Learn To Play AC/DC's Rock n' Roll Train

Rock n’ Roll Train by AC/DC is one of the band best efforts and is from the equally superb Black Ice album. It seems that many of our readers have been keen to find out how to play Rock n Roll Train so we have put together an article featuring the tablature, official video and several other video guitar lessons. This should have you playing this classic track in no time.

About AC/DC

AC/DC are an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Although the band are commonly classified as hard rock, and considered pioneers of heavy metal, they have always classified their music as “rock and roll”.

AC/DC has sold more than 200 million albums worldwide, including 71 million albums in the United States. Back in Black has sold an estimated 45 million units worldwide and 22 million in the United States alone, where it is the fifth highest-selling album. AC/DC ranked fourth on VH1′s list of the “100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock” and the seventh “Greatest Heavy Metal Band Of All Time” by MTV.

Official Rock n Roll Train Video

Rock n’ Roll Train Video Guitar Lessons

Rock n’ Roll Train Tablature

e|----------------------------------------------|
B|---3----3----3--------3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-------|
G|-2-2--2-2----2--------2-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|  Angus only
D|-2-0--2-0----0--------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-|
A|-0-0--0-0----0----------x-x-x-x---------0-0-0-|
E|------------------------3-3-3-3---------------|

e|----------------------------------------------|
B|---3----3----3--------3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-------|
G|-2-2--2-2----2--------2-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
D|-2-0--2-0----0--------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-|
A|-0-0--0-0----0----------x-x-x-x---------0-0-0-|
E|------------------------3-3-3-3---------------|

e|------------------------3-3-3-3-2-2-2---------|
B|---3----3----3----------3-3-3-3-3-3-3---------|
G|-2-2--2-2----2----------0-0-0-0-2-2-2-0-2-2-2-|
D|-2-0--2-0----0----------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-|
A|-0-0--0-0----0----------x-x-x-x-------0-0-0-0-|
E|------------------------3-3-3-3---------------|

e|----------------------------------------------|
B|---3----3----3--------3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-------|
G|-2-2--2-2----2--------2-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
D|-2-0--2-0----0--------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-|
A|-0-0--0-0----0----------x-x-x-x---------0-0-0-|
E|------------------------3-3-3-3---------------|
 |
e|------------------------3-3-3-3-2-2-2---------|
B|---3----3----3----------3-3-3-3-3-3-3---------|
G|-2-2--2-2----2----------0-0-0-0-2-2-2-0-2-2-2-|
D|-2-0--2-0----0----------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-|
A|-0-0--0-0----0----------x-x-x-x-------0-0-0-0-|
E|------------------------3-3-3-3---------------|

e|----------------------------------------------|
B|---3----3----3--------3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-------|
G|-2-2--2-2----2--------2-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
D|-2-0--2-0----0--------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-|
A|-0-0--0-0----0----------x-x-x-x---------0-0-0-|
E|------------------------3-3-3-3---------------|

e|------------------------3-3-3-3-2-2-2---------|
B|---3----3----3----------3-3-3-3-3-3-3---------|
G|-2-2--2-2----2----------0-0-0-0-2-2-2-0-2-2-2-|
D|-2-0--2-0----0----------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-|
A|-0-0--0-0----0----------x-x-x-x-------0-0-0-0-|
E|------------------------3-3-3-3---------------|

Both Angus and Malcolm hold the last A5 chord until Angus
starts the Verse Riff.

Verse
Malcolm rests from this point on until the Pre Chorus.

e|------------------| |------------------|
B|---3---3----3-----| |---3---3----------|
G|-2-2---2----2-----| |-2-2---2----2-----| (2X)
D|-2-4-2-4----4-----| |-2-4-2-4----2-----|
A|-0-0-0-0----0-----| |-0-0-0-0----0-----|
E|------------------| |------------------|

Pre Chorus
(Both Angus and Malcolm plam mute these parts. They stop muting
at the "*" )

e|----------------------------|
B|-3-----1-1-3-3-3-3-3-3-3----|
G|-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-0-2----|
D|---2-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----|
A|----------------------------|
E|----------------------------|
                               x3
e|----------------------------|
B|----------------------------|
G|-------0-0-----0-2-2-0-2----|
D|-2-2-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-0-0-2----|
A|-0-0-0-3-3-x-x--------------|
E|-----------3-3--------------|

e|-----------------|
B|-3-----1-1-3-3---|
G|-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-0-|
D|---2-2-2-2-0-0-0-|
A|-----------------|
E|-----------------|

e|-----------------|
B|-----------------|
G|-------0-0-----0-|
D|-2-2-2-2-2-0-0-0-|
A|-0-0-0-3-3-x-x-0-|
E|-----------3-3---|

e|-------------------------------------|
B|-3-3-3-3----3-3-3----3-3-3-3----3----|
G|-2-2-2-2----2-2-2----2-2-2-2----2----|
D|-0-0-0-0----0-0-0----0-0-0-0----0----|
A|-------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------|

e|-------------------------------------|
B|-3-3-3-3----3-3-3----3-3-3-3----3----|
G|-2-2-2-2----2-2-2----2-2-2-2----2----|
D|-0-0-0-0----0-0-0----0-0-0-0----0----|
A|-------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------|

Chorus
e|------------------------3-3--------------------------|
B|---3----3----3----------3-3-----3-3-------3----------|
G|-2-2--2-2----2----------0-0-----2-2-------2-2---2----|
D|-2-0--2-2----0----------0-0-----0-0-------0-2-2-2----|
A|-0-0--0-0----0----------x-x-----x-x---------0-0-0----|
E|------------------------3-3-----2-2------------------|
                                                 x4
e|------------------------3-------2--------------------|
B|---3----3----3----------3-3-3-3-3---------3----------|
G|-2-2--2-2----2----------0-0-0-0-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2----|
D|-2-0--2-0----0----------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-2----|
A|-0-0--0-0---------------x-------------------0-0-0----|
E|------------------------3----------------------------|

Verse

e|------------------| |------------------|
B|---3---3----3-----| |---3---3----------|
G|-2-2---2----2-----| |-2-2---2----2-----|  Angus only
D|-2-4-2-4----4-----| |-2-4-2-4----2-----|
A|-0-0-0-0----0-----| |-0-0-0-0----0-----|
E|------------------| |------------------|

e|------------------| |------------------|
B|---3---3----3-----| |---3---3----------|
G|-2-2---2----2-----| |-2-2---2----2-----|
D|-2-4-2-4----4-----| |-2-4-2-4----2-----|
A|-0-0-0-0----0-----| |-0-0-0-0----0-----|
E|------------------| |------------------|
 |                    |
e|------------------| |------------------|
B|---3---3----3-----| |---3---3----------|
G|-2-2---2----2-----| |-2-2---2----2-----|
D|-2-4-2-4----4-----| |-2-4-2-4----2-----|
A|-0-0-0-0----0-----| |-0-0-0-0----0-----|
E|------------------| |------------------|

Pre Chorus
(Both Angus and Malcolm palm mute the same parts )

e|----------------------------|
B|-3-----1-1-3-3-3-3-3-3-3----|
G|-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-0-2----|
D|---2-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----|
A|----------------------------|
E|----------------------------|
 |                              x3
e|----------------------------|
B|----------------------------|
G|-------0-0-----0-2-2-0-2----|
D|-2-2-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-0-0-2----|
A|-0-0-0-3-3-x-x--------------|
E|-----------3-3--------------|

