So you have spent years learning to play the drums or play the guitar and now you want to start a band. Assembling a band from the ground up can be as simple as calling up a few friends and asking if they want to hang out and play. But if you want to create a band with an eye toward a future career, you may want to go about it in a more thoughtful, professional manner.
The first step is to determine what kind of band you want. Do you want to form a jazz combo, a rock band, a country group? That will determine the kind of musicians you need and the size of the band. Once you have a clear vision of what kind of band you want to assemble, then it’s time to fill the spots.
Next, you need a place to audition. Whether it’s your family garage or a studio, you need adequate space, decent acoustics and adequately isolated or soundproofed so you won’t get complaints from neighbors.
The next step is seeking out potential band members. Put up notices at local clubs, at nearby music schools and at colleges and universities in your area. You can also put the word out via Twitter or FaceBook. Be specific with what you are looking for. If you don’t want musicians who are still learning to play, make it clear you only want musicians with x number of years playing experience. If you would like to find a songwriting collaborator, say so. The more detailed you are, the better pool of applicants you’ll get.
Once you have your pool of applicants, it’s time to set up auditions, which should be a multi-step process. The first phase is to find the musicians with the best ability and range. If they pass that test then the next step is to play together to see if you are musically compatible. But just as important to musical compatibility is the whether your personalities are compatible. More bands have been torpedoed because of personality conflicts than artistic differences.
Once you selected each position, get together for an extended final audition where everyone plays together. If it is a good musical fit and a good personality fit, you have successfully created a band from the ground up.
Acoustic Guitars are hollow-bodied guitars that are unamplified by design, though electronics are often added to send the acoustic signal to an amplifier. They are manufactured out of wood and are arguably one of the most popular musical instruments in the world.
However, acoustic guitars should not be confused with their acoustic cousin, the classical guitar. The steel-string acoustic guitar is a modern form of guitar descended from the classical guitar, however it is strung with steel strings, not nylon, and therefore gives a brighter, louder sound. The acoustic generally has a larger soundbox than a standard classical guitar.
The 12-String
Acoustic guitars generally have six strings. However, another variation on the standard acoustic guitar is the 12-string guitar, which sports an additional, doubling string for each of the traditional six strings. These extra six strings definitely give the twelve-string acoustic a distinctive sound.
Vintage Acoustics
Many of the early versions (up to the 1970's/80's) are considered "vintage guitars" and are actively sought out by collectors around the world. Most steel-string vintage acoustic guitar tops are constructed of a type of spruce (Adirondack, Appalachian, Sitka) although not all vintage acoustic guitars are made of wood.
Vintage acoustic guitars that have been repaired and worked on hold less value than those preserved in their original condition. A vintage acoustic guitar that looks weathered but has its original finish will always be worth more than a guitar that looks great but has been refinished. If you find vintage Martin guitars for a great deal, you definitely want to take advantage of such a find. Or, if you are a true collector, you will just love the idea of having such a great instrument all to your self as a part of your vintage guitar collection.
The Music
Until the 1960s, the predominant forms of music played on the flat-top steel-string guitar remained relatively stable and included acoustic blues, country, bluegrass, folk, and several genres of rock.
And, although acoustic guitars are often associated with folk music and "mellow" music in general, they are in truth in all styles of music. They are, indeed, wonderful instruments that have played a very significant part in the music revolution.
Acoustic guitars are good options for a clean sound which is generally required in slow or country songs. Thus, like a fine wine, acoustic guitars get better with age because the quality of the wood used also improves and gives a better, lingering sound.
About the Author
H.W. Ted is a musician, songwriter, guitar player and guitar teacher. He has been involved with music for many years having recorded songs and jingles for both personal pleasure and commercially.
Acoustic Guitar Instruction for Beginners
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[simpleaffiliate source="chitika" results="0"][/simpleaffiliate] How should I start with my elec guitar?
