Playing or listening to some of your favorite guitarists can instantaneously rejuvenate you and is perhaps the most popular modern instrument. It is perhaps the versatility and the charisma of this musical instrument that has seen it become the central instrument in the vast majority of popular music.

Think you know a lot about guitar trivia? You will find people spreading incomplete or partial knowledge about guitars. Let me provide you with some guitar facts which you probably never knew.

1. The first musical instrument to bear the name Guitar appeared in the 13th century, it has its origins in the Latin word Cithara. It was not until the 1200s that an instrument began to use the name. Guitarra Moresca, the Moorish Guitar and Guitarra Latina the Latin Guitar. The Spanish Vialo do Mano was perhaps the modern guitar’s closest ancestor, however. Appearing in the 15th century, it usually had 6 strings, and a familiar body shape, resembling a modern acoustic.  
2. Playing guitar or listening to music keeps brain healthy: Music is a great medicine for brain and reverses the aging of brain. Research conducted have found listening to music improve cognitive function. “If you want to keep your brain engaged throughout the aging process, listening to or playing music is a great tool. It provides a total brain workout.” – Charles J. Limb, M.D., Johns Hopkins otolaryngologist.
3. ‘Reach out to Asia’ Fender Stratocaster is the world’s most expensive guitar priced at $2.7million: The world’s most expensive guitar was auctioned in Doha in 2005. The guitar was signed by 19 performers – Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Brian May, Jimmy Page, David Gilmour, Jeff Beck, Pete Townsend, Mark Knopfler, Ray Davis, Liam Gallagher, Ronnie Wood, Tony Iommi, Angus and Malcolm Young, Paul McCartney, Sting, Ritchie Blackmore, Def Leppard and Bryan Adams. “Reach Out To Asia”, what this project came to be known as was an idea to raise funds to help the victims of the 2004 Tsunami Disaster. The music world came together to help aid the massive disaster that affected millions.
4. Fender factory makes around 90,000 strings per day. This is over 20,000 miles a year, enough to circle the world. The company also makes around 950 guitar necks a day.
5. Leo Fender who founded Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company and the inventor of Fender guitars was as saxophonist and never learned how to play guitar. In addition to that, he in fact was an accountant before losing his job in the Great Depression. After losing his job, he decided to turn his hobby of tinkering with electronics, radios, amplifiers, and the like, into a business, “Fender Radio and Record Shop”, which eventually led to what is now known as the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.

I am Rex Lee Bell, a guitarist and a guitar instructor with over 40 years of experience as a musician. I have been a studio guitarist in San Francisco Bay Area and New York City recording and performing with artists such as Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Sammy Davis Jr., Paul Simon, Michael Jackson and many others.

If you are a beginner or if you have some knowledge about playing guitar and want to continue learning then contact me, I can help you learn guitar at your home. I have been doing mobile guitar lessons for many years. Guitar Confidence covers over 30 cities in the East Bay and South Bay areas; including Benicia, Berkeley, Clayton, Concord, Crocket, Danville, Dublin, Fairfield, Hercules, Lafayette, Livermore, Martinez, Moraga, Orinda, Pleasant Hill, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Vallejo, & Walnut Creek, CA.

 

“Love is like nothing else on this earth, but only when it is shared with someone wonderful like you.”- Mandy Moore

Valentine’s Day is approaching and nothing says “I love you” better than a gifting your valentine a gift which he or she will cherish throughout their life. Finding the right valentine gift can be tricky because this special day carries varying levels of significance for different couples. Valentine’s Day can also be a minefield. You do not want to go overboard and freak him or her out, and you might also still be recovering from your Christmas expenses. Nevertheless, let us be honest, not doing anything probably would not go over so well. So, how about chocolates and flowers? Chocolate and flowers are great, but if you are looking to really wow that person in your life this Valentine’s Day, then you will have to think outside of the heart-shaped box.

Take a break from the usual boxed chocolates, flowers, and greeting cards this Valentine’s Day. Instead, gift your valentine a Guitar, Ukulele, Banjo or Mandolin lesson. No love story can be complete without music and we will provide that music in your life, not just provide the music we will help you learn that music so that music never leaves your beautiful life. Also learning any musical instrument is a great way to keep yourself occupied and define a new you. It always brings out the best in you.

So, now if you are looking for a gift other than a teddy bear and chocolates for Valentine’s Day, look no further than Guitar Confidence. Love is a wonderful feeling, and there is no better way to express it than with music. Just words are rarely adequate to describe the different feelings in love, be it the joy, the passion or the ardour. We, at Guitar Confidence understand it very well and we have crafted the perfect gift offer for your valentine!

Here is our Valentine’s Day Limited Edition!

Buy our V-Day package at 60% discount. Yeah that’s right not 20% or 30% but at 60% discounted price. The package includes the following things

• Six 30 minutes private guitar lessons
• Gift envelope with 6 gift certificates
• Two free Guitar, Ukulele, Banjo or Mandolin method books valued at $50

So, fall in love with savings this Valentine’s Day. You can get your sweetheart something special without emptying your wallet. We will provide you with the best gift to make your day a memorable one.

At Guitar Confidence, Rex Lee Bell provides lessons for Guitar, Ukulele, Banjo and Mandolin. We are confident that you will find our unique teaching style and vast experience perfect for taking your learning skills to the next level.  And, if you are located in the Greater East Bay Area, you have the option of having your lesson in the convenience of your own home! That is we will come to your home and provide private in-home guitar, banjo, ukulele, and mandolin lessons.

Rex’s way of teaching is great for beginners and accomplished Guitar, Ukulele, Banjo and Mandolin players.

Our master trainer Mr. Rex Lee Bell, Rex has over 40 years of experience as a musician, music instructor, arranger and performing artist. He has been a guitarist in San Francisco Bay Area and New York City recording and performing with artists such as Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Sammy Davis Jr., Paul Simon, Michael Jackson, Wild Cherry, The Drifters, Tammy Wynette, Jackson Brown, The Pointer Sisters, Tower of Power and many others. His formal education was at Berklee College of Music, Boston MA where he majored in music arranging & composition. Mr. Bell studied classical guitar at New England Conservatory, Boston MA. He has studied under musical greats, e.g., Ron Parker, Harry Lahee, George Barrey, Warren Nunes, Don Haas and Judy Davis.

Come join us and feel the music within you!

“It’s easy to play any musical instrument: all you have to do is touch the right key at the right time and the instrument will play itself.” – Johann Sebastian Bach

Ukulele is a globally popular instrument and a great way to enjoy music together anywhere anytime. You may know your chords and strumming patterns, but do you know these fascinating facts about ukulele?

So before I tell you some very interesting facts about Ukulele, let me give you a brief background about ukulele for my friends who are not very familiar with this musical instrument.

Ukulele is a string instrument something similar to a guitar, which originated in Portugal. It has a small guitar-shaped body and is fitted with four strings. Plucking and strumming these four strings produces the sound. The strings in turn vibrate and are amplified by the resonating body. This musical instrument is manufactured in a similar fashion as a full size guitar.

The progress of ukulele has been influenced by instruments from Spain, South America, and Africa. When six string instruments were introduced in the 1700s the popularity of chordophones exploded. Although ukuleles are most commonly associated with Hawaii, it was not until 1879 that the first ukulele was brought over from Portugal. Immigrants from the island of Madeira first brought to Hawaii a pair of Portuguese instruments in the late 1870s from which the ukulele was developed eventually.

Here are some of the interesting facts about ukulele:

1. The ukulele was patented in Hawaii in 1917. Although ukuleles are most commonly associated with Hawaii, it was not until 1879 that the first ukulele was brought over from Portugal. One of the Portuguese immigrants on the ship Ravenscrag, Joao Fernandez, started playing his four-string Portuguese instrument known as a braghuina. Local residents were so captivated with the instrument that they adopted it as their own.
2. Locals at Hawaii renamed braghuina as ukulele which in Hawaiian means “jumping flea.” This name reflected the way the islanders thought the fingers jumped around the fretboard when it was played. Within 10 years of its introduction, the ukulele became the most popular instrument in Hawaii.
3. Developed from a four-string Madeiran instrument and built from Hawaiian koa wood, this musical instrument was popular among the Hawaiian royalty in the late 19th century.
4. Neil Armstrong, the first man to set foot on moon, loved to play the ukulele. In fact, after returning back from moon he spent several weeks in quarantine as others feared he may have picked up strange bacteria while in space but he actually spent much of this time in quarantine strumming his ukulele.
5. Jason Mraz’s 2008 single “I’m Yours” is the best-selling ukulele song of all time. After spending 76 weeks on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, it broke a record for the number of consecutive weeks spent on the chart. It is also the tenth best-selling digital download of all time in the United States with over six million downloads sold.