                 *
e|-----------------|
B|-3-----1-1-3-3---|
G|-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-0-|
D|---2-2-2-2-0-0-0-|
A|-----------------|
E|-----------------|
 |               *
e|-----------------|
B|-----------------|
G|--------0-0----0-|
D|-2-2-2-2-2-0-0-0-|
A|-0-0-0-3-3-x-x-0-|
E|-----------3-3---|

e|-------------------------------------|
B|-3-3-3-3----3-3-3----3-3-3-3----3----|
G|-2-2-2-2----2-2-2----2-2-2-2----2----|
D|-0-0-0-0----0-0-0----0-0-0-0----0----|
A|-------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------|
 |
e|-------------------------------------|
B|-3-3-3-3----3-3-3----3-3-3-3----3----|
G|-2-2-2-2----2-2-2----2-2-2-2----2----|
D|-0-0-0-0----0-0-0----0-0-0-0----0----|
A|-------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------|

Chorus

e|------------------------3-3--------------------------|
B|---3----3----3----------3-3-----3-3-------3----------|
G|-2-2--2-2----2----------0-0-----2-2-------2-2---2----|
D|-2-0--2-2----0----------0-0-----0-0-------0-2-2-2----|
A|-0-0--0-0---------------x-x-----x-x---------0-0-0----|
E|------------------------3-3-----2-2------------------|
 |                                                       x4
e|------------------------3-------2--------------------|
B|---3----3----3----------3-3-3-3-3---------3----------|
G|-2-2--2-2----2----------0-0-0-0-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2----|
D|-2-0--2-0----0----------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-2----|
A|-0-0--0-0---------------x-------------------0-0-0----|
E|------------------------3----------------------------|

Solo

e|-------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------------|
G|-x\\----7^9~~~~-5---5-----------5--7^9~~~7^9~~~7^9~~~-|
D|-x\\--------------7---5-7~~~~~~-----------------------|
A|-x\\--------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------|

e|-----------------------------------8~~~~--|
B|------------------------8---8-10-8--------|
G|-7p5--------5^~~~~--8h(b9)--(b9)--------------|
D|-----7~~~---5-~~~~------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------|

e|-8^~~---8^~~~~~------|-12-~~~-12-~~~-12-~~~-12-~~|
B|-------------10~~~---|-13^~~--13^~~~-13^~~~-13~~~|
G|-------------------x-|---------------------------|
D|-------------------x-|---------------------------|
A|---------------------|---------------------------|
E|---------------------|---------------------------|

     pb
e|-10^11r-8-------------------|---------|
B|----------10-10~~~~~~~~~~~~-|~~~~////-|
G|----------------------------|-(Drums)-|
D|----------------------------|---------|
A|----------------------------|---------|
E|----------------------------|---------|

e|-8-------|
B|---10~~~~|
G|---------|
D|---------|
A|---------|
E|---------|

Malcolm repeats this under the solo:

e|-------------3-3-3-3-------|
B|-3-----------3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
G|-2-2-2-2-----0-0-0-0-2-2-2-|
D|-0-2-2-2-----0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
A|---0-0-0-----x-x-x-x-------|
E|-------------3-3-3-3-------|

Verse

e|------------------| |------------------|
B|---3---3----3-----| |---3---3----------|
G|-2-2---2----2-----| |-2-2---2----2-----|
D|-2-4-2-4----4-----| |-2-4-2-4----2-----|
A|-0-0-0-0----0-----| |-0-0-0-0----0-----|
E|------------------| |------------------|
 |                                        x2
e|------------------| |------------------|
B|---3---3----3-----| |---3---3----------|
G|-2-2---2----2-----| |-2-2---2----2-----|
D|-2-4-2-4----4-----| |-2-4-2-4----2-----|
A|-0-0-0-0----0-----| |-0-0-0-0----0-----|
E|------------------| |------------------|

Guitar Solo 2/Bridge

e|-10^--8---------------|
B|--------10~~~---8^----|
G|----------------------|
D|----------------------|
A|----------------------|
E|----------------------|

e|------5---------------|
B|--------5--8^10~~~~---|
G|-7^(b9)-----------------|
D|----------------------|
A|----------------------|
E|----------------------|

e|-------------|
B|-13~~~~~~~~\-|
G|-------------|
D|-------------|
A|-------------|
E|-------------|

e|--------------------|
B|-15^17r15-15~~~~-13-|
G|--------------------|
D|--------------------|
A|--------------------|
E|--------------------|

e|------5~~~------5-5~~~-|
B|-8^10------8^10--------|
G|-----------------------|
D|-----------------------|
A|-----------------------|
E|-----------------------|

         Hold bend
e|----8--8^10--8--8^10~~~~-10----13^15-----|
B|-10------------------------10------------|
G|-----------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------|

e|-15----------------------------------------|
B|------13----13-15-13------------------12^--|
G|---------14----------14-14p12---14~~~------|
D|-----------------------------14------------|
A|-------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------|

e|-----------------|
B|-------------12^-|
G|-14~~~~~~~~------|
D|-----------------|
A|-----------------|
E|-----------------|
                              pb
e|-15--------------20~~~~----------------15------------|
B|----15-18-18^20--------10-12^13r-12~~~----15-20^22~~-|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------|

Malcolm:

e|---------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|
G|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-| x4
D|-5-5-5-5-5-4-4-4-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
A|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
E|---------------------------------|

e|-3-3-3-3-2-2-2-2-----------|
B|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-----------|
G|-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2---| x4
D|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-2---|
A|-x-x-x-x-----------0-0-0---|
E|-3-3-3-3-------------------|

Guitar Solo 3/Chorus
Malcolm and Angus both play through the chorus normally.
Angus overdubbed the licks here.

e|----|
B|----|
G|-x\-|
D|-x\-|
A|-x\-|
E|----|

e|----------------------|
B|---20^22~~~~~20^22~~~-|
G|----------------------|
D|----------------------|
A|----------------------|
E|----------------------|

              pb
e|------------------------------------------------|
B|----20-------20--------------------------20^22--|
G|-19^20----19^20r----1(b9)17-------17^--17^--------|
D|--------------------------1(b9)17-----------------|
A|------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------|

e|----------------------------------------------------------|
B|-20^22~~~~-----1(b9)17-------20-1(b9)17----17-----------------|
G|----------------------1(b9)-----------1(b9)---1(b9)17~~~--------|
D|---------------------------------------------------19~~~~-|
A|----------------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------|

e|-----------------------------------------|
B|-18^20~~~~-20-1(b9)17-1(b9)17----------------|
G|--------------------------1(b9)17^~~~------|
D|----------------------------------19~~~~-|
A|-----------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------|

e|--------------------------------------|
B|-17-----------20----------------------|
G|----1(b9)17--19^20---17^1(b9)-17----------|
D|-----------------------------19~~~~\--|
A|--------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------|

                           Hold Bend
e|----------------------------------------|
B|----20------20------20---20-20-20-20-20-|
G|-19^20---19^20---19^20---1(b9)1(b9)1(b9)1(b9)1(b9)|
D|----------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------|

e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|-20^22----18-17-18-17-18-17-17h18p17----17---------------|
G|-------------------------------------1(b9)---1(b9)17---------|
D|-------------------------------------------------19~~~~--|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|

e|----|
B|----|
G|-2\-|
D|-2\-|
A|-0\-|
E|----|
 |
e|----|
B|----|
G|-2\-|
D|-2\-|
A|-0\-|
E|----|

Well have fun and if you know of any other cool guitar lessons for this track then let us know in the comments below and we’ll add it.

