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