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Two Unique Ways To Learn Guitar For Beginners

March 29, 2013 by Chris

If you’ve just purchased you’re first guitar, or maybe you’ve had one for a while and haven’t started learning yet, either way take a couple of minutes to read this article. I won’t be offering a bunch of free beginner guitar lessons, or tips. However I do want to talk to you about the two options you have to learn to play guitar as a beginner.

Whether you want to learn electric or acoustic guitar, rock or classical there are two specific paths you can take. One will have you playing songs in no time, the other takes a bit longer but is the path to mastery of the guitar.

Start learning to Master the guitar today!

Path 1: Learn Fast, and how to play songs ASAP

The first path that beginner guitar players can take provides gratification faster, but can also cause you to plateau with your learning a lot quicker. Some beginner guitar lessons focus on teaching you how to play basic chords, and then how to strum easy guitar songs. The focus is on teaching you how to play songs.

For those that want to learn to play guitar so they can play songs at parties and around the campfire, this method is most likely for you.

Common points that are covered in these types of beginner guitar lessons are

  • How to read guitar tabs
  • Learning guitar chords
  • Guitar chord charts
  • Strumming patterns and timing

These types of easy guitar lessons are solely focused around getting you playing something you’re familiar with as quickly as possible. This might be all you want from your guitar learning process, and that’s fine. However I think everyone should understand what they might be giving up on if they choose this path to beginner guitar lessons.

Ready to start learning yet?

Path 2: In depth beginner guitar lessons, teaching theory, music reading, and technique

The other alternative to beginner guitar lessons could also be considered the gate way into other styles of guitar playing. Most beginners will start with either acoustic or electric guitar lessons, and then refine their style as they advance, possibly into rock, jazz or classical.

More in depth beginner guitar lessons take longer to get to the song playing level, but they spend more time on teaching you theory and how to read music before getting into teaching you songs.

Learning beginner guitar music and theory provides you with a solid foundation that you can build on as you learn to play songs. The fact is learning to play an E, A, G and D chord isn’t that hard. Yes it takes a bit of time to feel comfortable with your fingers in those positions but overall it’s not that tough.

The tough part is when it comes to understanding why A chord is an A chord. Then if you want to learn how to play lead guitar (soloing) you’ must learn scales, and about the different keys (if this doesn’t make sense to you right now, don’t worry it all will eventually).

Again this stuff isn’t difficult to understand, but you should learn it in the correct order if you for see yourself wanting to jam with others, play in a band or write some of your own songs.

One thing I want to clarify, I’m not saying that you can’t learn scales, theory, or how to read music if you start with the first method we discussed. It’s totally possible to learn all of these things after learning basic guitar chords. It’s just easier to take beginner guitar lessons that are structured to teach you the right skills in a logical order.

What are the best alternatives for Beginner Guitar Lessons?

If you want to get up to speed quickly with your guitar then I recommend you check out Learn and Master Guitar. This course covers a lot of ground and will give you well over a year’s worth of material to cover as a beginner.

This course is the most in-depth and easiest to follow of any beginner guitar program I’ve come across, both in workbook and video formats. The videos are produced at a very high quality, and the level of play that this lesson pack can take you to is huge! I’d guess there is probably as much as 2 year’s worth of material in the Learn and Master Guitar series depending on how fast you decide to digest it all.

JP is a passionate blogger with great interest in music and various musical instruments, she recently started to get some guitar lessons online.





Filed Under: My Experiences Tagged With: acoustic guitar, beginners, classica, electric, Fast, guitar chords, guitar lesson's, guitar tabs, learn guitar, music reading, Rock, technique, theory, unique

4 Incredible Gifts That Will Capture A Music Lovers Heart

March 25, 2013 by Chris

Can any of you imagine life without music? Just like our body needs food to survive, similarly, our soul needs a little bit of music every now and then. Who doesn’t like music? We all like listening to music – be it a particular genre, a particular band, a certain instrument or maybe any music that our mood fancies. However, for some people, music holds a tad more meaning in their life than a mere “like”. These are people who love music and are deeply passionate about it, and connect with it more than the rest of us. When it comes to buying a suitable gift for such music buffs, look no further than the following four amazing gift ideas.

A set of swanky speakers

One must admit that most of the in-built speakers that we have in our computers, phones, notebooks, laptops or tablets, are not up to the mark and give out an awful sound. For a person who literally eats drinks and sleeps music, what could be a better gift than an incredible sound system? Consider gifting a set of stylish and sleek speakers to that special music lover in your life. Besides, there are so many different options available in the market these days, suitable for almost any budget range. Apart from different styles, designs, and sizes, you could also opt for sleek portable speakers, that can be connected to a number of devices such as you mp3 player, iPod, smart phone, tablet and so on.