How to Write a Killer Guitar Riff

In the guitar world there is a lot of competition to be original. If you are a guitarist in a band, the most frustrating obstacle you will face is finding the songs that will set you apart from all the rest. Putting aside all of the rules for writing music, the one thing that will give you a song that your audience will remember is having a few awesome riffs.

A riff is simply a short, repeatable line of music that sticks out from everything else in the song. You can look at a riff as a signature on a piece of paper… it identifies the piece of music.

You may be thinking, “This sounds great, but I don’t have the ability to think outside of the box like that.” The truth of the matter is that anyone can write an awesome riff.

The music industry wants you to think that you can’t sound as good as all of your favorite bands. Yes, many of them do have awesome material, but the majority of it does not require a music degree to write. You can use the tools you already have to write original and breathtaking lines that will blow your audience away.

In fact, some of you would do better than your favorite bands if you took the time to evaluate the tools you already have.

If you were a carpenter, would you go to work without insuring that you had all of the tools you needed to complete that day’s work? No. You would double check to make sure you had everything you needed. The same applies to writing music and riffs. Take a step back and ask yourself, “What do I do best?”

If you can slide around the neck of your guitar like it’s nobody’s business, than use that to your advantage when writing riffs. Likewise, if you have fast fingers, use that to help you develop your own style.

My one warning that comes with all of the above advice is to keep it short. The longer your riff is, the more likely your audience will forget how it goes. Even I forget the tune to some of the longer riffs I write, so how do you expect anyone else to remember the tune? The most famous songs of the last six decades were all ridiculously simple and easy to remember.

Taking your first steps.

Before you dive into anything involving riffs, there are a few simple but important steps you have to think about. These steps lay the foundation for success and will make playing your guitar far more enjoyable.

Choose a key. We all love to run to our guitars and play them until we get something that sounds good. The problem with this is we will reach a point where we don’t know what to do with it or what notes to play. Knowing what key you are in will solve these problems instantly. This also allows you to figure out all of the various scales you have available to you.

Run through the scales you know in that key. Try the major and minor scales and see what sound you like the best. If you don’t know what scales are avalable to you in a certain key, check out last week’s article.

Experiment using the techniques that you know. Try limiting the number of notes that you play and keep it simple.

Use both the lower and higher notes on your neck.

…Try the above and you’ll be well on your way to creating a solid riff.

The hook.

The hook is the riff that highlights the chorus. It’s the most important tune you will write throughout the entire song. It also sounds slightly different from your average riff in the sense that it has the characteristics of a melody.

What that means when translated is that it stands out like a vocal would stand out. The key to writing a hook is to make it repeatable. That’s why I like to use a few notes. You can use as many as you want, but it may become more complicated than you would like it to be.

Here is an example of a simple hook in the key of D:

Riff One

…It’s simple and it’s catchy. All of the things you want to look for in a riff and the hook for your song. The word hook in the above context literally means to hook your audience into the music.

Many times you can spice up a riff dramatically by adding in new rhythms and picking patterns, as seen in our above example.

If we took the above riff and added more to it, we would end up with a melody (something you could sing to). This defeats the purpose of a riff. While writing melodies is quite fun and very necessary in song writing, it’s not what you want when writing riffs.

More Guitar Riff Examples

Here are a few riffs to get you started. Enjoy!

Riff Two

Riff Three

Riff Four

Riff Five

If your serious about learning to play the guitar then we highly recommend you read the Gibson’s Learn & Master Guitar review over at our sister website www.learntheguitarnow.com.

10 Ways To Improve Your Guitar Playing

One of the most frustrating aspects of playing guitar is when you reach the point where you are not improving. Whether you are a novice or a seasoned musician, we all face the same problem and ask the question, “Why am I not at the level I want to be and how can I get there?” To add insult to injury, we see our guitar heroes in magazines and on T.V. everyday and it seems as if they are constantly inventing new tricks and improving their skills. When we read about them in Guitar World to try to emulate their skills and learn their tricks only to leave more confused. Becoming the ultimate guitarist is far harder than it looks.

So what is the key to success? While there is no one answer that can solve everyone’s problem, there are a number of concepts and theories that can help you break through the barrier that keeps you from reaching your full potential.

The one thing that you need to realize is that you don’t need to be a genius to become a great guitarist. The two key things you need to have in your possession are interest and commitment. You’ll never meet a great guitarist who isn’t passionate about music. They didn’t get to the level that they are at by being apathetic and lazy. They took the initiative to go out and try to learn something new.

The guitarist who dares to challenge himself takes the risk of failing. This is where many musicians lose their battle with low self-esteem and quit. It’s not that they didn’t take the risk, rather, that they failed and couldn’t pick themselves up again. If you realize that failure is a part of growth and that it takes many jam sessions to get some tricks down, you have just acquired the first skill you will need to become the ultimate guitarist.

I have compiled a list of concepts that I believe every guitarist should try out. Unlike other articles you will read, these short and simple steps ask you to do, rather that simply read. Thoughts and attitude are important but in the end it’s what you do that counts to your audience.

Let’s get started with the top ten things you can do to obtain maximum results as a guitarist.

Top 10 tips for success...

Top 10 tips for success…

1. Learn something new

Educating yourself is the first step to becoming a better guitarist. Whether you choose to believe it or not, there’s always something new to learn and master. If you are currently studying music in a conservatory, at school, or in college, you will find that learning will come more easier to you. If not, I highly recommend that you get in a program. While I believe in teaching yourself, I also know from first hand experience that motivation and encouragement from a teacher is priceless. Once you conquer the subject that you were learning, push yourself to learn something that you’re not quite comfortable with. Learning within your comfort zone often results with you running around in circles.

2. Make your time count

Practicing does not make perfect, it makes permanent. That makes the time you spend playing your guitar all the more important. Don’t waste your time fiddling around on your guitar. Dig in and learn something that will aid you on your quest for musical success. Set goals and work towards achieving them. Whether it’s technique, tricks, or a new song, you can become better just by using your time more wisely.

3. Listen to more music

The more music that you are exposed to, the better guitarist you will become. Listen to the bands that you enjoy most and draw inspiration from them. Take note of what the musicians are doing in their songs and make a list of the techniques you want to learn. This can be the motivating force that gets you to play your guitar more often.

4. Surround yourself with excellence

When you play your guitar with people who are better guitarists, you not only learn from them but feel motivated to push yourself to keep up. At first this idea seems obscure. Why would you expose yourself to that kind of stress? Let’s face it, if there’s one thing that will make you get motivated quickly it’s the fact that people are counting on you. Don’t play with musicians who are arrogant and rude. Embarrassment doesn’t foster self-esteem and will only get you down. The people you want to learn from are patient and understanding. Eventually you will find yourself at their level. It happens faster than you might think.

5. Ask yourself what will you do when you obtain the skills you want

What do you want to do with what you learn? Perhaps you want to make a CD or join a band and play at some local venues. Start planning for it now and use what you currently have. This ties into setting goals but is not to be underestimated. Knowing how you want to use your talent is important. Create a vision and use goals to act on it. Whether you want to play for others, or to the wall in your bedroom, the choice is yours.

