"How often should I practice?" is the most common question asked by my guitar students. Every student I teach has their own unique needs and goals. And they have their own unique schedules and problems too - there is work, or school, and chores, homework, friends and families to see, other hobbies, interests, and activities and they all compete for time. It's absolutely normal that finding the time to learn an instrument, to take lessons and to practice, can be a difficult task. But no matter who my students are, how old they are, and what other things they have going on in their life, there are a few things that I recommend for everybody.
Posts tagged as “Music”
Music and language are frequently compared. The similarities are quite obvious with a little thought but our first spoken language we mastered as young children without any formal tuition. We had to pick it up as we went along. Mastering an instrument is very difficult to achieve in the same manner but there is a lot we can take from babies learning to talk that can help us to learn faster and play music better.
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"American Lutherie", the journal of the Guild of American Luthiers[/caption]
"American Lutherie", the journal of the Guild of American Luthiers[/caption]
The following is a reprint of data sheet #45 from the Guild of American Luthiers. They don't know who wrote it and it never made it into publication. But it's so incredibly useful that it's one of their most requested articles (you can download a PDF version from them here). To anyone who ever gets frustrated when tuning their guitar, this article explains why and I strongly advise you to read it. I promise you that accepting the information presenting here will make your guitar and your music sound better and your life much easier.
People often wonder why two seemingly identical electric guitars sometimes require noticeably different bridge or saddle heights to achieve a similar string action and feel. The answer has to do with manufacturing tolerances when making the neck and body. Let's take a look at the issue and explain why shims are often used in guitar construction.
A few months back on one of the guitar forums I frequent, a guitarist asked for advice, wanting to buy a cheap mandolin for a country/rock band. Here is my reply, which I've expanded on for this blog.
A buddy on private forum recently asked advice about meeting musicians to jam or start a band with and what internet sites anybody could recommend. His question got me thinking about my experiences over the 11-odd years I've been in Paris.