There are not many ukulele instructors around East Bay, so if you are looking for ukulele lessons then contact me @ (925) 695-7060. We provide private in-home ukulele lessons throughout the East Bay including: Benicia, Berkeley, Clayton, Concord, Crocket, Danville, Dublin, Fairfield, Hercules, Lafayette, Livermore, Martinez, Moraga, Orinda, Pleasant Hill, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Vallejo, & Walnut Creek, CA. I am Rex Lee Bell and I have over 40 years of experience as a musician, music instructor, arranger and performing artist. I have been a guitar and ukulele player in San Francisco Bay Area and New York City recording and performing with artists such as Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Sammy Davis Jr., Paul Simon, Michael Jackson, Wild Cherry, The Drifters, Tammy Wynette, Jackson Brown, The Pointer Sisters, Tower of Power and many others.

Whenever you think of learning a new musical instrument its goal is sort of bucket list item. But sadly most often they stay hidden in the bucket. Possibly you may have got yourself a guitar thinking to learn to play it and noodled around on it for a few days, before placing it back in the closet to gather dust.

And, why didn’t you learn the instrument? May be you did not find time out of your busy work schedule, may be you were lazy to go out and find a music class, may be you did not have a company. Whatever may be the reason, never give up on your passion. Take that guitar out of your closet and start practicing. We will help you with learning the art of playing guitar right at your home where you don’t have to move an inch.

So this New Year why not makes a resolution, a resolution to learn guitar and define your life. Learning any musical instrument is a great way to keep yourself occupied and define a new you. And the best part is we have extended our Black Friday Deal till New Year! You can get our new Black Friday Package at 60% off. This deal includes the following offer:

• Six 30mins private Guitar lessons
• Gift envelope with 6 gift certificates
• Two free Guitar, Ukulele, Banjo, or Mandolin method books valued at $50 retail

Learning musical instruments will free yourself from stress, whether it’s your boss or neighbours that give you anguish, grabbing your guitar can help relieve stress. According to a study at Mind-Body Wellness Center and Loma Linda University School of Medicine and Applied Biosystems stress can be reduced on a genomic level by playing a musical instrument. Rocking out actually reverses your body’s response system to pressure. Playing Guitar, Ukulele, Banjo, or Mandolin is a form of relaxation as it acts as a form of natural medicine. Playing these musical instruments improves your focus, all your energy and focus gets concentrated on one and one thing only i.e. the musical instrument and the music it produces, relieving you from your everyday pressure. So, if you are looking to escape from your day to day pressures then you should learn these musical instruments.

We provide lessons for Guitar, Ukulele, Banjo and Mandolin. We are confident that you will find our unique teaching style and vast experience perfect for taking your learning skills to the next level.  And, if you are located in the Greater East Bay Area, you have the option of having your lesson in the convenience of your own home! That is we will come to your home and provide private in-home guitar, banjo, ukulele, and mandolin lessons.

Our master trainer Mr. Rex Lee Bell, Rex has over 40 years of experience as a musician, music instructor, arranger and performing artist. He has been a guitarist in San Francisco Bay Area and New York City recording and performing with artists such as Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Sammy Davis Jr., Paul Simon, Michael Jackson, Wild Cherry, The Drifters, Tammy Wynette, Jackson Brown, The Pointer Sisters, Tower of Power and many others. His formal education was at Berklee College of Music, Boston MA where he majored in music arranging & composition. Mr. Bell studied classical guitar at New England Conservatory, Boston MA. He has studied under musical greats, e.g., Ron Parker, Harry Lahee, George Barrey, Warren Nunes, Don Haas and Judy Davis.

Rex’s guitar teaching system is great for beginners and accomplished Guitar, Ukulele, Banjo and Mandolin players. Come join us and feel the music within you!

 

Stringed instruments give more life to your Christmas celebration- whether you’re at home, work or any other place, they come in handy, easy to grab and play. Without songs and music, Christmas is not fully-lived up to its spirit. There are two instruments that can best partner with your party, but which would you like to learn? Ukulele or Guitar?

Choosing which instrument you should invest time learning depends mostly on your purpose and the time you’re willing to spend on the learning process.

