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"Another Musical Year That's Ready To Shift Into High Gear!"

Jordan Warford here, Editorial Manager for Guitar Tips.

Thanks for tuning in to our Guitar Tips newsletter and we hope you enjoy. This week we will be taking the time to start a brand new musical year off on the right foot. Music is an extremely time consuming undertaking for anyone who is interested in learning it and we want to insure that you achieve the goals that you set.

Join us as we look into the simplest ways to attain musical success in 2006.

In this edition:

Have you thought of what you would like to accomplish musically for the New Year? Perhaps you're busy looking at the latest diet or exercise plan but can't seem to schedule out some time to become more proficient at playing the guitar.

Hold on tight, because we're going to show you how to become the best musician you can be for the 2006 year. It won't be easy but you can attain maximum success if you put your mind to it. We will give you the pointers you need to create a practice plan that will last you for years to come.

As you can probably tell, 2005 has been an extremely busy year for us here at Guitar Tips. With new sites launched, a renovated newsletter and much more... it leaves you wondering, "What's next?" Get the inside scoop on our future plans and what we have achieved as we take a look at 05/06.

If you think that we've been going full tilt, take a look at the musical world! See the most recent transformations of the music industry and the technology that soon followed.

Since we renovated our newsletter, some licks have been published that many of you thoroughly enjoyed. We'll take another look at some of those in addition to a New Year's special feature.

As if that wasn't enough, you can check out our Feedback Booth to see what your fellow subscribers are doing.

Let's get started!

Filling The Holes That Are In Your Goals

How to get where you want to be.

We all have people that we aspire to sound like. I remember since I started to play guitar that I wanted to be able to play like Steven Curtis Chapman or B.B King. They were the guys to be like. However, when I actually picked up my guitar, the reality was much different than my perception.

It wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. To this day there are still so many things for me to work on as a guitarist, the teaching part of me set aside. This is where goal setting comes in.

While I believe that we should be continually setting goals as musicians, this time of year is a motivating time to get down to business and start things off with a fresh start. If you want to be able to play like your role models, then you need to adopt their practice habits and attitudes.

The two people (amongst many others) that I aspired to be like didn't just get on stage and start playing. They spent hundreds upon hundreds of hours practicing at home when there wasn't thousands of fans watching them. That was the aspect of musical professionalism that took me quite a while to grasp.

Unlike some stars, I didn't have eight hours a day to devote to playing guitar. I had school, various other bands, extra curricular and a social life to maintain... where could I possibly fit in any real practice time? It was a moment in my life that every guitarist faces at some point. "How seriously do I want to take this and am I prepared to take the steps to get there?"

From that point on, I knew that I needed to adopt a new set of skills that honed in on setting goals and achieving them. I simply would not be able to play like my heroes unless some drastic action was taken.

Do you need to play eight hours a day to become a great guitarist or to get famous? No. However, you do need to be an excellent musician and that takes dedication and real knowledge of your instrument. Tabs won't cut it for you any more.

Before you start to freak out, take a deep breath. This doesn't happen over night. That's why we set goals. You can look at them as baby steps if you will.

You may be thinking, "Jordan, I just want to be a campfire guitarist and have no desire to even be heard by anyone other than my family." That's great! However, you still need to know what your doing to play all of those songs that you would like to learn.

No one likes to sound bad and practicing properly with the right stuff will definitely give you the leading edge.

Goals for the New Year.

Sometimes it's hard to figure out where to begin when you have been out of the groove for so long. Perhaps you're just starting out or you're an intermediate player who has just been "Stuck in a box." There are solutions to these problems and you can set goals for practically anything.

The most frequent thing I witness in musicians, especially guitarists, is an extremely weak foundation. Picture this: You are driving down a beautifully paved road going pretty fast when all of a sudden, you hit a strange gravel road, then lose control.

That's what I like to use for a comparison of a strong foundation verses a weak one. Skipping knowledge on the guitar to learn tab will not help you if you want to ever play anything outside of your bedroom.

Many would disagree because they did it but when it comes down to getting a gig with your favorite guitarists, they wouldn't be able to hold a flame to someone who knew music inside and out.

Let's take a look at solutions to these problems that you can work towards during the 2006 year.

Practice: Time management evolves around setting priorities and getting into a routine. Anytime you introduce a new concept into your life, it takes readjustment and is often extremely hard to continue. The good news is that now is the perfect time to start.

Many of us are on Christmas vacation, or will at least have a little time off. Use this to your advantage to get into the swing of practicing on a regular basis.

Let's face it, most of us don't have the time to sit down for an hour to eat with our families let alone practice our guitars. That's why we need to make the best out of what is made available to us. You may recall a series we covered a few months back on proper practice techniques.

We'll revisit that in a little while, but let's take a look at fitting in the time first. Everyone is different and as we grow older our schedule gets even more clogged. Here are some tips for various ages groups.

Teenagers: In my past experience, the best time for a teenager to practice their instrument is at night (much to their parents disapproval). Why? Studies have shown that there is a delay in their internal circadian biological clocks. Their most alert times are at night, while their sleepy periods occur between 2:00-7:00am and 2:00-5:00pm (National Sleep Foundation).

Anytime outside of those boundaries tends to be a good time to learn and get some great practice in. I have also seen success from practicing in the morning before the day begins as it allows you to think more clearly (after a good shower of course).

Insure at least 30 minutes a day. Teens have a great opportunity to master their instruments quickly as their brain develops. What you learn now will stick with you for the rest of your life and give you the proper foundation to grow from.

Adults: When you're dealing with the grind of daily business it can be hard to fit in a New Year's resolution to practice your guitar. Some practical ideas include that of a teenagers with a few added twists for convenience.

Early morning is a great idea for anyone who works long hours or is just to wiped out by the time they get home. Take the time to eat breakfast and go to your guitar for 20 minutes before heading out. It will be sure to put you in a great frame of mind and prepare your brain for the day ahead.

Night time is yet another great opportunity to wind down the day and finish off with a great ending. It can be hard to remain focused but it is a great option for those who are night owls.

If you have an office, you can always bring in a small amp and an electric guitar. Use headphones and you can practice during lunch without disturbing anyone! Be creative and you can find plenty of ways to squeeze in some time for your guitar.

For most of us, cutting down on TV would give us even more time. Once again, it comes down to priorities and what you enjoy the most. Some guitarists aspire to be a "Campfire guitarist" while others aspire to reach new heights in the professional world.

Whatever your desire, you won't be able to achieve it if you don't schedule some time to get there. Consistency is key.

Chords: Chords are probably one of the most underestimated aspect of the guitar world. While everyone wants to learn them, only a handful know how they work. Think of how many different chord names you know.

Chances are you can play more chords than you can name out. The first technical step you can take to rebuilding a solid foundation this coming year is relearning every chord name... and there's quite a few of them.

In fact, there are over 22 different chord name extensions such as Major, minor, augmented, suspended etc. When all of those extensions are multiplied by the available notes and all of the variations of that specific chord, you are left with hundreds of combinations and possibilities.

Here are some steps you can take to build up your repertoire of chord knowledge.

When I ask you to learn all of the chords, I am referring to the most popular versions and variations. As you become more experienced, you will soon start discovering even more wacky and out there chords.

