Acoustic Nook

Luna electric guitars stand out from their competitors with their unique use of ornamentation. However, they are not just attractive to behold. They use lightweight woods and have components that make them easy to use for any player. And, they have models which can fit any price range so, they make a good choice for a first guitar. There are many details that make this brand worth considering when one goes guitar shopping.

A prominent characteristic of all the Luna models is their ornamentation. Moon phase fret markers adorn the neck of each one. This is the company’s signature design flourish. Every model has it’s own style to go with this uniform feature.

Along with the moon phase frets, each Luna model hast it’s own sense of style. The Henna line has a pick-guard with henna design laser etched into it. The grill work of classic automobiles is recalled by the nickel tailpieces on the Athena models. And, the small Neo Mini has a large pick-guard that gives the guitar a two tone look.

Every guitar is made of wood. The electrics in this brand’s lines are created from lightweight wood. For people that want to play out a long session this is ideal. Plus, younger beginning players are helped by not having to hold up a heavy instrument.

The quality of a guitar’s wood is not just determined by it’s weight. Also important is the sound the wood helps make. Lunas are all made from mahogany or maple. For creating a good tone, these are two of the best wood types.

These instruments are also made with the idea of appealing to all players whatever their skill level or physical size. Components are light which makes them easy to hold. Plus, the necks are thinner. This makes it so people with smaller hands do not have trouble reaching certain notes.

One of the more important features of the brand are the prices. As instruments, they are as good as any guitar in the marketplace. However, they can fit into the budget of any player. For professionals with other responsibilities or beginning players, this can be a huge benefit.

Guitar playing can add plenty of enriching moments to a person’s life. It allows for self expression, the sharing of music with friends, and it can help one make a living. To be a good guitar player requires a good instrument. Luna electric guitars provide a good option for those who want to make music.

The choice of many amateur and professional musicians is Luna electric guitars. The quality and appearance of Luna guitars makes them great for looks and playability.

Technorati Tags: Acoustic Guitar, Acoustic Guitars, bass guitar, electric guitars

Guitar building of any kind whether it is electric guitars or acoustic (especially acoustic guitars) is typically quite demanding, costly and time intensive. In most cases if the guitar is a first attempt the end result will end up costing close to what you could have spent on a completely new guitar to start with, sometimes far more if taking into consideration the tools required for the job. However most first timers don't get into guitar building to save cash most simply do it for the joy of owning a guitar they have made themselves. But where does one start?

Electric Guitar Kits provide a straightforward and comparatively cheap way to get into guitar building when first starting out however it can quickly get costly and take a great deal of time if you run into trouble assembling or finishing the guitar (painting or staining). Firstly finishing the guitar after assembly can be a difficult task.

Let’s accept it if you are going to the trouble of building your very own electric guitar kit chances are you want an instrument you can be proud to call your own. It’s essential when finishing your guitar that you give yourself a strong base to work on and in a few cases this means employing a grain filler to smooth the surface of the guitar body prior to undercoating.

Applying Grain Filler

Dependent on the timber your guitar kit body is made from you may need to employ a wood grain filler to fill the pores of the timber. The main reason or this is to make allowance for a much more even surface for the subsequent stage of finishing. Loosely grained timbers like Mahogany or Ash will most likely need some treatment. Tightly grained timbers such as Maple mostly won’t need grain filler at all.

When first applying start by working the grain filler into the timber first moving with the grain and then against it till you are satisfied you’ve got a good even surface to commence painting. After you have applied the grain filler let it set fully and then begin to scrape it back until you are left with a smooth surface.

For more useful advice and resources for electric guitar kits click here. We offer the best tutorials and step by step guides on guitar kits on the internet.

Technorati Tags: Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Grain filler

With guitar lessons increasing in difficulty, musicians are uncovering their latent talents. Since the ancient ways of studying require a lot of focus, they can discourage fun. The spark can be lost in a short time period if enjoyment is ignored. Simply jamming with the radio can bring a new level of playing. Using a guitar tuner is a must if the student is to learn the proper way to play the instrument.

Some players will give up after a week and others may last several months. Aside from the modern distractions, a guitar tuner can make this even worse. Since a digital tuner only requires vision to tune a string, the hearing can loose its edge. The original sound fork makes the guitarist listen and this creates a better ear for certain frequencies. Not only that but it also heightens their musical sensitivity to notes and passages.

Seek out a secluded area for rehearsal to find your true voice. Advanced skill levels are found by repetition and dedication. The moment your guitar is broken in, the journey will become much simpler. Your favorite genre is often stumbled upon after enough practice. In the long run, your playing will purpass that of many celebrities and rock stars so stick with it.

The trick to really getting good at guitar is to dedicate a certain amount of time every day to practice. This time should be spent on the fundamentals and becoming familiar with them. Another tip for avoiding boredom is to occasionally play with others as this will increase the fun factor. Everyone has a different skill level but playing with them will open new doors and encouage future projects.

When the guitar tuner becomes a must have device, the ears often suffer. The old tuning devices will remedy any disconnect from true listening enjoyment. Starting a band may help to loosen up the fingers and open the door to fresh perspectives. Trust others impression and ask for their advice if you really need it. Carry extra batteries and strings at all costs and always practice daily.

A new set of strings will give a bright sound but over time it may begin to dull. Try alternate tunings as well as different string guages until you find a good fite. This will happen naturally after your fingers find the most comfortable chords. Never give up on the path to muscial enjoyment as it’s waiting for you and your listeners. Music is the water of life and a social lubricant so get out there and rehearse!

If you are interested in a Guitar Tuner then try 123 Guitar Tuner for the best selection.

Technorati Tags: free online guitar tuner, Guitar Instruction, guitar tuner, music

Learning any type of musical instrument is often a common activity. Even though this can be quite gratifying, this also requires hard work.

Learning how to play a guitar can be difficult if you do not learn the basic principles. That’s why it is advisable that if you’re a newbie, start slow as well as learn the basic approaches to ensure you are receiving everything you possibly can from each and every lesson.

You will find methods to get guitar training lessons for novices. You may research different ways to get this done either by doing a search online or even looking for something nearby.

While you are looking for guitar training for novices, you must carefully consider the type of training you want. You want to decide if you wish to take training lessons on the internet, in a classroom atmosphere or even with an exclusive coach. Every sort of guitar training for novices does have it’s pros and cons. You must ensure that you fully understand what each type of lesson entails.

A lot of colleges provide guitar training lessons for novices as a class. With this type of class, you’re going to be in the classroom location with a few other individuals. This option can be a little expensive. The expense comes in between that of a private teacher and online training lessons.

If you are a college student in search of a degree, your educational funding can take care of the expense of guitar training for newbies. You must seek advice from your campus educational funding office to ascertain if it’s a possibility that may be at your disposal. Unlike private lessons and on-line lessons, you will get a set schedule for the instructional classes. This isn’t a good option for people who need a manageable schedule.

A private coach for guitar lessons for beginners will be the priciest choice. With a private tutor, you will be given one to one coaching and also training. This sort of training lessons is best for those who want to learn from an instructor yet without a class setting.A personal coach can best center on an individual’s skillsets and natural capabilities. The one to one arrangement is favorable for extreme training. Some personal instructors are very acceptable in their charges. You should shop around prior to deciding on a trainer. A great number of music education students augment their income to support with college studies by training the younger or perhaps amateur pupils.With the help of a private teacher, you’ll be able to fit your lesson time frame around your daily routine.

Getting courses on-line is usually the most inexpensive method to get guitar training for first timers. If you like learning specifics on-line, perhaps taking guitar lessons through the Internet could be easy to you. But, if you are one that will not tolerate using computer, don’t set yourself up for disappointment with an on the internet class. Taking on the internet classes helps you study anytime and just about anywhere. You could organize your lessons at a stretch which is convenient for you and your everyday living.

If you want more info on learn to play guitar then check this link out. You may find out about learn to play guitar for beginners right here at this link.

