Guitar Players are often responsible for adding harmony and structure to a piece of music. Harmony, in essence as we perceive it in music, is a balance of one or more notes within the given musical environment. As we think of this balance in terms of musicality, we often overlook the need for balance in the physicality of playing. Without this awareness we open ourselves up for the dissonance to overthrow the balance of harmony and cause physical discomforts.

“The best prevention is to stretch the hands and fingers before and after practicing or performing”

The most common physical threat to guitarists is RSI or Repetitive Strain Injury. There are many types of RSI (many commonly referred to as Carpel Tunnel, Tennis Elbow, or even Tendinitis) and the name says it all. Repeating particular scales or chords, especially ones that require some fancy finger-work, cause the muscles to overwork in one direction leaving the opposite muscles weak which in turn creates the imbalance which eventually leads to swelling, achiness, and arthritic pain. RSI is much like spraining a wrist or ankle, but in the case of guitarists the discomfort is usually experienced in either one of the first 3 fingers and or the palm near the thumb. Ignoring the early onset of RSI can cause some long-term difficulties, so it’s best to “nip that sucka in the bud” as soon as you feel it, or better yet start implementing some preventative measures now.

The best prevention is to stretch the hands and fingers before and after practicing or performing. There are several great resources for guitarists in regards to hand stretches but I will suggest one that is crucial. As I mention RSI is caused by over-straining the muscles in one direction, so by adding resistance and working the muscles the other way, we can correct this. So we fret pushing our fingers inward towards the neck so to work the opposite muscle group, place a rubber band over your fingertips and thumb (holding them all straight and touching the fingertips together) simply open and close the hand. The resistance of the rubber-band will help build the muscles that will balance out your fret hand (do this for your picking hand as well).

If you’re already feeling the pain of RSI then take a few days off from practicing, try to keep the fingers out straight and maybe even use an icepack (or a bag of frozen french fries from your freezer). There are many healthy ways to approach the healing process as well. Keep the joints hydrated by drinking lots of water. Supply the muscles, bones, and joints with all the nutrients they need to be strong. As a longtime student of the healing arts and dabbling herbalist I would recommend taking a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement and Glucosamine which will greatly help you heal fast and stay healthy. There are also many holistic herbs (ie: Devil’s Claw, Black Cohosh, Valerian Root, etc.) that can aide with the swelling and pain. But again, and most importantly be sure to practice proper stretching and exercise.

So practice with care and always play it safe. After all, your music is in your hands!

* * * * *

Scott “SVH” Von Heldt is a staff writer for SMG. Scott is currently the lead guitarist for Brian “Head” Welch (ex-Korn) and has worked with members of White Zombie, Cirque Du Soliel and many others. In late 2008 he released the first book of his Mystic Art of Self-Discovery series entitled Mind Over Metal: The Musician’s Guide to Mental Mastery.

Email: SVH@sharemyguitar.com

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Let’s wrap this series up this week! We will be doing the lesson on the A and low E string today. These strings can be used in the scale to do some cool three note per string runs up and down the neck. I like to think of being able to know the whole scale up and down the neck so you can move around the neck effortlessly once it is learned.

Part 5 of  Unlocking the Neck will help to get you on your way to shreddin like a pro!

So lets get right to it!

A – 0 2 3 5 7 8 10 12 14 15 17 19 20
E – 0 1 3 5 7 8 10 12 13 15 17 19 20

As we have done in all of the lessons, I want you to do the following and practice sequences ascending up and then down the neck as follows, FOUR TIMES EACH. And please, use alternate picking! These posts have stressed repetition to gain confidence and knowledge on the neck, today’s lesson is no different.

Let’s start with the A string.

