Pro Guitar Lessons

Guitar Lessons on New Myspace Site

2006-10-09T12:36:00.000+10:00

Guitar Lessons Rock is our sweet new MySpace page...

We've just set-up an awesome new page on MySpace for Pro Guitar Lessons - there's some cool new playalong tracks to listen to, some tab, and plenty more to come so jump on and make friends with us!

Pete checks in regularly from his current Australian tour with Mammal too, so you can ask any Pete Murray, Mammal or general guitar questions. Check it out, and show us some MySpace love!

Guitar Lessons Rock! @ MySpace.com

Learn Guitar with Rhythm Jam Tracks

2006-04-25T23:56:00.000+10:00

LEARN GUITAR WITH YOUR FIRST RHYTHM JAM SESSION

In this section of Pro Guitar Tips, you get to jam along with Pete and a rocking band! Recorded live to help you learn guitar quickly, I’ve provided four different style play-along tracks, and they rock. Play-along tracks are the best way to practice as you test your skills in a real life situation. In this series of play-along songs you become the rhythm guitarist in the band. Pete will play the rhythm for the first rotation of the song, and then drop out. You should play along with Pete, then take the reigns for yourself. The songs will be repeated three times so you get to really lock in and jam.

When learning guitar for a new song, take it very slowly, work out each bar, and then join them together. If you’re having trouble with a section, stop and go over that part until you get it right. There’s not much point in repeating mistakes, because you’ll be training your brain, ears and fingers to play the mistake and not the correct part.

Here’s the four different style play-along songs for you to learn and jam with.

1 - Acoustic singer/songwriter play-along: In the playing style of Bob Dylan.

2 - Acoustic roots play-along: In the playing style of Jack Johnson.

3 - Heavy Rock play-along: In the playing style of Metallica.

4 - New Wave Punk play-along: In the style of Good Charlotte.

Download each MP3 - I recommend that you burn them to CD to make practicing simple and straightforward. Have heaps of fun with the play-along tracks, and enjoy mastering your rhythm skills.

What are your next steps?

Listen to a lot of music
Learn the rhythm parts to all your favorite songs
Have a go at writing your own songs
Move onto the next section of Pro Guitar Tips, and learn lead guitar

ACOUSTIC SONGWRITER STYLE PLAY-ALONG

In the playing style of mellow Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Oasis, Green Day etc.

This play-along is fairly simple and uses mostly open chords. Be careful with the Bm7 in the 4 th bar though, as it’s a barre chord shape.

ACOUSTIC ROOTS PLAY-ALONG

This play-along is in the style of Jack Johnson, Ben Harper, Pete Murray etc. Listen to Pete's rhythm playing, and try to copy the style and strumming pattern. Then have a go on your own. I suggest using bar chords for this example.

HEAVY ROCK PLAY-ALONG

This play-along is in the playing style of hard rock and metal bands like Metallica
etc.

The song is riff based (which is why I haven’t written out the chords) and uses single notes mixed with power chords. The slashes you see on the chart are slides. Have a listen and copy Pete's playing style.

The form of this song is written out using the alphabet letters A, B, and C - these letters are not chords. This is a common way of naming different sections. You play A twice, then B twice and then C once (C functions like a turnaround). Repeat the whole thing three times.

NEW WAVE PUNK PLAYALONG

This play-along is in the style of bands like Good Charlotte, Blink 182, etc

I’ve broken the song into three parts. Verse, pre-chorus and chorus. Each part is played twice and then the whole thing is repeated three times. I’ve left the rhythm out in the chorus, just listen and copy Pete's playing.

Once you've downloaded these tunes and played through, check out the Pro Guitar Tips course for the next lessons to help you learn guitar fast...

Hope you've had fun with these guitar songs - remember if you want to Learn Guitar check out Pro Guitar Tips

Pro Guitar Lessons

2006-04-16T17:29:00.000+10:00

There's a damn good reason that this blog is called Pro Guitar Lessons, and that's because of just how average most of the so-called guitar lesson sites are on the web.

Seriously, I've bought them, gone through them from start to finish, and spent plenty of time shaking my head!

Have you seen the crap they get people to spend their cash on? Have you been duped by a dodgy "this will show you how to play in 30 seconds" site? Only to get low res images of some guy in a badly lit room fumbling through a few old tunes, some fairly useless tips, and - if you're lucky - crackly, low quality audio files. There is nothing "Pro" about those kind of guitar lessons!

