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Only play what you hear. If you don't hear anything, don't play anything.

- Chick Corea

Jam Sync

The ability of a sync box to continue to read SMPTE time code even when the time code on the tape is corrupted.

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Black Belt

Black Belt: Level 8 Guitar Lessons

Guitar Teaching Basics to Remember

Anyone can call themselves a guitar teacher, and even charge money for it, but most students are smart enough to figure out after a while whether they are learning anything from you. So this lesson will give teachers some basics to remember.
Category: Guitar Teaching
Subcategory:
Published on: 09 Oct 2003


Guitar Teaching Do's and Don'ts

Here is a brief list of do's and dont's that can help make or break a guitar teacher in the minds of their students.
Category: Guitar Teaching
Subcategory:
Published on: 09 Oct 2003


Musical Vitamins for Guitar Players

To always be ready for peak performance, we need to be sharp and at our best physically, mentally and spiritually. This lesson will give us a complete list of musical Vitamins, that when taken in recommended doses will help us to enable us to absorb the music we ingest, process it, and derive energy from it. Musical vitamins also help us grow, stave off disease that can afflict musicians and heal ourselves musically.
Category: General
Subcategory: Peak Performance
Published on: 09 Oct 2003


Ongoing Growth: Horizontally and Vertically

A black belt guitar player should be both wide and deep, as explained in the sections below. Also the black belt guitar player should be continually expanding both horizontally and vertically. This lesson has a few ideas to keep you growing and make you a wider and deeper player.
Category: General
Subcategory: Peak Performance
Published on: 09 Oct 2003


Set Management: A Must-Have in Performing

Even when you have learned 1000 songs, and have achieved superstar status... the most you'll ever be able to play for an audience in one concert is about 20. Most gigs we play while coming up through the ranks are much shorter, so what you don't play is as important as what you do play. This lesson will help you polish your performances to knock the socks off your audience.
Category: General
Subcategory: Peak Performance
Published on: 09 Oct 2003


The Essence and Importance of Flow

Listening to music, we hardly notice how music flows from one measure or from one phrase or section to the next. But playing flowing music requires many months of study and training. Developing timing and flow cannot be rushed any more in music than in learning a new language. It takes time, effort, practice, trials, errors and reinforcement and celebration of successes.
Category: General
Subcategory: Wednesday
Published on: 26 Jan 2005


The Way of the Black Belt is One Eternal Round

At the end of our journey, we find ourselves again at the beginning. This lesson will give you a tangible experience of the distance you have traveled to this point, and also a humbling way to keep you connected with those you teach.
Category: Black Belt
Subcategory: Martial Arts
Published on: 04 May 2004


Want to Turbocharge your Guitar Learning Abilities?

Effective Learning habits and methods can teach you how to transform any idle time into quality practice time whether you have your guitar or not. This reference will teach you how to effectively learn to play your instrument... even when you don't have your instrument with you. You can potentially be learning to play guitar 24 hours a week, even if you only have a guitar in hand for 5 or 6 hours a week.
Category: General
Subcategory: Learning
Published on: 13 Oct 2003


Your Attention Channels

This lesson gives some ideas that help to boost concentration. By gaining total control over our ability to concentrate, we open the physical, mental and physical channels that allow music to flow freely.
Category: General
Subcategory: Concentration
Published on: 06 Jul 2004


Downloadable tablature and sound clips:

Upload Name: Albert Lee Essential Licks I Artist/Composer: Lee Hodgson
File Type: Size: 452359
Description: Lee Hodgson demonstrates some great and essential licks from country legend Albert Lee. This is part 1.
Upload Name: Albert Lee Essential Licks II Artist/Composer: Lee Hodgson
File Type: Size: 387576
Description: This is part 2 of Lee Hodgson's demo of Albert Lee licks. Add this to the earlier lesson to add some fire to your chicken picking!
Upload Name: Allegro Artist/Composer: David Russell
File Type: Size: 502920
Description: Good classical music never gets old. It just gets better IF played like David Russell does it. One of the finest classical guitarists alive today.
Upload Name: Are You Experienced? Artist/Composer: Eric Johnson
File Type: Size: 732402
Description: In this Jimi Hendrix cover, Eric Johnson takes the audience on a hypnotic ride.
Upload Name: Axe to Grind Artist/Composer: Hellecasters
File Type: Size: 506287
Description: Ultimate "twangdemonium"! The Hellecasters take Jerry Donahue's lead and pour fuel on the fire.
Upload Name: Beat It Lead Artist/Composer: Eddie Van Halen
File Type: Size: 475699
Description: So Michael's people call Eddie's people, and Eddie walks in the studio and plays this. This mix altered the landscape in the 80's.
Upload Name: Flight of the Bumblebee Artist/Composer: John Petrucci
File Type: Size: 882818
Description: John shows how years of practice with a metronome (yes, he still does), pays off with this serious cover of a tune written for violin virtuosos.
Upload Name: Orange Blossom Artist/Composer: Johnny Hiland
File Type: Size: 1214258
Description: Johnny Hiland plays live, fast and CLEAN. He's just messing around.
Upload Name: Tumeni Notes I Artist/Composer: Steve Morse
File Type: Size: 322884
Description: Too Many Notes, or Tumeni Notes is an exercise for the brave. Try slowing it down with Song Surgeon, but you'll eventually get it.
Upload Name: Tumeni Notes II Artist/Composer: Steve Morse
File Type: Size: 373039
Description: This section in Tumeni Notes, I like to call the "growl", as it showcases Steve's unique blend of speed, precision and effects that only players like Travis Larson have been able to successfully emulate.


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