Review about the guitar neck and frets

The guitar neck and frets can be a critical thing for certain guitarist as it will impact the playing capability. If you see for certain guitarist like Yngwie J Malmsteen, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Michael angelo, John Petrucci, Kirk Hammet, eric Johnson or many others, they have their favourite choice.

Maybe for some reason the guitar beginners will think that the guitar neck and frets just a common thing and typical from one to another guitar. They might be right. But actually some neck and frets has their own criteria.

Let see about the neck first. Sometimes you will out that the size of the neck is different, some might big and some might quite small, even the radius as well, you will find that the thickness of the neck is different from one to another. This will impact on how you grip the chords and also on h ow you press the note during solo. Of course, you can do some experiment, try get a Fender Stratocaster '60s and compare it to an Ibanez RG, its different.

Then, the wood, the most identical differences is the color. Some are maple which is bright or Rosewood, the dark color. Some manufaturer and the guitarist agree that different wood gives different tone.

Standard frets count is 21, 22 and 24 frets. Even i have seen some new brand extended the count more than that. So you can exploite and manipulate the notes that you want to play, It doesnt mean the more the better. But how the way you do thing, some people good just with 21 frets.

The size of the frets also, we have jumbo frets, which is consider big. guitarist choose this for heavy metal and rock. Then the vintage fret that normally quite small for blues or country.

So, by understanding this, I believe guitarist will understand what kind of neck and frets they really need. Good tips for you when do shopping, you can straight away ask the salesman, "I want maple neck with, medium radius, with 22 frets on it!"

Understand your guitar selector switch.

Most guitar especially for those which have more than 1 pickup have selector switch. Attached on the body and normally below the 1st E string on the body of a stratocaster guitar. And on the top shoulder for Les Paul. Its a basic things to understand the switches on which pickups its toggling. First, you need to understand what is the switch for???

The selector switch is meant for you to select you desire pickup to be play. Some people misunderstand it as to select a desired sound, which is not exactly the correct terms.

Normally there are 2 types of selctor switch.
1. The 3 way switches
2. The 5 ways switches.

THe 3 way switches is normally placed on the guitar with 2 pick up. For easy reference the Gibson Lespaul, that has 2 humbucker or soapbar type pickups. 1 near the bridge and one near to the neck. As it has 3 way switches it has 3 types of selection. 1st toggle normally for the bridge pickup, 2nd toggle is for the neck and bridge pickup. the 3rd toggle is for the neck pickup

The 5 way switches is normally attached to the guitar with 3 pickups on board. Like the Fender stratocaster. Even, ibanez Jem or RG has this kind of switches. It doesn't matter the pickups should be single coil or humbucker. The 5 way switches giving us the option to choose the pickups: like these:
Toggle 1. Bridge pickup
Toggle 2. Bridge and middle pickup
Toggle 3. Middle pick up
Toggle 4. MIddle and neck pickup
Toggle 5. Neck pickup

If you have either this 2 types of the switches and not working what it suppose to be you should consult with the technician.

So. Why we need to understand? Coz by understanding it we can toggle the switch to pickups that produce the correct tone and sounds we want. Each toggle, giving a different character, tone and sound from the respective pickup on the guitar.

Simple mistake that the beginners do is not selecting the right pickup on the right time. For example Normally they put the switch for the bridge pickup for soloing or do the powerchords. But then, to do some plucking, clean strumming or ryhthm, they still using the bridge pickup. So the sound is so dry, They should change it to toggle number 2(or for 5 way switch, toggle number 2 or 4)

I believe you should try to explore your guitar switch now. And try to use it in different situation. Like during solo, harmonic, playing blues, some plucking, arpeggios, different genre.

To tell you the truth, in the first few years i started playing, after i learned the use of the switch, I was approach by a man that also a guitarist and asked, "YOur guitar sounds good, I believe it so expensive". Well, I bought the guitar only for $150 dollars, But, I toggled the switch to the right pickup on the right time, makes my guitar sounds like an expensive guitar.