To actually learn guitar, you need a whole lot more than that, which is why I've invested in developing a course created by a professional guitarist - ie that makes a living from playing guitar in a band (number 1 albums, sold out massive shows/festivals, world tours etc) NOT just giving lessons, has a music college degree, has a teaching qualification, and a real passion for helping people learn guitar with the songs they want to play, rather than forcing anyone into purely old standard tunes or scales and more scales...

I would regard those elements as being the absolute essentials BEFORE anyone starts a guitar website. Sadly, from all the useless crap that is out there, the actual pre-requisite is having a guitar and an internet connection. Makes me *&%#ing angry, but if people want to buy that sort of rubbish, good luck to them...

Have you been duped by some "internet expert guitarist"? I know there's a few of you out there!

Anyway, hope you're getting some practice in over Easter... check out some real Pro Guitar Lessons if you've got some spare time.

Rock on!

A Brief Intro to Music Theory for Guitar

2006-04-02T22:15:00.000+10:00

What are all those notes about, anyway?

Ok, so I'll hand over to Pete who has put together a quick spiel to introduce the very basics of music theory...

"In my life as a professional musician I’ve had many opportunities open up to me thanks to my understanding of music theory. Even though I get paid to get on stage and play rock guitar tunes, I’ve always been appreciative to my parents for putting me through guitar lessons that helped to provide me with the background knowledge to get to the top of the music industry. Hopefully I can help lay down a solid foundation for you to build a lifetime of musical mastery and enjoyment. I know theory doesn’t sound like the most exciting topic, and you may be sitting there thinking you can skip this stuff and jump right in. But hang in there – I’ll make this quick and easy, get some important basic music theory concepts under your belt, and let you get into the fun stuff as soon as possible. The more music knowledge you gain, the easier it will be to rock out on the guitar. A greater musical understanding also helps you learn faster, as you’ll pick up on your own mistakes.

In some of the Pro Guitar Lessons I have provided advanced tips and theory information in special breakout sections, which allows you to choose your study path depending on what you want to focus on - for example, you can select from rock guitar lessons, some guitar theory, or guitar tips on tablature - there's a stack of options.

Here's some of the music theory basics...

MUSICAL ALPHABET

The musical alphabet ranges from A through to G.

A B C D E F G

Each of these letters corresponds to a note.

Every note has what is called a ‘sharp’ (#), except B and E:

A A# B C C# D D# E F F# G G#

These are the 12 notes that are used in Western music. If you start on the A string and play a note on each and every fret up to the 12 th fret, you’re playing what is known as a ‘Chromatic Scale’. To make a note sharp, simply move your finger one fret right towards the body of the guitar. Every sharp note has a ‘flat’ (b) name. They are the same notes but named differently due to the different keys in music. To make a note flat, move it one fret left away from the body of the guitar."

Stay tuned for more basic music theory from Pete, or check out Pro Guitar Tips to get the complete 200 lesson course, packed with audio samples, tablature and easy to read images and diagrams.

SXSW

2006-03-27T00:28:00.000+11:00

Well we've just touched back down in Australia from our trip to SXSW via LA and NY. It's an amazing festival, my second time there but still mind blowing with the intensity of activity that swamps Austin for the week!

For anyone that likes music, it's incredible to have 1400 bands - ranging from artists with 20 year, million-selling careers, to the newest indie sensations, crammed into all these groovy little Austin venues. Highlights for me included seeing Helmet in a club show kind of thing, Aussie act End of Fashion doing excellent pop rock, The Datsuns blitzing at Emo's, Flogging Molly creating a minor riot with Irish jig stomp punk, and hearing Neil Young re-count a few tales.

Plenty of cool music gear at the trade show too, have a look at .... if you're a songwriter, have a look at Masterwriter.... if you're a guitarist, head over to Pro Guitar Tips, and for those wanting to promote their bands, there seems to be another online tool popping up every week - but the best of them seem to be www.myspace.com - check it out, and PureVolume and Sonicbids too.

