How to learn music by ear: Missing opportunities?

Posted on July 28, 2020 by Tom

The ability to learn music by ear is a highly sought after skill and of indispensable value when you finally get it. So, I’m sitting here working out the music to Deep Purple’s Lazy from the Machine Head album. I won’t tell you how old I was when I first heard this album but I will tell you it was from my older brother’s collection. Clearly above my puny guitar abilities at the time 😀

Smoke on the Water, commonly a first song learned by ear, was written about a fire that burned down the Montreux Casino on Lake Geneva in Switzerland.
Smoke on the Water on Lake Geneva in Switzerland

Ever since hearing Phil X tackle Highway Star (see my post You Can), I have been drawn back to this album and this particular song – a favorite for many years. Learning music by ear is something you can do. However, you may be missing valuable opportunities to sharpen your ear now. For example, how do you tune your guitar? Pull out the trusty tuner and go through the strings, right? When was the last time you used the ol’ frets method or even harmonics? You may be missing a golden opportunity to start training your ear using something you do naturally and almost every time you pick up your guitar.

Tuning the old fashioned way

For now, put down the tuner. You may use it to get the E string tuned but then shut it off and go old school. If you have a piano handy, locate E on the keyboard and use that instead. You may have an app on your phone that will play the note for you so you can get away from the easy button.

Why would you do such a thing? Your goal is to learn how to match the notes by listening carefully. Get them in your head. Forcing yourself to really listen and determine whether the next string is too high or too low as the tones get closer will sharpen your ability to discern the notes. You may be surprised after a time how you will suddenly start to hear those notes and know whether they are in tune or not.

At some point, you may be able to hear how the strings should sound in relation to each other and not even need to fret the notes. The low E and high E are good candidates to begin trying this. Two octaves away is a good interval to force your ear to really listen.

Sing to learn music by ear

As you tune, sing the notes – out loud. Yes, I said out loud. I know so many guitar players who claim they cannot sing. Maybe they don’t sound like Pavarotti but that is no excuse for dodging an important skill. There is no better way to train your ear than to hear your own voice singing the note. An added benefit is that you will become a better singer if even just when singing along. Doing this has tightened up many a vocalist as they have built up relative pitch.

Never heard of relative pitch? That is the ability to recognize one note in relation to another – a valuable skill that will come with time.

Chords next

You will find the next step, chords, to begin to creep in seemingly without effort. While you are listening to the notes on the bass strings, you are hearing many of the root notes of common chords. Realizing that, you can use them to get in the ballpark of the chords of your favorite songs. Crank the bass on your music a bit and try matching the notes on your guitar. Go with a slow moving song at first and one that does not have a walking bass line. Once your skill improves, the walking bass lines will not be a hindrance but take it slow at first.

Use what you have already and build from there. The old school way still may have something to teach you 😉

<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-cat-links">Posted in</span> Encouragement, Guitar, Technique | <span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-tag-links">Tagged</span> , | Comments Off on How to learn music by ear: Missing opportunities?

When to change your strings: A few hints

Posted on July 27, 2020 by Tom

When do you change your strings? My older brother brought his guitar along when he visited my wife and I last year. When I picked it up to play it, the strings felt like they were a year old. He lives several states away; so, we don’t get to see each other often but he has been an inspiration to me from childhood on guitar. I was very surprised at the conditions of his strings.

Changing your guitar strings is a necessary evil.
When to change strings depends on a few factors.

My brother lives near the water down south and that is hard on metal. He also likes to play outside. Finally, he doesn’t like his strings to be very bright. He changes his strings about as often as I do but he has different priorities.

The factors determining when to change your strings

  • Tone
  • Frequency of playing
  • String breakage

I find these three factors determine when I change my strings. First is the tone.

If you play your strings long enough, you will find the initial brightness fades to a dull thump at some point. This is particularly apparent on the wound strings. The unwound strings seem to retain their sparkle for a bit longer and I think that is because dirt and corrosion builds up between the wraps. The strings are no longer able to flex as they used to and the accumulated grime deadens the vibration of the strings. You might hear someone say one or more of their strings has “gone dead”.

I love nice bright strings especially right after I have replaced them. Something about that additional twang or edge excites me. When I only owned an acoustic and could not afford an electric, it was the only way I could hear just a little of the drive a lightly push electric would get. Played near the bridge with some aggression, a tiny bit of grind could be gained. That fades with time and amount of playing and signals to me I should change my strings.

