As a Guitar player the most important skill you can develop, is problem solving. I’m  working with 4 or 5 bands right now so I get to see different levels of problem solving ability in action. Abstract Reasoning is generally something musicians are good at. A high percentage of computer programmers and doctors, majored in Music. The basic example of Abstract reasoning is being able to represent a concrete object with a number or symbol. Children with learning disabilities may have trouble  visualizing a V or number 5 as representing 5 blocks, for instance.

The secret is, getting in the habit of solving small problems. Then the large ones won’t seem as intimidating. As a Guitarist you should know  several ways to play every scale. The way to do this is by grouping information. What do all the (eg.) A Major scale positions have in common? 1) -They will always coincide with one of the CAGED Chords. 2) -They are all made up of numbered degrees or Intervals. 3) -they fall between 2 Root notes(not incl Modes).

What is different about them? 1) Position, fingering. 2) Octave(there is usually at least 2 different positions to play each Octave). 3) One of the Root notes will change.

Of coarse you have to start out learning just one A Maj scale. Practice using the Interval number (I,II,II,IV ect.) AND the the letter name (A, A#,B…) esp. the Root note. If you only think of the scale as a shape on a Chord chart or string/fret combination, it will be harder to visualize somewhere else on the neck. Print some fingerboard diagrams and practice drawing the scale shapes from memory.

Once you know particular scale , riff or chord, play it Blind. Especially changing positions. If you can see more one string, when looking down at the fretboard then you are either a giraffe, or your posture is compromised. The higher strings should be hidden behind the low E. The only info you need to glance at is fret# and markers.

One of the really cool things about the Guitar is that each fingering can be moved up or down the neck to a different key. When you learn where the Root notes are in each of the CAGED chords, it becomes much easier to build a scale around them.

Each of the positions lends itself to different phrasing. Having open strings, whether an Octave covers 2,3 or 4 strings, and frets being closer together, higher up the neck, all effect how you play a particular piece. Jazz players avoid using open strings, Country and Rockabilly players use them a lot.

If you approach Scales and Chords as simple problems that you can solve (and understand) as opposed  to being a large body of information that must be memorized, you will progress much faster. The Numbering system can take weeks, months, even years to master. The important thing to take away from this article is, that the distance between notes is more useful to know, than their letter names. The only letter name you need to know is the Root note. Numbers give you information about the relationship if note, letters should be used for mapping/finding a starting point.

If you can understand and visualize a Major scale in one key, you are halfway to understanding all the scales; Maj, min, Pentatonics, Aug, dim, modes ect. in every key! All scales and modes are variations of the Major and Chord/Scale shapes are the same from key to key.

Here’s an Abstract Reasoning test you can take. http://www.kaptest.co.uk/courses/uk-university/ukcat/practice/abstract-reasoning.aspx

and some blank Chord box and Fingerboard diagrams

As human beings it’s almost impossible to have absolute perfect timing. If we did, we would play like robots. The lag between musicians timing is part of what makes every band sound different. For example, most bands follow the drummer, the Stones drummer Charlie Watts, says he actually follows the Rhythm Guitar. This makes the Stones Rhythm section sound unique.

If you are starting out playing with bands, don’t depend on the drummer for time. Be responsible for keeping yourself steady. When you are playing Rhythm Guitar it’s fairly easy to lock in with the Bass and drums. But playing lead forces you to slip back and forth between following the beat and accenting your melody. Most “lead”players don’t exclusively play single notes, you revert to playing Rhythm when not playing lead. So there’s a tricky transition point, when you switch from Rhythm to lead, my favorite example is Chuck Berry’s Johnny B Goode. There is a seamless switch from playing the Boogie Rhythm pattern on the low strings, to the solo on the hi strings, then back again. No drop out.

This means you have to have both patterns straight in your head. First you must be able to play the Rhythm pattern in your sleep. Next Play the Rhythm part and hum the lead melody you want to play over it. Then do the opposite, play your lead part, while humming the rhythm changes. If you have to concentrate on one, you lose the other, so keep it simple to start.

Guitarist’s by nature(esp. self-taught), tend to concentrate on Notes (pitch) over Tempo. it takes a while to realize that pitch and tempo are equally important. A Rhythmically aware player can turn simple melodies/Chord progressions into interesting/tasteful pieces. Most of my favorite Guitarists are excellent Rhythm players. Kieth Richards, Scotty Moore, Steve Cropper, Pete Townsend. Playing Rhythm doesn’t just mean playing chords, it means playing rhythmically! Try approaching you strumming, as if you were playing a drum.

