Ravi Singh, Author at Guitar Confidence

Tips on How to Play the Guitar While Singing Along

November 3, 2019 by Ravi Singh Leave a Comment

It is no secret that singing and playing guitar at the same time is a much-coveted skill. Nonetheless, many guitarists will attest to the fact that much of it remains a mystery. Notably, a good sense of timing and the ability to keep up with the rhythm is essential. That is similar to having the aptitude to synchronize two different actions. However, all this can be mastered just like everything else you learn about playing the guitar. For a beginner, it would be best to learn how to play guitar and before practicing how to play and sing simultaneously. Otherwise, you can use the following tips to obtain proficiency.

Master the guitar part

When learning to play along with a song, get to grips with the guitar part first. This includes listening to the tuned of the song and possibly trying to play along with the original recording. Of course, you can be able to notice the guitar tunes in a song as an instrumentalist. That will give you a good sense of when chord switches and when to strum in harmony with the lyrics. In case you struggle with any particular part, work on it until you get it right.

Start with a simple song

It is vital to start with a simple song regardless of whether or not you are an experienced guitarist. Do not forget that the main aim is building up the ability to multitask and not trying to prove that you are a superhuman. Playing a hard song on guitar while singing along will prove futile at the start. Instead, choose a song with three or four chords. Know the song in terms of where the specific chords appear. In a nutshell, try getting familiar with the melody and inflections. Sing over the record and practice as many times as possible.

Practice with a metronome

To have better timing and rhythm, it will be best to practice using the metronome. Even though it may feel a bit deterring, the metronome will make you a more consistent player. This instrument provides a steady beat that helps a guitar player keep up with the rhythm timings of a song as you play. Spending ten minutes every day practicing a simple strumming pattern with a metronome will be helpful to master the beats. You will notice significant advances in your timing within a few weeks.

Know the syllables when the chords switch

Discover when certain syllables of a word are sung and play the correct notes. This is part of what it takes to learn how to play the guitar and sing at the same time. It mainly includes listening to the song severally and noticing different syllables in each word. Syllables are distinctive sounds that create words phonetically. Knowing the exact syllables in the lyrics helps in playing along with the chords in a song.

Hum the vocal melody while you play guitar

You can ease the process of singing and playing the guitar by humming the melody of a song. It will make you focus more on the notes and individual chords and play along with them more easily. Also, it makes you memorize the melody more so that you can freely and perfectly play along with the tone.

How to Structure Your Child’s Guitar Practice to Make Practicing More Feasible

October 20, 2019 by Ravi Singh Leave a Comment

Playing the guitar offers a life-time full of fun and learning. Children also benefit from learning how to play the guitar. Playing the guitar while young enhances the development of cognition skills. That can be carried over to school plus achieving greater success in other aspects of a child’s life. However, some parents fail to create a feasible guitar-practicing timetable. Consequently, this makes it hard for children to enjoy practicing how to play the guitar. In this article, we aim to help parents with the best approaches to ensuring that children remain motivated and focused while practicing.

Start with the basics

This will start with choosing the right guitar for your child. The market has a variety of guitar sizes to fit smaller bodies. For instance, quarter size, half size, and three quarter size guitars are a great match for children between the ages of four to eleven years. Full size may be suitable for children above the age of twelve years. Notably, getting the wrong guitar size may cause pain in the hands and arms. That may lead to significant frustration and the child will start avoiding the guitar practice sessions.

Get a teacher for your child

Getting the best guitar teacher can propel your child in developing the right attitude towards practice. Besides, teachers have a special way of making learners grasp concepts faster and swiftly than when leaning alone. The guitar teacher will understand your child’s weaknesses and strive to look for viable remedies. Be assured that lessons with a teacher will remain interesting and fun. The teacher will also choose interesting songs to keep practice vibrant and challenging songs to improve playing skills.

Motivate your child to Practice

Keeping a child motivated is one of the greatest hurdles you can ever encounter as a parent. This is a challenge that you will need to overcome for fruitful guitar practicing of a child. However, there are ploys you can use to support your child to avoid struggles and stress that can easily step in. It would be better to refrain from making your child feel as though practicing is a punishment. Encourage your child to practice as many times as possible to obtain flawlessness. More practice will help in developing dexterity, fine motor skills, and hand strength.

