Learning Resources and Materials

Beginning guitar lessons for the first time can be an intimidating process. Sometimes the first, few lessons don't go as well as you would have hoped. Don't give up! In order to give you the best possible odds of success, I have done quite a bit of research on a handful of products that are pretty much essential for any beginner guitar student.

For my own students, I require them to purchase two items after their second lesson: a spiral-bound staff paper notebook and a metronome. I have also put together a Lessons Resource Kit, which students can purchase from me for $32. The Kit includes my hands-down, favorite staff paper notebook, metronome, and string winder. This takes the guess work out of having to buy these things on your own, not really knowing what you're looking for.

Here are my top product picks for students, including the items in my Lessons Resource Kit (items with a *):

Best Metronome: Korg MA-30*
http://www.korg.com/MA30
Volume adjustment, subdivisions, two tones, tap tempo, and reference pitches that you can tune to. For the functionality, reliability, and price, this guy is hard to beat.

Best Staff Paper: Standard Wirebound Manuscript Paper (Green Cover)*
http://www.halleonard.com/product/ viewproduct.do?itemid=210005&lid=0&menuid= 718&subsiteid=68&
Simple, easy to write on, good spacing between lines and staves, a good number of pages and durable. A good balance between price and quality.

Best String Winder: Dunlop Pegwinder 100*
http://www.jimdunlop.com/ product/dunlop- stringwinder
Again, simple steals the show. Over the years, I have seen all sorts of complicated devices that claim to improve the process of putting new strings on a guitar. The reality? It's a cumbersome task no matter what winding device you use. In my experience, bigger is not better - but far worse, in fact. I go with this trusty, little tool - one of the originals that Dunlop has been selling for at least 20 years.

Best Capo Ever: SHUBB Deluxe Capo
http://www.shubb.com/deluxe/index.html
It's pricey, but I have yet to find a capo that works better. The biggest complaint with capos is that they change the tuning of the strings, making them slightly sharper than the open position notes. This capo can be adjusted to fit the exact thickness of any neck, at any position.

Best Value Capo: Kyser Quick-Change Capo
http://www.kysermusical.com/product.php?productid=16133&cat=265&page=1
Easy to use. A no-frills design.

Best Acoustic Guitar Strings: Martin SP 80/20 Series
http://www.martinguitar.com/strings/choosing.php?typ=Martin%20SP
I used to use Elixir's coated strings, but I always hated the way the coating shredded off of the strings where the pick hits them, right around the sound hole. I switched over to these strings about three years ago and never looked back.

Best Electric Guitar Strings: D'Addario XL Nickel Round Wounds
http://store.daddario.com/category/145800/EXL115_BluesJazz_Rock_11-49
This is the only string I have played on that can handle a two-step string bend (ala Stevie Ray Vaughan). Every other string that I have used has broken under this very high tension. I have been using these puppies ever since I got my first electric.

Best Guitar Cable: Monster Cable's Monster Rock Series
http://www.monstercable.com/productdisplay.asp?pin=2307
Performers and studio musicians have to be very careful about which cables they choose to use in professional applications. Using a sub-par cable could result in unwanted radio/wireless signal interference. Ever hear a radio station through your amp when your guitar is plugged in? Try upgrading your cables. Best of all, Monster Cable has a *lifetime* warranty. They'll replace any cable, given that it hasn't been abused. A decent alternative would be Monster Cable's S100 series, but beware, I have had interference problems with these lesser-quality cables.

Speed Bursts

Sweetwater, an online retailer of music equipment, just recently started this blog about all things guitar. This morning, I opened my inbox and alas! what did I find? It was their latest newsletter, with a pretty cool exercise for increasing your picking speed. They call it "Speed Bursts", and you can check out the whole article on their site:

http://guitarsandgear.sweetwater.com/2010/02/technique-speedbursts/

Top 10 Practice Tips: Sing While You Play (5 of 10)

I've heard it said that if you can't sing it, you can't play it. And when it comes to improvisation, I think this is a true statement. By vocalizing the pitches you want to play - before you play them - you train your ears and fingers to work together. The more you practice scales - and the more you sing them while you play them - the better you'll get at soloing. Probably one of the coolest artists I've ever heard using this technique is John Pizzarelli. Check him out.

How to Restring a Guitar

I just found this great video, produced by Musician's Friend, on how to restring a guitar. He mentions one of my favorite tips: curling the string around itself, up at the tuning peg, to lock the string in to place. Check it out here:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/mediacenter?ch=hc&cat=Instructional&vid=DAddario_Restring_acou_les&playlist=instructional&src=3NL9MI2&ZYXSEM=0

UPDATE: 2/8/2013

Unfortunately, Musicians Friend's videos require Flash, which means you have to watch this video on a computer or tablet that allows Flash. When you follow the link, be sure to watch the Telecaster video to see the "string locking method" of wrapping the string back around itself so that it doesn't slip off the post.

Top 10 Practice Tips: Use a Metronome (4 of 10)

I may take some heat for saying this, but I think it's a true statement: 90% of all drummers' timing sucks. They can't play to a metronome. They can't play to a click. They may not even own a metronome. And that, of course, is exactly why they can't play in tempo. Okay, granted, music is supposed to "flow" a bit, and that is definitely evident in almost all classic rock (think Zeppelin). But no matter, as a musician, your job is to be able to keep it together - at whatever tempo - no matter what your instrument.

For the guitarist, I try to play with a metronome for everything: scales, chords, sight-reading, and even rehearsing my own music - especially for sessions. I challenge my students to have better timing that 98% of the musicians out there. The remaining 2%? Well, they better be drummers.

Top 10 Practice Tips: Listen... and Learn (3 of 10)

You've heard it said that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Well, I'm "hear" to tell you that you will sound like what you listen to. Seriously.

I'm not just talking about that average, mediocre, undisciplined, unambitious, lazy musician, listening to his favorite bands. I'm not talking about visualizing the success you want to achieve in your life. That stuff doesn't work for musicians.

If you listen - truly listen - and try to imitate the artists you want to play like, eventually - eventually - you will begin to sound like that artist. Learn a lick. Learn a riff. Sing that catchy, unforgettable melody. Try to get your amp tones right, too - and your vocal tone. Just try.

You need to be a musician listening to music - not just an ordinary person listening to music. Listen for that progression, that interval, that string bend, that energy, passion, and quality that makes your favorite recording artist so unique, then learn how to do it.

Top 10 Practice Tips: Take it Slowly (2 of 10)

Probably the number one mistake that young guitarists make is playing too fast when first learning a new exercise, scale, or song. By playing too fast too soon, the player is, essentially, trying to circumvent the laws of music:

First comes technique, then accuracy, then speed. For as long as there have been musicians, that's been the sequence for mastery of an instrument. As several of my old teachers have said to me, "If you can't play it slowly, you can't play it at all." And if you can't play it slowly, you certainly can't play it fast. It makes sense to me.

Set that metronome on the slow side, make sure you can play that sheet music accurately and with perfect technique, then speed it up - slowly. And just in case you think I'm running low of wise sayings, "Slow and steady wins the race."