15th August 2007
Learning guitar is a highly rewarding and enjoyable musical
experience. For some people who are overworked during the
day, their guitar lesson is a rare opportunity to relax. But
...let’s face it, learning guitar can seem like a daunting task
for m...
01st April 2007
Mastering the modes is the best way to add color to your lead playing. All the great modern guitar players, from Satriani to Hammett to Vai, have a through command of the modes.
Sooner or later the serious student of the guitar develops an interest in ...
26th March 2007
Musicians in all walks of life seem to give far too much, or far too little time and attention to the playing of musical scales.
Scales are NOT music,but a means for making music. They are predictable, orderly, and sequential, but do not contain the li...
09th March 2007
You have exactly three seconds or less to capture your listener's attention or you have lost them forever!
Think about that for a moment, let's imagine you are in a CD store listening to a few albums to decide which one to buy. How long does it take fo...
05th March 2007
As anyone who has ever studied music in school knows, music theory is a pivotal study - you find it as part of your course load, no matter what area of music you plan to pursue.
For many people it is a vague bother, they would rather be practicing thei...
21st February 2007
First, define your objectives and determine your approach. These objectives may change as you progress, but a goal is important before starting to play the guitar.
Begin by forming good study habits. Part of your study will be physical performance and ...
04th February 2007
In the pursuit of music, most students have to struggle against the fear of copying.
I have noticed this particularly among composers of original music, arrangers, and those trying to develop a personal style. Although much can be said for originality ...
29th January 2007
Most guitar students sincerely desire to learn their instrument. Countless persons, however, inhibit their own progress with useless fears and thought patterns which manifest themselves in a quick decline in both practice and confidence.
Usually people...
25th January 2007
In 1865 a number of Portuguese arrived to work the mighty Pioneer Sugar Plantations and through them, the island musicians were exposed to the first "non-classical" guitar styles - some 50 - 60 years before it moved into the limelight of American popular ...
16th January 2007
To Sum up ....here are a few pivotal points in the development of the concert (or classic) guitar.
(1) Until approximately 1800A.D., everything to do with guitar playing and manufacture was in a state of flux. Tunings varied from country to country - ...
07th January 2007
The Spanish Guitar Emerges:
With the coming of the Renaissance, inspired in part by Moslem learning brought home by returning Crusaders, the lute become the favorite instrument of Western Europe.
In Spain however, the lute was already overshadowed b...
02nd January 2007
Compared to some musical instruments, the guitar is a relative newcomer dating from the Middle Ages. It's origins, go back to long before the beginnings of recorded history.
The first instrument was probably nothing more than a bow in the hands of a pr...
09th December 2006
If you were asked to name the top ten female guitarists how would you go?
There's Mary Osborne (jazz guitarist), Carol Kaye (bassist), Jennifer Battern (rock), Emily Remler (jazz), Lita Ford (rock) and a handful of other excellent guitarists who are k...
17th November 2006
Copyright 2006 Mike Hayes
There are many opinions and points of view (pro and con) about studying with a private guitar teacher. No teacher can teach anyone how to play. This must be learned through experience and a lot of playing.
However, let's no...
12th October 2006
Copyright (c) 2006 Mike Hayes
Buying a guitar is like buying a car - everybody has a different reason for choosing one over the other.
Choosing a guitar is highly subjective. For instance, an instrument that sounds good to you might not sound good t...
