GUITARHABITS

11 Tips for Motivation and Inspiration

May 15, 2019 by Klaus Crow

photo from Istockphoto lonely guitarist on the evening beach and sundown
We are all emotional beings. The emotions we feel will either get us motivated or not. I can’t always put my finger on it why it’s there or why it’s not. Often I wake up euphoric and everything just seems so easy (and it’s not always because the sun is shining or because I had a good night’s rest) and some days I feel tired, lazy and unfocused. (and not because I had too much wine). It’s just the way we are and we have to deal with it. So we have to learn how to trigger motivation and inspiration. Ultimately it is up to us to change that emotion, to get back on our feet and start playing and creating beautiful music.

So here are 11 tips to get you motivated and inspired:

1. Experience life. Do things you normally wouldn’t do, things that make your heartbeat go faster. Meet new people, go places, challenge yourself, go out with friends, talk to strangers and listen to their stories. Experiences are great for inspiration.
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Learning New Things

By Klaus Crow 8 Comments

May 15, 2019 by Klaus Crow

photo from Istockphoto guitar player on the road to learn
Whenever I become lazy I ignore that voice in my head saying: “I don’t want to, I don’t feel like it, why should I, tomorrow is another day”. I stop listening to myself and start doing something. Something small. I know when I learn something new I get a great feeling out of it. So I say to myself: “Just learn one new thing, even if it is just a little one.”

To become productive I always first stretch my legs and drink a glass of water. If I have done these two things my motor is up and running. Now I just pick up my guitar, put a guitar book or magazine in front of me and tell myself I will learn one or two new licks or chord progressions. Before I realize it, time is flying by and I’m enjoying myself immensely. I write down in a little notebook next to me that I want to learn one or two new things tomorrow without expecting major results, without expecting the same level of productivity I accomplished today. It is not about that. It’s about learning something new and and enjoy that new lick, chord progression or whatever you learned to the fullest.Continue Reading

So you wanna write a song huh?

By Klaus Crow 11 Comments

May 15, 2019 by Klaus Crow

photo from Istockphoto
Songwriting is a great skill to learn but not always an easy one. Sometimes you are in the flow and sometimes you are just not. The process can be hard work but the result can be euphoric.

I’ve written songs since I was young and still I think it’s a challenge to write good quality and authentic lyrics. Writing lyrics and music are two different things. When you create music you got something to lean on. You already got a vocabulary of chords, scales, riffs, licks, arpeggios, triads, etc. You can put those in a certain order, shake them around a little bit, tear ‘m apart, add your own personal touch and voila music is in the air. I know that is easier said that done, but you have something to begin with. Writing lyrics is a little bit more difficult because you have to start from the bottom up, so were gonna help you out a bit.

Pick up your guitar from the stand. Grab a pencil & paper and let’s create a piece of art. You’ll be amazed what you can do after a little practice.

My dad always says: “The fans are already out there, you just have to come up with something.”

Here are some tips to get you started:
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10 Reasons Why You Are Never Too Late to Learn

By Klaus Crow 88 Comments

May 15, 2019 by Klaus Crow

photo from Istockphoto istock_000003543692xsmall
While I started playing guitar at an early age, I know many guitar players who started out in their 30’s, 40’s, 50’s or even in their 70’s. And yet these players do an amazing job.

Maybe when they were young it just wasn’t the right time. They probably couldn’t find the right teacher or were busy learning other life lessons.

You might think yourself while you read this : “I am probably too old to learn.” Well I think you’re never too old to learn, you grow old when you stop learning. Guitar playing is not about how old you are when you start out. Guitar playing is about passion, creating and having fun with it.

I am always inspired by the passion and motivation of guitar players. While you can achieve a lot with discipline, you achieve the most with passion and motivation. You need to find out why your passionate about guitar playing and how to motivate yourself in the progress. These are the two key elements in achieving your goal.

So let me convince you why you should still learn to play the guitar today and fulfill that long lasting dream of yours:Continue Reading

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