Solo technic: Vibrato

In such way vibrato, is giving a better sound of our guitar solo. Making our playing so charecteristic and dynamic. It sounds so alive and being since the classical era to rock and heavy metal. Its critical to do the correct technic of doing it, sometimes, by overdoing it will make you playing sound offpitch.

Generally for me I use 3 kinds of vibrato. Depends on which situation is the best. I call it:
1. Conventional vibrato
2. Classical Vibrato
3. Tremolo Vibrato.

The conventional vibrato is widely use by the electric guitarist, no matter what are the genres their playing, in rock, metal, pop, fusion, jazz, even blues and alternatives. The technic it to press on tight over the note and make the bends movement repeatedly. ANd make sure everytimes you bend the string it will return back to its normal position or else it will be offpitch. The keyword her is bending it up and down. Of course continously

The classical vibrato, normally played on the classical guitar. But I saw BB King is always does it. Meaning to say it can be done using the electric guitar. It sounds nice and totally awesome. For me it give more attitude. The technics is to hold the note tight and make the movement back and forward repeatedly. The keyword is back and forward movement.

While the Tremolo vibrato is COOL!!! But to do this your guitar must have tremolo on the bridge. Make sure it is properly attached. The technics is just slightly wham the tremolo up and down continously. If you are the rock guitar player you will be looking and sound like PRO. Just be careful, make sure the tremolo back to its original tension before doing another wham. Even, you can explore and do some experiment to make a nice vibrato with your tremolo. I ll tell you later on this.

My advise is listen to what you play. Make it a good sound. Because listening the good sound is what the music is all about.

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Minor Scale: The Melodic minor.

The melodic minor scale usually being and use for the genre like jazz and funk. Its really cool if we can apply it and making very beautiful sound.

THe melodic minor also has seven notes if we compare it to the natural and harmonic minor. The different between the Natural and Melodic minor scale is the 6th and 7th note is raised by half tone. Lets take the G minor melodic scale for example.

1st note: G
2nd Note: A
3rd Note: Bflat
4th Note: C
5th Note: D
6th Note: E(In natural minor scale it is Dsharp)
7th note: Fsharp(In natural minor scale is F)

THis will make the tabulation like this:
E - - - - - - - - - - - -- - -
B - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
G - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
D - - - - - - - - - 2-4-5- -
A - - - - -3-5-6- - - - - -
E -3-5-6- - - - - - - - - -

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Minor Scale: The Harmonic Minor

The harmonic minor scale almost similar to the Natutal minor scale except for one thing the seventh note is raised for a half tone. This makes the harmonic minor scale has its unique sound character some sort like classical, or there people say that it sound like a little bit like indian or arabic music scale. Now its used in most music genre like rock even, Yngwie J Malmsteen and other big name using it.

Lets take an example from a scale, Bminor for an example: remember! The 7th note of the minor natural scale is raised to halftone. it will become:

1st note: B
2nd note: C#
3rd note: D
4th Note: E
5th Note: F#
6th Note: G
7th Note: Bflat(Original in Natural minor is note A=>raised halftone=Bflat)

I give you another example on another key. The F# harmonic minor scale on the diagram will be more presentable.

Try to familiarise this scale until u get use to it.

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Minor Scale: Introduction.

Hi,

Actually there 3 types of minor scale, namely:
1. natural minor
2. Harmonic minor; and
3. Melodic.

As a good guitarist we need to know three of them. Because the more song we want to play the more scales we need to know. Better we start to learn the Natural minor. May be you read my previous post that each scale has 7 notes. same goes to this Natural minor scale has 7 notes.

The question begins. What are the notes we need to use. Let see the pattern of natural minor:
1. W - H - W - W - H - W - W; or
2. 2 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 2;
3. T - S - T - T - S - T - T

Let us take a note to start constructing the scale using the above mentioned pattern. The note B might be a good example: it will be: B - C# - D - E - F# - G - A. Or what we can say:

B is the 1st note
C# is the 2nd note
D is the 3rd note
E is the 4th note
F# is the 5th note
G is the 6th note.
A is the 7th note.

