Each month I will be providing you some guitar playing tips that will help you become a better guitar player.  Although the tips may be short, they are very powerful and I strongly encourage you to read them over several times and begin using them.

Let’s get started!

Guitar Playing Tip #1 – “Have More Than One Pickup On Your Guitar? Which Pickup Should You Use?”

There is more to picking than just gripping the pick between your fingers and using it to strike the strings. Picking technique includes an enormous amount of different skills that must be studied, practiced, refined and mastered in order to truly get the benefits of exceptional picking.

Most electric guitars have more than one pickup. If you haven’t experimented with using the other pickups on your guitar then you are missing out. Many guitar players get stuck using only the pickup closest to the bridge because it produces a bright and powerful sound. Try switching to the neck pickup sometimes and listen to how it sounds. What you will find is that it is a mellower and smoother tone.

The trick is to not focus on deciding to use one or the other. You should experiment using the neck pickup for different parts of a song your playing or when you’re practicing so that it becomes another option for you to use.

For guitars with 3 pickups, the center pickup will produce a sound that is a little brighter than the neck pickup but mellower than the bridge pickup. Typically, guitars with 3 pickups will have a 5 way selector switch. This will allow you to switch not only between the 3 pickups but also to blend the bridge and neck pickups with the middle pickup.

Experiment with your different pickups using a clean tone and a distorted tone. Listen to what they sound like with the volume on your guitar turned down a little. Make a note of the sounds that catch your attention and start to use those in your playing.

Have fun!

Guitar Playing Tip #2 – “When to Use Bar Chords, Power Chords or Open Chords”

You may find yourself wondering when to use a bar chord, a power chord or an open chord? The answer to this question depends on many factors. Too many to go into here. But the following tips will help you get started in the right direction when faced with this question.

One reason you may decide to se a bar chord or a power chord instead of an open chord is based on your hands location on the fretboard. If the chord your are coming from, or going to next,  is located higher up the fretboard (in pitch) then playing an open chord around the first or second fret may not be practical. It’s easier to get to the chords if they are located close to one another.

However, this shouldn’t be your only reason for deciding to play a chord as a bar chord or an open chord. The sound of the chord is a very important factor in your decision.

Sound: “Open Chords” have a big sound because some of the strings of the chard being played are open. This allows the string to vibrate easier and louder than a fretted string. “Power Chords” typically use just 2 strings so they will not sound as big as a “Bar Chord” that is using 5-6 strings.

Which one you use depends on the song you are playing or the sound you are after. Many times you may not want the higher sounding strings of a bar chord so instead you can play a power chord that focuses on the 2 lower sounding notes of the chord. You may decide to use an open chord instead of a bar chord or power chord because you want that big, open sound instead of a more focused sound that you will get from a bar chord or power chord.

Experiment with each type of chord and see which one sounds right for the music you are playing at the time. Keep an open mind.
 

Guitar Playing Tip #3 – “Giving Your Guitar Playing The Thumbs Up”

Where you place your thumb on your guitar neck is extremely important. Let it hang over the top and you might not be able to play some chords well. You will also find it difficult, or impossible, to stretch your fingers wide enough to play certain things. However, if you have it placed on the back of the neck then you will not be able to execute bends very well or perform other techniques.

So how do you determine where to put your thumb? 
 
At first, you should be learning to place your thumb on the back of the neck instead of hooking it over the top. This will help to minimize issues when learning to fret a chord or play single notes. It will help you prevent muting stings with your fret hand fingers when learning to play chords.

Try this: Play one of the following chords and allow your thumb to hook over the top of the fretboard: G, C or Am

Look closely at your fingers and see if they are touching strings other than the ones they are playing. Notice how the fingers are just sort of laying down over the strings. Many times they will mute the adjacent string and make it sound dead.

Now slide your thumb down to the middle of the back of the neck and notice how the fingers curl around and down onto the strings instead of lying down across the other strings. If your chords are not sounding the way they should, this is one of the first things you should check.