A —- 0 2 3 (4 times)
2 3 5 (4 times)
3 5 7 (4 times)
5 7 8 (4 times)
7 8 10 (4 times)
8 10 12 (4 times)
10 12 14 (4 times)
12 14 15 (4 times)
14 15 17 (4 times)
15 17 19 (4 times)
17 19 20 (4 times)

Now you descend the neck

20 19 17 (4 times)
19 17 15 (4 times)
17 15 14 (4 times)
15 14 12 (4times)
14 12 10 (4 times)
12 10 8 (4 times)
10 8 7 (4 times)
8 7 5 (4 times)
7 5 3 (4 times)
5 3 2 (4 times)
3 2 0 (4 times)

Next is the E string

E —- 0 1 3 (4 times)
1 3 5 (4 times)
3 5 7 (4 times)
5 7 8 (4 times)
7 8 10 (4 times)
8 10 12 (4 times)
10 12 13 (4 times)
12 13 15 (4 times)
13 15 17 (4 times)
15 17 19 (4 times)
17 19 20 (4 times)

Now you descend the neck

20 19 17 (4 times)
19 17 15 (4 times)
17 15 13 (4 times)
15 13 12 (4times)
13 12 10 (4 times)
12 10 8 (4 times)
10 8 7 (4 times)
8 7 5 (4 times)
7 5 3 (4 times)
5 3 1 (4 times)
3 1 0 (4 times)

So now we have the whole guitar mapped out as follows

E– 0 1 3 5 7 8 10 12 13 15 17 19 20
B– 0 1 3 5 6 8 10 12 13 15 17 18 20
G– 0 2 4 5 7 9 10 12 14 16 17 19 21
D –0 2 3 5 7 9 10 12 14 15 17 19 21
A – 0 2 3 5 7 8 10 12 14 15 17 19 20
E – 0 1 3 5 7 8 10 12 13 15 17 19 20

Time to learn how to blaze around the neck

Here is a basic A B C pattern up the neck in 3 octaves.

Practice this one ascending and descending

E 10 12 13
B 10 12 13
G 7 9 10
D 7 9 10
A 5 7 8
E – 5 7 8

Another cool take on the same pattern

E 13 12 10
B 13 12 10
G 10 9 7
D 10 9 7
A 8 7 5
E – 8 7 5

Here is a classic C major scale run using 3 notes per string

E – 10 12 13
B – 10 12 13
G – 9 10 12
D – 9 10 12
A – 8 10 12
E – 8 10 12

As you can see, adding these 3 note per string runs into your playing adds a few cool new tricks into your guitar playing vocabulary. I would recommend doing the following to best learn the notes on each string: practice the sequences up and down on each string, ascend on the low E, descend on the A, ascend on the D, descend on the G, ascend on the B and descend on the high E. After that, repeat and repeat and repeat!

Practice makes perfect, and learning this material is crucial. For the next step, I would experiment. See what kind of cool material you can come up with and I encourage you to send me some ideas back as I am always looking for next crazy licks!

Thanks for reading.

* * * * *

Brian Marshak is a staff writer at SMG. Brian is also a guitar player and composer in Hollywood, CA. He began playing guitar at the age of six and is mainly self taught from guitar magazines, jamming with other players and learning songs from tapes and cd’s. Brian studied at the Berklee School of Music for awhile on scholarship but left school early to move to Hollywood to work as a professional musician. Since 2006 he has done session work, live showcases, and touring for various bands. Email: BrianMarshak@sharemyguitar.com

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Whether you’re getting ready for your first gig at the local coffee house jam session or preparing for a huge tour, one thing is for certain, it takes a lot of preparatory work to make sure the gig goes off without a hitch. There are several things that factor in to each and every gig and by taking the time to prepare for the desired outcome you will build insight, or “MILEAGE” as we musicians often call it, that will help you in every aspect of your journey as a player or performer.

Photo by deep schismic

1. Perfect the tunes

It’s probably the most obvious place to start, but perfecting your songs and any “Flash” or “Swagger” you wanna add in the live performance needs to be clearly mapped out well in advance. Often groups or players change the songs arrangement a bit to keep it interesting so all these types of things should be practiced regularly.

One thing that I have found to be hugely valuable is having a recorded version of the set with all the songs recorded as they will be played live. This can be a boom box recording of a jam session or anything else that will give you a solid reference to practice with. This will help ingrain the tempos and parts in your mind as you practice. It’s a great idea to play the set along with your recording then go back and work on any weak spots in the set. It’s also of extreme importance to practice using whatever gear you plan to use live. For example, if you have a solo and you’re gonna be borrowing your homies wah pedal for the gig, invite him over for a beer a week prior to the gig and ask him to bring his pedal so you can work on the solo. You want to always make sure to take into account the effects you’ll be using and practice switching smoothly from one sound to another.

