Leaderboard

For those interested in adding more chords and learning how to build them on the fretboard, there is a website where you can download and compile PDF files of Ted Greene’s revolutionary V-System for free. Steve has mentioned Ted’s Chord Chemistry book a few times. I don’t have the book, but as I recall Steve had said it was mostly page after page of chord diagrams. This on the other hand is a system that can be used to construct chords on the fretboard. Here’s the link to Ted Greene’s V-System. I hope you will find the methods helpful.

Music Theory for Musicians and Normal People. An excellent, free 53-page PDF introduction to theory by Toby Rush. You can choose the pages the want. Blank staff paper, wide ruled and narrow ruled (PDFs). The circle of fifths (gif). My updated (Sept 2019) worksheet for learning chord construction (PDF, 2 pages). I asked my theory teacher to review my first version, and he suggested a few improvements. Advanced students might take issue with some nomenclature, but there's no pleasing everyone. Vaughn Cube errata. If you have an early edition of the Vaughn Cube for Music Theory (mine is 2008), you probably discovered some typos. I’ve collected them here (PDF, 1 page). I presume they are corrected in the latest edition. Jazz Theory, by Stuart Smith. (PDF, 89 pages) Not for rookies. You just might want to wait until Session 17! The online version is here. 8 Practice Hacks, by Noa Kageyama. (PDF, 22 pages) Straight talk to stay on track. Update (7/7/20): I deleted the old Skills House files on modes and jazz chord progressions because Steve now has updated versions in the Downloads section. Added 8 Practice Hacks. Wide Staff.pdf Narrow Staff.pdf Chord Construction Worksheet v2.pdf Errata Vaughn Cube Lesson Book.pdf 8 Practice Hacks.pdf Jazz Theory.pdf

Here is my offering. I fancied having a go at 12 Bar Blues. It is daft and not all that good but I had heaps of fun doing it and I learnt a lot.? As Country Lou Watson once said "The Blues Is a Good Woman Feeling Bad" Well, this is a bad singer and guitar player feeling good, thanks to this new forum! https://soundcloud.com/user-581560130/cheesy-blues By the way, the warning notice you will see is only a photograph of a message I was getting, it is not a warning about soundcloud or the link above.

Hey all, We've had some people ask about our "bad-word filter" and why do we need it. What about free speech? Are we censoring people? The short answer: Yes. Rule #1: This board exists to help people learn guitar with information and encouragement. Here's my thoughts on this... FOUL LANGUAGE I used to cuss like a sailor. (My parents would be mortified to know that in middle school and high school, I had very foul language. But I could turn it on and off depending on the situation.) But I vividly remember the moment in my first year of college that I had just said some expletive to some friend of mine in the course of normal daily conversation. The thought crossed my mind. "What's wrong with you? Can't you even express yourself without using bad language?" And from that moment on I stopped - without fanfare or effort. It was like a switch that was turned off in my vocabulary. And, in all but the rarest of circumstances, I've never casually cussed since then. Having said all that, I feel this discussion board should be free of rampant foul language. I've found that other discussion boards are just littered with foul language which turns me off and I'm glad ours tends to not go that direction. Rampant foul language turns people off - especially new comers. We're here to help people. There are plenty of other guitar boards around filled with people ranting about this or that, putting down other people with every imaginable word. That's not us. (Please refer to Rule #1 above) So, yes, we do have a bad word filter - just like we had on the previous boards. I installed it myself and it was quite an interesting read. CENSORSHIP I am infinitely more concerned that the person who is struggling in learning how to play guitar can come here and find encouragement and support from the people here, rather than finding a few people cluttering the boards with rants about this or that. I'm not in the free speech business. I'm in the helping guitar player's learn business. This is not a "free speech" haven. It's a guitar forum. I don't mind getting off topic. Some of my best interactions on the forum have been on off-topic threads. Just don't get divisive, and mean to people. Heated debates, I have no problem with. But, if it is nothing but people arguing back and forth, particularly on an issue that has nothing to do with music, and folks are getting mad then I am going to step in. If you have a problem with how the board is run, then talk to the guy whose life work is poured into this community and who pays all of the bills and takes all the good and bad for this whole party. I know him pretty well and he will vehemently protect what the purpose of this forum is for - this place exists to help people. (Please refer to Rule #1 above) CLOSING THOUGHTS I have always seen this place as the proverbial water cooler at the gym - a place where folks, all united in a common love for music and guitar, can come, talk about struggles in learning, get encouragement from each other and support to get back into the gym of learning. Along the way, we may talk about other topics, and get wonderfully intertwined a bit in each others lives from the quirky to the amazingly profound. My goal is to help people as they are learning. If yours is too, then I welcome you and need you. If you're not interested in helping people, and see nothing here but a place to vent your frustrations with life, then move on. I wish you well. - Steve

