Call (925) 695-7060

Call (925) 695-7060

Band Rehearsal – Rhythm vs. Tempo

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Rehearsing Your Band – Timing – Rhythm vs. Tempo

As I travel all over East Bay teaching guitar lessons and performing gigs I find that a lot of musicians, guitarist or instrumentalists are not well prepared for their performance or even guitar lesson. Often, I hear, “That’s not what I want, but I don’t how to explain what I mean.” How many times has that happened at band practice? 

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Lack of communication can result from lack of agreement on terminology. People confuse tempo with rhythm. Tempo is the speed of travel, or beats per minute. Rhythm is the subdivision of each beat. There is a primary and secondary division of each beat. Here is a great link on Rhythm Tips.

The division of the beat defines the feel of the song. It will make it Rock or Swing. Rock is a straight eighth note feel. Swing is a triplet feel. When counting off a song, it should be counted at the speed at which the song is to be played. It’s not count down to blast off.

Often times you will see band members bobbing their heads in unison to make sure the tempo is in agreement. This is important to getting off to a good start. Even though it is a drummers job to keep track of tempos, and to keep even time, it is the responsibility of everybody to be aware of it. Rehearsal is when two or more people, or the whole band, get together to work on a song. Practice is when you work on things alone.

Come to a rehearsal prepared, and ready to work together. Defer to the band leader or musical director. Don’t take suggestions or criticisms personally. Being easy to get along with doesn’t mean you can’t have a point of view, but be respectful of everybody’s time.

Sometimes a song will have pick-up notes, or a lead in to the first beat of the first measure. When that is the case, count a full measure prior to the counts before the lead in. The lead in doesn’t always come in on one. Be aware of where the lead in is in relation to the count.

Remember, the count should be at the speed the song is to be played. That is the whole point of the count.

Guitar & Banjo Lessons
East Bay – Vallejo to Pleasanton, CA
(925) 695-7060

 

Guitar Lessons Go Mobile in East Bay

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Teaching Mobile Guitars All Over The East Bay

Mobile is one of the hot words these days – everything is going mobile.For businesses in the East bay of California, if you’re not mobile, you’re dying on the vine. I took my guitar/banjo lessons business in the East Bay mobile a couple of years ago. Of course, I don’t teach guitar over an Adroid or iPhone – by mobile I mean – I come to the student instead of the student having to come into a music shop or studio for guitar lessons.

I have been teaching aspiring musicians at all levels and ages guitar, banjo, mandolin, electric bass, and uke for over 40 years. One of the most common questions is how to come up with strumming patterns that will sound interesting?

I have created (3) interesting patterns that are to be learned at a very slow speed. I8 recommend using a metronome which is free on internet. I recommend starting as slow as 50 beats per minute and add 10 beats at a time until you get up to about 120. That could take days or months depending on what level you are at of course.

These 3 patterns can work on either electric or acoustic steel string guitar. All three patterns use rhythm slash notations in which you apply fingering pressure of your chord you are playing. If you see and {X)that means to mute the chord with allowing your fingering hand on fret board to release the pressure but still keep the chord fingering in place. This creates a real cool percussive clicking rhythmic sound. The chor5d of choice for these 3 patterns is known a C9th dominant chord which groups that play Rhythm and Blues and Funk use all the time.

Pattern 1 is using sixteenth notes which mean four strums per beat. You count sixteenth notes in a four beat per measure as following: 1ee & ah, 2 ee & ah, 3 ee & ah and 4 ee & ah. You alternate your strumming hand with down and up strumming. You are simply applying chording finger pressure only on first sixteenth note of each of the four beats. The other three sixteenth notes of each beat are muted with chording hand on guitar. Please practice very slowly.

Pattern 2 we accenting the first sixteenth note of each beat except notice on beat 3 I’m  displacing the accent on the second sixteenth note which creates a new sound.

Pattern 3 incorporates sliding in to c9 from one fret below known as the half step approach from below. So only beat one is different than Pattern 2. Notice you strum B9 on first sixteenth note of beat o9ne and simply slide up with chording hand to c9 but do not strum c9 chord. Simply produce c9th chord by sliding up to it from B9th chord. Then on the 3rd and fourth sixteenth notes you mute them with chording hand and then beats two, three and four are as same as pattern 2.

