Barry P. Martin

You tube video coming soon!

Hi everyone that have been following my guitar lessons posts.

Coming soon the www.HeritageGuitarLessons.com web site, set to launch this fall.

I’ve been back in my studio working on media projects for the site.

More videos, screen capture, and audio files that will greatly assist my students in their journey to play guitar.

My 12 Songs Series; will be the featured product, a 12 month course.

Each month will feature a PDF containing the lessons and links to my support media lessons.

Never fear if you don’t get all the lessons learned in one month before receiving the next months issue, each volume will build on each other instruction the techniques, knowledge and direction that you will need to play great guitar.

More to come later.

Sincerely Barry

Chord Forms

Barry Martin

Up until now I’ve been using the words chord form a lot. Well even if I haven’t I will be!

The shape of your fingers, on the open & 1st position chords form the shapes of the chords forms out into the fret board.  If you have open strings involved, there will be the need to alter the open forms and play with the 2, 3, and 4th fingers, just like the E & A form bar chords.

The smaller forms, that I haven’t covered in the upper fret positions are, D, B F, C, and G.

Let’s take a look at the there forms.

The original D form. You can play the 1,2,and 3 strings up the fret board, but some open strings will not go with these notes in the upper positions.

The fingering for the upper position D forms. This is the E major, played with the D form-4th string root note

The original F form.  In a way this is a movable bar form.

The fingering for the upper position F forms.

The F form may be player with only 3 strings, making it the F/3rd. This means the 3rd note of the chord voicing is played on the bass-3rd string.

The original B form. A very handy form for introductions and upper position mini chord from play.

The fingering for the upper position B forms.

The B form with the 5th note as the bass.

The original C form.

The fingering for the upper position C forms.

The original G form.

The fingering for the upper position G forms.

Sincerely, Barry Martin

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Advancing your Memorization of the E & A form Bar Chords

Barry Martin

To many time I view a lesson that give accurate information, but falls short on the completing the task. I referring to the previous E & A bar chord lessons.  Yes I showed you what they were, but now what is the best way to proceed in learning and remembering them.

Lets get to that task!

The following graphics and the you-tube video goes into ways that you might best try to learn and apply these chords.

First the E form root notes.

First try playing up and down the fret board using only the natural notes, giving some time to think about the letter names. This will limit the task of taking on to much information at once.

Next try the same task with the A bar forms, only the natural notes please.

Even if the sound isn’t there yet, the memorizing can get started.

Now we’re going to do only, what I refer to as the accidental notes, next.

The term accidental comes from the need to add sharps and flats to a scale to completed the major scale interval sound. You’ve heard of the Do rai me right? More on this in another blog.

Play the accidental notes, realizing that, there will be the need to remember them using 2 names. Confusing at first, but you will get it.

OK realize that you may need to give a few days to each of the mentioned suggestion. Near fear when you begin to use the bar forms in song, that’s were the real learning process will be completed.

Sincerely, Barry Martin

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E and A Bar Form Chords

Barry Martin

I have a confession to make. The first summer that I learned how to play bar chords, I didn’t realize that the shape of the fingers resemble that of the open E and A chords. Please don’t let this be your fate.  As you continue to study chords and scales, the ability to make the connection using the previously mention shapes will greatly make  learning easier.

Today let’s get started with learning the E and A form bar chords.

Here are the open E chords for the major, minor, 7th, and minor 7th.

Now if your were to play the same chords, in the same location but not using the 1 finger, it would look like this.

I know this may seem difficult at first, but to show my point give it a try.

Now if you were to move these fingerings up one fret and plant the 1 finger on the fret behind them, it would act as a manual capo and bar off that fret.

Now lets repeat the process for the open A form chords.

The altered fingering in the first fret position.

And now for the final bar chord fingerings.

That’s it for today. I hope this has assisted your understanding of the learning bar chords.

Sincerely, Barry Martin

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Starter open from guitar chords 2

Barry Martin

Today we are going to advance the studies of open form chords, taking it to the next level. what I mean by this it adding suspended chord voicing. With these sounds and fingering combination’s, you will really start to take hold of what you should to be listening for, and the fine motor skills that you need in order to play quality guitar.

Here are the open chord suspended chord charts that I use.

Hope this has jump started you skills and studies in the open chord forms.

Sincerely, Barry Martin

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Starter open form-guitar chords

Now we are going to look at the starter, open chord forms. Be this I mean the chords learn in the 1st and 2nd fret positions  usually containing an open, not fretted, string while being played.

It’s not a golden rule that you start out playing guitar using the open chords. Many of students have entered my studio already playing the bar and power chords forms. But not student should stop their learning process there.

Much of the time the open chord forms are easier to begin playing, in the first couple months, or at least until the student gets the hang of hold,  angle, and plant the bar chord form.

Now we are  going to look at the open chord that I have found to be the easiest to play, as you start out, and progress to the more difficult shapes.

I will also, continue to drive home the point about learning chord that go in keys together, even if one of the shapes require extra time on the students part.

The first wave of open chords I start with are the E’s, A’s and D’s. You will find these shapes fairly easy on your fingers and patience.  Play the major and then the minor voicing. My reasoning behind this it to jump start your listening skills. The major will sound happy, and the minor sad. I know a funny thought, but if it works use it.

Try the follow diagrams out.

Next use the G and C chord forms, and include the D too. It completes the key of G as you will find out latter in your studies.