How often you play

The frequency of live gigs is a good determining factor. Listen to a few guitar techs, Premier Guitar has a few, and they will tell you they change strings after every gig. That’s great for the pros but you may not have the time or cash to do that. Depending on the strings you buy, it could get expensive quick!

My typical frequency, outside the ‘rona lock-downs, is after playing two live gigs. I play in my church regularly and that means after the second Sunday on a set of strings (depending on how much I am playing the same guitar during the week). There are two reasons for this:

  1. Dead strings
  2. Broken strings

As I mentioned earlier, tone is my first determining factor but the risk of breaking a string is a BIG concern when playing live. I don’t have a tech to hand me a new guitar and the extra guitar can just be a nuisance when it happens so infrequently. It used to happen more frequently to me and that brings me to the next point.

String breakage

Other than hitting a wrong note, string breakage is about the most embarrassing thing for a guitarist. Not only do you lose the use of the string but it usually means your guitar goes wildly out of tune. Add a tremolo into the mix and “wildly” takes on a whole different meaning!

Now, string breakage can be the result of other problems on your guitar and you should take the time to properly deal with those. Strings can prematurely break from sharp edges at the bridge and nut. I find it most frequently at the bridge where the string comes up and over the saddle at a steep angle. This causes additional stress on the string and amplifies a sharp angle over the bridge weakening the string. Slightly rounding that edge will mitigate that issue. The same goes for the nut – sharp angles weaken strings.

You could also have slots in the nut and bridge that are too narrow. This catches the string and stresses it at those locations. Have you recently started using heavier gauge strings? Get the slots adjusted. Heavier strings through tight nut slots also risks breaking the nut and a much more expensive repair.

Strings are mechanical devices and suffer from repeated bending just like any other metal. Nylon guitar strings may last longer but the windings on the lower strings will still suffer from the bending action breaking the metal wrap. Corrosion just hurries the process along. When my strings start looking dull, I change them. If it feels like it has been a while, I change them.

When will You change your strings?

There is no magic formula here. If you play aggressively, you may need to change them more often. Tremolo use also can wear strings quickly. Get a feel for how your strings are performing and add in a comfortable buffer. Better to change your strings too early than too late!

Finally, one string or all of them? If you have broken a string in the middle of a gig or practice, change the one. That is the most convenient. You can wait to change the set to some time before the next public appearance. Remember to give them time to stretch! Steel strings need a day, at least. Nylon can take a few days and up to a week to settle in maybe longer depending on how often you play. Re-tune nylon strings at least once per day until they settle in to avoid any surprises.

For more tips on the Care and Feeding of Your Guitar, check out one of my earlier blog entries. I spent a lot of time repairing guitars and attempted to fix the issues I mentioned above even before the musician knew about them. Hopefully, there are fewer embarrassed players out there 😉

<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-cat-links">Posted in</span> Guitar, Maintenance | <span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-tag-links">Tagged</span> | Comments Off on When to change your strings: A few hints

Learn to play guitar For Adults: How To Start

Posted on July 23, 2020 by Tom

Many would like to learn to play guitar. Now that they are adults, the next question is how to start. What to do first and where to begin are all good questions that I would like to address here. Give you a little boost 😉

Nail the start and you will go far. Learn to play guitar right - from the start.
How you start can make all the difference.

You might think, “Well, I will just grab a guitar and start playing!” Simple enough but it may not inspire you or even be a good guitar to play. Here are some steps to follow:

  • Decide on the music you want to play.
  • Decide on the guitar.
  • Set aside a time daily for playing.
  • Learn songs not just riffs

Your favorite music

The guitar discussion boards are all loaded with the question of whether you should start on acoustic or electric. Let’s step back from that and ask, what is your favorite music? Who is your favorite guitarist? What would you most like to play right now if you could already play? This is the basic motivation for why you want to play in the first place. Build on that inspiration.

The follow up question should be obvious: What type of guitar is being played in that music? If the guitar is electric, you will not be inspired by an acoustic and vice versa. Many would say you should start on acoustic for a variety of reasons and all are good reasons but they are not going to fulfill the why. Salespeople will always start with the why before telling you about the what. Can you see yourself in the Caribbean, for example? Sure! Then let me tell you about our vacation package to get you there. Use that to drive yourself.

The Guitar

Now that you have a vision for the style and music, let’s think about the guitar itself. The choices can be endless even when you narrow down to acoustic or electric. For example, size.

Size matters

If you are a true beginner, you may not know the following terms: short scale, travel, parlor, 3/4 size, and student. A few may seem obvious but they all refer to the smaller sized instruments. Short scale usually implies an electric. Travel can be applied to both while parlor, 3/4 size and student typically refer to acoustic guitars. If you have small hands, you should start here. The body size is also a consideration as these will be considerably smaller, lighter and fit better in some cases.

There are many famous guitarists who played short scale or parlor guitars, such as:

The neck matters

Try out the guitar necks. The issue may just be that the neck is too wide or narrow on some types of guitars for you. For example, I have trouble playing in first position on my Fender Stratocaster 12-string. It is just too narrow making it difficult to fret some chords clearly. It may be the perfect size for you, though. I find my Epiphone 12-string acoustic fits just fine with the wider neck.

The cost matters

If this is your first guitar ever, avoid the lure of fancy expensive guitars. You are still just trying to find your way and you can always upgrade. There are many inexpensive options these days that are worth your consideration. Stay with the established brands and you will find a winner. However, you may need the services of a good guitar technician to dial it in for you. Set up can make the difference between love and hate. Choose a music store that can offer that service.

Set aside some time to learn to play guitar

As I have posted here and here, set aside time to practice. You don’t need hours and hours a day but you need to get some discipline going in order to see progress. Progress feels good and will keep you motivated when it gets challenging. 20 minutes is a minimum to go over what you learned and practice something fun. I find the time flies and a couple of hours will go by before I know it. As adults we don’t have limitless time as the pressures of life need tending but music is always a good way to wind down and ease the stress of the day.

Set aside some extra time at least once per week – an hour or more. Take breaks every 45minutes to an hour to avoid strain. You are building muscle, believe it or not. Like going to the gym, skip a day and you will feel it.

Learn songs – entire songs

From start to finish. Start at the beginning to build a repertoire of music. One major criticism of guitarists is that they only know the cool riffs of songs and never entire tunes. Kill that habit before it starts!

Learning entire songs will help you learn how to transition from one part to the next smoothly. Verses should not sound like the choruses and vice versa. Begin to notice the difference and why. Listen for the dynamics – the changes in volume, pace and intensity – and develop a feel for them. Simple changes in rhythm make major differences in how a song flows and feels. Learn how to control your volume on the fly.

Finally…

When you want to learn to play guitar, the details make the difference. That is where you go from here. I gave you some basics to give you a boost now go and jam! This will be something you can do for life and maybe bring some joy to another through your new found art. Let me know how it goes or, even better, let me help you along the way – sing up for Just 2 Play Guitar and I will see you on the other side.

<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-cat-links">Posted in</span> Encouragement | Comments Off on Learn to play guitar For Adults: How To Start

Needs more cowbell? Getting the signature sound

Posted on July 22, 2020 by Tom

My wife and I were walking down the street of our town and we approached a small music venue, Jaxon Edwin. It was obvious, the band was playing hard rock but the song was ending and I could not identify it. However, the next song started with car horns and then a bass playing a single note in quarter note beats – the signature sound of Van Halen’s Runnin’ With the Devil!

The signature sound of a song can make a song so memorable it can last for generations.
Car horns or cowbells?

How many can remember the cowbell starting out Mountain’s Mississippi Queen? Forget those two details and everyone will know something is missing. However, back when Runnin’ With the Devil came out and my band started playing it, we had no way of pulling off that car horn intro. I forget how we improvised – keyboard, maybe? It was so cool to not only hear someone pull it off but do a dang good job of it!

Getting the signatures right

One night a few years ago, my wife and I attended a concert/dance with a local swing band, The Columbia Jazz Band. They were amazingly good. Big swing bands typically have music stands out in front of the musicians but I had never seen one used by the drummer. This band’s drummer had a stand with music and he was clearly paying it a lot of attention. During their break I just had to ask about it. He told me that people expect to hear certain things, like signature riffs, in the old big band swing songs and will actually point out when he misses something! I couldn’t believe it! My mother was a fan of swing but I am sure she never would have noticed the drummer doing something different unless it changed the song significantly.

I have mentioned my friend, Tony, and his Shades of Blue Orchestra in a previous post. I will notice certain things I expect to be in the music when they are not but I’m like that. It doesn’t ruin it for me but if something is different, it must be better or I will criticize it to death. I’m like that (did I say that?) but that is for the serious bands, really.

How good does it have to be?

