Learning guitar after 50 is absolutely possible, and this guide gives you an honest picture of what the first year really looks like: what gets easier, what takes patience, and how to set yourself up so your hands and joints stay…
How to Write a Metal Riff: Free Riff Worksheet
How to write a metal riff comes down to three choices: a scale with a dark sound, a rhythm cell that drives, and a pedal note you keep coming back to. This guide walks you through each step with original example…
How to Tune a Guitar by Ear, Step by Step
Here is how to tune a guitar by ear in two sentences: get your low E string as close to pitch as you can from a reliable reference, then press its fifth fret and tune the open A string until the…
Guitar Injuries and How to Prevent Them
Guitar injuries are more common than most players expect, and the good news is that many of the everyday ones build up slowly from habits you can change. This guide covers what research has found in guitarists, the warning signs to…
Sore Fingertips From Guitar: Fixes That Work
Sore fingertips from guitar are one of the first things almost every new player notices, usually within the first few days of playing. The good news: it is normal, it is temporary for most people, and it is a sign your…
How to Play Barre Chords: Why They Buzz, Setup Fixes and a 4 Week Plan
Barre chords buzzing, muted or hurting your hand? Check your setup, fix your thumb and finger position, and follow a simple 4 week plan with a free printable daily drill sheet.
Ten Thousand Hour Rule for a Guitar Player and How Long it Takes to Reach that Level
The “10,000-Hour Rule” is a popular concept that suggests it takes approximately 10,000 hours of practice to achieve mastery in any field. This idea gained widespread recognition through Malcolm Gladwell’s 2008 book, ‘Outliers: The Story of Success’. While the rule has…
Some tips for guitar players on how to prepare for a recording session
For a performing guitarist and composer, one of the major tasks is recording new tracks at the studio. Any studio session requires adequate preparation which is slightly different than the preparation for a live performance. I’ll try to highlight some of…
Difference between playing live and playing in front of the camera
I have been mostly making music at home since 2009. I was very active in the live music scene prior to that but since 2009, due to other commitments, I have focused more on music teaching and my own practice. And…
Realistic expectations when getting guitar lessons. How long does it take to learn to play at an elementary level?
Over the years working as a guitar teacher, I have come across many different types of students with different mindset and expectations. Some understand the process of learning and maintain a realistic expectation whereas some (including parents) would have very unrealistic…