This Saturday is the Coffee Shop Jam, and I’m ready to scream. Nothing’s wrong. I’m just gearing up for the weapons-grade rock vocals required for this Jam’s setlist, including “Arlandria” by the Foo Fighters, “In Bloom” and “Lounge Act” by Nirvana, and—my larynx convulses at the mention of it—“Girl’s Got Rhythm” by AC/DC. These songs all feature high-pitched, raspy rock …
DIY: How to Build a Pedalboard
For most of my guitar playing career, I’ve schlepped my stompboxes and cables in a paper bag like some digital-age hobo. But last spring, a local singer-songwriter Jill Cohn asked me to join her band, and I decided to upgrade to a rig that would make it easier to get to rehearsals and gigs, and frankly, looked a little less …
The Naggest of them All
There are some guitar skills you can only teach by nagging. Again and again, you remind the student, until finally, they start reminding themselves. And which skill is The Naggest Of Them All? Play slowly and carefully when you’re practicing something hard. Invariably, when I teach a beginner a hard piece of music, they launch into it much too fast, …
For Those About to Rock
Recently one of my students told me he wanted to join a rock band, and asked where he should start. Here are some ideas for finding musicians in the Seattle area: Classifieds Legend has it that bassist Kim Deal hooked up with the Pixies by answering an ad for “Bassist who is into Husker Du and Peter, Paul and Mary.” …
For All You Guitarists/Gymnasts Out There
Picture this: You’re playing for a sold-out crowd of shrieking fans, and as your band pounds its way toward oblivion, you near the climax of your guitar solo. You go into a crouch, ready to launch yourself into a well-rehearsed backscratcher punctuated by a window-shattering power chord. Unfortunately, you’re stepping on your guitar cable. You leap, the plug rips out …
Barre Chord Basics | How to Play Barre Chords
I’ve decided to start sprinkling tips among my longer tutorials and articles. Here’s the first… Barre chords are the scourge of the beginning guitarist. Like a bum knee, a prison record, the inability of matter to exceed the speed of light; barre chords hold us back. The next time an F minor chord messes with you, mess back with this: …
