By Michael Fletcher

As we discovered in part one of this series (Play The Guitar The Right Way-A Message For Beginners), there are many different aspects involved with learning to play the guitar. For the beginning guitarist, many challenges, both physically and mentally, will be encountered and must be overcome and mastered in order to truly progress. It is my personal belief that the challenging mental aspects of learning to play guitar are more difficult to harness than the physical aspects. Think of it this way; If it’s mechanical, it can be learned. With training, discipline, and practice, one can accomplish great things. The mind, however, is a completely different story. The mind is our best friend and sometimes our worst enemy. Program it with positive thoughts and we achieve positive results. Program it with obstacles, and we achieve resistance.

With that said, let’s examine some of the challenging mental aspects associated with learning to play guitar that the beginning guitarist might encounter. We’ll also examine some of the possible ways to overcome those challenges.

For the beginning guitarist, the fundamentals of learning to play guitar are challenging enough, let alone the mental aspects that are closely related with learning the fundamentals of guitar. For example, the beginning guitarist will soon discover that learning to play the guitar (guitar chords, guitar scales, melodies, solos, etc.) takes a good amount of work and practice.

There are no shortcuts to perfection.  Therefore, it is most likely that the first mental challenge for the beginning guitarist, is the realization that time and effort must be exerted in order to see and hear results. In my opinion, the answer to this challenge is one’s commitment and dedication to achieving the desired result. There is no such thing as a lucky guitarist. In fact, behind each successful guitarist, there are thousands and thousands of hours of practice, practice, and more practice.

It’s wise to think of practicing the guitar as fun time. In other words, one shouldn’t associate any negativity with practicing the guitar. Think positively! Practice time is discovery time. We all learn from practicing the guitar. No practice, no discovery. The beginning guitarist might need to skip that movie, skip that football game, and skip that trip to the Shopping Mall in order to make time in the day to practice the guitar. I’d suggest skipping anything that would interfere with practice time. Once again, mental discipline is essential to learning the guitar. It doesn’t happen by accident folks. Schedule daily practice sessions and don’t miss them…no matter what!

Another mental challenge that the beginning guitarist might encounter, is having to choose short-term goals and long-term goals pertaining to music itself. What style of music does one desire to play? Does one desire to play only a few songs for his/her friends? Is one planning on becoming the next great guitarist? Believe it or not, these are important questions that the beginning guitarist should examine. Why? Because the practice schedule and practice routines are different for each goal. Therefore, musical direction is a mental challenge that should be addressed early-on in one’s musical encounter with the guitar. Why practice the guitar four, five, or six hours per day if the actual goal is to play a few songs on the guitar while sitting around a campfire? That is, unless the goal is to be the best campfire player in the country.

Many beginning guitarists struggle with peer group pressure. It seems that everyone has their own subjective opinion on what sounds good to them. This is normal. However, this type of pressure has a tendency to confuse many beginning guitarists. After all, we all want to please our circle of friends, right? Age, maturity, and intellect all play a role here. If one is 50 years old and just beginning to learn how to play the guitar, it is not likely that his/her particular peer group will be cheering him/her on to play The Blistered Twisters new death to the universe song. Likewise, a 12 year old’s peer group isn’t likely to cheer him/her on to playing a Motown song, and on and on. It’s advisable for the beginning guitarist to proceed with his/her own personal likes and dislikes. Try not to buy into the peer group pressure thing. It could end up wasting valuable time. Play what you want to play. Don’t worry, you’ll find your own audience up ahead.

Learning to play the guitar is indeed challenging. However, the biggest challenge is within one’s self. No matter what the mental challenge, pure desire seems to conquer all obstacles whether mechanical or mental. Remember, the longest journey always begins with the first step. It’s up to you to take that first step, and when you do, the rest will become history.

There are many more mental challenges that the beginning guitarist will most likely encounter. Many of these challenges will be addressed in future articles. For now, sort out the goals and start moving forward.

©2009 Michael E. Fletcher. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

http://www.ultraguitarmethod.com/

Ultra Guitar Method is designed to place years of professional playing experience under your fingers in a very short amount of time thus, placing you light years ahead of the competition. All theoretical, technical, mechanical, and application principles contained in the method are designed exclusively for the guitar. Learning is made exciting and fun.

Make no mistake about it; if your goal is to understand the entire guitar fingerboard and experience an incredible new mechanical and theoretical freedom as a guitar player, then Ultra Guitar Method is an absolute must.