2. Get Your Head on Straight

It’s important to be mentally prepared and this is also something that you should practice leading up to your gig. I have seen a poor attitude ruin many potential amazing shows and it can start long before you ever get to a venue. As you practice, get in the mindset that you’re at the gig onstage in front of your crowd. Build in your mind how the show will flow, what you’ll say in between songs etc. These little subtle preparations will help ensure a smooth flowing set at your gig!

3. Get Yourself in Shape

Physical preparation is most often overlooked by musicians. The truth is that performing is taxing on the body, especially if you are touring and playing multiple shows in a row. It’s important to stretch and loosen all the muscle groups that you use to perform (ie: your wrists and forearms, shoulders, chest and lungs if you sing, etc). Being loose and relaxed will always ensure a smooth performance. Also staying hydrated is essential. The heat of the stage lights compounded with nerves and adrenaline can drain your energy really fast.

4. Get in The Spirit of Performing

What you want to do here is prepare yourself to have a good time and make some people smile and feel good with your music. It’s an easy concept but getting in the spirit of the music can really make a seemingly dull gig the best one yet. I’ve looked out at a few almost empty clubs and looked at the band and said “Fellas, we may not be playing to 15,000 people tonight but DAMN IT – we’re gonna ACT like it!” If it’s one person or 100,000 people, ALWAYS show up with the music in your heart and give 110%. You NEVER know who might be listening.

So go on and get busy gettin’ ready to ROCK and remember the it ain’t the ingredients that make a tasty cake, it’s the preparation!

* * * * *

Scott “SVH” Von Heldt is a staff writer for SMG. Scott is currently the lead guitarist for Brian “Head” Welch (ex-Korn) and has worked with members of White Zombie, Cirque Du Soliel and many others. In late 2008 he released the first book of his Mystic Art of Self-Discovery series entitled Mind Over Metal: The Musician’s Guide to Mental Mastery.

Email: SVH@sharemyguitar.com

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After spending the past two weeks looking at session work, lets get back into playing. This week we will move on to part 4 or in other words the 4th string or “D.” If anyone needs a refresher on what this series of posts are all about or wants a refresher on the key and point of what we’re doing, please refer to parts 1-3 of Unlocking the Neck. It’s important to read and understand all of these parts, as they all work together to enable you to unlock the neck!

Part 4 of  Unlocking the Neck will get you on your way to knowing the neck like a pro!

The D string

D — 0 2 3 5 7 9 10 12 14 15 17 19 21

Just as with the other three lessons, I want you to practice the sequences… ascending up and then back down the neck as follows, FOUR TIMES EACH. Please use alternate picking! If you’ve been following these posts, then you know that I like to use repetition to gain confidence and knowledge on the neck.

D —- 0 2 3 (4 times)
2 3 5 (4 times)
3 5 7 (4 times)
5 7 9 (4 times)
7 9 10 (4 times)
9 10 12 (4 times)
10 12 14 (4 times)
12 14 15 (4 times)
14 15 17 (4 times)
15 17 19 (4 times)
17 19 21 (4 times)

Now descend the neck

21 19 17 (4 times)
19 17 15 (4 times)
17 15 14 (4 times)
15 14 12 (4times)
14 12 10 (4 times)
12 10 9 (4 times)
10 9 7 (4 times)
9 7 5 (4 times)
7 5 3 (4 times)
5 3 2 (4 times)
3 2 0 (4 times)

We now have the top 4 strings mapped out as follows

E– 0 1 3 5 7 8 10 12 13 15 17 19 20
B– 0 1 3 5 6 8 10 12 13 15 17 18 20
G– 0 2 4 5 7 9 10 12 14 16 17 19 21
D –0 2 3 5 7 9 10 12 14 15 17 19 21

Enough talking, lets play! Follow these licks as closely as you can, but remember to experiment and stray so you can learn the neck. After all, that is what we are here for!

