Little Rock Jams - A Guitar Teachers Blog

Eddy Arnold passed away today...

jason@littlerockjams.com (Jason) — Thu, 08 May 2008 13:56:05 GMT

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Eddy Arnold, May 15, 1918 - May 8, 2008, passed away this morning after a long illness.

For those of you that enjoy country music, you probably recall some of his hits like "Make the world go away", "Then you can tell me goodbye" and "Lonely again".

The Calgary Herald posted a nice obituary on his life and accomplishments. You can check it out here...

In looking for a video of him singing one of his hits, I found that Chet Atkins played on many of his records. I also found a gem of a video when I came across a duet with him and Hank Garland. So apparently, Eddy had an eye for talented guitar players!

Most of you have probably heard of Chet Atkins, but not Hank Garland. Hank is one of the unsung hero's of Country Swing guitar. The guy had chops, tone and taste.

So check out the video below and then hit the Hank Garland website for more information on a great player.

Andy Summers, The Police and Me!

jason@littlerockjams.com (Jason) — Thu, 08 May 2008 09:39:26 GMT

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Have you ever had one of those dreams that was both the most incredible and the most horrific dream you could imagine?

That happened to me last night!

I didn't eat anything spicy before I went to bed, not sure why I had this crazy dream

But I digress...

So, there I am in the dressing room at Madison Square Garden talking to Sting and Andy Summers about getting the gig in The Police - which is only one of THE GREATEST BANDS EVER!!!!!

I don't know where Stewart was, probably filming something.

So anyway, I'm thinking we're there to rehearse for the show. It turns out, we're there for a quick sound check. Thank god they were playing Every Breath You Take and Roxanne, songs every guitar player my age knows.

I know you're asking about right now why do the Police need another guitar player, they have Andy Summers. Well, Andy switched to keys and they needed a guitar player to fill his spot. That's all I know. And I'm putting that together because Andy was playing the keys during soundcheck with a special guest (read on....)

I faked my way through the sound check, which was very cool because Stevie Wonder and David Robinson (aka The Admiral) were both on stage with us. Stevie was on keys of course, not sure what David was doing except being very tall.

So, after the sound check, my mind was racing....

"How did I get this gig when I haven't learned the tunes?"

"How can I sneak out of here without being seen?"

"Will I be able to change my name and live a normal life after this?"

"Hey, I said brown M&M's only!"

At this point, I go up to Andy and ask him if he could possibly run through the songs we were going to do that night so that I could, ahem, write out a set list.

Also, would he mind telling me what key each song was in and the chord progressions (yes - I guess I thought I could learn their back catalog in the 2 hours before the show)

He finally started catching on when I asked which effects he used on the songs, when to switch and if I could read the manual on his custom pedal board to learn more about the effect chain.

He pulled me aside and gave me a stern lecture on why they hired me for the gig, I can't let them down, Sting's crazy and he'll kill you if he knows you're not ready, etc., etc., etc.

This is where I woke up in a cold sweat - but still thinking how awesome that dream was.

So, what can we take from this dream?

Besides not eating snickerdoodles right before bed ....

When it is time for any performance - be it a gig, recital or even playing your lesson material for your instructor - you should put the time and effort into getting the material under your fingers and in your ear before the big day.

By putting the work in before hand, you have two likely scenarios. Both of which are good.

First, you will nail the material and have a great time playing.

Second, you may not nail it ... there may be a mistake here and there... but you will have given it your best effort and know that you did the best you could.

Either way, you will do just fine.

Just don't be like me and have to run from Sting because I couldn't play every song from Zenyatta Mondatta!

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Hey 9Rules - Pick Me !!!!

jason@littlerockjams.com (Jason) — Wed, 07 May 2008 19:33:47 GMT

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Hey folks!

Here are the top April posts as clicked on by you - the greatest readers in the world!

For the 9Rules guys - Check out these posts, pick up a guitar and rock! (you can roll too, but that's your call...)

