Memorise the guitar fretboard

Memorizing the notes on the guitar fretboard will give you a big advantage. Once you have the notes memorised you will spend less time looking for notes and more time playing. The trick to memorising the guitar neck is to do it one note at a time. So here are the steps.

Step 1. Learn the chromatic scale. The chromatic scale consists of 12 notes. *A, A#, B, C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#. To better understand the chromatic scale I recommend you check out the G4 Guitar Theory book. To receive a free copy subscribe via our website www.g4guitarmethod.com .

Step 2. Find all the A notes on each string and memorise their positions. Practice this for a week. 

Step 3. In the next week find all the B notes and practice everyday for a week. 3rd week find all the C notes and so on.

The idea is to rotate around the notes spending a week on each until you can find any note instantly then use the chromatic scale to locate the sharps and flats.

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How to avoid quitting guitar by focusing on the process

Put the process before the goal.

The above concept is one that many of us find difficult but is a critical factor in learning guitar. The percentage of students of guitar  who actually reach their goals compared to the number who actually  take up guitar would have to be one of lowest compared with other instruments and perhaps most pursuits. My educated guess in around 5% of guitar students ever achieve their goals. Compare that to mountain climbers,  joggers and probably even dieters you can see it's not a great result.

Understanding the process.

While there is no one simple answer as to why so many people give up guitar there are definitely some worthwhile answers to consider. One such answer that is worth discussing comes via Ellen J Langer (Harvard psychology professor and author of the book 'Mindfulness'). Langer points out that when we focus children on goals (E.g. past a test, recite your alphabet etc) we are missing a very important element. The process. Often when we look at someone who is good at anything we are blind to the process that got them to where they are today. When children see another person pick up a guitar and skillfully execute a difficult song and don't understand the process that got that person to that level of skill they can feel inferior which can lead them to stop trying and give up.

Mindlessness

The sad reality is this childhood conditioning can be pervasive affecting many other areas of a child's learning. But worst of all such conditioning usually carries over into adulthood. As adults the condition  is so automatic that we do not even notice it. This is where we are in a state of mindlessness. I have seen it many times. Adults enroll for guitar lessons. Pay for their first 5 lessons and by the 4th lesson their automatic conditioning has kicked in and is giving them 101 reasons why they can't achieve success on guitar. "I am simply not good enough", "I don't have the time", "I can't afford the lessons", "there were no talented musicians in my family so I must have no talent" or my favorite "I am too old". Funnily enough at 14yo I thought I was too old.

Focusing on the process.

So the trick is to avoid obsessing about the goal and focus on the process. Goals are important of course but are greatly misunderstood. When pilots are flying planes they know the destination but they are focused on flying the plane in that moment. If they didn't they may easily neglect something important and next thing you know the plane is in a downward spiral. I use this analogy because it describes what happens to most people who take up guitar. They are so busy focusing on the goal that they neglect what is in front of them. Instead of trying to play your favorite yet inappropriate (too difficult) song focus on learning a basic chord, scale or even just how to count in time. When you focus on the process or better still get lost in the process you suddenly wake up one day and find yourself at the destination (goal).

Hope that helps.


David Hart - Program Director

You might also like the following blog post; 

"How long does it take to learn guitar?" 

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                                 http://www.g4guitarmethod.com

"How long does it take to learn guitar?"

While there is no exact answer to this this question the best answer I can offer you is 2 years if you practice 30 minutes a day based on average expectations but there are ways to do it in less time. The term 'deliberate practice' refers to practicing guitar in such a way that your practice is meaningful and more focused. Its very easy to randomly practice different songs or exercises without really having a clear purpose or direction. A good example would be a scale. Your guitar teacher might give a scale to practice but do you really understand why you are practicing the scale? It may even be possible that the scale is a waste of time based on your interests. For example if you want to be a pure blues guitarists practicing a melodic minor scale is probably not the best use of your time.

Keeping you focused on the 20% that matters

The idea behind G4 Guitar is to halve the time it takes to learn guitar (1 year or less) through efficient practice methods. The Pareto principle (often called the 80/20 rule) suggests that 80% of results come from 20% of your efforts. G4 is all about focusing on the 20% that matters the most. The G4 Guitar Method works especially well for young children even as young as 4 years old. So if you or your child have even the slightest interest in guitar I recommend checking out the G4 Guitar Method especially if you are a beginner.

Free 5 week  Beginner Guitar Course

G4 GUITAR METHOD 

Please follow the link to subscribe to our free online course. 

http://www.g4guitarmethod.com

Chicago’s Rock for Kids program helping underserved children

I discovered these guys online and was immediately impressed. Chicago’s Rock for Kids started out with a simple mission and that was to provide kids in underserved schools a free music education. Music I believe is every child's right in the same way language is a right. An education in music gives every child a chance to explore what could almost be considered a basic human need. Think about it. Every culture in the world has music. Music has been with us for thousands of years and passing it down to our children is essential so when children miss out on a music education it truly is a tragedy.

Chicago’s Rock for Kids began in 1988 with just a handful of student and today teaches over 5000 students across the city. Its worth noting that 86% of children in Chicago's public schools are classified as below the poverty line so they certainly have a lot more children who need their help.

To raise money Rock for Kids runs raffles. A rare John Lennon 70th Anniversary J-160E Vintage Sunburst guitar will be raffled off at their 25th Annual Rock and Roll Benefit Auction  on the 9th of November at the Park West. The guitar is one of only 500 in the world, is worth close to $4,000 and was donated by The Chicago Music Exchange. If you want a chance this collectors item  raffle tickets cost $25 and can be purchased now by calling 312-255-9454.