Timing and Length of the practice session

Children are less likely to recognize the long-term gains they will acquire from their efforts in anything they do. It would be best for a parent to remind a child about the benefits of persistence. Make the practice sessions more appropriate. Do not make the sessions too short or too long. Additionally, avoiding periods that the child is very tired will also prove to be helpful. Note that a practice session that kicks off with learning and ends with success is highly worthwhile and motivating to a child.

Make a collection of videos

One of the best and effective ways to engage kids is making short videos for learning purposes. They can easily copy the moves or recall what was learned during a lesson. You can get short videos with teachers showing simple strumming moves. This can go a long way in enhancing the practice of the right playing techniques.

Practical Tips for Guitar Beginners to Stay Focused and Inspired

September 20, 2019 by Ravi Singh Leave a Comment

For guitar beginners, the first few weeks of playing the guitar are very exciting. Learning how to play the guitar is deemed as the first step towards emulating the renowned musical icons. In addition, most beginners find it enjoyable to play their favorite jams, even though it is usually with an inconsistent rhythm. Nonetheless, the problem sets in when the first flushes of excitement and remaining focused have started fading away. This happens when one notices that they have quite a long way to go. Below are things that will open your thinking and renew your energy towards guitar playing to remain focused and inspired.

Build a Practicing Habit

This may sound like the usual cliché. However, this is the way to go! Creating a constant habit is an ultimate guide to having a regular and successful practice. Regular practice creates an addictive but effective interest that motivates one’s practice behavior. It makes a beginner want to pick up the guitar every time they have a leisure moment. It would be best to stick to the schedule even if one does not feel motivated. Having a practicing habit ensures that one does not procrastinate. With time, it will become a routine and practicing will be consistent and productive.

Set Limits

Even with a practicing schedule in place, it is prudent to set time limits. Without time limits during practicing, playing the guitar will turn into a demotivating affair especially for a beginner. That is because when playing for long sessions, one will notice flaws and varying rhythms that may put them off. Therefore, the most feasible solution is to set limits in every session. To build a good practicing habit, one can create a schedule to practice for not less than fifteen minutes each day. Setting limits helps in avoiding the likelihood of getting distracted and leaving the practice session halfway. It also facilitates maximum productivity and saves time.

Engage a Proficient Teacher

We are living in an era where one can learn how to play the guitar through online videos. In spite of this, one should consider getting a guitar teacher. Progress will be quicker and there is a high tendency to gain more experience, guidance, and skills from a teacher. A guitar teacher saves you from making regular mistakes. That propels you towards achieving your goals quicker. It is imperative to note that the teacher helps in structuring a learning process that will aid in gradual improvement.

Listen to Lots of Eminent Music

Listening to great music inspires one to pick the guitar and play along. That motivating factor has made many beginners turn into pros. Most beginners report that it reminds you why you need to start practicing – ‘to become the next Jimi Hendrix’. Listening to music while strumming the guitar helps beginners to keep their enthusiasm and learning zeal alive. It stimulates the sense of improvement when you remember that the instrumentalist was in your position at some point. This motivation and passion instilled by listening to music when playing the guitar have proven to be fruitful by many guitarists.

Five Essential Things Every Guitar Player Should Strive to Achieve to Become a Pro

September 10, 2019 by Ravi Singh Leave a Comment

Similar to other skills, prowess in playing guitar is not achieved instantaneously. Becoming a pro guitarist is a gradual process that requires one to improve continually towards gaining mastery. It is a dream of every beginner to become a professional guitarist. For most beginners, they aspire to get their bread and butter through playing the guitar. However, the music industry is not hospitable to anyone who thinks that getting to the top will be a walk in the park. To survive the music business, one must strive to distinguish themselves from thousands of instrumentalists readily available to grab any chance. For that to happen, a beginner has to consider the following essential things in their quest to master the guitar.

Be Familiar with Guitar Anatomy

It is unexpected for one to become a guitarist if they do not know the anatomy of a guitar. Remarkably, one should have the details of a guitar on their fingertips. It would be best for one to familiarize themselves with the different parts of the guitar. You should know all the parts from the bridge to the headstock. That may take some time but becoming proficient at it would imply that one is gaining mastery. Whether you are playing an acoustic or electric guitar, understand everything about the guitar. Moreover, master how to hold your guitar in the right position. This helps in enhancing and making guitar training easy and enjoyable.

