Time was, you wanted to release music, you’d record an album’s worth of material, package it with cover art and liner notes, and get it into stores. It was an investment. You had to work hard to earn back your… Continue Reading
Once again, I have a new acoustic solo track. This time, it’s “Vincent” by Don McLean. A student recently asked if I’d help her learn it, and I very quickly developed an interest in trying my hand at arranging it.… Continue Reading
I’ve been a Fleetwood Mac fan since I was 8 years old and digging for treasure in my father’s record collection. This selection might risk being over-hyped, yet for a reason. It’s simply brilliant. It’s also one of the songs… Continue Reading
My last post might have been an indicator that solo guitar playing has been on my mind, and indeed it has. For any who might wonder what I’ve been up to for the past 13 months, there have been a… Continue Reading
Today I’d like to share some thoughts regarding solo guitar. And by that, I don’t mean “guitar solos,” or so-called “lead guitar”. I mean playing the guitar by yourself, in a way similar to how a pianist might play. Most… Continue Reading
My life is full of technique exercises. Books full of them are piled on shelves and tabletops in my office. I have filled notebooks with them. I am a believer in using technique drills for warming up prior to practicing… Continue Reading
I follow Music Clout on Twitter, and often see posts that suggest they view their target audience as aspiring pop stars, not musicians for hire. So when I caught the title Why Bands Need to Stop Bitching, and upon skimming the… Continue Reading
“I Didn’t Get to Practice Much” I hear this phrase before a lesson at least a couple of times a week. What does it tell me? When you say “I didn’t get a chance to practice,” here are the two… Continue Reading
My father was a basketball coach, and one thing he used to say that has remained with me is “Practice like you play.” When he said it, he usually meant that one should work as hard during a practice as… Continue Reading
Here’s a recent interview with one of my favorite guitarists, Paul Gilbert (formerly of Racer X and Mr. Big). As both a performer and teacher, I’m inspired by Paul’s energetic personality. He’s got skills and brains, but never loses sight… Continue Reading