The guitar is making a comeback. However, learning how to play the guitar, especially how to strum a guitar, is not easy.
I’ve seen some bad tutorials out there that teach you the wrong techniques or have you doing it inefficiently.
I’ve been playing guitar for 20+ years and have decided to put together this article for you. I want you to have everything you need to start playing the guitar like your favorite musicians and songwriters!
Learning how to use compound intervals is a great way to spice up your chord progressions and melodies.
The problem is that most songwriters’ and producers’ free spirits feel shot down at any mention of music theory.
However, it’s pretty simple to grasp when it comes to the concept of a compound interval. Understanding intervals is crucial to understanding the relationship between notes and getting the most out of your song production.
Modal scales are an essential part of your songwriting. They can have a dramatic impact on the mood and feeling of your song, as well as how listeners interpret it.
There are many types of modes that can be used to create various moods for songs.
However, most musicians don’t know how to use modes or scales in their songwriting. Even if they do, it can be challenging to remember which one is best for each situation.
Music theory can be a complex topic that intimidates beginner and advanced musicians. However, Learning the basics of musical theory is essential for any musician, songwriter, or producer.
The good news is that most music creators only need to learn the fundamentals of music theory. The more complex theory is not practical for the modern pop songwriter. However, with the proper guidance, you’ll be able to learn music theory concepts with ease.
Most songwriters struggle to write better lyrics.
Many believe that song lyrics come only through divine inspiration or by having extreme talent.
However, understanding a general framework, song structure and applying consistent effort will help you be more productive in your own writing.
As a songwriter, It is hard to create a great melody if you don’t know how to use rhythm.
Rhythm is the foundation of all songs. Understanding the “musical math” will help you choose the right groove to ensure that your music connects with your listener. However, when writing your own songs, you can hit significant roadblocks when you blindly apply rhythm to your music, especially when trying to record.
Understanding rhythm when writing your melodies or groove will elevate and bring life to your music. However, rhythm can be intimidating at first because it can feel like you’re in a math lesson, but the basics are actually quite simple.
One of the most essential ingredients to any song is melody. A melody can make or break a song. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that so much great music gets written with the pentatonic scale.
The pentatonic scale lends itself well to improvisation and experimentation. When you use this particular scale, it’s difficult to choose a wrong note or sound bad while playing it.
You must understand the power of the pentatonic scale so you can use it to make better music.
Rhyming in songs is a big part of songwriting, but often times we don’t give much thought to the rhymes that we choose for our songs.
It’s easy to get stuck into autopilot mode when writing rhymes, and your songs and your words can start to sound similar in nature.
Becoming intentional with what types of rhyming patterns you introduce into your songs can be liberating and inspire tons of creativity!
As a modern musician, you must record all of your music. But recording studios can be expensive, time-consuming, and altogether miss the vibe your song is going for.
The good news is that there are some great ways to get around the high cost of studio time and take back control of your sound!
With careful planning, research, and some elbow grease (or cash), anyone can create their ideal home studio.