If you live in Michigan and would like to learn more about lessons and Vivrette Guitar Academy just contact me here!

However, it’s not always easy to keep it a surprised when you have to find the right teacher, find one that offers a guitar lesson gift package, coordinate purchasing the lessons and then schedule the day and time of the lessons to fit the gift recipient’s schedule.

I have just what you are looking for!

My “Guitar Lessons Gift Package” includes 4 one hour private lessons with me at my studio and can be stretched out for several months if needed. This will allow the gift recipient to schedule a lesson each week, every other week, and every 3 weeks or whenever they want!

So instead of trying to set a day and time for each week for the next 4 weeks and trying to keep the gift a secret, the person receiving the gift can contact me after they receive the gift and we can work around a flexible schedule for their lessons *.

And so you know you’re giving a very high quality gift, my lessons are not cookie cutter lessons. Each student’s lesson plan is carefully designed by me to achieve the results the student desires. I have many different programs designed to for each students needs and achieve the desired results they want.

But don’t take my word for it; just listen to what some of my students are saying about their lesson experience at Vivrette Guitar Academy!

Also, during the 4 lesson period, the gift recipient will also have access to other programs that are offered exclusively to current Vivrette Guitar Academy students! These programs are not available to the public and are not advertised on my website.

This very affordable and flexible schedule gift package is offered at a discounted tuition fee.

Only $180!**

* Scheduling is based on available days and times.
** Discounted tuition fee available to new students only.
*** No Refunds - Lessons cancellation considered as credit used.

Each month I will be providing you some guitar playing tips that will help you become a better guitar player.  Although the tips may be short, they are very powerful and I strongly encourage you to read them over several times and begin using them.

Let’s get started!

Guitar Playing Tip #1 – “Which Pic To Pick?”

There is more to picking than just gripping the pic between your fingers and using it to strike the strings. Picking technique includes an enormous amount of different skills that must be studied, practiced, refined and mastered in order to truly get the benefits of exceptional picking.

The way you pick, as well as the type of pic you use, not only has an effect on your ability to execute something on your guitar, it also changes the tone of your guitar. In order to get the desired result from your picking technique, you need to use the correct pic. Most people decide to use a thin pic to compensate for poor picking technique because they believe a thin pic will offer less resistance when picking and will make it easier to pick the strings.

This is far from being the solution to their problem!

Having the pic glide effortlessly through the strings while still producing a good, solid, controlled tone requires a thick, rigid pic and proper technique. In fact, the thicker the pic the easier it is to produce a good tone. Most people will choose a pic based on the description “Thin-Medium-Heavy”. If this is you, then you should select a “Heavy” pic. For those of you that select pic thickness using millimeters, I suggest 1.0mm or more.

This may seem thick at first but as you learn correct picking technique, it will not feel thick at all. I have recently switched to a pic that is 2.5mm thick and I am getting the best guitar tones in my life!

Pick up some thick pics today and give yourself time to get used to it. Experiment with different shapes and materials and see which one works best for you.

Guitar Playing Tip #2 – “Making Your Guitar Play The Way It Should”

You may find this hard to believe, but if you were to ask me what the first thing you should do after buying a brand new $3000 guitar, I would tell you to take it straight to a qualified guitar mechanic on your way home from the guitar shop and have him set it up. I know that sounds crazy. But almost every guitar that comes from the factory is not set-up to play its best.

Usually the action (height from string to fret) is way too high, the nut is not the right height, the intonation is off, the frets are not level and there could even be unseen problems with the guitar that need to be addressed. A qualified guitar mechanic (Luthier) will be able to take care of this for you and it worth every penny!

A “Luthier” is an expert in the field of guitar repair and modifications. Not every person that claims to be an expert guitar repair person is a “Luthier”. In fact, they make up a small percentage of the number of people that really just work on guitars. I have a very good Luthier that I take my guitars too and that I recommend my students too.

That new guitar of yours will play better than you could ever imagine after taking it to a Luthier. It really does make that much of a difference.

