You want to use a capo to change keys, play familiar chord shapes or find cool voicings. There are a few things you need to know to make the capo work its best for you. Choose the right capo. All capos apply pressure to the strings in order to clamp them down. However, they use […]
What is a Capo and How Do I Use It?
The capo is one of the guitar player’s favorite accessories. It is a clamp that holds all or some of the strings of the guitar down across a fret. Some capos are spring-loaded, others apply pressure by using a lever or strap. The capo can be placed across any fret of the guitar. Why would […]
How to Practice
News flash: there are seven days in a week, twenty-four hours in a day and sixty minutes in an hour. Do the math and you come up with ten thousand and eighty minutes in a week. Most music students only use thirty of those thousands of minutes in a lesson with an instructor. That still […]
How to Close the Gap – Part 2
In “How to Close the Gap – Part 1”, I gave you four tips for getting from chord to chord without stopping. These are things that every guitarist should do when closing the gap. Let’s review: 1. Memorize your chord shapes. 2. Memorize the chord progression. 3. Slow down. 4. Practice ‘til your fingers bleed. […]
How to Close the Gap – Part 1
You’ve learned a few chords in first position… and your fingers didn’t fall off! Congratulations! Now you’re facing the same major obstacle that every newbie guitarist fears – the dreaded gap. Have you experienced the pause that happens when you’re changing your hand from one chord to the next? That, my friend, is the gap. […]
How to Choose a Strum Pattern
Rhythm can be a tricky thing for beginner guitar students. Some people have a natural internal sense of rhythm; others struggle to stay on beat. For those who are naturals at rhythm, determining strum patterns can be a simple task. However, those who fight with the down beat can also learn how to pair a […]
Intro to Alternate Guitar Tunings
The most common tuning for the guitar is called standard tuning, with the strings tuned 6-E, 5-A, 4-D, 3-G, 2-B, 1-E. The majority of songs for guitar are written in this tuning. However, musicians will often experiment with other ways to tune the guitar in order to achieve sounds that aren’t easy to create in […]