In closing, you must listen to different recordings to check this style of rhythm guitar out. Go to You Tube and listen to:

Keep on Strumming

Download Guitar Lesson Rhythm Patterns

 
 
 

Benicia – Vallejo Guitar Lessons

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Beginner to Advanced – Guitar Lessons – Benicia & Vallejo CA

As I teach beginning to advanced guitar in Benicia and Vallejo I stress all guitar students to work on basic Jazz Chord formations where you use both your pick and fingers to create both a guitarist and bass player sound all by yourself. Some guitar players to check out are Joe Pass, PatMetheny, George Benson, Barney Kessel, Wes Montgomery, and Larry Coryell.

I have 5 Basic chord formations you must learn first in every key:

  1. G major
  2. G major 7th
  3. G dominant 7th
  4. G major 6th
  5. G minor 7th

You will notice left to right known as the chord progression that I go root on bass 6th string of guitar followed by first inversion known as  third in the bass followed by 5th in the bass known as second inversion. First take root inversion of all 5 formations and transpose to all keys on 6th string. Then take first inversion and finally followed by second in version. This could take two weeks to two months too master. Then take all 5 versions and practice left to right slowly. You will notice that on beats one and three you pick bass 6th string on downbeat and quickly followed with finger pinching remaining strings on the up beat. Notice on even beats two and four you are just playing passing single bass notes . Just master in key of G only.

Once you have mastered these 5 patterns then refer to my arrangement of Moon Dance by Van Morrison.

Have fun and if you want to see me apply these techniques I’m performing every Sunday night 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. with a bass guitarist doing open mic night doing music from swing era jazz up to contemporary songs. Located at great Vallejo Thai Food establishment known as “ Cha Am”. Food is great and medium pricing and no cover charge. Address is 153 Plaza Drive in Vallejo California.

Guitar & Banjo Lessons
Benicia – Vallejo, CA
(925) 695-7060

Guitar Daily Practice and Musical Vocabulary

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guitar practice

Part 2 of Developing a Daily Practice for Guitar

To become a killer guitar player, you should memorize a few chords ( four, for example) and then simply practice playing them in the order they come in the song. Do this at least ten times slowly from memory before moving on to the next set of changes ( chords). Once the complete passage or song is memorized, play it slowly twice a day for a week or so. Then you can practice “ locking “ in with your metronome or drum machine and then cranking up the tempo! Go to Metronome Online and learn the following:

  1. How to use a metronome
  2. Tempo markings
  3. How to practice music
  4. It’s all about timing

Learning new chords on the guitar or banjo and memorizing progressions can be tiring work, so don’t spend too long on this assignment- ten or fifth teen minutes a day will soon yield a considerable amount of new chords and repertoire. Chord books I recommend are

Playing the Guitar Techniques – should again be combined with the new musical vocabulary wherever possible. String bending, for example, can be nurtured by practicing licks involving this technique. Do this chromatically up and down the neck so your fingers become used to bending in tune all over the fret board.  More info on string bending.

Vocabulary – is the most important area of all your practice program. If you don’t  know any music on your guitar or banjo, then you have nothing to play! Who wants to hear scales or exercises, no matter how well they are played! Sure, scales etc.… are important, but only a means to an end. Guitar technique, in my opinion, should subordinate to music.

There are a number of ways for guitar and banjo students to learn musical vocabulary. Friends, books and videos can be one source. However, the best way to learn a new solo, lick, intro or tune, is from working things out by ear. Perhaps a friend or teacher can help you over any bits, but at least try working on your own as well. A great device to purchase is the Tascam Portable CD trainer which helps by slowing down speeds of songs but keeping guitar in same pitch, excellent for all levels of students.

Under the vocabulary heading, you should write down each item you’re attempting to learn. There’s no need to rush, just spend your assigned time limit on each item every day and do your best. Eventually you will have it and can start practicing up to speed. Once you’ve worked out the particular example (from the recording) you should play it over and over for the entire time allowed. If you do this every day, you will soon build up a vocabulary of musical phrases that will become second nature and easy to recall when needed.

