Saturday, April 2, 2011
Tie Your Mother Down Intro by Queen featuring Brian May
Tie Your Mother Down by Queen. Great rock riff with some intermediate challenges.
Sunday, Bloody Sunday Intro by U2 featuring The Edge
Sunday, Bloody Sunday Intro by U2 featuring The Edge
Good Times, Bad Times Intro by Led Zeppelin featuring Jimmy Page
Good Times, Bad Times Intro by Led Zeppelin featuring Jimmy Page
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Guitarist Gary Moore Dies at Age 58
It is with great sadness that I heard of the death of Gary Moore. From Belfast, Ireland he was only 58 years young. How fragile life is and how short is the time that we have on this earth!
I admire many guitar players, and Gary Moore is among my favorites. In many ways his playing epitomizes the blending of Blues and Rock. His fiery playing had a real no-apologies element to it. Gary's playing is loved by Blues cats, Rockers, and Metal heads alike. He brought passion to Skid Row (not the metal guys), Thin Lizzy, and to a successful, peer and fan-admired solo career.
If you want some serious inspiration and a bevy of licks and techniques to learn from, go to YouTube and watch some Gary Moore videos. One that stands out in my mind is his live rendition of Hendrix's Red House at the Fender 50th Anniversary jam. Riveting! Just watching Gary let you know that every note he played came from his soul and a deep passion for music.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and family of Gary. Thank you, Gary Moore, for bringing a richness to Blues and Rock music. May you rest in peace.
I admire many guitar players, and Gary Moore is among my favorites. In many ways his playing epitomizes the blending of Blues and Rock. His fiery playing had a real no-apologies element to it. Gary's playing is loved by Blues cats, Rockers, and Metal heads alike. He brought passion to Skid Row (not the metal guys), Thin Lizzy, and to a successful, peer and fan-admired solo career.
If you want some serious inspiration and a bevy of licks and techniques to learn from, go to YouTube and watch some Gary Moore videos. One that stands out in my mind is his live rendition of Hendrix's Red House at the Fender 50th Anniversary jam. Riveting! Just watching Gary let you know that every note he played came from his soul and a deep passion for music.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and family of Gary. Thank you, Gary Moore, for bringing a richness to Blues and Rock music. May you rest in peace.
Some Thoughts On Learning Guitar...
I just wanted to wax a bit philosophical about learning and playing the guitar in general, in hopes of encouraging those that are stuck in whatever level of progression you may be stuck in.
Just remember, the longest journey starts with a single step. It doesn't matter if it takes you a week or a month or whatever to make that/those step/steps, the only way to further yourself is to take the step ! Looking at a guitar won't help, talking about guitars won't help; the only thing that will help is to pick up the guitar and practice. If it takes you a steady week to learn a chord, that's alright. At that pace, you will know 52 chords in a year ! If you are struggling, don't panic. Your ear will improve, your dexterity will improve if you just start simple. More importantly, simply start !
Playing guitar or doing anything worthwhile (exercise, writing, cooking, singing, etc.) involves starting with the most basic things and building on those simple things. Eventually those things begin weaving together into something more satisfying. Also, playing guitar is not an exercise in perfection, but an exercise in creativity. It is a journey that never ends. That is why life should be more about the journey itself and not the destination. The destination will take care of itself. Don't miss the joy along the way by constantly worrying about your arrival. In reality, you never "arrive" at a final destination when you play guitar. Your journey always continues and is punctuated by satisfying stops along the way. Don't be concerned about the pace of others on the journey. Don't let your fears of your limitations or what others may think derail you from your journey or stop you from climbing aboard in the first place ! Rock On ! visit www.playbluesrockguitar.com
Just remember, the longest journey starts with a single step. It doesn't matter if it takes you a week or a month or whatever to make that/those step/steps, the only way to further yourself is to take the step ! Looking at a guitar won't help, talking about guitars won't help; the only thing that will help is to pick up the guitar and practice. If it takes you a steady week to learn a chord, that's alright. At that pace, you will know 52 chords in a year ! If you are struggling, don't panic. Your ear will improve, your dexterity will improve if you just start simple. More importantly, simply start !