So if you’re not locking in, with the Bass and Drums,(or the Bass/Drums aren’t getting together), it’s time to communicate and solve a few problems together. Newbies tend to blast through songs, as if the whole point is getting to the end. Don’t be afraid to stop and say ” something feels wrong, let’s figure it out”. Also, it’s important to stop right when you hear a problem, not 7 or 8 bars later. Quiet or acoustic practices are best for doing this. If you don’t use charts, you should still be prepared to chart out problem sections, counting beats and bars, and where the chord changes occur.

I’m posting this on Reddit , I’d like to hear from any Drummers out there on; aside from overall steadiness,

what rudiments do Guitarist need to work on?

What are the basic beats we should all know?

What are the basic rhythm terms we need to know? We end up using terms like “train beat” ,  ”Jungle drums” or “Scooby Doo, falling down stairs”

Are there any books/resources (for short attention spans) available?

Any assistance in this matter are greatly appreciated, Cheers!

Update- I posted the questions on Drum Reddit. You can check out the answers I got here; http://www.reddit.com/r/drums/comments/a1gw9/drummers_what_constructive_advice_do_you_have_for/

Thanks to everyone that took the time to respond.

Update- Deadcats Drummer, Kermit Von Munster’s Drum blog cover’s covers many of these points

The King lays down a beat

Imagine just 100 years ago, if you wanted to learn to play an instrument, you had to find someone that is already accomplished on that instrument, and convince them to show you what they knew. In a sense, everyone was self-taught. And once you became competent, up and coming players would hit you up for tips. If you were lucky, a good player might let you do an “apprenticeship” with them.

I’m not saying that there were no how-to books available, but they were very basic, they were based on piano methods and they generally didn’t show you anything past the first position. Anyways, my point is  that if you wanted to learn the Guitar, you were forced to do some organized research, find the information and work with it experiment, see for yourself  what works and what doesn’t.

As a student of the Guitar, you will get much more from private lessons if you take charge of how you learn. Get other opinions, don’t allow yourself to be spoon-fed information from just one source. There’s nothing wrong with learning to play by imitation but try to balance it with an understanding of what you are doing. Do the math. Look at the distance between notes, learn how to build chords and scales, not just play them by imitation. Don’t be afraid to tell a teacher that you don’t understand what he/she is trying to explain. A good teacher has several ways around every problem.

Being self -taught forces you to understand the basics. Playing Music is simple math. It requires problem solving, abstract reasoning, visualization, spatial reasoning, multi-tasking and most importantly, it is a communication skill. You are the only one that can decide, what direction you take, how long to practice, who to approach for help, when am I ready to play with other musicians? You can push yourself or play it safe.

Luck can be described as recognizing an opportunity and being ready for it. You are the only one that can make sure you are ready.

Be aware that  understanding Musical theory  and playing an instrument(technique) are 2 separate areas of study. Learning to balance them will help you become a Musician, not just a Guitar player.

This vid is from D’Addarios “the Stage” Musicians hub. Some good points about getting started improvising

Isaac Newton passed a ray of sunlight though a prism and got 7 colors; red, orange, yellow, green, blue, Indigo and violet. He called this the spectrum. Notice the first, third and fifth are primary colors? Similar to a Maj Chord. Here’s a link to the Gootar Theory By James C. Cranwell, 04/20/2004

This article in the Desini Bermula segalanya blog (translates to “start here”) shows why playing an instrument helps keep the brain active. Here’s the link

There is a disproportionate number of nerve cells in your hands as well as the lips, tongue  and feet. The articles shows that using you non dominant hand and learning/remembering new material both help. I think most of you have seen this guy somewhere. He’s the Homunculus Man. A Graphic representation of what it would look like, if parts of our bodies with more nerve endings were larger, than the areas with few nerve endings. Homunculus             Sensory                and                  Motor

The most interesting part of the article to me was, learning that , you can increase the blood flow to the brain by massaging the base of the neck, right where the spine joins the skull, for a few minutes. So (electric players) remember, when your Guitar strap is digging into your shoulder, it’s cutting off blood to the brain. This is why Les Paul players always have that silly look on their faces(sorry, couldn’t resist). Extra wide straps with plenty of padding make a big difference.

