Hey Guys,

I did a real quick (Free) Guitar Lesson for a good (ok, great) forum friend that wants to improve his playing in 2014.

He's having some issues with "Tempo" & wanted some thoughts.

I may build on this lesson & do a whole series of lessons that go from beginner to advanced & everything in-between.



I want to get into solos, tapping, legato & much, much more!!!!

I will cover making backing tracks, songs, melodies, modes, scales & even how to create Youtube videos using Pro-Tools audio. This video is only using camera audio for what it's worth. For most of you guys this will be old news & not needed, but for the new guys it may help out a bit.

Keep practicing, good luck & Peace! X-Mann

PS - You should laugh a few times in this too!

great,ill sure be watching the backing,songs and mmelodies part!

Hey Prof X thank you for protecting the guilty, but I confess, my 11 rack brothers, it's me who needs all the help he can get !!!

Thank you so much for putting this together and offering to be my trainer/drill Sargent !! Truly appreciated, sir you are a gentleman and a scholar!

Hari, we'll get you there sooner than later my brother.

I love the fact that you know what you need help with & that you want to learn & make progress in 2014. I'm here to help you & anyone that needs/wants it.

I've always wanted to do a free guitar lesson series, but as you know I'm always busy with other projects. YOU forced me to get started & while this one was quick & easy, it's enough to get me going. Wait till lesson #2 bro! Things will start to pick up & we'll get those fingers flying high in no time!

Peace my friend, peace! X

Thanks for the X-ceptional video/lesson bro!

I'm looking forward to your video's on:

"Create Youtube videos using Pro-Tools audio" This is something I would really like to learn

"Making backing tracks" I could use ALL the help I can get on this subject.

Thanks for all the hours and work you put into the list for us my friend.

I am a firm believer in 'It don't mean a thing, if it ain't got that swing!'

Rhythm is probably the most criminally overlooked aspect of guitar playing, and the most important. Sure most guitarists aspire to be Steve Vai, but look how many more albums Nile Rodgers has sold. It ain't a coincidence!

All of X-Mann's points are great, and here's my $.02. Playing with a time keeping device is very important, however, I felt practicing with a mechanical device such as a metronome, inadvertently trained me to play mechanically. In it's place, I use a program called Amazing Slow Downer, which allows me to slow down music and practice along. That one cost a little bit, but there are free apps for your phone that do the same thing.

(This program is also good for hearing which fast guys lose a little bit of accuracy when going fast!)

Also, with the right hand, you want to keep as much tension out of the hands, arms, and wrists at all times. I've got bunches of 'go to' songs I practice slowly trying to keep the hands relaxed. This is one of my favorites, and his right hand is very concise and very relaxed.

Cool bro, cool!!!

This Video was very specific to the problem that Hari has staying in time when he's playing a song & designed just for him. I decided to edit out Hari's name & the "have a good trip" remark at the very end & share this with everyone.

I'd also like to add that "accents" are also very important & can throw off your timing too. Up beats on songs by bands like Sublime or all down beats with the accent on one by punk bands like Green Day are great things to listen for & work on too.

The next ones will have more detailed information & a wider scope, but if you're having a tempo problem & want to fix it, a proper time keeper is needed.

That's what this is dealing with & a good starting point for double tracking guitars & other things we will learn about.

I want to focus on creative things & moments where I went "ah ha"!!!!

Just short cuts & tips to sounding better & creating music with ur guitar.

More later & thanks for checking out my fun time, free lesson.

X

Thanks for the video X.
I hope more to come!

There are a few things that helped me a lot...

- Learn to play slowly. Some pieces are hard to play slow. And sometimes, on new stuff, you want to play fast quickly. I learned that with kung fu a while ago, repeat slowly, a lot, and let your body learn the right stuff.

- Play with very simple backing tracks. something with 2 or 3 chords. It let me explore much more than complex stuff with a lot of chords that outline a fixed progression. With only 2 chords, it is easier to switch modes and try things and discover how they relate.

Ok, now you can probably call me cap'tain obvious but those are among my favorite advices.

Yo Bzer, I find ur response spot on perfect & totally on target for this subject.

They are not as obvious as you think & slower is definitely harder as most tend to want to speed up.

There are so many great & helpful tips that can be passed on from 1 Guitarist to another & this should help close the issue for Hari on tempo.

I'll be putting out the next lesson in about a week or so too.

Thx & peace! X

Hari completed his tempo lesson #1 with Flying (High) colors!!!!!!

Way to go Hari!!!!!!

Lesson #2 will be out before I leave for NAMM too!

It will be posted on the XMann.Music page this Friday the 17th! FYI

https://www.facebook.com/XMann.Music

Peace! X