Plugging your guitar into your computer.

Cheap and Easy!.

We need:

• A guitar cable (duhh).
• A computer (hurr durr).
• A jack to minijack adapter. Like this:

And now:

1. Plug the adapter on the guitar cable.
2. Plug the cable into your guitar or amp output (some keyboards have a jack output too).
3. Plug the other side on the back of your computer, into the line in (blue hole).
4. That's it.

 Now you can use Guitar rig, TH2 overloud, etc.

Important:

 The main disadvantage is the noise, especially on single coil guitars. You can remove some noise through noise gates(with pedals or software) but noise will be there.

 

Alternate picking and downpicking

 Two different techniques, two different sounds

 Remember when you started playing guitar? You only used downpicking because you were slow and alternate picking was hard, right?. Once you developed speed you learned how to play alternate picking. But what if I told you downpicking is actually harder than alternate picking.

 But first let see some pros and cons between these two major guitar techniques.

Downpicking: 

 Pros:

• Is your first and most natural technique.
• Palm mute's best friend
• Is louder, heavier and more aggressive

 Cons:

• Really hard to master at higher tempos(160+ bpm)
• Require MORE effort than alternate picking.
• Pain in the wrist and forearm is common.

Alternate picking:

 Pros:

• At higher tempos is easier(160+ bpm).
• Require less effort.
• Solo's best friend

 Cons:

• It doesn't sound powerful like downpicking.

 As you can see alternate picking is easier and require less effort so what's the point of downpicking?. THE SOUND. 

 Downpicking sounds very powerful, especially in rock and metal. 

 I recommend using downpicking for rhythm guitar and alternate picking for lead guitar(solos and stuff) but you decide how to play.

Pro tip: In alternate picking you only need to move your wrist, in downpicking move your arm too for an extra speed boost.  Play songs like blackened, creeping death, master of puppets, alison hell, blitzkrieg bop,  hangar 18 to improve your technique.

Important: If your muscles burn rest for a while or change to alternate picking.

MIDI

Use your computer as an instrument.

What is MIDI?.

 Basically MIDI are instructions that allow the computer interpret notes. These instructions use inputs, like a keyboard, an electronic drum kit, even a mouse.

How to use MIDI?

 First you need a software MIDI-compatible and VST-compatible (Digital audio workstation, DAW). 
 A few DAWs:

• Cubase
• Pro tools
• Ableton
• Flstudio
• Logic(Mac)
• Reason
• Reaper
• Qtractor(Linux)
• Nuendo
• Acid pro
• Sonar

 With these DAWs you can plug your MIDI instrument and play, if you don't have you just use your mouse even some DAWs convert your keyboard in a piano(Ableton for example).

 What I can do with MIDI?

 A lot, really A LOT.  If you find the right VSTs you can emulate instruments like pianos, drums, synths, voices, basses, etc.

 Important: remember you are EMULATING, the VSTs won't sound like a real instrument but if don't have a choice they sound great.

 Today  electronic music use MIDI (95%) and VSTs (synths and frequency modulators mostly).

 Personally I use MIDI to create drum patterns (EzDrummer). Really simple but powerful tool.

 So if need a drum, a piano or maybe a synth, a MIDI(with VST) is a always a great option.

How to buy a guitar.

1. Find a store (music instruments store duhh)
2. Ask for a guitar
3. Buy recommended guitar

 DON'T DO THAT!

5 Things you must know.

 1#

 What music do you want to play?. Rock?, blues?, metal?, jazz?, funk?.

 Once you know it, find a specific brand/model. Usually:

 Fender: Clean stuff, rock.

 Gibson: Clean , rock, hardrock.

 Ibanez: Clean, rock, some metal.

 Jackson , Dean & ESP: Anything with metal.

2#

 Single coil or humbucker?

 Single coil is awesome with clean tones but add some distortion and you'll get a lot of noise, on the other hand humbucker works great with distortion but the clean sound is not that great.

3#

 Floyd rose or standard bridge?

 Floyd rose allows you to use the tremolo bar as you wish and you don't need to tune it often but you can't easily change between tunings (Drop D, half-step down, etc) and changing strings is annoying.

4#

 If the guitar is plugged, move the volume knob. You should hear nothing otherwise the electronics is failing.

5#

 Play the 12 fret on the E string and compare it with the natural harmonic (same fret, same string), they should sound the same if not the guitar is not calibrated... or worse.