For starters or those who don’t have any experience with musical instruments, the ukulele would be a better choice since it is much faster to learn. You can produce good music in a short amount of time with ukulele. It is composed of only four strings with lower tension, as opposed to steel strings of the guitar. These four basic strings make chord-forming easier for beginners. Some ukulele chords are very easy: one or two fingers are all it takes.

The ukulele is recommended for people who don’t have the amount of time needed to learn more complicated instruments like the guitar.

In comparison, a ukulele is significantly smaller and lighter than a guitar. It is much easier for young children to pick it up, hold and play. It has lesser and shorter strings and is mostly made out of a different material. It also produces fancier, high-pitched sounds than the guitar.

Ukuleles are less expensive and are much easier to transport. They require much less strength and toughness-of-fingers than a guitar. They are a bit easier to understand – less strings means less notes which means fewer things for your mind and fingers to remember.

The guitar on the other hand, while takes more time to learn, produces significantly better music than ukulele because of its six strings and longer fingerboard. It is able to produce a wide variety of note combinations or chords. It produces more professional and vibrant rhythm of sounds. Being able to master the guitar will make it easier for you to master the ukulele also.

The guitar is recommended for those who are willing to invest more time learning. It requires a lot of hand movement and a great deal of patience to be able to produce your own music. The guitar is also bulkier and comparatively heavier than a ukulele.

Perhaps one advantage a guitar has over a ukulele is probably being easily able to find a guitar teacher than a ukulele teacher. Guitars are more commonly used and has more spare parts sales center. Google search results for “guitar teacher” is 316,000 compared to “ukulele teacher” which is only 1,480.

Also a guitar is easier to tune compared to a ukulele. The shorter length of the ukulele strings makes it trickier to get in tune. A slight tweak of tuner can send it wildly out of tune.

Whether Ukulele or Guitar, take time to see which one fits your learning style and bring in the sounds, rhythms and joy to your Christmas celebration.

“Glue holds stuff together pretty well. But why not try using guitar music as an adhesive? After all, it’s held many bands together.” – Jarod Kintz

Shimmering lights adorning the boulevards, roasted chestnuts overflowing in the Christmas markets and mulled wine to warm even the coolest of nights. Christmas is one of the most anticipated times of the year which all of us want to share with our family, friends and the special ones. Christmas gifting can seem like an enormous task sometimes, with the minefield of who to buy for, how much to spend and what to buy. But it shouldn’t be stressful, gift buying, wrapping and giving should be a joy.

Share the joy of this Christmas with family, friends, and special ones or even with yourself by gifting the gift of guitar, banjo, or ukulele lessons. It is that time of year again! Our Black Friday deal is back, bringing you some great savings on guitar, banjo, or ukulele lessons. The offer is already on and will last until 25^th of December 2015, so make sure you grab this offer before it vanishes!

So, what is the offer? We at Guitar Confidence are offering the following deals to guitar, banjo, and ukulele learning students: For every two private lesson gift certificates purchased, we will give you one free lesson. So, that would be three private one hour lessons at your home for $150. And that’s not all, in addition to that we will give you a free method book, a $75 savings to you. You can save on guitar, banjo, or ukulele lessons by purchasing Guitar Confidence’s package. You can purchase unlimited packages until 25^th of December. While from 26^th of December, you will be limited to one package per learner. The package also includes unlimited family members for each lesson (includes a parent and two children at the same time)

No longer worry over what to buy for this Christmas, just gift them guitar, banjo, or ukulele lessons. You can consider other expensive gift options but sometimes finding the right gift for a person who is impossible to buy for means looking for something they never would have asked for. That makes it priceless!

Why we say that you gift music lessons to your loved ones or yourself? That is because, music is the greatest creation of man, and is probably the most powerful thing on this planet. Music keeps us going actually, and a life without music would be the last thing on earth we would have wished for. Music makes this world lively and active, it brings cheers and happiness in our life. An artist playing a musical instrument and the person who listens to it, both equally enjoy the music.  Music is one of the most cherished human experiences and everyone enjoys some sort of music. Music can not only be enjoyable but it can also have a positive effect in our life in various ways. Also, researchers have found that learning to play music not only lifts our mood but also has a positive effect on our health.

