Hi there! Typically I would be plugging for whatever band I'm in at the time. But nope, not doing that at the moment.
So what then?
Lessons. Got to work those fundamentals. Working with Ben Carroll of the rock band Ra. He's a great teacher and all around great human-being. The one thing we can lose touch with in writing, gigging and buying new gear is keeping up the skills. Ben is keeping me honest and teaching this old dog some new tricks.
Incidentally, guitar lessons is one place where technology has made HUGE progress. Most people are still looking for a good teacher in their local area. Surprise! Many great teachers are holding lessons via Skype and other videoconferencing tools. How can that possibly work? Isn't lag a problem? How can two people really communicate while not in the same room?
It works very well, actually. Sure, you can't play along with each other. But you can easily and quickly trade sheet music and backing tracks on the spot. You can see and hear what you need to for discussions of technique and timing. You can show how to play a song. Honestly, I mostly don't notice during the lesson that it's a remote session.
What are the advantages? Find a variety of teachers anywhere in reasonably-adjacent timezones. Work with the best teachers you can find, not the closest. Work with teachers who are moving around on gig schedules, or continue with a teacher even if one of you moves. Work from your home while he or she works from his or hers.
My first Skype lessons were with Dave Weiner. I also recommend him highly. They pushed my playing quite a bit further down the road and introduced me to a beautiful concept - FUNDAMENTALS. Great playing isn't about tricks from a guru on a mountain. It's a brick-by-brick process, and you gotta keep those bricks in line. Sometimes you gotta fix 'em. Sometimes they're bad and need to be replaced. Some are missing entirely.
So stop waiting for lessons to find you! They are out there. Here's a start.
http://bencarrollmusic.com/lessons
https://guitopia.com/
And for your own safety, please buy a metronome and tuner. At least get the apps for your phone...
Happy playing!
-Brendan
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