Maybe you can study the pattern and construct the natural minor scale starts from the other note. We learnt the B natural minor scale. Just and idea given try to construct the C natural minor, then raise it a half tone to C# natural minor, then raise it another half tone.. and so on. you will get it, familiarise it.

But dont forget to do it using the alternate picking.

Thank you

Major Scale: A lil Step Ahead

Hi,

I still want to write more about the major scale. Hence, today I am very happy coz my friend namely Ponco Satrio. A very good guitarist originally from Indonesia willing to share his video regarding the E major scale classical style.



Look how firm his picking and fingering. Maybe some of you feel this video quite fast. Then you should try to play it slowly.

Anyway. Thanks to my friend Ponch(Ponco Satrio)

The major scale: technically.

Hello,

From previous post i explain the theory of the major scale. As a case study i used the scale of G#.

Today, Let us do some practicle on F# major scale by using the diagram below:



I want you to get your guitar and lets do it. If you can see on the notes showed on the diagram only on from the 1st fret till the 4th fret. Normally, I advise people to use the 1 finger for 1 fret. This to ensure that we play in a correct movement and utilise the fingers effectively. So lets refer this picture to indicate the fingering on your left hand:
Use your No 1 finger every times you play the notes on the first fret. No 2 finger for notes on the second frets. No 3 finger for the 3rd fret and No 4 finger for the notes on the 4th fret.


Now you may start playing from the F# notes on the lower E string using your No 2 finger. Use the alternate picking: (UP, down, up, down etc etc etc...) by doing this that means as you play the F# note using down stroke picking then followed by the next note which is G# using the up stroke picking. An next the Bflat note with down stroke picking.

For beginners carry on playing the notes until the next octave of F#(the next red dot on th 4th string). Repeat this process until you familiarise the notes, the fingering and the picking. Once you feel comfortable carry on until you finisih the notes on the 1st String.

Thats it!!! You just play the F# major scale in ascending motion. Also, you should try to play the scale descendingly.

Keep on rocking!!

The Major scale: for beginners

Hello again,

As some people ask me online about scale, so today I want to explain about it.

We've looked at a few basics around the guitar, and discussed what notes are, the very foundation of music. The next step is to start understanding scales. The problem is that when some people are presented with scales for the first time, and realize that they are being asked to play endless variations of these scales for the foreseeable future, it can become a daunting task. In this introductory lesson we are going to explore some of the reasons that scales exist, and why we make such a big deal about them.

What are scales? A Technical View

There are 12 possible notes(E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B, C, C#, D and D#) available for constructing music out of. Western music has evolved such that rules have emerged over how and when you use these notes together. Although this is merely convention, you will be so used to hearing the various common scales that when those rules are not applied, or are applied differently you will immediately notice that something is wrong or different. There is nothing written in stone about the way these things are organised, but we are all so used to hearing music from an early age that incorporates these rules that we don't even think about the alternatives until we start to study musical theory in depth.

As a guitar player, you need to understand these rules if you want to play western style music at all. A fundamental part of these rules and conventions are the musical scales we use.

What is a scale? It is a restricted sequence of notes, chosen from the 12 available, that work together to give a certain desired mood or effect to the music. The best way to describe individual scales is as a list of gaps between the notes, we use the term Tone or Semitone to denote our Half notes or Whole notes, and give the formula using their initial letters, T and S.

Some people use Half and Whole (W,H) to denote the gaps, and another way is to list the number of semitones (1 or 2). Either way, these three are identical and all give the gaps for the major scale:

1. T T S T T T S
2. W W H W W W H
3. 2 2 1 2 2 2 1

Lets see how this works. Picking a scale at random - G# major. This initially tells us two things. First, our root note (or first note in the scale) is G#. Secondly, we will be using the Major scale formula to work out the notes.