6. Teach someone how to play guitar

To teach is to learn. If the only chord you know how to play is a G chord, show someone that. Why? Because it reaffirms what you know and solidifies your knowledge. I can tell you from personal experience that I have learned more through teaching than I ever learned through being taught. It forces you out of your comfort zone and when questions are asked, you need to know the answer. I’m a firm believer that anyone can teach someone something if they want to. Give it a shot and see the results for yourself.

7. Believe in your ability

Yes, I know how cliché this sounds. However, you need to hear it. You can do anything you put your mind to and if you choose to play guitar well, chubby fingers or not, you can! Don’t listen to what others say and be true to yourself. This can be hard seeing as we live in a critical society that doesn’t realize how much words can hurt.

Keep at it and surround yourself with supportive people. More of a life lesson than a guitar lesson, but as far as I’m concerned music is intertwined with daily living.

8. You are incomparable

In case you haven’t picked up the hint yet, you are the ultimate guitarist. There is no one like you and there will never be anyone who even comes remotely close to being like you. Integrate who you are into your music and you will never have a shortage of material. Your music will soon form into your own tone and style.

9. Learn what worked for others

Whether you research your favorite guitarist or talk to your guitar teacher, ask others what worked for them. I don’t claim to know all the answers but when everyone puts their heads together, some really neat ideas start to flow. Networking allows you to give and receive at the same time.

10. Crush your weakness

We all know where we lack the most in the guitar realm. For me it’s in technique and finger picking, for others it’s something different. Whatever it is, don’t ignore it while enjoying your recent victory. Keep attacking your weak points and you’ll soon see improvement. The secret is that you never stop seeing problems and you continually get better over time. You’ll never be stuck without something to do. Take out a sheet of paper and write them down.

Then find the resources you need to help you destroy them. It’s not unlike a war, but in the end you always win.

Top Tips for Success

Don’t believe the popular myths.

You may be surprised to hear that a lot of the common advice distributed amongst guitarists couldn’t be farther from the truth. There are myths and tokens of advice that get passed along and guitarists like yourself use them. Try as hard as you like, but you’ll end up realizing that what meets you at the end of the road is failure. To avoid that, let’s look at some of the most common myths floating around:

All good players can play all styles

While great in theory, it doesn’t work out in practice. Throughout the history of this newsletter, I have consistently pushed trying various genres of music and becoming a more cultured guitarist. However, no where will you ever hear me, or any other teacher, say that you should be able to master all of them.

The fact is that it takes a lifetime to master one style. Some take up two genres that mix well together, such as blues and rock, but those genres are the exceptions. You will never hear a neoclassical shred guitarist play country. Many jazz musicians take decades to perfect their craft and even then they still see areas that need improvement.

If you want to be a great guitarist, take the genre and style that you’re passionate about and focus on it. Don’t get distracted with other music. Your guitar heroes are heroes because they mastered a genre. Very few will ever play outside of their specialty and that’s just the reality.

You either have “it” or you don’t
Let’s face it, some understand music more easily than others. That doesn’t mean that you can’t be as good as them.  Everyone can play guitar, it just depends on the effort and time you want to put in. There are dozens of specialties within music and no one knows all of them from the time they are born. Perfect pitch is developed, as is technique and originality. Look at where you started from as opposed to where you are now. Would you say that you are just as original as you were when you first picked up the guitar? I know I’m not. While things may come easier to others, remember that we all have our own struggles within music and that we are in it together.

To sound good, you need the best gear
The best gear is nice, and yes, you do sound better. However, it’s unnecessary for those who aren’t interested in professional music or are just starting out. Beginners love to see the rack of guitars at their local music store and say, “I want the $2000 one.” That was me for years but the truth is that a guitar of that caliber is useless to someone who can’t play it. Learn on something modest and work your way up. Not only will the experience be more rewarding, it’s also nicer on the instrument and your self-confidence. In the end, the guitar is only as good as the person who plays it.

I have heard crappy guitars sound half-decent when played by someone who knew what they were doing. The same applies to you. For those who can afford $5000 guitars, my advice is go for it. For the rest of us, I say save your money and work towards being the ultimate guitarist. Think about it, if you sound good on a crummy guitar, how much better will you sound on something that can really produce a good tone?

You need to be the most talented to succeed
All too often, as mentioned above, we tend to compare ourselves to others. The ultimate guitarist is you meeting your goals and making progress. There will always be others who sound better in certain areas but who cares? Be the person you want to be and music will be far more enjoyable. Success is measured on a personal level, not n how many CD’s you sell. The famous musicians in today’s society often find themselves wishing they weren’t so pressured by record labels. They want to be in your shoes where they have the choice to do what they want to do. Enjoy yourself and the rest will fall into place.

How to Play Blues Guitar - Part One

Blues guitar is one of the most intriguing and interesting genres that is out there. It has a rich history, interesting people and a way of expressing emotion unlike any other style of music. Essentially, blues tells a story of one’s life experiences and has various themes ranging from travel to current events.

Blues isn’t as frilly as other genres of music. It is raw and uncensored and as far as the guitar is concerned, one of the best venues to let your creativity soar. You won’t be criticized for your technique here, rather, you’ll be praised for your ingenuity.

Within the realm of blues guitar, there are many different subspecialties. There is delta blues,

Many guitarists fail to realize is that legendary players such as Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughn were all blues players. Many of their songs were inspired by blues and created a whole new generation of pumped up guitarists.

Unfortunately, many people fail to make that connection and blues is often underestimated by aspiring guitarists. The reality is that blues is only what you make it.

While I respect those who choose not to play blues, I have little tolerance for ignorance. You have heard it said time and time again throughout this newsletter that blues has been the foundation for many of your favorite styles that you enjoy today.

The riffs.

Blues lead uses a multifaceted approach that is based upon smooth bends, hammer on’s, pull off’s and many other classic techniques. The way they are delivered is what sets blues apart. First off, blues rarely, if ever, follows one set rule.

However, there are numerous patterns that have made blues famous. You can branch off of these patterns into your own unique style. Here are some riffs that are usually played by bass guitar but will give you an idea of the shuffle feel that blues can take on:

Blues Walk One

Blues Walk Two

Ultimately, you can make anything sound bluesy with some simple scales. Here are some of the most used scale patterns in blues guitar:

Blues Scale in A

Blues Scale in A (Second Position)

Blues Scale in D

…There are various kinds of blues scales. Many are derived from the pentatonic scale. However, a true blues scale has what is known as a blue note. A blues note means a drop in pitch located on the 3rd, 5th, or 7th tone of the scale. If this flatted note isn’t included in the key signature, an accidental will be used to tell you to play that note as a flat.

A photo of the legendary blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan

If you’re not familiar with this terminology, please refer back to our previous lessons on scales located in the archive.

That scratches the tip of blues scales and there are many other variations. I encourage you to buy a scale book to hone your skills and see the other blues scales available.

Other scales are commonly used in blues as well, such as the mixolydian scale. While we won’t be discussing it today, this scale can open up new doors into the world of blues. Here’s an example:

The D Mixolydian Scale

Blues chords and rhythm.

My favorite chords are blues chords. While some of them may be a little more complicated, you can really get a groove going with them. Here are five common blues chords:

O= Play string.

X= Don’t play string.

Dominant Seventh Chords

…You may have noticed that all of them have the same name tag of seven. These are known as dominant seventh chords. They sound great when played together and give you plenty of possibilities.

You can also play a G7 chord by moving your finger from the third fret to the first fret on the high E string. It will require you to change your fingering.