Practice! Practice! Practice!

This may seem repetitive. Nevertheless, practicing remains the most essential way for anyone to improve his or her guitar-playing knack. Beginners need to practice as many times as possible. Additionally, they need to make ample time for their practicing sessions. To be effective and productive, one needs to set up a practice schedule that will translate into a disciplined habit of practicing. Learning guitar is a commitment that beginners need to take seriously to make it to a professional level.

Add Variety in a Practicing Routine

Another crucial principle for beginners is adding a variety to a practicing routine. Having the same few drills in every session is focal towards gaining skills and reinforcing chord retention. However, it is not good to foster learning experience for beginners. That implies that new techniques are important in enhancing the mastery of guitar skills. Besides, it will make a practicing routine more fun and eliminate the boredom that could make you lose interest in practicing. To slot in a variety of rhythms, chords, and strums, try playing songs from different genres. Alternatively, one can practice different styles of playing the guitar.

Participate in Live Performances

After a measurable time of practicing and learning the art of playing the guitar, find a gig. Start small with small audiences to help in learning to play in front of live audience gallantry. That will cultivate live performance skill that is essential in making one a pro. Ideally, one is able to learn mistakes and improve their performing skills. Most guitarists recommend this as the best way to become a better musician. If you do not find any other musicians to play with, play solo. Gaining performance experience is the best teacher.

Constantly Evaluate Your Progress

There is no learning experience without evaluation. Before a practicing session, write down your expected outcomes. Indicate the songs, scales, chords, and riffs you are working on. During the session, identify your flaws and struggles and the best way to solve the issues. Ask people around you for their honest opinion concerning your ability to play guitar. Take corrections and criticism positively and make necessary improvements.

How to Learn Guitar Chords Quickly and Perfectly

August 20, 2019 by Ravi Singh Leave a Comment

It is evidently clear that learning chords may be daunting at first, even if you love learning and playing the guitar. You will not become Eric Clapton or Steve Vai within a week. However, you will enhance your skills if you have the determination and zeal to become a better guitarist. Changing chords while keeping up with a steady rhythm pattern may be one of the biggest challenges to a beginner. Initially, chords will flood your brain and can you may easily forget the names and positions of all of them. If you need to learn how to play the guitar like a pro, you need to start memorizing simple chords before anything else. Below are tips that will help you learn guitar chords quickly and perfectly.

Start by Learning Guitar Chords Slowly

Most of the guitarists that play on stage and in videos play really fast. It is only human to feel compelled to practice playing your guitar fast, perhaps, because that is what everyone else seems to be doing. However, the best way to learn guitar chords is slowly, especially as a beginner. You have to teach your fingers what to do and the chord to strike before thinking about speeding things up. Playing faster will naturally come later when your brain and fingers know what they are doing. Appreciate the fact that you can only run when you learn how to walk.

Do not Neglect the Difficult Chords

Often, playing some chords is difficult than others are. Nonetheless, it would be best not to shun the hard chords because they are a pain to learn. Even though it can be frustrating, spend more time on them. Practice these regularly and the musical doors will open to a lot more songs and some impressive playing. Believe you me; you will not regret it practising the “hard” chords. The best gold must endure the hottest furnace!

Print out chord diagrams

Chord diagrams display exactly where you should put your fingers and what fingers to use. In addition, the diagrams will help you understand what the chord shape is supposed to look like. For a beginner, trying to refer to these when you are stuck will help you visualize what the chord should look like when you play it. This is as opposed to Youtube videos and other Wikihow articles that may just be unmatched with your playing skills. You may stick chord diagrams somewhere where you will see them every day, as you practice.

Get a teacher

A professional guitar teacher will not only teach you the correct finger positioning and techniques. They will motivate you to keep on practicing what you learn in lessons. It may fascinate you to see how much you actually play when a teacher is telling you what to do. Learning guitar should not only be in lessons. You should make the habit of practicing a home. At Guitar Confidence we can help you to become the best guitarist. We will ensure that we take you through the path of learning chords quickly and perfectly.

