Looking after Your Guitar

Your guitar is an expensive instrument, so it makes sense to take proper care of it so that you can continue playing it for years to come. Here are a few tips to assist in keeping  its longevity.
Dust. Don`t let dust cover your guitar. Dust build up  can actually affect your guitar`s performance. A very simple approach is to wipe off your guitar with a clean and soft cloth. You can use your own clean cloth or you can purchase special cloths that are available in music stores.
If you are a bit fancy about your cleaning, then you can choose many products available in the market that are designed for cleaning guitars. Guitar cleaners,  liquid solvent and even solutions especially meant for cleaning the fretboard of guitars are available. If your guitar has a matte finish surface, it is suggested to use a water-based guitar cleaner. Don’t use the creamy polished cleaners as they are abrasive.
Use lighter fluid to remove the stains or stickers on your guitar. This solvent won`t harm the finish of your guitar. Use a damp cloth with the solvent and wipe off the tape and stickers.
Before you start playing your guitar, wash your hands as this will significantly lengthen the life of your strings.
Polishing is equally important as cleaning. You will get an excellent shine and it also preserves the wood of your guitar. Always choose a polish that is designed specifically for guitars as any general polish might ruin the smooth finish on guitars.  Areas such as bridge or tuners or even the neck region of the guitar should not be polished.
Your fingerboard needs regular cleaning including the strings and the fret wire. These areas are prone to high-temperature and humidity and also of acidity by the constant touch of the player`s hands.
Lastly, where do you store your guitar. A guitar-case is a must and it should not be stored in too humid, warm or even too cold surroundings. Cheers David www.guitartime.com.au

www.guitartime.com.au "Epiphone" Night hawk is a light weight easy to play guitar with a great sound.

Learning on a decent guitar

Puchase a good guitar that will help  your playing and learning. I have seen many times  where the guitar is the problem, not the student.  Is the “action and playability” (distance of the string to the neck) of the guitar  good and is it correctly intonated (the bridge adjusted so the strings are the correct length)If not you will have tuning and playing problems that are not your fault and you get frustrated trying to learn. Use light gauge strings as it may stop finger strain.  www.guitartime.com.au

Is Learning the Guitar a Practical Skill Only?

Let’s face it. Most of my students don’t like learning the theory associated with guitar playing. They want to play tunes, learn some songs, play riffs and chords. So where does “knowledge” of music fit in and do we push it with student. Parents for the most part would like to see their children learning at least some things about music. Many of my adult students see the worth of learning more about music.

I feel there needs to be a balance between the both. Here I want to speak about the practical side of learning.

Practical learning encompasses anything that helps you master a skill or ability. It includes skills such as cooking, painting, fixing a car. Learning the guitar is a talent and can be more about recreational skills and can lead to a career.

Why Practical Learning?

If you’re more of a thinker, love reading and more academic than a do-er, it can be difficult to focus on learning practical skills. The rewards though are definitely worth it.

• Learning a skill will help you build your confidence. Learning to accomplish something tangible, will prepare you in meeting your life goals. Confidence builds as you learn more and find you can do things you didn’t think possible.
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• Developing the ability to do things and learn practical skills means you won’t find yourself helpless. Seeking assistance becomes a choice rather than a necessity.
• Find others who know how to assist you. Don’t be afraid or too proud to ask questions. That’s how we learn. No matter what you background or profession, developing abilities can help you in your work and in leisure and at home
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• Developing a talent will build relationships with other like-minded people. You will find others willing to help you and talk to you about the things you are achieving or trying to achieve.
• There is great satisfaction in being able to accomplish something. When you develop a practical skill, you can see the results right away. With guitar it will be proportionate to the amount of practice you place on learning your new skills

David Barker www.guitartime.com.au