Pro Guitar Practice Tips

2006-02-08T21:53:00.000+11:00

PETE’S PRO PRACTICE TIPS

Pete often challenges people with how regularly they play guitar. It’s amazing how regular playing will help you improve out of sight. Every time you pick up the guitar whether to practice or just make some noise you'll be improving. You can play guitar everywhere: on the couch, in front of the TV, in your bedroom, outside in the sunshine, and rocking out to your favorite tunes on the stereo. Make your guitar part of the furniture, just pick it up anytime and you’ll hear the
rewards.

1/ Allow a minimum of half an hour per day to practice the guitar. You may wish to start with two fifteen minute sessions a day spread a few hours apart so your hand and fingers don’t get too sore. Now if you’re making excuses like “I don’t have the time to do this kind of practice”, I’m sorry, but put your guitar on eBay because you're kidding yourself. Half an hour is just trading one TV show, it’s not that long, or too much to ask, and the rewards are amazing. You may wish to start a routine so that you practice consistently at the same time each day. It won't be long before you won’t even think about it as “practice” and you’ll enjoy playing guitar for hours each day.

2/ Practice various things on the guitar and spread your time between learning new concepts, playing songs, and being creative. If you spend the whole time on one idea, you may get bored or your hand will get sore. Mix up your practice between playing chords and single notes, too, to keep your mind alert and learning, and your hands fresh.

3/ If your mind starts wandering or your hands get sore, don’t keep pushing, just take a short break. Go and do something completely different, like getting some fresh air by taking a run or walk. It will clear your head and fire you up to get back into the practice. Oh, and just so you know, everybody’s hands get sore when they start to play guitar. Trust me, it will not take long to pass, and you’ll be able to play for hours.

PRO TIP
Try not to push too hard on the strings and release the tension in your hand. Nearly all beginners try too hard, and over-use their hand and arm muscles. Relax, and concentrate on breathing normally. DO NOT HOLD YOUR BREATH! This is a common trap and will make you tire very quickly.

4/ I remember what it’s like when you start to learn the guitar - information overload! Remember, it’s about you, and it’s meant to be fun. Take your time! Push yourself and always be trying to learn new things, but don’t let learning bring you down. You have your whole life ahead of you to learn. So relax and enjoy!

PRO TIP
It’s very important to revise what you have learned. Becoming a good guitarist really comes down to repetition. The first chord I ever learned was the open G major chord. It’s super easy, yet I still play it every day! The chord is so ingrained in my head and hands that my brain no longer thinks about it, my hand just plays it. Pete mentioned that the first song he ever wrote was simply the G chord moving to a C chord. By playing and writing songs, you can help a chord that seems weird and strange at first become a second nature.

5/ Have fun - that's the most important part! Rock on!

How to Re-string Your Guitar Like a Pro - Part 3

2006-01-16T20:57:00.000+11:00

CLASSICAL/NYLON STRING GUITARS
To replace the strings on a classical guitar is a slightly more complicated technique. I will provide a detailed description though you may wish to get some more guidance in person if you’re unsure. Pro Guitar Tips includes step by step images to help out.

RE-STRINGING A CLASSICAL GUITAR
Remove the old strings on the guitar. If you remove all the strings at once make sure the bridge doesn’t fall out. To avoid this you may wish to change one string at a time. If you’re only replacing one string, then remove the broken parts of the string. Take the opportunity to give your guitar a clean using a soft cotton cloth. A lot of dirt and oil from your fingers can build up on the guitar fingerboard so give it a good clean.

Start by connecting the string to the bridge of the guitar. Thread the string through the hole so that about 2 inches of string are out the other side of the bridge. I like to use the figure 8 method as the strings stay in better tune.

Take hold of the short end and loop it back around the rest of the string.

Now loop it over and under itself twice to form a figure 8 pattern.

Pull the long end of the string so that the figure 8 pattern locks into place.

The last section of the figure 8 pattern should be over the edge of the bridge with the left over string out of the way, and the string locked in place. Now repeat this for the rest of the strings.
The three bass strings usually have a thin section on one end that is used to thread through the bridge. Make sure that you use this section of the string and not the other end.

Ok you’re now ready to connect your strings to the tuning pegs.

Firstly, thread the string through the correct tuning peg hole, so that about 4 inches of string is through the hole.

Now pull the left over string around itself so that it will lock into place when you start to tighten the string. Tighten the string using your index finger to guide it for a nice neat wrap. Guide the string towards the centre of the headstock so that a nice straight line is formed through the nut. Tune the string!