While others are losing valuable time on the standard old books of C, F and G, this is your opportunity to step directly into the future with a guitar method that is as flexible as your own personality and as vast as your imagination will allow.

Visit the Ultra Guitar Method website today. Your future is now.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Fletcher
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By Michael Fletcher

There are many, many, different reasons why individuals decide to learn to play the guitar. What’s your purpose? Is it because you just want to play a few songs for your friends? If so, then I commend you for your honesty and wish you the very best in your song-playing adventure. Playing the guitar should always be fun.

If you’re a beginner, it’s important that you don’t become overwhelmed or intimidated by those who seem to be able to shred the guitar fingerboard at will. This should be the least of your worries. Especially in the beginning stages of learning to play the guitar. The fundamentals are essential for every beginner. For example, learning to hold the guitar pick correctly is essential in the beginning. Learning right-hand and left-hand finger control is very important. Further, merely feeling comfortable holding the guitar will actually take some work and practice. Once again, the fundamentals of guitar playing are very, very important.

It seems that we’re living in a society (musicians included) where instant gratification seems to be the way-of-life for many. We want what we want, and we want it now. When attempting to learn how to play the guitar, this type of approach will leave fatal flaws in one’s over all understanding of the guitar. Without an authentic understanding of the guitar, limitations are inevitable.

A solid foundation on the guitar (theory and application) will allow one to progress beyond their own expectations. One should strive to become a well-rounded guitarist. In other words, learn guitar chords, rhythm, and guitar solo techniques. So many guitarists today are mainly concerned with soloing. They seem to overlook all of the other aspects of guitar playing. Many beginning guitarists get hung up on issues such as speed playing.

In today’s musical environment, it’s much more important to become an accurate player rather than a flash player. The days of the twenty minute guitar solos, are over (for the most part). Oh yes, in a concert environment it’s good to let it all hang out and to blow out the carbon, as they say. However, nothing will top a well constructed melodic guitar solo. A well constructed guitar solo is a far cry from someone just mindlessly sweeping arpeggios.

Is speed important? Yes, in situations that call for speed. However, not all guitar solos consist of playing 128th notes at 160 BPM (beats per minute). Techniques, such as speed picking, sweeping, and tapping result from practicing good habits, not in lieu of them. Further, speed without soul equals nothingness. Why so much dissertation regarding speed? Let me explain.

For most beginners, there is generally an event which occurs, that inspires an individual to learn how to play the guitar. For example, desiring to learn the guitar could result from one hearing a song that has a special emotional impact on his/her life. However, it is more than likely that one of the great contemporary concert guitarist (a fire-breathing, neck-shredding Dragon) is the inspiration for most of today’s beginners. This is great however, was the inspiration the guitar itself or the fire-breathing, blazing speed, that the notes on the guitar were played at? More than likely, the answer would be speed. Inspiration is inspiration, right? Understand that a speed player is very skilled and has taken the time to build a solid foundation; fundamentals.

Speed picking and sweeping techniques have their place. We all know that. The question is (even for experienced guitar player), when and where (let alone, why) to employ these techniques. In other words, speed playing for the sake of speed playing doesn’t make much sense unless the music dictates a speed technique be employed. Of course, the obvious exception is practicing speed playing techniques in order to perfect them. Once again, if you’re a beginner, speed shouldn’t be your initial concern. Fundamentals will provide the foundation for future and difficult techniques. Take your time. Learn to play guitar the right way.

In the beginning stages of learning to play guitar, one should concentrate on learning simple guitar chords, learning simple songs, and learning to control the guitar itself. Become aware of sound and volume. Strive for accuracy and endurance. There are literally hundreds of elements that must be learned in order to truly master the guitar. Enjoy the beginning stages, you’ll arrive at the advanced learning scenario soon enough.

It is advisable to seek out a talented guitar instructor who will help you in the beginning. Remember, you’ll want to learn the fundamental elements first (picking, playing guitar chords, learning simple, but great songs). Plan your work and work your plan. Above all, have fun.

© 2008 Michael E. Fletcher. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

http://www.ultraguitarmethod.com/

Ultra Guitar Method is designed to place years of professional playing experience under your fingers in a very short amount of time thus, placing you light years ahead of the competition. All theoretical, technical, mechanical, and application principles contained in the method are designed exclusively for the guitar. Learning is made exciting and fun.

Make no mistake about it; if your goal is to understand the entire guitar fingerboard and experience an incredible new mechanical and theoretical freedom as a guitar player, then Ultra Guitar Method is an absolute must.

