Warming Up

Recently, a guitarist I admire a lot put me in my place.  Not in a bad way, but he reminded me that I need to follow my own advice and not be big headed about what fundamentals I should be working on.  He did this with one of the easiest technique building exercises out there.  One that I had been prescribing to students for years.

I'm going to refer to it the same way he does:

The Warm Up

Simply put, the Warm Up is an exercise that is mostly non-diatonic (so it doesn't follow a regular scale) and is more about developing good left and right hand technique and less about music theory.  In fact, I'm pretty sure we can ignore music theory for a minute on this one.

We will start at the lowest string (E for guitar, G for ukulele*) with our index finger. Number off your fingers from index to pinky as one two three four.  This should correspond to the first four frets of the instrument.  So, first finger, first fret and so on. Now play the tab below:

Notice that we are moving ascending chromatically up each string four notes regardless of any music relation.

The point here is not to make music, although you can do it in a rhythmic way.  The point is to develop our left hand fingers' touch and the tone we get on the instrument.  Also, we can either pick or finger pick the strings and work on our right hand technique as well.

Now, once we have done this up to this point, we need to move back down the strings again. Before we do this, we slide up one one fret. Then, play your way down in the following fashion:

Dave: Wait, why don't you descend chromatically on each string as you come back down.

That was actually a question I got.  Like how I did that?

You can do that if you want.  But, by following the pattern above, you are breaking your fingers up from thinking going-down-a-string-is-always-descending.

Now, once you have gotten to the highest point you are comfortable playing (something like twelve or fifteen frets; maybe ten if you are on a soprano ukulele) we need to come back down the neck.  We'll do this in a similar fashion, only this time we will descend on each string. So, it will look like this:

This time, we are descending.  As you guess it, we will work our way back up the strings again in a descending chromatic manner.

The Good Part

So, this is a good exercise and I encourage you to do it slowly and thoughtfully at first trying to get your fingers doing things right rather than fast.  Once you can work your way up and down without any mistakes, you then want to get out our good friend Mr. Metronome.

The examples I have for you above are in eighth notes.  Playing at a slow speed, say 60 bpm to start, work through the exercise up and down without stopping.  Once you can do this in time at whatever speed you started at, move up a few clicks (like say 63 in our example) and try it there.

The goal with developing speed is starting slow.  You need time working something slowly to get the muscles in your hands working together and using their memory (muscle memory) first before you can speed up.

Bonus

Four bonus for today:

1) After going up and down, take a moment to stretch out the muscles in your fingers and hands.  Think like you are a soccer player.  You would end up with a major injury if you walked out of your locker room and started playing a game without a warmup and stretch.

2) Do this every day to build it up.  You don't always have to start slow.  You will know where to start as you get more proficient, but always start at a slower speed than you are wanting to work up to.

3) To work on your swing rhythm, try using the metronome as if it is only clicking on beats 2 and 4.  So if you are wanting to go 100 bpm, you need to set it at 50 bpm.  Then count 1, click, 3, click to get yourself moving. This will be hard and suck at first, but it will payoff loads later.

4) Finally, the patterns of up and down that I gave you above are a starting point.  You can, if you feel up to it, work on alternating fingers in inventive ways.  For instance, instead of 1, 2, 3, 4 try 1, 3, 2, 4 going up and then 4, 2, 3, 1 going down.  Mix it up and make those fingers start to think for themselves!

* Yes, I know that re-entrant tuning that would not be the highest string.  Let's imagine that you have a low G tuning for a minute.  Also, ignore the possibility that you own a baritone uke.

How to Buy a Guitar

I've been spending a lot of time at my favorite guitar shop lately, Guitar Syndicate, and I have come to the conclusion that there are a bunch of people out there who play guitar who need help.  They need help figuring out how to buy a guitar.  The guitar buying experience is extremely personal and exciting, but when you make a mistake doing it, you can end up with an instrument that is just no fun.

For beginners, I would say that the best thing to do when buying your first guitar is to talk to your instructor and have them help.  Most of us (instructors) are happy to help.  Have your instructor not only help you pick one off the wall, but play it too in order to really hear what the guitar is capable of.


If this is not your first guitar and you aren't a beginner, then here are a few steps to walk through that I'm sure will help.