Pace yourself and challenge yourself to learn one new chord and name every single day. You will soon discover patterns and chord "Shapes." For example, there are a few different chord shapes for every chord that allows me to hold my fingers in the same position and move them around the fretboard to get that chord for all of my notes.

If you discover one of those shapes, you can easily learn up to eight new chords a day with no sweat!

Play by ear: One of the most useful tools for any musician is the ability to be able to play by ear, in other words, listen to the music and be able to play exactly what they hear. Not only does this give you an extremely good knowledge of your fretboard but it gives you an innate sense of when you should and shouldn't be playing.

I find it extremely useful for lead guitar. When you listen to the music with that kind of concentration, you learn how the professionals play. When playing lead guitar, you're not playing all the time during a song unless you're playing a solo, so you need to know when where and how to come into a song without looking like someone who has no clue what they are doing.

You also learn how to be a stronger player and become more confident in your ability, which helps you produce a more pleasant tone.

It's great practice on so many levels and it's just one of the many things that we look forward to showing you how to do in the New Year.

Get in a band: In today's society there is a band for every style of music you can imagine and if there isn't, you can create one. Playing in a band creates more than music. You also form friendships, learn from others and experience new things.

It brings coolness to a new level. Don't let your own self-confidence get you down and stop you from joining a band that could help you become a better player and a better person. If you're a beginner, don't fall for the, "I'll join a band when I'm good enough." Get out there now and find three other beginners.

You begin to learn from one another which can show you more than any teacher can. I have found that people who are in a band of some sort from the beginning are more driven to learn more, have a better musical vocabulary and have more self-confidence.

However, don't expect to be cutting records right away. If you're a beginner in a band, you'll be practicing for quite a while and that first band will most likely be stepping stone. Nonetheless, don't underestimate how much it can help you out!

Start recording from home: The beauty of the technology available today is that the ability to make your own CDs has become extremely inexpensive. Now you can buy all of the equipment you need to record at a near professional level for the cost of a guitar.

The ability to make your own music has transformed the music world. Now bands and soloists can easily create a record at their own pace, mix it and burn it. Due to this technology, you have the opportunity to learn a whole new side of music from the production standpoint.

Learn how to set up instruments to get the best sound and how to work soundboards. It's great experience for anyone who is in a band, plays in their Church, or is involved in theatre because you acquire an understanding of how to get great sound in various settings and how everything should work.

I always try to live by the motto, "Don't critize if you can't do it yourself." That's why it's always great to know what you're doing in case your r sound guy isn't the hottest.

Learn how to read music: As most of you have probably figured out by this point, not being able to read music is one of my biggest pet peeves that I encounter with guitarists. For some reason, there is a stigmatism that learning how to read music is dreadfully hard and nearly impossible for someone with no previous background on another instrument.

Do not believe this! A year from now, you could be playing anything you want on sheet music. I will not lie to you, it isn't easy but it is most definitely possible. Why would you want to learn how to read music? Here are some great reasons:

... These are just four reasons out of a dozen that illustrate the benefits of reading music. There are many resources out there to help you and we also plan on offering new lessons in music theory.

All of the above things are great goals to set for yourself. Don't pick two or three... Follow the goal that appeals to you and master it before moving on to something else. This way you won't end up with even more holes along the way.

Keep in mind the first series we did that focused on a practicing system called PACS. Click here to check it out. I highly recommend that all guitarists incorporate some form of this system into their daily practice routine. PACS could be that goal you have been looking for.

Putting it into practice...

Putting it into practice has been one of the most popular segments of this newsletter. Over the last six months we have published quite a few original licks and riffs for you to make your own. Being that it is the end of the year and all, we thought it would be nice to bring back a few of your favorites. Simply click on the picture to go to that lesson.

We also want to share two completely new songs with you that didn't get released in our last newsletter due to space. Enjoy!

Based off of a D harmonic minor scale:

Written in drop D:

Based off of the E minor Pentatonic scale:

Auld Lang Syne - Happy New Year!

The Music Technology Of 2005

It literally blows my mind to see how far musical technology has come over the last year. Whether you're talking about recording, effects pedals, or your everyday gizmos... there was an explosion of innovation over the last year.

I want to highlight the three most innovative products that I believe should be noted for 2005. None of them are guitars this year, although there were some great new models that were released. What I'm focusing on are the things that were modeled after a guitarists' heart. The gadgets that no one else ever really thought of and the gadgets that exceeded expectations.

Here are the top three choices for the 2005 music industry gadget awards (yes, I just made that title up).

#1. BOSS GT-8 Multi Effects Floor Processor 200 Presets

The world of effects pedals has been changed in a very huge way. When Boss came out with this multi effects pedal, everyone took a second glance. What made it so special? A number of things actually. Take a look at these features from Guitar Trader's website:

• Dual COSM Amp engine allows two different amp types to be assigned to the two channels

• Amp channels can be switched, layered, or panned in real-time; Dynamic mode allows channel switching by picking dynamics

• 200 stunning preset patches and 140 user patches; 44 effects categories, up to 13 simultaneous FX blocks

• User configurable effect chain; any effect can be in any order in the signal path; independent External Effects loop section for inserting external effects anywhere in the signal patch

• Solo Switch on the COSM amp section for instant lead tone

• Amp Control jack for switching external guitar amp channels

• 24-bit converters and coaxial digital output for high-resolution recording applications

...This work horse is great for the recording studio or for live stage applications. It's versatility is extremely useful and the way Boss put it together is extremely well done.

While I still prefer single effects any day, guitarists around the world are loving it. Therefore, the top spot goes to the Boss. Click here to learn more.

#2. Tascam US 122

Home recording just got more interesting and affordable. Tascam has produced a great home recording setup that gives you everything you need to start burning CDs right out of the box. What does it have to offer? Check this out (taken from Guitar Trader's website.)

• USB audio/MIDI computer interfacing

• Mac and Windows compatible

• Two XLR-fed phantom-powered mic inputs with inserts

• Two line level inputs (switchable to guitar level)

• Records at up to 48kHz, 24-bit resolution

• 16 channels of MIDI I/O

• Two line outputs with level control

• Headphone output with level control

• Self-powered via USB: perfect for both studio and location recording

• Includes ASIO, WDM, GSIF and Apple Core Audio (OS X) drivers

• Includes Cubase LE 48-track / 96kHz audio recording/MIDI sequencing software

• Includes GigaStudio 3 LE 64-voice sampling workstation software

• Compact and rugged steel construction

...It's a great way to get started and offers professional results. It also comesloaded with great software to meet all of your recording needs. That's why I'll be using it personally in the New Year on all recordings that you hear. I hope that Santa brings it a day or two early because I can't wait!

To be honest, this piece of equipment porbably would have has the top spot if I had the chance to do a full battery of tests on it but unfortunately that won't happen for a few days. We'll be revisiting this piece of gear when we deal with recording in the New Year. Click here to learn more.

#3. Action Tuners - String Master

(Photo taken from actiontuners.com)

This puppy is the gadget of the century in my books. Simply plug your guitar cable into the String Master, place the winder over your tuning head and it does the work for you. It will tune to pitch, do chromatic tunings and help you change your strings. What more could you ever ask for?

Click here to find out more about how to get one.

Keep an eye out for what's around the bend in 2006 as I'm sure it will be impressive!