E 8 5 7 8
B 8 5 6 5 6 8 10
G 7 5
D 5 7 5 7

E 12 13 15 12 13 12
B 15 13 15 12 13 15 12 13 15 12 13
G
14 12 14
D
12 14

Remember that beginning and resolving on the three notes that make up the first chord of the key you are in is essential. Since we are in A minor, those notes are A, C and E. In the first lick above, I began and ended on the note A or the root note. In the second example I used E, or the 5th. Experiment with this and you will play those “money” notes every time.

For the next example, lets do some insane three note per string diatonic passages. Remember to use a metronome on these passages so they are in time and the notes are spaced out evenly.

E 3 5 7 5 7 8
B 3 5 6 5 6 8
G 2 4 5 4 5 7
D 2 3 5 3 5 7

E 7 8 10
8 10 12
B 6 8 10 8 10 12
G 5 7 9 7 9 10
D 5 7 9 7 9 10

Great! So we end by resolving to E, or the 5th. I like to do this a lot when I play to give it an interesting sound for resolution. Landing on the root note is a great choice as well, but the 3rd or 5th leads your ear to recognize something interesting about the note choice. As you can see these three note per string scales are just following the patterns I have drawn up in today’s lessons and prior lessons. All you are doing is taking what you have learned so far and expanding on it. So keep expanding and get back next week when we get to the A string. Pretty soon we will know the whole neck in the key of A minor. After that, you will be blazing up and down the neck like a seasoned pro!

Thanks for reading.

* * * * *

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For this weeks post, we move on to part 3 or in other words, the 3rd string…  the G!

Lets get right to it and if anyone needs a refresher on what this series is all about or would like a refresher on the key and point of what we’re doing, please refer to: Unlocking the Neck & Unlocking the Neck: part 2.

Now, on to the G string:

G– 0 2 4 5 7 9 10 12 14 16 17 19 21

Just like last time, I want you to do the following and practice sequences ascending up and then down the neck as follows, FOUR TIMES EACH. And please, use alternate picking!!

G —- 0 2 4 (4 times)
2 4 5 (4 times)
4 5 7 (4 times)
5 7 9 (4 times)
7 9 10 (4 times)
9 10 12 (4 times)
10 12 14 (4 times)
12 14 16 (4 times)
14 16 17 (4 times)
16 17 19 (4 times)
17 19 21 (4 times) — now you descend the neck —-
21 19 17 (4 times)
19 17 16 (4 times)
17 16 14 (4 times)
16 14 12 (4times)
14 12 10 (4 times)
12 10 9 (4 times)
10 9 7 (4 times)
9 7 5 (4 times)
7 5 4 (4 times)
5 4 2 (4 times)
4 2 0 (4 times)

At this point, if you take the new mapped out notes on the G string and remember the high E and B string you have the following mapped out on the neck.

E– 0 1 3 5 7 8 10 12 13 15 17 19 20
B– 0 1 3 5 6 8 10 12 13 15 17 18 20
G– 0 2 4 5 7 9 10 12 14 16 17 19 21

Cool, so now we have the high 3 strings to work with. Now the “learning” gets fun because we can start soloing for warm ups. I find
that I often do neo-classical type warm up/shredding to get myself all warmed up. Again, lets dive right into it.

E 12 13 15 17 17 19 20 20 17
B 13 17 20 17
G 14
19 17 15 14

E 5 7 8 7 5
B 5 5
G 5 5 7 9 10 12 14

Try working licks onto the 3 strings where you go all around the neck. Also try climbing on one string for awhile and then find a note on a different string and start moving around the neck doing this technique. This will give you some cool sounding licks, as well as you will start seeing patterns all around the neck for ad-libing or writing.

Lastly, one more lick to play.

E 8 10 12 10 12 13
B 8 10 12 10 12 13
G 9 10 12
10 12 14

Now, start playing and get off to the races with that metronome!

In part two of this post series we will examine unlocking the neck using the A minor scale on the B or 2nd string.

