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Learn The Guitar Fingerboard Thoroughly in 16 Days

Part I

If I have to name two things that took my guitar playing to the next level it would be music theory and memorizing the fingerboard.

It made me understand the big picture.

Combining music theory (understanding scales, modes, chord structure, improvising over chord progressions, etc, etc.) and knowing all the notes on the fingerboard will open up a whole new world.

Guitar playing becomes more fun when you know what, when en where to play it on the fingerboard.

Part II

When you want to know where to play any type of chord shape instantly it’s pretty helpful if know the notes. For example: An F major Barre chord shape (133211) can be played on any fret. Every time the chord shape goes up a half step (1 fret) the name of the chord changes.

To know the name of the chord you need to know all the notes on the low E-string. For Example: The note on the 7th fret low E-string is a B note, so your chord shape becomes a B major. The only way to see this right away is to memorize the notes.Continue Reading

How to Learn a Song in One Week

By Klaus Crow 17 Comments

Photo by rolands.lakis

I know it is easier said than done to learn a song in one week, but it is quite possible. Of course you have to take one thing into account:

You have to choose a song that fits your capabilities. The song you are able to learn depends on whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced guitar player and the amount of time you can afford to practice.

A beginner could learn a basic pop / rock song in one week, while an intermediate or advanced guitar player could figure out a more advanced piece of music, but that’s not really the point I’m trying to make.

With all the busy schedules nowadays it’s hard to still find any time or motivation left to learn your favorite guitar song within an reasonable amount of time. Assuming you are a hard working male or female working from 9 to 5 or a college student role model you need a good practical way to get the job done.

Let’s see take a look how to approach this in seven days:

10 Essentials On Guitar Improvisation

By Klaus Crow 46 Comments

Photo by Simone13 AKA John Pastorello
Besides writing and playing songs I just love improvising.

When I practice improvising I always first pour myself a cup of green tea, I put on some folk music (e.g. Ray La Montagne, Damien Rice, Stephen Fretwell, Glen Hansard, Sheryl Crow, etc.) on Last.fm or Spotify and then I start to improvise over these songs. I get totally caught up in the moment and let my fingers carry me away.

Other times I practice melodic patterns, triads, arpeggios, licks, everything that will spice up my improvisation skills. You can never stop growing. There is always more to learn and explore.

Improvising is one of the most fun and fulfilling aspects of guitar playing, but also something that requires a lot of hard work and dedication. It’s the next step in becoming a better guitar player.

Here are 10 basic essentials that will help you become a better improviser.

1 – Pentatonics / blues

Learn to play the pentatonic/blues scale all over the neck in all five shapes. It will take some time to learn this thoroughly, but if you practice regularly it will really pay off. The pentatonic / blues scale is the corner stone of all soloing in blues, pop, country, rock and metal. Learn not only the scale, but also how to use it for improvisation. See below.Continue Reading

5 Ways How to Practice Without The Guitar

By Klaus Crow 15 Comments

There are times when I don’t have my guitar with me or I can’t play for whatever reason and I am really eager to improve my skills and give my playing a boost.

When my kids are watching TV and I can’t interrupt, when I’m sitting or waiting somewhere and I am bored out of my skull I like to use my time wisely practicing without the guitar.

One of my favorite ways doing this is memorizing the notes of the scales, chords and random notes on the fretboard. I have noticed that knowing my way around the fretboard has an amazing impact on my playing.

Besides guitar playing there are a lot of things you can do to improve your playing. These are all things that really matter and make a big difference on you becoming an advanced player.

Here are 5 ways how to practice without the guitar:

1 – Memorize
Memorize all the notes on the fretboard one string at a time. Memorizing the notes on the low E string and A string is a must for every guitar player. Most barre chords, power chords and scales start off on these strings, so the notes on these strings determine what the name of the chords or scale is.Continue Reading

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