Archive for the ‘Motivation’ Category

photo by Orin Zebest
It took years for me to find out what guitar really suited my taste. It’s a process that you go through. Your taste changes as you grow.

When I was young I mainly wanted to shred. My world was all about Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Dime Bag Darrel and all the other Shred Gods.

Obviously I bought myself a Joe Satriani Ibanez signature guitar and a Frank Gambale Ibanez signature. I also bought an Ovation semi acoustic guitar. Why? I don’t have a clue.

Now I’m older I am more into singer songwriters like Damien Rice, Ray La Montagne, John Mayer, Jack Johnson to name just a few. My acoustic guitar is a Santa Cruz OMPW Model and when I play electric guitar I prefer a stratocaster.

It’s difficult to choose the right guitar, because there are so many. I must say nowadays there is a lot of great value for money, but then again a lot of crap as well.

Before you go out and buy a guitar talk to friends, your teacher and people who are experienced. Take your time to listen and observe before you open your wallet.

To help you out on some key issues here are 12 tips on what guitar you should buy: Read the rest of this entry »

photo by cesarastudillo
For me practicing is something that I just love doing. It has become a passion. I have learned that the better I get, the more fun I have.

Guitar practice is really the building block of developing, maintaining and expanding your talent. This is something many musicians tend to forget.

A lot of guitar players practice with a lot of enthusiasm the first few years when they start out. Then they find themselves playing in a band, touring, getting loose, dating, getting married, having children, just to name a few. It’s all a part of life but it’s also a time where musicians can get stuck in a guitar playing rut.

They tend to play the same few chords, licks and riffs they have known for years. They have stopped challenging themselves. That is a pity, because it’s the continues growing process that will fuel you, inspire you and keep you fresh and original as a guitar player and songwriter.

I have also been stuck at times as well, that is why I want to tell you this beforehand. Read the rest of this entry »

photo by Naotakem

Don’t get me wrong. I love playing the electric guitar. Rocking and grooving with a band is awesome. No doubt about it!

But the acoustic guitar possesses certain qualities that an electric guitar just can’t beat and it makes me fall in love with it over and over again.

Whenever I am sitting in my backyard wearing a T-shirt, jeans, flip flops and I am playing my acoustic guitar I feel free and relaxed.

This is where I usually end up writing a song. When I am strumming chords or songs that I love, I fall from one idea into another and then inspiration starts to set in.

The rich sound of my acoustic guitar will enhance the quality of the melodies and chord progressions I create.

Other times I’ll play some nice and easy acoustic blues tunes and enjoy the moment of whatever comes out of my fingers.

The acoustic guitar is the perfect vehicle to express your soul, inspire you and make you happy.

Enjoy the benefits of acoustic playing:

Mobility and Convenience
The acoustic guitar is an instrument with no strings attached, figuratively speaking :) You can take it easily with you wherever you are, unlike an electric guitar (amp, wires and a pedals), a heavy piano or a drum kit (a lot of hassle).

It feels great when you can just carry a guitar bag on your shoulder and you are good to go. Acoustic equals freedom. Read the rest of this entry »

photo by Yuri Samoilov
I had the pleasure of learning to play guitar at a young age. The good old days when I had all the time in the world to practice and play. Lack of time was not an issue back then.

As I became an adult, I fell into the booby trap of our time consuming society. I went along with this rollercoaster ride for quite some time, getting things done and following the mass.

It was getting more and more difficult to find time to practice, write songs or work on any other aspect of guitar playing.

When I started to read books and blogs about efficiency, life strategies and zen buddhism I became aware of the fact that I could choose how I wanted to live, how I wanted to perceive, feel or act.

I realized I had to change my lifestyle if I wanted to fulfill my goals and pursue my passion.

A couple of years ago I found a way again to practice, play, write and do a lot of other great things on a daily basis. It feels great to improve.

I know my way around the guitar but it still feels great to practice and learn new things. It’s something I will never stop doing, just because I love doing it.

In order to become a better guitar player you need some basic principles to keep you motivated, inspired and playing at all times.

Here are the 8 basic principles that will make you a better guitar player: Read the rest of this entry »

photo from flickr
We have a new year ahead of us so this is a perfect time to set new goals. Goals will give you something great to look forward to. They give you a positive feeling, improve your skills and can change your life as long as you stick to ‘m.

There are a lot of people that fail to continue their new year’s resolutions whenever life gets in the way. And there are people who get obsessed by their goals. Neither ways are a good solution. You need to strike a balance to hold on to your dreams (see below in a minute).

My 4 resolutions for this year relating to the guitar lifestyle are:

1. Practicing on a regular basis every week. (Improving my improvisation skills)

2. Improving my guitar business offline and online. Read the rest of this entry »

photo from Istockphoto
“The best way to predict the future is to create it” – Peter Drucker

A lot of people are not aware of their daily habits. They just go through life without a plan or compass and don’t have a clue how to achieve their dream goal. If you want to make a change in your situation you need to interweave it into your daily habits. Your daily guitar habits determine your ultimate future.

If you want to play in a band you need to create a daily habit that is going to lead you to this path. If you want to become a songwriter we have to get you a writing habit plan to get you to from a to b to z.
It doesn’t matter what your dream is. Maybe you want to build a guitar repertoire so you can play in front of an audience. Wouldn’t it be great if you could play some tunes without the need of sheet music? Do you want to add a new style to your playing? Anything is possible. You have multiple dreams? Great! You need to customize your daily habits to your wishes.

What you do today is what you want for your future. Read the rest of this entry »