I finally managed to get myself an electric guitar after saving up... Now the problem is learning to play this thing, and I really have no leads. I don't have the money to afford lessons (from paying for the guitar), I don't know anyone who can teach me, and all I got are sites that are perplexing and mind boggling.
I tried reading some websites on beginner guitar... And I got to say, the chords confuse me to hell. Sites even WITH pictures for dummies like myself, still confuse me and my head just starts hurting. Never did I realize how dense or stupid I was, but admittedly learning to play guitar is the hardest obstacle I've ever encountered in my life.
If anyone can suggest a lead I can attempt or any other tips, they will be much appreciated...
My first and primary suggestion... play SOMETHING every day. You have lots of learning to do, and that's going to take time and effort. You need to build up calluses on your fingers, and you need to learn how to work the fretboard.
Much of that's muscle memory, and it's not something that you get without practice. I think it took me a year before I could go cleanly and quickly between chords. Don't expect to be perfect at this from the start.
The secret about music with chord notation is that the player knows the song, knows the rhythm (that's your right hand's job.. strumming defines the rhythm), and all the chord listed tells you is what your left hand is doing (assuming you're right handed). You shouldn't really try to memorize chords at first, you just try to finger them based on the diagrams, and eventually, you will remember them. Lots of chord shapes may not sound great at first, but they will get better, and more accurate, with practice... and only with practice.
You might want to start out with a few very simple riffs... this is how I started... and I started on an acoustic. It makes even more sense on an electric. Pick a song you like with a slow riff... something like "Smoke on the Water", "Seven Nation Army" (one I learned early on), really anything. Yes, you want to learn chords and the fretboard and all... but the first thing you need to do is get comfortable with the guitar. So do anything with it right now that keeps you coming back to it each and every day.
If you're having trouble learning from the many on-line tutorial, maybe you'd learn better from watching a video. Don't think you're stupid... there's are road blocks in the way for everyone trying to learn any new skill, and they don't vanish overnight. I actually minored in Psychology in college, so when I took up guitar, I knew the kinds of things to expect, and never really got frustrated. Most people run into their first hurdle where you are, just trying to get something to happen on the guitar, and probably another when they're first nearly ready to string a bunch of chords together, or when they try to sing and play at the same time. It's normal, everyone experiences it, and you WILL get past it if you keep trying. That's guaranteed -- it's the way the brain works. If you keep trying something on your guitar, you will get better at it. If it's sitting on a stand in the corner of your room, you won't.
If you have iTunes or another podcast manager, look up some guitar lessons for beginners. A company called iPlayMusic has a series of 35 very early beginner lessons out on iTunes... you can download iTunes free from Apple.com even if you don't have an iPod, and search for this, or something similar... it might be better for you that the "static" lessons.
Along with playing a few basic riffs, I started with a really basic guitar book. It showed all the chords in gigantic type, and it did start me off in the right way. I spent about an hour a day at it... and still do, sometimes more. Your fingers may take awhile to get you to an hour... if so, just play until you can't take the pain anymore (well, don't do any serious damage). This is the same "ritual" every guitar player goes through.
Anyway, the book worked for me. I recommend trying something, whether on-line or not, video or podcast or print, chords or riffs or whatever, and just stick with it. You can play the basic "Seven Nation Army" riff on just the low E string... even that's a start (Jack White actually uses a pitch shifter on the album, so it's not going to be as deep, but it is played on a guitar, not a bass... but I digress). There are bunch of famous rock songs that sound fine on two or three simple chords (You can play the main riff in Nirvana's "About a Girl" with just Em and G chords, both really easy ones). Here's a site with some easy riffs in TAB notation: http://www.guitarnoise.com/article.php?id=206
Learn the tab notation.. that's really just a map of where you fingers go on the fretboard. Play around with it... no one needs to watch you at this stage, it's ok (and expected) to screw up 1000 times... but the first time you don't, you'll feel good. And if you keep trying, it will happen.
Stick with it, force yourself you to do it every day for two weeks. You will see SOME progress even in that short time, if you stick to it.