Taking A Look At Guitar Tips

It's hard to comprehend how much has happened over the last year here at Guitar Tips. The future has quite a bit in store but it's only due to the fact that we have awesome subscribers like yourself that we're still in business.

Over the last year, we launched a number of sites and branched out on our current ones. Guitar Tips received a makeover and now has full video, audio and image compliments each lesson. Guitar Songs were continually worked on and more songs were added to the site as you requested them. We now have quite a collection that is continually growing.

Guitar Backing Tracks came into existence and began offering jam tracks to customers. Then the Guitar Forum came along, where you can network with other guitarists and get your questions answered. While it's still a work in progress, we are happy to say that we have 185 members and there's still room for many more.

To top it off, all of this was followed by one of the biggest hits of the year, Guitar Leads. Finally, a site where you can learn how to play lead guitar at your own pace and get expert advice and lessons. This site is one of my personal favorites due to the incredible video, awesome images and the coolest lessons we've created thus far.

Yet another memorable moment of the year was the introduction of our newly renovated newsletter. We wanted to create a magazine like resource that you could count on to get accurate and concise information. The days of getting lessons from sites that didn't listen to you are over.

We have hosted major contests and gave away a $1000 shopping spree at Guitar Trader. Then, we hooked up with them for yet another contest to give away a signed Joe Satrianie Ibanez guitar. A few months later, GuitarVision came onto the scene with their Lucky Day contest. It seems as if it has never stopped for a second!

Guitar Tips also achieved a milestone this year as we landed our first major interview with the jazz legend Jimi Bruno. We've had great bands featured and really cool gear reviews. The good news is that more is still to come!

What do we have in store for you in 2006? The answer is quite simple... A lot! Check out a sampling of the lessons you can look forward to seeing in upcoming issues.

...Plus much more. In addition to the lessons, we have more interviews, feature bands, contests, gear reviews, and site reviews than ever before. You can look forward to getting the information you need to stay ahead of the game and become the best guitarist you can be.

We also want to create more ways for you to get involved. Stay tuned for new interactive segments that will be popping up in the coming months that will be sure to keep you busy.

Our goal with this newsletter is to give you something that will challenge you until we release our next edition. We always love to hear back from you and encourage you to email us whenever you have an idea or suggestion.

We look forward to starting a new year off with you and wish you all the best in your future musical endeavors!

Feedback Booth

Since we've started up our Feedback Booth, hundreds of you have emailed us with your thoughts, suggestions and questions. I'm happy to say that we're still going strong. We ask that you continue to email us with whatever is on your mind throughout the Christmas season and I look forward to hearing from all of you in the New Year.

If you have sent me an email over the last few weeks and haven't received a reply I give you my sincere apologies. If you have sent an email, you will receive a reply within 48 hours. If you do not get an email in this time period, please send it again as many of them can get lost on their way to our inbox.

Without further a due, let's finish off the last Feedback Booth of the 2005 year!

Brian sends us this email and question:

"Hi you guys, I just went on your site because I not looked at it properly before. It's fantastic! There's all sorts of stuff on there and you have done a great job. I'm impressed and I am telling some of my mates about it. Just a question, I can't seem to grasp tab and was wondering if I could have the chords instead when you have songs for free on the newsletter? I just can't get over your guys website, it is great. All the best for the holidays. Yours gratefully, Brian C. Jeffs"

Great question! While I can't always compose chords due to the subject matter I may be covering, we can help you learn tab. I highly recommend that everyone check out our archive located at the top of the page. It has a wealth of knowledge that can help you out and all of our newsletters are logged there for future reference. Go there to learn how to read tab and I'm sure you'll experience success.

Abraham sent along this piece of feedback:

"I just wanted to thank you for your tips on Christmas songs, they're very useful. I just had to share this with you. Abraham Lamourt"

Jeff Pomeroy also sent along a much appreciated thank you:

"Just wanted to say thank you for the christmas tunes. Took me little time because I'm a rookie. Thanks again, Jeff"

Justin had his own suggestion for a future song:

"I love your newsletters and fine the lessons very useful. But I would love to see the next newsletter to contain a song or two of Dimebag Darrells. The great music legend was killed one year ago on the 8th and I think it would be fitting to have a lesson about this man and maybe a song of his tabbed out. Thanks. Justin Strzyzewski"

Dale sent along a great idea that I'm currently looking at for the New Year. Do you like it? Send us an email and let us know!

"Hi Jordan, I would like to see a section (not necessarily in each and every newsletter) that focuses on a specific geographical area. As you probably know, there are many great acts both locally (Melbourne), and interstate, and I was thinking it would give me and other readers great joy to read something about an artist they may be familiar with or have even seen live!

I realize this is a big ask, but I'm sure the extra effort in studying acts from other countries would excite your readers and bring a bigger audience to your site. Look forward to reading your next newsletter ( I have gained a lot of great advice and techniques from them) and keep on plucking! Regards, Dale Peters Fitzroy - Melbourne, Australia"

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed this edition of our Guitar Tips newsletter. The past year has proven to be a tremendous success and we thank you for being a part of it. We truly do look forward to serving you in the New Year. With Christmas just three days away as I write this, all of our staff here at Guitar Tips wishes you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

In our next edition we will continue with our most recent series and show you what jazz guitar is all about. Learn the basics and get a taste of class! We will also have our regular features back and online for you.

If you're in a band, we want to hear from you! I continually give this call but no one responds. I guarantee you that your chances are extremely good considering the number of entries since our last Guitar Tips Feature Band. Please let us know what your band is doing as we approach the New Year.

Take care and have a safe and happy Christmas.

Until next time, keep on picking!

"Guitar Tips Christmas Special"

It's hard to believe that the Christmas season has come so quickly! This is your chance to get your chops buffed up and ready to play for relatives and friends. Please sit back and enjoy as we give you some of the world's most popular carols in addition to some great gift ideas.

In this edition:

In our last edition, we started our new series focused on playing a variety of different styles of music. Since the Christmas season has arrived, we thought it would be a great idea to give you the inside edge on how to play various carols and show you the techniques involved.

You'll learn how to wow your family and friends with some neat tricks and great sounding songs. It's the only time of the year that we get to cover this genre, so let's make it count!

Have you been looking for that perfect gift for your son, daughter, spouse or friend? Perhaps you're the one looking for that music related gift but you're not quite sure what to ask for. Worry no more, we have the solution for you!

Once again, we have teamed up with our friends at Guitar Trader to give you the ultimate top ten wish list designed specifically for new guitarists that won't break the budget. Check out the various instruments and see if they are the right fit for you.

Our latest site review for this edition takes us into the world of guitar tablature. See what Guitar Tab Universe has to offer you and how it can enhance your playing skills and broaden your repertoire.

In addition to all of that, we also have our regular installment of our Feedback Booth. See what your fellow subscribers are saying from around the world!

Without further a due, let's get into our first ever Christmas edition!

Rocking Around The Christmas Tree...

Simple yet impressive.

I remember when I was about thirteen years old, I walked into my favorite guitar shop around Christmas time. When I entered to store, I was immediately met with the most beautiful acoustic arrangement of Greensleeves that I had ever heard. My first thought was, "Wow, that looks nearly impossible to play."