Technorati Tags: Blues Guitar, education, Entertainment, guitar, instructional, instrument, jazz, music

Washburn’s R319SWKK Parlor acoustic guitar gives out some heavy power in a little packaged six string, but don’t be fooled by it’s size. The natural acoustic sound and nicely toned range of this Washburn guitar will surprise you. The Washburn Parlor is a small-bodied instrument that packs in an astonishing amount of volume and punch for its size. With good blues guitar tabs and this guitar, you’ll be sounding like a pro in no time!

The popularity of these guitars peaked between the late 19th century until the 1950s, nonetheless they are making a strong resurgence. Because of the small size and incredible sound projection, a great many blues and folk guitarists have used parlor sized guitars such as the Washburn R319SWKK Parlor Guitar with a lot of success over the years and permanently stapled them as a true-blue American folk instrument. The secret to its incredible tone and sound projection lies in the wood. The solid spruce top and Trembesi body create balanced tone with lots of dynamic range, not to mention with a beautiful appearance as well. The dovetail neck joint gives strength to the construction, and helps the overall tone.

The Washburn R319SWKK guitar’s mahogany neck and the ebony bridge and fretboard add sturdiness to the instrument and clarity to the general sound. The 24-3/4″ scale, 48mm nut width, and V shaped neck provides comfort when accessing the acoustic guitar’s eighteen frets. Resplendent in an antique satin finish, and boasting die-cast tuners and chrome hardware, this guitar has the appearance of something right out of a museum, with a timeless tone that never gets old. Amazingly, the case is almost as handsome as the guitar!

After playing ragtime and blues guitar for forty years or more, I’ve played many guitars and my heavy picking style of playing isn’t very suited to a very expensive guitar. What do I mean by that? Fortunately or unfortunately, I hit the strings pretty hard, and usually play amplified, so that the more delicate tones are a bit of a waste of time in my performances. That said, the vintage style of the Washburn parlors are very appealing. Firstly, when you are ordering, check that you are getting the R319SWKK, which has a one piece top – there are others with laminate tops that don’t sound the same. You have to have that solid top to get that great blues guitar tone.

The Washburn isn’t top of the range as far as fitments and finish go, but it looks terrific with it’s vintage look and distressed finish. Have it set up professionally, and fit either light gauge or medium strings, which will depend on your picking style. Mediums give an especially balanced volume for a great blues sound. The V shaped neck and the parlor sized body make this a really comfortable guitar to play. Once more, the overall look is terrific – it’s like a museum piece! It isn’t the best guitar on the market by any means, but for great punchy sound, fun and feel, you get a lot for your buck.

Learn more about acoustic blues guitar. Stop by Jim Bruce’s Youtube Channel site where you can see lesson videos for acoustic blues guitar.

Technorati Tags: acoustic blues guitar, Blues Guitar, guitar, Guitar Lessons, music lessons

Playing a musical instrument is an invaluable talent to possess. A guitar is undoubtedly an instrument that’s used normally in the current music sector.

Several music artists that perform on stage are generally people that have decided to learn to play guitar.

Guitars are usually really popular instruments for entertainment, whether it is a campfire environment to a show in a main city. Just before an individual can make it inside the music business, they should learn to play guitar.

If you wish to join the millions of people who would like to learn to play guitar, there are actually a large number of different methods to achieve this goal. A lot of schools have music education educators that can present training privately. It is an excellent potential for children to cultivate the control and also competencies essential for being skilled at a musical instrument.

Gaining knowledge from one who can instruct at the learner’s position is a possession that shouldn’t be skipped if offered. Although any person can easily know how to learn a guitar, those who get started young hold the advantage of time. Even when one can find inaccessible lessons which enables a student learn how to play guitar, a music teacher could propose a person who can educate the involved student.

Adults and also university students may also utilize this as the tool to get going on the way of musical capability. A number of educators who’ve got certifications or even previous music teaching experience have an assortment of individual skills as well as expertise. You’ll usually learn that a chorus instructor may also be aware the right way to use various musical instruments also. They typically coach other individuals the way to learn to play the guitar. Lots of are generally competent to write their very own music and incorporate their skills by means of heading the school’s music group or any other extracurricular activity. A college campus is a great spot to get training sessions or perhaps one who can suggest them towards people interested in playing particular musical instruments.