Guitar Lessons For Dummies Beginner Week 1 Lesson 1
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There are many online guitar courses available on the Internet and unfortunately, most of them are crappy programs. On this webpage, we had reviewed the top guitar course:Learn And Master Guitar. Read up more about this awesome course and how you can get a MASSIVE $100 discount if you take action now.
Learn And Master Guitar
The Learn And Mster Guitar Course has won the 2008 Acoustic Guitar Magazine Players' Choice Awards, 2 Telly Awards and an AEGIS Award for Excellence in Education. This is by no means an easy feat and goes to show that Learn And Master Guitar Dvd Lessons has been widely recognized as the best guitar instruction course for learning the guitar at home.
Learn And Master Guitar features Steve Krenz as your guitar instructor. Steve Krenz's impressive resume includes performing with Grammy award winning artists such as Donna Summer, 5th Dimension and Tommy Simis. Apart from his active guitar playing experience, Steve Krenz is a commited and passionate guitar teacher who aims to help other guitarists excel in the instrument.
He frequently travels around the United States to conduct guitar and music workshops, helping thousands of guitar players improve on their guitar skills. With such a comprehensive teaching experience and knowledge, Steve Kreznz is the ideal guitar teacher to guide you through your guitar playing journey.
An overview of the lessons expected:
Learn and Master Guitar is perfect for anyone who wants to learn the guitar. This course covers everything from the very basics of guitar playing through the most advanced techniques.
Popular styles such as classical, rock, country, jazz and etc.. are taught with great depth in a series of step-by step detailed video guitar tutorials.
Our Review:
We found the lessons to be very professional and well structured. It's simply amazing how Steve Krenz arranges each lesson with a logical, step-by-step format such that the student will never feel lost.
What we really liked about this course is that the different aspects of guitar playing are taught while playing to familiar melodies and recognizable guitar songs of all time. This injected a lot of fun and excitement while enabling the complete beginner guitarist to play the guitar almostinstantly!
Intermediate guitar lessons such as scales, chord voicings, chord progressions, ear training, improvisation and different styles of guitar playing are also concisely covered in this course. The lessons are laid out in a manner which is challenging to stimulate us and yet simple enough such that we were never left frustrated. This made us feel like we had accomplished a great deal after each lesson and kept us motivated through the entire course.
In short, the quality of the guitar lessons is a clear *Winner*
L&MG provides terrific a 24/7 online support platform where students can interact, raise questions and receive advice from fellow students and the course instructors including Steve Krenz himself.
At a price of USD$149.00, this course is slightly more expensive than most of the other courses we had reviewed. However, if you are really serious in learning the guitar,this quality course is worth every single cent paid.
The Learn & Master Guitar Dvd Course is covered with a 60-day full fledged no questions asked refund policy. There is absolutely NO RISK at all for you to try this course. Once you try this course and see REAL results, I guarantee you won't be sending it back.
"Learn & Master Guitar is a phenomenal program. It's clear and concise and watching the DVDs is like having your very own guitar instructor in the room with you. The course is extremely thorough and well planned out. It's like having at least a year's worth of guitar lessons in one complete package! I wish a program like this existed when I was learning to play-it would have saved me a lot of time and frustration!!!"
Learning Guitar for Dummies; Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
This unintimidating video presents the basics of playing guitar in an easy-to-follow format. By simply watching the instructor on screen and following along, you can learn to form chords, fingerpick and strum in different patterns, and play songs in a variety of styles—all without reading music! Guitar for Dummies provides step-by-step instruction of all the skills needed to become an accomplished guitar player. You start by learning to play in tune and in rhythm and then move on to left-hand chords and right-hand strumming patterns. From there, you apply these techniques to several different musical styles, picking up tips and tricks on playing authentically in each style. Along the way, you learn how to develop your own practice routine and focus in on the areas you want to improve. About the Instructor: Jon Chappell is an author, writer, and award-winning guitarist. He has served as editor-in-chief of Guitar Magazine and has performed with Graham Nash, Judy Collins, and Pat Benatar. He has published over 20 method books in seven different languages and is the author of The Recording Guitarist—A Guide for Home and Studio and two For Dummies books, Guitar for Dummies and Rock Guitar For Dummies.