Most Popular Posts at Little Rock Jams - April 2008

Jared Leto workshop confirmed - a great April Fools day joke! Many, who will not be named, fell hard for it!
A very important lesson about the blues - This one is still going strong! Read on to learn what it takes to play the blues!
Free guitar lessons for presidential candidates - Hillary, call me babe - you need some PR now! Barack - let's get down with some cool funk. John - i'm guessing you're a Yardbirds kinda guy! (p.s. thanks to all that helped promote this post via your blogs, myspace, facebook, twitter, etc.)
Little Rock Jams is rated E for excellent - A little blog to blog love from my buddy at IGBlog.
Are you a great musician or a circus monkey? - Learn your craft, think about the music. Don't just do something because a book or tab or teacher tells you to.
This is just wrong in so, so many ways - The evils of the "Relic" guitar industry.
Pentatonic Power - the third installment in working that old standby, the pentatonic scale, in new and interesting ways.
What is the difference between funk and blues? - an interesting discovery from our funk workshop.
Is your child ready for music lessons?- Tips for the parent to help them determine if their child is ready for music lessons.
3 tips for learning a rock song - Brian gives you his thoughts on tearing apart a rock tune and putting it back together.

Have a great month of reading! Post comments often!

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Student Pics - David and his band D. W. and the Gamblers

jason@littlerockjams.com (Jason) — Wed, 07 May 2008 07:24:50 GMT

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Here's a shot of David playing at the Ranch Days Chuckwagon Races May 2, 2008.

He's the one with that fine looking Les Paul!

Check them out if you're in Central Arkansas!

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Poll - What gives you the biggest headache during practice???

jason@littlerockjams.com (Jason) — Thu, 08 May 2008 07:49:33 GMT

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So, here is a poll that I think everyone can relate to! Answer first and then check the responses. You'll find that all musicians deal with the same issues when it comes time to practice, regardless of the time they've been playing! Enjoy!

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Blues Workshop Notes/Chords/Backing Track

jason@littlerockjams.com (Jason) — Mon, 05 May 2008 11:52:32 GMT

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Thanks to everyone that came out today - sorry our jokes were lame, Brian made up for it with some killer material for you to work on.

Notes

- Be able to play a 12 bar progression:

I = the "one" chord
IV = the "four" chord
V = the "five" chord

I   | I   | I | I
IV | IV | I | I
V | IV | I | V

- Think chord stabs, short and punchy!

   Remember, we're not going to use full strumming with these small chords.

- From the first grip shown below, we can get a total of 7 chords (see grips below).

   Practice the grips until you can comfortably grab each form.

- Using the major triad, play through the blues using just that grip.

You must know where the root is to move from the I to the IV to the V chords.

   In A, the root is under your ring finger, 7th fret, D root is on the 12th fret,E root on the 14th fret.

- When you can play through the blues with the major triad, try it with the other grips.

   Again, just one at a time.

- When you can do this, start making it more interest by combining grips.

   Major Triad with 7th chord, 7th chord to 13th chord, etc.

- At this point, take it as far as you want to go with grip changes.

   Be careful, as we discussed, you can sound too busy if you don't watch it.

- Practice these ideas over a Blues in A

Backing track created with Band in a Box! Check it out!

Thanks again and see you at the next workshop!

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When will the Guitar Hero madness end???

jason@littlerockjams.com (Jason) — Sat, 03 May 2008 10:51:20 GMT

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Even if you live under a rock, you know what Guitar Hero is...

However, you may not know that many people that actually play music have less than favorable opinions and thoughts about "music making" video games...

You know, the old, "why play a video game when you can play the real thing" type thoughts.

Check out this article for more juice on the subject...

Well, some obviously bright people have created "Slash Bot", the Guitar Hero playing robot! Here is a video of the robot in action...

I can see it now...

Christmas 2009

"Tired of trying to play for a high score on Guitar Hero VI, but always failing on expert mode? Buy Slash Bot and let it play for you! High Scores and rockin' tunes guaranteed!"

Only $99.99 ... Quantities are limited so order now!

Seriously folks, drop the game for a few hours, grab a real guitar and rock for real!

You'll be glad you did!

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Blues Guitar 201 - Advanced Blues Rhythm Guitar Workshop Tomorrow!

jason@littlerockjams.com (Jason) — Sat, 03 May 2008 07:42:06 GMT

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Just a reminder that the next workshop in our blues series, Advanced Blues Rhythm Guitar, is scheduled for tomorrow.

Workshop Information

- Advanced Blues Rhythm Guitar
- Saturday, 05/03/2008
- 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
- Bring your guitar

Until then, enjoy this video of Joe Bonamassa, one of the young lions on the blues scene!