At Guitar Confidence Rex Lee Bell is our master instructor; he has over 40 years of experience as a musician, music instructor, arranger and performing artist. He has been a guitarist in San Francisco Bay Area and New York City recording and performing with artists such as Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Sammy Davis Jr., Paul Simon, Michael Jackson, Wild Cherry, The Drifters, Tammy Wynette, Jackson Brown, The Pointer Sisters, Tower of Power and many others. Rex’s guitar teaching system is great for beginners and accomplished guitar players.

Guitar Confidence covers over 30 cities in the East Bay and South Bay areas; including Benicia, Berkeley, Clayton, Concord, Crocket, Danville, Dublin, Fairfield, Hercules, Lafayette, Livermore, Martinez, Moraga, Orinda, Pleasant Hill, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Vallejo, & Walnut Creek, CA.

So what are you thinking about! Bring your family or your friends and learn guitar, banjo, or ukulele lessons and discover a new you!

 

 

As we enter December and move towards the period of Christmas, we always look out for deals, offers and discounts on gifts for our friends and family, and sometimes the odd treat for ourselves.The best time to find such deals is Black Friday when almost all provide great deals and offers.

As we are entering into that time of year when offers and deals are in full swing, guitarconfidence.com brings you another great Black Friday offer. Here is your Black Friday opportunity to present your special ones with Holiday Specials & Gift Certificates on Guitar & Banjo Lessons. So, if you are wondering what to give that special person in your life, why not gift him or her Holiday Specials & Gift Certificates (Guitar/Banjo/Ukulele Lessons). Moreover, if you yourself love music then why not gift yourself this Black Friday Special offer!

Time works a little differently at Guitar Confidence, meaning Black Friday has come early and will last until 25^th of December. Therefore, until 25^th of December, Guitar Confidence will offer the following deals to guitar/banjo/ukulele learning students:

• For every two private lesson gift certificates purchased, we will throw in one free lesson. That’s three private one hour lessons in your home for $150

• In addition, a free method book, a $75 savings to you!

So, you can save on your or your special ones guitar learning lessons by purchasing our package. You can purchase unlimited packages until 25^th of December. While from 26^th of December, you will be limited to one package per learner. The package also includes unlimited family members for each lesson (includes a parent and two children at the same time)

So how and where can I avail this offer?

Guitar Confidence covers San Ramon, Pleasanton, Dublin and Livermore. If you are planning to learn instruments, then this is the best time to start your lessons as you automatically become eligible for our “Black Friday Guitar Lessons Special” offer! All you have to do is visit our website.

What instruments do you teach?

We provide lessons for Guitar, Ukulele, Banjo and Mandolin. We are confident that you will find our unique teaching style and vast experience perfect for taking your learning skills to the next level.  And, if you are located in the Greater East Bay Area, you have the option of having your lesson in the convenience of your own home! That is we will come to your home and provide private in-home guitar, banjo, ukulele, and mandolin lessons.

Who will be my instructor?

Our master trainer Mr. Rex Lee Bell, Rex has over 40 years of experience as a musician, music instructor, arranger and performing artist. He has been a guitarist in San Francisco Bay Area and New York City recording and performing with artists such as Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Sammy Davis Jr., Paul Simon, Michael Jackson, Wild Cherry, The Drifters, Tammy Wynette, Jackson Brown, The Pointer Sisters, Tower of Power and many others. His formal education was at Berklee College of Music, Boston MA where he majored in music arranging & composition. Mr. Bell studied classical guitar at New England Conservatory, Boston MA. He has studied under musical greats, e.g., Ron Parker, Harry Lahee, George Barnes, Warren Nunes, Don Haas and Judy Davis.

Rex’s guitar teaching system is great for beginners and accomplished guitar players.

“Guitar is the best form of self-expression I know. Everything else, and I’m just sort of tripping around, trying to figure my way through life.” – Slash

There was a time, when the ability to play a musical instrument was considered an essential part of anindividual’s basic education. But in the last decade, electronic diversions like music-playback machines and video games have taken over this wonderful ability. Many times we still think of learning musical instrument but sadly most often they stay hidden.

But it’s never late to start anything, so if you had planned in the past or if you are planning then implement that plan today. And if you are wondering which musical instrument to choose, then I would suggest you start learning an acoustic guitar.

So you ask why I recommend you to play guitar! Well, first I’m a guitarist so that’s the first instrument I would suggest and secondly there are other benefits too! Apart from the apparent fact that you want to be heard and admired along with your own interest of playing the instrument, playing guitar can have a positive effect in your life, your attitude and boost you with confidence.

