When I am not playing gigs, I like to go to live music events of different genres and different levels…after a while, tired of seeing the same things done wrong over and over I thought of writing this short post. 

So there you go: 5 mistakes a live musician should never make!

1. Noodling Before/Between Tunes

Very unprofessional, it will make you look like you have been playing for less than a week. It usually also gives away the tune that you are about to play which ruins the surprise effect on the audience. Bad Bad Bad! Even tuning nowadays can be done without making a sound (no excuse to be out of tune ever!). 

2. Long gaps between tunes

Oh lord…seen too many times (what are we doing next?). It is ok for a last minute change, but this is the reason why there are setlists!! Each member should have one printed big enough to be read with very little light. Even a last minute show with people you never played with should be as close to a real show as it gets. No setlist? Think of what tune to play next while you are still playing!

3. Being Late

It's not 'fashionably late'. It's just late. And it is not good. You don't need to be there six hours before a gig, but I find that half hour preceding the start is vital to make sure everybody knows what's going on, to make last minute changes or to make a good setlist if you are playing a last minute function, and to check that all your gear works.

4. Not bringing spares

You need and extra guitar, extra strings, basic tools to fix a last minute gear problem. Nowadays even a dead amp can be replaced with a small multi-fx with speaker simulator, plugged into a PA…regardelss if you like the tone or not, it will get you to the end of the gig.

5. Entertain

Because it is not fun to look at four guys staring at the floor for two hours, no matter how good you music is or great you are. Thank the crowd for coming to your gig, and the staff at the venue…they will remember.

5 Mistakes of the rookie live musician/guitarist is a post from: PlayGTR.net - Free online video guitar lessons

These are the picks I have used during this lesson:

Using Different Guitar Picks is a post from: PlayGTR.net - Free online video guitar lessons

Very simple concept widely used in jazz ( but good for other styles). Like shown in the video, G7 and Db7 are two chords a tritone away (tritone=6 semitones) that share the same 3rd and 7th.

G7= G B D F

Db=Db F Ab B 

as you see the notes B and F are common to the two chords. This means that I can also substitute the IIm chord that usually comes before it (as in a II-V-I) 

I can play both

Dm7 G7 Cmaj7

Abm7 Db7 Cmaj7 

Tritone Substitution/Passing Chords is a post from: PlayGTR.net - Free online video guitar lessons

This is a guest post: by John Shannon. Modern guitarist, vocalist and song crafter John Shannon believes in the power of music to enlighten the mind. Having already toured the globe with some of the brightest rising stars of indie rock, folk and jazz including Sonya Kitchell, Haale and Hiromi, Shannon's solo work has taken him on a journey into his soul and beyond. More about him @ www.johnshannonmusic.com

