Guitar Lovers

I’m going to explain some powerful things for the practicing guitarist who wants to see results from their practice. The guitarist who wants to do what I call correct practice.
Have you ever had trouble playing something on the guitar? Have you ever seen or heard someone play something, tried to do it yourself, maybe practiced it for a long time, and ended up with only frustration and bad feelings about yourself as a player? I’ve been playing for 20 years, and I have never met a player, including myself, who could honestly answer no to that question.

There are a few things that are always true when we are unable to play something we want to play on the guitar. One of the things that you will always find, if you look for it, is what is called  uncontrolled muscle tension. Many players have in fact commented on this fact, mainly because this fact becomes obvious to anyone who plays for a while, pays attention, and starts to discover the path to gaining increasing ability on the guitar. Many people mention it. The problem is they never tell you what to do about it!

You’ll hear people say “play S-L-O-W-LY,” or “RELAX”! I asked, ordered, screamed, and pleaded, before I realized that almost no one was listening to me, or maybe they didn’t believe me, or maybe they thought I was kidding!

No, it seems most people would rather try to play that barre chord or that scale with their shoulders tensed up to their ears, their pinky tensed up and pulled 2 inches from the neck as they dislocate their shoulder trying to get it to it’s note on time, practice and play that way day in and day out, and then wonder why they find that scale hard to play, that it breaks down at a certain speed. Or maybe they wonder why they have a pain here or there. Hell, they may be really persistent and keep at it till they qualify for this new disease I’m always reading about, Repetitive Strain Injury.

I had someoneabout a year ago. Now this person had been teaching himself for a few years, is very musical, very intelligent, and managed to learn fingerstyle guitar well enough to attempt some rather challenging pieces, including some classical repertoire. In fact, he would play for friends and often impress them. However, it was also true that he knew he never played anywhere near his best in these circumstances, and the piece would often break down somewhere. It was also true that he had a growing pain in his left shoulder when he practiced.

He has two very important qualities that a player must have in order to overcome problems, and make what I call Vertical Growth. Those two things are Desire, and Honesty.

He doesn’t have the pain in his shoulder anymore, and his playing is getting better and better. This is because he has learned a few things. He has learned about the incredible state of muscular relaxation that a player must have as they play. He has learned how difficult it is to actually make sure you have that relaxation as you play. He has learned about Sympathetic Tension, how every time you use one muscle, others become tense also, and how if you are not aware of it, and allow it to be there, it becomes locked in to the muscles through the power of Muscle Memory.

He is also learning, over time, that by always making the effort to focus his attention on this muscle tension, he can always eliminate some part of it, and by consistently doing this in practice, things begin to feel easier and easier, because he was really fighting his own muscle tension, which made it feel so hard.

He inspired me to invent a phrase, something for him to always keep in mind when he practices. In fact, I told him to do what I do. Write it out on a sign and keep it somewhere in front of him as he practices. On the music stand or taped to the wall like I do. The phrase is “DISCOVER YOUR DISCOMFORT.” Pay attention, notice what happens in the body as you play. How does it feel? Good players are not experiencing that discomfort when they do the thing you struggle to do. If they had to struggle they wouldn’t be good players!

Now as usually happens, I began to use the phrase myself, and began to discover new levels of my own discomfort. And I began to see my playing improve, I mean fundamentally improve. You see, there is no end to this process.

Why do so many of us allow such discomfort when we practice and play? There are many reasons, I’ll go in to them at another time. What I want to do now is give you some ways of discovering your own discomfort, and begin to minimize it.

Hold the guitar as comfortable as you can.

Allow your left arm to hand limp at your side.

Place your right hand fingers on the strings, keeping them very loose and relaxed. If you use a pick, float the pick in between two strings and keep it there.

Focus your attention on your shoulders, as you raise your left hand slowly. Raise it straight up without extending it, and place all your fingers on the sixth string, around the tenth fret. Keep them on the string so lightly, you don’t even press the string down. (Not easy at first!)

Do you feel anything in your right shoulder as you do this? Do you feel any tightness come in to the pick hand, perhaps you are gripping the pick tighter, or tensing your wrist? Be honest now.

Keeping your left hand fingers on the string lightly, begin to move your hand down toward the first fret. You must do this VERY SLOWLY. Notice what happens throughout your body. As I have had students do this, I have seen everything from tense ankles or belly, to practically falling off the chair!
I hope I have provided a starting point for further investigations and insights for you. Take anything you find hard to do, stop yourself in the middle of it, and check out what is happening in your body. You will be amazed. 

We’ve all started out somewhere as guitar players. I started learning guitar by playing old Beatle songs. I had never taken a lesson in my life so I had no one really to guide me. Now, years later, the style of music I have played has become very different. This is because I let myself go.
Letting yourself go requires an kind of detachment from what you are used to playing. Now you may say to me, what gives you the right to tell me how to find my style?” You’re right, I have no right. But I can tell you what my experience was like and you can take from it what you want.