Learning Guitar for Dummies (DVD)
This was the first DVD I ever bought on the subject. I ordered I even before I bought my first guitar, so I was a real beginner.
The pace is very slow, but as a beginner, I liked it that way. It helped me to feel like I had the potential to keep up. This was very important to me so that I wouldn't give up.
Some may feel the pace of this DVD is too slow, but if you are interested in starting slowly... this may be just the right pace for you.
Eventually, I started collecting Guitar DVDs and I now have over 20, but this was the one that held my interest long enough to make it past the training wheel stages.
This DVD is great for people who have little or no experience with playing guitar and want to begin without investing in private lessons (private lessons are a good idea if you can afford them). The DVD contains basics such as posture, hand position, a few basic chords, and strumming. It even has a very basic introduction to fingerstyle (playing with your fingers instead of a pick).
I had taken a very basic class a few years ago, then taught myself barre chords and a few scales. I recently invested in a good mid-range guitar (Martin DC-16 GTE), so I picked up this dvd as a refresher. I found myself skipping to chapter 8 before I came to anything I hadn't learned yet. So the title "Learning Guitar for Dummies" is apt. It is great for beginners as a SUPPLEMENT to private lessons. For intermediate players who are looking to build such skills as fingerstyle, barre chords, scales and improvisation, etc, you'll need something a bit more advanced than this. I found myself more bored and drooling over the Taylor 814 CE he was playing than focusing on the really basic concepts he was presenting.
Other drawbacks of the video: 1) his singing is terrible 2) he doesn't go over such basics as selecting and changing strings or some accessories that are helpful even for the novice (i.e. string winders, supplies for cleaning and maintaining the instrument- like a lint free cloth, a humidifier, etc). 3) in the video he does not always follow the suggested fingering shown in the chart on the screen (i.e. on a few of the songs he plays a G chord with the 1,2, and 4 fingers instead of the 1,2,3 as shown in the chart- I also prefer the 1,2,4 fingering, but this may be confusing to some beginners). Other than that it is a good introductory video for the beginner.
I used to take guitar lessons when I was about 15 years old. Learned some basic cords and could play a few songs. I had not picked up the guitar in many years. My 12 year old Daughter decided to learn to play the guitar so I got my old guitars out and started playing again. I ordered this DVD Learning Guitar for Dummies, by Jon Chappell and found it to be an excellent first lesson for the beginner guitar player. Not only did I learn some thing's I did not know but my daughter sat through the whole DVD with her guitar. Jon has a great way of explaining things slowly and easily. I would recommend this DVD for any beginner guitar player. Even if you know nothing about the guitar, you will by the end of this DVD. I had also ordered another Guitar learning DVD and found it to be not nearly as good as this one. Two Thumbs up to this DVD! The only thing I was disappointed about was I could not find any other DVD's put out by Jon Chappell.
My daughter aged 8yrs decided that she wanted to learn to play the guitar a couple of mnths ago. The middle of October (last month) we bought her one. Suprised to see how she could manage the frets she now has lessons at school, sadly it appears for this yr. only. I puchased this DVD for her not really knowing what to expect only to find this Brilliant step by step guide, simplistic to follow in every way. The DVD zooms in on the guitar itself and positioning on fingers on frets etc. at the right hand side of the screen is the cord Mr. Chappell is playing once again denoting where positioning of fingers should be. Having had no previous experience at all our daughter found this DVD informative and extremely easy to follow as did her father, only unable to follow correctly at the 9th out of 10 chapters when "Fingerpicking" was introduced. This dvd is aimed at no particular age group only Beginners of whatever age. Mr. Chappell's experience and honesty shines through as he repeatedly states you will not beable to play overnight that practice is a must all the things beginners need to hear. I cannot praise this DVD enough it hss to be one of the best if not the best DVD's and an invaluable aid to guitar playing irrespective of which type of guitar you choose to play. If you are looking for a Beginners guide to learning to play the guitar i cannot recommend this one too highly. You will not regret this purchase!.