While others are losing valuable time on the standard old books of C, F and G, this is your opportunity to step directly into the future with a guitar method that is as flexible as your own personality and as vast as your imagination will allow.

Visit the Ultra Guitar Method website today. Your future is now.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Fletcher
http://EzineArticles.com/?Play-Guitar-The-Right-Way—A-Message-For-Beginners&id=1119577

Advanced Guitar Chord Lesson -- G9

The G9 Guitar Chord (also known as G9th, G dominant ninth) is found in the G Major Scale: G A B C D E F# G. It is made up of the 1, 3, 5, b7 and 9. of this scale. Meaning the notes G, B, D, F and A

G9 Chord notes: G, B, D, F and A

If you refer to the chord charts  below, you will see how to finger this chord.  This is not an easy guitar chord to finger if you are just beginning, so be patient and keep practicing.

Here is a key that will help you read the chart:

Everything on the above chart should be self explanatory, except for the last three in the third column. They may need a bit of explaining. The O, or open symbol, simply means that you do not press down on any notes on that string. The X means you do not strum that particular string. The Barre symbol means you need to barre that particular fret. When you barre a fret you are pressing down on multiple strings at the same time with one finger.

Chord Playing Tip

Be sure that you are pressing down on the strings hard enough and play each string one at a time to make sure you have a nice clean sound. If any of the strings buzz or sound muted, then something is not right.

G9 Guitar Chord Video

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf5gN7fIT1s

The D Major Guitar Chord

The D Major Guitar Chord is found in the D Major Scale: D E F# G A B C# D. It is made up of the 1, 3 and 5 positions of this scale. Meaning the notes D, F# and A.  The D Major Chord is a very easy chord to play and one of the first most beginners learn.

The only challenge to this chord is making certain you do not strum the Low E and A strings as indicated in the chord chart below. If you happen to hit the A string, its not a big deal. It will still sound like a D chord as the A note is part of this chord.

D Major Chord Notes: D, F# and A

Here is a key that will help you read the chart:

Make certain you are pressing down hard enough on the strings to produce a clean sound. Also, as indicated in the chart above, make sure you are only strumming the first four strings. The fifth and sixth strings are not played.

D Major Guitar Chord Video

www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsZ70ZcapKo

By Ricky Sharples
If you want to play the guitar or write songs you will need to know something, at least, about guitar music theory. You could break down guitar theory down to the study of three elements: chords, scales and arpeggios.

Scales come easily to some people but others find them difficult to learn and difficult to understand. You can, in fact, relate scales to chord shapes. Understanding chords and scales is a matter of exploring the relationships between the notes on the guitar fretboard, but it is not necessary to learn to read music, just find the patterns on the guitar neck.

When you look at scales you will see a symbol like: # or b. The # is the sharp symbol which indicates when a note is played one fret above where it would normally be played. The b symbol is called a flat which is when the note is played a fret lower. One fret on the guitar is called a half step as opposed to a whole step or whole note. In the musical scale there is only a half step between the notes B and C and the notes E and F. The notes that don’t have a sharp or flat symbol are called “naturals”.

The complete set of notes in the octave are, in alphabetical order, A A# B C C# D D# E F F# G G#. So these notes as they are played in the C scale are C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B. The notes on the guitar begin with the open sixth string which sounds the note E, then going up the frets, F G A B C finishing the first octave on the open fourth string D. The octaves continue for twenty-one frets on most electric guitars and nineteen frets for acoustic guitars that don’t have a cutaway body.

Chords contain three or more notes. These notes form part of a scale that has the same name as the chord. The E major chord, for example, has three notes from the E major scale. Not all notes are created equal. The most important notes in a chord are the third and the seventh. They tell us whether the chord is major, minor or dominant.

When you play chords in a particulat order it is called a progression. Most chord progressions in popular music are based on the first, fourth and fifth notes of a scale. The twelve bar blues progression is one of the most popular chord progressions. Here is a how it works out in the key of C: you are using the first note – C, the fourth, F and the fifth, G. You play four bars using the C chord, two using F, the next two bars you play C again and the next two are G and F, finishing with two bars of the C chord. The most obvious example of this progression put into practice is the instrumental piece called Guitar Boogie.

Do you want to learn to play the guitar? Learn How To Play A Guitar For Free is a constantly updated blog which contains all the resources you need for: learning to play solo guitar, how to learn guitar chords, how to learn to read and play easy acoustic guitar tabs, finding a free online guitar tuner, looking for free guitar lessons online, and how to learn guitar scales.

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