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D. W. and the Gamblers are looking for a bass player!

jason@littlerockjams.com (Jason) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 09:48:20 GMT

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D. W. and the Gamblers needs a bass player!

Looking for someone that can cover classic rock, country, blues and are ready to play local gigs 2-3 weekends a month.

Call David at 920-6620!

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Free Guitar Lessons for Presidential Candidates ... Hillary, Barack and John!

jason@littlerockjams.com (Jason) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:34:55 GMT

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Is anyone else still trying to decide who they will vote for this November?

After all, this election is critical to the future of our country .... The war in Iraq, the economy, health care and gas prices!

Can I get an Amen?

Well, I decided that to help "ME" decide, I'm going to offer free guitar lessons to Hillary, Barack and John when they come through Little Rock, Arkansas during the campaign.

I figure after a 30 minute lesson, I'll have a good feel for where each person stands and who "I" feel will best lead the country. You can tell a lot about someone when they jam with you over a blues!

Can I get an Amen?

So, all you readers and fellow bloggers out there:

Digg it!
del.ic.ious it!
Stumble it!
Technorati it!
Post about it on your blog and ask your readers to submit it!
Put it on your Myspace Bulletins or your Facebook wall!

(buttons below for your convenience)

Whatever you do, just get it out there so the campaign staff for each candidate will schedule a lesson with me when the candidate is in town.

I will post about the lesson, what we talked about, whether Barack solos with Dorian or Minor Pentatonic over a funk progression, what kind of Chops Hillary has, John's two handed arpeggios, etc. Then, you my friends, can make an informed decision on who you wish to vote for!

Thank you and God Speed!

p.s.

For you Ron Paul and Ralph Nader supporters, I'm up for lessons with them as well. I just don't know whether they'll make it through Little Rock. But if any of you tries to get Ross Perot in here, we're going to have words!

p.p.s

Check out this video of Hillary's band. Seems she used to be a shredder before she decided to run for president!

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Two years and counting...My story

jason@littlerockjams.com (Jason) — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 09:03:50 GMT

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I had an epiphany this morning as I was scrubbing the toilet at the studio...(how many of you can say you had an epiphany when cleaning the toilet?)

It was two years ago today that I left at&t to open my music studio and I haven't worked a day since !!!

In no way does it feel like it has been two years. When you love what you do, you don't work any more, you enjoy each day for what it brings!

So, with this thought in mind, I wanted to post something about following your dreams that will hopefully inspire some of you to do just that.

I had started thinking about opening a teaching studio back in 2004-2005. At that time, it was nothing more than a day dream to which I dared not speak of it out loud. If you knew my wife, you would understand.

During that time, I worked out a loose business plan that encouraged me, at the least, to keep thinking about doing this. When Christmas 2005 rolled around, Chad Carloss, my last Director at at&t, sent me a Christmas gift that was the catalyst for opening the studio.

Chad is a big fan of Successories, the motivational store that sells inspirational items like poster, day planners, etc.

His gift was a stone coaster that came with a little stand. Now, most people would have used it for just that, a coaster to keep their drink from ringing the table. However, I kept mine on the stand and looked at it everyday for several months.

Why?

It had a Thoreau quote that said, "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined".

Receiving that gift was like a wake up call to do what I wanted to do for a living, not make a living in order to try and do what I want to do. Funny how we get our logic twisted around sometimes.

Well, long story short, when SBC acquired AT&T and became the "New at&t", a buyout offer was made that provided just what I needed to open the studio. Enough capital to open the business and an nice pad that I could pay bills with until the students came in.

Here it is, two years later, I get to play guitar all day, work with some great guys and hang out with the coolest people around. Life really doesn't get any better!

Chad - if you're reading, Thank You!!!

So, I hope you have a passion for learning how to play guitar or bass. Heck, any instrument. If you do, put all your energy into making your musical dreams a reality.

Learn to love playing the instrument!

Learn to love the challenges it give us!

Learn to love the feeling you get when you accomplish something and are able to make music!

Make music with others!

Have a great weekend everyone ... and don't forget to practice!

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Is your child ready for music lessons?

jason@littlerockjams.com (Jason) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:35:58 GMT

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I love teaching kids...

I have this daydream that the kids we teach today will become great musicians in the future ... that our local music scene will explode over the next decade with the music of the children we teach.

Plus, an interview or two in Guitar World that mentions Little Rock Jams can't be too bad for business either!

