Let’s face it, practicing guitar can be a pain sometimes. Why can’t you just play songs you enjoy when you feel like it and not worry about making time for it, doing exercises, or going over the harder parts? The…
Practicing
The Fastest Way to Start Playing Songs, Part 1: Playing Melodies
With first-time students, many guitar methods say to start by learning open chords. This method makes some sense: Open chords are used in many songs, you can strum most or all of the strings at once, achieving a bigger and…
Flow: How to Get in the Zone and Stay There
Ever sit down with your guitar and realize… wow, I’m playing much better than normal today. You’re making very few mistakes, you’re playing faster and more efficiently. Why can’t we play like that all the time? The ability to get…
Getting Kids Interested in Music
Many parents would like to introduce their kids to music. Music is a great outlet, a chance to develop creativity, and has a slough of well-documented health benefits. And on top of it all: Music is enjoyable for the players…
Singing while Playing Guitar: Divide and Conquer by Eliminating Variables
Singing while playing the guitar is a perennial headache for beginners. It seems to be this mysterious multitasking ability that the pros have and effortlessly throw out during performances. In reality, it just takes a bit of practice—and the best…
Discomfort and the Secret of Guitar Mastery
Becoming a decent guitar player is surprisingly easy. You just have to play for many hours—whatever music you enjoy—and after a while you’ll turn some heads. You’ll probably enjoy playing on your own or for friends, and perhaps have some…
15 Ways to Write a Song (Part 3)
And now, the final installment of songwriting ideas. Click here for #1-5. Click here for #6-10. Here are #11-15: 11. Collaborate: I’d venture the majority of well-known songs have been written by more than one person. Collaborating is excellent because as…
15 Ways to Write a Song (Part 2)
Another exciting installment of songwriting ideas. Click here for #1-5. Here are #6-10: 6. Try a new instrument or tuning: Just as with playing a new style or genre, playing a new instrument forces you to change things up. I…
15 Ways to Write a Song (Part 1)
One of the top songwriting questions is: Where do you start? Do you begin with a feeling? With lyrics? With music? In reality, there are dozens of ways to write a song, and while many songwriters have one preferred method,…
How To Get Really Good At Guitar As Fast As Possible
In addition to taking guitar lessons, the best way to ensure rapid progress is to practice regularly. I know from experience how easy it is to put off or forget to practice, and how tempting it is to play the…