GUITARHABITS

An Effective Guitar Manifesto

May 14, 2019 by Klaus Crow

Guitar playing is fun and enjoyable, but also challenging and frustrating at times. You want to get to the point of mastery and accomplishment, but in order to get there you have to overcome the necessary obstacles and challenges to reach your goals.

You want to be that awesome rhythm guitar player, flourishing at soloing and improvisation, having the skills of a great singer songwriter or be able to play guitar and sing with confidence.

So how do you get there? How do you reach your dream goal and be able to do what you love most in a busy, chaotic and demanding life where everybody expects everything of you?

Today I present to you an effective guitar manifesto that will take you by the hand, get you back on track and lead you into the direction of your ultimate guitar goal!

Are you ready?

– Think about your goals
Let’s start thinking what it is that you would like to accomplish with your guitar? What inspired you to play guitar in the first place? Now take a piece of paper and start writing. Where do you want to be five years from now?

Do you want to be on stage? Do you want to have a repertoire of songs under your fingers so you’re ready to perform anywhere and anytime? Do you want to be playing in a band? Write your own songs? Become a professional musician or be able to entertain friends and family? Write it down! Continue Reading

Basic Strumming Patterns for Beginners Part II

By Klaus Crow 6 Comments

May 14, 2019 by Klaus Crow

I hope you enjoyed Basic Strumming Patterns for Beginners Part I from last week. If you got those strumming patterns down and you’re ready for Part II then grab your guitar out of the stand and let’s get your skills to the next level.

Today I will show you another five important strumming patterns in 4/4, 3/4 and 2/4 time. Mastering the patterns of Part I & II will get you by playing most common pop, country and rock songs. These are the fundamentals for guitar strumming.

Enjoy!

Tips:
– Take your time to practice each pattern thoroughly
– Practice the patterns with the chord progression
– First practice slow and then gradually build up speed
– Listen to your favorite songs and figure out the appropriate strumming pattern.
– Practice the patterns daily!

“Knowledge is a treasure, but practice is the key to it.” ~ Lao Tzu

Basic Strumming Patterns for Beginners Part I

By Klaus Crow 7 Comments

May 14, 2019 by Klaus Crow

There are two things you need when you want to learn to play songs on the guitar: chords and strumming patterns.

A chord is a set of notes played on the guitar that will give you a particular sound and color. Many popular songs consist of only three or four chords.

A strumming pattern is a preset pattern of down and up strokes played with your fingers or a pick against the strings. The strumming pattern will determine the rhythm for your music.

You can strum with either your fingers or with a pick.

Strumming with your fingers
There are several ways to strum with your fingers. Here is one that is commonly used: Place your thumb against your index finger and hold them like that. This gives you a decent support. Strum down with the nail of your index finger against all the strings and strum up with the nail of your thumb.

Strumming with a pick
Hold the pick between your thumb and index finger. Place the pick on the top side of your index finger and clamp your thumb down on top of it. Hold the pick firmly.

The essentials
There are a lot of variations for strumming patterns and different ones for each time signature (4/4, 3/4, 2/4 time). In these strumming episodes I will show you the few essential and common strumming patterns that will get you started and ready to play tons of songs.

Don’t forget to take your time for each strumming pattern and practice daily.

Enjoy!

In Part II I will show you five more indispensable strumming patterns to get you equipped with the appropriate tools to conquer the world.

Have a great workout!

Alternating Bass Fingerpicking Patterns Part II

By Klaus Crow 3 Comments

May 14, 2019 by Klaus Crow

Last week we started with Alternating bass fingerpicking patterns Part I. I hope you practiced well and are ready for a new challenge. Today I will show you two more beautiful patterns that will really uplift your playing.

Again follow the tips below when practicing these patterns:

Tips:
– First practice slowly.
– Memorize the pattern.
– Make sure all the notes sounds clean and clear.
– Gradually build up your speed.
– Play the pattern using the chord progression.
– Practice daily.
– Enjoy the moment.

Have a great day!

Alternating Bass Fingerpicking Pattern III

Alternating Bass Fingerpicking Pattern IV