If you're a parent considering music lessons for your child, consider the five points below to see if your child is ready for lessons.

1. Is your child interested in learning an instrument?

You've all heard about how music instruction leads to better grades, improved testing scores and college preparation. Check out "The Importance of Music Education" at the Art Journal for a detailed discussion.

With that said, I firmly believe that the child must want to learn an instrument or the result will be nothing more than arguments at home over practicing and wasted lesson fees. In most cases, there will be the initial week or two of excitement as they play with their new instrument and learn what sounds it can make. However, after that excitement wears off, if the child's interests are in something other than music (i.e. sports, writing, art, etc.), the child will likely not practice and/or find every excuse in the book to try and get out of practice.

So, while music does benefit your child in many ways, make sure the interest is there first, and then pursue lessons. Not the other way around, hoping that lessons will spark an interest in music.

2. How old should your child be before starting lessons?

We've taught children from 7 years old - 70 years old (yes, adults can act like children sometimes), and have had success at all ages.

We've also had to turn away some children due to age.

It comes down to this .... Is your child at a maturity level that they can sit relatively still for the 30 minute lesson and retain most of what is covered in the lesson?

One of the reasons we offer a free lesson at Little Rock Jams is to see if the lessons would benefit the student. During that lesson, if the child stays focused for 5-10 minute blocks, we're ok with the occasional discussion about the gross school lunch today or the long bus ride home, because we know that we can then get back to another 5-10 minute block with the child refocused.

We'll close the lesson with a review and write down on their practice log what we need them to practice during the upcoming week.

If your child is at a maturity level where they can stay focused for these 5-10 minute blocks and actively participate when working, then they will retain much of what is covered in the lesson during their practice sessions.

3. Is homework a battle every night?

I know it is in my home some nights. After dinner, when it's time to hit the books, the kids disappear. (They're underfoot the rest of the day, except for homework time, I just don't get it).

Well, practicing is much like homework. In the grand scheme of things, kids would rather surf the net, play video games, play outside, talk to their friends on the phone and probably, clean house, more than doing their homework or practicing.

If you are successful in setting a homework routine for your child, you will likely be successful in creating a practicing routine for your child. After all, the lessons will not make your child a better player, it is the work they do at home during practice that helps them grow.

Starting out, we recommend at minimum 20 minutes, 5 days a week. In reality, we would prefer every day of the week for as long as they want to play. The more you practice, the quicker you progress.

4. Is your child burning the candle at both ends already?

Kids today have it great and rough at the same time. There are so many cool activities they do, it is easy for them to get too involved and end up not having the energy to do anything well.

We've seen it at the studio, Art lessons on Tuesday, Church on Wednesday, Gymnastics on Thursday, Guitar on Friday, Horse riding on Saturday. The child has obligations to all of those and if there are only so many hours in a day, something (or all of them) will fall by the wayside.

So take a moment to evaluate if your child has too many projects/activities going on at once. If so, keep encouraging them in their musical interests, but wait until some more free time opens up before adding another burden on their full day.

5. The most important factor of all .... Are you ready to help your child succeed?

For success with learning a musical instrument, you - the parent, must be engaged and involved with their growth.

As the instructor, we see your child for only 30 minutes each week. Once they leave the studio, we rely on the parent to keep the child on target:

- Ensure they stick to their practice routine - (see # 3 above)

- Ask your child to play something for you on a regular basis. Even if the piece is not prepared, ask the child to play and offer encouragement. This gives the child the sense of performance and accomplishment that comes with learning a piece. Plus, if your child knows that you're always on the verge of asking them to play, they'll likely take their practice sessions more seriously.

- Stay in touch with your teacher. Yes, that 30 minute lesson is nice to allow you to run an errand or two, but stop in every so often to see how your child is doing. This way, the instructor can enlist your help in whatever issue they find during the lesson (i.e. lack of practice, need to practice longer, need to focus during practice, etc.).

In closing...

There is no doubt that a music education will benefit your child in more ways than simply learning how to play guitar. After considering these five points, if you feel your child fits the bill, call your local music studio and sign them up!

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3 tips to learning any rock song....

briangoins@hotmail.com (Brian) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:49:32 GMT

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Is learning a rock tune really that hard?

The answer is, "sometimes".

To make the job easier, you must have the right approach. Today, I'm going to go through three steps to help you start picking out the tunes you really want to play. We're hoping you'll try to do this by ear and not take the quick route and pull tab off the net. However, we won't cry too much if you use tab.