Repeat the process for all the other strings. Once you’ve connected all the strings, use a tuning method to tune up. Then give the strings a really good stretch and re-tune. Nylon strings take a lot longer to settle than steel strings, and you’ll need to re-tune the guitar several times until the strings set.

Finally, use your pliers to cut off any left over ends of the strings so that you’ve got a clean neat looking guitar. Make sure you leave a few mm just in case the strings slip.

Enjoy the clarity of your newly strung guitar!

How to Re-string Your Guitar Like a Pro - Part 2

2006-01-07T20:53:00.000+11:00

HOW TO RE-STRING A GUITAR – THE RIGHT WAY

Well Happy New Year, welcome to 2006. I hope your guitar playing improves out of sight this year. Let's start the year off by freshing up those guitar strings. Here's part two of some tips to help you out.

So, you’ve broken a string, or your guitar strings look more like rusty old fence? It’s time to learn how to change them – the right way. There are many pitfalls with re-stringing a guitar that can leave you with an out of tune instrument, or even an injury, so take care and pay close attention.

Firstly, a warning - we’re dealing with wire at very high tension, so be careful. If a string snaps it can cause eye damage or cut through skin.

Ok, the first stage is to loosen the tension on all the strings. I recommend playing the string while you start loosening it, to check that you’re turning the tuning peg the correct way. There’s nothing worse for you or your guitar than assuming you’re loosening a string when you’re actually tightening it until it breaks. I also recommend buying a string-winding tool, which is a great time saver.

STEP 1: ELECTRIC GUITAR
There are two different common types of electric guitars.

a) Fender Type
Most Fender style electric guitars have the string pulled through the bridge, and the end ball on the string holds it in place. When you remove the strings, make sure that you have all 6 of the little ball ends out of the bridge holes. There’s nothing worse than putting a new string in and realizing that there is a string ball stuck in there. You may wish to hold the guitar up to the light and look through the holes to check everything is clear. Ensure you remove all the strings from the tuning pegs, and pull them out of the guitar through the back of the bridge.
b) Gibson Type
When taking the strings off most Gibson style guitars it's easy to see the ball ends of the strings as they are hooked through the bridge on the face of the guitar. Some of the bridges on these style guitars are held in place by the string tension, so it may be better to only replace a few strings at a time, rather than all at once. Place new strings through the appropriate hole (sharp end first) and pull through until the ball of the string is tight against the bridge.

STEP 1: STEEL STRING ACOUSTIC
Steel string acoustics have small plastic pins that hold the strings into the bridge of the guitar. Loosen all the strings and take them off the tuning pegs. Now it’s time to remove the pins and the strings. There are a few different techniques if they don’t pull out easily. If you purchased a string winder, you can use a section of it to pull out the pins.

If you don’t have a string winder, either carefully put your hand in the guitar and push them out from the inside, or use a teaspoon to lever the pins out. Be very careful as you don’t want to scratch your guitar.

You may wish to take the opportunity to clean your guitar and fingerboard now it’s string free. Guitar shops sell different types of guitar and fingerboard cleaning products that you can use with a cotton cloth to make your guitar look and feel like new.
Place your new strings in the appropriate hole and replace the pins.

While you’re pushing the pin down, it’s a good idea to pull on the string to create some tension so the ball of the string locks in place.

Don’t worry if you break one of the pins, they’re easy to replace and you can buy them at most music shops. It might be a good idea to carry a few spares in your guitar case to be prepared. Pete reports that he's yet to break one after 20 or so years, though!

STEP 2: ATTACH THE STRINGS TO THE TUNING PEGS
This is the same for all types of guitars (except classical guitars). The most important thing here is to make sure that the strings are pulled up on the correct side of the tuning peg. Line up all the holes in the tuning pegs so that they’re all facing down the neck of the guitar. Start by pulling one string through the tuning peg, leaving enough slack so you can get several string rotations on the tuning peg.

I like to give the string one rotation around the tuning peg before tightening. This saves you time and also helps to make sure you have enough string slack.

Now hold the string in place with your right hand on the peg so the string cannot slip and then turn the peg ANTI-CLOCKWISE to tighten. On some Gibson-style guitars, the peg is underneath, so turn clockwise to tighten. As you start tightening the string, let the first rotation go above the hole (where the sharp end is), and the rest under the hole. This helps hold the string in place. I like to bend the remaining string upwards so that it’s out of the way, which also helps to avoid the string slipping. It’s a good idea to get several rotations on the peg - a minimum of 2+ wraps for the bass strings and 3+ for the lighter strings - as this will help the string stay in tune.