Playing guitar is quite popular and can be played in lots of different styles. If you wish to learn to play guitar, take the time to play many different various styles of music and pay attention on the varying guitar tunes. Some kinds of music can have more emphasis on each given musician’s guitar style. There will be intervals within a musical composition in which the distinctive tones and methods of a musician is carried out focusing the mix. The rest of the music players are going to take a background stand.

To learn to play the guitar music well, one should tune in to a number of completely different music artists, music groups and variations.

It is possible to learn to play guitar through learning tutorials on-line. Select one or two that will be at your own musical skill range. Additionally, watch distinctive choices to look for one that meets your learning style. The fantastic thing about learning online is you can slow the speed to your speed of learning.

If you would like more details concerning guitar lessons for beginners then you should check this link out. You may also find out about how to play guitar right here at this site.

Technorati Tags: Blues Guitar, education, Entertainment, guitar, improvement, instructional, instrument, jazz, music, musicians, self

Doc Watson, and many other blues grass style (which means guitarists who utilize a plectrum instead of finger picking) frequently use thicker, medium gauge guitar strings, usually 80-20 bronze, or phosphor bronze. It’s considered that phosphor bronze gives a more sustained tone and additionally last for a longer time, as phosphor bronze is resists oil and moisture from the hands. It’s an excellent idea to clean the strings after each play, but it’s not hard to forget.

As with all things, there are advantages and disadvantages for various types of string, and the various gauges. This can also affected by your performing style (light or heavy), picking method and if you wear picks or not. A guitarist who finger picks with steel or plastic picks will understand that strings suffer such a thrashing that they have less tone, or snap before too long and need replacing frequently.

Guitarists wearing picks, or other players using a heavy feel will also need to increase the action on their guitar, if they don’t want the strings to make noises as they oscillate close to the frets. Acoustic guitar strings aren’t as skinny as for electric, and there has to be a compromise of thickness versus comfortable use. Acoustic guitar lessons frequently include techniques such as vibrato or bending the strings in order to change the note a quarter tone or maybe more – this can be quite hard when applying chords in proximity to the guitar nut.

Heavier gauges have the advantage of not moving overmuch, and also not moving out of tune if depressed too much between the frets, which can warp the string such that the note varies slightly. All thicknesses stay in tune generally well, if using a decent quality instrument, but thinner gauges may be affected more by temperature and moisture in the air.

Blues guitar tabs don’t ordinarily refer to string thickness, but leaves it to the preference of the musician. It’s useful to listen to the old disks, and to search out old film clips of the original performers if possible, to attempt to determine which gauge string they were using. Naturally, this would have had an effect on their picking technique (and yours!) Thinner gauge strings by and large go from .054 to 0.011 of an inch, and mediums range 0.056 to 0.013. It’s possible to find custom string sets, like the Blue Grass pack, having a bass E of 0.056 inch (which is medium gauge), and a light gauge high E string which is 0.011 or 0.012 inch. Blues guitar players often use the lighter gauge strings.

Want to find out more about blues guitar tabs, then visit Jim Bruce’s site on how to choose the best blues guitar lessons.

Technorati Tags: Blues Guitar, blues guitar lessons, guitar, Guitar Lessons, music lessons

We probably have a plan for you if you are interested in constructing a classical or an acoustic guitar. Our comprehensive library of plans keeps on growing and we offer a wide selection for you to choose from.

David is our designer and implementation expert for all of our documents. He has been involved with teaching, constructing and repair of guitars for over 40 years and has developed plans that meet and exceed the need of the instrument builder.

Architecturally Based:

David is a registered architect and he has led an architectural firm since 1982. He experience is very wide-spread, working with Fortune 500 companies and designing many award-winning projects.

His architectural skills additionally translate to the CAD systems, with which he as dominated this market since 1988, when he first decided to take the plunge into electronic documentation. He has given classes and seminars on working efficiently with CAD systems and his plans are held in high regard.

His talent for both music and CAD have led him to the crossroads of bringing the best documented plans for luthiers that are available in today’s market. You will find that these full sized documents are well illustrated with detail, notes and dimensions that will arm you with the necessary information to make some notable instruments.