Step 1 - Memorize the tune

The first thing you need to do is listen to the tune over and over.

"I'm already doing that", you say? Well, do it like this...

Listen to the tune several times as a whole, listening to everything as a complete song. This is how we normally listen to songs. Do this until you are really familiar with the overall sound of the song.

Next, listen to just the guitar parts. This includes the main rhythm guitar and fills, variations on the main rhythm and the solo. Listen and note changes in tempo, dynamics, effects (ex. going from clean chorus to dirty lead). Since this will be your main focus, spend most of your time here.

Next, listen to the bass player. The bassist will be outlining the chord progression for you. So even if the guitar player is going crazy with the cheeze whiz, you should still be able to hear the root movement from the bass line.

Finally, listen to the drummer. He should be knocking on your door by now with the double cheese pepperoni pizza you ordered. Seriously though, listen for any fills or queues that the drummer may give as they change from section to section. This will help as you move into step 2.

Step 2 - Break the tune into sections

Standard sections in a rock song are the intro, verse, chorus, bridge, and guitar solo. These sections will repeat throughout the song in a predictable pattern.

A simple song structure might look something like....

Intro - Verse - Chorus - Verse - Chorus - Solo - Bridge - Chorus

When identifying the sections, the introduction may simply be the verse section without lyrics. The chorus, or the hook, will likely be in the same key, and possibly use the same chords as the verse, but just in a different order. The solo section will use the verse section as the chord progression ....

See where we're going here?

The sections will repeat throughout the song, it will be up to you to map them out and identify how many measures each section lasts (hint - think 8 measures).

Step 3 - Start learning the "easiest" section first

At this point, you know the song pretty well from listening to it in step 1. You will have an idea of what sounds like the easy sections and what sounds like the monster sections.

When you've lined out the order in which you will tackle the song, listen close to the rhythm and be able to hum how it goes to yourself. If the part is long you might want to divide it into subsections. After you can hum this to yourself, try finding the root note on the guitar. The bass line will help here. The way to do this is to run your finger up and down the 5th and 6th string until you find the note. Once you do, then form a power chord and play it at the same time they hit the chord on the CD.

Follow this format for all the chords in the section. Now, play it with the CD and match the rhythm. Make sure you can do this at full speed with no mistakes. Using power chords will help you play the harmony of the song without worrying about whether the chord is major or minor. As your ear develops, you will be able to tell major from minor. But for now, hit those power chords with the right rhythm and tempo and you'll sound very close to the song. Beside, most rock tunes are made up mostly of power chords.

Do the same thing with each section of the song and then put them in order. You'll then be ready to tackle the solo.

On the solo section, use your major scale and minor pentatonic scale to "slowly" work out the notes. This probably will take you the most time, especially if the solo is a fast one. We recommend slow gold on this task. Slow Gold will take the songs and slow it down without changing pitch. This will give you more time between notes to map out the phrases in the solo.

Keep in mind that many rock solos rely on repeating patterns as they ascend or descend the neck. Having a good grasp of your different scale patterns will help tremendously in this section.

Check out this book by Tobias Hurwitz on Transcribing on Guitar if you want to brush up your transcribing skills.

One last bit of advice...

Go slow! Don't move on until you have each part nailed. Have perseverance and stick it out until you can play the song completely, not just a bit here and a part there.

It may be frustrating at first, but it gets easier with consistent practice.

Good luck!

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Reader submitted video - Buckethead rips!

jason@littlerockjams.com (Jason) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 09:30:06 GMT

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Ok folks, a lot of people thought Jimi Hendrix was strange when he hit the scene back in the 60's. They couldn't get past the hair, the clothes or the stage antics to see that he was just taking the blues into a new direction. Today, we look back with fondness on the innovation he brought to our instrument of choice.

Reader o' the week Trey sent the following video of Buckethead tearing it up on Computer Master.

Now, I'm not making a direct Jimi to Buckethead analogy, I'm just saying that if you look past the image and focus on the music, you'll enjoy what you hear. He's got chops from Venus, cool tone and the tune is rockin'!

Wondering why they call this guy Buckethead? Well, check out the video and you'll see why.

Enjoy!

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This is just wrong in so, so many ways....

jason@littlerockjams.com (Jason) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:39:01 GMT

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I just never really understood the whole "Relic Guitar" hullaboo...