This whole approach to practicing guitar & banjo may seem a little clinical to some of you, and if you’re happy with the way you practice now, that’s fine. If you feel your practice time could be more effective, however, it is worth trying these methods for a month or two, Remember, above all, keep your guitar practice as musical as possible and have fun!

Guitar Practice Homework:

  1. Decide on a musical goal that you feel would be realistic to achieve in one month.
  2. Following the procedure outlined above, write your own game plan with steps and times mapped out for each days practice.
  3.  Have fun and listen to all styles of music from 1940’s up to current.

Guitar & Banjo Lessons
Dublin – San Ramon CA
(925) 695-7060

Guitar Daily Practice Plan

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Walnut Creek CA Guitar Students – Create a Daily Practice Plan

Why have a daily practice plan? Now that I have been playing guitar since I was 8 years old and now teach ages 5 and up on guitar in Bay Area. A common question is, “How much time do I need to practice the guitar lessons daily?”

That is an excellent question. If you are under 10, I say 30 minutes a day 5 days per week. If you are older than 10, then 60 minutes a day 6 days a week – if you are serious about your playing, then two hours a day.

Now, let’s take a look at a possible daily practice program lasting an hour and a half.

Objective–  To be able to play rock and roll guitar in the styles of Chuck Berry, Eddie Van Halen, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, George Benson, Chet Atkins, Andreas Segovia and etc.

It’s important to have a little light at the end of the tunnel, so I’ve included an estimated period of time to achieve your objective. This is “Duration of project.” The times I’m using here are merely examples and every guitar player will need to adjust these according to individual strengths and weaknesses.

Finally, let’s discuss the sort of things you would practice under each heading and how long to spend on each item. Again, this will vary between guitar players and is only a guide.

An example of my assignment to guitar students in Walnut Creek, CA studying rhythm guitar would be playing through a 12 bar blues with a metronome or drum machine. You could vary the tempo and the key every day or so. Any rhythm part will do. The emphasis here is on developing solid time and physical control in all keys and at various tempos. The assignment could be 10 minutes a day. This may not sound long enough, but try playing rock and roll rhythm guitar for 10 minutes- nonstop, with 100 % concentration.

Chord Vocabulary– This step of the game plan should be combined with learning new tunes. It’s  vital that you try and combine as many different aspects of developing you’re playing as possible under each of the following categories. The following is an suggested example of weekly practice program:

  1. Rhythm Guitar ( 10 minutes )
  2. Chord Vocabulary ( 15 minutes )
  3. Playing Techniques String Bending ( 10 minutes )
  4. Playing Techniques Vibrato ( 10 minutes )
  5. Vocabulary Intros ( 15 minutes )
  6. Vocabulary Endings ( 10 minutes )
  7. Vocabulary Licks ( 15 minutes )
  8. Vocabulary Solos ( 15 minutes )

Check out these website for more info & perspective:

Guitar & Banjo Lessons
Danville – Walnut Creek CA
(925) 695-7060

Music Helps Our Children Develop MORE of Their Potential

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East Bay Guitar Lessons Help to Develop Better Brains & People – not just rock ego-maniac stars!

I’ve been studying and teaching music for over 40 years. Today, I teach guitar and banjo lessons throughout the East Bay in communities like Danville, San Ramon, Concord, Walnut Creek – the whole East Bay.

I teach guitar students much more than simply how to strum a few chords on a guitar. Reading music, variations on a theme, scales, composition, orchestration, road skills, playing with ensembles, soloing… it’s a long list! The more we learn about the brain, the more we discover about how music lessons and education help brains & people development in wonderful ways.