Flexibility and Minimalism

There are two things that come to mind as far as the lifestyle requirements of a freelance guitarist in New York City: Flexibility and Minimalism. Lets take a look at what it means to be a flexible musician. First off, what it means to be musically flexible. This is not meant to feed the age old idea that you have to master all styles to be a great player, which is pretty much an unattainable ideal anyway. This is to suggest that you can jump into any musical style and bring something appropriate to the table as a guitarist. Most times I find people are hiring me not to blow them off the stage, but to play a part in the alchemy of their music. Iʼd like to note here that the highest goal as a sideman should always be to make everyone around you sound great, always be a servant to the music and the musicians around you. To be flexible means to be able to play a few jazz standards, to pull out a Beatles song or two off the top of your head, to fake Jimmy Pageʼs solo on “Stairway to Heaven”, to know all current bands in case someone sais “can you make it sound more like Kings of Leon”, to play quiet, to play loud, to have a range of guitar effects that cover most scenarios, to know when to lay out and stop playing, to have a few classical pieces under your belt, to be able to conjure a decent intro to any given tune, and most of all to listen. You have to become a great listener. Not only constantly listening to new and old music, but to know that when someone sais they want something musically, to know what they really mean though they donʼt know how to express it in guitar terms. Such as “can you play it more like thereʼs a tumbleweed rolling by…” To which you either walk out the door (just kidding) or switch to your bridge pickup, put on a little tremolo and twang out a straight open D minor chord.
The other flexibility Iʼm talking about is with your schedule. You have to make things work as much as possible for the people who are hiring you so that itʼs easy for them and so theyʼll want to have you back on their gig. You have to be up for a rehearsal or two with or without pay to begin a new music relation. You have to be up for a hang at all times to keep meeting new people to play music with. Saying all this may make it all seem like a big old hustle, but if youʼre playing music because you love music then itʼs a joy to constantly meet new people who also love to play music. This is also not to say that you shouldnʼt turn gigs down. For the most part as a freelancer you should take all gigs that come your way, but if you really donʼt like a project, do yourself and the artist a favor and donʼt take it. If weʼre gonna play music for a living we should enjoy it. With that being said, part of flexibility is knowing how to enjoy all music. Get to know your limits on all fronts so that you donʼt burn out because free lancing anything in New York City is a very active lifestyle.
Next, a key factor, I think, in being a free lance guitarist in New York City is adopting the minimalist mindset. Hereʼs why: If you play guitar with the minimalistʼs mindset combined with aware listening, you will never get in the way on someoneʼs gig. That is the first unspoken rule for any artist when they are considering whether or not to continue working with you. It is much better for someone to ask you to turn up then to turn down. Be aware of the space you occupy in any given situation, and start small. Minimalism in music relates to appropriateness in music. Also in naming minimalism as a key factor in NYC freelancing, I mean that your lifestyle may require it. I donʼt really need to say this, but if your motivation for playing music as a guitarist is to get rich, you are better off practicing Guitar Hero until they enter it into the Olympics. Iʼm not saying it wonʼt or canʼt happen, Iʼm just saying it takes alot of standard $50 gigs to buy a penthouse apartment. For that matter the same goes for anyone who is in music to make money before making music: better to become a doctor instead and help people while earning alot of money because creating intentionless music governed by the latest music fad to dominate the radio, internet, and tv waves only serves to make society less intelligent as a whole. Stepping off my soap box now, you also need to figure out how to achieve a great sound with a minimal amount of gear. New York has an extensive subway system and you donʼt want to have to worry about finding a parking spot right before the gig. For me a small light solid state amp on a cart (bumpy sidewalks can ruin small tube amps), a small shoulder strap pedal board and a gig bag guitar case work just fine. You also want to spend time learning the range of your effects so you can make the most of just a few pedals.
You have to be willing to live minimally and enjoy it. Learn how to make the money you earn spread. Minimalism will take care of that. Itʼs important for me to say that you donʼt have to be a “starving artist”. With this mindset you can be a “surviving minimalist”, doing what you love.
In conclusion, the main thing is to learn how to let the music guide your life. If you love to play guitar, then make it your spiritual path and learn how to listen to it for guidance. Donʼt respond to vibrations of urgency or negativity from anyone. Stay in the zone and believe in your own guitar playing. The rest will take care of itself.

-js

http://www.johnshannonmusic.com

http://www.myspace.com/johnshannonmusic

Being a Freelance Guitar Player in NYC, 2010 by John Shannon is a post from: PlayGTR.net - Free online video guitar lessons

I am going to start this section of books reviews with possibly one of my favorite guitar books. The Advancing Guitarist by Mick Goodrich. This is a book that you can pick up at any level, and learn something. Mick's approach is very mathematical and often in this book goes through any possible combination of elements (notes, fingerings…) for you to fully explore your instrument and your music knowledge.

The book goes  through many different topics, from technique to advanced harmonic concepts (quartal harmony, use of superimposed triads and so on), Rhythmic concepts and also spends quite some time on self criticism. This last thing in my opinion is the strength of this book: it makes you think, and it makes you make the conscious effort of improve on every level. This is not a book that you'll go through once, and forget about. I personally pull this book out every so often and still find things that I put straight into my playing. Highly recommended if you are serious about your playing. 

This is a preview of the book:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/reader/0881885894/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-link

The Advancing Guitarist – by Mick Goodrich – Review is a post from: PlayGTR.net - Free online video guitar lessons

I recently updated my 'Contemporary Blues Soloing' book for the physical printed version which should hit Amazon.com and other retailers shortly.

For the whole month of February 2010 I decided to offer this blues guitar method at the promotional price £5 only (roughly $8 or €6, depending on Paypal exchange rate),  when you buy in the digital Ebook format  from this site www.PlayGTR.net or my personal site www.GianniChiarello.com. The price will go back to £12.99 on March 1st (roughly $22, €15)

This is a digital download so the delivery of the E-book is immediate (right after a successful Paypal checkout you will be redirected to a download page).