Taking your current guitar to a Luthier for a set-up should be part of your regular maintenance. How many times per year you need to take it for a set-up depends on a lot of things. But I would suggest you take it for a set-up at least twice a year. Changing weather and temperatures can dramatically affect the way your guitar plays.

When doing a “set-up”, the luthier will do things like:
Adjust the action
Level and crown the frets
Adjust the intonation
Adjust the nut height
Adjust the neck relief
and more…

Some of these terms may have went right over your head and that’s even more of a reason for you to take your guitar to a Lutheir so he can make your guitar play the way it should. Playing your guitar will be much more fun; it will stay in tune better and sound better. Make an appointment with your Luthier today!

Guitar Playing Tip #3 – “When You’re Not Sure if a Chord Is Major or Minor”

So you’re playing with a group of other musicians and you’re trying to just improvise or play through a song and you’re not really familiar with the chord changes. You may not know if a chord being played is supposed to be a “major chord” or a “minor chord”.

So how do you pull this off when there’s no time to stop and talk?

Play “Power Chords”!

Power chords are not major or minor because they don’t contain the “third” of the chord. The third of the chord is what defines it as major or minor. When you play a power chord you are playing a chord that contains a root (or first) and a fifth and no third. This will let you play an “A” power chord over a chord that is minor or major and still sound good.

This will get you through the song without sounding like an amateur. Even if you are an amateur!

Well that’s it for this month!

If you would like to find out how you can take guitar lessons and Vivrette Guitar Academy and learn more about these topics and more, just contact me here!

Each month I will be providing you some guitar playing tips that will help you become a better guitar player.  Although the tips may be short, they are very powerful and I strongly encourage you to read them over several times and begin using them.

Lets get started!

Guitar Playing Tip #1 – “Get Rid Of the Death Grip”

Do you find your fretting hand getting tired, cramped up or sore after playing your guitar for a while? If so, one very common cause of this is you are gripping the neck too tight.

By loosening your grip you will be able to perform chord changes much quicker as well as any other singly note changes. Experiment a little with your grip and you will find that most things take very little pressure to execute. Let your thumb gently rest on the back of the neck. Focus on relaxing and breathing while you play.

This will help a lot with eliminating the excessive tension that is causing your hand to hurt.

Guitar Playing Tip #2 – “Visualize Playing the Hard Parts”

Visualization techniques have been used for thousands of years for many different situations. By visualizing yourself doing something, you are, in essence, programming your mind to tell your body what to do before it actually happens.

This is the core principal of “Muscle Memory” in that your mind must be programmed to know exactly what movements your fingers will need to make to play something. Notice I said “your mind” and not “your fingers”.  Train your mind and the fingers will follow.

Guitar Playing Tip #3 – “Own That Thing”

I have noticed drastic improvements in my own playing by just changing my attitude. If I am feeling defeated and like I just can’t play what I want, my playing reflects this attitude. If I have the attitude of “this guitar is mine and what I want to play is within my grasp, I just have to go and get it”, then my playing reflects this attitude.

I notice that I instantly play better, play stronger and am able to do things I wasn’t before when I have this attitude. It’s totally a mental thing. But so is most everything we do in life. Why is it that a start athlete can do so well one day and so bad on another day even thought the circumstances had not changed? Attitude!  The stars that rise to the occasion and “own that thing” just do better. You can do it as well!

Well that’s it for this month!

If you would like to find out how you can take guitar lessons and Vivrette Guitar Academy just contact me here!

In fact, you may find it surprising that I don’t practice my guitar as much as I know I should at times for the very same reasons as you!

Tell me if this scenario sounds familiar to you:
You look over at your guitar sitting there on it’s stand, leaning up against the wall, laying on the floor…. Where ever you keep your guitar. You want to play it and you know you need to practice but you just don’t feel like it.

But what if you knew you could play anything you wanted on your guitar?

What if you could play everything you ever dreamed of playing on your guitar with no problem? What if you could just walk over, pick it up and play anything you wanted? Would you play it more then?

Of course you would!!

So the biggest reason we don’t play or practice our guitars as much as we want to or should is not because we don’t want to play guitar. It’s because we can’t play the things we want to play and it frustrates us. Am I right? I’ll answer that question for you.

“Yes Jeff, you are right”!

I’m glad you agree.

I went through the very same issue when I was first learning to play guitar. And like I said before, I still go through this at times. The difference now for me is that I know how to get beyond that feeling. I know that as long as I practice my guitar, I will get better at the things that I’m not as good as I want to be right now.

Here is what you need to do TODAY! Write this down…..

I want to play guitar.
I want to play anything I want on the guitar.
I want to do this because it’s a blast!
So starting today, I will pick up my guitar and practice even if I don’t feel like it.
I will do this because I know every time I practice my guitar; I will get closer and closer to being able to play the way I want too.
I will do this because I know I really want to do this and nobody can stop me but myself.
I will do this because I want to experience how awesome it feels to be able to play the way I want to!

OK…. Now that you read the above statement, do like I asked you to do in the first place and WRITE IT DOWN!

Place it somewhere that you can see it and read it every day.

If (and the word “if” is the biggest word in the world) you do this, I guarantee you the following will happen:

1) You WILL start practicing your guitar more.
2) You WILL get better every time you do practice.
3) You WILL start seeing yourself get better every time.
4) You WILL notice that you are able to play more of the things you want to play.
5) You WILL want to practice more.
6) You WILL enjoy playing and practicing your guitar more.
7) You WILL have a blast playing your guitar.
8) You WILL start to realize you can play anything you want to with practice.

So, I dare you…. I double dare you to try this for 2 weeks. Just 2 weeks!

Are you up to the challenge?

I’ll see you again soon. I’m going to play almost anything I want to on my guitar and have a blast knowing I’m getting closer to being able to play anything I want to!

If this sounds like you then don’t wait another minute! Contact me now to find out how I can help you play guitar the way you’ve always dreamed of!

Tip #1: “Minimize TV Time”
For many people, watching television consumes much more time than they realize. It is so easy to burn up an hour just sitting around watching a show or two. For many people this hour turns into 3 or 4 hours. Instead of spending so much time watching television, watch a little less TV and invest this time towards becoming the guitar player you would like to be.

Try this for 1 week: Keep track of every minute you spend watching TV. Write it down. Even if it is only 3 minutes. At the end of the week, I think you will be amazed how much time you spend watching TV

Tip #2: “Minimize Text Time, Facebook Time, Youtube Time etc.”
Just like the example above, people spend a huge amount of time on the internet or talking and texting on their phones. This can chew up the good part of an entire afternoon or evening!

Try this for 1 week: Keep track of every minute you spend on the internet and/or the phone. Write it down. At the end of the week, I know for certain you will be amazed how much time you spend doing these activities.

Tip #3: “Minimize Playing Video Games”
I have a son and I know how easy it is to get caught up in playing a game. Before you know it an hour or two has flown by.

Try this for 1 week: Keep track of every minute you spend playing video games. Write it down. At the end of the week take a look at how much time you spend playing video games. It may surprise you!

Instead of spending so much time on these activities, make the decision to take some of that time and invest it into your guitar playing. I’m certain that you will find that you have 30-60 minutes more several days a week to practice that you didn’t think you had before. And you can do this without giving up on the other things. Just don’t let those things steal your time!

Time is the most precious thing you have. You can never get it back.

Start doing this right now and I guarantee you will see major improvements in your guitar playing very quickly!

If you would like to learn how you can learn to play guitar with a limited schedule then contact me right away at Vivrette Guitar Academy.

The origins of the guitar can be traced back as much as 4000 years.

The oldest known iconographic representation of an instrument displaying the essential features of a guitar is a 3,300 year old stone carving of a Hittite bard.

The modern word, guitar, was adopted into English from Spanish guitarra.

The guitar is descended from the Roman cithara brought by the Romans to Hispania around 40 AD.

The 12 string guitar usually has steel strings and rather than having only six strings, the 12-string guitar has six courses made up of two strings each. The highest two courses are tuned in unison, while the others are tuned in octaves.

The guitarrón is a very large, deep-bodied Mexican 6-string acoustic bass played in mariachi bands. It is fretless with heavy gauge nylon strings.

Electric guitars can have solid, semi-hollow, or hollow bodies.

The first guitarist of note to use a seven-string guitar was jazz guitarist George Van Eps, and that Solid body seven-strings were popularized when Ibanez Guitars released the Ibanez Universe guitar, endorsed by Steve Vai.

In 1982 Uli Jon Roth (Original guitarist for the Scorpion’s) developed the “Sky Guitar”, with a vastly extended amount of frets. It was the first guitar to venture into the upper registers of the violin. Roth’s 7-string and 33 fret “Mighty Wing” guitar features an altogether 6-octave range!

The guitar is a transposing instrument. Its pitch sounds one octave lower than it is notated on a score.

Eric Clapton’s favorite guitar (named “Blackie) was at one time the most expensive guitar ever sold. It was bought for $950,000 USD in 2004 by a guitar archaeologist. It became the 2nd most expensive guitar in the world when its predecessor sold at an auction in Doha, Qatar on November 16th, 2005 for $1 million dollars! The Strat was signed by several rock musicians to benefit a tsunami charity, ‘Reach out to Asia’. It was bought by Qatar’s royal family for a million US dollars and donated back to the Asia Program, bringing in $2.7 million US dollars at the more recent auction. In all, the guitar has generated a total of $3.7 million US dollars, making it the most expensive guitar yet.

So after all this, I must ask….. Why haven’t YOU decided to get started playing guitar!?

Are you going to wait for another 4,000 years to pass before fulfilling that desire you have had to learn how to play this awesome instrument?

Don’t wait another minute! Contact me now to find out how you can begin learning to play guitar.

Science Daily  reported in 2006 that researchers found that children that took music lessons showed different brain development and improved memory over the course of a year compared to children who do not receive musical training. In 2009 they reported that, according to a study published in the journal Psychology of Music, children exposed to a multi-year program of music involving training in increasingly complex rhythmic, tonal, and practical skills displayed superior cognitive performance in reading skills compared with their non-musically trained peers.

Other reports show that children also become adjusted better socially, which can also greatly benefit them in school.

With so much of your hard earned money and time being spent towards helping your child get a good education, why not invest in something that has science to back it up?

You can help your child improve their grades, perform better in class, be better prepared when they go to college and have fun learning to play guitar, all at the same time!

They don’t even have to know that your motives are purely educational. You could just let them believe you wanted to do something nice for them by signing them up for guitar lessons. It’s a win-win situation!

With the school year starting up, don’t you want to give your son or daughter ever advantage possible?

Then don’t wait any longer!

Contact me right away to find out how to get your child started learning to play guitar and improving their grades!

Les Paul was born on June 9, 1915 and made his first attempt at making an electric guitar at the age of 13. By 1929, he was playing a prototype of his electric guitar.

Les Paul was also famous for inventing the multi-track recorder that enabled musicians to record on more than one track of music. He also invented the “Tape Echo” machine.

Les remained an active player into his 90’s.

He will be missed and I will always be grateful for having owned a piece of Leas Paul history myself since 1979. A Gibson “Les Paul K.M. Model” made in Kalamazoo, Michigan when the Gibson factory was located there.

Rest in peace Les – I’m sure your making beautiful music in heaven right now.

Your child will study with a competent teacher and have fun while learning to play guitar in a group setting!

This is your opportunity to have your child study with a competent, experienced guitar teacher for a very affordable tuition fee!

Your child’s lessons will be both fun and educational as they learn to play guitar. Teenagers will find that it’s much more fun to learn to play a real guitar instead of Guitar Hero!

Lesson slots are limited and will be filled on a first come-first serve basis. So don’t wait!
Contact me right away!

I look forward to helping your child discover the wonderful world of music!

Jeff Vivrette
“Vivrette Guitar Academy”