  • music brain training East BayThe Brain –  Research has shown that both listening to music and playing a musical instrument stimulate your brain and can increase your memory. Research suggests that regularly playing an instrument changes the shape and power of the brain and may be used in therapy to improve cognitive skills. Hearing it and especially playing it. Music affects mood, creativity and a wide range of synaptic activity in the brain – many areas of your brain start firing and communicating with other parts of your entire nervous system.
  • Cognitive Development – Children exposed to a multi-year program of music tuition involving training in increasingly complex rhythmic, tonal, and practical skills display superior cognitive performance in reading skills compared with their non-musically trained peers.
  • Neurological multi-tasking – Moving and playing at the same time is challenging. Whether you are in a marching band or creating choreography for your rock band – playing and moving with the music develops body/mind coordination.
  • Discipline & Time Management – Practice, practice, practice = discipline development. When we practice with our band mates, team discipline enters the equation. Developing discipline is key to developing personal integrity.
  • Teamwork – From the hassles to the high-fives. Learning how to collaborate and work as a team is just good human development!
  • Music Lessons Danville San RamonCamaraderie & Sacrifice – Good friends are just one of life’s “must have” experiences. Sharing dreams, disappoints and accomplishments help to extend emotional range and maturity. Putting self aside for the greater good of the band is invaluable for personal development.
  • Resilience, Flexibility, Creative Problem Solving, Manners, Respect, Trust, Self-Expression, Social Skills, Listening Skills – A few of the character traits that music students work with on a daily basis.
  • Music Broadens Horizons – Musicians get passionate about all things music – instruments, composers, poetry, history… music touches every part of life through time, thus it can be a doorway into almost any area of human experience and development. Studies have shown that students who play instruments or study the arts are often better in math and achieve higher grades in school than students who don’t.

Guitar & Banjo Lessons
Concord – Danville – San Ramon – Walnut Creek
(925) 695-7060

 

Soloing Guitar Lesson

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Make 2013 YOUR Year to be a Solo Guitarist

Soloing is working on art of doing lead patterns over a group of chords also known as riffing or adlib. Guitar players must know there basic 5 pentatonic scale patterns both minor and major.

A pentatonic scale is a five note scale based on major scale. The minor pentatonic scale is Root, b3,4,5 and b7th degrees of major scale. It really gives you that blues feel and works great over dominant 7th chords and 9thys and minor chords with 7ths or 9ths .

You can use for example an A minor pent scale against A minor, A minor 7th or Aminor9th and also A7, A9 or A13th chords. Also you may use half step displacement in which sax players and piano players use all the time. That means while the rhythm section is in A minor tonality center u can start on A  minor pent and then slide up half step to A sharp minor pent scale and then slide down half step to Ab minor pentatonic but for very short durations and then resolve back to A minor pentatonic scale.

First before jamming with other guitarists, u should lay down a rhythm jam track of u playing just a 12 bar blues in A or a jam based on A minor 7th chords.

Also, check out my Pentatonic warm ups in 1st, 5th, 9th, 13th and 17th positions. I recommend using a metronome which u can download for free on your cell phone or free on computer. Start on highest note on string 1 and work your way descending to string 6 known as a descending pattern and then practice opposite ascending lowest finger to highest on each string lowest to highest and do  not stop when you arrive to string one just shift up to 5th and then 9th and then 13th and then 17th. On acoustic guitars just do 1st and 5th and 9th positions.

Its very important to use alternate picking at single meter first meaning quarter notes and then duple meter meaning 8th notes and then skip to quad also known as 16th notes.

Guitar & Banjo Lessons
Concord – Danville – San Ramon – Walnut Creek
(925) 695-7060

Guitar Lessons Guarantees

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East Bay Guitar Lessons that Can’t be BEAT!

I have been teaching guitar lesson many years in East Bay – all ages – 5 and up. Today, a guitar instructor needs to focus on making oneself available for the guitar student.

I have a simple philosophy and teaching method for guitar students in our music rich East Bay area.  Always try to keep guitar student’s enthusiasm high. I also teach all guitar students how to read music.

Guitars, Lessons & Guarantees that Can’t be Matched!

On this website you can find great guitars, bass guitars and banjos prices $29.95  up to $699 for clients that need instruments. Guitar Center has a 30 day money back guarantee. I have a 90 day money back guarantee. That’s crazy right? NO, it is actually that I show my new clients that if they give me 3 months to teach them guitar and my method is not working, I will buy back the equipment they purchased off my website. No I know of one offers this. I also offer first lesson free of charge which is an hour lesson and I drive to their place of residence. No one does this. Then I offer two months of guitar lessons private at half price. No one does this. And for any referral I offer student half price on next month’s lessons.

I received a call from a piano instructor who was having trouble getting students. She has no website. I told her she needs to do that and find an expert that can do it the right way. My website was done the correct way – fresh content, lots of videos, Yelp reviews, Facebook and Social Media tie-ins.

