How To Play Killer Guitar

by RecDude

The Secrets To Playing Killer Guitar

Every now and then I have someone ask me , "Rec will you teach me how to play the guitar "? I generally tell them no. In the more than 26 years that I have been playing guitar there are some tips, tricks, and shortcuts that I have learned, or discovered that I don't mind passing along now. As I have retired from teaching guitar and playing professionally I feel that I am no longer in competition with other guitarists so these ideas are not considered sacred or a secret to me, and I will freely pass on my experiences to you in the hopes that it will help your career ,or make you a better all around guitar player. (How is that for generous. You can't get this for free anywhere else so you have nothing to lose).

Whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or a professional this just may give you the edge that you need for that dream career or that lucky break.

The most important thing is practice, practice, practice. I cannot stress this enough. Most people feel that a half an hour twice a week is enough. WRONG! When I first started (at 15 ) I practiced every day 3 to 4 hours a day. People sometimes wonder why musicians are so strange. It is because the really dedicated ones have never taken the time to develop personal relationships. They are in love with their instrument and it is an obsession that is more intense than any other relationship. If you are in a relationship that is time consuming or demanding , then you may have to kiss it goodbye. Most lovers, friends, and/or family will not approve of the time and money that you must devote to your practice and eventual career. If you wish to succeed then you will have to do whatever it takes because I guarantee you there are others out there making such sacrifices. "How long must I practice this much", you ask? However long it takes for you to start to feel comfortable with the strumming, picking and chording. I usually recommend 3 years. "What"! you say. 3 years! Yes the first year alone should be used in learning the chords, how to properly apply them, and how they are connected in progressions. You cannot play if you do not know the chords. Buy a chord chart the very first thing. During this time you should concentrate on your ability to change from one chord to another. It should become automatic like breathing. Speed at this stage is not important. Confidence is. Being able to play along with any song even if you have never played it before is a killer rush. Especially if it is done on stage in front of screaming fans. Learn to play the right way or you WILL be embarrassed. You are not going to be playing AC/DC the first week. Take your time to build up to more intricate chord patterns. Think about how long it took some of these guys to learn how to play, and to write the songs. Years and years. Don't get frustrated. Your skill and confidence will grow as you progress. You may think that standing on stage and banging the crap out of a guitar is music but it is not. Some people progress faster than others so don't get discouraged if you do not keep up with the so called prodigies. Guitar notation is helpful in learning songs that you like. Listening to the song and playing along is a good idea too. Develop your own style though. Experiment often. I know many guitar players that can play songs that are identical to the record but they are unable to create or write there own music. They have so conditioned themselves to covering other peoples music that they are unable to express creativity. If your idea is to have a 20 year career in the clubs and bars or all you are interested in is in trying to impress your friends, then you are experiencing only half of the guitar. Not the better half I might add. Being original can be your key right from the very start. I'm not saying that you should limit yourself though. Playing cover tunes will help you to develop a feel for style and progression but do you really want to be a clone, or out of your league when confronted with other styles of music. I have seen winners of guitar wars competitions stop playing or sit down during jam sessions because they were lost and had no clue as to what was going on. Speed is good but not always important. Learn the difference between lead and rhythm styles of playing. I also know guitar players that are experts at one or the other but not both. The truly great players can do both and play each style with the same passion. They are happy to be playing. I have put down the six string and played bass just to be playing when no one else could.

Learn how your instrument works and how to tune and string it. Do not count on always having a tuner. If you wish to use one at the start that is fine. I have seen an expert player bum out a crowd because the battery died in his tuner and he could not tune it by ear. You will not have a guitar technician at the start. (unless you have plenty of money, then call me). Throwing on a string and tuning it right really quick can save you a lot of hassle. Some people have a natural ear and have no problems tuning. If you cannot do it to start with do not worry. After a while you should be able to get the hang of it.

It will take much more space to really explore this subject in depth so for now let me just say that this is what I will call the beginners stage. In the future I hope to provide much more insight into the intermediate and professional players stages as well and discuss such things as equipment and technique.

One final thought. Spend what you can afford to lose. Do not buy an expensive guitar to start with. If for some reason you lose interest or are unable to learn the guitar I guarantee you will lose your ass when it comes time to sell it. I recommend not paying any more than $300 dollars U.S. for the beginner. If you shop around you can get a good new or used instrument for a lot less. Two of mine are very rare and expensive customs that I paid around that much for used. They both were hanging on the music shop wall. Returned by someone with more money than commitment.

Good luck and remember to practice, practice ,practice.