We have two new premium guitar lessons that will teach you all about the Five Pentatonic Scale Forms and Variations of the Blues Scale. Both lessons cover the basic construction of the scale, different forms of the scale, and how to link the forms together. We then show you how to use the scale to solo over an appropriate jam track. If you’re just starting to create your own blues guitar solos, these are invaluable tips.
Five Pentatonic Scale Forms Demo
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Are you confused on the difference between MSRP and MAP and trying to figure out which music stores are giving you a good deal? Fretbase has a helpful article explaining some basic guitar buying terms and concepts.
The thing to know about MAP is that this is the minimum price that a retailer can *advertise* a guitar for sale. Retailers are free to sell guitars cheaper than MAP. Many guitar retailers like My Favorite Guitars and Maury’s Music will encourage you to contact them directly for their best price. They do this because they can’t list their lowest price on their website. But they will share it quickly if you call or e-mail them.
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There’s no shortage of musicians looking for a good place to rehearse. Either the neighbors complain, you can’t leave the drum set there, or there’s not a place you can afford. Hoping to provide a solution for many is the JamHub silent rehearsal studio. These devices allow each member of the band to plug in their mics/instruments and then also control the mix of what’s coming into their individual headphones. There are three models available: The 4 person Bedroom for $300, the 6 person Greenroom for $500, and the 6 person TourBus that has additional features at $700.
I’d imagine most people would be looking at the Bedroom and Greenroom versions. Depending on the model you get, you can record directly to a computer or SD Ram card, use a built in metronome, or use built in effects. All versions would be easy to use with a couple of guitars and a bass. Using drums is where it gets a little tricky. If you have electric drums, then no problem. If you don’t, you’d have to mic the drums and not play extremely loud, or just have to deal with the noise. Either way, it seems like a possible answer for musicians stuck in dorm rooms or cramped city apartments. And I’d imagine more than a few frustrated parents would be willing to purchase one.
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How can you improve you left hand speed for playing Guitar?
Slow Practice – Practice everything slow at first so that you can work on technique
Relax – Keep your hands, arms, shoulders, etc relaxed
Economy of Motion – Don’t let your fingers move any more than they are required to.
To learn more about playing fast, check out Peter’s premium Lines Built for Speed lesson.
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In the summer of 2009 Dave Carroll boarded a plane after he had checked in his guitar case at the counter for an United Airlines Flight. During a connection in Chicago, other passengers noticed the baggage handlers tossing instrument cases on the tarmac. Dave’s worst fears were realized. His Taylor had been broken. Dave eventually wrote three songs and recorded videos to document the original disaster, the struggles with airline employees, and amazingly his new found fame as a result of the whole ordeal. Watch the videos for some good country picking and laughs. And always take extra precautions when traveling with your guitar.
(ht: The Guitar Hunter)
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MusicRadar.com has a look at the A-Z of Surf Guitar. This slide show takes a look at the musicians, guitars, and concepts that have helped define surf guitar over the years. Click on each picture to move through their list, or use the scrolling bar to get a quick overview and cherry pick which topics you want to read about. S is for SurfGuitar101.com a site I had not seen before. They may not update their podcast much, but the archived episodes are a great way to get a free taste of surf music.
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B.B. King discusses what he likes about his favorite guitarists from a 1975 Guitar Player article
I’m as much a jazz fan as I am a blues fan. I like country and western music, too. Chet Atkins, to me, is a master guitarist. But among my very favorites are these ten men: T-Bone Walker, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Johnny Moore, Bill Jennings, Big Joe Williams, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Charlie Christian, Earl Hooker, Robert Nighthawk, and Lloyd Ellis.
T-Bone Walker, for instance, has a touch that nobody has been able to duplicate. I’ve listened to Alexis Korner, Big Bill Broonzy, and others — all possess a certain touch and tone settings that are different. And when I hear T-Bone play, his tone setting is like no one else’s. He has a strange way of holding his guitar, slanting it away from him instead of having it lay flat against his stomach. It’s almost like he were playing a steel guitar, but he curls his left arm underneath, and reaches his fingers up over the top. And he seems to kind of scrape his pick across the strings. How he’s able to hit specific strings, I just don’t know. And that touch he gets! I’ve tried my best to get that sound — especially in the late ’40s and early ’50s. I came pretty close, but I never quite got it. I can still hear T-Bone in my mind today, from that first record I heard, “Stormy Monday,” around ’43 or ’44. He was the first electric guitar player I heard on record. He made me so that I knew I just had to go out and get an electric guitar.
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Are you looking for a way to practice your electric guitar on the road without having to lug an amp and effects pedals around? The iRig by AmpliTube ($39.99) allows you to plug your electric guitar directly into your iPhone. You can also run a separate jack to a pair of headphones so that you can practice quietly in a hotel room. Plug into some speakers or a mixer for a more portable effects setup. With their free AmpliTube app you can add the sound of three different stomp boxes and a guitar amp and cabinet. The LE version and Full version offer even more settings.
Watch their video explanation
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Five lucky people who either “like” our Facebook Freeguitarvideos.com Fan Page or follow us on Twitter (@watchlearnmusic) by Wednesday July 14th will win six of our Premium Download Lessons. Stay up to date on our newest lessons, special discounts, and other news.
Limited Time Discount: In addition to our Buy 5 Get 1 Free Special (which is always setup), we’re offering an additional 10% discount when you have at least six products in your shopping cart. Offer ends Wednesday July 14th. Discount is reflected on the checkout page where you enter your credit card information. Get a Six Lesson Package for just $21.96 (usually $24.95)
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Fender has a helpful post up on how to remove stickers from your guitar or case.
Probably the best way to remove stickers from a guitar without harming the finish—residue and all—is to use naphtha, which works well on all finish types, including nitrocellulose lacquer. The term “naphtha” actually refers to several rather volatile liquid hydrocarbon mixtures. Common products made with it include lighter fluid for wick-type lighters such as Zippo lighters, shoe polish, various cleaning fluids and solvents, and fuel for portable stoves and lanterns (camping gear, mostly).
photo by: Josh Writes a Blog
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