Commentary
How I practice
Reading the comments about practicing this week has been quite interesting for me. Mainly because I lived out what a lot of you are saying. For years. Not long after I got a band going, I let true practice fall by the wayside. That doesn't mean I wasn't playing my guitar. It's just that I wasn't practicing. I was writing, which... »
The absolute worst thing you can do
When practicing guitar, most people develop some bad habits. They only play the songs they already know. They avoid anything that will stretch themselves. They get themselves in deep and seemingly insurmountable ruts. But there is one thing you can do that will be absolutely detrimental to your development as a guitar player. Don't practice at all. This message is very pertinent... »
Guitar music and copyrights on the internet
Chris Anderson recently wrote a great article called Free. He does a convincing job explaining why things on the web are basically free, and industries who (willingly or otherwise) distribute products on the web are basically seeing prices of those products spiral downwards towards zero. Infinite storage space plus zero distribution costs equals, well, free. The music industry is always offered... »
The next level
I said this on Twitter the other night, and it bears repeating here. Starting a blog is easy. Maintaining a blog is so so hard. I've had this blog going for a few weeks. It's been fun, but the goal is now to take it to the next level. Thanks so much to all who participated in my little survey last week.... »
It’s a great time to play guitar
It's a terrible time for the recording industry. Album sales sag more and more every year. High gas prices and a sluggish economy have made touring tough. Every time you pick up a magazine or get online, there are doom and gloom stories about the dire state of music. It seems like a lot of music folks are looking back... »
Guitars at the Grammys: who played guitar for Carrie Underwood and other mysteries solved
The Grammys delivered with another great show this year, full of some truly solid performances. While I didn't see the one WOW moment ala Aretha Franklin in '98 or Beyonce a couple years back, there were some fun collaborations like Keith Urban and B.B. King or Dave Grohl sitting in with McCartney. And, as always, there were some atrocities. I'm... »
SixStringLounge: what to look for in February
Welcome to the SixStringLounge! If you're new here, don't fret (ha!) - so am I... This month I am hoping to hit you with about two posts a day*: "Regular posts" including reviews, commentary, and answers to your questions. I am gradually unfurling a series of lessons called "Guitar for the Absolute Beginner" Feel free to check things out. And feel free to let... »
The learning curve and guitar lessons at sea
One thing I've learned these last couple of weeks: starting a new blog is HARD! Not only am I faced with the daunting task of getting a decent amount of content going, but I am learning a new blogging platform as well! I had a scheduled post that was supposed to hit while I was out of town - didn't... »
Guitar for the absolute beginner: jerks in music stores and why I suck at golf
Seth Godin wrote an excellent book a couple of years ago called The Dip. He explains that crucial phase of development that separates the pro from the amateur and the expert from the novice. It's a quick read and it's inspiring. I highly recommend it. But there's another phenomenon that happens with playing guitar (and I'm sure a... »
Keeping it positive
So here we have it - another guitar website. As you're looking around this blog, kicking the tires, the first thing that pops in your head might be "Why is there a need for another guitar website?" Well, I'll tell you why. As a guitarist myself, I have been using online websites and tools for well over a decade. While... »
- Interview: The Fray’s Joe King Talks Guitars, Riffs and Songwriting http://bit.ly/1yZve2 (via @gibsonlifestyle) 2009-08-05
- @Dan_Gross yes! The mention in that article a few weeks ago was premature. Looking to launch it in a couple of weeks... in reply to Dan_Gross 2009-07-28
- More updates...