Designing and documenting a guitar utilizes the same processes as does a fine home, commercial building or fine furniture. In is the processes of transferring what you see in your minds eye down to paper.

Specialized Tools That Are Needed:

Additionally there are many handy specialized luthier tools that will make your building attain greater accuracy and repeatability. David has developed his set of tools into down-loadable plan format for your convenience as well.

You will find plans that include heated and unheated side benders, all sizes of inside forms and work boards, jigs for gluing, cutting, routing and nearly everything needed of some of the most demanding building operations.

Looking Down The Road For Our Plans:

Right now, we have focused on classical and, acoustic guitars and all the neat little tools that can be used to make your building life a great deal easier. We have plans to not only continue to develop classical and acoustic plan options, but also we will be developing a line of electric guitar plans and then offering plans for other stringed instruments such as, dulcimers, ukuleles, mandolins and more.

Acoustic Plans We Offer:

All plans consist of 4 sheets with the following data:

Main Guitar Layout, Building Notes, Details and Bracing Notes.

Sections: – Both Lateral and Longitudinal, Neck joint Details and Neck Sections.

Back Plate Layout, Including Bracing. Back Bracing Templates.

Bracing Layouts for Top Bracing, Bridge Details and Reinforcement Diagrams.

Here is a partial listing of Acoustic Plans that we have available:

The Dreadnought

The Dreadnought is a very popular model. It was named after a large class of battle ship of the British Navy during WWI. C.F. Martin rolled out the Dreadnought in 1931. This shape is the premier flat-picking and finger-style combination.

Body Type: Dreadnought (similar to Martin D-28), Body Dimensions: 20.3″ x 15.6″ x 4.75″, Scale: 25.4″, Frets: 14 to the body, 21 total, Bracing: Traditional X.

000 Concert or Parlor Style

The 000 Concert or Parlor Model was introduced by Martin as well and it is a outstanding, well-balanced little instrument that is awesome for flat-picking and finger-style picking.

Body Type: 000 (Similar to Martin 000 Parlor), Scale: 25.4″, Frets: 14 to body 21 total, Body Dimensions: 18.875″ x 14.22″ x 4.125″, Bracing: Traditional X,

J45 True Vintage:

Gibson first introduced this guitar back in the 1940′s as their response to the popularity of the dreadnought guitar by Martin. Still being known as a dreadnought, this shape is more well known as the ’round-shouldered’ dreadnought and makes for a fantastic flat-picking or finger-style guitar.

Body Type: Round-Shouldered Acoustic, Body Dimensions: 20.187″ x 16.09″ x 4.85″, Bracing: Traditional X (Scalloped Bracing Alternate), Scale: 25.4″, Frets: 14 to the body, 21 total.

The Grand Auditorium:

This has also been a very popular plan as it resembles the very popular Taylor Grand Auditorium. Also, you will find that the Martin J series is very close to this footprint. These big voiced instruments can be even further enhanced by variations in tone-wood and bracing selections.

Body Type: Grand Auditorium Grand J, Body Dimensions: 19.78″ x 16.09″ x 4.85″, Bracing: Traditional X, Scale: 25.4″, Frets: 14 to the body, 21 total.

The Jumbo, J200 or JM

This is probably about the biggest body that you will be able to find. Gibson, Martin and Taylor each have their own versions of the wonderful instrument. Probably it is most popularized by the Granddaddy of them all the Gibson J200. Again, the tone can be greatly colored by wood selection from warm with a Walnut to loud and bright with the Rosewoods.

Body Type: Jumbo, Frets: 14 to the body, Bracing: Traditional X, Scale: 25.4″, 21 total, Body Dimensions: 20.95″ x 17.05″ x 5.2″.

Additional Plans That Are Available:

000-28VS Jumbo 12 String Grand Auditorium 12 String HD-28VS

Available Classical Plans:

Virtually every grand classic guitar is based on the original concert classical that was developed by Antonio De Torres in the 1850′s. These plans follow this form as well. Four bracing patterns are available to choose from, which will give you wide ranging tone and volume. Available Classical Guitar Plans are:

Ramirez Bracing Bouchet Bracing Kasha Schneider Bracing Classic Torres Bracing

For more information on all of our great guitar plans, visit Guitar Plans. Also to learn a lot more about your guitar be sure to visit our informative site Ultimate Guitar OnLine.

