The guitar students that I’ve taught throughout the last 20 years or so all fall into two categories when it comes to their particular style of practicing. They either ‘push through’, meaning they just keep playing away regardless of the sound/noise they’re making. Or they are perfectionists who spend most of their time NOT playing […]
Here is the unbelievable Merle Travis beating Angus Young to it, but only by around 40 years or so! Pay close attention to Merle’s fingers and you’ll see that he is using a technique similar to Doc Watson’s. It’s amazing what these guys can do with just so little. Merle’s guitar playing style was developed […]
About twenty years ago I went out to buy a Chet Atkins record and what I came back with contained the impressive instrumental Kicky. Atkins makes this sound about as easy as taking candy from a baby… Stories have been told about the very young Chet who, when a friend or relative would come to […]
One word that seems to manifest an uneasy feeling in most of us humans is the word discipline. So often it’s associated with pain, boredom and generally doing stuff we don’t like. As a child at school, I was often told, ‘you need to be more disciplined’ or I would overhear my mother being told, […]
The thing I love about getting face to face with other aspiring musicians that are hungry to improve, is knowing that I’m going to learn something from them. I know, I know… you’ve heard that cheesy statement before, but it’s so true and here’s another example of it. I met Bill (not his real name) […]