Chords come in a wide variety of flavors or “qualities”. Each one has a distinctive feel or “vibe”, an emotional association that goes with the sound. A simple example would be the contrast between bright, happy major chords and darker, sadder minor chords. When we learn chords on guitar, we usually start with the basic […]
The Perpetual Beginner: what Bill Withers can teach you about harmony
I’ve become a great fan of soul singer Bill Withers in recent years. His songs have always been familiar, but as with many things I’ve come to a new appreciation lately. There’s the voice, of course, and the songs, and the delivery. But most of all, I love the simplicity of the songs. The arrangements […]
The Perpetual Beginner: practice tips for memorizing songs
Memory’s a funny thing. There have been times I’ve been able to summon up the words and chords to a song I haven’t played in 30 years when someone makes a request at a show. Sometimes it’s a song I’ve never played! And then there are the times when I can’t remember the name of […]
The Perpetual Beginner: why everyone should go back to basics.
I started using the phrase “perpetual beginner” to refer to guitar enthusiasts/hobbyists/students who have played for months or years but don’t feel like they’re improving any more. Almost everyone hits plateaus and blocks, but so many people build that basic vocabulary and never go beyond it. Some have learned lots of information – chords, licks, “strums” – […]
Be a real guitar hero: 5 ways to play better rhythm
When you think “guitar hero” what do you picture? (Look out, the clichés are flying already…cue the fog machine!) I’ve had many students start their first lesson by saying that they’re “not a guitar player” and don’t really need to be “good”. But you don’t have to be a guitar hero to be a good […]
Your capo: a tool, not a “cheater”!
Using a capo is for cheaters, right? Wrong! Yes, you can use a capo to make a song easier to play by allowing you to use more comfortable chords, or to raise or lower the vocal range of the melody. But what you’re actually doing is transposing: either actually changing the key of the song, […]
