- An Electronic Tuner- Use it before you start your practicing, every time you practice.
- A Music Stand- Having a music stand keeps your body in the right position for practicing.
- A Guitar Strap- If your guitar/bass is a solid body, you’ll want to have a strap on at ALL TIMES!!! This keeps the guitar in the correct playing position. Adjust the strap so when you sit AND stand the guitar is at the exact same height. Even a drop in the strap by an inch can cause our fingers to not perform at the level we practiced at.
- Clean Strings- Make sure the strings you are playing on sound “alive” and not “dead.” There are varying degrees of string wear, so a lot of this is player preference. The main thing to make sure of is that your strings do not have lots of grime on them. If they start to turn black and feel crusty, it is probably time for a new set. The more crusty a string is, the less in tune it will play.
- Make Sure Your Guitar Is Strung Properly- This is one of the most important things you can do to stay in tune. If your guitar is not strung properly, it will not stay in tune. I recommend locking tuners for any guitar(Sperzel and Schaller make excellent ones), but if you do not want to modify your guitar, make sure to follow the procedure outlined later in the book.
- A Metronome- Probably the most dreaded device in the guitarist’s toolbox, this time keeper can be the tool that takes your playing to the next level. Turn it on EVERY practice session.
What is the best way to get in touch with you?
The easiest way for me to stay in touch with my students is through e-mail. My teaching schedule usually goes late into the evening, so it is often difficult to return calls at night. I am usually pretty good about checking and returning e-mail, so if you sent me something and don’t hear back within a day or two, I may not have received it(occasionally new e-mail gets sent to my junk folder and I miss it before it is deleted). The contact form on my website is a pretty reliable way to get e-mail to me as well. Whether you are a current student or a guitarist looking to get some questions answered, feel free to send them my way.
My guitar stopped working or sounds bad. What do I do?
Bring it on in! I do all my own wiring on my guitars and have been making adjustments for years. I can’t refret your neck or fix a headstock that snapped off, but most of the time guitar problems are small and can be fixed quickly and easily.
How much experience is required to participate in the Guitar Master Class?
The camp is designed for players looking to take his or her playing to the next level. General requirements are knowledge of basic open chords, some barre chords, power chords, and being able to play a few of your favorite songs fluently on the guitar or bass. You don’t have to be a master of the fretboard to participate. Being able to translate music in TAB form is also an important element. Be ready to work hard for the entire week!
Is teaching your full-time job?
Yes! I have been teaching guitar and bass full time since 2001.
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How can I break out of playing the same licks and patterns?
This is a question I am asked frequently. Unfortunately, there is no easy solution. You could simply go and learn more licks, but that will still leave you without a thorough knowledge of how the notes you are playing are affected by the chords in any given progression.
To go beyond patterns and blues licks, you have to have a thorough understanding of the fretboard. You must learn EVERY note on the neck and be able recall it at any time. You must also learn basic chord theory. My friend and colleague Nate Comp has always said,”if you want to learn your chords, learn your scales. If you want to learn your scales, learn your chords.” There is no way around it.
Music is like a language. We don’t speak in patterns when we are trying to communicate. We try to express ourselves through the vocabulary we know. If we only know a couple phrases and never build on it, we will never become fluent. Approaching music works the same way. Learning scale and chords is just like learning the vocabulary to a new language. If you want to truly progress, you must put in the time and effort and become fluent with the fretboard and music theory.