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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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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My last post generated some interest on the topic of session work. Here’s a follow-up post about more session related topics.

Photo by kronick

How To Get Studio Work

While I’m not a household name like Steve Lukather, I have plenty of session work experience and feel familiar with a number of topics that I will address in this weeks post. The question I have been asked and assume many people would ask is how do you get session work? Obviously it’s not something you can just apply for like a college course, but rather it’s something that you have to earn.

The number one way to get called in for a session work is to be known as a great guitar player. There are many and different ways to do this. For example you could be world famous in that your talent and abilities speak for themselves. That being said, if I was a producer and could book a famous player such as Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains, I wouldn’t ask him for a demo reel of his “stuff.”

Another way to get session work is to network. This is a more general and vague answer, but it’s honestly the best way to do it. You have to find a way to meet the right people to help your career aspirations. If you live in Los Angeles or Nashville, this is obviously going to be easier for you since you have the access and ability to bump into “so and so” at a local restaurant or coffee shop. If you don’t go out much though, try looking on music forums and try and make connections that way. Many guitar website forums have areas for you to post your playing and that could be good for exposure. Often times “industry” people are members on these forums in order for them to keep hip to the newest products and gear.

Another way to network is to produce a “demo,” to show off your playing ability. With the demo you can begin to call or visit studios and inquire if they hire musicians. If you can befriend the engineer, you score major points because this can get your name on their speed dial list. This works out great for both parties since paying a famous session guitarist would cost them a lot more scratch. People are more comfortable with who they know and if they know who you are, then you have a solid chance of getting the job over someone who may be more talented but a total unknown. Keep in mind that making it in the industry has very little to do with talent, and a lot to do with who you know and who considers you a friend.

Photo by kronick

The Session Work Experience

Another common question people ask me is… what is it like to do session work? Honestly that’s an interesting question. My experiences are unique to me, but I will try to generalize. First off, doing session work is a lot of fun. You get the chance to work with artists whose genre might not be familiar to you. This allows you to expand your playing and reach for new chops that you didn’t have before the day of the session. On top of all that, normally you get paid and sometimes even feed (pizza at any hour of the day is cool with me).

Another cool thing that happens during sessions is that you get to watch how a producer and engineer work together, which is fascinating to me. I have learned so much about the other side of the glass and how tones and songs are built from a production value aspect. Through this, I have found myself more interested in listening to records and songs and just listening to the way they sound after I digest the song itself.

Now I love punk rock and all, but some of that stuff is just bare bones at best. Other times I find that songs by artists that I’m not really into have great production value. Why does this matter you say? Well it makes you a more balanced and creative studio player. A cool side note to this is the residual affects. When I am working on writing my own songs, I have found a new way of thinking about the music because of my studio experiences and how a producer may trim some of the fat off the bridge or how an engineer would ask for a certain sound to be more clear in the guitar’s midrange peak.

In closing on this post, I would recommend that you try anything and everything! What works for me, may or may not work for you, but with persistence and a strong drive to make something tangible of your talent, then you will find work and do what it is that you’re after. Best of luck and think outside of the box! There are some crazy stories out their of how some artists have made it in the industry. My favorite is Kris Kristofferson’s story… be sure to check that out!

* * * * *

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While most guitarists work in a band context, playing songs that they wrote or in cover bands playing other artists music, some guitar players work as a “session guitarist.”

Slash “Saul Hudson” former lead shredder of Guns N’Roses

Take Your Guitar Skills To The Next Level

A session guitarist is someone who is called in for a specific project to play guitar for the band and/or producer via their request. Often time these players have never heard the music that they are due to record, but are given lead sheets and chord charts so that they can gain an understanding of how to play the material just for the recording.

Some famous guitar players manage both session work and playing with their band. One example of this is Slash, who is best known for playing lead guitar with Guns N’ Roses, but did you know that he also played with other artists such as Michael Jackson? The point of this post is not to cover the details of what it means to be a session player. Not this week. Instead the point here is to show you how to prepare for a session job, encase you decide to go that route, or pursue session work as a way of getting more exposure for your playing and your career.