 

 

 

 

Should I learn music theory?

Maybe.

 Many musicians don't even know how to read music but still they can make great music, so music theory is optional but it helps.

 You'll learn some theory, indirectly, through years even if it is very basic.

So why should I care about music theory?

 Well, it's a great tool. You basically know every chord and how to create chords. Knowing chord progressions can help you to write songs easier and if you know about scales, you'll write melodies and solos in no time.

 If you study music like me(still studying) you can write songs only with a piece of paper and a pencil pretty amazing if you ask me (sometimes I write songs at work, shhh ;D ).

 You can hit any note with your voice without reference (within your vocal range) and you can find the key of a song instantly.

 All useful skills. 

 Remember: You can still develop all these skills without a formerly study, it may be difficult?, well I haven't tried, so I don't know.

Fun fact:

These musicians barely know music theory:

• Jimmy Hendrix
• John Lennon and Paul McCartney
• Dave Mustaine and Marty Friedman
• Dimebag Darrel
• B.B king
• Eric Clapton
• Van Halen
• James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich
• ...

The list goes on.

  You don't really have to learn music theory in order to play but if do... cool more tools to use. So don't be sad if you don't know everything. What counts is what you play, not what you know.

 

 

Technique vs feeling.

How should we play?.

 Every musician needs both, some  play with more feeling, some others with more technique. Is up to you. Personally I like 60% technique/40% feeling.

 The important thing here is you NEED BOTH. Why?.  Well if you have attitude but you randomly strum your strings you'll make noise.

 Now you go full technique you become a robot, is boring just like hearing a complex MIDI, never go full technique.

 So you have to find your "mix", that is a slow process of self discovery.

 Now by feeling I don't mean that you have to be the instrument, hump the instrument, kiss the instrument, NO, nothing weird here. You have to play what you feel and transmit that on your music, you don't have to play something because theory say so. Music theory is a tool, a guide, but you decide how to use it.

 Listen some blues/jazz bands they know how to express themselves. Listen some metal for pure energy(that's why we headbang so hard), etc. 

Adding technique to your music.

 Learn vibrato, bending, tapping, sweep picking, extreme downpicking, pinch harmonic, etc. Once you know how to properly execute them, use them regularly, don't be shy. These techniques break  the monotony and make your song more interesting. 

Adding feeling to your music.

 Rule #1: You have to be in the mood to play, don't force yourself.

 Are you excited? Let it flow and make it loud.

 Are you sad? Let it flow too, let me hear that sad melody.

 Everything works, every emotion adds something different.

Now mix both.

 Mix your feelings with your techniques and you'll get your music signature.

 For example a sad bending, sounds like a long and slow bending, very powerful.

 Remember "EVERY MUSICIAN NEEDS BOTH FEELING AND TECHNIQUE"

Practice doesn't make you perfect

Really.

 I'm not being pessimistic here, I'm being realistic. It doesn't matter if you practice 23 hours a day, you won't be perfect, mistakes are going to happen and there will always be someone better than you, get over it. So here is a tip: grow a pair, don't frustrate yourself.
 As I said practice doesn't make you perfect but is the most important key to success, the only things you need is patience and perseverance, every little step counts. I know practicing can be boring sometimes but in the future you will be proud of yourself, hard work is rewarded.
 This is how I like to practice:

• Make routines.

 Try to practice daily at least a 1/2 hour (1 is recommended), this will develop your muscle memory. I like to take a random "day off", a little break.

• Be dynamic

 Practice at different speeds, different rhythms, different techniques, etc.  A monotone practice is worse than no practice at all.

• Scales are great

  You don't necessarily need to play them note by note, give them some space. Skip some notes, try intervals to make it interesting. 

• Train your techniques

 On your exercises add techniques like vibrato, bending, hammer, etc. You'll kill 2 birds with 1 stone

• Play along to the music you like

 Everybody starts imitating someone, once you earn some skills you can give some of your flavor. For example, I've learned how to play really fast by imitating a few thrash bands.

• Analyze your mistakes

 Find the problem, see what is the problem and fix it, you don't want bad habits interfering.

• Jam

 Use what you have learned to create something new, become a true musician.

 A few last words:
 Remember practice is cumulative, be patient and you will see the results. 
 Use books or the internet to find exercises and warm-ups that fit with your skills.
 Know your limits, don't rush and take it easy.
 Play with feelings, even exercises, don't be a robot.