Heres a few  good articles from 300 Guitars,   A Natural Cure, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, ART

Repetitive, over-use injuries are very common esp among professional players. I’ve heard figures of up to 1/4 of all symphony players, suffer from some form of Tendinitis or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Players tend to avoid admitting that anything is wrong, as it effects their employability. I had Tendinitis for about 1 year. It started in my left hand, and eventually effected both hands. I went to Physio, and a Chiropractor but after 6 months with no improvement, I started looking into Acupressure and Reflexology. Knowing your pressure points is important. Also realizing that the problem could be in your back or shoulders but results in wrist or hand pain.

If you find yourself experiencing any pain or discomfort, while playing, stop and ask yourself; a) did I warm-up before playing? Do I normally stretch AFTER playing as well?

b) how long have I been playing(hrs)?

c) Is the pain localized in the hand, or does it start with shoulders/back?

d) Is my instrument set-up properly (action, string gauge, straight neck) don’t force yourself to play a flat-top with Heavy strings and high action if you DON’T have to.

If you massage your hand/ fore-arm to relieve tension, remember NEVER pull a tendon lengthwise! You can make the condition worse! Alway rub the tendon side-to-side. This is a little fact my doctor, Chiropractor and Physiotherapist neglected to inform me of.

The best approach is to always warm-up and down and begin strengthening your upper body, before you notice a problem. Drink plenty of water too!  Poor nutrition and sleep habits will also effect the condition.

Most of all, don’t panic. You make music with your brain, not  so much, your hands.

Everyone has seen the guy with no arms, playing guitar with his feet. Some folks claim Django Rienhart played so fast because he only had 2 usable fingers!  He never had to think about which fingers to use.

Tendinitis description  http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/sportsmedicine/a/tendonitis.htm

Some more good links here http://www.intimateaudio.com/hand_job.html

Anyone with connections to jolly old England will recognize these stylish instruments.  Most british players are quite familiar with WEM, they were a low priced alternative to Vox. Here’s Bo Diddley posing with a Coptcat.
The site  is here http://www.watkinsguitars.co.uk/history.htm and includes the entire history and some cool looking gear!

Not sure who this would appeal to. Looks like a Bo Diddley square Guitar on acid.  Truly one of the strangest new Guitars I’ve seen lately. Mr Lottenen, the luthier, makes some beautiful hollow-body Jazz boxes. Well it’s always good to see examples of what NOT to do. Here’s the link. The Axe is called a “Copacabana” designed by Eero Aario.  Mr Lottenen was on the Conan O’brien show recently to show these off

This is probably  what would happen if IKEA started making Guitars.

Here’s another Lottener, pretty funky

This starts in Swedish, fast forward

Dynamics is an important concept to grasp, especially because digital recording trends, the over-use of compression and trying to make the overall recording as loud as possible, is changing the way people hear music. In this article http://www.audioholics.com/news/industry-news/kids-prefer-poor-quality-mp3 kids actually prefer the sound of MP3s over CDs!

You can tell rather quickly whether a band or performer has an understanding of dynamics. If you play at a steady consistent level, with no breaks or variation, listeners will get bored quickly.

There are a couple of ways to avoid getting stuck with no dynamics. #1 (Electric only) Always leave room on your Guitar’s Vol control, to turn up for a solo. It’s a little tricky, as you must choose a space to stop playing(picking) before the solo, then again at the end when you go back to playing rhythm.

Some players prefer a boost pedal, some use distortion or EQ pedals for their solo boost. If your amp has 2 channels, you can set them up for “lead” and “Rhythm”. Some players engage a 2nd amplifier during solos for a boost. Many just play softer for Rhythm and dig in, when playing a lead.

The use of Drone strings is an interesting effect but it’s the contrast and balance of the melody on top of the drone, that makes it sound good. Drones by themselves are fairly useless. You can play without dynamics purposely as an effect, but you have to have some kind of counterpoint to make it work.

Practice playing scales, chords and melodies at varying levels of intensity, from soft to loud. Also practice building intensity, starting soft and gradually playing harder.

I’ve heard players that are technically great but play everything full out, as loud and hard as possible. It’s kind of a relief when they stop. To me, it doesn’t leave anywhere for the solo to go. Kinda like a comedian blurting out the punch-line, before building a premise.

When listening, imagine what the song would sound like with different variations in dynamics. Playing certain parts louder or softer, especially  the build-up during a solo. Even film-makers rely heavily on dynamics in soundtracks. If you haven’t heard the term “Tonal Gravity” you need to look at this