Like all of you, I started out by playing my favorite songs. It’s very difficult to break out of the groove of writing bad ripoffs of your favorite bands just because you love them so much. This is not to say that you can’t write in their style, but writing a spinoff of the Beatles and calling it your new style is stretching it. This is because it’s not your own style. Trust me, I know.

Let me explain then what I mean by writing in their style. You can sound like them to some degree, as most artists sound like other artists. Even the really good ones stem their influences from somewhere. The thing that separates the real artists from other artists is that they sound new and fresh.

The next step is to listen to as many different types of music in the genre you in which you focus. Even better, listen to music that’s out of that genre. You will see and hear your music style change. The more you hear, the more you are influenced. And just keep writing as much as you can. This is the only way you will get better.

Finally, it’s time to let yourself go. Let yourself write what you wanna write, not what your favorite band wants to to write. All the influences you have may fuse into one, or you may find yourself writing completely differently. There is no quick road, but eventually you will find the path.

One of my friends was around the other day and said that even when I was playing his guitar, I still sounded like me. It’s true: no matter what guitar or amp I plug into, I always sound like me. After playing for so long, it would be hard for me not to. For a long time this bothered me. I guess because I was so used to my sound, I started to think it was pretty ordinary, and over the years I’ve made the attempt to change it. I can’t anymore.
There are only twelve notes to play with, but an infinite number of combinations.
There are many fine guitarists out there, but if you think about it, the ones that stand out are the ones with their own sound. Ry Cooder, Eric Clapton, James Taylor, Marc Knopfler,  JJ Cale,  Robbie Robertson, Keith Richards and many more. What do they all have in common apart from being great players? They’ve all got their own distinctive sound. You can recognize them instantly.

In the long run, I think having your own sound and being recognizable is the way to go if you aspire to being a professional.

How to go about getting your own sound? Play, play, play and play some more, never learn someone else’s licks and explore the fret board as much as you can. When you practice, concentrate on making the sounds you like and trust your ears. There are only twelve notes to play with, but an infinite number of combinations. All those great guitarists I mentioned before had confidence that the direction they were choosing was the right one for them. It obviously paid off for them. They’re all household names.

Naturally, your fingers and your gear will contribute to your sound, but I think it’s more note choice and phrasing that distinguishes each player from the other, a way of thinking about music that comes out in the playing.

Until next time, Keep on Twangin’.

Tips on Buying a Guitar 
Random buyer advice.

Suppose you were buying an acoustic or electric guitar. What are some of the common attributes that you look for? What might you find that would automatically rule out buying that guitar? Here’s what some community had to say on this topic:
Christopher Sung said:

For me, the following are essential (and keep in mind that this is a matter of taste):

Tunability — this is the most important aspect for me. I check the intonation and see if it chords played on the first 5 frets sound the same as chords on the 12th-17th frets
Action — the guitar has to be capable of having nice low action with no fretbuzz. I’m not a blues or slide player (for which I think high action is better) so I’ve always looked for low action guitars
Playability — how easy is it to get around the fingerboard? Is it cumbersome or does it flow? I suppose this is a combination of the dimensions of the neck and the type of fingerboard
Sound — For an acoustic, yes, but for an electric, this isn’t necessarily that important to me. You can always dump some other pickups in it. I guess, for me, it’s a lot like sniffing a wine cork. As long as it doesn’t reek, the bottle’s probably pretty good…
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Jason Reich said:
I think I’ll use my soon-to-arrive ESP as the example of what I look for in a guitar:
Price — Right here is where it all happens. Usually the budget defines the guitar.
Sound — Sound is spilt up between what gizmos give the guitar its sound (pickups, body, neck) and how it actually sounds.
Gizmos — I like EMG pickups (HZ’s on the ESP), and the neck joint is important (Neck).
Actual sound — This isn’t so important for electrics, because what you hear unplugged isn’t what you hear when it’s plugged in.
Playability — I like guitars with fast necks and very low action. Extra jumbo frets are also a plus.
Looks — Whoever said, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”, must have made some very ugly books. The shape of the body, as well as the finish, are very important to a guitar. A cool-looking guitar gives you confidence, prestige, social status, and financial success (kinda like beer). But seriously, it is very important.

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Craig Smoot said:
Here’s what I usually look for:
Feel — If the fingers don’t flow and feel comfortable on it, then usually it’s a turn-off for me.  However, a lot of this is determined by how the music store likes to set up their planks on display, so I take it with a grain of salt knowing that I’ll have to set it up to my personal tastes anyway.
“Singability” — You know.  When you pick up a guitar, strum it (unplugged) and the guitar resonates from the top of the headstock to the butt of the body.  That’s really when I know that I’ve got a possible keeper.
Intonation — This is a big deal to me, so it’s always something I look for right away.  You can have the world’s most beautiful guitar, but if the intonation inherently sucks then you may as well display it inside a glass case in your house, because that’s where it’ll be most useful.
Tone — In general, I usually look at planks that can offer me something I can’t get out of the planks I currently own.  For example, since I don’t need another guitar I can safely say that my next guitar will either be a 7-string or perhaps a good Tele.  Why have multiple versions of basically the same thing unless that’s all you yearn for?
Here are the factors I don’t consider when shopping for an axe:
Looks — When I was a kid, all I wanted was “..the coolest-looking guitar on the block.”  I almost made the mistake one summer of pouring all my hard-earned lawnmowing money into a radical-looking guitar, but luckily good taste prevailed.  As I got older and my tastes matured, I began to realize more and more that it’s not the guitar that makes the player.
Bells & Whistles — Sure, I’m an admitted hot-rodder when it comes to modding my axes so that I can get the maximum flexibility out of them, but when I’m shopping around for a plank, I could care less whether or not this guitar has more buttons and switches that the next one.  Besides, I’ll probably end up modding it myself anyway, so to me, I could take them or leave them.

A mandolin is a string instrument in the lute family.  It has a body with a teardrop-shaped soundboard.  Mandolins originally had six double courses of gut strings.  But the design today has eight metal strings in four pairs that are plucked with a plectrum.  This design originated in Naples, Italy during the third quarter of the 18th century.

Mandolins have had a long history in the music world.  In fact, there have been groups and orchestras that have played music specifically for mandolins.  Mandolin playing almost died out, but it found a new place in American country and folk music.  Its resurgence is greatly appreciated, since it is a classic string instrument. Both tremolo and finger picking methods are used while playing a mandolin.

Every time you travel, you always want to make sure your belongings are safe in your bag or luggage.  The same is true of your musical instruments. You want them to be protected and safe as well.  Whether it’s a saxophone, trumpet, violin, or guitar, your instrument needs a case so you can take it anywhere.  For guitars, you can have an acoustic guitar case, electric guitar case, or a bass guitar case.

Some of these cases are made with ballistic nylon and foam padding for everyday travel.  They are very lightweight and have pouches for carrying extra strings, tuners, and more.  If you will be traveling frequently and will have to put your case in car trunks, vans, or airplanes, you will need a sturdier case.  For those times, there are strong box guitar cases that are made of hard shell plywood.  Its interior is plush lined for superior cushioning, and there are three buckles for a more secure closure.  It also includes a lock and key.

By Dan Cross

Over time, dirt and oil from your hands build up on your strings, causing them to tarnish. This dirt on your strings will cause them to begin to sound dull and lifeless. Washing your hands before playing will extend the life of your strings, however other factors (like the natural stretching of the string over time) will require you to change your strings regularly.

How often should I change my strings?

It varies from guitarist to guitarist, but keep in mind…

• guitarists who sweat more will need to change their strings more
• guitarists who smoke, or play in smoky clubs will need to change their strings more
• those who spend hours a day playing guitar will need to change their strings more
• guitarists who play “hard” (heavy grip in fretting hand or an aggressive picking hand) will need to change their strings more

How do I know if my strings need to be changed?

You’ll know if…

• you have a harder time than usual getting the guitar in tune
• your guitar tone begins to sound “flat”
• your strings begin to discolor or rust
• it’s been several months since you last changed your strings

What do I need to change my strings?

Here are the few required materials and tools…

• A set of replacement strings. Electric guitar strings come in varying “gauges” (thicknesses). The lightest-gauged strings are easier to press down on, but are much harder to keep in tune, and tend to have a thinner tone. If you’ve never bought strings before, then just pick up a few packs of light-gauged electric strings.
• A string winder (see photo). This isn’t a requirement, but will make the job of changing strings much simpler, and they only cost a few dollars.
• A clean cloth. Since you’re removing the strings, you might as well use this opportunity to clean those hard-to-reach places on your guitar.
• Pliers. So you can cut away excess new string length.

by Dan Cross

You’ll Need:

• wire snips
• pliers (maybe)
• a cloth to wipe down guitar
• guitar polish (optional)
• a “string winder” (optional but recommended)

Begin by finding a flat surface on which to lay the guitar. A table works well, but the floor works in a pinch. Position yourself in front of the instrument, with the guitar’s sixth string closest to you. Completely slacken the sixth (lowest) string of the guitar, by turning the tuner. If you’re unsure of which direction to turn the tuner to slacken the string, pluck the string before you begin turning the tuner. The pitch of the note should get lower as you slacken the string.

Once the string has been completely slackened, uncoil it from the tuning peg at the head of the guitar. Next, remove the other end of the string from the bridge by removing the sixth string bridge pin from the bridge of the guitar. Commonly, bridge pins will provide some resistance when trying to remove them. If this is the case, use a pair of pliers and gently coax the bridge pin out of the bridge.

Discard the old string. Using your cloth, wipe down any areas of the guitar you can’t reach with the sixth string on the instrument. If you have guitar polish, now is the time to use it.

It is important to note that some guitarists remove all strings from their guitar at once and then replace them. I highly advise against this procedure. The six tuned strings of a guitar produce a great deal of tension on the neck of the instrument, which is a good thing. Removing all six strings at once drastically changes this tension, which many guitar necks don’t react well to. Sometimes, when all six strings are replaced, the strings will sit impossibly high off the fretboard. Change your strings one at a time to avoid a variety of issues.