High-quality headphones or earphones

Gift a music lover a good pair of quality headphones or earphones and you will never go wrong. There are literally tons and tons of well-known brands that sell a variety of earphones and headphones available in different colors and styles. Whether used while travelling, working out in the gym, or simply while taking a stroll down the park, a pair of class headphones or earphones take the quality of sound to a different level altogether. Moreover, if you’re okay with stretching your pocket a bit, you can even get a pair of wireless headphones that can connect to your devices via Bluetooth. Perfect.

T-shirts and other gift accessories

Is your music lover a hardcore rock music fan? Does he/she worship bands like Metallica, Pink Floyd or maybe The Beatles? That feeling when you strut out proudly wearing a t-shirt of your favorite rock band is simply a great feeling and leaves you grinning all day. Go check out your nearest market or the mall and you’ll definitely find plenty of popular rock band t-shirts to lay your hands on. Or to make things easier, you can also sit at home and check out some popular shopping websites online! If not t-shirts, you could go for some funky gift accessories such as guitar key chains, rock band themed wallets or bandanas, cell phone covers, tattoo sleeves, guitar picks, and whatever more you can think of.

Tickets for a rock concert

Are there any local bands performing in any of those happening pubs in town? Any popular rock bands scheduled to perform live in your city? If yes, stop procrastinating and book surprise tickets for your loved one now! Make sure you do the bookings in advance while the tickets are cheaper!

These were four incredible gift ideas that bound to impress any music lover.

This guest post is by Lilly Jones, who works at Addicted to Audio, sellers of headphones, speakers, and headphone amplifiers. She uses guest posting to share her knowledge and opinions about the world of music.

Filed Under: Great sites and products, Home and Lifestyle Tagged With: earphones, gifts, headphones, music lover, rock concert, speakers

Top 5 Rock Guitarists Who Will Stalk Your Soul Forever

February 10, 2013 by Chris

The invention of the electric guitar revolutionized the music industry, giving birth to rock and roll. Almost instantly, the electric guitar became a symbol of Cultural Revolution, musical rebellion and rock music. A combination of a solo instrument as well as a rhythm player, the electric guitar’s popularity started rocketing as artists and rock bands starting experimenting and mastering new sounds, effects, textures and various techniques. This article is about a few of such guitar maestros’ who have changed the way we listen to rock music – forever.

Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix is arguably known to be one of the most creative guitarists and probably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music. By playing close to the amplifier and cranking up the distortion, he showed creative and unique cutting-edge guitar effects. Hendrix was also famous for the fact that he could play the guitar using his right hand and his teeth or he could also play behind his back and between his legs. This indisputably makes him the greatest guitarist ever in the world of rock and roll.

Eric Clapton

Known as one of the most all-rounded musicians of all time, Eric Clapton’s influence in the world of Blues/Rock is undeniable. Clapton is often remembered for his wonderful solos, his songwriting, his creativity as well as the mood and feeling that could be felt when he played the guitar. Moreover, he is the only triple inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has 17 Grammy’s to his name, which make him all the more legendary and outstanding.

Jimmy Page

The lead guitarist of one of the best Rock bands ever, Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page is one of the most brilliant and versatile guitarists and songwriters that the world of rock has ever produced. Page is known for his innovative studio techniques and dynamics, his immaculate timing and rhythms and his songwriting ability. Right from folk, to blues to metal; his style, technique and talent are something that can’t go unnoticed, etching his name bold and deep in the world of rock.

Brian May

Do you still sway to songs like “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Friends will be Friends”, and “Radio Ga Ga”? Breathtaking vocals by lead singer, Freddie Mercury, and Brian May on the guitar made Queen one of the most popular bands ever. Extremely intelligent and multitalented, May is known for his distinct and superb guitar tones, his intricate and melodious guitar solos and beautiful guitar riffs. Slightly underrated than the rest, Brian May still remains as one the best guitarists ever.

David Gilmour

If there’s any guitarist who puts the maximum heart and soul into his music, it’s got to be David Gilmour – the legendary lead singer and guitarist from the band, Pink Floyd. An amazingly talented guitarist and vocalist, Gilmour’s style of bending and re-bending notes is what makes his music so melodic and entrancing. Listen to his quintessential solos in songs like “Comfortably Numb”, “Money”, “Time”, “Coming back to Life”, “Shine on You Crazy Diamond” and others combined with his clear and pure vocals, and more likely than not, you will feel shivers run down your spine. His pure talent and passion makes him remarkably special and his work, timeless.

There are literally hundreds of other fantastic and talented guitarists who have made timeless contributions in the field of rock and roll, but these five definitely top the list!

Derek rock is a student by day and a DJ at night. He is a skilful guitarist and is passionate about music. He believes that nothing can beat the high created by playing an electric guitar in a club filled with people dancing on its tune.