It’s one thing to make sure the signature sound is there but I don’t get disturbed if it doesn’t sound exactly like the original. Here’s why: it is difficult to do, even today, and oh, so, close can actually be a distraction for me. I can tell when the object was to get something as close to the recording as humanly possible as it usually means something else suffers. A criticism of the Eagles live shows, for example, is that they were too close to the original recording. There was little, if any, deviation. I think to myself, why am I here? I could have stayed home and enjoyed the recording on my stereo just as well without the expense and inconvenience. Jam a little guys!

Read Street Player: My Chicago Story by Danny Seraphine or read just about anything about Stevie Ray Vaughn and you will find that they never played their music the same way twice. Reading things like that helped me take the pressure off of my playing and enjoy it more.

So, skip the signature sound?

You can get a song “right” and still not nail the recording. Clanking a cowbell to set the beat is easy but sometimes it involves just getting the signature riff right (for example, the intro to Sweet Home Alabama) and that can take some work. Getting the precise tone, attack, volume, stance, guitar, amp, pedal,… can steal away the fun if taken too far. What happens when you get that one song to sound just right and now you need to jump to something completely different? Modeling equipment can help but then it becomes work, in my humble opinion.

When I play at our family reunion, it is just me and my ol’ acoustic. Everybody recognizes the song. All of the basic elements are there that make the song stand out. Try (Don’t Fear) the Reaper on an acoustic. One of the coolest riffs in classic rock and plenty recognizable on whatever guitar you play.

Take the pressure off and just enjoy playing. Oh, and do the same for your local bands! You might find you enjoy the music that much more 😉

<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-cat-links">Posted in</span> Commentary | Comments Off on Needs more cowbell? Getting the signature sound

Dad Rock? Music for the rest of us!

Posted on July 17, 2020 by Tom

Maybe I’m a little behind the curve, but I’ve been seeing the term “dad rock” more lately and decided to actually look into it. I thought the term came from a love of classic rock particularly with those of my generation. Then I saw a video from JHS Pedals where Josh uses the term with the man behind Earthquaker devices, Jamie Stillman. Maybe it’s a style thing?

Musicians still kicking it into what is retirement for most is inspirational.
Seeing my icons of classic rock grow older and continue playing is an inspiration.

Be inspired

Most of my friends from school were into sports and played either on organized teams or in pickup games. Not me. I am a terrible athlete. Not because I am not strong or lack ability but because I just don’t care. It was never something that interested me.

Now, here I am late in my career still chugging away on my guitar when my athletic friends are having to cut back or even give up playing certain sports (e.g. football) due to injuries. That is not to say that musicians never have injuries. They can suffer carpal tunnel syndrome and have to deal with arthritis but that is more for the professional. Those of us terminally amateur, can still play until the end. Just look at Les Paul! He played into his 90’s!

Dad Rock as inspiration

One of the main reasons I started Just 2 Play Guitar, was to help adults who have always wanted to learn guitar or improve their guitar playing. I have run into many adults who have expressed a wish to play or ask about how I do certain things on my guitar. I’m a dad. Many who have asked me are dads or moms (my wife included). They no longer have the distractions of youth and can be extremely disciplined in their approach. This allows them to learn quickly and chart a course for themselves. Having lived a life starting or growing a family and starting or developing a career matures a person.

Now you can take your life lessons and use that to finally learn to play! My wife and I had lunch with a coworker who discovered that I play and excitedly told me about his love of music. He wished he would have taken up an instrument in his youth. Then he lamented that he could not learn to play this late in life. From there, my wife took over. She explained how I taught her starting in her 40’s and now she doesn’t know why she thought it was difficult. Bam! I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Looking ahead

So, what is your excuse? I know the term “dad rock” was a kind of insult but it seems to have garnered some honor somehow. Join the legions of dads and rock on young man! All of my band mates from high school and through my twenties are dads and moms (or at least old enough to be a dad or mom). They all still play or sing. We blabber on and on about the glory days on Facebook pages like our peers in sports. But we have the advantage that we can still take part in our love of music.

Maybe some of us still have our glory days ahead? Bob Dylan, at the tender age of 79, just put out a new album and it went into the top ten. My music may not get there but I can get a few likes on YouTube and play with my local band, The Regeneration Jazz Band.

Come on and join us! We will get together and have a blast jamming for no good reason once this whole virus thing is over…it may be loud, too 😉

<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-cat-links">Posted in</span> Encouragement | <span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-tag-links">Tagged</span> , , , | Comments Off on Dad Rock? Music for the rest of us!

It’s all about the tone, man

Posted on July 15, 2020 by Tom
Getting good tone for your guitar is more than adjusting knobs.
Guitarists seem to be obsessed with tone.

