Understanding Guitar

One Beginners’ Efforts

Below are the files that I promised in the Quick Post: Sat. Guitar Lesson post that I created earlier today.

• Open Position 3rds [Skips] in Quarter Notes (TuxGuitar file)
• Open Position 3rds [Skips] in Quarter Notes (PDF file)

You can enter by going to: http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Contests/2008/GooGooDolls/

Win an Epiphone Les Paul Plain Top Heritage Cherry Burst and the Goo Goo Dolls Greatest Hits Vol 2

I know I promised more scales related blog entries, but I thought of this and wanted to post it… I promise, those scale entries are coming.

Anyway, are you? Frustrated that is… I recently posted what I thought was a very good article on learning an instrument and frustration. You can view that here. I thought and still thing it is a great article.

But a thought occurred to me and I wanted to make sure i share it.

It is absolutely impossible to practice something over and over and not get better at it. So if you are finding that you can’t play something that you have been trying to play, take a break… wait 5 minutes, 1 hour, 1 day whatever you need to wait in order to re-relax.

Then try it again. Repeat as nessasary. You will learn it.

The Fender Custom Shop has announced plans to release a David Gilmour Strat. For those who might be under a rock ( ) David Gilmour is a Guitarist for Pink Floyd. I love listening to Pink Floyd play and furthermore, I love the guitar in their songs…

Shine On You Crazy Diamond is the song that is coming to mind right now; wonderful guitar licks in that song. Wonderful song overall, also.

http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/Daily/News/Fender_Custom_Shop_Announces_David_Gilmour_Strat.aspx

As a quick summary, it appears there will be two editions of the Fender Custom Shop Guitar. One will be priced at $3999.99 and the other “relic” one priced at $4799.99 (MSRPs, I assume).

As much as I’d like to have one, I won’t be buying one of these due to price (and how clumbsy I am). I chipped my electric guitar the first day I had it.

I was reading PickStroke.com and on their side bar the author had listed “Guitar Cardio” might be a good place to visit if you need to work on your speed.”

And boy, is PickStroke right!

I think this site (GuitarCardio) is an amazing idea. Kudos to the author for authoring and hosting this.

The site basically will generate a number of scales for you to run though, it give you several options. I hope to use the site to practice scales while working on my new direction.

Give it a try: http://www.guitarcardio.com/

Screen Shot:

I work around Downers Grove, IL and there is a very good deli [map for deli^] right in a shopping center off of Butterfield road. I sometimes go there for lunch. Next to the deli is the Downers Grove Best Buy, so I decided to stop in and walk around (the Deli Serves huge sandwiches, I love that place!)

Anyway, so I was wondering around the Best Buy and noticed that they had something blocked off… As I walked, slowly what came in to view was a bit surprising. I saw Guitars in the room hanging on the wall like a Guitar Center.

These were real guitars. You know, like you are learning to play. Not Guitar Hero guitars.

I asked the bunch of employees that were standing around talking (common at best buy) when that section opens, and they said tomorrow — well that was yesterday! So it opened today.

I guess they are only doing this in a select few stores. I intend to stop by on Monday when I’m back in the area.

But the question stands, Why is Best Buy selling guitars? I have a theory and I’m going to share it… Why? Because I pay each month to have this blog and I have an opinion so I’m going to share it.

With the craze of the Guitar Hero came the “Guitar Hero Effect” (I just made that up, I hope it sticks). Anyway, what I call the Guitar Hero Effect is where people (mostly kids? [yeah, right]) play the game for a while and then decide that they enjoy the game and then decide that playing a real guitar must be just like the game. They can become a rock guitar hero just like JoCo! And hence, they want to learn guitar. (So they go buy a guitar… etc, etc).

Well, this is Best Buy’s attempt to get in on those sales. I can’t blame them. If I was in their executive team I’d probably would start selling them too. (Wait, I am — I own stock; it sort of like being on the executive team, right? Ok, fine, no.)

Leave a note on what you think. Oh, and would you buy a guitar from Best Buy? I’m on the fence. I don’t think it’d be any different from Guitar Center or Sam Ash… The same mis-information (whether accident or not) would and will proabably be used.

I was at a Sam Ash^ about 2 weeks ago, shopping around — just looking (at saxophones [the bug is gone]) and I came upon something that really interested me.

It was a small CD (Jewel) case which said “Learn to play this Hit Song!” It was in a display box with several titles named. I scanned through the titles and discovered that they labeled the level of skill required to play the given song…

So I scanned through looking for items marked at “Guitar_Level 1″ which is the lowest level. I ended up with only a handful of selections (like 2 or 3) and all but 1 was of no interest of me (as far as learning the song). That was “Smells like Teen Spirit” as performed by Nirvana.

I decided immediately to purchase it; I had to at least give it a try and it was only around $13.00.

You can find more information about this here: http://www.playitnowtunes.com^

My first impressions when I broke in to the CD and started to listening was positive. However, I don’t like their version of the song (Smells Like Teen Spirit) but that just probably has to do with the fact that I have always much preferred their acoustic or unplugged versions more then the electric (plugged?) versions.

I’ve only been working with it for two weeks. I don’t want to post a “this will work” or “this won’t work” opinion until I’ve spent more time with it; but I did want to let the world know that it was out there.

Let it be known that I want one: Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-II

Though, seariously since I’m posting this does anyone have any thoughts on this guitar? I want a better electric but something a bit more then basic. This has some features such as the ability to sound like acoustic that I desire. And its price isn’t too bad, though it is a bit more then I wanted to spend…

I primarily play an acoustic. I have a starter Electric Guitar but am looking to get a better, higher quality Electric Guitar.

Does anyone have any suggestions as an alternative to this guitar? Perhaps similar features but a little less money?

Update: I’ve posted another blog entry about the same type of electric guitar. You can find that at: http://www.understandingguitar.org/2008/05/16/epiphone-les-paul-ultra-ii-electric-guitar/

Note To Self: Learn how to utilize the “guitar playalongs” on IG Blog…

I just saw this on YouTube… I stumbled upon it really, but I thought I’d share.

I know to some people, this might not be particularly impressive. However, to someone like myself (beginners) this is impressive and it makes you wonder how to get there… Perhaps one day I can post a video like this.