For those of you that don't know, there has been a marketing push over the last few years to take a new guitar, fresh off the assembly line, and rough it up to make it look like it is decades old and has been played for countless hours.

Take for example Fender's Relic line of guitars and basses. They rough up the guitar for ya' and charge you through the nose to do so.

Check this out...

Fender Deluxe American Strat - Excellent guitar, a ton of players are playing every night with this axe.

Cost - About $1000.00

Fender '62 Strat Relic - I'm sure this is still an excellent guitar. Add a few changes to the American strat to make it match the '62 model and then rough it up like it has been played since 1962...

Cost - $4700.00

So, for $3700 more dollars, you can have a guitar that "looks" like a road warrior.

But Why?

Do players that buy these want people to think they've put the hours in practicing and playing to make the guitar look that good?

If they do, it probably will be obvious to the listener that they have not put the time in, at least not the time to make the guitar look as rough as the one above.

I just don't get it. Fill me in, if you know the answer.

But people dig this stuff. I found the video below on YouTube (which is what started this though process). It will show you how to turn your guitar into a so called "relic".

Take my advice though - rough it up yourself through years of practice and sweat up on stage, not with sand paper, dirt and a lighter.

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Great site for all you jazz cats out there...

jason@littlerockjams.com (Jason) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 14:24:33 GMT

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Here is a must see site for anyone that is studying jazz and/or those that would love to know more about their favorite jazz tunes.

Jazz Standards.com provides composer and song information on hundreds of jazz tunes. They break down the inspiration behind the song, how it was composed, when it was released, a musical analysis of the changes and modulations and a place where musicians can make their own comments about the piece.

The musician comments were especially interesting. You can see how others approach the tune, both in their learning (analysis) and interpretation of the song.

Another interesting spin is that they show recommended versions of the song by different artists. For example, don't like the Fats Waller version of Honeysuckle Rose? No problem, check out Django's version on his "All Star Recordings" disc. This is useful if you're looking for how guitar players approach tunes that were composed or arranged for horns.

So, if you're into jazz or wanting to check things out, Jazz Standards.com is a great site to start!

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Foster Jazz Guitars - Building an archtop part 4

jason@littlerockjams.com (Jason) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 09:03:06 GMT

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It's Springtime and love is in the air...

Birds are chirping and children are playing outside...

The smell of fresh cut grass and the crack of the bat at a Travs game...

Where am I going with this you ask?

Well, if you recall from last few installments in this series, Brian has been loco because of the wait on his Foster Archtop. Loco in a "awww, look at that cute gerbil" kinda way, not "he's crazier than a fish with a mustache"

However, since the last post and with the arrival of warm weather, Brian's focus has changed to open road bicycling. I've heard more about titanium alloy this and variable shifters that than his Foster. Did you know that you chafe if you wear underwear under your bike shorts? I didn't!

Anyway, here is the next installment in the Foster Jazz Guitar - Building an archtop series.

Enjoy!

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Are you a great musician or a circus monkey?

jason@littlerockjams.com (Jason) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 07:34:37 GMT

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Ask yourself the following question ... and before you answer, pretend that the answer you choose will come true:

Which would you rather be - A great musician or a circus monkey?

I know that everyone will answer, "A Great Musician". And then your next thought will be, "But what does a circus monkey have to do with it?".

Well, if you're a student at Little Rock Jams, you've likely heard us talking about how we don't believe in training circus monkeys. In other words, we're not just going to show you a chord or a lick and tell you to "just do it" without explaining why you are doing it, why it sounds so good, when to use it, when not to use it, etc.

We believe that knowing what you're doing is just as important as knowing how to do it.

Think about this...

How many fellow players do you know that can play a little bit of this song, a little bit of that song, maybe a scale or two and know several chords, but when you ask them to play a full song - or better yet - try to jam with them, they can't do it?

We all do. And we've all been in those same shoes.

Well, I'm going to share a secret with you on how to become a great musician...

THERE IS NO SECRET! You have to work for it, plain and simple.

We're not talking digging ditches or pouring concrete type work here (it's really not that bad considering...). But you do have to put forth a sincere effort and have the discipline to develop your skills over your lifetime.

Notice I said lifetime and not a few weeks or a couple of years. Pursuing your art is something you can do as long as you are blessed to be on this earth.