As I said last time, “Most guitar players know the minor pentatonic box very well.” With that in mind, wouldn’t it be cool to know the neck really well and play parts that are literally outside the box? This article is for that purpose. Busting out of the pentatonic box. Hopefully some of you checked out part one which deals with the A minor scale on the high E string. It’s important to try and write these down on paper for reference so you can begin to memorize them and see the natural patterns on the neck. If there are questions, please reference Unlocking the Neck: part 1.

I explained the scale in part one, but lets review since its useful none the less. The pentatonic scale is made up of 5 notes, which is why penta is used. Penta means 5. The natural minor scale is made up of 7 notes. They include the minor pentatonic’s 5 notes but also include 2 more. For example, A minor.

A minor pentatonic is A C D E G
A natural minor is A B C D E F G

So the only difference between the two scales is an added B or 2nd and F or 6th.

Lets move on to the B string:

B —– 0 1 3 5 6 8 10 12 13 15 17 18 20

Just like last time, I want you to do the following and practice sequences ascending up and then down the neck as follows: FOUR TIMES EACH. And please, use alternate picking!

B —- 0 1 3 (4 times)
1 3 5 (4 times)
3 5 6 (4 times)
5 6 8 (4 times)
6 8 10 (4 times)
8 10 12 (4 times)
10 12 13 (4 times)
12 13 15 (4 times)
13 15 17 (4 times)
15 17 18 (4 times)
17 18 20 (4 times)

Now you descend the neck:

20 18 17 (4 times)
18 17 15 (4 times)
17 15 13 (4 times)
15 13 12 (4times)
13 12 10 (4 times)
12 10 8 (4 times)

Now if you remember the high E string, you have the following mapped out on the neck:

E– 0 1 3 5 7 8 10 12 13 15 17 19 20
B– 0 1 3 5 6 8 10 12 13 15 17 18 20

What I would recommend for you to do is ascend on the high E string and then descend on the B string in the patterns of three I showed above. Then once that becomes familiar I would reverse it and ascend on the B string and descend on the E string. What you will want to do is become totally comfortable moving around the neck and feeling as well as hearing the scale. Developing a good ear is incredibly important and useful when playing with a band, doing session work or just looking to play a melody that you may hear on the radio or in your head when you’re inspired. Another cool idea is to do patterns of 6 up and down the neck. This would be a typical three notes per string climb and then descend.

E– 0 1 3 1 3 5 3 5 7 5 7 8
7 8 10 8 10 12 10 12 13 12
13 15…..
B– 0 1 3 1 3 5 3 5 6 5 6 8 6 8 10
8 10 12 10 12 13 12 13 15

Now get that moving in 16th notes with a metronome at 140bpm and you will have an insane workout to strengthen your fingers and at the same time begin to see how the neck is a lot more than your typical pentatonic scale. Last but not least, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!!!!

There are many ways that a guitarist can progress and improve upon their skill level no matter what style of music they play or skill level they are currently at. One thing that has proven to be a valuable asset to any musician is the perfection of technique.

Technically Speaking

No matter how much raw talent or ability one innately possesses the one thing that always makes particular artists stand out is their individual technique. This is what set Bruce Lee apart from all other martial artists was his explosive and precise technique. Men like Kobe Bryant & Michael Phelps are great athletic examples of technical perfectionism and stand among the elite due to their personal dedication to the mastery of winning technique.

So what exactly is technique? Webster’s dictionary defines it as the manner in which technical details are treated (as by a writer) or basic physical movements are used (as by a dancer); also: ability to treat such details or use such movements (good piano technique). A body of technical methods (as in a craft or in scientific research) or a method of accomplishing a desired aim. In a nutshell, it is the ability to use all of the subtleties within your art to transform your music from being impressive to becoming explosive!

Break it Down

So what does it take to really become a master of technique? Well it takes a keen attention to detail, a clear acknowledgment of your strengths and weaknesses, and a willing attitude to practice till it’s perfect! Once we can visualize all the little details of our music, recognize our strong points and weak points in performing them, and then dedicate the time and patience to strengthen the weaknesses and perfect the strengths, we can build an explosive technique that will become an inspiration to anyone who sees or hears us perform our music.