Guitar Hacks for Learning to Play Faster and Better

August 12, 2019 by Ravi Singh Leave a Comment

In many cases, people give contradicting perceptions about learning guitar. Some say that it is difficult and mind cracking while others appreciate it as an easy thing. It is easy especially when you have interest and the ability to easily grasp new concepts. With the hacks listed below, be sure that you can become a perfect guitarist.

Plan to practice consistently

The ability to play the guitar faster and better does not come automatically. An effective plan must be in place to ensure consistent practice. Frequent practice is vital to improving guitar skills. It goes a long way to enabling one to become a faster and better player. The most ideal thing is practising the skills you learn in lessons as many times as possible. Eventually, you will gain speed and become a perfect player. Nevertheless, be keen to avoid burnout. A good practice is scheduling an hour three or four times a week in addition to guitar lessons.

Formulate goals for swift learning

Be realistic and appreciate that you cannot play like Jimi Hendrix in one day. You also should not expect that to happen within the first few months of learning. In fact, you will have trouble attempting to play complex tunes in the beginning. Therefore, keep it simple and create personal goals for swift learning. For instance, start with learning the guitar, its parts, care, and maintenance. Go to learning how to properly hold the guitar when playing standing or seated. Learn guitar chords, scales, and harmonics before learning how to read music. Such goals are valuable to help you in becoming a faster and better guitarist.

Practice along Recorded Versions

Most guitar experts suggest that playing along to a recorded version of a song while learning will improve speed. A recorded version enables you to naturally pick up the perfect and edited rhythms. Playing to such rhythms will make you better within a short period. Melodies of a recorded song are essential in understanding how to learn guitar. This is because it can reveal play patters. If you have a difficulty, set a portion or the whole song on repeat mode and play along with it several times.

Visualize Your Success

Do you recall the Law of Attraction? We attract into our lives whatever we are focusing on and what we visualize to possess. Whatever your musical goals are, it is motivating to visualize achieving them. This is what makes most people succeed in whatever they do. It may sound melodramatic but the results are immeasurable. Visualizing your success in becoming a faster and better guitarist compels you to want to achieve it. Visualize an audience and play like your life depends on it. Perfection will rapidly start growing.

Becoming a faster and better guitar player takes time. However, it may prove a difficult endeavour without paying attention to the above hacks. Get in touch with us for more tips that will surely make you great and perhaps a renowned guitarist. Run after your musical dreams!

Immerse yourself in music, learn from the guitar expert now!

July 26, 2019 by Ravi Singh Leave a Comment

Do you often find yourself dreaming of being a musician, a guitar expert to be precise, but always wake up and realize that you must learn how to play the guitar first before achieving those goals? Are you yourself a music enthusiast who enjoy spending hours listening to beautiful sound over the radio and Spotify, or, did you even try learning yourself how to play the guitar at home yet you seems to fail over and over again? Don’t be upset, you are not alone!

There are so many people that share the same situation as mentioned above, and these obstacles often lead to stopping or not pursuing the passion and oftentimes regretting that decision!

So why not engage yourself in music and learn how to play the guitar? Guitar learning is a great opportunity which will guide you into expanding your knowledge and skills about playing instruments, even reaching your goals and dreams, and to top all that, it has a lot of long-lasting benefits for you too! Here are some examples:

Sharpens your concentration:

Research suggests that people who learn to play an instrument such as the guitar has a quicker way to pick up their mistakes and correct them. It is agreeable because a person who plays an instrument needs to have deep focus and concentration. When learning to play the guitar, you have to learn quickly when making errors and you tend to correct them at once and so this affects your personality as well.

It increases your memory and makes you smarter:

New research studies conducted by a Scottish university suggest that regularly learning to play an instrument or guitar for that matter, changes the shape and power of the brain. It stated that playing such instruments may have lasting benefits which will be helpful in guarding against mental decline in the future.

It waves your stress goodbye!:

Have you had a stressful day because of an annoying boss? Or are you stressed out because of recent bills that almost left you with nothing? Yes, those kinds of stressful situations can be burdensome, but according to research conducted by Loma Linda University School of Medicine, stress can be reduced in such a high level by simply playing an instrument.

Rocking out, such as playing the guitar continuously reverse the effects of stress in the brain and body of a person. Did you know that according to some doctors, patients who practised the guitar for over 100 minutes a day showed a significant drop in blood pressure! No wonder that playing the guitar is often used in some therapy as part of the medication!