So, now that we've established that playing guitar and growing as a musician is something you will do for a very long time, here are three major misconceptions that keep players from truly reaching their potential.

Misconception 1: Knowing music theory will stifle my creativity (aka I just wanna rock man!)

This is the biggest stumbling block we run into as teachers, students who think music theory is too hard and/or unnecessary.

I've said this a bazillion times, MUSIC THEORY IS NOT HARD! If you can do basic math, like count to 13 by ones, you're on your way to getting a handle on music theory.

Knowing your theory will help you learn songs quicker, allow you to solo over any progression and help you put together chord changes and a melody for your own song.

Kinda sounds like being a musician, right?

Not knowing your theory will ensure that music will always seem to be "beyond your grasp", "how do you know how to solo over a song", "I'm just not creative enough to write my own music, I don't even know where to start".

Kinda sound like you right now? Don't worry if it does, I've been in your same spot. I know how it feels.

Misconception 2: I don't need to know the notes on my instrument

Learning the notes on your neck can seem daunting at first. There are a lot of frets and strings. However, if you realize that there are only 12 notes, and further, that there are only 7 notes without an accidental (i.e. A B C D E F G), then learning the notes seems more manageable.

Here is the best analogy I can give - You know how to write ... Well, could you write if you didn't know the alphabet, A - Z? No, you couldn't.

Stop and think how hard your life would be if you didn't know the alphabet and could not write.

That is you right now, not knowing the notes on the neck.

Knowing the notes helps with the following:

- Chords will not be a mystery any more as you will be able to see each note in the chord and understand how those notes repeat themselves in different positions.
- You will be able to target notes when you solo to sound like you are saying something with your lines rather than just playing random licks.
- You will be able to pick the best notes for your melody because you know which note are available to you.

Make it a goal to start working on the notes today. Sure, it's not fun right now as you scratch your head looking for that A note on the D string. But within a few weeks, with consistent application, the notes will all be there for you.

Misconception 3: I'm pitch deaf. I can't learn anything be ear.

Training your ear is just like training your fingers. I bet your first shot at an F barre chord sucked eggs, right? Just like your first shot at ear training convinced you that your friends were right, you should sell your guitar on ebay.

Well, it's not true. Don't sell your guitar.

If someone were to play two different notes, one low and one high, you could tell the difference, right? Sure you could. Well guess what, you're not pitch deaf.

There are a few posts on ear training here on the blog. Check them out here and start working your ear next practice session. Have a good ear is the single best thing you can do to become a great musician.

To wrap this up...

Please don't shortchange yourself and buy into the hype that theory is too hard, theory kills creativity, that knowing the notes just locks you into to playing one way or that you should just pull a Van Gogh because your ear is worthless.

Buck up and put the work in. Quit playing Xbox, surfing Facebook and Myspace or making excuses that it is too hard to do this or that. It's not, and with just a little effort and time, you will become the player you want to be!

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What is the difference between Funk and Blues? Read on to find out!

jason@littlerockjams.com (Jason) — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 15:14:02 GMT

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So, we're at the funk workshop today....

We were finished and just sitting around playing and talking about funk music. The discussion turned to how a lot of funk tunes are simple 1, 2 or 3 chord tunes. Take James Brown's "Sex Machine" ... two chords, Eb and then Ab in the bridge.

So, we make the analogy that funk is party music ... get a groove going, have a good time and chase some girls.

Well, after the analogy to party music was made, David comments, "If that's what funk music is about, then Blues must be what happens after you get the girl and get married" !!!

(Notice how I didn't give Dave's last name? This way, his wife can't kill him!)

Too funny!

We've decided to use Funk as our introduction to songs for all our Teen guys and then when they get married, we'll teach 'em how to play the blues!

With that - Great workshop today, we all had a blast.

Here are the rhythms we covered. The last two are the rhythms to Sex Machine. Don't forget to lock in the scratch and add a little chicken grease to your playing!

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Watch out world, here's a future rock star in the making...

jason@littlerockjams.com (Jason) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 21:45:51 GMT

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Aaron has been working on Wild Thing by the Troggs, or perhaps more famously by Jimi Hendrix, to develop his power chords and his ability to play and sing at the same time.

Thinking it would be cool to video his performance, he came in looking like a rock star with his leather jacket (representing the Hogs, baby) and shades.

