It’s cliche, but everyone has a mini recording studio in their pocket with them at all times. Not only is it stupidly simple to record your audio ideas, you can record yourself via video as well and see everything you were working on at the time, to truly pinpoint issues in your playing. But that’s not the only reason you should record.
Let's dive into three ways guitarists can use recording to see huge improvements in their playing.
How many YouTube thumbnails have you seen, with guitarists talking about how to get out of a rut? There’s a dead simple fix for getting out of one, and it comes down to two things - you’re sitting down and noodling every time you play guitar, or you’re playing the same things over and over again. I only say this, because I’ve been there myself and have had to snap out of it.
Let’s just get this out of the way - of course I’m not a doctor, I just play one on the internet. And while I’m not a doctor, I can tell you that guitar has had a profound effect on my life. Playing guitar can lead to all sorts of benefits you might not have even thought about. Search online and you’ll see many scientific studies linked to happiness, improved memory, a sharper mind, and much more.
If you’ve been playing guitar for a couple of years and finally feel like you’re moving into a more intermediate level, you’ll often hit a plateau. It’s common to not know what to work on next, or to even have some gaps in your knowledge. Here are 3 books that’ll help you progress as an intermediate guitarist.
My main goal for Chasing Sound is to show you that you can learn guitar no matter what stage you're at in life, and no matter how old you are. I've talked to so many of you through email and elsewhere, and you've given me great feedback on what you're struggling with.
There's already a ton of inspirational and informative posts on the site, and you should also consider signing up to our free Six String Sunday community (sign up in the sidebar). But, for those of you who are just starting out, you need to know what you need to know.
Which is why over the next few weeks I'm going to be tagging certain articles with B2B, for back to basics. These articles will be great if you're just starting out, if you've played for a while, or if you're advanced but want to fill in some knowledge gaps.
Once I'm done with all of these articles I'm considering publishing them as one e-book, but I am also figuring out a way to make a "roadmap" that guides you along the path in a logical way.
We're going to be going over a number of topics like:
And so much more that I think is essential to any guitar player's toolkit. Stay tuned to the website and on social media for each installment. You'll never have to wonder where to start again.
If you want to reach out to me about a particular topic you're trying to learn, feel free to contact me on Twitter, Facebook, or by e-mail (Brian@ChasingSound.com).
Many think of YouTube as a time waster, but really it’s a treasure trove of guitar knowledge (and the occasional cat video). You can learn so much for so little by just logging on and searching a topic you’re interested in. Want to learn the Mixolydian scale, how to play an A chord, or what the circle of fifths is? No problem! Between learning, entertainment, and reviews you could binge watch guitar videos for days.
Like anything that’s free though, it helps to know where to start, to cut through channels that aren’t so great yet, and to find out what’s helpful. Check out these five YouTube channels for guitar players.
I've been known to geek out about guitar and apps in the past. When developer Chris Ladd, known for making the incredible note taking app Better Notes contacted me about an app that combines a simple text editor and a place to store lyrics, chords and tabs, I was excited to check it out.
Find out what makes TabBank such an essential songwriters tool.
One of the top 3 questions that I get asked is, “how can i develop my own style?” A lot of guitarists are looking to be content with how they sound and make sense of all different bits and pieces that make up their style. Others are trying to craft something completely unique, and need some tips about how they can achieve that goal.
I’m going to show you a surefire way, if you’re willing to put in the time, to get your own signature sound.