The truth is this, learning guitar lessons or any instrument is vital and very much helpful for us. It is an open door for greater opportunities, contributes strength to our mind and body to further improve its abilities and helps us gain confidence that we truly need in battling everyday challenges. There are tons of other benefits you can get in learning to play the guitar. So, if you are eager to see and feel these changes too, come and immerse yourself in music, and learn from the guitar expert now!

Top 10 Hacks for Guitarists: A Beginners Guide

July 17, 2019 by Ravi Singh Leave a Comment

If you are playing, you should know the hacks. Yes, it is true that nothing will replace hard work, but it’s always good to keep some tricks in hand to avoid any non-productive guitar play, to get away with usual guitar tech issues and skip some boring sessions. Most of us start to learn the guitar for fun, but where do you start? Here are some tips which you can refer if you are on the verge of beginning your guitar lessons.

Don’t spend too much:

Yes, don’t think of spending a fortune on your first guitar. Get a cheap one to start with. For your sessions try to get it borrowed from a friend or family member. If not try to get beginners acoustic guitar under $250. Start learning chords, play some songs and I would say “ Earn an expensive one!”

Pinkie turns your secret weapon in learning guitar

Yes, it is the lightest portion of your hand, but if you aim it good and start bonding with enough care it will be your best ally. You can turn this under-developed finger to a strong pinkie, which in turn help you with some top shredding skills.

Extend the life of your strings

Keep your strings neat and wipe it down always after a long session. Residues, piled up on your strings might negatively affect the quality as well as the life of your guitar’s strings.

Play along with recorded versions

Yes, this a great hack which always helps. Let it be singing or playing the guitar, listening to the recorded versions and playing along with it, always help as studio edited tracks carry perfect tones.

Out of tune? DIY!

Yes, you don’t want to run down to your neighborhood music store every time your guitar goes out of tune to learn to tune it accurately and quickly. If possible, invest in a good guitar tuner and make it a worthwhile investment. There are some cheap ways to tune it using Android or iOS apps. Once you become a pro you won’t need any of these tuners but in your beginning sessions, it’s always good to carry one.

Master the skill of holding your Pick!

Want to learn guitar, be comfortable with holding your pick first. You might think why a pick when I have my thumb. It might be easier at the start, but using a thumb is a terrible habit. If you want to be a guitarist learn to play it with a pick and your fingers. (Not the thumbs).

Practice smarter!

Yes, while learning to play the guitar, practice in a smart way. It is always tempting to practice in your comfort zone, but if you learn to practice in most stressful conditions, you can easily play anywhere. Try practicing in different moods and States of mind. If you are a pro, you never know what conditions you will have to play under. Try playing when you are least motivated, angry or tired. This is a good way of mastering the skill.

Learn the theory!

This is a big mistake most beginners make. Always learn to read music. This helps in many ways, allowing you to keep playing if you slip out of your memory, especially when you are on stage. It also gives you room for improvising!

Don’t strum too hard.

Some other big mistake beginners make is to keep strumming too hard on your instrument. Yes, there’s nothing wrong in strumming too hard for the right song, but don’t hit it hard when you need softer too.

Tip: relax your arms and keep strumming to a cheesy song. I bet you will get in the mood of relaxed and chill strumming!

Final and the most important Hack!

Never give up! It will certainly make a difference. It’s normal to start at an incredibly slow pace but don’t give up as most people do in this phase. For every instrument there is a definite learning curve and so is the same with learning guitar as well.

As my most favorite guitarist quoted,

“ If you want music to be your livelihood, then play, play, play and play! And eventually, you will get to where you want to be.” – Eddie Van Halen.

A Checklist of Necessities Every Guitarist Needs To Learn Easily and Swiftly

June 28, 2019 by Ravi Singh Leave a Comment

Being all alone as a beginning guitar player can be challenging. That means that you do not have anyone to give you all the tips needed to become a successful guitarist. It also implies that you cannot take advantage of the road through your musical process that a teacher may give. That is where we come in! Our tips are more focused on beginners who are striving to learn efficiently and swiftly. Below is a checklist of guitar basics that every guitarist should understand and stick to throughout the path to greatness.