Give this kid a few more years and you'll have his poster up on your wall...

p.s. for those of you wondering if he set his guitar on fire like Jimi did, I thought it would be best not to do that in the studio

So here he is, Rocking America and soon to be performing in a town near you....

Aaron!!!!

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Writing Lyrics - Brady gives you his thoughts

jason@littlerockjams.com (Jason) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 10:21:32 GMT

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As mentioned a few days ago, Brady at Hunting the Muse, has posted his first installment on writing lyrics.

Here is a little snippet to whet your appetite ...

"Just like any poem or short story, lyrics have the power to take our imagination on a journey, to inform us, to put a question in our heads, and to soothe our souls or instigate inner turmoil. That said, writing lyrics isn't just for yuppies* looking to score a quick buck in the music industry."

* if you self identify as a yuppie looking to score a quick buck ... hey, no harm buddy - we're just goofin' that's all!

You can read the rest of the article here...

Our hope is that his readers (that includes you - you musicians out there reading this blog) will take a stab at it and submit some really cool lyrics ... from which we (that's you again - you musicians) will work on putting music to them.

If we reach a "finished product", we want to post it to both blogs to show how creativity can spark an idea and how a little work (writing and playing) turns the idea into something beautiful.

So, read Brady's posts on lyric writing, dig into the deepest wells of your inspirational material and put those words on paper.

Let's Rock!

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Poll results and a new poll ...

jason@littlerockjams.com (Jason) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:21:20 GMT

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Our "Favorite Eric Clapton Song" Poll ended in a three-way tie: Layla, Crossroads and Wonderful Tonight all received the same number of votes.

Three different styles (blues, rock and luv songs) all by the same guy. This is a good example of how different music (all by the same guy) appeals to different folks.

Here's our new poll - Step up and let your voice be heard!

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Do you smell something funky? Oh yeah, it's our funk workshop this Saturday - 04/19/08

jason@littlerockjams.com (Jason) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:46:54 GMT

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Reminder:

Funk Workshop
Saturday, 04/19/08 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Bring your guitar and your chicken grease!

We're going to cover basic scratch rhythms, funk chords, gear, tone and players. Also, this workshop will be the foundation for our upcoming funk soloing workshop, so be sure and make this one to get the most out of the funk soloing workshop in June!

Here's are a couple o' tips:

Starting today, set your metronome to 50 beats per minutes and count out loud -

1-e-and-ah 2-e-and-ah 3-e-and-ah 4-e-and-ah...

Also, listen to some James Brown, Parliament, P Funk, Prince, heck, even some Rage against the machine for a little heavier style. Soak the funk in and we'll release Saturday!

Finally, try playing the scratch rhythms below. We're going to cover these and more Saturday. Can't read Greek? Well, no problems - this isn't Greek!

See you then!

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Ask Little Rock Jams!

jason@littlerockjams.com (Jason) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 22:07:18 GMT

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We want to hear from you!

Have a story idea or something you want us to write about?

Great! We would love to hear it and talk about it. After all, if it is interesting to you, it will probably be interesting to others as well. Send an email to jason@littlerockjams.com and if we think we have something worthwhile to say, or at the least, something funny, we'll post on it!

Want to be a guest author?

If you have a passion for music, a great idea and can pronounce most two-syllable words, hit us up at jason@littlerockjams.com. If you light our fire with a great article, we'll post it and sing your praises. However, we edit, that's what we do. You just have to live with it.

Local and want to stop by the studio?

We love to teach, but we also have a great time in our workshops and jam sessions. Drop us a line at jason@littlerockjams.com and let us know that you're interested in stopping by. We'll let you know when we're free or when the next jam session is. Can't wait to meet you!

Are you a local band or venue that wants to promote a show?

We believe in supporting and growing our local music scene. Send the important information: Date, Time, Venue, Line Up and where we pick up our free tickets to jason@littlerockjams.com. We'll pop it on the blog and come rock with you!

Want to ask a question that is not related to the Blog or Guitar?

We're not shy. Ask and you shall receive (unless you're looking for those pictures we took of Brian at his Bachelor party - I'm saving those for a special occasion). You guessed it, email addy: jason@littlerockjams.com

Want to advertise?

Send an email to jason@littlerockjams.com with your request, proposal and contact information. We'll review and contact you for further discussion. (Free gear is always welcomed)

Just want to say hi?

Can't wait to hear from you! Do you know where to send the email?

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