-
Polymeter/Polyrhythm
Although sometimes used synonymously, polymeter is the use of two metric frameworks (time signatures) simultaneously, while polyrhythm refers to the simultaneous use of two or more different patterns, which may be in the same time-signature. Research into the perception of polymeter shows that listeners often either extract a composite pattern that is fitted to a…
-
Cmaj9, C9, Cm9, C added 9th Chords
The guitar chords on this page are built from the C major scale. The C major scale has 7 scale steps. They are the notes C,D,E,F,G,A,B. The Cmaj9 Chord A dominant ninth is a dominant chord with a ninth (the ninth would be the same note as the 2nd: D). A ninth chord, as an…
-
The “Press Down” Chord Exercises
The most important thing to remember when playing chords is that each note in a chord must be pressed down as a unit, not separately. Here I will give you a couple of exercises that will help you establish the habit of pressing down each chord as a unit.
-
What Is Strumming?
Strumming, for a guitarist, generally is used specifically to refer to when a guitarist loosely plays a series of basic guitar chords with the same rhythmic set of up and down strokes. One common mistake among beginner guitarists is to use guitar strumming patterns in place of proper rhythmic control or to try to regulate any guitar into a strumming…
-
Sweet Home Chicago by Robert Johnson
“Sweet Home Chicago” is a popular blues standard in the twelve bar form. It was first recorded and is credited to have been written by Robert Johnson. Over the years the song has become one of the most popular anthems for the city of Chicago despite ambiguity in Johnson’s original lyrics. Difficulty: Intermediate
-
Meet Tommy Castro
Tommy Castro Blues Guitarist Winner of the 2008 and 2010 Blues Music Award for Entertainer of the Year TOMMY CASTRO took up the guitar at the age of 10, inspired by blues guitar gods like Eric Clapton and B.B. King. Hardly out of his teens, he had begun playing professionally in the bay area…
-
How Do I Play Scales?
Scales are a collection of notes that go together. They can be practiced by playing one note at a time. They are not chords which are a group of notes played at one time. Scales can be played by going up the scale pattern and then down. This means we’ll start with the note lowest in…
-
So you want to start a band?
So you want to start a band? Garage bands come and go, but the resources provided in this training program will help you ensure your band has a long, successful run.