So, we start with our G# note, and add the first step of the formula which is a T, meaning a Tone. So starting with a G# and moving up a tone or two half notes puts us onto A#:

G# + T = A#

Next, we start with A#, and look at the next letter in the formula - its a Tone again, so we add 2 half notes to A#, to give us a C:

A# + T = C

Next, we start with a C and check the formula - this time it is a semitone, which takes us to C#:

C + S = C#

If we carry on with this we get the following:

C# + T = D#

D# + T = F (remember there is no such thing as an E#)

F + T = G

G + S = G#

So, we have built our scale of G# major according to our major scale formula to get the notes:

G# A# C C# D# F G

The majority of scales we use have 7 notes in them but that is not a hard and fast rule. For instance, the minor pentatonic scale only has 5 notes in it (its formula is 3 2 2 3 2 - I used numbers here instead of T and S because it has a couple of Tone and a half leaps, which is 3 half notes, and that is more easily written down as a 3 instead of something like "T + 1/2", but it all means the same thing). Some scales have more, for instance the chromatic scale has all 12 notes in it.

So that's how scales work! The formula describes them and we pick whichever root note we want to construct them around. The next step is to convert these notes into a pattern so that we can play it.

Have a nice day.

Picking technic: Single and alternate picking.

Hello,

Here I like to tell you about picking technics. In general there 2 kinds of picking tehcnic, namely single and alternate picking.

Single picking means we pick a string and then play about 2 or more notes per string. In simple way of explaining with a single pick on a string we play no matter how many notes played on that string.

And for alternate picking means we pick the string on every single note we play. Normally we pick in the motion of down and up stroke continously. For example the stroke will be down, up, down, up, down... and so on.

Anyway, I believe most guitarist being taught of using the technic of alternate picking. I suggest that to be a good guitarist we must learn both so we can get more technics and apply it to our playing to make it more versatile.

Thats it! Generally about picking.

See you guys around.

Pain while playing guitar!! Stop!!!

Hello again,

I like to tell you about my experience a few years back. I woke up in a morning one day, without brushing my teeth or go to the washroom I get my guitar plug the cable swtich on the amp and effect and started playing "Master of Puppet-Metallica".

Just in a few minutes i started to feel the pain on my hand muscle and and palm area. But i just carried on my playing. Until one point its really heart. THen i stop and get ready to work. To tell you the truth the pain still there for the whole day. Thats the bad lesson I learnt. Do some warm up before starts playing your guitar.

The point I want to tell you today is if you feel the pain or sore in your hand while playing guitar just stop it immediately and have your some rest. Pain is your body's way of telling you that you're doing something wrong. Stop and rest is a good solution. If the pain or soreness persists, see an orthopedic specialist to make sure you aren't developing tendinitis.

In my case, i need to go to the clinic and have to put my hand bandage. The doctor advise me to rest and not to play the guitar for days. Thats awful, but even awful i heard that somebody had to stop playing guitar for month because of the same problem...

Hope it is not happens to you.

Pedal Effects VS Multiple Effect

Hi,

I was asked by a friend, which one is better, Indvidual pedal effects(FX) or Multiple Effect(MultiFX).

In this kind of issue there are good side and bad side of both. Thats y some people are prefer to use the pedal FX rather than the MultiFX. Let see:

FOR Pedal FX.
The good thing about PEdal FX is we can tweek the knobs there and then to get the feel and the sound we want to. Moreover its easy to understand how it works and flows. Some people said that the sound come out from the Pedal FX are more determine and 'big', u know. It sounds really Original ALIVE and beautiful... Thats y many multiFX try to immitate the pedal FX sound.

The bad thing is if need to use a lot of pedalFX in a line from your guitar to your amps, then the problem starts. 1st, economically it is expensive to buy a bunch of pedal effect. THen you will get power supply problem, I dont think most people like to use battery all the time. Even if we use power adapter and daisy chain the power wont stable is certain situation. Even a lot of PEdal FX in line will create some unwanted buzzing sound. I tell you!!! Its irritating.