I bought the Guitar For Dummies book when I got my guitar. I'm working my way through the book so thought this DVD would help - I haven't gone to an instructor (yet). It's not as in-depth as the book (there simply isn't enough DVD space), but it is very useful to actually see the strumming and finger techniques Chapell uses.
I'd recommend you buy the book along with this DVD, that way you can continue to progress once you've gone the DVD lessons.
I bought a number of different "teach yourself" tools on a variety to media to get myself started on the guitar and this is definitely top of the bunch. Unlike many of the others, this DVD schools the learner in exactly the same way a (very expensive) private tutor would. It spends time on teaching not just the basic notes, but also different ways of strumming and finger picking (I've found that may of the other books, CDs, and PC CDROMs tend to ignore the right hand). The DVD progresses at a steady speed and allows the learner to stop and achieve competence in one area before moving on and, unlike some of the private music tutors that you run the risk of hiring from your local paper, this guy actually knows what he is doing. He can play AND teach! I can't say enough positive things about this DVD – it does exactly what it says on the cover!
Learn & Master Guitar is serious guitar training.
Winner of the 2008 Acoustic Guitar Magazine Players' Choice Award, two Telly Awards and an AEGIS Award for Excellence in Education, Learn & Master Guitar is widely recognized as the best home instruction course for learning guitar available anywhere. It consists of 20 professionally produced DVDs, 5 Jam-Along CDs, a 100+ page lesson book, and a free online student support site. It is the only instructional package you'll ever need on your journey toward mastery of the guitar. All you provide is the practice!
Let's face it, really learning guitar can seem like a daunting task. There are so many different things to learn and practice. What you're really looking for is high-quality, step-by-step video instruction that takes you from beginner (or intermediate) all the way through advanced instruction. A thirty-minute "Learn Guitar Overnight" video isn't going to do it, and advanced instructional videos are usually too specialized and they often assume that you know more than you do. That's never a problem with Learn & Master Guitar, because it is a complete step-by-step video instruction course that takes you from any skill level, even if you're a total novice, through the advanced skills training used by the pros. Not a beginner? Just skip through the basics and jump into the more advanced training.
Printed materials alone, when not accompanied by detailed video instruction, can leave you frustrated and confused. Software-based instruction is cumbersome and difficult to use. Private instruction is costly and inconvenient. And perhaps worst of all, none of these methods are really any fun!
Which costs less - Guitar lessons on DVD or Guitar lessons from a personal teacher?
Guitar lessons on DVD are far less expensive than in-studio guitar lessons with a teacher. Most teachers charge $25-$50 for one private lesson. When I taught private guitar lessons, my rates were 30 dollars for a one hour lesson! For $29.95 you can have over 9 hours of guitar lessons on four DVDs plus additional DVD that has over 165,000 tabs on it! These DVDs are a great way to learn how to play the guitar. You could take over 18 guitar lessons on DVD for the price of one guitar lesson with a teacher. Plus, with lessons on DVD, you spend no gas money commuting to your guitar teacher. Also, you can play the lessons over and over again instead of remembering everything the teacher taught that week.
If you want to know more about this articles, You can go and them at
For many guitar students DVDs are the ideal way to learn to play guitar. DVDs make more noise and hold the attention better than books, plus they are easier to store. But in general, most people who want to learn to play the guitar would prefer a video of their teacher showing them how to play. Plus the kind of graphics available on DVDs are much more guitar newbie-friendly when it comes to learning chords or tabs. There are many DVDs out there that say they will teach you guitar but I prefer three that have actually been around for a few years, and I thought I would share them with you.
