Last Updated on May 14, 2019 by Klaus Crow
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I just came back from a holiday in Spain. I didn’t bring my guitar on the holiday and I really missed it from time to time, but I enjoyed great quality time with my wife and three kids.
It’s was also a good time to reflect and evaluate my life. I do that often anyway, but holidays in particular are really suited for some good thinking and gaining new inspiration.
I filled my moleskin notebook with new ideas, things I want to do more or less (more guitar playing, less worrying, more running, less email, more space, less clutter), I wrote down everything that came to mind. Just putting that stuff on paper is good for the soul.
While enjoying every minute of my holiday I also couldn’t wait to start applying all these new ideas when I got come home. It’s great to start over again every time you want to.
Coming back it felt great to feel the strings on my hands again. Later that evening I was watching some interviews and masterclasses of great guitar legends. I always love to do that. There are is so much to learn from that and so many insights to discover.
Learning to play guitar is a never ending process and when you evolve as a guitarist and get better, the learning process also gets better and better. The details of your soloing will become more important and make a significant difference.
And even when you think you know how to play, there are still so many roads to turn to and doors you haven’t opened yet. It never stops being fun or challenging.
New teachers and guitar players will always inspire you to take the next step, to take it a little further, move you into a new direction or motivate you to practice more and keep the passion alive at all times.
I thought I’d share some indispensable tips from the masters that will keep you on top of your game.
Enjoy!
1 – “Identify what you really want” ~ Steve Vai
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxuUoWAIDWo
2 – “Learn every note on the guitar” ~ Joe Satriani
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq3WqUXQq7I
3 – “Learn the pentatonic scale all over the neck” ~ Robben Ford
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsPjUUnYQxk
4 – “You don’t yell at everybody everytime you say something, you’d scare them, so I think dynamics are very important” ~ BB King
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1QgoXzjjQs
5 – “Figure out how to make the most important statement with the least amount of notes” ~ Larry Carlton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYDPdtBMe58
6 – “Learn the harmony and theory behind the chords” ~ Steve Lukather
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36uctlODEfw
7 – “I warm up like a football player, the fingers have to be warmed to play.” ~ Paco de Lucia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ixo94glUuU
8 – “Find your own way, don’t imitate” ~ John Williams
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OFXIG_3P40
9 – “work up to the dynamic of your solo” ~ John Mayer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYLyXmAiIb0
10 – “You’re either willing to put into the work and the time or you’re not. It’s as simple as that. How good you wanna be is up to you” ~ Tommy Emmanuel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgALr09jrhs
Do you have some great tips from your guitar heroes. Please share them in the comments below.
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Hi Klaus sir,
I really liked this article.my favourite tip is this
“Find your own way, don’t imitate” ~ John Williams.These indispensable tips helps motivate me to practice. I hope you enjoyed your holiday in spain.Thanks for sharing.
Hi Prasana,
That is important indeed. When you start out playing you’ll be copying a lot from other guitar players, that’s how you improve and evolve. But there comes a point when you’ve reached a certain level of guitar playing when you have to find your own style whether it’s playing solos, rhythm guitar or writing songs.
Klaus I’ve been checking back weekly for your next article, you always give me great tips to keep me inspired and motivated to continue improving. Good to hear you were on holiday enjoying yourself. As always you have put together some awesome tips. I really enjoyed the Tommy Emmanuel video, what he says at the end is so true.
Hi Victor,
Thanks I appreciate that. I do the best I can. I love that video also. He really explains very well the struggles all guitarist deal with.
Thanks again.
Best regards,
Klaus Crow
Thanks for tips! My favorite music tips come from one of the greatest drummers of all time, Ginger Baker: “You can’t put music in boxes” (about music genres and types) and “It doesn’t matter how fast you play, it’s what you say”.
Klaus,
Here is a quote that i have always enjoyed from my “actual” cousin Willie Nelson, “Three chords and the truth, thats what a country song is.” I just came across your site and have been reading and learning, keep up the excellent work!
Rock n Roll!
best,
john
TҺere is definately ɑ great deal to learn about this topic.
I lijke aⅼl of the points you mɑdе.
Great place!
Thank You for creating it!
While reading the quotes and comments, I found myself wishing they would never end. :)
Also while reading I got the idea that if we could get everyone playing an instrument there would be peace on earth.
It’s up to us!
What do we got to loose?
Peace through Music!
Thanks for reading.
Claes