Thursday Tips
How to Play a Scale on Your Guitar
Playing scales on your guitar is fairly basic once you understand the interval patterns. The Major Scale pattern is W, W, H, W, W, W, H (W= Whole step, H= Half Step), so the notes for a C Major Scale* are C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. Give it a try and soon you’ll be scaling your guitar!
Play on…
Marlene
*To learn more about the C Major Scale and hear a detailed description of how to play the scale listen to my newest podcast ~ episode 32!
Learn Your Musical ABC’s!
Learning the note letters and musical sequence* of those letters, including sharps & flats, are the building blocks to chords and scales. The letters are the first 7 letters of the alphabet; A, B, C, D, E, F & G, and they go in order including sharps (up) or flats (down) except between B & C and E & F. It’s all elementary!
Play on…
Marlene
*To learn more about and hear the musical ABC’s listen to my newest podcast ~ episode 31!
How to Play Bar Chords
A bar chord* (sometimes spelled barre) is a guitar chord that is played using one finger to cover multiple strings in one fret. To play them, ‘bar’ a fret, then play a chord shape forward of that fret. For example, the F bar chord is played by barring fret 1 and an E chord shape. And, the entire shape can move to another fret to create a new bar chord like F#, G, G#, A ~ you can go far with a bar!
Play on…
Marlene
*To hear more about how to play bar chords listen to my newest podcast ~ episode 30!
6 Exercises to Improve Finger Strength & Dexterity
Strong, agile fingers (and hands) can make it easier to play guitar and easier to try more challenging skills. Here’s 6 simple exercises* to help you gain strength and dexterity.
1. White Knuckler & Sunburst, make a fist, then open your hands
2. Whoa & Oh Well, lock your arms, flex your hands up & down
3. Neck, Shoulder & Wrist Rolls
4. Grip & Release a Tennis Ball
5. Fingertip Push Ups, regular push ups, but on your fingertips
6. Finger Runs, play one finger per fret on each string
Play on…
Marlene
*To learn more about these 6 exercises listen to my newest podcast ~ episode 29!
What’s a Guitar Playing ‘Second Wind’?
You grab your guitar, start to play, make bloopers, and then after playing for say 20, 30 or 40 minutes you’re in your playing groove ~ your guitar playing ‘second wind’*, and that’s when you usually make the most progress. So keep on playing to reach your second wind!
Play on…
Marlene
*You can learn about Gene Smith’s guitar playing second wind and more in my Guitar Friends Interview listen to my newest podcast ~ episode 28!
How’s Your Practice Routine Going?
Setting a practice routine* (and sticking to it) can help you to establish a guitar playing habit, which will ultimately lead to better playing and more guitar fun. Here’s a review of the 6 steps to setting a practice routine that I suggested back in April ~ sometimes we just need a little reminder!
1. Set a day, time and frequency
2. Set the amount of time
3. Decide when to start
4. Map out a practice plan
5. Try it out for 30 days
6. After 30 days, assess and adjust
Play on…
Marlene
*To review more about setting a practice routine listen to my newest podcast ~ episode 27!
5 Ways to Play the F Chord
The F chord can be a bit of a challenge to play, but you’ll find it in many songs, it just can’t be avoided. So here are 5 different ways to play the F chord*. Some are easier than others, but try them all and you be the judge. Then before you know it, F will be your ‘friend’!
Play on…
Marlene
P.S. I recommend the first one!
*To learn how to play each of these F chord shapes and some tricks to achieve F Chord success listen to my newest podcast ~ episode 26!
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