Strumming patterns for blues are usually fast paced. In order to do this, we keep things simple and rhythmic. Here is a great strumming pattern to learn:

Down Down Up Up Down

Switch things up a bit and try switching the up and down strums in the above example. Keep practicing them and you’ll be well on your way. Here’s an example of it in action:

Note: I am using E7, A Major, and A7. I simply hammer onto the 3rd fret on the high E string to make the A7 chord.

You’ll find that I used a lot of rest in-between chords. These little pauses can be done by moving your fingers slightly off the fretboard and discontinue strumming at the same time. You can stop strumming for that brief moment and pick right back up again without breaking the pattern.

This will be challenging at first but you will soon grow into it. In musical language, it can be described as a “shuffle” feel.

Putting It Into Practice

Soloing strategies.

When playing blues, you may encounter a problem where everything you play begins to sound the same. You may find that you continually revert back to what you know. In other words, you’re playing in a box. Here are some helpful hints to help you avoid this problem.

• First, start off with playing short bursts of music that last for roughly 10 seconds. These short “Bursts” should sound like a solo. Vary the tempo and the pause time in between these short rests.
• Secondly, try key changes. Move into a new key and incorporate the techniques that you are already familiar with. Use dynamics. Going from something soft to something hard really has a great effect and will train your mind to think outside of the box.
• I also suggest that you learn how to play 16th notes and 32nd notes in rapid succession so you will be as equally equipped to play the fast notes as you are the slow notes.
• Focus in on your right hand and insure that you give it a good work out everyday by using alternative picking and rapid picking techniques.

I urge you to focus in on that last tip. Stop looking at your left and right hand as two separate entities. Rather, look at them as one. You may notice that when you strum hard with your right hand, your left hand becomes tense even though it’s just holding a simple chord.

A problem like that can lead to serious health problems in the future such as carpal tunnel syndrome. To avoid that, practice playing with your left hand relaxed while your right hand strums. This will also increase speed and help you to add texture to your blues solos.

Written by Elmore Music

If you want to get serious about playing blues guitar then we would recommend the FREE blues guitar lessons offered by Elmore Music. They will give you a great foundation for playing the blues.

Guitar Chords, Expanding Your Musical Vocabulary

For most of us, the first thing we learn to play on guitar are chords. Someone teaches us the major chords and some of the minor chords but that’s usually where it ends unless you get a chord book. The problem is, many of these books don’t explain the technique behind chords. Practicing chords properly not only makes you sound better and play faster but keeps you in good health!

Getting to the root of the problem…

Feeling stressed?

I have had many students who have come to me asking, “Is it supposed to hurt like this when I’m playing a chord?” The answer is no, absolutely not. When you are playing guitar, you should feel no discomfort. Physical stress to muscles while playing guitar is quite common amongst beginners and professionals alike. This problem is evident when playing chords because it uses so many muscles in your hands, arms and shoulders.

When holding a chord, I have found that many people rap their fingers around the neck of the guitar much like it’s a walking stick. This is fine if you need the leverage to bend a chord or if you are near the headstock where room is small. However, the way to get maximum results is to put your thumb behind the neck of the guitar. To insure accuracy, put your fretting hand in the shape of a C and then place your hand around the neck of the guitar. You will find that you will have much faster chord changes when playing around the middle of the fretboard. You may find that holding the chord with your thumb rapped around the fretboard may cause discomfort, almost like a spasm.

The reason for this spasm is simply due to the fact that you are holding onto the guitar like it’s a parachute. To relieve this stress, examine your posture and start looking at the problem areas from the shoulder down. Relax your shoulders and let them hang loose, as if you were walking. Then look at your wrist and make sure that they aren’t curved too much as this is a stress point that can cause carpal tunnel syndrome. If you develop carpal tunnel syndrome, it could mean the end of your playing career. Then, take a look at what your fingers are doing while holding the chord.

If you’re not sure how much pressure you should be pressing down on the string with, I have a helpful trick that works like a charm. Press down on any note with the tip of your finger, barely placing any pressure on the string (just enough to mute it when you pick). The reason you only use the tip of your finger is due to dexterity and accuracy.

Then start to pick the note you want to sound while slowly increasing the pressure you’re placing on the string. Stop as soon as you hear a clear tone. What do you automatically notice? That’s right, you’re hardly holding down the string! This sensation is great for quick chord changes.

This will make playing barre chords a breeze. Far too often, I see people placing enough pressure on their strings to have an aneurism… don’t let this be you! After taking these steps, you should be more relaxed and ready to rock.

Keep in mind that you will need to adjust pressures on a regular basis depending on what you are playing. Try to keep things as light as possible while keeping the firmness needed to play. For example, you will need to adjust the pressure you place on your strings for playing barre chords as opposed to an open G chord.

Explore the world of chords!

Learning different chords are essential to becoming a well balanced musician. I have personally found myself in a playing “rut” that was extremely hard to get out of. It was as if I couldn’t play anything new and my imagination was gone when it came to writing songs. Then I discovered chords. When my professor first suggested chords I laughed because I considered myself a lead guitarist and I couldn’t make the connection between the two. Then I actually started to play around with new chords that were foreign to me and something magical happened, I started to write good music.

You will discover a new world of options with chords. Eric Clapton is a perfect example of integrating chords into every day playing. He shows us that there is much more to playing chords than just strumming. He applies a number of different techniques and concepts that have been associated with playing lead guitar. My suggestion and challenge to you is to learn one new chord everyday. It will only take a few minutes and the end result will be well worth the time that you invest. If you currently don’t have the money to spend on a new chord book, check out this link for hundreds of chords to practice.

Putting it into practice

Now it’s time to put some of the things we have been discussing over the last two articles into play. We have been talking about the link between arpeggios and chords and how they rely on one another. So here is a riff that uses both of these skills quite nicely. Lets walk through it.

Pictured below are five chords. They are called G, Aadd11, Bm, D, Cadd9 (in order of appearance). They sound like they are complicated to play but it’s actually quite the opposite!

Hold the bass note, located on the low E string, with your index finger. Use your index finger to lightly mute the A string. This isn’t hard to do because your index finger is at a slight angle to begin with and will stay away from the open D string, which you want to ring out. Then, hold the note located on the G string with your third finger. Now just move it up and down the fretboard!

Guitar Chord Examples (click to enlarge)

Notice how the notes that you’re fretting are actually a part of a movable arpeggio? Check this example out to see what I mean:

Guitar Chord Examples 02 (click to enlarge)

…compare that arpeggio to the G chord from above and you will find that the chord is in the arpeggio. Everything in music can be linked up at some point.

Now mix it up and try some variations of those chords. Don’t be afraid to make it your own by adding some new strumming patterns and giving it it’s own personality. That’s why we left our examples pretty simple, we want you to add in your own style. Check out some variations of the chords below and have fun!

Guitar Chord Examples 03 (click to enlarge)

Guitar Chord Examples 04 (click to enlarge)

Written by Elmore Music

Learn the Acoustic or Electric Guitar in 30 days! Highly recommended!

How to hold a barre chord

To kick off — this is a barre chord. Don’t worry which fret to play it on for now. Just learn how to hold it. I’ve also included the tabs below to make it easier…

TABS:

E|–1–|
B|–1–|
G|–2–|
D|–3–|
A|–3–|
E|–1–|

Barre Chord Tablature

This is an example of a Barre Chord. Pace your index finger across ALL 6 strings, followed by your middle finger on fret 2, and finally the rest of your fingers on string the 3rd fret of strings 5 & 6.