All to often we underestimate ourselves and Christmas music tends to have a reputation for lighting fast finger picking that is equally intimidating as it is beautiful. The truth is, this is one of those situations that we have discussed in previous editions where the music is actually simple to play but looks rather difficult.

There is definitely a feel to Christmas music but the beauty is that you have half of the battle won before you even lift a finger. What is your leading edge? You already know how the songs sound. Chances are that you can hum them out, think of them in your head and easily pick up on the lyrics to many of the choruses.

This allows you to keep on track and know when you're playing a song the wrong way. It's actually the foundation to playing by ear. Although we won't be going into that topic today, keep in mind that Christmas carols are a great place to start if you want to learn how to play by ear.

The style.

The style of Christmas music is quite unique. The carols are written in a vast array of different keys and arrangements, in addition to having various tempos ranging from slow to fast. Some have chord progressions that are simple and easy to follow, while others can get a little more complicated.

This shows us that there isn't really a distinct pattern with Christmas music. Unlike rock, we don't have the advantage of having two predominant scales to choose from, rather, the entire range of scales.

This can be a great thing and it can be your worst nightmare if you don't feel comfortable with your scales or transposition. The good news is that amongst all of the hundreds of variations of your favorite Christmas carols, you will be guaranteed to find at least one version in the key of C or G, which makes life easier for most of us.

Setting the feel of the music is in the hands of the musician. Some songs call for a more regal approach, while others cry out for some blues. Christmas music is extremely flexible and allows you to play the song the way you personally like while everyone can still recognize what tune you're playing.

My base rule for playing Christmas carol leads is to never let something get boring. Are all of your notes on the same string for that song? Switch them up to different octaves, or add in a number of string slides and hammer on's/pull off's. Another great idea would be to bend up or down to different notes.

Keep the tempo appropriate for the song. As guitarists, we tend to be inclined to lean towards setting a faster pace for a song. Christmas tunes tend to sound really odd when you do that, so don't be afraid to kick back a little bit and let the music speak for itself.

On the same token, keep the beat nice and bouncy for those songs that are quicker. Jingle Bells is the perfect example. You want that nice "Skipping" tempo to accent what you are playing.

What techniques you need to know.

As you can already gather, Christmas music pushes us to use most of the techniques and theory that we have already learned in the past five months. In addition to all of the classic techniques that you see repeated over and over again, Christmas music also introduces us to a new concept.

Finger picking: Finger picking has traditionally been used when playing classical guitar. In todays' society, it has taken a turn towards the mainstream and can be heard on tracks ranging from Metallica to The Dave Mathews Band. It is particularly useful in spicing up your favorite carols and adding in that extra touch.

Not unlike the numbering system for your fretting hand and chord charts, each of your fingers on your strumming hand have a corresponding letter. These letters are what will allow you to keep track of what you are doing and first and foremost, allow the music to give you the picking pattern.

The letter system goes as follows for your right hand (or left for lefties.)

p = thumb

i = index

m = middle

a = ring

...Remember the acronym "Pima" and you're all set. Music will tell you which finger to use by matching the corresponding letter over that note. More advanced pieces of music will require you to figure this out on your own but by that point, you will most likely know the theory to work it out without the letters.

Start off by remembering these helpful tips:

Some guitarists prefer to use just their thumb and index finger. Some also use their middle finger if needed. They are in the "If it sounds good play it" camp. I use this effect for more fuller sounding chords.

I'll hit the root note with my thumb, and strum out the rest of the chord with my index or middle finger. I do not use this method for individual string picking because it actually complicates the picking patterns.

When using the classical method of finger picking described in detail above, use these tips to get adjusted to your new found finger positioning:

Another unique way of integrating finger picking with a pick is using both at the same time. If you have ever listened to a country album, you've probably heard this. Simply hold your pick between your thumb and index finger and use your middle and ring finger to pick out additional notes.

You can also be a little adventurous and curl the pick under your index finger so you can switch between the modern and classical styles of picking. We'll go more in depth on that another time.

Here's a demonstration of the thumb/index combination on a classic chord progression. Give it a try yourself and start inventing your own finger picking style!

Tools of the trade.

There are some tools that you can use to make life easier for yourself while playing your favorite Christmas carols. The first one we'll discuss is the capo. You may remember the capo from a previous lesson on transposing, found here.

You can use your capo for quick key changes while still holding the same chord shape. In other words, play those complicated chords without the complicated fingerings. It doesn't look professional while playing at a gig but it's the perfect tool for around the fire place.

The second gadget evolves around your fingers. Many people complain that when they first start finger picking, they get a very muted sound. This is normal but one way to counteract that is by putting on a set of finger picks.

Manufacturers make them to fit all three fingers plus one for the thumb. They can come in plastic or metal and cover the tips of your fingers, in addition to the bottom of them. I like to refer to them as finger nail extensions. They do take some getting used to but they make great stocking stuffers!

Putting it into practice...

Now that you have the general idea of what Christmas music is all about, we can move onto the fun part... Playing it! Please enjoy the following arrangements of some of the more popular tunes of the season. They all encompass the various techniques we have discussed but are also enjoyable and easy to learn.

Please note: These are only my interpretation of the songs. All have been personally arranged by myself. These are intended for personal use only.

"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" Intro

"Let It Snow"

"Silent Night"

"Jingle Bells"

Site Review

Guitar Tab Universe

Guitarists are always in need of one common thing, material to play. The unfortunate situation that we face in our modern world is that there's no such thing as something for nothing, that is, until Guitar Tab Universe came around. No longer do you have to pay money for your favorite music, simply stop by this site and get the songs you want.

The truth is that tab sites are not a new revolution. They have been around for almost as long as the internet. However, few sites put together a package that is built upon reliance, accuracy and continued improvement. These are just a few of the many aspects that Guitar Tab Universe has strived to perfect since its existence and they have succeeded in their journey thus far.

Recently, Guitar Tab Universe went through a make over to make life easier for guitarists. The new and improved site allows you to search for tabs that pertain just to guitar, bass, mandolin or any instrument. The results show up in a nicely formatted order that allows you to scroll through, instead of having to go page by page and waiting for content to load.

As if that wasn't enough, the front page tells you the most recent songs added to the database, the top 25 guitar and bass tabs, in addition to the top 25 most popular songs. If you want to go more in depth, the next step is simply a click away.

Go into the Guitar Tab Universe forum and meet new friends, read album reviews, talk about the legends of the guitar or request tabs. It's a great community that has a tremendous knowledge base. They also have an extensive links page devoted to hooking you up with the best musical sites on the web.

In short, I highly recommend this site to any guitarist, regardless of skill level. No tab site is 100% accurate due to user submissions but this site works to weed out the bad posts and to keep the good ones, earning it the reputation of excellence it deserves.

It also has great seasonal sections, making it the perfect choice for any of you who would like to find more free Christmas carols. This is the place to get your free music and you will not be disappointed.

Click here to check them out.

Top Ten Gift Ideas

I've always said that the best gifts come not in the form of money or clothes but music. Whether you're three years old or approaching retirement... You can never go wrong when you show someone your affection for them through music.

This year we wanted to give you a heads up on what's hot out there in terms of musical instruments and accessories for musicians. Since this is a site designed to start guitarists off on their journey into the realm of music, we thought it would only be appropriate to give you a list of things that could help you along dramatically.