First: Budget accordingly

Know how much you are going to be able to spend before your drool dries on the first one you picked off the wall.  This includes not just how much cash you have in your pocket and how much you may be getting on a trade, but also three other very important factors:

1. Case or Gig Bag (if not included)
2. New Strings (almost every guitar will need them)
3. Setup (by a pro)

Also, realize that retailers are not there to be nice, they are there to make a profit.  There may be some room for wheeling and dealing, but you shouldn't expect to get a 20% discount because you are a self proclaimed master of negotiations.

On the same token, if you are trading in a guitar, don't expect to get every penny you put into back.  In fact, take the total that you have spent on it (minus strings and maintenance), and divide that by half.  That is about the only reasonable expectation.  (Lastly on trading in or selling: know everything you can about what you have.)

Second: Know what you need

Notice the word "need".  It isn't spelled w-a-n-t.  Six months from now, where is this instrument going to be in your toolbox (so to speak)?  Are you needing acoustic or electric?  If acoustic, does it need a pickup?  If electric, what kind: solid, semi-hollow, or hollow body?  What sort of tone are you looking for?

It might seem silly, but write this stuff down on a piece of paper and take it with you to the shop.  Keep yourself on track with what you are expecting to get out of this.  Take a pen with you to jot down notes in case that may change a bit as you shop.

Third: Talk to the salesperson

At most shops, the salesperson is going to be a great ally in finding what is right for you.  Don't treat them or think of them as a used car salesmen.  Tell them what your budget is and what you are looking for.  They spend all day with that inventory and likely played everything on the wall as it came into the store.  They know that stock way better than you do!

Fourth: Try it out

This is where most guitarist start to fall off a bit. Not because they don't play around with what they want, but because they don't play to test, they just play to play.  Every function that this guitar has should be examined.  Check the neck, frets, tuners, pickups, bridge, tailpiece, body, etc.  Are there any visible places where some tech work is needed?

Plug it in and play clean at every possible tone and volume setting.  This is very important.  Don't plug it into an amp, max out the amp's lead or crunch settings and start wailing away.  You won't hear the guitar, you will just hear the amp.  Play it clean first for a good long time on more than one amp, then play with the dirtier tone settings.

Also, if you are adding this to an existing rig, bring in your amp and toys.  Try it out through your stuff to make sure it sounds good.

Five: Sleep on it

The worst thing about buying anything is the emotional part.  We can get super excited about stuff and not think it through.  Once you have played with the guitar and put it through it's paces, take a step back.  Go home and wait a night then come back the next day.

There is no need to be overly urgent here.  Guitar shops don't turn out that many sales every day and you shouldn't be afraid that someone else will get it.  Sure, that is possible, but if it happens then just take the hit and move on (that guitar wasn't good for you anyway).

This part of the buying process is why I try to not bring cash (or cards) with me when I'm shopping.  Shop one day, buy another is always a good strategy.

Six: Second opinion

Another good reason for waiting a day is to bring someone else with you to check it out.  Maybe it is a band mate or a fellow guitarist or your spouse.  It doesn't matter who as long as they are willing to be honest about how they think the guitar sounds.  Maybe you can't pull off a pink guitar and you need your best friend to call you out on that!

Finally

It may feel like this is a lot to consider when going out shopping for your next axe, but remember that you will likely be making at a minimum of a year's investment in this thing. Or perhaps longer.  Plus, whether you are spending $300 or $3000 that may be a large chunk of change to you.  Make sure you know you are getting what you need and want out of that.

In the end, with a little patience and wisdom, you could be getting more than a guitar.  You could be getting a good friend.

~Danny

Chord Grids and Neck Charts

Update

I didn't realize how popular this post would be.  As a result, I'd like to offer everyone a blank chord chart and neck chart for helping me get traffic to the site.  Have at it!



/End Update 



During our monthly jam session and workshop for the North Kansas City Ukesters (NUkesters), a question came up that caught me off guard.  Not because I didn't know the answer, but because I didn't think to explain it.

I showed a neck chart with the G min pentatonic scale on it and it met with blank stares.  Little did I know that neck charts, which are second nature to me now, were completely foreign to some of my students.  Luckily, a quick explanation and we were back on our way.

I felt a little bad about it during the lesson, because this fundamental slipped past.  As an instructor, I should have made sure that everyone was on the same page before moving forward.  Lesson learned!