STEP 3: BRING THE STRINGS UP TO TENSION
I recommend tightening one string at a time. As the string gets tighter, you should start to use a tuner so you don’t go over the pitch you’re tuning to – refer to the tuning lesson in Pro Guitar Tips for more help. If you’re not sure how much to tighten the string, try playing some notes up the neck and see if the tuner picks the pitch you are aiming for, this helps indicate how far you have to go. Once you get the string to the pitch you’re after, it’s important to stretch it in by pulling on the string, or strumming the guitar really hard. You’ll hear how the string has gone out of tune, so re-tune the string and repeat until the string remains in tune.

Use some small wire cutters to remove the ends of the strings. Be very careful not to cut yourself on the sharp string ends, or scratch your guitar. Leave a few mm on the ends just in case the strings slip.

The last step is all about safety – make sure you pick up all the old strings. They can be deadly for bare feet, and are often hard to see on the floor. Enjoy the bright fresh sound your new strings have, and rock on!

STRING LOCKING GUITARS
Pete was adament that I mention he doesn’t recommend the Floyd Rose locking tremelo style of guitar for beginners. This system locks the strings into place by using small clamps at the bridge and the nut. The concept allows you to use the whammy bar like crazy, and the strings will hold better tuning. However, if you break a string, all the strings go out of tune and they’re much more difficult to change anyway. If you’ve got this style of guitar and need some help changing strings, ask your local guitar shop for some help learning.

How to String A Guitar Like a Pro

2005-12-17T20:51:00.000+11:00

How to String a Guitar

Knowing how to string a guitar is a crucial part of learning guitar. It’s very important to have your guitar fitted with the correct strings – it can make a huge difference to how the guitar sounds, and how easy it is to play. For beginners, I recommend lighter gauge (thinner) strings, which are easier to press down and make a sound until your fingers get stronger.

Have a look at how high the strings are from the fingerboard. This distance, known as the action, makes a big difference in how easy it is to press the string down, and get notes to sound out properly. Many beginners struggle with guitars with too high an action, making learning more difficult. If you’re not sure if your guitar is set up properly, it’s well worth a trip to your local music store to get your guitar given the once over.

HOW DO I KNOW WHEN TO CHANGE THE STRINGS ON MY GUITAR?

Most players change their strings when they become lifeless and dull, or when the strings fail to stay in tune. Older strings tend to go out of tune easier. The timing of this depends on many other variables, as you get into the guitar you will develop your own time frame for changing strings. If you’re going to set up the intonation on your guitar (an advanced technique) I’d also recommend putting on fresh strings.

If you break a string, it’ll depend on the length of time all the strings have been on the guitar as to whether you change the whole set. It’s better to replace them all at once to ensure a consistent tone, but it may be more cost effective for you to just replace the broken one. If your strings are old, then replace them all for a fresh sounding and easier to play guitar. If the strings are fairly new, it’s up to your ears and personal preference as to whether you replace them all, or just the broken one.

Guitar strings pick up a lot of acid and dirt that is produced from our hands sweating as we play. If you clean your guitar strings with a cotton cloth after playing, this helps retain a bright tone, and prolongs string life. The level and type of use will affect the life of your strings - if you’re playing regular performances then you’ll need to replace your strings more often. Wiping down your strings after playing will extend their life, which means less cost, and fewer string changes.

WHY DO MY STRINGS KEEP BREAKING?

If you have trouble with strings breaking regularly, you may have one of the following problems:
Check where the strings break. More often than not it’ll be at the bridge of the guitar, but they can also break at the nut. Check to see if the areas of the guitar that the string contacts are smooth, as there could be a rough or sharp section which is causing your strings to break.
You may be playing the guitar too hard for the gauge strings you're using. Try replacing your strings with a heavier gauge. For example, if you’re currently using 10-46 gauge strings on your electric guitar, swap to a set of 11-49 gauge strings and see if that helps.

Check out more tips for How to String a Guitar at Pro Guitar Tips.

Amplifier Buyer's Guide: Which One is Right for You?