I have two warnings for you before we dig into this. The first one comes in the form of your wallet. Guitar Trader brings you the absolute best bang for your buck but music is extremely expensive to begin with.

The prices you see are the best around but be prepared to see three to four digits on those price tags! If you need reassurance on the matter, you usually get what you pay

Secondly, musical equipment is extremely addictive. Take it from the people who are in the business: it never ceases! We affectionately call it GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome.) This list may very well send some of you into a GAS attack, at which point we will ask you to take some deep breaths and keep reading because it only gets better!

Let's start off with our number ten item and work our way down to the number one gift idea for the budding guitarist.

#10 BOSS RC-20XL Phrase Recorder Endless Loop & Riff Stacking

From a name you can trust, Boss brings yet another great tool to the guitar world. Venturing from the beaten path and their usual barrage of effects, Boss decided it was time to take a shot at a quick and simple method of recording short tracks and looping them to help you create your own band.

Tap a pedal and start to perform. Then tap your other pedal to stop. Repeat the process until you reach your 11 loop capacity. The maximum storage that this pedal can store is 16 minutes, which isn't bad considering how long the average instrumental is.

A great creative outlet for the beginner or the professional, it also features a neat "Undo' button to allow for correction of those little mistakes that are bound to happen.

This is one of those, "Nice toys" to have. The hands free operation is also neat but due to the price tag, this puppy is sitting at number ten. It was a great try though...

Click here to check it out.

#9 OVATION Trekker Travel Size Acoustic Guitar

Are you a musician who likes to travel? Know one who does? This guitar is a must have for anyone who simply can't leave home without their guitar. This smaller size guitar is built specifically for travel, practice or smaller size people.

It's the perfect size for carry on luggage and built out of quality materials... so it can handle some tougher conditions. Coupled with a hard-shell case (not included) you'll be prepared to go anywhere in the world with music at your fingertips.

The price is also reassuring. Personally, I would hate to take the chance of loosing an expensive guitar due to travel damage or theft. With this extremely affordable Ovation, those fears can be relieved.

The Ovation Trekker also has a solid spruce top, walnut bridge and gold hardware... looks, quality and convenience. What more could a guitarist ask for at Christmas?

Click here to check it out.

#8 FENDER Standard Strats

There's nothing like a Fender, and it's even better when you can get one for an awesome price! The Fender standard strats come in various colors but they all have the same quality. This guitar is the perfect guitar for any new guitarist to grow into and have a lot of fun with.

It's an extremely versatile guitar and is well suited to blues, rock, country and more. While not a made in America strat, these instruments still consist of great hardware and materials. If you eventually outgrow the guitar with your talent, you can always adjust your tone by swapping out pickups... which is extremely easy to do on these strats.

I have talked about Fender many times in the past and have heard nothing but great things from the owners and their guitars. I have personally played these particular guitars and recommend them to anyone who is starting, or needs a backup guitar.

Why isn't it higher on our list? With this guitar, you get a guitar and that's it. Don't forget to factor in the amp, case and other little essentials that all add up. If you have the budget, I highly recommend this guitar for starting out ... just be prepared for the bill!

Click here to check it out.

#7 TASCAM CD-GT1MKII Guitar Trainer/CD Player w/VSA Pitch Cont.

If you're looking for a great practice tool that combines ingenuity with affordability, Tascam has exactly what the doctor ordered. The Tascam CD-GT1MKII is the ultimate device to help you learn your favorite songs by ear.

Simply pop in any CD and off you go. Slow down the tempo to 50% with no problems! This allows you to learn hit songs at your own pace. Best of all, the sound will be as clear as any normal CD player, no matter what tempo you're at.

Unlike many other gizmos, the Tascam CD-GT1MKII will not loose the pitch of the original material. In addition to the tempo feature, you have a wide assortment of various options to choose from. Simply plug in your guitar to the built in jack and you can choose a custom tone from assorted effects that include distortions, chorus, delay, overdrive and much more.

Do you like to sing as well? Tascam has also taken care of that aspect and included all of the same features that you see for guitar to vocals. The effects are obviously different and you will need a mic but nowhere else will you find such versatility!

With a built in tuner, the ability to loop sections of songs, the ability to slow down music without losing pitch and the ease of use... you can't go wrong with adding this under the tree.

Click here to check it out.

#6 FENDER G-DEC Guitar Digital Center Amp

If you haven't seen my previous reviews on this great little amp, have a read:

Well, I would be absolutely remiss if I didn't mention this little marvel. It has hit the guitar world by storm as one of the best practice amps out there and professionals and beginners alike are loving it. What makes it so unique? Well, it's more of a question of what isn't unique on this puppy.

Feel like you want to play with a full band before going to work? No problem! Simply plug your guitar into this amp and it will provide a full band for you. Perhaps you enjoy country but would like to try out rock... great, just turn a knob and the styles change simultaneously. Fender also thought it would be cool to pack in a tonne of great sounding effects for you to play around with, after all, you don't want to sound bad in front of the band.

Here's a clipping from Guitar Trader on some of the great features:

"The G-DEC is a 15-Watt combo amplifier with an 8" Special Design speaker. It has the familiar appearance of a Blackface Fender amp with special features added, such as a digital LCD display interface screen. It was designed from the ground up by the same Fender tone-team that brought you everything from the entry-level Front man series to the flagship Cyber-Twin SE. Features:

- Easy recall of guitar tones from Heavy Metal to Jazz to Punk to Country-- at the twist of a knob! o Drum beats, Bass lines, and other instruments provide musical backing in any style and tempo

- Internal synthesizer with MIDI interface allows playing with MIDI song files via computer- play all the backing tracks through the G-DEC! Every instrument from Piano to Percussion is in there! MIDI keyboards can also be hooked up to G-DEC to play the internal sounds.

- Special effects like Reverb and Echo plus crazy, creative sound effects!

- Easy-to-use automatic guitar tuner

- The amp's top provides a flat surface for placing a portable CD or MP3 player; these devices can be hooked up with the G-DEC for "play along" capability

- Internal Phrase Sampler can sample the incoming guitar signal to create loops, or song snippets from CD/MP3 may be captured for careful study.

- Shoulder strap for easy transport

- 15 Watts of power with a Special Design 8" speaker

- Future software upgrades can be loaded via MIDI"

I highly recommend this amp for its workmanship, price and overall "fun factor." I've played with them, read about them and now I want to share what I think of them. With lessons on all kinds of different styles right around the corner, you may want to consider this amp to give you the sounds you want to get the job done.

No, it's not a professional 200W tube amp but it is something that everyone can enjoy and have fun with. Beginners can get used to playing to a beat and get an idea of the effects they want to use while advanced players can let loose and have a great practice session.

This amp is indeed the perfect gift idea for any guitarist!

Click here to check it out.

#5 BC RICH Platinum Pro Warlock Floyd Rose Black

Ready to put the pedal to the metal? This guitar just screams out "Metal." Made by an extremely respected manufacturer, BC Rich has produced yet another guitar that is affordable and suitable for players ranging from beginner, to intermediate.

Amongst it's many features you'll find an authentic Floyd Rose Tremolo. Now you can have one of the leading edge guitars and perform tricks that you never dreamt of, without the need to consistently retune after you use your whammy bar.