Barre Chord Positions

Admitted — it is hard to hold at first, but in time you will get it. The more it hurts the more your fingers need to be stretched. Keep at it each day and I guarantee you’ll be able to hold it.

Before I carry on, barre chords are always measured by your index finger. So if I say play a barre chord on fret 4, you place your index finger across ALL strings on fret 4, followed by the rest of your fingers. So always measure a barre chord by your index finger.

Now — once you can hold a barre chord, you are then able to move it to different locations on the fretboard and play different notes!

So for example…if you hold a barre chord on the 1st fret (top string) you are playing an F chord!

If you move it to the 3rd fret (top string) you are now playing a G chord.

If you move it to the 5th fret (top string) you are now playing an A chord and so on.

Here’s a guide of what I’m talking about…

Barre Chord Chart

Bottom line — learn a barre chord as it is one of the most important chords you will need to play the guitar. It will not be easy the first time — but keep practicing and never give up!

Written By Elmore Music

Learn the Acoustic or Electric Guitar in 30 days! Highly recommended!

Check out: http://www.guitartips.com.au

If your serious about learning to play the guitar then we highly recommend you read the Gibson’s Learn & Master Guitar review over at our sister website www.learntheguitarnow.com.

If proper music notation is what you want — check out: http://datadragon.com/education/reading/

…as they provide a great tutorial. But if all you want to do is learn your favourite song quickly and easily — tabs are the way to go!

Here’s how they work….(you’ll pick this up in 2 seconds!)

Tablature is a way of indicating the positioning of notes and fingering on the guitar fretboard.

There are 6 tab lines representing 6 strings on the guitar. (The 1st string is the thinnest, and the 6th string is the thickest) They are as follows:

E—————————– String 1
B—————————– String 2
G—————————– String 3
D—————————– String 4
A—————————– String 5
E—————————– String 6

When a number is placed on one of the lines, it indicates the fret location of note for example,

E—————————– String 1
B——4———————- String 2
G—————————– String 3
D—————————– String 4
A—————————– String 5
E—————————– String 6

This means to play the 4th Fret on the 2nd string

E—————————– String 1
B—————————– String 2
G—————————– String 3
D—————————– String 4
A——0———————- String 5
E—————————– String 6

This indicates an open 5th string

E—1————————- String 1
B———–8—————– String 2
G——-7——————— String 3
D—————2————- String 4
A—————————– String 5
E————————12— String 6

This indicates:

1st Fret, 1st string then
7th Fret, 3rd string, then
8th Fret, 2nd string, then
2nd Fret, 4th string, then
12th Fret, 6th string.

Further Points To Remember…

Other letters / symbols used in tabs.

h – hammer on
p – pull off
b – bend string up
r – release bend
/ – slide up
\ – slide down
v – vibrato (sometimes written as ~)
t – right hand tap
x – play ‘note’ with heavy damping

When you see all numbers in a line one after another

E—3————————- String 1
B—3————————- String 2
G—4————————- String 3
D—5————————- String 4
A—5————————- String 5
E—3————————- String 6

…it means you play the entire chord using all strings

When you see tabs that have “h”

E——————————–String 1
B——————————–String 2
G——————————–String 3
D——————————–String 4
A———7h9———–10h12—-String 5
E—0–0———-0–0———–String 6

….it means to do a “Hammer On” from the 7th fret to the 9th fret and again for the 10th fret to the 12th fret

When you see other tabs that have “p”

E——————————–String 1
B——————————–String 2
G——————————–String 3
D——————————–String 4
A———9p7———–12p10—-String 5
E—0–0———-0–0———–String 6

….it means to do a “Pull Off” from the 9th fret to the 7th fret and again for the 12th fret to the 10th fret

When you see other tabs that have “b”

E——————————–String 1
B——————————–String 2
G——————————–String 3
D——————————–String 4
A———7b9———–10b12—-String 5
E——————————–String 6

…it means strike the string 5 on the 7th fret, then bend the note up so that it sounds the same as the note played on the 9th fret.

Here’s a quick tablature legend to keep on file…

Tablature Legend

h – hammer-on
p – pull-off
b – bend
pb – pre-bend
r – bend release (release immediately if no number after r)
/\ – slide into or out of (from/to “nowhere”)
s – legato slide
S – shift slide
– natural harmonic
[n] – artificial harmonic
n(n) – tapped harmonic
~ – vibrato
tr – trill
T – tap
TP – trem. picking
PM – palm muting
\n/ – tremolo bar dip; n = amount to dip
\n – tremolo bar down
n/ – tremolo bar up
/n\ – tremolo bar inverted dip
= – hold bend; also acts as connecting device for hammers/pulls
<> – volume swell (louder/softer)
x – on rhythm slash represents muted slash
o – on rhythm slash represents single note slash

Why Learning Guitar Scales is important

Have you ever seen these piano players learning how to play, when they are going up and down the octaves playing their scales? Well, they are putting money in the bank because it will help them later when they have to play certain note combinations without thinking. If you are going to be a good lead guitarist, or a solo guitarist of any description in any genre, you too will have to spend time learning your guitar scales.

So, the question that many non-musicians ask. What are scales, and why are they so important? Scales are combinations of notes, ascending or descending, normally within an octave. The major scales are the basis of all other scales, and start and end on the same not. They go in the order whole-whole-half-whole-whole-whole-half-whole, the wholes and halves representing steps. Thus, for the scale of D: D – E – F# – G – A – B – C# – D.

Scales are chosen because they are melodic and harmonic, and once learned, they can be used to produce tunes that are pleasing to the ear. When learning guitar, you will come across the pentatonic scale, which is derived from the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th notes of the corresponding major scale. Thus, the pentatonic D will be D – E – F# – A – B

There are a number of reasons for learning scales, one being that they are fundamental to learning the theory of music, and if your ambition is to become a classical guitarist, then you will also be required to learn about the theory of music. They allow you to learn about harmonics and pitch, and the effects of sharps and flats. Some note combinations are discordant to the ear, and scales will make it a great deal easier for you to compose a series of notes that will sound good.

Another reason, more important to guitarists, is that they enable you to play a series of notes without thought that will sound good, especially when played fast. Most fast guitar riffs and solos would sound meaningless if played slowly, but sound great when played fast. That is because they are based upon the pentatonic scales. You could conceivably use a major or minor scale, but with a pentatonic, you only have to learn combinations of 5 notes.

By learning a few pentatonic scales, you will be able to play fast guitar licks up and down the frets, using the same 5 notes in the same order. If you listen to the main solo in ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, written by Brian May, that is played using a pentatonic scale, as is ‘Eruption’ by Eddie Van Halen. You can play the same notes over a number of octaves and it will sound great, because the notes are a scale that is pleasing the ear. Hence, the importance to a lead guitar player of learning guitar scales.

Once you get up on stage and start playing, you are not going to remember a complex series of notes to make up a rapid guitar solo. You have to play the notes by rote. If you have learned a guitar scale, the pentatonic in particular, you will be able to play anywhere on the neck of your guitar, as long as the notes are true.

Sure, you will have to change it for each string, and according to where on the neck you play it, but the notes will be the same and they will always be played in the same order. In practise, it doesn’t matter to you if they are sharps or flats or neither: you are just playing the notes, and don’t have to understand the theory. If you have learned your guitar scales properly, then you won’t have to remember because of the muscle memory involved.