For more information on Rock for Kids visit http://www.rockforkids.org/

Free 5 week  Beginner Guitar Course

G4 GUITAR METHOD 

Please follow the link to subscribe to our free online course. 

http://www.g4guitarmethod.com

GUITAR is NOT EASY!!!

One day for one of many possible reasons you decide to learn guitar. You say to yourself "How hard can it be? After all every second person and there dog seems to be able to play something on guitar." You buy yourself a guitar, a guitar book and maybe even some lessons with a guitar teacher. The salesperson in the guitar shop reassures you that learning guitar is fun and you will love it. The book you bought has a title like "Easy Guitar for Complete Idiots" and the cover assures you that within a few weeks you will be playing at least a few of your favourite songs. Finally the teacher you enrol with confirms that guitar is not hard as long as you put a few minutes of practice in each day and of course hand over a few hundred dollars to the teacher and you will be playing like Jimi Hendrix (behind your head) in no time.

Wasting your time perhaps?

A few months later you realise its all a scam. You can't play a single song and even the simplest riff (E.g. Smoke on the water) still only sounds half right. Your fingers are sore, you are frustrated and have come to the decision that you have no talent for guitar and have been wasting your time and money. It's time to quit while you are ahead. You are a little disappointed but life is too short to waste on regrets right? Its time to move on and put it down to experience.

BUT WAIT!!!
You have been lied to and I am here to talk you out of giving up. We have estimated that 90% or more of people give up guitar in the first year and most feel exactly the same as you. The good news is those who get past the first year are unlikely to give up and there is a very good reason. The idea that guitar is easy is an urban myth. Sure its easy to play a few basic chords or riffs but the guitar is NOT EASY! Let me say it again . GUITAR IS NOT EASY.

Guitar is like learning to write
It takes at least 1 year of daily practice to get the fundamentals in place. Guitar playing is a complexed motor skill just like learning to write? Would you expect a child (who by the way learns faster than we do) to learn to write in a few weeks or even months? Of course not. We know that it takes a few years yet we put these unrealistic expectations on to ourselves. 

Free 5 week  Beginner Guitar Course

G4 GUITAR METHOD 

Please follow the link to subscribe to our free online course. 

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Do your expectations for learning guitar match reality?

Early on in my guitar teaching career I realised many of the guitar students who came to me grew increasingly disappointed with their progress on guitar over time. This made me question my own ability as a teacher and led me to try and understand why. The answer became more obvious as I researched the problem.

Great expectations

Everyone has an expectation. For some to be able to play a few basic chords and strum out some simple songs is enough. For others they set the bar very high and as a result become disappointed. I would say the great majority fall into the later. We also compare ourselves to others believing if we are not progressing at the same pace we are failing. Fact is we are all very different. Some will pick up the guitar quickly while for others it will be a slower process. The trick is to lower your expectations and treat it like an experiment and do not compare yourself to anyone.

How feedback will help you

My students were not always aware but I was constantly reassuring them and giving them feedback in regards to their progress on guitar. This is critical because it keeps things in perspective for the guitar student. When they imagined being able to play guitar like their favourite guitarists they often overlook the fact that the guitarist they imagine has had years and years of experience. Some practicing for thousands of hours. Expecting to be anywhere even close after say 20 hours of learning is just totally unrealistic. I would begin by putting things into perspective for students by explaining that learning guitar takes time and then reassuring them of what they needed to do to move closer to their goal.

Staying on track

Constant feedback also helps you to stay on track. Our minds are easily distracted. Having someone keeping you focused and on task will literally shorten the amount of time it takes you to achieve your goals. Even if a teacher teaches you nothing new the value of them being there and keeping you on track will be worth the cost of the lesson. After all the goal is simply to be able to play guitar in the shortest amount of time. 

You might also like the following blog:

*Guitar Students Quit For 2 Reasons...So They Say.

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http://www.g4guitarmethod.com

Why guitar practice is better than Facebook

I know you love Facebook and nothing compares to the hours of pleasure you get but hear me out. Facebook has been shown to be addictive, largely time wasting and offers little in return for the time invested (the exception being if you are in business).  Our brain produces dopamine when it anticipates pleasure. We perceive Facebook as a pleasure activity in the same way we might find eating a sugary snack pleasurable. The dopamine in our brain is what motivates us to eat one more donut or read one more Facebook post. The problem is we are rarely left fulfilled. In fact we almost always feel worse. The donut is unhealthy and realising you just wasted 2 hours on Facebook creates a feeling of guilt.

So what about practicing guitar?

Guitar practice on the other hand creates the opposite. We might prefer Facebook in the moment and it might feel good compared to doing our guitar practice but I guarantee you that you will feel much better after even 90 minutes of guitar practice compared to 90 minutes of Facebook. If you don't believe me try it.

We are programmed for Facebook

Throughout our evolution our survival was largely the result of our ability to work in social groups. Our ancestors lived in tribes and  Facebook plays on our social instinct to be part of a tribe. The problem is that Facebook exaggerates this reality so we end up investing way too much time in to our network of so called friends. Times have changed and today we need to be aware of such technological traps. Facebook is fine in moderation but try matching your time on guitar with your time on all devices and I imagine you will become pretty damn good on guitar in a year or two.

 You might also like the following blog:

*How To Stay Motivated To Practice Guitar?

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