Playing guitar or doing anything worthwhile (exercise, writing, cooking, singing, etc.) involves starting with the most basic things and building on those simple things. Eventually those things begin weaving together into something more satisfying. Also, playing guitar is not an exercise in perfection, but an exercise in creativity. It is a journey that never ends. That is why life should be more about the journey itself and not the destination. The destination will take care of itself. Don't miss the joy along the way by constantly worrying about your arrival. In reality, you never "arrive" at a final destination when you play guitar. Your journey always continues and is punctuated by satisfying stops along the way. Don't be concerned about the pace of others on the journey. Don't let your fears of your limitations or what others may think derail you from your journey or stop you from climbing aboard in the first place ! Rock On ! visit www.playbluesrockguitar.com
More On Tab vs. Standard Notation...
Greetings Future, Present, and Past Guitar Players!
I recently got a comment at www.playbluesrockguitar.com about the importance of learning to read standard notation. I would like to emphasize that I believe it is a very important discipline, but it's importance and application to what you are trying to accomplish as a guitar player should be weighed carefully.
I can't tell you how many complete novices to guitar I see trying to work their way through a beginning guitar book or following the advice of a stodgy teacher that is showing them how to read notes and play dinky melodies like "Row, Row, Row Your Boat". If that beginning student decided to pick up guitar so that they could play Blues or Classic Rock, they may just as well throw the guitar in the water and watch it go gently down the stream !
Playing guitar is a daunting task for most people and it is important to reach some early initial milestones to remain interested in playing. For most, learning to play "Smoke on the Water" gives infinitely more satisfaction than being able to read "Ode to Joy" from a chart and pluck it out on a guitar (sorry Beethoven!). I know that you have to learn to crawl before you walk. I just hate to see new students learn to crawl in quicksand. So many of them just end up sinking.
One comment pointed out that few people that start playing without reading music rarely go back and learn how to read. I submit that even fewer that start playing by reading only ever continue to play at all !
My advice ? Don't eschew learning to read standard notation. By the same token, realize that the careers of nearly all of your guitar heroes began by someone getting a guitar and copping licks from friends and records (those weird big flat vinyl things). Learn to read and apply Tab so that you can boldly seek out your favorite licks and songs on the internet and in magazines, thereby launching you more quickly and ever higher into the sublime Stratosphere that is Guitar Playing (O.K., that was a little too dramatic, but you get the idea !). Rock on Brothas and Sistas !
I recently got a comment at www.playbluesrockguitar.com about the importance of learning to read standard notation. I would like to emphasize that I believe it is a very important discipline, but it's importance and application to what you are trying to accomplish as a guitar player should be weighed carefully.
I can't tell you how many complete novices to guitar I see trying to work their way through a beginning guitar book or following the advice of a stodgy teacher that is showing them how to read notes and play dinky melodies like "Row, Row, Row Your Boat". If that beginning student decided to pick up guitar so that they could play Blues or Classic Rock, they may just as well throw the guitar in the water and watch it go gently down the stream !
Playing guitar is a daunting task for most people and it is important to reach some early initial milestones to remain interested in playing. For most, learning to play "Smoke on the Water" gives infinitely more satisfaction than being able to read "Ode to Joy" from a chart and pluck it out on a guitar (sorry Beethoven!). I know that you have to learn to crawl before you walk. I just hate to see new students learn to crawl in quicksand. So many of them just end up sinking.
One comment pointed out that few people that start playing without reading music rarely go back and learn how to read. I submit that even fewer that start playing by reading only ever continue to play at all !
My advice ? Don't eschew learning to read standard notation. By the same token, realize that the careers of nearly all of your guitar heroes began by someone getting a guitar and copping licks from friends and records (those weird big flat vinyl things). Learn to read and apply Tab so that you can boldly seek out your favorite licks and songs on the internet and in magazines, thereby launching you more quickly and ever higher into the sublime Stratosphere that is Guitar Playing (O.K., that was a little too dramatic, but you get the idea !). Rock on Brothas and Sistas !
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)