Having a unique teaching methodology is very key. When potential students are asking me what makes my method different than  other guitar instructors, I  tell them I build their guitar confidence by coming down to their level of expertise and send them PDF files of all lesson material along with WAV files and VIDEO. I also give out a weekly worksheet that tracks all they have learned with my guitar program.

I highly recommend Devon Harper(email Devon) at Infinet-Marketing for website design.

And a Happy Holidays to my awesome Danville – San Ramon Realtors – The Harper Team!

Guitar & Banjo Lessons
Concord – Danville – San Ramon – Walnut Creek
(925) 695-7060

 

Guitar Lessons & Gifts – Walnut Creek – Danville CA

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White Christmas - Walnut Creek - Danville - CA

Give the Gift of Music this Holiday Season in Danville & Walnut Creek

I love this time of year and always love giving gifts. I have wonderful student ts all ages 5 and up 0n electric and acoustic guitars as well as 4 string electric bass, 4 and 5-string banjo, mandolin and uke . I have all my students from Danville & Walnut Creek CA tell their Facebook friends to check out my guitar packages for Christmas gifts as low as $29.95 for half size guitar for a young student. I also have complete electric and acoustic guitar packages that includes amp, strap, picks and of course guitar starting at around $100.

 I’m also giving away two free half hour private lessons and also  half off first two months lessons. You purchase a month private lessons and the 2nd month is free of charge. Wow!! No one is giving this many gifts away. Why? Because I always like to help0 people with the gift of music. I also give a guitar method retail value of $100 for free and you receive a gift envelope with Guitar Confidence that says “A Gift For You”. So, you have the new student open first the large guitar method book and then watch their face grow a huge smile when they open  gift envelope and see they have 10 one half hour private guitar lessons at their home for $150. Or you can receive 6 half hour private lessons for $75.

Today I’m giving a great jazz guitar solo arrangement of “White Christmas” It is performed as a solo with both chords and melody. All chord symbols and fingerings are available as well as tab and standard notation. So, in closing, enjoy this beautiful classic Christmas song

Download White Christmas Sheet Music

Guitar & Banjo Lessons
Danville – Walnut Creek CA
(925) 695-7060

Christmas Time Is Here – Guitar Arrangement

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East Bay Guitar Lessons for Christmas & Holiday Songs

Christmas Time Is Here is an intermediate to advanced arrangement I perform every December at Church and Christmas gigs I perform in San Francisco as well as entire East Bay Area. Of course this song is well known also in Charlie Browns Christmas  Animation Video.

So I have included my jazz chord diagrams and also a lead sheet format which includes chord changes on top, the melody is in standard notation and lyrics below lyrics. My arrangement uses  jazz chords which means 7ths, 9ths, 11ths and 13ths which are known as color tones. Triads have four sounds of 1.) Major 2.) Minor 3.) Augmented 4.) Diminished which have basic three notes known as root, third and fifth degree of major scale. When you extend the triads by adding the 7th, 9th, 11th and 13ths wow, what beautiful colors.

Please go to following link which is the best basic music theory in common words you will ever find.

Since we are on the subject of Christmas time here is an advanced arrangement of mine of Christmas Classic “Greensleeves” which is also known as “What Child Is This.” My arrangement uses all jazz formations and you can play as a solo arrangement or as a duo with a bass guitarist or piano player  or another guitarist.

I have included PDF files for all above and enjoy. Please tell friend about my great guitar lessons half off special for Christmas season and guitar packages for as cheap as $49.95.

CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE sheet music

GREENSLEEVES MASTER C.M

Listen to the mp3 below and click on the “Greensleeves” link above to hear a more blues version.

Holiday Specials & Gift Certificates

Guitar & Banjo Lessons
East Bay Area CA
(925) 695-7060

Learn to Play Guitar in the Privacy of Your Own Home

Our guitar instructors come to you to give you personal one-on-one lessons in the privacy of your own home. We cover Dublin, San Ramon, Pleasanton, Livermore and all cities in east and south bay

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Contact us for guitar lessons or more information at:

Guitar Confidence
4101 Dublin Blvd
Suite F, #537
Dublin, CA 94568

(925) 695-7060

guitarconfidence@gmail.com

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