I have a friend name Tony whose email address starts with: The Tone. He sings for The Shades of Blue Orchestra which is a local swing orchestra and he does have “the tone”. If you enjoy the classic vocals of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Tony Bennett, you will love this band. But we’re not here to talk about vocals, necessarily 😉

I had another friend years ago who sold me my Tube Screamer. We worked together and spent way too much time discussing gear and music. One thing he said has always stuck with me, “It’s all about the tone, man.”

How to get tone

So, with my Tube Screamer in hand, I went home and experimented with my own rig – a Fender Princeton Chorus. Up until that time, I had just used the overdrive channel for distortion but it was always far too much for some songs. Dialing it back proved to be a major challenge to get just enough breakup for a lighter, bluesier feel. Further, it was all or nothing with the channel switching. If I could get the overdrive under control for a slightly pushed sound, how could I bring back the raging tone for something else? This pedal made the difference. I’m not selling the pedal as it seems to be selling well even today. However, let’s consider our tonal possibilities apart from our gear.

Where to start

You may have heard by now that tone is in your hands. It frequently surprises me how few guitarists actually understand this. One practice with my group at church many years ago, I played up close to the bridge on my guitar to thin out the sound and get a more music box quality. Everybody immediately swung around to look at me with great surprise. They had never heard anything like that from a guitar and especially not from me. During my own practice time at home, I had been experimenting with picking and strumming at different places. As we played the song, it occurred to me I could use that particular tone for a key part of it. Fortunately, they all loved it validating my experiments in tone.

That was on an acoustic. You have the same options on your electric and then some. If you have two pickups, combining the pickup selection with where you hit the strings really expands the palette of available sounds you can get.

The basics

When you play your guitar, where do you typically hit the strings? Most go right for a center position between the neck and bridge. Usually, acoustic players are right over the sound hole and many play right over the fretboard that extends over the body. Can we call it monotone? Maybe it is time to experiment!

Neck tone

As you move towards the neck, the sound will tend to be rounder and have less attack. To some degree, it will have more bass content. This will allow a softer tone for picking but also allows broader strumming patterns with less of the pluck or strike from the pick to be heard. I use a strumming technique I call “feathering” to get a nice wash sound with much less rhythm information for some songs. More on that in one of the rhythm courses at Just 2 Play Guitar.

Bridge tone

So, as you move towards the bridge the tone will thin out and the attack will be more pronounced (“Attack” meaning the pluck of the string is more noticeable). This is due to the fact that the string is more constrained by the bridge making it feel stiffer. Picking patterns become more pronounced like a music box. Strumming will bring out the sound of the pick more and create an almost shaker like quality with the scratching across the strings.

More tone options to consider

  • Pickups
  • Finger nails and finger picks
  • Flat pick choice

As mentioned earlier, the pickups on your electric will color the tone and broaden the sounds you can get even further. Try the different positions with each pickup selection.

Finger pick choice is also key. If you play fingerstyle with no pick and no finger nails like I do, the sound is much softer as the attack is muted. Add finger picks or use your nails to bring back the pluck.

Finally, your choice of flat pick can have a significant effect on your tone. I once saw a bluegrass band where the guitarist used thin picks and I was surprised at how much of the flapping I could hear. Bluegrass guitarists usually drive the rhythm by selective muting of the strings to get a “chuck” sound in between strums. Now combine that with the bass player and they have a strong rhythm section with just those two instruments. In this case, it was more “flap” than “chuck“.

Experiment with tone

Take all of these things into consideration and try them! Something to try is to take a well known song and change up the tone to see what you can find hidden under your hands. You will find it is easy to change the whole feel of a song just by moving your hands and trying a new tone. You may even find another song suddenly rises out of you as it reminds you of something else.

<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-cat-links">Posted in</span> Guitar, Technique | <span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-tag-links">Tagged</span> , , , | Comments Off on It’s all about the tone, man

Chord charts and lead sheets: A How To Guide

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Tom

If you play with a church group or the occasional amateur band, you will use chord charts. Jazz bands use charts and The Real Book is a famous compendium of standard charts. My band, The Regeneration Jazz Band, draws from this volume regularly. Most chord charts are rather simple and created on the fly. I have made hundreds for myself and others. There is a better way.

Writing charts for a music group can be more than just chords and words if formatted better.
Writing charts for a music group can be more helpful

The Voluntary Musician

As I have mentioned in one of my previous posts, volunteering to play for various events is an excellent way to find opportunities to get with other musicians. The question quickly becomes: What are we going to play? Sharing music and notes suddenly takes center stage. I have books of saved charts from years of playing to draw from. Charts that have unique arrangements or notes are invaluable. It is amazing how a common song can have so many variations. This is mainly due to various artists popularizing their unique take on a song such that it becomes the version for a generation.