For MultiFX.
The good thing about MultiFX we can get as many built in effect as we want and change from to another at no cost. Relatively cheaper then a bunch of Pedal FX. Some multiFX has more than 60 effects. So you can get as many sound as we want to. The features that very significant is we can store the setting into many patches. I believe 30 patches is consider alot. Even extra features like amp simulator, built in tuner, drum machine, metronome or many others give a lot of advantage.
The bad thing: I met a person that just bought his MultiFX after a week he got a headache. He doesnt know to do his own setting. Thats the problem, it takes time to do some setting according the sound that we want. I think a must to read the manual, if not u will be lost. Unlike the pedal FX with out manual u can just tweek-tweek and rotate-rotate the knob and done. To tell you the truth some guitarist takes about a month to make use and completely store their desired sounds.

Ask your self with one suits you.

These are my MultiFX

Get use to your guitar pick

Hello again,

Talking about the pick for me by choosing the right guitar picks will make not only the comfortablity, though it will give u a good sound and tone.

YOu should have ur favourable guitar picks. THere are a lot of shape and thickness. Also they made from some different material and color. Spend some time to get a different types of picks and do some experiment so will know the different of each and then choose your best one for you. Get use to it, appreciate it and love it. Those pick in the picture is in my collection.

For your information there is no pick can last forever. One day somehow it will torn up and overused. U need to change it, is good to have stocks of picks. DOnt be so stingy by having just one pick. Put ur pick stock in your guitar case so u can get it easily when u need it next time. ALso good if you have pick holder attached to your guitar.

Have fun

The Major Scale and minor Scale

Hi,

Today I like to explain a little bit about the major Scale relatively to the minor scale.

Dont you guys know that there are 2 scales thats the same? I mean one major scale that similar to one minor scale. It has guys. believe. For instants let me tell you that G major scale is similar to E minor scale. and also D major and B minor. F major and D minor, C major and A minor

But how this things happens?

As a principal there are 7 notes in natural major scale. For easy reference lets use the scale of C. THe notes contain in the scale of C are:

C D E F G A Aand B

and the scale of A minor is: A B C D E F and G. if you can see the 2 scales has the same note, so it is similar. The only different is the starting note C and A both for C scale and A minor scale respectively.

I give you some other scales that similar:
C# and B flat minor scale.
D and B minor scale.
D# and C minor scale
E and C# minor scale.
F and D minor scale.
F# and D# minor scale.
G and E minor scale.
G# and F minor scale.
A and F# minor scale.
B flat and G minor scale.
B and G# minor scale.

So for me it this thing help us to remember either the major or minor chords. Its similar.

Have fun.

Buying your guitars.

Hey guys! How are u doing?

I got a question from a guy withnick name Stephen of Ibelin:
"Dude , where to get a cheap and reasonable electric guitar, been wanting to jam for along time but don't know how much or what kind of electric guitar need to get , thnx,"

So, i like to answer the question here hence hoping it also helping you guys.

Actually there are a lot of music store that sells a lot of guitar at a lot of price range. I totally believe that as normal people like us we want something cheap and but with good quality of making and sound.

Before we start going to buy a guitar I suggest you need to know what guitar specification that u need.

I m more talking about to choose electric guitar. Let say you are more playing ryhthm guitar with less solo and less playing the tremolo. THen, u dont need the floating bridge and locknut. Also, 3 single coil pickup will do. I believe u dont need 24 frets fingerboard. Just get the 21 or 22 frets will be sufficient. This kind of guitar normally suits u if u play sone kind of light and easy type of song.

But if you play some rock, or heavy metal, or do some critical solo from top to bottom neck, with bone crushing power chords, and whack the tremolo like hell. I believe u need a 24 frets fingerboard with floating bridge doesnt matter it is floydrose underlicensed with lock nut. The pick up might have humbucker. this is my choice too. with humbucker-single-humbucher types of pickup..

The brand?

There are a lot of brand. I believe different brand has different characteristic with with different value. Also with the brand we know the average price.

