1. Get tuned up and stay that way. There's no excuse these days for being out of tune. You can pick up an electronic
tuner for just a few bucks these days. If your guitar doesn't stay in tune, or is out when you play up the neck,
chances are you need new strings. If it's out of tune with new strings, have the intonation adjusted.
2. Listen.
3. Pay as much attention to what you don't play as to what you do. In other words, let the music breathe, let it be an
exercise in contrast. The holes you leave make what you do play sound better. Even if you don't hear it at the time,
your audience will. The great players we know and love wouldn't be household names if they over-played. They'd be sitting
at home wondering why the big break hadn't arrived for them.
4. Listen.
5. Avoid alcohol when playing. It makes you sound bad and look stupid. A few years ago, my band, The Train, was playing
in Sydney at a venue where a certain ex-Rolling Stone, had been playing the night before The manager asked if it was
alright if he got up with us and had a play. We were thrilled of course. "Yes, by all means". Unfortunately, he was
pissed as a fart, couldn't play a thing, kept stepping on MY effects pedal, was abusive and I had to ask him to desist.
Alcohol. (Mick, if you get to read this, it was at The Bridge in about 1995. I know you won't remember. I hope you're
feeling better)
6. Know what you're playing. Never play anything without knowing its context, how it fits into the tune. By that I mean:
know what key you're in; know what chord is being played (the chord of the moment) and its role within that key; know
which notes you're playing in the context of that chord (is it a I, II, III, flat V, VII) etc. This becomes automatic
after a while. It's hard work at first, but stick at it until it does become automatic. Playing away without knowing
what it is you're doing will get you nowhere fast.
7. Listen.
8. Play within your own limitations. We're all made differently. Some of us have long quick fingers, some of us are
getting old and stiff. There is nothing worse than listening to someone trying to play beyond their capability. Much
better to make beautiful music with one or two notes than to go for twenty and muff them all. Lucky for all of us.
playing guitar was never a contest.
9. Let the song rule. Guitarists often think they are indispensable. So do drummers and bass players and keyboardists...
I won't even mention singers. The fact is, the piece of music is boss. Let it be so.
10. Listen.
There. I'm sure many of you have different ideas about the discipline of being a guitarist. These are mine.
Have a look at the new-look PlaneTalk site. All of a sudden, I can do anything I want design-wise. I have so many options,
the difficulty has become settling on one. In all the hours I spent changing my pages, this iMac didn't freeze once.
I love it. Don't forget, if you still haven't ordered PlaneTalk, the 'trick' to keeping track of all music is written
in and illustrated in it's pages. The Guitar Slide Rule that comes with it is so revealing that even I, its inventor,
marvel at it. All for the cost of a couple of lessons! And now, you can order it through a secure online shop. How much
easier could it be?
Those who have ordered it (thanks) won't even be reading this. They'll be playing the guitar. You can read some of their
comments on it at the Testimonials page at my site.
Until next time.
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