So, you’ve got variations on a theme and years of notes about dynamics and instrumentation to deal with. How do you do it with the simple chart style of just words and chords? Let me show you the way 😉

The Radcliffe Method

Named for my good friend and the bass player for over 30 years at Chaplegate Presbyterian Church. Scott Radcliffe developed this format years ago as a way to record the various notes and instrumentation cues used in the worship music over the years. With any church music, there is a rotating set of familiar hymns and songs punctuated by special music and the occasional addition of new material. In the past when an oldie but a goody would come around, the inevitable question would get asked: “Does anybody remember how we did this the last time?” Our drummer is typically the store of musical history for us but he isn’t always there and he doesn’t remember all of the details regarding vocals every time. This is how we do it.

Chord Charts Format A-Z

First, the overall form is a table two columns wide with as many rows as needed to accommodate each verse and chorus. Each row contains an entire verse or an entire chorus.

Second, column one contains the words for the verses and choruses. The second column contains the notes for that part of the song. To cue in the instruments, set the instruction at the same line where you would like them to enter. To be even more precise, use an asterisk. This is particularly helpful if the instruments are to enter in the middle of a line.

Third, map out the entire song even if you are repeating verses and choruses. This will allow for specific instruction on repeats and avoid confusion. You could say something like, “Quiet first time, louder second time” with an indication that this section will be repeated but it can get cumbersome and prone to mistakes if taken too far.

Finally, use the outline format for the table so the rows and columns are clearly delineated. This is more of a personal preference but it does make it easier to find your place if/when you look away and come back. There is nothing more disrupting to your groove than to look back at your music and not know where you are!

The chord chart details make the difference

Font choice should be simple. I prefer sans serif fonts such as Arial, Calibri and Helvetica. Again, when I look away and come back, I find I can resume where I left off much easier. The page does not look so busy – simpler is better.

Font size should be at least 14 point, in my opinion. The smaller the font, the closer I need to have the music to read it comfortably. Larger and less music fits on a page forcing me to flip pages more often. These days with tablet computers (e.g. iPads) and Bluetooth page flippers, it’s not that big of a problem but keep it simple! I have pedals for my guitar and managing yet another pedal can get overwhelming. With some apps, you can link tablets together and flipping pages can be the responsibility of one person. More on that in another post.

Intros and outros should get their own rows. These parts are typically scribbled in somewhere or left as a note. They are easily forgotten and are there to set the tone going into and leaving a song. If you link one song to another, this can be a significant detail. Again, the question will arise: How did we do this the last time?

Lastly, get the format down and save it as a template for future use. You could reuse an old chart file but you risk accidentally overwriting your work. Yikes! Better to store away a solid template that you can pull up any time.

Now you have it! Just 2 Play Guitar will have a class on preparing chord charts in the near future. Don’t forget to register above to get notified and sign up for the newsletter!

<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-cat-links">Posted in</span> Documentation, Guitar | Comments Off on Chord charts and lead sheets: A How To Guide

Let’s try a little fingerpicking

Posted on July 11, 2020 by Tom

A fellow guitarist and I were talking the other day. I mentioned that my fingerpicking is a kind of pseudo classical style thing I developed early on in my playing. He could tell I was clearly dogging my technique and offered this encouragement: “Anything that gets the job done is acceptable.” Just because I did not use the “approved” (in my mind, anyway) method of fingerpicking, did not mean I was doing it wrong. I need to take my own advice, sometimes.

Fingerpicking technique is more up to the player and can take many forms.
Fingerpicking can take many different forms

Fingerpicking or fingerstyle

Whatever you want to call it, fingerpicking or fingerstyle, is really a matter of learning a way that works for your music and sticking to it. You can always change it or add to your technique later. Take a look at just these few techniques to consider:

  • Classical guitar
  • Banjo roll
  • Hybrid a.k.a. Chet Atkins style or chicken picking

Where to begin

When starting out, concentrate on the basic moves and get comfortable with those. You should also try to play in just that style for some time to really get it under your fingers. I mean, put down the pick and only play fingerstyle for a time. I used to think I needed to keep playing with a pick and practice my other rhythms as well so I would not forget all that I had learned up to that point. It is only when I set aside everything else and really concentrated did I get to a point of competence.