From the tuners to the body, care was taken to insure that your playing experience would be the best that it could possibly be.

Once again, this comes as a guitar... Not a package. So extra costs will need to be factored in. Nonetheless, it's worth the money for the quality. A perfect guitar for rock or metal.

Click here to check it out.

#4 IBANEZ Jumpstart Pack IJS40 Metallic Red Guitar w/Amp & More

Now we have approached the little packages of joy. Ibanez has worked tirelessly to put together a guitar bundle that won't leave you rushing to the music store on boxing day looking for extra accessories. Everything you need to start is right there and ready to play as soon as you unwrap it.

Made by one of the leading guitar manufacturers, Ibanez is trustworthy and offers exceptional quality for the money you pay. When you purchase this package, you will receive the following items:

...Plus a one year subscription to Rolling Stone Magazine. The perfect gift at the perfect price. There is plenty of room to grow and learn more as a guitarist using this package. Previous students have used this package and I must say that it has proved to be very successful for them. I was extremely impressed by the guitar they received for the price that they paid.

Click here to check it out.

#3 FENDER DG-8S Pack Solid Top w/DVD Tuner Gigbag Strap & More

Now we've moved onto the acoustic bundles. In recent years I have seen an explosion of students who have absolutely no interest in playing electric guitar. Their heart and dreams are completely centered around playing an acoustic guitar.

Fender took notice of this and put together a great package that's perfect for any beginner or electric guitarist who is interested in taking on acoustic. It contains the needed essentials, plus a great DVD to help you with your first steps. I have personally played this guitar and was taken back by its timbre and resonance.

This kit includes a Fender guitar with nato body and spruce top, a gig bag, tuner, polish cloth, picks and an extra set of Fender bronze strings. Great setup that makes playing guitar fun. You never want someone who has never touched an acoustic guitar playing a cheap instrument. It is discouraging and hard to learn on. I highly recommend this bundle.

Click here to check it out.

#2 IBANEZ Jampack Acoustic Solid Top Package Black IJP2SBK

Ibanez also offer an acoustic starter pack for beginners. The price is identical to Fender's offer and we had a hard time trying to decide which one would go where on our list. Our friends at Guitar Trader took a look at the sales and came back to us saying that this guitar was one of their top sellers.

We reviewed what other customers had said about the guitar in various forms and decided to put it as second. Both Fender and Ibanez offer a great product, so it comes down to personal taste.

When I was younger, I almost bought an Ibanez and must say that I have had an exceptional experience with their product line. For craftsmanship and quality control, Ibanez takes the number two spot.

Click here to check it out.

#1 SQUIER Strat Pack Arctic White w/Amp and more

The pack that started it all, and still leads at the front of its competition to this day, made by Fender, with Fender quality, the strat pack is by far the ultimate in beginner guitars. In fact, when Fender first released the Squire Strat Pack, I received it as a Christmas gift and that was my first electric guitar. The rest is history.

The amp gives you the power needed to jam with friends, or practice at home. You even have the option of practicing with earphones. Not unlike any other strat, your Squire strat comes equipped with all of the classic touches that made Fender famous.

Fender Strat Pack Includes:

... I can personally attest to the quality of this guitar as it is what got me started. While one shoe doesn't fit all, I truly believe in this guitar's flexibility to allow you to reach new heights and achieve your dreams.

Click here to get more details.

In closing, every manufacturer has its fair share of triumphs and failures. Be on the lookout for quality problems when shopping for a new guitar. Some are jewels but you can also get an instrument that isn't up to standards when you're shopping in this price range. Don't let this happen to you and get the best guitar for the money you pay.

Guitar Trader has an awesome return policy, great prices and will ship internationally if you ask. Give them a shot. Your pocket book will thank you for it!

Click here to check it out.

Feedback Booth

Every week we receive hundreds of emails in our offices from customers and subscribers alike. Many of you email just to say thanks, or to ask a few questions. Whatever the case, every email that lands in our inboxes are read and we truly do appreciate you sending them in.

Today we have a sampling of emails from subscribers who are seeing improvement in their playing through the newsletter. Let's get started.

Gagan Pokhrel writes to us with his great news:

"Hi Jordan, Thanks for your kind help and support as well as your instructions! I'm now playing bass in a local band. Thank you once again!"

Jeremiah Dsilva sends along his update and words of encouragement:

"Hey Jordan, I really don't remember when I first subscribed to the site. I always used to see your newsletters coming in but it's only recently have I started reading them. I'm from India and I play lead for many bands. However, recently I'm just playing Gospel/Christian rock. Whenever I receive your news letters I find they are really helpful .The little tips that you give are quite neat!"

Emanuel Kwalom has this site suggestion for his fellow subscribers:

"Hi man, Thanks for that email on learning all of the notes on the guitar: It made a scary task seem way more manageable. I found this web site that goes by the name of bluesblast (www.bluesblast.com). It has a lot of jam tracks which I think helped me a lot since I don't play with a band. It's free and it isn't limited to only the blues. I just thought I'd spread the good word!"

Safal M Joshi sends along a thank you and some suggestions for the future:

"Dear Jordan, I just want to drop down this message to thank you for all your newsletters that you have been sending to me.... It's really helpful and indeed I'm learning new techniques of guitar online... Thanks once again. I would like some tips or lessons on new styles of playing rhythm on acoustic guitar and some country or classical flavored lessons. Merry Christmas to you in advance! Sincerely, Safal M Joshi"

Thank you to all of you who write in. I would be remiss if I didn't mention all of the behind the scenes work that our staff do to make this newsletter happen. When you experience success through Guitar Tips, it's because a team of professionals with passion come together to make it happen.

Conclusion

We have come to the end of yet another newsletter. We hope that you've enjoyed it and took something that you will be able to share with your family and friends.

In our next edition, we will be taking a break from our current series to look at the past year in music history. We'll look at some of the hit songs, the people and the industry. Considering it will be the last issue of the 2005 year, we will also be giving you a sneak peak into the future of Guitar Tips and the newsletter.

Hear about the twists and turns we have in store for you in addition to how you'll be involved. In the meantime, keep emailing us with your thoughts and suggestions! We're always looking for new bands, solo tracks, questions to feature and comments.

Don't forget about our Guitar Forum either! It's a great way to build some knowledge on your Holliday break. In addition to that, a great stocking stuffer idea would be some new songs from GuitarVision. Just click here to find out about the new deal.

Until next time, keep on picking!

"Learn How To Quote Your Notes"

Jordan Warford here, Editorial Manager for Guitar Tips.

Thanks for taking the time to check us out. We have yet another jammed packed article to share with you this week that's sure to challenge you once again.

In this edition:

Join us as we take a journey to learn all of the notes on our fretboard... No, this isn't some sick joke, we're really going to teach you the most simplistic way to learn your notes. See, hear and watch the most innovative ways to understanding how your fretboard really works. We guarantee success!

Take a look at our new site review as we take a look at our Guitar Songs site. Hear what all of the fuss is about and why it might be the answer you've been looking for. We'll also tell you all about the great value and bonuses that come with it!

I'm pleased to say that our Feedback Booth is back and in action. Not only is it back, but it's better than before! We took a few weeks off from this section to get things in order and offer you some new insight into the operations of our Guitar Tips sites. Take a look at what your fellow subscribers have to say and get the latest update on our Guitar Forum.

