Thursday Tip
Yes, I know, singing can be intimidating, but it goes so beautifully with your guitar playing. From Making Music Magazine, here’s 8 Tips To Help Build Your Singing Confidence. Sing your songs, loud and proud!
Play on…
Marlene
This is a beautiful song that’s perfect to play this month, or any time. It’s called September Song by JP Cooper and it’s basically played with 4 chords; A, Bm* (B minor), G and D as you can see here in this tab. Song-of-the-month!
Play on…
Marlene
*I recommend you play the Bm like this
Try ‘string slapping’ with your picking. Fingerpicking is beautiful and fun to play, and incorporating a ‘slap’ into your pattern adds a unique percussive element to your music ~ as seen in this Acoustic Guitar article/video How To Play Fingerpicking with a String Slap. It’s slap happy guitar playing!
Play on…
Marlene
Warming up your fingers before you play your songs is like stretching before you exercise, you’ll find that your fingers are more nimble and better prepared to play. There’s some pretty simple exercises you can do like the ones seen here in this Acoustic Guitar video. Stretch your playing abilities by warming up!
Play on…
Marlene
Live music has so many benefits that can enhance and improve your playing abilities/styles. In fact, this Making Music Magazine article gives you 12 Reasons Live Music Will Make You A Better Musician. For me, numbers 1 and 8 really resonate!
Play on…
Marlene
Do you know how string thickness, tension, length and frequency affect the sound? Learn how a guitar works in this interesting and informative video How Instruments Work ~ Guitar*.
Got guitar vibes?!
Play on…
Marlene
*This video is the work of learning design and development firm ansrsource for the MIM (Musical Instrument Museum).
In honor of the 50th Anniversary of Woodstock I thought you might enjoy reading this Acoustic Guitar article, Cataloging the Acoustic Guitars at Woodstock. It describes the acoustic guitars used by Arlo Guthrie, Richie Havens, Joan Baez and more, including videos of their performances. Peace, Love & Acoustic Guitars!
Play on…
Marlene
Guitar noodling is freestyle playing, basically exploring random notes/chords and relying on trial and error. To noodle, start playing your guitar, randomly, with a ‘I wonder if this will work’ intention (as seen in this video) ~ that’s noodling!
Play on (and noodle on!)…
Marlene
P.S. Bonus, while noodling you may find sounds that you can try in some of your standard songs.
Here’s a fun and fairly easy song to try, Guitar Town by Steve Earle. I was inspired by the song title since I’ll be teaching my workshops this weekend at the Copper Mountain, Colorado Guitar Town event. And though the song is not about or related to the event, I just love a good theme! Rocking in the Rocky Mountains!
Play on…
Marlene
P.S. I recommend playing the song along with the video, it’s pretty fun to jam with Steve Earle!
Put the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona on your ‘must do’ list. You’ll see hundreds of instruments, of all kinds, from all over the world, and as old as 200 BC. On my recent visit I spent 4 hours (and it wasn’t enough time!) viewing this impressive collection, loving all the instruments, but of course focusing on the guitars. A couple of stand outs; a guitar from the 1400’s and a 25 string guitar (below) ~ imagine tuning all 25 strings!
Play on…
Marlene