"Learning Guitar For Dummies" has been on the market since 2001. Most people approaching learning guitar for the first time would be attracted to any teaching method that is "for dummies". The title promises easy step-by-step instruction. This DVD does not disappoint. For a start you are not required to learn to read music to become a well qualified guitar player using this method. You are taken through the basic steps of setting up the physical skills like fingering chords that are needed to learn to play the guitar and then you are given the opportunity to use your own musical creativity as you learn to play some simple pieces. Anyone who already has some experience on playing the guitar might find this DVD a little slow in pace but for the raw amateur, it is ideal.
"Fender Presents: Getting Started on Acoustic Guitar - A Guide for Beginners" is more of a major work for any student who feels that he wants to take his guitar playing to the limit. The DVD is complete with backing tracks using real instruments instead of MIDI so you can get the feeling of playing along with a band, and 3D graphics are made good use of in the section that takes you through the basics of which string is which and learning to play basic chords.
Once you have moved out of the beginner stage the DVD takes you through soloing techniques, using a capo and some fingerstyle playing. The teacher, Keith Wyatt knows what he needs to do to explain how to play guitar in a clear, easily understood manner. This DVD id for the ambitious acoustic guitar student who does not want to have to buy another DVD after learning the basics.
"Fender Presents: Getting Started on Electric Guitar - A Guide for Beginners" is of the same quality as its acoustic guitar counterpart. The attention to detail and the sense that I, as a guitar learner, am important stand out as the DVD helps you learn to play guitar. The section dealing with teaching you to become an electric guitarist teaches muting, arpeggios, string bending, solo playing, the differences between country, rock and blues, plus the care of your guitar and amp.
The Fender DVDs offer the ultimate solution if you want to learn to play guitar, but "Learning Guitar For Dummies" has a lot to offer the newbie who wants to learn to play guitar on DVD but wants to do it in baby steps.
About the Author
Do you want to learn to play the guitar? Learn How To Play A Guitar For Free is a constantly updated blog which contains all the resources you need for: learning to play solo guitar, how to learn guitar chords, how to learn to read and play easy acoustic guitar tabs, finding a free online guitar tuner, looking for free guitar lessons online, and how to learn guitar scales.
Learning Guitar for Dummies [part 2 of 8]
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[simpleaffiliate source="chitika" results="0"][/simpleaffiliate] Guitar for Dummies?
Anna - I am intrested in learning how to play the guitar. My birthday is coming soon and I asked for the book 'Guitar for Dummies' can anyone tell me if this book is helpful or not?
I already play the piano so I know some things about music. Like notes, chords and stuff I just want to know if the book is actually any help.
I actually own the book and I find it very helpful. I am teaching myself through this book. Although I wish I would practice more often the book is very helpful as long as you take your time and practice often. I didn't think I would feel the same way if it didn't come with the CD it comes with.
How to Play Basic Major Chords on a Guitar For Dummies
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I have noticed that on a lot of the online sites that the guitars are being sold for really cheap. Like 50% of the Listing price.
Now I have found a couple guitars I like and I want to see of they are at my local guitar shop... Will the guitar shop sell them at the prices online, or the Listing price? or will that sell them at a price in between that?
Thanks!
The 50% of the list price thing is because musical instruments are usually at least 100% markup. The stores pay half or less than the retail price. So a large retailer like Guitar Center can sell equipment at 30-50% off of the list price because they can make it up in volume. And also they can do the loss leader thing where you get one component for a good price and then buy an amp, cords, music books, stomp boxes or an effects pedal and etc at a bigger profit margin. There's also the NOS (new old stock) which is like last year's fashions. Items are sold at lower prices to get them off the floor and stockrooms to make room for the new models. Nobody pays actual list price.
The guitar shop should sell them at the online prices or better because of the reasons I stated above. If it's a small Mom and Pop place, they will have to charge more because they have less overall sales. So it won't be as good a price as online. I have no problem buying gear online. I've bought a lot of gear on eBay and one of my best guitars my wife bought for me. I'm happy with all my equipment. Ive never bought a new guitar from a store. I buy new condition used gear and I've very seldom been disappointed.
Learning guitar for dummies with our online guitar lessons
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