Of course, once more, thank you to all of you that purchased this book in the past and sent positive feedback!

Right below, all the info for the book: you can download a sample of the book free!

Contemporary Blues Soloing

FEBRUARY 2010 PROMO FOR NEW EDITION: 
Until 28 of February buy the E-book securely with paypal £5 ONLY! (roughly $8 or €6)

Download the Contents table and a sample of the book with Mp3 recording free!

An in-depth, 66-page journey through many of the techniques used by contemporary blues artists like Robben Ford, Scott Henderson and many more. Includes over 40 Mp3 Tracks audio examples.
From the Introduction:'I have written this book with the intent of helping the intermediate blues/rock player to break out of the well known ‘box standard pentatonic shape’ and venture towards more contemporary sounds. The blues language has developed in the last few decades from just being pentatonic based, to a more articulate language, thanks to fusion and jazz influences. I have been asked too many times during my years of teaching how to go beyond the usual pentatonic phrases that we have all heard way too many times, so I thought of collecting a wide array of ideas to steer your playing in different directions, not only harmonically, but also rhythmically'. The ebook is a digital download in the popular Pdf format and includes a recording of all audio examples in MP3 format.

NEW! Buy 'Contemporary Blues Soloing' in Physical Format (yes, the old style book that you can touch!) and eBook at lulu.com, just click on the link below!

February Promo for ‘Contemporary Blues Soloing’ Ebook – Buy £5 only! is a post from: PlayGTR.net - Free online video guitar lessons

Chord Scale Relationship, a Practical Tip. is a post from: PlayGTR.net - Free online video guitar lessons

3NPS Pentatonic Fingerings is a post from: PlayGTR.net - Free online video guitar lessons

I have always been inspired by lines played by funk sax players like Sanborn, Marienthal o Brecker, lines which are unique because of the characteristics of the instrument to produce the same note with two different fingerings (but this is possible on the guitar,too), together with their aggressive feel and a bluesy approach (= pentatonis, bends…). In this post you will find the fingerings for pentatonic scale three notes per string in position (to get the “false fingering” feel) and three notes per string trough the neck, to get fast and smooth lines.

3 Notes Per String Pentatonic is a post from: PlayGTR.net - Free online video guitar lessons

This will contain:

1. Samples of your music:

At least 3 full tracks from  your latest album ready to go. Also I have found handy 3-4 shorter 30 sec samples of your best tunes that are quick to attach and email.

Make sure your MP3's are fully tagged (use this: http://www.mp3tag.de/en/) and the files contain your name, song title and site:

ARTIST_NAME_SONGTITLE_www_ArtistName_com.mp3

2.  Pictures:

A few small, medium size and a high-res picture of you (must be great professional promo shots!), a pic of your logo or band logo if you have one, and album artwork (again in 3 sizes) of all your discography.

3. A well written and appealing biography written in different lengths:

- Long version with a lot of detail of what you have achieved in the past, and your vision and goals for your career.

- Medium version – two or three paragraphs, this is usually what you see on the Net in a Bio page.

- Short version 1 paragraph…it must be great, appealing…imagine one paragraph that contains your bio and your vision.

- One-liner – one compelling line, that must say everything about you and your music.

4.  Press and quotes from reviews: 

Scan anything meaningful that you have in terms of press and appearances on magazines and newspapers, plus one big page/file (like a word file) were you summarize your press
and best quotes from these articles. Put in there endorsements and anything that people said about your music (even comments on your Myspace page if you think they are great!). Think outside the box here.

5. A Links page:

A document (again a word doc or plain text will be fine), where you have all your important web links (Myspace, twitter…) ready to be copied and pasted anywhere.

6. Showreel

If you plan to put this material on line (and make it into a EPK or electronic press kit) I suggest you to have a showreel ready, make  it a mashup of performances, pictures slideshow with your music in the background, and the odd interview section where you talk about yourself and your music in first person.

In a few words, any time somebody requests something to do with you as an artist, think 'will I need that again?' if the answer is yes, make sure you leave a copy in this 'press kit' folder on your desktop. And if you are out of inspiration, just browse the web and don't try to copy, but try to improve what you see and like in other artist's pages.

A self-promoting musician’s Press Kit is a post from: PlayGTR.net - Free online video guitar lessons