Get the chance to download a new messenger tone as well as play a song that's been unleashed from our new site. In addition to all of that excitement, we have a brand new commercial set for release! Be the first to hear it before anyone else around the world!

With that said, let's get to it!

It's only 126 notes. How bad can it be?

Why it's important to know where your notes are.

I remember how daunting the task of learning all of the notes on my fretboard seemed when I first picked up the guitar. I was already well versed in music theory and knew how to read music from playing sax for nearly three years. Nonetheless, it still seemed like an overwhelming challenge that would take a lifetime for me to complete.

I actually remember saying to myself, "If I think this is hard, what about the poor dude who doesn't know how to read music?" As a result of this negative thinking, I put off learning my notes and traded it in for tab.

Unfortunately, it was something that soon came back to haunt me and I realized the importance of learning my fretboard. This story doesn't have to be you! Take your previous notion of the difficulty level and throw it out the door.

Let's look at this issue purely from a musical standpoint for those of you who are still skeptical. First, how on earth could learning more about music and your guitar hurt you? It will only increase your musical awareness and make you a better player. For example, look at your everyday band setting. You deal with many different chords and scales no matter what style or setting you're in. Knowing your notes allows you to know the root note of any chord or scale, opening up an unlimited arsenal of tools at your fingertips.

Not being able to read music or know your notes is like painting a picture without any brushes. You may have the idea in your head but you can't express it in a way that everyone around you can understand. In the professional world of music, if you can't read it or write it... you can't play it. That falls back on knowing where those notes are. Reading music also becomes a snap to learn because you have half of the work already done!

On the note (no pun intended) of professionalism, if you think that you might like to teach music, join a band professionally, go into the recording industry, composing, producing, arranging, or anything of the like, knowing the notes on your neck is the equivalency of knowing how to write words on paper.

Hopefully I don't look like the bad guy here. I'm not saying that you can't be successful at music without knowing your notes on the neck. It's obvious that many great musicians who didn't know their notes still triumphed in the guitar world but think at how much better they could have been had they known them.

How you can achieve success (the background).

Now that we've covered the reasons why learning your fretboard would be a good idea, you're probably sitting there thinking, "Where's this amazing method that you said you had." The amazing method isn't great because of a secret trick that no one knows about, rather, because it actually uses common sense... something that you hopefully won't forget to use!

Think back to the days of elementary school when you were learning the basic concepts of math. One of the first things you would look for when learning how to multiply would be a pattern. That way, if you knew how to multiply one set of numbers, the next would come to you easier. Learning your fretboard takes this concept to a new level.

However, before we dive into these easy as pie concepts, we need to take a quick look at some basic theory. Relax, it's basically your alphabet and it will help you understand why the notes on your fretboard are placed where they are.

In music, there are only eight notes: A, B, C, D, E ,F , & G. The cycle then continues back to A after you hit that G. Every cycle you complete is called an octave. There are many different locations on the fretboard where these octaves can be achieved (more in a minute.)

Most of these notes have sharps and flats which raise or lower the pitch, adding different sounds onto those natural notes. Here is the line up of notes with both sharps and flats:

Ab, A, A#, Bb, B, C, C#, Db, D, D#, Eb, E, F, F#, Gb, G, & G#

Now before you freak out, most of the above does the memorizing for you. Take a look at the notes below:

Ab, A, A#, Bb, B, C, C#, Db, D, D#, Eb, E, F, F#, Gb, G, G# bbbbbbb^bbbbbbbbb^bbbbbbb^bbbbbbbbb^bbbbbbbb^

...That arrow pointing between certain notes is signifying which ones sound the same. On your fretboard, these notes will both appear on one fret! For example, on the fourth fret of your low E string, you could be playing a G#, or an Ab... Depending on what the music (i.e. key signature) called for. They both sound the same, just under two names. Look at them as identical twins. These notes aren't some kind of weird phenomenon either, rather, they are known as "Enharmonics."

Circled below in bubbles are all the enharmonics on your fretboard:

...Imagine how long your fretboard would have to be if all of those notes sounded different! Music works in a very tight package, not unlike a puzzle.

So let's take a moment to recap. We have our seven notes ranging from A to G. An octave is when we cycle through those seven notes and land back on our A (which gives us eight notes total.) Our fretboard has numerous places where two different notes will appear on one fret which produces the same sound for both notes. These are called enharmonics.

Going back to octaves for a minute, here is a quick chart illustrating the locations of the octaves that can be found on your low E string in conjunction with your D string.

Note: They are color coated, the same color represents that they are an octave.

...You can take octaves up in pitch, or down in pitch... whichever you prefer. You will be playing the exact same riff but it will either sound higher or lower. Remember that for every note on your fretboard there is an octave to match it, although some can be hard to reach with your hands.

Now that we have the essentials in the back of our heads, it's time to get down to business and show you the quickest and most effective way to learn every note on your guitar's neck.

Shapes.

Remember that brief mention of math? Here's where it comes in. Whether we choose to accept it or not, music is practically math with the exception of the pleasing sounds. The notes are arranged on your fingerboard in such a way that numerous patterns can be found.

However, there's one quick catch. The only place on your fretboard where you must memorize the notes is on your low E string. The good news is that if you memorize your low E string, you have just memorized your high E string as well... Good for you! You're already a step ahead of the game.

If you get lost, have no fear. Remember that your first note is your open E. When you press the first fret of your low E string, an F will be sounded. The next fret up will be F#/Gb, an enharmonic. Then it moves to A and you just keep on counting. Here is an illustration:

The 12th fret is your open tuning of E, A, D, G, B, E all over again and the pattern repeats, the only difference being that it's one octave higher.

With your low E string taken care of, it's time to look for some patterns. Take a look at your previous octave chart. Notice how easy that many of them are to place two fingers on?

Here's some fingerings that show us a new pattern to discover all of the notes on our D string by using our low E string:

...Use your first finger on the low E string and your third on your D string. What do you hear when you play the above?

The same note! Whoohoo, we just solved yet another piece of the puzzle. Using our low E string and making an octave using the D string, we find the same notes as on the D string. When we're playing an F on the first fret of our E string, it turns out to be on the third fret of our D string!

Using this new shape, we can apply the knowledge that we already know to the D string and learn all of the notes on that string.

Now that we know our low and High E string along with our D string, we can use that knowledge to find out the notes on the rest of our strings. Here is a brand new shape to help us achieve that:

Use your index finger and your pinkie to achieve this shape. It may take a little getting used to but the purpose isn't for sound, it's so you can see the different notes. The reason why we had to start from our low E string to find the notes for that G string is because we don't know where everything is on our A string yet. That's why we needed to take a new approach.

Now that we can locate all of the notes on our G string from our high E string, we can use the G string to find out the notes on our A string using the first shape that we talked about. Here's what it looks like:

Notice how our G string allows us to see all of the notes for the A string? Now we know how to get the note locations for all of our strings with the exception of B. Here's how you can find B using your D string:

The fingering requires your index and pinkie finger. Now we know the shapes that we can use to find every note on our fretboard!