If you are a total beginner, I suggest learning on an acoustic guitar. That’s because if you can play on a steel string acoustic guitar, you’ll be able to play any guitar without problems, which won’t be true for an electric guitar. If you learn on an electric guitar, you may or may not be able to play an acoustic guitar comfortable. If you like it quite and soft then you will love the naturally soothing, calmer tone of the acoustic over the distorted, amplified electric guitar. And then you would not need to buy any cables, or an amplifier to start playing, so it saves your pocket.

Most importantly in the very beginning of your guitar journey, your only aim should be to learn the basic guitar techniques, that you will be building on later on, regardless of the fact that you’ll be playing the acoustic or electric guitar.

Acoustic guitars have their own way of mesmerising the crowd. The sound this guitar produces is bright, brassy, deep and forceful which gives sheer pleasure to everyone’s ear. The guitar’s body is made of wood and the sound is produced from the vibration of the strings while the hollow wooden body acts like an echo chamber. These guitars are available in two variants, one is the steel-string and the other is the classical. The steel-strings guitars produce a metallic sound that is a constituent of several trendy music styles while the classical guitars have a wide neck and utilize nylon strings. But know that steel-string guitar will be louder than the classical guitar. Whether steel-string or classical, playing acoustic guitars will strengthen your fingers as you press down on the strings to make chord shapes. So, it is one of the best guitars to start your guitar learning process. Music style acoustic guitar supports are folk, country, ragtime, blues, and pop.

From my personal experience, I learnt to play guitar on an acoustic guitar and once I was thorough with it I played electric guitar. I am very comfortable with the fact that someone like me, with years of experience as an instructor and as a guitarist can play an acoustic guitar with ease because of the fact that I began with acoustic first.

If you want to add guitar to your life by learning to play, then just visit my website guitarconfidence.com and give me a call. I’m Rex Bell and I have been doing mobile guitar lessons for many years. I will come to your home and give you private guitar lessons at your home. Guitar Confidence covers over 30 cities in the East Bay and South Bay areas; including Danville, San Ramon, Dublin & Pleasanton.

We are running a Black Friday promotion in November. Visit our Current offers page to know more

Guitar accessories are an important part of a guitarist’s kit. For regular upkeep of the guitar, skill building and for the protection of guitar, you will have to make sure you have all the necessary guitar accessories.Having the right guitar accessories will help you play better, sound more interesting, and endure a live performance meltdown.

Here is the list of the most essential guitar accessories, which I recommend to all my students, excluding the obvious things like pick, string, etc.

Cooper Guitar Stand: A guitar stand is very handy;Cooperstand addresses the typical stringed instrument support device. Cooper guitar standare extremely stable, opens and closes with one hand and fits in the headstock area of most guitar cases.

Humidifier:Your acoustic guitar will sound the best when the body has just the correct amount of humidity. A humidifierreleases moisture inside the guitar maintaining an optimal humidity for the guitar. Proper humidity levelwill not only make the guitar sound best, but it will also extend the life of the guitar. So, protect your valued acoustic guitar with a proper humidifier.

Hardshell guitar case: A hard case will protect your guitar not only form the dust but alsofrom the bumps and grinds of the road. You surely would not want to take chances with your valuable guitar. Make sure your guitar is a good fit by checking the dimension of both the guitar and the case. These heavy-duty cases are designed to help your guitar survive the rigors of the road. Inside the case, they also have accessory compartment for pick, strings, etc.

Sting winder/cutter: This multi-tool will save space in your guitar case. Nothing can truly beat having separate tools for cutting, winding and pulling, but this multi-tool gets the job done and I find it very handy especially when I am travelling.

Metronome: We all like to think that we arein good rhythm. But we should not fool ourselves until we are able to stay with a metronome. Metronome is an important tool for guitarists. It should be considered as a personal trainer for any guitarist.

Capo: It is used on the neck of a guitar to shorten the playable length of the strings, hence raising the pitch. The word derives from the Italian “capotasto” which means the “nut” of a stringed instrument. The capo allows you to play open chords/notes from wherever you have barred the neck. It gives you access to certain voicing not easily achievable in a particular key otherwise.

Tuner:NS Micro Headstock Tuner is a good one if you are looking for tuning accuracy. It offers improved accuracy, faster response, expanded calibration range, visual metronome mode and an improved ratchet design.