Filed Under: Brian May, David Gilmour, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Musicians Tagged With: brian may, creative, david gilmour, eri clapton, guitar, guitar solos, guitarists, jimi hendrix, jimmy page, led zeppelin, play guitar, Queen, Rock, rock music, technique

4 Tricks To Improve The Sound Quality Of Your Headphones

December 21, 2012 by Chris

In spite of the fact that some people do not mind spending a small fortune on a state-of-the-art pair of headphones with a limited three year warranty, they do get upset when the quality of the sound is ghastly. Unfortunately, in the vast majority of cases the poor sound quality stems from the fact that they did not purchase the right pair to start with. In other words, when it comes to headsets, it is best to shop around until you find something that suits you, rather than acquire an expensive pair of earpieces only simply because they are popular. The good news is that even if you did get stuck with a pair of headphones with poor sound quality, there are still a few hacks you could try before storing them away for good. Let’s elaborate!

1. Try to clean them first

Even though cleaning the earpieces regularly might seem intuitive, you would be surprised about the number of people who “forget” about this little aspect. In the eventuality that you notice the sound in your headphones has decreased lately, then it is time to clean them up. Besides, washing them is a fairly easy activity as you all need to do is wipe them with a mildly wet cloth and soft soap. In case they include metal parts that are extremely dirty, then you can clean them with a toothbrush.

2. Are you using them properly?

While this is surely not the only pair of headphones you had, it is necessary to point out that no earpiece is like the other. To put it simply, it could very well be that you grew accustomed to your old pair of headsets so much that you are using your new headphones in a similar manner. This is especially true for the in-ear buds and a good method of getting the best sound out of them is to “tinker” with them until they feel comfortable and the sound improves.

3. You could turn them into speakers

If the cleaning did not do the trick, then you could always try to turn them into speakers. More often than not, people often find themselves in the situation when they would absolutely love to listen to some music while cleaning the house, organizing their desk or doing a repetitive task. Sadly, the only thing they actually have in their home is a pair of headsets. However, did you know that you could attach two paper cups to the earpieces and transform them into veritable speakers? And, the best part is that this “construction” also improves the quality of the sound.

4. Integrate some noise isolating features

In the eventuality that regardless of what you do, you keep hearing the background noise rather than your favorite music, then you should consider adding some noise isolating features. The open pair headsets’ sound quality can be boosted exponentially if you attach it to a nice set of industrial earmuffs, whereas for the in-ear buds you can use some earplug foam to isolate the background sound. As a side note, there are plenty of DIY guides on the web as well as specialized services that could lend you a hand in this case.

Featured images:
  •  License: Creative Commons image source
  •  License: Creative Commons image source
  •  License: Creative Commons image source
  •  License: Creative Commons image source

Richard Simpson loves technology and music. He works with a premier online headphones retailer based in Australia.

Filed Under: Equipment, Recreation Tagged With: clean, headphones, improve, noise isolation, sound, sound quality, speakers, use

How to Get the Most Out of Your Next Concert

December 17, 2012 by Chris

Concerts are great and can set the stage for some of the most memorable days of our lives but if not properly planned; they just aren’t going to go as well. If you have a concert on the way or are looking to find one to go to in the near future, then you may want to take some of our tips into consideration. We want to make sure you have the best day that you possibly can and get rid of all the stresses of everyday life because we know how hard you guys work for your money!

Be Prepared for All Types of Weather

The best thing you can ever do when leaving the house is expect the unexpected. Sure, the weather may be sunny and beautiful today but you never know when that could change. Might as well always have a blanket, pillow and spare jacket in the car because it’s always best to be safe than sorry. Can you imagine how awful it would be if you were to be extremely excited for a show and then freeze the entire time? That’s not going to make for a very good experience.

Make Sure You Have Plenty of Cash

Another thing you want to avoid is going to a show to realize you forgot your money or didn’t bring enough. Each show is going to have unique items and you really want to cash in when you can. Let’s face it, even if you tell yourself you aren’t going to buy anything; there is bound to be at least one item that you feel you can’t possibly leave the show without buying. Whether it be a new hoodie, a CD or even a poster; allow yourself the luxury to leave with something to remind you of the day.

Go with a Friend

While going to concerts can be a neat experience, going with a close friend is going to be much more exciting. It’s a lot easier to get lost in the moment and dance around when you have someone there to be silly with. Plus, during breaks you will have someone to talk to. Don’t forget to bring a camera to take pictures along the way so you can share the day with those who weren’t able to make it. Can we say, ‘new profile picture’?

Buy Tickets Early On

If you’re one of those people who likes to wait until the last minute, do yourself a favor and never do it when it comes to concert tickets. All this is going to do is give you a hard time. By buying early you are typically going to be able to get great seats (if they have them) and a better price. Of course, you should always shop around to make sure you are getting the most for your money. Nothing is worse than realizing your favorite show is completely sold out and you have to wait until next year.

Barned Tison is one of the leading ad man and entertainment reviewer. His articles consist reviews of concerts, shows, etc. So go out and read those articles before you’re shown ‘Sold Out Concert Tickets‘ sign boards.

Filed Under: Concerts Tagged With: camera, cash, company, concert, friend, future, picture, plan, prepared, seats, Tickets, weather

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