Showing posts with label should. Show all posts
Showing posts with label should. Show all posts
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Should I Learn on an Acoustic or Electric Guitar
Dont fall for the old wives tale.
Back in the day, the usual advice was to start on the acoustic guitar and then move to the electric. The reason back then, in the 1950s and 60s, was that an electric guitar was considerably more expensive than an acoustic. Things have changed and the price difference is really small if it even exists. The good news for the consumer is that cheap guitars are getting better. Some of the well known manufacturers including Gibson, Fender and Martin have entered the lower priced market. As a result, the guitar you buy now is a lot better than the one you could have gotten 10 years ago for the same money. Since they cant really go any lower on price, theyre offering more features for the money. So the question of acoustic vs. electric is really more a matter of taste, and the decision should be based on what you like best. At some point most players end up having one of each, but in the beginning the best thing is to buy what you like.
Back in the day, the usual advice was to start on the acoustic guitar and then move to the electric. The reason back then, in the 1950s and 60s, was that an electric guitar was considerably more expensive than an acoustic. Things have changed and the price difference is really small if it even exists. The good news for the consumer is that cheap guitars are getting better. Some of the well known manufacturers including Gibson, Fender and Martin have entered the lower priced market. As a result, the guitar you buy now is a lot better than the one you could have gotten 10 years ago for the same money. Since they cant really go any lower on price, theyre offering more features for the money. So the question of acoustic vs. electric is really more a matter of taste, and the decision should be based on what you like best. At some point most players end up having one of each, but in the beginning the best thing is to buy what you like.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Frequently Asked Questions and What You Should Ask
The most frequently asked questions:
- How much are lessons? Probably the top question and the one that should be much lower on the list. As with any other purchase, you get what you pay for. Do you really want to take lessons or have your child learn from the cheapest teacher? While price is no guarantee of quality its certainly wise to be leery of someone with ridiculously low prices.
- At what age should my child start guitar lessons? Most guitar teachers will start a beginner at age 7 or 8. There are some programs, Child Bloom and Kindermusic that start them younger. The critical decision here is how you as a parent will react when your new student doesnt practice as much as you think they should. The most important part of learning guitar at this age is for the child to enjoy the lessons. Nagging, reminding, and scolding them does much more harm than good.
- Am I too old to learn guitar? In most cases, no. As long as you have desire and time to practice, youll do fine. Setting realistic goals, being patient and finding time are the biggest obstacles adults face.
- What guitar method do you use? Most teachers will start you off with a book of some sort, get you moving around on the guitar, and then gear the lessons more to the style of music youd like to play. Be wary of the teacher that uses the same approach whether youre 7, 17 or 70.
- What kind of music do you play? Lots of teachers advertise that they can teach you any style of music youd like, but be aware that it doesnt mean theyre equally good at all types of music. This is most important if you have a specific style of music in mind. While there is some overlap, there are different techniques, licks, (small musical phrases), and sounds that define the music.
- Have you worked with children before? Some teachers cant or dont want to teach younger students, so be sure you ask if you have a young child.
- Are you comfortable or qualified teaching my special needs child? There have been many instances where weve had parents register their child and then almost as an afterthought mention that they have ADD, a learning disability of some sort, or an emotional problem that well have to deal with. Its very awkward for the teacher to find this out after the fact.
- What qualifications do you have? While a college degree is nice, it shouldnt be the only consideration. When I hire a teacher I look for a combination of education, teaching, performing experience and a genuine interest in teaching. Our students trust that we know what were doing and we cant let them down.
Friday, May 31, 2013
What Kind of Guitar Pick Should I Use
Whats the difference in picks?
There are tons of choices when it comes to guitar picks. Different thicknesses, shapes, materials, themes, and who knows what else. Ive seen picks made of metal, plastic, tortoise shell, wood, rock, and even had students use a piece of a milk carton or a coin! Well cover the important differences, then its up to you to decide. Since picks are extremely cheap, the best advice is to buy an assortment and see what you like.
Shapes and sizes. Triangles, teardrops and ovals. Those are the basic shapes and there are variations. A lot of people use a triangle shaped pick with rounded corners except for the point. The main thing is to not get one thats real big or real small. After youve experimented with different picks youll probably find one that you like more than the others.
Thicknesses.
There are almost as many thicknesses as there are shapes and sizes! They vary from simply light, medium and heavy, to thousandths of an inch. My personal favorites are Jim Dunlop nylon picks with a .073 or .088 thickness. They have little bumps on them to help you grip them which is great if you play outside when its hot and humid. Plastic picks tend to slip and become more pliable in the hot weather. Again, try various picks to see which ones you like best. My advice to my students is to not get one thats real thin or real thick to start with. The thin ones tend to make a slapping sound when you play and the real thick ones can cause your wrist to hurt.
Pictures, cartoon characters, famous people. There are lots of people who collect picks since theyre inexpensive and its fun to find something different. Weve had Star Wars, The Simpsons, South Park, Elvis and many other souvenir type picks. A personal favorite that I own is from Chuck Berry. It has a picture of Chuck on one side and "Roll Over", in honor of his song Roll Over Beethoven on the other side. Finger picks and thumb picks. If you play banjo or use your fingers to play, youll also need a couple or 3 finger picks and a thumb pick. Like their flat pick counterparts they also come in gauges and different materials. Again, theyre relatively cheap so see what you like best. Most people use a plastic pick on the thumb since metal on the thicker, wound strings tends to sound raspy. So take a trip to your local music store and let the experiment begin. If youre in doubt ask your guitar teacher or a guitar playing friend for advice, but be warned that youll get lots of different opinions.
There are tons of choices when it comes to guitar picks. Different thicknesses, shapes, materials, themes, and who knows what else. Ive seen picks made of metal, plastic, tortoise shell, wood, rock, and even had students use a piece of a milk carton or a coin! Well cover the important differences, then its up to you to decide. Since picks are extremely cheap, the best advice is to buy an assortment and see what you like.
Shapes and sizes. Triangles, teardrops and ovals. Those are the basic shapes and there are variations. A lot of people use a triangle shaped pick with rounded corners except for the point. The main thing is to not get one thats real big or real small. After youve experimented with different picks youll probably find one that you like more than the others.
Thicknesses.
There are almost as many thicknesses as there are shapes and sizes! They vary from simply light, medium and heavy, to thousandths of an inch. My personal favorites are Jim Dunlop nylon picks with a .073 or .088 thickness. They have little bumps on them to help you grip them which is great if you play outside when its hot and humid. Plastic picks tend to slip and become more pliable in the hot weather. Again, try various picks to see which ones you like best. My advice to my students is to not get one thats real thin or real thick to start with. The thin ones tend to make a slapping sound when you play and the real thick ones can cause your wrist to hurt.
Pictures, cartoon characters, famous people. There are lots of people who collect picks since theyre inexpensive and its fun to find something different. Weve had Star Wars, The Simpsons, South Park, Elvis and many other souvenir type picks. A personal favorite that I own is from Chuck Berry. It has a picture of Chuck on one side and "Roll Over", in honor of his song Roll Over Beethoven on the other side. Finger picks and thumb picks. If you play banjo or use your fingers to play, youll also need a couple or 3 finger picks and a thumb pick. Like their flat pick counterparts they also come in gauges and different materials. Again, theyre relatively cheap so see what you like best. Most people use a plastic pick on the thumb since metal on the thicker, wound strings tends to sound raspy. So take a trip to your local music store and let the experiment begin. If youre in doubt ask your guitar teacher or a guitar playing friend for advice, but be warned that youll get lots of different opinions.
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