So you’ve made the contacts with producers, engineers, other artists and you’ve gotten a call from one of those said parties asking you to play on the new… let’s say Kelly Clarkson album. She is a former American Idol and is most likely not going to have a band of dedicated musicians for her, each and every step of the way throughout her career. So you’ve been asked to play on a couple tracks doing lead, rhythm, fills and anything else the producer can dream up. What do you do? Do you just show up? No way! That is the last thing that you’d want to do. You need to be prepared.

Kelly Clarkson is a popular singer-songwriter and winner of the first American Idol

Hope For The Best & Prepare With Good Gear

First think about the project that you will be playing on. What are the sounds that the artist is know for? What kind of music are they known to do? These crucial questions will help you decide what to bring, or what to possibly have the producer rent, and what to avoid and leave home. Most session guys have an array of guitars from Gibson Les Paul’s to Fender Strat’s. This is important, what guitar do you bring?

Next is how do you tune for the sessions? Most records are tuned to standard tuning, but some current records have lower dropped tunings, so you need do your homework and investigate. Bring extra strings and learn to intonate your guitar just encase you are asked to. If you have the luxury to do so, speak to the producer and ask these questions ahead of time. A good option is to bring a few different guitars so the producer can use them at a moments notice.

Next question, what amp do you bring? Luckily now with plug-in’s like Eleven and the Line 6 Pod “amp modeling,” technology you can assume that a good sound can be created in the studio pretty easily. On the other hand, nothing takes the place of a good tube amp. So if you bring your Marshall or Fender Twin, expect to use it and it would be a good idea to plan it out ahead of time with different sounds that you dial in quickly so the session can move forward quickly. My personal experience has shown me that you can get half of the tones from a real amp and the other half from an amp modeling rig, and the final product is amazing, with HUGE sound in a stereo mix!

Fender Twin Amp also known as “The Evil Twin”

Keep An Open Mind and a Good Attitude!

Obviously you will want to bring pedals with you. Having a good wah-wah pedal, overdrive pedal and modulating pedal like a phaser or flanger is great. A delay pedal isn’t usually needed since most studios run Pro tools and a lot of sounds like delay are created with plug-ins that can be tweaked in post production, so that the exact sound that is needed can be had. Remember when a sound is recorded, that sound can only be tweaked, rather than radically changed. So if delay is recorded with the guitar signal, that delay will be there no matter what.

Last but not least are some general ground rules for getting the most from the experience. Be open to any and all ideas. Often times the producer will ask you to do something very specific. Go for it! Do it as best you can and give them what they are asking for. If you have any of your own ideas, its best to mention them after a few takes so that they can be had in case the producer wants something else later on.

Next is knowing if you like to wear headphones or if you’d rather listen to the track through the monitors in the control room while sitting next to the producer. Also, and this is kind of random, but bring layers of clothes. Often times when you’re playing you are warm and when there is down time you will be cold, bored and anxious. I find that bringing a jacket and long sleeve T-shirt get’s me through sessions so I’m not stuck being too hot or too cold.

Last but not least, do a great job, work your contacts and get the call for the next session.

Thanks for reading!

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!!!!!

Guitarist Mark Wein riffing during an impromptu guitar lesson at NAMM

SMG’s own Oscar Jordan caught up with guitarist and teacher extraordinaire Mark Wein at the 2010 NAMM show. Mark showed Oscar a few cool tricks that can take any axe picker from sounding average to awesome in minutes. Check out the bluesy Hendrix rhythm lesson that Mark gave us on the spot from the NAMM floor.

Mark has been playing and teaching guitar for over 20 years in Southern California. Check out Mark’s free video lessons on his website. Be sure to watch anyone one of Mark’s excellent video lessons. You might also notice that he has a killer collection of guitars too.

Over the years Mark has played guitar in several bands of various genres including a band called, “The New Originals.” I wonder if they had to change their name to the New Originals when the East End Originals (now the Regulars) threatened a law suit? I guess we’ll have to wait until we run into Mark again to find out.

Most guitar players know the minor pentatonic box very well. When I hear songs on a CD, the radio or if I’m out watching a band, I can’t help but listen and watch the guitar player being locked in a “cage.” That cage is the minor pentatonic box. That being said, this is the scale that I see as home base when playing a song. Sure there are a million and a half licks we all know out of that pentatonic box, but don’t you ever want to know what else is possible? 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.

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. Lets use 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. Great, now we have that out of the way, next is putting these notes on the fretboard.

Starting on the high E string we have the following tab

E —– 0 1 3 5 7 8 10 12 13 15 17 19 20

If you know your pentatonic scale well, then you can see that the 5th fret and 8th fret are included here in the A minor scale. You can also see that the 7th fret or B is now in the scale. I would like you to do the following practice sequences ascending up and then down the neck as follows, FOUR TIMES EACH. And please, use alternate picking!

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 descend down the neck:

20 19 17 (4 times) 19 17 15 (4 times) 17 15 13 (4 times) 15 13 12 (4 times) 13 12 10 (4 times) 12 10 8 (4 times).

I want you to practice ascending and descending up and down the high E string using these 3 note patterns until you memorize them. It really shouldn’t take you very long since the action of doing it over and over will force you to start seeing the patterns on the neck. Also, if you remember from a previous post, you should focus on using the same fingerings every time you play these sequences. This will also force you to remember it because of the muscle memory involved in the process.

I like to use my first, second and pinky for most of these scales but that is what works best for me. You should be playing enough and working hard enough to where you naturally fall into these good habits. So work hard, play a lot and next week we will move on to the B string. In the end you will know the A minor scale up and down each of the six strings and then the neck will truly be unlocked.

I was recently asked for advice from someone looking to purchase their first guitar. Given the multitude of brands, differences in style, tone, and feel, and wide range of quality among instruments, this is an overwhelming proposition for the first time buyer. My response to this particular person is given below.

Check Out Your Local Guitar Mega Store

“Since you’re just starting out, a large retail store like Guitar Center or Sam Ash is your best bet because they have the largest selection for you to actually try, from cheap guitars to very expensive. They also have a knowledgeable staff though sometimes they can push an instrument on you just to make the sale so take your time and don’t feel pressured in any way.

“Go there and ask them all your questions. Try every single guitar you would consider buying and even a few that you know you won’t buy so you can get an idea of the differences. Even though you’re new to this and don’t know what to look for, pick them up anyway. See how they feel. Listen to how they sound. It’s only by comparing several different instruments that you’ll be able to learn about the various styles and how they suit you.

Spend What You Can Afford

“It’s not necessarily true that you need to spend more money to get a better guitar, but at your level you should probably pay as much as you can comfortably afford. You can get some very good guitars for not a lot of money but if you try to save money you can also get crappy guitars for cheap that you will not enjoy playing and will end up being waste of money. Remember to set aside some of your budget for extras like picks, strings, a tuner, a winding peg, maybe a strap, etc. But only get what you need.

Refine Your Choices and Read Online Reviews

“Bring a notepad with you and write down the guitars that interest you and why. Don’t be shy about this! Take your list back home and read reviews about these guitars and shop for the cheapest prices online. You will always see both good and bad reviews for any guitar, even the expensive ones, so don’t think one or two bad reviews means you shouldn’t buy a guitar. But if a guitar gets a LOT of bad reviews then you should probably stay away. Find one or two or three guitars you’re most interested in, note the cheapest price you can find, and go back to the store. Play them again. Once you feel comfortable with your choice, ask the store to match the price you found online. Most stores will do this provided the price you found is from a legitimate US retailer. I advise against buying instruments online because two guitars of similar make and model can feel, play, and sound different – probably not by much but potentially by enough that one feels right to you and the other doesn’t quite cut it. Buy the specific instrument you’ve played.

Note: This was in response to someone shopping for an acoustic guitar. With respect to electric guitars, consistency is key. This means it’s important to play the guitars you’re trying through the same amp at the same settings. Forget about effects but do play the guitar both clean and distorted.

If you have questions about buying or playing guitars, or anything related to guitars in general, let us know and we’ll feature your question in a future blog post.