By dissecting each little nuance of a song, riff or scale pattern, we can tap into it’s essence and make a deeper connection to our own creativity. This deeper connectivity will help us hone in on weaknesses and strengths and we will be better suited to build harmony and balance between the two. The outcome will be a flawless performance with unrivaled intensity.

Know Thyself

A great way to start is to take inventory of your skills. Are you a good riffer, is two-handed tapping a strength you have, are you a sweep-picking GOD (if so hit me up we need to talk), and so forth. Once you can identify every technique in your arsenal you can then start to dissect each one, finding ways to improve each nuance and create an explosive technique! Then you can put them all together and intertwine them in your music! This will undoubtedly start unraveling your own personal style and develop a sound that is all YOU!

So what makes a good musician stand out in a crowd? Technically it’s TECHNIQUE!

While at Winter NAMM 2010, I spent some time with my bands bass player and his old band mates from the 60’s. They kept telling me I needed to go to the Guitar Geek Festival that was happening down the street from the Convention Center. I sat on the fence and almost didn’t go. I was tired, my feet hurt and seen enough for one day. Well, at the last minute I went. My friends had saved me a seat which was a coveted prize they had to fight for to hold for me. It turned out to be the most entertainment I had, including all my interviews with famous icons of the guitar world. Not because it was the hip place to be. It was because everyone there just loved guitars of any kind.

Deke Dickerson performing live at the 7th Annual Guitar Geek Festival

Deke Dickerson was the host of the show, or party, if you will. He emceed and played a variety of instruments throughout the night. Very well I might add. At one point “Deke” who had been dressed as a formal cowboy all evening, came out and did a Ramones tribute with his impromptu band which included Tom Kenny-the voice of Spongebob Squarepants as the lead singer. They were all in costume including the correct wigs.

I thought to myself, “this must be what NAMM would be like if you were on acid.” You see, not only were the mega stars of guitar at NAMM, but every poser on the planet was there too. I’m talking sunglasses and capes, mohawks and zoot suits. You name it. There were freaks covering ever possible mix of genre attire. The interesting thing was that they were not trying to be funny. Deke and his crew were. That is a big difference.

Another segment of the show was the “Electric 12 String Nightmare.” Anyone who brought an electric 12 string could join in on stage to play a song together. There were 17 takers. Have you ever heard seventeen 12 string electric guitars going at once? Me neither. It was worth the price of admission alone.

HoneyBoy Edwards was there and did a set with Joel Paterson, a guitarists guitarist. HoneyBoy is 94 years old and still gigging. Amazingly he had to leave because he had to get to another gig in L.A. Billed as the last living bluesman to play with Robert Johnson, he was worth the price of admission as well. Joel brought up his own band from Chicago and blew everyone away. Now I am an official “Joel Paterson and the Modern Sounds” fan. They were beyond “tight”.

At one point during the History of Lap Steel Guitars segment of the show, Chas Smith loosened some of my fillings with his 28 lbs of titanium fury monster slide guitar. Pushing the envelope with this instrument also was worth the ticket in.

Lots of other amazing stuff went down that night including dueling double neck guitars with Brian Longbeck and Elaine Frizzell and it was all headlined by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Duane Eddy. He played a bunch of his stuff with Deke and Joel and never dropped a single note. And it wasn’t  just Duane who played to utter perfection, it was all of them. They are all Hall of Famers in my book. Yes, that includes you too, Crazy Joe. You did Enon, Ohio proud.

Guest post by Ben Vernon

Keanu Reeves defelecting obsticles in The Matrix

“There is no spoon,” those famous words that Neo said in The Matrix. But how can this phrase be applied to guitar playing?

You may think I’m crazy, but I think that this is completely relevant to Guitar playing. In this scene a young boy appears to bend a spoon, however he then tells Neo that it is not the spoon that bends it is only himself. So I say to you “don’t try and bend the strings, but bend the space around the strings.’ My attempt to dispel you all from thinking I’m crazy probably hasn’t worked yet, but stay with me.

