chord shapes |
| we can do. Find a teacher that takes great pride in | | | | they use. If you see one that you don't recognise, ask |
| what he does. Usually the best ones are found by | | | | them what it is. Remember your job is to improve your |
| word of mouth. Ask people, make enquiries, e-mail, | | | | playing at every opportunity - do your job! Advice |
| telephone, write a letter, anything it takes to find the | | | | number 9 - Ask lots of questions and you'll get lots of |
| right person. Remember, no matter how good you get | | | | answers!!!10. SMILE!! Sometimes the stress of being a |
| there is always somebody who can teach you | | | | practicing guitar player can get us down. Maybe a lick |
| something new. Hiring a teacher is not just for when | | | | you are working on just isn't happening, or no matter |
| you are starting out, it is something you should consider | | | | how hard you try you just cannot execute a new |
| throughout your guitar playing life. A good teacher will | | | | scale properly. This is normal. Sometimes it's better to |
| advise you on technique, theory, performance, attitude | | | | put the instrument down and come back to it later on. |
| and practicing. He or she will set you goals and reward | | | | Never, ever let it get you mad and never, ever get |
| you when you accomplish them. He or she will also | | | | frustrated. Fight back at these challenging situations |
| explain the small things such as the importance of | | | | with a big smile. Try it now, right this minute. Think of |
| using a metronome in your studies, keeping your | | | | something that is bothering you although deep down |
| instrument clean and changing strings. Advice number | | | | you know it isn't important. Visualise it. Ok, hold it there |
| 2 - Find a mentor!3. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, | | | | and.......SMILE! Laugh even. Not just a chuckle but a big |
| PRACTICE............BUT NOT TOO MUCH!! What does | | | | laugh right from your belly. Go on, feels good, doesn't |
| that mean "Practice, but not too much?" Well, if we | | | | it? Treat your guitar playing challenges in exactly the |
| want to get good at anything then obviously we do | | | | same way. Deep down you know they aren't really |
| need to practice. With regards to learning the guitar, | | | | that important. Tomorrow is another day. I'm not saying |
| we need to get our hands to play the right notes in the | | | | don't take your guitar playing seriously; just stop and |
| right way. Although great technique takes a lot of time, | | | | smell the flowers now and again. Be optimistic, be bold, |
| effort, commitment and PRACTICE, we need to be | | | | be the best you can be and........smile!! Advice number 10 |
| aware of when to draw the line. Sometimes we can | | | | - Playing the guitar is fun - Enjoy it!!There you go, that's |
| get that wrapped up in something that we are | | | | my advice to you.Right, all that's left for me to do is tell |
| interested in; we can forget that there are other things | | | | you the great guitar playing secret. Are you ready? |
| in life. Our family, our friends, sports, the theatre, | | | | Well, don't tell anybody but the secret of being a great |
| cinema, books, etc... Advice number 3 - Practice to get | | | | guitar player is............................................................... |
| good, but chill out and relax to get even better!4. | | | | .................................................................. |
| KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE TO LEARN AND ITS | | | | .................................................................. |
| IMPORTANCE TO YOU NOW!! There are so many | | | | .................................................................. |
| things to learn on the guitar that it is inevitable that you | | | | .................................................................. |
| will get distracted. Chords, scales, arpeggios, licks, | | | | .......in everything you've just read!!Sorry guys, but there |
| tunes, exercises etc... They all have to be learnt as | | | | ain't no shortcut to greatness. If you follow the 10 |
| they are all important. If you realise the importance of | | | | pieces of advice I've just given you then you won't go |
| learning these things before you start to practice them, | | | | far wrong. I still haven't achieved it and I may never will. |
| you will stand a better chance of keeping your focus | | | | One thing is for sure, I'm gonna keep on plugging away, |
| and completing your studies. If you are learning a new | | | | and, who knows, maybe one day I'll get pretty close. |
| chord for example, think about why it is important that | | | | The fun is in the trying.So, you want to be a guitar |
| you learn the chord. How will it benefit you? How will it | | | | player huh? You bet your life I do...... Jones is the |
| help you to advance? How will it help you to evolve | | | | Managing Director of jack Sky Ltd. Based on the |
| into a better musician? Everything you learn is | | | | banks of the River Mersey in the great city of |
| important, understand its importance. Advice number 4 | | | | Liverpool, Jack Sky is committed to providing quality |
| - Make sure you know the relevance of everything | | | | guitar tutorials to advancing guitar players. |
| you need to learn.5. LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN!! Ok, this | | | | |