Claude Thomas Violin Playing Tips

By Andre Sanchez

In seeking a good guitar learning book, it is important that you keep in mind why you want to play the guitar. It is usually because you want to play great music, and even make your own music. In order to do that it is essential that you understand the guitar: what it is and what can be done with it, before you try to play the fast notes that you can hear on your CDs.

Fail to do that, and all will you will play is fast noise, but certainly not fast music. Endless repetition of chords can be very tiresome, and is not necessarily needed at first, but a time will come when you will want to know how to form the common chords in order to follow sheet music. OK, there are many guitarists that can’t read a note, but are you one of those? Or are you just an ordinary guy that needs to learn the basics and then take it a step at a time, learning how your instrument works, and how you can personalize your own style?

A good guitar learning book will be one that meets your needs. However, there are some pointers as to what you should be looking for. Your book should focus on concepts rather than long lists of chords and finger positions. Learning to play a guitar involves a combination of memory, understanding and physical exercise.

Yes, physical exercise: you will be using muscles you have never used that way before, and it is important that you build up some strength in them. You will have a number of basic chords to remember, and the various finger placements to attaint specific notes. You will also have to understand the concept of what you are trying to do, and basically how a guitar works and how you can get it to do whatever you want it to do. The majority of beginners give up after a few months, and a good guitar learning book can help you to avoid that.

It will also stop you from getting some bad habits - habits that will prevent you playing properly and effortlessly, and that will come back and haunt you at the wrong times, no matter how hard you try to get out of them. The only way is not to get them in the first place, and that is where the guitar book can help.

It is easy to learn what notes each position on the fret makes with each string, but the book should tell you why certain note combinations, or chords, are pleasing to the ear, and how to form them. The book should teach you correct fingering, since that can not only enable you to form the notes properly, but also save you from a lot of physical pain. There is pain in learning guitar, but it can be reduced if the fingering is right.

So when looking for a guitar learning book, check out the book, and find out if it shows you how to hold the guitar and place your fingers properly on the fret for both individual notes and chords, and also if it provides you with an explanation of the formation of chords, and some scale and chord exercises. It should explain to you the concept of ‘keys’ and how each key is basically the same, only played on different parts of the fret.

You shouldn’t have to spend hours learning chords before playing though, and it is great if a CD or DVD comes with the book. That will not only let you hear what you should be playing, but will also provide with a backing track that you can play against, and perhaps even slowed down versions of the tracks you should be playing.

Perhaps the CD will allow you to make up your own music to the backing provided, but at the very least will let you hear what the piece you are playing is meant to sound like. A good guitar book will allow you to play real tunes and backings while you are learning, and that helps to maintain your interest - especially when you can hear yourself continually getting better at it.

By John Mackinnon

I will never forget that wonderful feeling when my parents broke from their huddle with smiles on their faces. My mother spoke first announcing that they had decided let me learn to play the acoustic guitar. The plan was that my dad would be in charge of buying the guitar and dear old mother would make arrangements for the lessons.

Now, at 50 years old, I can still remember the elation I felt at 8. It was almost as if Mom and Dad had the power to instantly give me the ability to play. I smile absolutely every time I remember this favorite episode of my life.

Well, that is until I remember what came a little later. A guitar that was hard to play, a guitar teacher that did not like kids and of course I had not really considered that practicing might not always be fun.

The truth is that the initial stage of learning acoustic guitar can be tedious and awkward. In fact in the first few days the beginner student may not be able to imagine ever being able to play. This loss of hope can lead to quitting the guitar sometimes before really getting started. The tragedy is that in many cases a successful breakthrough is often just a matter of a few more days of smart practice.

The 7 tips below are designed to help the new student avoid some of the unnecessary initial hurdles that can derail learning to play guitar.

1. Have A Clearly Visualized Goal

Where do you want to be at the end of the year? Do you want to just strum around the campfire? Do you want to learn specific songs? Do you want to write songs? Do you want to play lead guitar in a blues band? If you have no specific destination in mind you might just end up lost. Stay focused.

2. Fit The Guitar Lesson Program To Your Schedule

If you wish to learn in the convenience of your own home on a schedule that matches your lifestyle, consider a video guitar lesson program. One of the most powerful features of good video programs is that they offer instructor guided practice sessions. I cannot over emphasize the importance of this feature for obtaining predictable results.

3. Have Realistic Expectations

You may feel so awkward at times that you may not be able to imagine ever being able to play well enough to have fun. These feelings are not unusual. Try recording a video of each practice session for 2 weeks. Then compare the first and last practice sessions. I am sure that you will be encouraged by the results.

4. Understand That Your Finger Tips Will Be Sore At First

Again typical - not to worry. The skin on your fingers will need to toughen up. When they become sore just quit until tomorrow or the next day. Only practice 10 minutes at a time. A little soreness is OK but never ever play with big time pain.

5. Make Sure Your First Guitar Is Actually Playable

Some inexpensive guitars will never sound any good. In fact many are not even tunable. Expect to pay a minimum of $150 to $200 for a decent guitar. Take someone that plays guitar with you when you plan make the purchase.

Be cautious about buying a used guitar unless you get the advice from a trusted friend or teacher. Many used acoustic guitars are warped from poor maintenance and cannot always be fixed. To the uninitiated these problems are not always easy to spot.

Also, make sure that the guitar is a comfortable fit. Kids often struggle with full sized guitars. Consider having small students try ¾ or ½ size guitars.

6. Learn How To Practice

For some odd reason the skill of practicing is either not adequately taught even though this is how most of the progress will take place. It is not nearly enough to practice, practice, practice. You really need to know how to do it.

Effective practice makes the difference between the professional level success and being forever frustrated. This is one important reason that I really like the video guitar lesson programs that contain guided practice sessions.

Here are a few brief practice tips:

* Make practice sessions short and frequent. 10 to 15 minutes tops.
* Practice when you are rested.
* Do not work on too many lessons at once.
* Always use a metronome.
* Never play an exercise any faster that you can play it perfectly even if it seems ridiculously slow. Your brain is just as capable of learning something wrong as right. Slow down and you will actually learn faster.
* End every practice with a fun time either working on a favorite song or use the time to goof off and experiment.

7. Learn Something Tangible And Fun Right Away