Technorati Tags: Acoustic Guitar, acoustic guitar plans, classical guitar plans, guitar, guitar building plans, guitar plans, hobbies, music and entertainment

There won’t be too many budding guitarists who watch a blues man play a tear jerking riff on the guitar and not wish it that it were him playing that cool stuff. There’s something very cool attached to it that transcends the actual technique. music doesn’t have to be super complex or showy – Lightnin’ Hopkins could play a simple bass pattern that could make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. The first thing we have to do is choose which style of blues guitar we’d would like to play. This is crucial – you have a lot of practice ahead of you, and you need to be passionate about the music.

When you mention ‘ blues guitar ‘, different ideas will occur to different people, depending on their generation and personality. For some, the blues guitar of Buddy Guy and Stevie Ray Vaughan is the goal. Other people are looking for the truth of the classic acoustic blues. For the purposes of this discussion, I’ll gather all the electric styles into one category and just call it ‘ electric ‘ , as I’m really just interested in the foundation of all electric blues, acoustic blues guitar. What are the various styles of classic acoustic and how could we differentiate between? We might do this according to technique, sound or location. In Truth, location appears to have had quite an effect on the regional styles, probably due to the fact that musicians exchanged ideas from each other. This is how regional styles developed.

The Delta Blues Guitar Sound. It’s supposed that this is the place where it all began, though it probably originated in several areas at about the same time. Certainly, quite a few talented blues men traveled North to ply their trade in cities such as Chicago and Detroit when they realized that they could get paid without laboring fifteen hours a day in the fields. The first acoustic songs by Muddy Waters (Walkin’ Blues) is testimony to this basic mississippi technique By the way, Muddy insisted that he was singing his version of Walkin’ before Robert Johnson.

Delta blues guitar can be described as quite simple, often basic and intensely emotional. The slide style of playing guitar was perfect for the delta. The weather was often hot with high humidity, which played havoc with a wooden instrument’s tuning. Slide songs played in open G or D were easier to keep in tune, and additionally it was easy to adjust for tuning errors by moving the slide around. Songs from mississippi delta picked in normal tuning were more often in the Keys of E and A, and used a monotonic bass pattern. The picking patterns were quite simple but powerful. Artists to research are Robert Johnson, Son House, Muddy Waters and Fred McDowell.

The lone star state has always produced a continuous stream of blues men. In the days of the classic blues, some notable players originating from Texas formed a distinctive musical style. A giant singer, Lightnin’ Hopkins, played most often, using a monotonic bass style. However, his picking thumb could move quickly and he was more inventive than the players in the South. Lightnin’ penned many slow temp blues songs in E, but could readily raise the tempo for folks that wanted to dance a while. In his hay day, he easily packed the local halls and recorded often. However, after being ripped off by a recording studio, he always insisted on being paid before any session. Listen to the music of Mance Lipscomb, another legend from the area.

For some reason, certain regions produced a plethora of remarkable blues men, as was the case in the state of South Carolina. Much of the music seems to be a crossover between Texas blues and complicated ragtime guitar, but that description is a little too simple. Several such as Pink Anderson and Willie Walker were very comfortable with the true alternating bass line normally with ragtime blues, but others, like Floyd Council, might break out of the pattern whenever he wanted to accent certain musical phrases in his songs. It’s clear that these guitarists learned from each other, and we can identify similar patterns in the work of Blind Boy Fuller, Floyd and Gary Davis. All of these blues men were known to one another. Scrapper Blackwell penned some great examples of amazing songs with clever and attractive words.

Perhaps the most complex style of all, the top performers were true masters of the technique. Ragtime guitar songs generally have chord structures around the keys of G and C, and featuring 6 or 7 chord changes rather than the three or four associated with delta type blues pieces in E or A. (There are always the exceptions to the rule!) Other features are a strong bass line alternating between 2 or 3 strings, a melody picked simultaneously on the higher strings and often lyrics punctuated by single string runs picked with thumb and finger. Probably the two supreme masters of ragtime blues were Arthur Blake and Reverend Gary Davis. Blake’s bass picking was incredibly, often doubling up on the tempo and rolling his picking thumb from one bass string to the next, creating a very rhythmic effect. Reverend could truly play any style – blues, gospel and ragtime blues.