With that experience, I thought it best to do a short lesson on two methods of showing information on a the neck of ukuleles and guitars: Chord Grids and Neck Charts.

Top 10 Things Every Guitarist Should Master

Ten things every guitarist should master

 1. Anatomy

This may not seem really important, but it is. You need to know how to do many things like communicate to guitar techs when there is a problem. Also, this goes further into buying the right strings, self maintenance, and even being able to finesse the right sound out of your instrument.  Also, knowing what guitar will produce what sound, what pickups sound better for one style over another, what bracing patterns in acoustic guitars do, etc. Don't neglect this area of playing guitar.

 2. Notation

Any method that is used to convey how to play a certain bit of music on your instrument is important to understand. There are many who will tell you to only learn tablature; that it is all you will need. But they are wrong. You need to understand all of the following:

- Tablature
 - Chord Blocks
- Neck Diagrams
- Music Notation

The last one is more important than many give it credit. Though it is true oat guitarists can have long, wealthy careers without learning this, you need to learn it. Music for every other instrument is written this way and you need to be able to communicate with them. Plus, in a studio setting, the player that can read music will be more valuable than one who doesn't.

3. Tuning

Again, it may seem simple, but you need to master this. Whether it is using a tuner or using your ear, tuning is very very very important!  The best musicians in the world have what is called perfect pitch and can tune any instrument completely by er.

4. The CAGED System

These are your basic go to chords for most styles and you must have them under your fingers. Know the shapes for major, seventh, major seventh, minor, and minor seventh at least. But, you should venture out into the sixth, augmented, and diminished chords as well. Along with the chord shapes is learning the scale shapes that the chords are built on.

5. The Major Scale

 Almost our entire music theory system is based off of the major scale. Most guitarists can't play one shape of the major scale much less build chords or licks from it. Mastering this scale and it's many shapes and modes will open a world of possibilities to you.

6. Chord Theory

Once you have the major scale figured up, the next thing is learning how chords are created. Knowing this and having a firm grasp of it on the fretboard will make playing music and creating your own arrangements much easier.

7. Major and Minor Pentatonic Scales

These have been the go to scales for soloists in many styles for years. Mastering these scales and their shapes will get you soloing. Also, many tunes use a pentatonic scale within the melody which will give you a leg up when learning that tune.

8.  Building Bass Lines

As a soloist, you will find yourself needing to play a duel role often when playing for yourself or comping for another soloist. Bass lines will help create a dynamic accompaniment. And, it will set you aside from other guitarists.

9. Sight Reading

 Being able to play chords, melody, and a basic accompaniment with little or no run throughs on the music.  This is another skill that will need to constantly be refined and practiced.

10. Listening

We often forget about this very necessary skill.  I'm not talking about listening just to your playing or your band mates, but to every bit of music you can. Developing an ear for a lot of styles and what other professionals have already done will go a long way towards your mastery of guitar.

Simple Blues Backing Track

As I promised (or will be promising) my friends at the Northland Ukesters meeting, here is the backing track for a simple 12 bar blues in G.

Blues in G

Hope this helps you learn some soloing in G!

~Danny

Playing in the Pits

Today, I received the score for "Joesph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat" to be performed with Gladstone Theater in the Park.  This is Gladstone's 25 year doing free musicals and my eighth one playing guitar (did two others on trombone).  Hopefully, it will be another good year.

When I first started doing this a few years ago ("Crazy for You"), I didn't know what I was getting into.  Musicals are a different type of performing and will challenge even the most seasoned guitarist.  Unfortunately, there was no how to guide for getting me ready, so I went it seemingly alone.  But, as I went through my routine for preparing for rehearsals, I realized I should really share for those attempting to get into this realm of guitar.