2005-12-06T20:48:00.000+11:00

SELECTING THE BEST TYPE OF AMPLIFIER FOR YOU

So, you’ve got your eye on an electric guitar, or an acoustic with a pick-up. Then you’re going to need an amplifier! But there’s such a huge range, it can be daunting to even know where to start looking. Well, there’s some key questions that can help guide you…

How good does the sound of my amp need to be?

Well, are you aiming to form a band and play some gigs, or just be able to hear your electric guitar in your bedroom? If you’re a bedroom player, then any old amp will do to get you started. It’ll come down to your personal preference as to how much you invest. If you want to get out and play live, then you might need to think about a quality amp - like a Marshall, Fender or other top brand. In the Pro Guitar Tips course, we devote a whole chapter to ‘How to Get a Great Tone’, to help you decide between a solid state or valve amplifier. It could actually take over a whole blog, it's such a personal choice too. But as someone starting out, the next question you need to ask yourself is:

How loud do I need to play?

As loud as %&*^ing possible, I hear you say! Well, to simplify things a bit, amplifiers come in all different volume sizes. It’s fair to say the bigger the amp, the louder the sound. Amp power is rated by watts, with really loud amps ranging from 50-200 watts. If you’re just looking for a bedroom practice amp, then around 10 watts will do you nicely. If you want to be able play with a live drummer and still hear the sound of your guitar, then you’ll probably need 30+ watts of amp power.

How am I going to transport the amp?

I know a lot of guitarists who think they need the biggest amp. But I don’t know a lot of guitarists who do stadium sized shows! Bigger doesn’t necessarily make you play any better! Remember, the bigger your amp, the harder it’s going to be to transport to rehearsals and gigs – at least until you get your own road crew! You don’t want to put too much stress on your back just trying to lift the thing. Use common sense! Most gigs you'll play will use PA systems, where a microphone is placed in front of the amp, which is re-amplified to be mixed with rest of the band to heard by the audience.

How much money should I spend on an amp?

If you’ve got a limited budget, then I recommend spending the bulk of it on your guitar. A better guitar will be easier to play and will deliver rewards when it comes to sound quality. You can always upgrade your gear, but it’s great to start with something with longevity. Exactly how much to spend on an amp comes back to your intended use, and personal preference. As usual, the more you spend the better the amp will sound. (The next figures are a rough price range guide in US and Australian dollars.)

Beginner: US $100-200 AUD $150-300
Intermediate: US $250-500 AUD $300-700
Professional: US $500-3000+ AUD $700-4000+

The combination of equipment is really important to your overall sound. A great amp with an average sounding guitar (and/or guitar player!) is still going to sound average. Trust your ears to tell you what sounds good, and practice hard!

Guitar Buyer's Guide Part 2: How to Buy an Electric Guitar

2005-11-30T20:45:00.000+11:00

2: You want to play lead guitar, rock out, make some noise, annoy your parents (or your kids), form a band, get rich and super famous, right? Then think about getting an electric guitar!

ELECTRIC GUITAR PROS: Electric guitars have smaller scale necks and a low string action, so they’re easier to play. You’ll be able to play along, and sound like your favorite rock stars. The low string action makes playing fast lead ideas much more accessible than on an acoustic. Plus playing really loud will impress your friends!

CONS: Unless your ear is close to the guitar, you’re going to need an amplifier to really get the full potential out of the guitar, and hear what you’re playing. You then need power to run the amp, which means the old electric is not so good for playing around the campfire. Getting set-up is going to be more expensive, because you’ll have to also buy an amp and lead.

HOW MUCH SHOULD I SPEND ON A GUITAR?

Well, it’s a totally personal choice, and funnily enough it comes down to your budget! Buy the best guitar you can afford. Listen carefully and critically to how it sounds. Spend some time playing it to see if the guitar feels comfortable, and only buy the guitar if you like how it looks. Suggested Price Guide: (The figures are an approximate rough price range guide in Australian and US dollars.)

Beginner: US $80-400, AUD $100-500
Intermediate: US $400-700, AUD $500-1000
Professional: US $700-3000+, AUD $1000-4000

Don’t rush into purchasing your guitar. Take your time, assess your options, and make sure you get exactly what you want to suit your style and musical future. If you aim to advance quickly then spend enough so the guitar is not obsolete in 6 months. You also have a choice of where to source your guitar from:

Music Store
E-bay
Mail Order
Trading Post
Pawn Shop

If you’re a complete beginner then I suggest you make first stop a professional music store. You’ll be able to play a range of different guitars and work out what feels best for you. You can also take advantage of beginner packages, with everything you need to get started bundled together. They’re often great value, with introductory electric guitar and amp packages starting around $200. Professional music stores are often more expensive, but you do get expert advice and often a warranty. Even if you don’t buy from them, it’s worth going in and playing a bunch of guitars to help you decide exactly what you’re after. Take a guitar-playing friend shopping with you. They’ll be able to give you unbiased advice.