It’s the same with chords. If you have learned your chords properly, you don’t have to figure where to put your fingers, you just play the chord and you fingers automatically get them right due to the muscle memory of repetition and revision. You don’t start a new song in your gig, and then wonder what the chords are: they come automatically, and so do the scales when you need them.

That’s why learning guitar scales is important, and why you shouldn’t screw up your face when asked to play them. It’s money in the bank, that you will withdraw when you are finally standing alone in front of 10,000 screaming people and striking up the first note of your fabulous guitar solo. It’s only dozens of repetitions of a pentatonic scale, but they don’t know that – they think you are fabulous – a star- and all because you took the time to learn your guitar scales.

If you want to be a good guitar player, you must learn your scales, and http://www.jamplaynow.com is the membership guitar site that will teach you all you need to know. Visit Jamplay to learn the secrets of the great players – and then use them yourself.

To add insult to injury, we see our guitar heroes in magazines and on T.V. everyday and it seems as if they are constantly inventing new tricks and improving their skills. When we read about them in Guitar World to try to emulate their skills and learn their tricks only to leave more confused. Becoming the ultimate guitarist is far harder than it looks.

So what is the key to success? While there is no one answer that can solve everyone’s problem, there are a number of concepts and theories that can help you break through the barrier that keeps you from reaching your full potential.

The one thing that you need to realize is that you don’t need to be a genius to become a great guitarist. The two key things you need to have in your possession are interest and commitment. You’ll never meet a great guitarist who isn’t passionate about music. They didn’t get to the level that they are at by being apathetic and lazy. They took the initiative to go out and try to learn something new.

The guitarist who dares to challenge himself takes the risk of failing. This is where many musicians lose their battle with low self-esteem and quit. It’s not that they didn’t take the risk, rather, that they failed and couldn’t pick themselves up again. If you realize that failure is a part of growth and that it takes many jam sessions to get some tricks down, you have just acquired the first skill you will need to become the ultimate guitarist.

I have compiled a list of concepts that I believe every guitarist should try out. Unlike other articles you will read, these short and simple steps ask you to do, rather that simply read. Thoughts and attitude are important but in the end it’s what you do that counts to your audience.

Let’s get started with the top ten things you can do to obtain maximum results as a guitarist.

Top 10 tips for success…

Learn something new – Educating yourself is the first step to becoming a better guitarist. Whether you choose to believe it or not, there’s always something new to learn and master. If you are currently studying music in a conservatory, at school, or in college, you will find that learning will come more easier to you. If not, I highly recommend that you get in a program. While I believe in teaching yourself, I also know from first hand experience that motivation and encouragement from a teacher is priceless. Once you conquer the subject that you were learning, push yourself to learn something that you’re not quite comfortable with. Learning within your comfort zone often results with you running around in circles.

Make your time count – Practicing does not make perfect, it makes permanent. That makes the time you spend playing your guitar all the more important. Don’t waste your time fiddling around on your guitar. Dig in and learn something that will aid you on your quest for musical success. Set goals and work towards achieving them. Whether it’s technique, tricks, or a new song, you can become better just by using your time more wisely.

Listen to more music – The more music that you are exposed to, the better guitarist you will become. Listen to the bands that you enjoy most and draw inspiration from them. Take note of what the musicians are doing in their songs and make a list of the techniques you want to learn. This can be the motivating force that gets you to play your guitar more often.

Surround yourself with excellence – When you play your guitar with people who are better guitarists, you not only learn from them but feel motivated to push yourself to keep up. At first this idea seems obscure. Why would you expose yourself to that kind of stress? Let’s face it, if there’s one thing that will make you get motivated quickly it’s the fact that people are counting on you. Don’t play with musicians who are arrogant and rude. Embarrassment doesn’t foster self-esteem and will only get you down. The people you want to learn from are patient and understanding. Eventually you will find yourself at their level. It happens faster than you might think.

Ask yourself what will you do when you obtain the skills you want – What do you want to do with what you learn? Perhaps you want to make a CD or join a band and play at some local venues. Start planning for it now and use what you currently have. This ties into setting goals but is not to be underestimated. Knowing how you want to use your talent is important. Create a vision and use goals to act on it. Whether you want to play for others, or to the wall in your bedroom, the choice is yours.

Teach someone how to play guitar – To teach is to learn. If the only chord you know how to play is a G chord, show someone that. Why? Because it reaffirms what you know and solidifies your knowledge. I can tell you from personal experience that I have learned more through teaching than I ever learned through being taught. It forces you out of your comfort zone and when questions are asked, you need to know the answer. I’m a firm believer that anyone can teach someone something if they want to. Give it a shot and see the results for yourself.

Believe in your ability – Yes, I know how cliché this sounds. However, you need to hear it. You can do anything you put your mind to and if you choose to play guitar well, chubby fingers or not, you can! Don’t listen to what others say and be true to yourself. This can be hard seeing as we live in a critical society that doesn’t realize how much words can hurt. Keep at it and surround yourself with supportive people. More of a life lesson than a guitar lesson, but as far as I’m concerned music is intertwined with daily living.

You are incomparable – In case you haven’t picked up the hint yet, you are the ultimate guitarist. There is no one like you and there will never be anyone who even comes remotely close to being like you. Integrate who you are into your music and you will never have a shortage of material. Your music will soon form into your own tone and style.

Learn what worked for others – Whether you research your favorite guitarist or talk to your guitar teacher, ask others what worked for them. I don’t claim to know all the answers but when everyone puts their heads together, some really neat ideas start to flow. Networking allows you to give and receive at the same time.

Crush your weakness – We all know where we lack the most in the guitar realm. For me it’s in technique and finger picking, for others it’s something different. Whatever it is, don’t ignore it while enjoying your recent victory. Keep attacking your weak points and you’ll soon see improvement. The secret is that you never stop seeing problems and you continually get better over time. You’ll never be stuck without something to do. Take out a sheet of paper and write them down. Then find the resources you need to help you destroy them. It’s not unlike a war, but in the end you always win.

Don’t believe the popular myths.

You may be surprised to hear that a lot of the common advice distributed amongst guitarists couldn’t be farther from the truth. There are myths and tokens of advice that get passed along and guitarists like yourself use them. Try as hard as you like, but you’ll end up realizing that what meets you at the end of the road is failure.

To avoid that, let’s look at some of the most common myths floating around:

All good players can play all styles – While great in theory, it doesn’t work out in practice. Throughout the history of this newsletter, I have consistently pushed trying various genres of music and becoming a more cultured guitarist. However, no where will you ever hear me, or any other teacher, say that you should be able to master all of them.

The fact is that it takes a lifetime to master one style. Some take up two genres that mix well together, such as blues and rock, but those genres are the exceptions. You will never hear a neoclassical shred guitarist play country. Many jazz musicians take decades to perfect their craft and even then they still see areas that need improvement.

If you want to be a great guitarist, take the genre and style that you’re passionate about and focus on it. Don’t get distracted with other music. Your guitar heroes are heroes because they mastered a genre. Very few will ever play outside of their specialty and that’s just the reality.

You either have “it” or you don’t – Let’s face it, some understand music more easily than others. That doesn’t mean that you can’t be as good as them. Everyone can play guitar, it just depends on the effort and time you want to put in. There are dozens of specialties within music and no one knows all of them from the time they are born. Perfect pitch is developed, as is technique and originality. Look at where you started from as opposed to where you are now. Would you say that you are just as original as you were when you first picked up the guitar? I know I’m not. While things may come easier to others, remember that we all have our own struggles within music and that we are in it together.