Read Standard Music Notation

It is prudent for every guitarist to learn how to read music. It is not as complicated as it appears. Nonetheless, it makes the rest of your personal guitar learning experience faster and easier. The notation simply gives directions on how to play a piece of music. Without it, it is similar to attempting to set up a piece of furniture without reading the instructions. Learning how to play the guitar without notations will be tougher and time-consuming.

Have the right Picks

Nothing is as confusing as having a sheer volume of pick shapes, sizes, thicknesses, and materials to choose from at a music store. After some time playing your guitar, you may find yourself trying out several picks to accommodate your progressed playing styles. Nevertheless, plastic picks are a popular choice for the flexibility and grip they offer. It is often recommended that it is better to select a standard size and shape as a good starting point. As far as thickness is concerned, it would be better to opt for a pick of medium thickness. Thick picks guarantee a solid grip without being too overwhelming to hold.

Learn Pentatonic Scales

Standard music education would have every beginner learn major scales in the beginning. However, pentatonic scales are generally far more instantly beneficial for a guitarist than major scales. Just like everything in the process of learning guitar, it is not advisable to attempt mastering all of it right away. Begin by using a basic box pattern rooted in the sixth string. Gradually add in subsequent patterns when you are confident you have perfected the one you are learning.

Obtain a Tuner

With a tuner, you will easily be able to tune your guitar far more quickly and accurately. The most common tuners are an electronic tuner, chromatic tuner, clip-on tuners or pitch pipe. A chromatic tuner allows you to tune in any key. On the other hand, clip-on tuners attach to the headstock of the guitar and tune through the vibration of your strings. That is an excellent choice for beginners because they are portable, visible, and easy to use.

Get a perfect Strap

A strap is a necessity for stabilizing your instrument, especially if you intend to play while standing up. You will encounter a vast variety of straps in the market. However, comfort should be the ultimate priority as a beginner. Selecting a strap that is at least 2 inches in width, with additional padding will help to prevent shoulder and neck pain.

How to Overcome the Fear of Playing Guitar In Front Of People

June 21, 2019 by Ravi Singh Leave a Comment

It is normal to get nervous when you are playing the guitar in front of people. However, too much stage fright can have an enormous effect on your performance. In fact, getting nervous may make you cut short your performance to the surprise of your audience. As a guitarist, you should strive to embrace ways of dealing with performance anxiety sooner than later. Below are ways of conquering your fears before you rock the stage!

Focus on the music

Most experienced guitarists recommend that one should transition from thinking about the music to feeling it. Typically, it would help if you took the time you are practising as the time for thinking. When you get on the stage, it is time to feel the music and facilitate a smooth flow within you. Doing this will go a long way to help you in overcoming the fright factor. It makes you focus on the music and ‘forget’ that you have a crowd of eyes staring at you. To help you focus more, you can also close your eyes for a few moments to eliminate the feeling of shyness.

Strive to impress yourself

Think about your playing as one of your accomplishments and as something that most people only dream of being able to do. Keep in mind that you have played the guitar in the past, and you impressed yourself with your performance. Even so, work towards impressing yourself again with your current performance. Take advantage that you have an audience to impress and give yourself a share of the cake. Concentrating on yourself will help you avoid chances of distractions of going off key. Enjoy playing and immerse yourself into feeling the excitement of the music!

Prepare yourself

One of the excellent ways to deal with stage fright is having ample time to prepare yourself. During the preparation, play as if you are playing for an audience. You can also go to the extent of requesting your friends and relatives to come in as an audience. Memorize the lyrics in any way possible until you are sure that there are no chances of failing on the stage. Besides, learn and practice your chord progression throughout a song repeatedly to gain perfection.

Let go of your ego

Even if you have the spotlight over your head, do not try to be something you are not. Try to lighten up and be relaxed. Accept that you are imperfect and avoid taking yourself so seriously. Your ego wants you to be perfect. However, no one is perfect and mistakes are bound to happen even at times you least expect. Do not care to make a mistake. Instead, play the song, enjoy it and share it with others. Get out of playing to impress and play to have fun!

Strive to get more exposure

If you are just getting started, begin by playing the guitar with an audience. Try to exploit any chance that comes along to play the guitar in front of people. As mentioned earlier, this could be friends or family members. In addition, practicing around others is a very low-pressure way to get used to an audience.

Call (925) 695-7060

Book FREE Lesson Now

Book Make Up Lessons