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Category: Better Practicing
Improving Performance and Ear Training with a Pedal Guitar Tuner
While the primary purpose of a pedal guitar tuner is to ensure accurate tuning, it can also serve as a valuable tool for improving your overall performance and ear training skills. In this article, we’ll explore how a pedal guitar tuner can aid in enhancing your playing technique, developing your ear, and elevating your musicality.…
Better Sight-Reading On The Guitar
Just the mention of sight-reading causes most guitarists to squirm in their seats or look for the nearest exit. There’s an old joke about what you call two guitarists sight-reading the same line of music. The answer…polyphony. For classical or jazz guitarists, sight-reading notation is essential. For the rock and blues guitarist, not so much.…
Guitar Habits And Developing Routines
One question every guitar teacher hates is, “how long until I’m good at playing the guitar?” Giving a timeframe for learning the physical and mental complexities cannot be predicted more than when one might breathe their last breath. This holds true for learning a difficult piece like Recuerdos de la Alhambra or successfully landing a…
Preparing To Learn A Piece For Guitar
The repertoire for the guitar is endless. Most guitarists, including professionals, give little thought to the process of learning a piece of music. But, if frustration and slow progress are to be lessened, then there needs to be an understanding of preparing to learn a piece for guitar. Learning About Preparing To Learn My first…
Fatigue And Recovery On The Guitar
Have you ever had a few days off from practicing only to return feeling like you could play everything you’re working on flawlessly that day? But the following day the exact opposite happens. You feel like throwing the guitar out the window. Your hands feel slow, your mind feels slow, and nothing seems to connect.…
What Should I Practice To Align With My Goals
Previously, I discussed my getting rid of most of my sheet music collection in order to make room for working on the music I value most. It was by no means easy, but a necessary step for me. Now that I had limited my choices, what should I put my efforts towards? And just to…
3 Things I Am Learning From Beginner Guitar Scales in Open Position
As mentioned in my previous post on playing the long game and pursuing a virtual doctorate (read this post), I am following the guidance and tenants of Christopher Berg. In doing so, the first requirement in his guide for his university students is to master the open position scales in every key and play at…
Building Your Fretboard Knowledge – Part 2
In the last post on building your fretboard knowledge, I focused on using chord shapes. In this installment, I’ll focus on using the pentatonic major and minor scales. These two scales are the most popular scales throughout the world. I think they are more important than the full major and minor scales when beginning the…
Freedom Of Movement On The Guitar
One of the most difficult ideas to grasp while playing is the idea of gravity and freedom of movement on the guitar. If you can understand how to think about these two ideas, you will find that your playing becomes more musical and much less tense. And, really, who doesn’t want both of those in…
Thank You and Why: Wittner Metronome
As you will hear in the video, I was surprised to come home and find a package waiting for me. My three kiddos were extremely eager to find out what was inside. This was especially true because I did not order anything. Inside was a Wittner Metronome! Wittner Metronome On The Wishlist I immediately knew…