The next step is to take ten or fifteen minutes out of your day for around two weeks and run through all of the notes, saying them out loud. Sounds kind of funny but it works. A famous saying in the music world is, "Practice doesn't make perfect, it makes permanent." The same applies to this lesson. Get the basics down while you can because more great things are coming down the line for Guitar Tips and we want you to be ready!

Putting It All Together

I put together a little video for you to use as a starting point. I'll explain how I usually do things and it gives you a new visual representation from a different perspective. Hope this helps you out.

Site Review

Guitar Songs

After you pick up your guitar and become proficient at the basics, you want to begin learning your favorite songs as soon as possible. That's why we believe that Guitar Songs is a great resource for everyone from the young to the old. Within the walls of the members only area, you can find a vast array of different songs. We worked hard on breaking down the boundaries of genre to offer you the best assortment of songs possible.

Ever hear that little riff on the radio that you just wish you knew how to play? How about that number one hit song that you can't get out of your head? You can find all of those favorite songs and maybe even some that you never thought of at Guitar Songs. If you can't find the song you want to learn, we have a special feedback form so you can tell us! You never know, your suggestion might be the next song to get published.

I was very impressed with this site as a whole when I saw the final product. It's well organized, easy to use and includes video for you to play along with. Picture yourself playing tunes by Carlos Santa, Eric Clapton, the Ventures and more! Learn the songs step by step and see the final result of your hard work.

Not only is it great practice for guitarists getting off of their feet but it also serves as a fabulous reference guide for intermediate to professional level players. Have you tried looking up the tabs to your favorite songs lately? You probably found them pretty fast but noticed that many are inaccurate and complicated to dissect, let alone learn. Guitar Songs eliminates the need to go through countless tabs to get what you want.

For the price of a high quality music book at your local music store, you can immediately get access to 44 songs, plus bonus gifts that are at no extra cost to you. The value was yet another thing that impressed me tremendously about this site. The customer service is there for you to answer any questions should you need assistance. This in conjunction with the video and audio may be your ticket to success.

As always when writing reviews on our own products, I want to reiterate that I would not give a positive review if I didn't think highly of a product. We pride ourselves on offering services that we could also enjoy and benefit greatly from if we were in your shoes.

Click here to check it out. Hope you enjoy!

Special Feature

What's a guitar newsletter without any riffs to practice? We thought it would be a great idea to give you a taste of Dire Straits. This song is called "Brothers In Arms" and was a hit song on MTV and many other music venues. Interestingly enough, it was the title of one of their best selling albums of the 1980s, which could also be accredited to the fact that it was one of the first albums in CD format that was ever mass produced.

Here's the song, have fun!

Final Product:

This video was taken from our newly launched Guitar Leads site, go there to find out more!

Feedback Booth

It's great to have the Feedback Booth back in action once again. Hearing the comments that come in from many of you continually blows my mind. You guys have awesome imaginations and ask very inquisitive and thoughtful questions that help everyone who read them learn something new.

Today we're going to cycle through some questions and opinions that have come in via mail or our online forum in addition to sharing something quite unique with you.

In our last segment I told you that I would be randomly pulling posts from the Guitar Forum and posting them for everyone to see and that's exactly what I did. It was great to see people getting involved in this budding online community.

One of the many threads I've been following has been, "Who are your influences?" I recently noticed a new post from a girl by the username of Victoria. Here's what she had to say:

"As far as my earliest influence, I guess it would be Michelle Branch. I was only 11 then, but essentially she inspired me to learn guitar. Since then, my musical taste and style has shifted significantly...I must admit that before I was pretty mainstream and all. It was 2 years ago that I really began my own journey in discovering artists who truly reached out to me. Music is so amazing, it's just overwhelming at times."

I love that last thought. You're absolutely right... Music can be so beautifully complicated that it just boggles your mind.

eque24 posted a comment and a question all rapped up into one package:

"Hello all, First and foremost I'd like to thank everyone who replied to my last thread it was very informative, gave me a few new ideas to my approach to soloing. But I've always considered myself a rhythm guy so I just wanted to represent for us rhythm moguls. There are some really colorful lead parts that you can do with chords, (very big in Jazz and Funk) ie. Nile Rogers, John Mclaughlin, Frankie Beverly,and Paco de Lucia to name a few of the guys I like.

But I can't just post to say what's up, I want to learn everything I can about my Axe so here's a question that I hope one of you guru's can help me out with. I think I understand the concept of Harmony being the 3rd,or the 5th ect... of the root, but when your dealing with chords how do you determine the harmony of that chord. for example if I was playing an Em7 what would be the harmony. More importantly what is the theory involved. Thanks, Eque"

I thought this was a very interesting question to which not many replied. Unfortunately we have a great forum established but our member base is very small at the moment, limiting the number of advanced players who would otherwise frequent the forum to answer questions like these.

I thought that it was such a great question that I might just do an article on it sometime in the future. It's one of those questions that many wonder yet few know the answer to. I'll be posting some resources on this topic in his thread within a few days. Thanks for your involvement Eque!

Willem sent along these kind words via email:

"Hello Jordan, Thanks for the newsletters you provide, keep up the good work you are doing."

All of the staff here at Guitar Tips truly appreciate the many emails of thanks and encouragement that we receive from our subscribers. We send a big "Thank you" right back your way!

Now we would like to share something with you that we're quite excited about. Recently James from our Guitar Forum did up a professional commercial for the Forum that we're hoping to get played on radio stations around the world! I think it's one of the coolest commercials for a website that I have ever heard.

It gives all the details of the site and will hopefully increase our membership. There's power with numbers and the bigger this forum gets, the more knowledge we'll have.

Here it is in its entirety! Let us know what you think by going to our Guitar Forum, or by hitting the Feedback tab at the top of this page.

If you're sick of the message notification music that's currently playing on your Guitar Tips Messenger software, we have a new download for you to enjoy. Just follow these easy steps to download and install:

Step 1 Unzip the gtmail.zip

Step 2 Right click on your messenger icon in the system tray select " Change Notification Settings"

Step 3 Then select play a Custom Sound and point the directory to where you unziped gtmail.wav

Step 4 Click preview to make sure its working then click SAVE and you should be good to go!

Just click here to download.

Conclusion

Learning all of the notes on your fretboard can be an extremely intimidating experience but we hope that this newsletter took the edge off that fear. Over the coming months you can look forward to tackling new problems that many guitarists deem as "Extremely hard." The truth of the matter is that it's all in your perception of the problem.

When you break things down into steps, your problem suddenly becomes much more manageable. In our next newsletter you can look forward to the beginning of an extensive series dealing with various genres such as rock, country, alternative and much more!

We're always looking for ways to motivate our current subscribers to sign up as a members to our new Guitar Forum. This week I have a brand new challenge for all of you. Over the next week, I will be taking the person who has the most number of posts in the forum by November 18th and do a special interview on them and their band if they have one.

What you need to do is as follows:

If you have a band in desperate need of some media attention, or you're trying to get yourself into the music scene, this is one quick way to gain credibility. I will contact the winner of the contest on November the 19th. You'll be surprised to see how quickly your posts add up!

I am also looking for new Guitar Tips Feature Bands. If you're interested, send me an email with the following information:

If I feel you're onto something, I will ask you for more information. If not, I'll file your package and contact you when I think the time is right. Remember, only one band per month can be shown.

Until next time, keep on picking!