The F will be difficult, but necessary in the key of C major.  Maintain the fingering and hand shape you us on the G and C and it will work it’s self out.

That’s it for today.

Sincerely, Barry Martin

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Step 2 in the starter basics-Tuning

Barry Martin

Just mention this word to most beginning guitar players, and a state of panic may set in. OK maybe just mild headache  LOL.

In order to receive the most from your musical experience, the guitar needs to be relatively close to in tune. But getting and keeping this instrument in tune, is not always an easy task, especially for the beginner.

Today let’s address some of the basics, of getting and keeping a guitar in tune.

Factors that affect the tuning experience.

1. The age of the strings:brand new strings will stretch and require retuning frequently. Once in tune, steel strings for acoustics and electric will hold for a period of time during normal chord rhythm playing. Bends, that occur during aggressive lead play will require that the player checks the tune more often.

- to old of strings will feel stiff and fail to maintain there tension required to stay in tune.

- note nylon strings, for classical guitar, will also stretch more frequently, and require more monitoring.

2.  The use of a electronic tuner vs manual-by ear tuning.

Yes someday you will be should be able to fine tune your guitar by listening, but for the most part in the beginning, I believe in using an electronic tuner.

You first need to understand how to use the device, read the instructions, or seek out an experienced player for a quick tutoring.

3. Your experience: this will affect how much of the tuning experience is completed by you, and not the artificial electronic device.

Even if you are using a electric tuner, you will need to fine tune some areas of the guitar by listening. Play slowly through chords and scales, once you know them, will assist your ability to hear the difference between right, wrong, and getting close.

For the complete lesson on tuning, soon you will be able to check out that chapter in the “My 12 Songs” manual series.

Sincerely, Barry Martin

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Body Basics-the hands

Barry Martin

OK during this discussion about body basics. we are going to address the hands.

I will be referring the the hand the does the chords as the fretting hand. With the other will be called the strumming or fingerstyle hand, depending on the task.

The fretting hand will assume various positions, depending to the chord style, scale pattern, or the lead lick method being used. I will try to explain how you can start, and return to a basic neutral position, most of the time.

1. The fretting hand: this hand may need to move around, from time to time depending on the task, but I will try to explain the neutral position it can  begin and return to, most of the time.

The neck width on most steel string and electric guitars are generally smaller, in comparision to the classical  so holding the top of the neck, with the thumb, is usually OK. Be aware of getting the thumb to far over the top for this will affect your ability to reach many chords or scale, and slow your technique to get to many positions in a timely fashion.

I recommend that you keep the thumb opposite of the index and middle fingers.

The picture here shows bad thumb position.

2. The strumming  hand: depending on the musical need, you maybe holding a pick for strumming. The following pictures show good positions for this task.

Here shows some out of position situations for the strumming hand.

If the hand is to far away from the general playing position, it will take additional time to recover.

3. The classical-fingerstyle position: this musical style demands that the player maintain a quality playing position, or don’t try to play classical guitar.

I talk about the classical position, for classical guitar playing, but why not use this in all styles of music. You may not need the attention to angle, keeping the knuckles running straight with the strings, but being close will assist you greatly in your efforts to finger pick chord passages.

The thumb plays the bass patterns on the 6-5-4, strings, with the i-m-a fingers, the index-middle, ring, usually playing the 3-2-1 strings. However the need of the musical passage may dictate other sections. Don’t worry about the method of playing, I fully describe it in the Arpeggio Journey chapter of my series.

Will that’s it for today.

Sincerely, Barry Martin

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Body and Guitar Position Basics

Barry Martin

Beginners see how an experienced guitarist holds the guitar, and may just try to copy that person. Maybe good-maybe bad!

Some people may not give enough credit to the little techniques, and how  positioning the guitar in relationship to your body will greatly affect your success.  Students need to know how to correctly place the guitar, body, and hands in order to have the best chance of playing and with the least amount of effort.

If you were playing golf, tennis, or any of the other sports, you would hear volumes about how to stand, hold the item your playing with, or what to do in certain playing situations. Well here  is were I get you,  up to speed, on how to play guitar correctly.

While some physical body and hand types might require minor adjustments, the following recommendations will do the trick most of the time.

1. Holding the guitar

A. Standing:I almost always suggest that you keep the guitar in the same place on your body as you would if you are sitting down.

Points of interest: Adjust the strap to meet your needs, not because it looks cool.

Good position here: The guitar neck is at 3 0′ clock position and the body, of the guitar is in the center of my body.

Bad position here: The strap is to low and I’m holding the neck down and out from the body.

B. Sitting over the leg on the side of the guitar’s body.

The most typical sitting position.

Points of interest: Typical position, but has some points of conflict. You need to balance the body, of the guitar, with your strumming hand, while holding the underside of the guitar neck with your fretting hand. Many people don’t give enough credit to this balancing act.

Good position: I’m holding the guitar in the 3 0′clock position and balanced between the fretting and strumming hands.

Bad position: Once again the neck is to low and away from the body.

C. Sitting: the classical guitar position: the most stable position of all.

The word stable, may not sound to exciting, but only if you enjoy playing quality guitar. No it’s not a trick statement, I simply mean, that if you want the guitar in the most secure position, as to not move around on you very much-try this position.

Classical position: the guitar is balanced and secure against the body with the neck in a 2-3 o’clock position.

No you don’t have to be playing classical music, I use this position most of the time, regardless of the style of music.

That’s it for today, the next subject, how to position the hands for success.

Sincerely, Barry Martin

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