To sound good, you need the best gear – The best gear is nice, and yes, you do sound better. However, it’s unnecessary for those who aren’t interested in professional music or are just starting out. Beginners love to see the rack of guitars at their local music store and say, “I want the $2000 one.” That was me for years but the truth is that a guitar of that caliber is useless to someone who can’t play it. Learn on something modest and work your way up. Not only will the experience be more rewarding, it’s also nicer on the instrument and your self-confidence. In the end, the guitar is only as good as the person who plays it.

I have heard crappy guitars sound half-decent when played by someone who knew what they were doing. The same applies to you. For those who can afford $5000 guitars, my advice is go for it. For the rest of us, I say save your money and work towards being the ultimate guitarist. Think about it, if you sound good on a crummy guitar, how much better will you sound on something that can really produce a good tone?

You need to be the most talented to succeed- All too often, as mentioned above, we tend to compare ourselves to others. The ultimate guitarist is you meeting your goals and making progress. There will always be others who sound better in certain areas but who cares? Be the person you want to be and music will be far more enjoyable. Success is measured on a personal level, not n how many CD’s you sell. The famous musicians in today’s society often find themselves wishing they weren’t so pressured by record labels. They want to be in your shoes where they have the choice to do what they want to do. Enjoy yourself and the rest will fall into place.

A photo of Slash from Velvet Revolver

When we think of innovation and talent in the guitar world, Slash is usually at the top of the list. With many years in the spotlight as the lead guitarist for Guns N’ Roses, Slash left the band in 1996 to pursue a solo career after the band had musical disagreements.

Since then, Slash and two other members that left Guns N’ Roses with him (Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum) have formed the very successful band, Velvet Revolver.

Born in London, England, in 1965, Slash had exposure to music from a very young age. Both of his parents worked in the music industry. His mother designed clothes for the likes of David Bowie while his father designed album covers for world famous musicians.

When Slash was eleven, he went with his Mother to Los Angeles. It’s hard to believe that the rock star we know and love today had a hard time fitting in as a child. With his unique style, long hair, and laid back attitude, fitting in with the other kids wasn’t an easy task.

In later years, Slash’s parents broke up and he went to live with his Grandmother. His life, while we may see it as glamorous now, started like many other households around the world.

With the frustration of not fitting in and his parents broken marriage, Slash found himself riding BMX. Biking proved to be a near perfect match for Slash, that is, until he received his first guitar from his Grandmother.

The guitar she gave him wasn’t exactly glamorous. It had one string remaining (low E) but he used that guitar as the foundation to his future success. After a new set of strings, Slash’s priorities started to change.

His promising career as a talented BMX rider started to take a backseat to his guitar. Soon, Slash was practicing from dawn until dusk. The more he practiced, the more his school work suffered. Eventually, Slash dropped out of High School in grade eleven to pursue his dreams of stardom.

Like many guitarists, Slash came across his fair share of obstacles in the music world. After teaming up with his friend Steven Adler, he created the Road Crew. The band was made of the right material, but needed a lead singer to seal their success. That’s when Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin came into the picture. They merged members and created Guns N’ Roses.

The new band made airplay with the infamous song “Sweet Child O Mine.” While the band was on the top of their game, Slash fell deeper into drugs and alcohol. While the entire band was using, Slash seemed to be trapped by drugs and unable to escape. It would take almost dying beside an elevator before he began to smarten up.

After years of massive success on the world stage, the band took a little break from touring. Meanwhile, Slash wanted to get back to his roots and created Snake Pit. The new band was well received and hit the road. Instead of the usual stadiums which Slash was accustomed to playing in, he preferred to stick to the local club scene where he could be more interactive with his audiences.

When Axl and the rest of the band returned to the recording studio, tension rose between Axl and the other members of the band. Axl wasn’t involved with creating the record, so Slash filled the gap and produced the album himself.

Eventually, Slash left Guns N’ Roses to pursue his own solo career. He did work with Alice Cooper and performed on tour with him. This wasn’t enough for Slash. While he enjoyed playing with these world famous guitarists, he had the itch for another band.

The wounds were still fresh from Guns N’ Roses, so Slash had the idea of creating a compilation album consisting of musicians from around the world. When he began to play with some old buddies from Guns N’ Roses who also left the band, Velvet Revolver was created.

Ironically, they went through more problems with their lead singer but ended up with Scott Weiland from The Stone Temple Pilots. The band has topped the charts with hits like “Slither.” You can’t keep Slash down, and the creation of Velvit Revolver was living proof of that.

The technique…

If you want to play like Slash, you need to know some of his techniques. Slash was completely self taught and practiced along to his favorite bands to become a better musician. The first step you can take to become a better player is listen to a variety of music and try to play along with it.

Slash hated to replicate any guitarist, rather, he let their style influence his. That’s why he wrote so many fresh licks, because he wasn’t trying to be anybody but himself.

As far as scales are concerned, he relied many on the minor/major pentatonic scales in addition to some mixolydian and Dorian scales for his solos. This may come as a surprise to some, considering how overused these scales have become. The trick to keeping your sound and solos original is to use a variety of techniques coupled with your own ideas.

Slash favored vibrato and using hammer on/ pull off’s to create speed. His right picking hand isn’t used for speed. Instead, he uses his picking hand to add a percussive feel to his solos.

The more you change the rhythms in your solo, the more unique and intricate it will become. The solo will take on a life of its own. The bottom line is this: put your heart into the solo, add in some ordinary techniques and cool effects and you have yourself a world class solo.

The key ingredient here is practice. Regardless of what techniques you use, you have to know how to apply them in such a way as to move your audience.

The gear…

It’s no secret that Slash has had a love affair with the Gibson Les Paul for quite a while. He was playing on a Jackson for a while until his manager found him a ’59 Les Paul. However, it was actually a handmade copy made by luthier Chris Derrig. Slash used it for most of his gigs but retired it after too much tour abuse.

To honor Slash for playing their guitars, Gibson has released two limited-edition custom Slash Les Pauls. This is in addition to the approximate 100 guitars already in his collection!

In the studio, Slash likes to experiment with the B.C Rich Mockingbird. His live sound is always with a Les Paul.

As far as Slash’s effects pedals are concerned, he takes a different approach. He uses a Dunlop Crybaby, Boss graphic EQ GE-7 and a Boss DD5 digital delay …a very modest rig.

Now here’s the surprise: He uses up to eight wah-wah pedals! Why so many? On stage, Slash likes to move around. By using so many wah-wah pedals, he can easily move around and be near one when he needs it for a solo. That way he didn’t have to stand in front of a pedal waiting for the solo to come around. He only used one at a time.

As far as amps are concerned, he prefers the tone of a Marshall. Like Gibson, Marshall also has limited-edition amps in Slash’s honor.

The songs…

The song that launched Slash into stardom was “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” This riff has become a right of passage for many guitarists. Unlike most standard guitar riffs, Sweet Child O’ Mine uses some melodic arpeggiated chords found higher up on the neck.

This rhythm is the backbone to the song and has been the signature riff of the song since its creation. Without it, Guns N’ Roses may have never been successful. It was the first single from the band to hit the airwaves. This rock ballad has earned the reputation as one of rock’s best riffs. Try it for yourself:

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