Pedal: Guitar pedals are electronic units that alter the sound of a guitar in a certain specific way. Learning how to use a guitar pedal means choosing the pedal which you are looking for,properly connecting it, and learning to use its controls.

Ebow: It is a battery-powered electronic device for playing electric guitar. This unit replaces the pick in the right hand letting the guitarist mimic strings, horns, and woodwinds with great sensitivity.

Make sure you have these essential guitar accessories with you all the time. I am Rex Lee Bell, a guitarist and a guitar instructor with over 40 years of experience as a musician. I have been a studio guitarist in San Francisco Bay Area and New York City recording and performing with artists such as Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Sammy Davis Jr., Paul Simon, Michael Jackson and many others.

If you are a beginner or if you have some knowledge about playing guitar and want to continue learning then contact me, I can help you learn guitar at your home. I have been doing mobile guitar lessons for many years. Guitarconfidence.com travels to over 30 cities in the East Bay and South Bay areas, including Danville, San Ramon, Dublin & Pleasanton.

Guitarists are hard to surprise, so if you are wondering what to give that special guitar player in your life, check out these gift suggestions especially for guitarists.

Last week it was my friend’s birthday, a guitarist. I gifted him a set of personalized guitar picks and he just loved it. I knew that he would like my gift because I’m a guitarist too and I know what guitarists love to carry with them. It was right about that time when I realized that many ofour friends and family members play guitars and sometime we may not know what to gift him or her on special occasions. Therefore, I decided to write this blog for my friends to help them with gift ideas for guitar players. No longer worry over what to buy for Christmas or on the birthday of your favorite guitar friend.

You could consider other expensive gift optionsbut sometimes finding the right gift for a person who is impossible to buy for means looking for something they never would have asked for. That makes it priceless!

Here goes the list of ideas…

Personalized Guitar Picks

Personalized guitar picks are one of unique gifts that nobody else will ever have. These are custom-made picks with whatever name and style you want, this will be something fun for them to have on hand.

Marshall Mini Guitar Amp

These little devils are styled on their Iconic big brothers and have become really popular for festivalgoer’s and buskers alike. Classic Marshall grille cloth; crunchy distortion; and plenty of volume for good, clean fun. Marshall mini amps, though small, pack a punch, are very cool, portable and no guitarist should be without one. These are fun,affordable and let you rock on the move, and are ideal gifts for any guitarist.

Rock Recycled Guitar String Bracelets

Somewhere there is a guitar string graveyard. Random strings that popped out or destroyed are getting another life. Thanks to these handmade Rock Recycled Guitar String Bracelets. Choose which color you want holding the bracelet together black, blue, red, or any other color and save a guitar string’s life.

Guitar LED Lighter

These replicas of a Classic Led Paul Guitar have real steel strings hooked up to replica tuning machines and features chrome “humbuckers” and contrast pick guard. Each lighter features a fully adjustable flame and electronic ignition. This will get everyone’s attention and makes a perfect gift for smokers who likes music and cool lighters.

Guitar Wall Clock

Thewall clocks designed in the shape of a guitar are a wonderful way to brighten up an office or a room with guitar décor. There are different types of guitar wall clocks to choose from, it all depends on what you think he or she would appreciate looking at on a daily basis.

Guitar Wallet

I’m not sure if you know this fact or not but guitarists are known for keeping an extra pick in their pocket or in their wallet, so why not give them a wallet that is designed to hold it? And let me tell you it looks pretty cool.

Guitar Ice Cube Drink Stir Stick

This is for guitariststhose who love to drink. This guitar drink stir stick can be a perfect gift. The ice tray makes ice shaped just like the body of the guitar. It’s now time to kick back and chill with your guitar friend by dropping these groovy guitars into thedrink, and give it a stir. Just the thing for jazzing up the beverage.

LED Learning Guitar by Fretlight

Fretlight LED learning guitar lights is a great way to learn guitar. It uses LED lighting to show learners finger placement on a guitar neck, with lights triggered in response to video-based lessons and/or software on a computer.

Guitar Pick Maker

Almost every guitarist needs a constant supply of guitar picks so this Pick Maker allows punching out guitar picks from the likes of credit cards, loyalty cards or anything else that we can think of.

Guitar Coffee Mug

The guitar coffee mug is a cool gift; this gift is especially for your guitar friend who loves his guitar and at the same time need a constant supply of caffeine. A guitar lover would surely love this mug!