How To Practice Your Guitar

The first element we need to learn is time management, which is simply allowing enough time on a set of given tasks, but is often overlooked. The best way to manage time during your practice schedule is to purchase a timer, these retail for around $15.00 to $40.00 and will be one of the most important investments you make. I personally use a timer from a company called West Bend (see figure 1.a left) sold at Amazon.com for $17.99, but I am sure there are many other brands available, there is also an online timer too……more

Barre Chords Part 1

Often overlooked is the correct technique you should use when playing barre chords, so lets first go through and learn the right technique to use before we try and play any shapes. The first aspect we need to learn is arm position, so take a look at the first two images on the left (figures 1.a and 1.b). In figure 1.a you will see the wrong arm position, which is too close to the side of the body. The problem with this position is that no leverage is created, and we need as much leverage as we can get to be able to play barre chords. Now take a look at figure 1.b, you will see that the arm is away from the body, this will create leverage on you hand and fingers and therefore, on the frets where your finger tips are madly pressing down on :)……..more

Augmented Chords

Augmented chords are most often used as a passing chord between two other chords, no more than a whole step/tone apart, and usually for brief periods of time. For example: AMA7 to BMA7, we can place a B♭+ in between those two chords which has the effect of smoothing out the transition, and adding color and depth to the musical piece.

The same can be done to the chords Dmi7 to EMA7, we can place a D♯+ between them, again smoothing out the transition and adding something different to the chord progression……..more