Tag Archives: Guitar

Mentors…

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Throughout our lives we encounter influential people whose life lessons help define who we become as adults.

An elderly friend. A favorite teacher.

An incredibly intelligent co-worker who shares their knowledge.

All of these encounters become a part of our reflection.

Those who were kind enough to share…mentors in passing…leave indelible signatures on our lives.

Lessons we then…pass on.

As a sophomore in high school I enrolled in choir.

I was a fledgling guitar player and needed more music in my life. And with no prior educational background in music, I took the leap.

Those years in high school were the greatest. Our Choir Director, Mr. Bryan Dunn was mentor to our collective voices. One of the first songs we learned, “The Lord Bless You and Keep You” became an anthem that lasts to this day.

At the drop of a hat…for no other reason than to feel that spine tingling chill…vocal harmonies embracing every part of your soul…hair on the back of your neck standing at attention feeling.

That feeling.

Gifted to all of us by Mr. Bryan Dunn

And now gifted to you…

May the Lord bless you and keep you Mr. Dunn.

“The Lord Bless You and Keep You”

performed by

The York College Concert Choir

Guitar Lesson_D Major

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I started this project to help a friend restart his earlier attempts at learning how to play the guitar. My intent is to add additional lessons, in similar fashion, to continue this journey. I too…will always be a student

Fretboard Lesson 1Download
Fretboard Lesson 2Download
Fretboard Lesson 3Download
Fretboard Lesson 4Download
Fretboard Lesson 5Download
Fretboard Lesson 6Download
Fretboard Lesson 7Download
Fretboard Lesson 8Download
Fretboard Lesson 9Download
Fretboard Lesson 10Download
Fretboard Lesson 11Download
Fretboard Lesson 12Download
Fretboard Lesson 13Download

Review

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As a fledgling guitarist for the majority of my life, studying songs, scales and the fretboard are the norm…

Every guitarist who grew up in the days of Long Play analog records will recall the tedious task of placing the needle in just the right groove to listen to a particular part of a song that held their interest…until it became so tedious, impatience took over and you moved on…or…persevered, learned the lick and danced the happy dance.

YouTube came along and made a lot of dreams come true in providing a platform for guitarist from every “Walk of Life”1 teaching guitar lessons in a video format that allow the viewer to slow the playback speed. 

Genius!!!

I recently heard about Vidami’s foot controller. Finally!!! 

Utility Design created the ultimate tool for guitar players to control… handsfree…the playback speed…capture a segment of video and loop it endlessly. 

Brilliant!!!

I would say this is one of the best tools available for anyone interested in learning to play guitar. 

I will tell you this, in my humble opinion, the downside…up front. 

It is not compatible with IOS devices such as iPad. My music workstation, up until this device arrived a week ago, consist of IOS devices.

I purchased an inexpensive Chromebook, compatible with the Vidami software and set it up at my music workstation. 

Lightning-fast licks are now slowed to speeds that allow the user to better understand the mechanics…working up to and possibly achieving some of those trademark licks we’ve all dreamed of playing. There’s still a lot of work to do and scales to practice, but…we all know that.

And remember…Study a song, study scales or your fretboard and then just noodle along with your favorite playlist and have fun.

If you can’t have a little fun…why bother. 

  1. Mark Knopfler, famed guitarist for Dire Straits, teaches guitar lessons on YouTube and wrote the song “Walk of Life” if you didn’t already know that bit of trivia.