The next concern you may have is with your fingernails. When I play bass I get the additional clicking from my fingernails so, I keep them short. This forces me to either adopt finger picks or just go with what I’ve got – meat. Whatever you decide, stick with it for a while. Resist the urge to keep switching around. That will only derail whatever progress you make.

Finger picks or not?

As a kid, I had nothing but bare fingers to work with. Who used finger picks? Most just let their fingernails grow out a bit and used them. Depending on the strength of your nails, that may work well. Playing on steel or nylon strings makes a difference, as well. Steel will wear your nails down very quickly especially if you are playing acoustic guitar. Most classical players I know, go with either false nails or are strengthening up their natural ones with clear nail polish.

The steel players I know, use a thumb pick at the very least. Check out Doyle Dykes for example. He is in the Chet Atkins Nashville style and uses a thumb pick. My good friend, Tom Monaco, is a jazz guitarist who uses a thumb pick. I new a guitarist years ago who played hybrid i.e. holds a flat pick with is thumb and index finger but also uses his other fingers. Johnny Hiland is scary good with this technique. Finally, check out Andy Timmons on Headed For The Ditch where he sounds every bit like a chicken picker but he is using a flat pick!

All or nothing fingerpicking

To wrap up, it is important to decide and then commit with any new technique. I mentioned that I learned a style when I was a kid that got the job done without any extra finger nails or finger picks. My guitar teacher at the time showed me the classical guitar method and I built on that. Not sure what I would have done if I knew about or was shown all of the other methods.

Later in life, I picked up a resonator guitar, a Dobro Hound Dog, and started to learn slide. I use a set of three finger picks like a banjo player: thumb, index and middle. When I plan to play it live, I woodshed a bit to get back to a level of comfort with it. Typically a week of solid Dobro only playing gets my chops back and I am much more at ease. It is a blast to play a completely different instrument like that but it takes some concentration. Jump in and try it!

<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-cat-links">Posted in</span> Guitar, Technique | Comments Off on Let’s try a little fingerpicking

A little amp leaves a big impression

Posted on July 9, 2020 by Tom

In my last blog post, I wrote about Charlie Daniels recent passing. I also mentioned how I saw him in concert. There is a detail I did not mention about that experience that made me look at my rig in a whole new way. The band played on an enormous stage in an arena and all he had behind him was a Fender Twin Reverb – a little amp.

The Fender Twin Reverb sat in a kicked back position behind Charlie Daniels looked like a little amp on the huge stage.
The Fender Twin Reverb kicked back on its legs.

Why was that a big deal? Well, Kiss had been out a few years and the wall of amps became a thing. Most of the amps behind Kiss were facades but the effect said it all: Big a$$ sound! Friends of mine had Marshall half stacks and I played a Peavey Standard head with two cabs for my bass rig. We all wanted to have a wall of amps! Yet, here I was in an arena and this guy just had this little amp behind him!

Little amp but big sound

Keep in mind that the Twin Reverb is a Loud, powerful amp at 85 watts with two 12″ speakers. Most of the Marshalls I saw among my friends were 50 watts. Put that through a 4×12 cabinet and it will strip paint off the wall. The shocker was the setting – an arena. I expected huge! The were two things I wrestled with: the look and the stage volume.

If you have a good P.A. system, the amp size really doesn’t matter that much. The complaint we would hear was always, “You’re too loud!” Add to that the many nights I came home with ringing in my ears so bad I was all but deaf. These days, I don’t even use an amp unless I have to. I go virtual with an in-ear monitor or use a small amp that is easy to carry. No more ringing except for that left over from the damage I did to myself in those early days – Doh!

Go for tone

Big rigs certainly look cool and I love them. When I was young and following my older brother around music stores, the stacks of amps would always grab my attention. Even the P.A. system speaker columns and stacks would call my name. However, the key detail is your tone. What is the sound you are listening for? Clean or dirty, you must nail that first! If you can get it with a mere 15 watts, do it. Your bank account will thank you and your back will definitely thank you.

Where to start small

Depending on your style of playing, you want to start with an amplifier that is designed to support that sound. For example, if you typically play clean electric then a Fender style amp may be your thing. If you want crunch, then veer toward Marshall type amps. For acoustic guitar, you can actually get away with a small P.A. system as you are looking for an amp that is not going to color your tone. There are plenty of acoustic guitar amplifiers available, just realize that they really are just miniature P.A. systems meant to amplify your instrument as cleanly as possible. The extra bells and whistles are typically the types of effects built in. That can make it more convenient but better to spend your money on a good mike or pickup for your guitar.