Some artists, like as Big Bill Broonzy, played a monotic bass picking pattern, but was much more diverse than most Mississippi blues men. He would play Tin Pan Alley type songs, ballads, and often move over into jazz and ragtime in his approach. Broonzy developed a style we might call Chicago swing.

Learn more about the blues. Stop by Jim Bruce’s site where you can find out all about theblues.

Technorati Tags: Blues Guitar, blues guitar lessons, blues music, the blues

Back in the sixties there were not a lot of very good acoustic blues guitarists around. American students of the old acoustic guitar music had found all the living blues masters and copied their techniques, writing it down on paper as they went. Guitar players like Stefan Grossman and others did a great service to future guitarists by putting together a simple tablature system for other guitarists to follow. It really cut corners – in place of listening to the old blues and trying to figure out where to put your fingers, it was written out, and accelerated the learning activity.

Very shortly, many guitarists were taking on the most complex ragtime arrangements, and finger picking became more and more complex, with players using a thumb, two, three and sometimes all fingers to finger pick! How did this situation originate? Maybe in an attempt to copy the techniques of the old guitarists such as Blind Arthur Blake and Gary Davis, more fingers were brought into use. It was a shortcut, and meant that 1 finger needn’t move so fast, which was how the old guys played, its not quite that easy. Even when the picking is correct technically speaking, there is frequently a certain thing lacking in modern performances – a delicate change in the tempo and that elusive feeling that talks to the listener. One finger passing quickly over the strings gives a particular emphasis to the beat, which cannot be imitated with more fingers. Also, the bass strike changes it’s attack and force when several fingers are used.

The quest for technical complexity can be the Holy Grail for guitar players, but it’s a mistake to look at it this way. Few guitarists can match the power of the classic blues men,just because the basic techniques are not solid enough. There are no easy paths to the strength of the blues. Listen to the bass lines of guitarists like Big Bill Broonzy, Gary Davis and Lightnin Hopkins. Lightnin’ could strike just 1 bass note and make your spine tingle. It isn’t the complicated proficiency that makes the blues, but the feeling and strength behind it.

Learning how to play blues guitar is a two pronged battle. First off, we need to train our motor skills to competently perform the music. When we know where our fingers should go, its basically a case of playing over and over again for many hours a week. It is that an expert player has approximately 10 000 hours of practice time to his credit. Tommy Emmanuel once estimated that he had played around 100 000 hours in his life, which adds up to about 5 hours a day, every day! Guitar players often say that improvement arrives in levels – you stick at one level of competence for a lengthy period, and then it seems as though you jump to the next. Naturally, the progress is because of regular practice.

We have all watched excellent guitarists perform and been totally bored after 5 mins, just because there is no feeling – it just doesn’t say anything. Every now and again, technical ability and feeling will come together in a certain guitarist, and then we hear magic. Naturally, everything is relative, and playing the guitar is the same. Even though Clapton is thought to be a genius, his acoustic blues picking style appears very basic when compared to Tommy Emmanuel, who can really play anything. Sometimes we feel completely blocked and need something to lift us over the ‘wall’. Often, the blockage is strictly in our minds. An old playing partner of mine left the district for over a year, and we spoke on the telephone now and again. One time he told me he had learned how to play ‘Police Dog Blues’ by Blind Blake, which is a formidable song to play correctly. Up until that point, I couldn’t play it. My old friend was always a slightly guitarist, and I was really competitive, and so within one week I learned how to play it. When he returned, I let him know that I could also play Blake’s ‘Police Dog Blues’ as well. He let out a laugh and exclaimed, “I can’t play it at all – too tough. I was only having fun with you.” That’s a great blues lesson right there.

Looking to find the best lessons for acoustic blues guitar, then visit www.youtube.com to find the best advice about how to play acoustic blues guitar.

Technorati Tags: acoustic blues guitar, Blues Guitar, guitar, Guitar Lessons, music lessons