It’s All in Your Head

The thing I’m really talking about is mindset. Put yourself in Jimi’s shoes for one second and you might start to understand what I’m going on about. When a guitar was in his hands he could conquer anything. Any bend. Any slide. Any hammer-on or pull-off. Anything. But why was this? Practice? Partially. Musical Influences? Slightly. He was god? Probably not.

Practice Will Only Get You So Far

The main reason he could achieve his guitaring excellence was because of one thing…Belief. Without this you will never achieve anything. This works for guitaring, but can also be applied to careers, relationships and so on. There might be a few sceptics out there umming and arring. But let me ask you this … Who practiced more Hendrix or Vai? Everyone’s answer should be Vai. You’ve all heard about his 30 hour workout right? But then if I asked you who was a better guitarist the response might be more equal and might even favour Hendrix more.

Jimi Says Believe

The point I am trying to make is that practice, hard work and determination can get you so far but the common denominator with all the great guitarists, as with Hendrix and Vai, is Belief. With belief comes practice, hard work and determination. This is where I think of my own guitaring and the hurdles that are stopping me from improving. When people ask me if I play guitar I usually have two responses; I used to play, or, that I’m not very good. Both of which completely lack any self-belief. So before, when I was analysing what I needed to do to improve my playing; more practice, learn a new scale, a new riff. What I really needed to do was believe in myself. Without believing in myself I cannot and will not improve. Ever!

So, do you believe in yourself? Is there a spoon? Because if there is you really need to rethink your reasons for playing guitar.

While working the floor of the 2010 Winter NAMM, I met up with a couple of superstars of the guitar world. They were both women, and they both treated me like I was a member of their family. As I picked their brains about historical stuff they have done, they responded without a trace of egotism. All the planets were in alignment and I was experiencing nirvana.

Legendary Bassist Carol Kaye and SMG Senior Staff Writer Frank Butler at 2010 NAMM

One was Carol Kaye. As world class and world famous guitarists lined up to shake her hand, she noticed I was off to the side and marveling at her magnetism. She had promised to spend some time with me at 2:30 p.m. and it was about that time. Carol told the line of fans that they had to wait because she had something to do. It was to hang out with me. I felt guilty for denying them seconds with her.

We sat down in a private booth and talked about her amazing career. She played the bass on almost every TV show I ever watched, and countless movies. She also wrote books. Not two books… but lots of books. I know world class bassists that buy her books, study her books and implement their content to attempt to do what she can do… RIP IT UP! She has the hippest lingo of any musician I have ever met.

Carol talked to me about chuggin’ and jivin’ and “boogalooing.” She also described how she “stayed in the pocket” and “held down the groove” worked that vibe.” She oozes “cool.” I asked her about her favorite gig. I know, cheesy journalistic move. But keep in mind that she caught me off guard with her response, which is what I craved. Carol has played with all the biggies. No, I take that back…they played with her. I expected her to drop a name like Ray Charles, Quincy Jones or Miles Davis. But it wasn’t any of the icons I expected. It was the badass legend Joe Cocker. Joe, I bow to you, my friend. Scratch that one off your “bucket List.” Carol Kaye said you were her favorite.

Seymour Duncan and MJ hanging out with SMG at 2010 NAMM

The second woman of the guitar world I met up with that has the world of pro guitarists courting her is MJ. Who is MJ? You don’t know MJ? Eddie Van Halen knows her, so does Slash, Pete Anderson, Mick Thompson and hundreds of other guitarists that make kicking ass on the guitar their living. A very unassuming lady with a heart of gold, MJ works for Seymour Duncan, the man whose name is synonymous with pick-ups.

MJ has worked for Seymour for 27 years, personally winding pick-ups in their custom shop for the biggest names in the business. Think of a factory of “winders,” now narrow it down to the elite custom shop, now who is the best in the room (besides Seymour)? Since Seymour has to tend to his empire, MJ is the end of the line. She is referred to by these world class artists as “The Rockstar to the Rockstars.” Without her, they would not have the signature tone we have all come to know.

MJ also treated me like I was buddy from way back. She held my hand during the interview. She confided in me that she makes killer tortillas too. Now I lost my train of thought. “How good?” I must find out.