The question of a solid practice routine comes up many, many times, from dedicated students who wonder, "What should I practice ?", "How often should I practice", "How do I keep track of my progress?" ... Steve Krenz created this video (Taken from the Tips of the Pros Series), to address this often asked question... (about 7:31 minutes long ... You'll also find this in the Tips of the Pros sub-forum)

I found this video on YouTube. Interesting lesson. I also have a couple CD's by R.L.Burnside........

You can take any music piece and read it to a set 40 on the metronome , read it forward and backwards read two bar forward and the next two backwards. that is what the book I have teaches you .I starts out 1/4 notes then up to 16t notes . and you try to read head and say the notes on time .

@rkl312 You may want to try Music Reading for Guitar THE COMPLETE METHOD by David Oakes. It’s currently not available on the US amazon site, so I’m giving you the Canadian link.

Here's one Idea.....I have a couple sites I use. http://musicards.net/

Hi rkl312. Sight reading involves more than just reading through music. Your aim is to be reading at least one or two notes ahead of where you are playing. Initially you won't be able to do that, but that should be your goal. Some people can read an entire measure ahead of where they are playing, but start by *trying* to read one note ahead. It's similar to keeping your eyes looking further down the road when you drive rather than to just look at what is immediately in front of your vehicle. And don't stop to fix mistakes. Try to keep an even tempo and play through an entire song without stopping. True sight reading involves reading a piece of music for the first time--never having seen it previously. But if you aren't regularly practicing a particular piece music, you can periodically pick it up and just run through it from start to finish. I have a music education degree. During my instrumental methods class (class to learn how to teach instrumental music), my professor told us what he did to teach his students how to sight read. He held up a sheet of paper over top of the music. As his students would sight read through the piece, he'd move the paper covering the notes the student was to be playing making them look ahead a beat or two. Give it a try. It's something you will need to focus on until it becomes second nature.

You heard me! I'll go first I'm pretty enamored with this one - I don't deserve something this nice, but maybe I will one day

Thanks Plantsman. I did list this site, on the L&M Guitar site, as a resource for lefties. http://leftyfretz.com/ A lot of information on this site. I even learned that the founder of Gibson was a lefty.

For acoustics I like the Seagull brand. Well built (like a tank), sound good and great value for the dollar. With my large hands, the 1.8" necks are quite comfortable. Best of all, I'm not afraid to take them anywhere. For electrics I am drawn to the Paul Reed Smith (PRS) brand. Stunning looks and beautiful sounds. Basically I look for an economical guitar which is comfortable and sounds good to me. An expensive guitar will not make me sound any better. Henk

We got the links updated. If you've purchased any of the Fretboard Workout courses (Jazz & Major Scale Mastery 1&2) and are needing the PDF you should have received an email a few days ago with the new links. If you need anything or still can't locate them email me at Service at MightyOakMusic.com Thanks and sorry about the hassle. - Steve

I have a few guitars , and they are all so much fun and different in their own ways... But my very favorite is Curley... my 1933 Gibson L-OO... Restored by the best and most talented luthier!

My favorite guitar is usually the one I am holding - but I will go with this one (Collings SoCo Deluxe):

My '13 Traditional is my No. 1.

Well, I don't like to say favorite! But this is the guitar that still stuns me whenever I get it out. A PRS Hollowbody II.

My favourite is a 1989 Korean Squier strat. Sometimes you're lucky enough to find a guitar that feels and plays just right for you. This is the one guitar that I'd never part with. These "S" serial Squiers are becoming quite sought after these days.

Just one?!?! It's hard to pick one and it also depends on what week, how the stars are aligned and who knows what else? But ok. I'll play. Since it's this forum and I saw Steve playing it on a Live Lesson, so he is somewhat responsible, I'll post this one. My 1972 Gibson 325: