Learning the guitar neck is like geometry: relationships between points in space, and the formations or shapes they create. To really get to know the guitar well, it’s really helpful to learn these shapes. The guitar neck is a complicated matrix, and the patterns on the neck can really help you learn to navigate it. […]
Core Concepts 4: every technical challenge has a mechanical solution
One of the great challenges for every guitarist is to train the hands to follow directions. Any musical gesture requires a series of targeted movements, placing specific fingers in specific places. Some gestures are much more difficult than others, but ultimately playing any part is just a matter of knowing where you need to land […]
Core Concepts 3: what’s your musical direction?
When I was first learning to play, I didn’t have a specific musical direction. I played the rock music I loved, studied classical guitar seriously, and played in jazz band, at school. I wanted to know everything about everything, and read the monthly issues of Guitar Player and Guitar World magazines cover to cover. Everything […]
Core Concepts 2: talent is an advantage, not a requirement
When I was teaching kids, parents would sometimes ask me if their child had any talent. If a child showed a natural affinity for music I would happily tell them so, but it always struck me that they were really asking a different question. What these parents really wanted to know was whether music lessons […]
Core Concepts 1: make friends with your guitar
Core concepts are the key ideas that make players into musicians. If you struggle with the guitar or just need some new ideas, this new series will help show you how to become the player you want to be. To start things off, we’re looking at fundamental number one: make friends with your guitar. People […]
Putting the pieces together
All the lessons in the world won’t teach you to play if you don’t learn how to put the pieces together yourself. The explosion of educational content on the internet is a wonderful thing. I wish YouTube, Ultimate Guitar, JamPlay, and the thousands of other online resources existed when I was first learning to play. […]