If you are an electric jazz guitarist, you will be looking for clean like the acoustic players but will need an amp built for electric guitars. Why? Because the magnetic pickups have a particular frequency response that is enhanced by the design of those amps. Polytone amplifiers are typical but the Roland Jazz Chorus or Fender Ultimate Chorus are good choices, as well.

Final praise for little amps

I watched a friend of mine’s band play a Christmas concert a few years ago: Karen England. It was in a large modern style church (i.e. stage and folding chairs). I sat in the front row right next to the guitarist. What did I see but a little Fender Blues Jr. just off the stage aimed up at him. I couldn’t get over the huge sound he was getting! 15 watts and one 12″ speaker. Harkened back to ol’ Charlie Daniels and his little amp so many years ago. I now have a Blues Jr. for myself and just love being able to lug that little guy around as easily as my guitar. Lesson learned 😉

<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-cat-links">Posted in</span> Gear, Guitar | <span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-tag-links">Tagged</span> , , , , , | Comments Off on A little amp leaves a big impression

Charlie Daniels

Posted on July 8, 2020 by Tom

“The Devil Went Down to Georgia” writer died July 6, 2020 at the age of 83. In case you had not heard. He was a huge influence on me in the days when classic rock was just rock ‘n’ roll blasting out of the radio. Most of the articles I have been reading talk about how he was a country music star. That’s not how I remember him.

Charlie Daniels Band: Million Mile Reflections

Classic Rock Icon

The year was 1979 when the Million Mile Reflections album came out with that hit song. Lynyrd Skynyrd had suffered the loss of members of their band from a plane crash in 1977. We were all still feeling that gap in our music while bands like Molly Hatchet, Blackfoot and The Charlie Daniels Band were filling the void. We called it Southern Rock at that time and spent many hours learning the riffs that flowed from those albums.

The Rossington Collins Band formed out of the remaining members of Lynyrd Skynyrd and hit the road opening for Charlie Daniels. I caught their show at a place called The Capitol Center in Largo, Maryland. The place was a sports arena with the acoustics of an enormous bathroom but what a show! I almost could not believe I was seeing these two bands as they were that big in my mind. My date was unimpressed. However, it wasn’t long before the 80’s dawned and everything seemed to change overnight.

Many influences, one band

As you listen through the Million Mile Reflections album, you have to notice the wide variety of styles exhibited. My older brother learned the first cut, Passing Lane, for his band as a rocking showcase for the members of his band. There is a break in the middle where each instrument takes a solo break. That was new to me and sounded as cool as it looked played live.

There is a swing styled tune called, Jitterbug, that reminded me of some of the music my mother loved from old musicals. My mother was unimpressed 😉
Additionally, there are a couple of ballads and a jazz inflected song rounding out the collection that I could not get out of my head – Rainbow Ride. Of course, there is the Bluegrass blowout of The Devil Went Down to Georgia. I didn’t know anybody who could play violin/fiddle like that so the song went uncovered by my brother’s band and my bands. I learned it just the same as it is so cool!

Eyes and ears opened

So much ground covered in one album! Charlie Daniels managed to expose me to several styles done in his own magical way. I could start to see how I could incorporate variety like that into my own playing. It also opened my eyes to dig into other music to…dare I say it, learn from them? My collection veered from mostly Beatles to add more Charlie Daniels, Elvin Bishop (mentioned in The South’s Gonna Do It Again), and Allman Brothers.

Today

My family has a reunion every year at an old Catholic retreat center around a lake in the woods. The place is as rustic as it gets with all of the trimmings: cabins, dirt roads, hamburgers, hotdogs and a campfire. My wife encouraged me to bring my guitar and play when everyone gathered around for the fire and ‘smores in the evening. I had begun to build up a repertoire as I mentioned in another post but I needed some stories for the kids. You probably know of many story tellers in music to draw from but I wanted a ghost story. What’s a campfire without a good ghost story? I knew just where to go: Full Moon – The Legend of Wooley Swamp. Perfect!

Dig through that catalog! It’s not just country music, there’s a little bit of everything in there. He has great stories, songwriting and music every bit as good as The Devil Went Down to Georgia.

Oh and, by the way, don’t forget to join us as we learn Just 2 Play Guitar. Just click the Learn More link above and do just that! Maybe we can play The Legend of Wooley Swamp together around a campfire someday.

<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-cat-links">Posted in</span> Guitar, Personalities | Comments Off on Charlie Daniels