But if, talking about cheap guitar with reasonable brand and quality. I suggest Ibanez. coz there are also made in CHina. The price is cheaper due to currency rate and also cheap labour cost, also due to less transportation charges etc etc. may be in malaysia we can go to Bentley for easy reference. Or CK Music for Craftman guitar. or BCRICH and Samick at DOREMI. or YAMAHA for YAMAHA guitar, they sells others though.

Sometimes any other brands also quite okay, depends on your preference, the name like Squire, Epihphone, SX, or whatever la... gives u a good choice.

Any other place? yes... I like to go for second hand guitar for some reason, I found some consider good second hand guitar at the place like Cashconverter and Buy,sell&trade. The reason is some times i can find a good guitar with a good sound that i can afford. but the problem is sometimes it has a little defect but still we can do some maintenance to make it better. The good thing is we can bargain, the more problem and defect with that second hand guitar the lower price we can get. If you are lucky u can find the brand like FENDER, Ibanez, GIbson, Kramer, Jackson, Hamer.... and more.

For example, this picture: is the guitar I bought second hand, but its consider antique. Ibanez Blazer series, Made in Japan in the year 1982 to 1984. Reasonable price and the sound is good.

So, make ur choice. Hope it helps.

Take care of your AXE and FX

Hello guys....

Gosh!!! I didnt go for jamming for almost 2 month already, that because of the fasting month and the month of Eid. I have to respect it and also busy visiting friends and relative or they visiting me.

So, yesterday I spent the whole morning by playing my guitar in my room. I have 3 electric guitar now in my room... When i took one of it, the fender stratocaster-mexican 1996. i found that the strings are rusty. hmmm..... Well. Thats because i forget one thing! I didnt take care of it since my friend used it in a function last september.

May be on that moment his hands was sweating or wet when played my strat. A bit frustated coz i dint take care of it. So, I believe thats the lesson I learn and want to share with you guys. Take a good care of your AXE and FX. coz that the thing that u will be frustated enuff when they are not in good condition.

Not just for the string, but may be on the paint, the fret wires, the bridge, the pickups, the humidity, maybe the temperature.

Most guitarists agree that we need to wipe the strings and body with clean and dry towel. Then put it in the case. And the best case that protect your AXE is the hard case, or some people use the term Coffin case. It is quite expensive compare to the gigbag or soft case. But to tell u, it really protect your guitar.

But if u can only afford the softcase or gigbag, its okay. it protect ur axe anyway, from scratch and direct heat. But remember dont lean your guitar neck to the wall... it may make ur neck 'bowing'.

And for your FX, try not to let it just like down after playing, its good to cover it. If it has some case put it in the case. Take off the battery if not being used or else the battery will be running out. some FX just need to plug off the cable to safe the battery. Put the FX away from possibility of something fall on it or people walk on it. Dont ever spill water on it or put it on the wet floor.

There are some other ways to take care of your axe. I will tell about it some other times later...

See you!!!!

C is Simple

Hi there,

I have problem with my ADSL modem and network card, was struck by the thunder lightning. The service provider just exchange the modem and I changed the network card my self. Phewww...!!!!!! Sweating, man!!

Okay that's another story. Lets talk about the guitar tips. for today I like to tell you guys that C is simple. The chord is simple to remember, the key of C is very simple to remember and the Scale of C is very simple.

Let's start with the chord of C. Most people who started play the guitar already know how to grip the C chord. But if you just feeling begin to play the guitar can check on the internet. Is very simple chord. Like this picture:

A little bit further, for the key of C. There are 7 notes in the scale of C, those are C, D, E, F, G, A and B. See, if you re-arrange them, it will be A B C D E F and G. Such and easy and simple interval to remember. Try to identify these notes on your finger board and try to do some riff on the scale.

A little bit advance, for the relatives chords playing in the key of C is:

1. C

2. D minor

3. E minor

4. F

5. G

6. A minor

7. B

All these chords are consider simple chords to play. easy to remember, If you creative enough you can try to arrange those chords in some pattern so it will be sound so rhythmic and nice to play.