Make sure you play the guitars, or at least hold and feel them. Having the shop assistant (who’s probably a great guitar player) play them will not give you any idea of how the guitar will suit your style. If you’re buying an electric guitar, listen to the sound of it through an amplifier similar to what you’ll be using. If you hear the guitar through the most expensive amp in the shop, you’ll get a false impression of the guitar.

Most guitars in shops are not set-up to their best playability. I don’t know why the guitar manufacturers don’t do a better job of this, but I’ve rarely played a well set-up guitar in a shop. If you fall in love with a guitar, remember you can always get the string action changed by a professional to make it easier to play.

Buying privately through eBay or classified advertisements is more risky, but if you know what you’re looking for then you might get a real bargain. I’ve had friends buy great guitars for $50 at garage sales! When you’re buying second hand, make sure that everything works on the guitar - all pickups, volume knobs etc. You can get some great second hand guitars, but shop carefully. Some guitar workshops can provide pre-purchase inspections where the owner drops the guitar in and the guitar technician provides you with a report on its condition and any faults. Spending a few dollars before you hand over the purchase price could be great insurance against buying a lemon, with hidden faults.

To help motivate you to play, get a guitar that you really like. Purchase something that not only sounds and feels good, but looks good. A sexy guitar always makes me want to play! Use your head, shop wisely, and have a blast finding the guitar that you feel is all about you!

PROTECTING YOUR INVESTMENT

I strongly recommend getting a guitar case to protect your new purchase. You can choose between cheap soft cloth covering cases, or more expensive hard cases. If you wish to travel with your guitar, then don’t hesitate to get a hard case, or even a more sturdy flight case. A soft case will not protect your guitar against falls or knocks, but if you’re careful it should be OK for traveling to lessons or rehearsals. The more you spend on your guitar, the better protection it deserves, so look after your new guitar and it will reward you with a lifetime of great fun.

Good luck!

Guitar Buyer's Guide Part 1: How To Buy an Acoustic Guitar

2005-11-20T20:39:00.000+11:00

Choosing the correct type of guitar to play is very important. Having the right guitar on hand will help you stay motivated, and make playing a joy, not a chore.

Think about the following questions:

What style of music do I want to play?
Where do I want to play it?

1: If you wish to strum song chords and sing along to your favorite mellow folk, blues, and pop guitar tunes, then maybe an acoustic guitar is for you. You can then choose between a classical guitar, or a steel string acoustic guitar.

CLASSICAL GUITAR
PROS: Classical guitars are very common beginner guitar. The strings are made of nylon, and are easier to press. Consequently your fingers don’t get as sore as playing steel strings. Introductory style classical guitars are very cheap, starting from less than $100.
The strings last longer than steel versions, and can handle more wear and tear. If you want to take your guitar everywhere, from campfire singalongs to beach jam sessions, then a cheap classical guitar is great.
CONS: Classical guitars are commonly used for finger-style music and not often strumming, so you’re not going to sound exactly like your favorite music star. The neck is quite thick which makes it more difficult for small hands to play. Also, when it comes to volume, classical guitars are not as loud as steel string guitars.

STEEL STRING ACOUSTIC
PROS: You’ll be able to emulate the sound of most contemporary acoustic music. Treat your guitar well, taking into account it’s quality. Don’t go taking your $1000 guitar to the beach or leaving it in the sun - unless you can afford a new one. A great quality acoustic will be more expensive, but will sound amazing and motivate you to get up on stage and perform. Steel string guitars are naturally louder than classical guitars.
CONS: Steel string acoustics are more expensive, especially if you want a really good sounding guitar. Steel strings will need to be changed more frequently, and will be harder on soft fingers to play. But don’t worry, your fingers will soon toughen up and you won’t notice any discomfort.