Before I get into the routine, I feel I should preface a little more.  It takes a lot of skill to play musicals.  I don't, however, want this to discourage you from attempting one should you get the opportunity.  You should just know that you are getting into some heavy stuff.  You'll need a couple of skills to really be successful at musicals.  I didn't have all of these when I started, but I've developed them over time:

• Ability to read notes.  Even if you can't sight read.  You should at least be able to read them off the page and transcribe them to tab so you can play them.
• A healthy collection of chords.  CAGED system is a basic must; make sure you can move them up and down the neck.  Also, it would be good to have some Freddy Green style chords (like drop 2 and drop 3 chords).
• Performance level instrument and amp.  This should be a no brainer, but it's worth pointing out.  You don't need to spend thousands to get this, but you do want something above an entry level setup.
• Ability to play well with others and follow direction.  If you are a metal rocker, you may not work out here...  The director sets the tempo and you are in an ensemble. You have to know your place and be able to blend well.  This is something that everyone struggles with even after years of playing.

That being said, here is what I do when I prepare for musicals.

First: Listen and Watch

If you happen to be playing a popular musical, odds are there is a video and a soundtrack out there.  Go find it and make sure you pay attention.  Remember that musicals use the music to tell the story so you want to understand what the song is about and what is going on.  It might even be worth it to take a few notes.

Second: The Music on the Page

When you get your music, make sure it is in a format where you can make notes on it as you go.  This may mean that you have to bend the copyright rules a little and copy the music if it is in a book.  It's actually okay to do this as long as you are only using it for the show that has already been properly consented by the musical's creators/management.  One you have this, put it in a binder that is easy to keep together, keep a pencil with you (mechanical is best; no sharpener needed), and keep copious notes on the pages as you go!

Third: Equipment

Go through you music and figure out everything equipment wise that you need.  What pedals (chorus, reverb, tremelo, wa-wa, etc) does it call for?  What instruments (electric guitar, acoustic guitar, ukulele, etc) does it call for?  Write all this down and see if you need to pick up some more gear.  If money is tight (and it always is), make a judgment call on what is necessary and what you can do without.

Often, I come to the first rehearsal with one guitar and an amp.  I add a few things as I go to round out the sound and flavor.  One show I ended up with four pedals, two amps, electric and acoustic guitars, a banjo, and a tenor ukulele.  It took me an hour just to set up!!!

Fourth: Finding the Hard Parts

One of the first things I do after I've gotten the music situated is finding what I need to work on.  This can be done without even having the guitar in your hand.  In fact, it should be.  Get a piece of paper and go line by line through the entire book.  Look for melody parts or hard rhythms that you will need to practice.  Right down the song, page number, and measure(s) of the part you found.  Now, when you practice (and practice you must!) use this as your outline.  Master every one of those parts as licks and you will eventually be able to play them easily when it comes in rehearsal.

Fifth: Practice

Seriously, practice.  Don't wait for rehearsal.  Practice on your own in a quite place where you aren't too distracted and go over the hard parts from above over and over and over and over.  Keep up at it.

Sixth: Rehearsal

Pay attention to the director!!! The director is your boss. What they say about tempo and style goes.  If they don't like what you are doing, then change it how they see fit.  I know it isn't very creative, but it's the way it is.

As you rehearse, keep notes on what you are having trouble on and make sure to practice when you are back home.  Pay close attention to how you sound in relation to everyone else.  Some of your parts may overlap others some may be solo.  Make sure you can hold your own where it's needed and blend!!!

Seven:  Keep it Fun

This is one of those sacrosanct  rules of guitar.  If it isn't fun, it isn't playing guitar.  There can be a lot of stress, but in the long run it will be worth it.

Chromatic Scale

The Chromatic Scale is a useful little start to the world of scales.  Simply put, a Chromatic Scale is a series of notes between octaves that include all possible notes, twelve in all.  We move one half (or semi) tone at a time from one note to the next through the octave.

Here is the example in C:

C - C# - D - D# - E - F - F# - G - G# - A - A# - B - C

As a general guideline, when we are ascending the scale, we use sharps.  (Notice I said guideline and not rule.) As we go down the scale, let's use flats instead of sharps:

C - B - Bb - A - Ab - G - Gb - F - E - Eb - D - Db - C

We can learn a couple of things about music by looking at the ascending and descending Chromatic Scales.  First, this lists out all of the available notes.  There is not H or beyond note.  Second, sharps and flats can describe the same tone.  For example, as we move ascending from C to D we have a C# between them.  Descending from D to C we have a Db.  Those two notes, C# and Db, are the same tones.

The rules for the Chromatic Scale are the same in every key.  Simply take the note you want to start one and move in half steps (or semitones) until you reach it's next octave.

~Danny