Thats the tip for today, Remember! C is simple.

Warm up

Hello guys!

Today i like to tell you that to do a ginger warm up is important before u start playing your guitar, no matter where and when. It is is good for your finger muscle and also can help you to gain fluency, speed and accuracy on the guitar neck

You gain the most out of these exercises if you use a metronome. Start slow and built up the speed. Don't force yourself into a tempo that you're not ready for. Make sure your arms and wrists are relaxed. Failing to do so may result in a RSI like tendinitis (wrist inflammation).
Just to make sure we understand eachother in terms of finger naming:

Warm Up Exercises
This first exercise helps to develop your fluency, speed and left hand-right hand coordination. Start slow and build up the speed. Use fingers 1, 2, 3 and 4 of your left hand, don't skip the little finger. Use a pick and do alternate picking. The exercise doesn't stop at the end of the tabs, continue for the rest of the neck. Be RELAXED!

Wishing u all the best.

...

Start to KISS!!!- Keep it Simple, Stupid!!!

Hmm.....!!!

I remember one time ago. When I taught a guy in a tutorial session, I asked him, "what song do u really want to play?". He replied, "Fade to black, Metallica..."

Well, for me it is a good song, some people can play this song easily. But not for this guy, he is really a rookie, he cant play that song, he needs to play more simple thing. And, more simple arrangement and movement.

So, if u want to play something that really big stuff, but suddenly u stuck and cant do the chords or smoke ur finger with the solo. It's time to start KISS!!! Keep it Simple, Stupid!!! (My ex-boss influence to use this terms, he he. Thank you Mr Terrence)

There are a lot of song we can choose. One great example is the Zombie-Cranberries. Even i use this sond as case study for most of my student in the class. It use simple chords and also simple solo. Only using E minor, C, G and D. And these chords is easy to grip and fast to change ur finger position from one to other. The solo part: only a few note to remember.

Then, form time to time try to find other song, and go out learn something new, try something new.

Okay guys!

Practice, practice and practice

Hello there,

THis afternoon I was practicing alone in my bedroom. Plug my guitar to the multieffect and put my handphone on. Palying note by note until i sweat my self. In fact, malaysia's climate is hot.

Okay, okay!!! Thats a boring story.

Now straight to the tips.

If you are serious in playing a guitar u need to practice, practice and practice. Like the wisemen say, practice make perfect. Take a time that u are really free and practice. I know most of you just playing the guitar as hobbiest. So do I take your time.

The question is when and how long to practice?

My suggestion is to practice everyday. May be the first thing in the morning or in the evening. It doesnt matter. But how long? i heard that a pro practice for 8 hours a day. So can u do that? ask ur self. 8 hours means like working hour. in average hobbiest play about 1 hour per day.

Start with simple movement to warm up your fingers and hand muscle. Actually there are excercise lesson , try to find it in the web.

So now. keep on practice. DUDE!!

Note: Picture was taken in 1995.

The Fire Starter.

Hi, all, thanks for visiting.

I creat this blog as suggested from my closed frend @ band vocalist. He said to me that I should share my knowledge and experience in playing music especially electric guitar for years since the age of 13; now I am 33.

So, first of all i would like to say that there are a lot of things that I need to learn about blogging but thats a minor issue.

As I started to play guitar during my teenage time with my friend while sitting on a bench every body were taking turn to play the accoustic guitar. That's a boring process of waiting coz imagine I had to wait my turn to play, furthuremore I was in 5th que. Each person plays about 20 minutes. AArgghh!! That's so .... F**king boring Man.....

Since that incident I decided to have my own guitar. Just any guitar that i can afford, and I did got it some time later. I solved my taking turn problem, i had my own. not a good one, coz it was belonged to my elder brother not being taken care. even left in the rain once. its ugly. but i was proud to had it, though.

So u guys, u should begin to be a guitarist by having ur own guitar.

Have fun