When selecting an acoustic guitar, pay attention to the construction and the woods used. The best type of acoustic is made with a solid wood top and solid body, for a really clear, warm tone. The cheaper versions have laminated veneer or ply wood tops, which won’t sound as good.

You may want to investigate an acoustic with a cutaway. The cutaway makes it easier to play higher notes on the fingerboard. Be aware that a cutaway drops the volume and tone of the guitar slightly.

Try an acoustic with a built-in pick up if you want to be able to plug in and play through an amplifier. The type and quality of the pickup will vary according to the quality of the instrument. Most acoustics have a ‘Piezo’ pickup in the bridge. Pickup manufacturers have recently been including a small microphone in their designs to improve how realistic the guitar sounds when plugged in.

Welcome to the Pro Guitar Lessons Blog

2005-11-12T20:18:00.000+11:00

Hi there, and welcome to the Pro Guitar Lessons blog.

We've been working for over a year on content for our Pro Guitar Tips website, and it's been awesome now that we're actually helping people from all over the world learn to play guitar online.

It's been a long haul, putting together over 200 lessons with professional guitarist Pete Williamson, who plays in Pete Murray's band, The Stonemasons. If you're not from Australia, or you are from Australia but have had your head wedged into a bucket over the last few years, Pete Murray has had a couple of Number 1 albums, and has sold something like 600,000 records.

I went to high school with Pete W, and we'd always mucked around playing guitar and recording songs together, and from our early days learning to play songs that we actually liked was the greatest buzz. You see (if you've ever had a music lesson, you'll probably relate to this) most music teachers have a system something like this...

1/ They start off by putting you through a hell of a lot of really dry theory, before you can even begin to grasp what any of it means.
2/ Continue to bore you by demanding you learn and practice scale after scale - none of which sound remotely like the Guns N Roses/Shania Twain/Nirvana/Britney Spears/Metallica track that got you psyched to learn an instrument in the first place.
3/ Move onto songs... from the 1800s... we're talking "traditional folk classics" here, the sort of thing that might have encouraged a singalong back in the early settler period! And although it generally feels cool to finally be playing something melodic - if you stuck at it this far - it's hardly the stuff that gets you vibed, or you can show off to your friends with.

That was my experience anyway, so when Pete and I were little punks learning the guitar, the chance to play tracks that we had in our CD/tape collection was the coolest thing. Listening closely or saving up for a tablature book was the only way back then. But then the internet came along, and we obviously weren't the only ones wanting to play songs from MTV or the radio, because guitar tablature became one of the most searched terms on the web. Everyone with a guitar could have a try at playing their favorite tracks.

Anyway, Pete continued to study guitar at college, while playing in various bands, and I did a law degree and then went off into the world of advertising, media, music and marketing. Then Pete completed an education diploma, and began teaching music to high school kids. We sat down at this point and talked about how I'd been working with online marketing for a while now, and saw an opportunity to help people learn guitar with a professional guitarist sitting beside them 24/7 - all through using the web. The idea was to use really cool tracks to help make learning a buzz, clear instructions/images/tab, and with Pete's music and education experience working hand in hand.

At the same time, his involvement with Pete Murray was taking off, so the day job didn't last long - it was on with the tours, shows, music videos, tv appearances and the usual rock star stuff. We both began to look around at what was on offer on the web for learning guitar, and were pretty horrified by what we saw - there were a whole bunch of unqualified cats trying to pass themselves off as experts, and taking some suckers for ride. We bought all the courses that were out there, and most of them really sucked! So from that moment we set out to put together some seriously useful tips and techniques for people to learn guitar, without any crap.

Six months later we had a rough draft, with 200 or so lessons. We then spent a whole stack of time in the studio recording hundreds of audio samples so people could play along with a pro, and putting together pics of hand positions, how to restring, and all the visual info that you need when you're starting out.

Now, the site has been launched, and we've got people from around the world playing guitar, and it sounds like they're having a whole stack of fun. Which means I'm pretty jazzed, because I can remember what an awesome rush it was to nail a Poison song on guitar, after only every being taught nursery rhymes and stuff! Hopefully you have better taste in music, so if you want to learn your guitar so you can rock your favorite tracks, check out Pro Guitar Lessons, and let me know what you think.

It's been a great journey building it up from scratch, so thanks for sharing in the trip! We're going to be stacking some pretty cool tricks and tips into the Pro Guitar Lessons blog, so come back and check it out soon.

Cheers!