There are basically two images you need to pay attention to when you’re setting up your Facebook page: your profile image, and your cover photo. Here’s why that’s important: it’s the first thing people see when they land on your fan page. By default, people pay attention to what’s above the fold. “Above the fold”…
So you’ve decided it’s time to hit the road. That’s an exciting step in your musical journey, but it can be a daunting task. The only way to do it without becoming overwhelmed is to adopt a methodical, step by step approach, with a clear vision and realistic goals. Today, I will be focusing on…
Scales are the foundation of melodies, riffs, licks, solos, and improvisation. Rhythm guitar can be a lot of fun. But if you want to break out of just strumming and picking chords, and start throwing in some cool flourishes in your playing, you’ll have to learn your scales. At first, scales aren’t that interesting, so…
So you’ve decided to start building your presence on YouTube. Maybe you’ve even been posting videos for a while. But you don’t seem to be getting any kind of traction. Your videos are only getting a few views, and no matter how many times you post something new, it seems like you aren’t getting anywhere….
You’ve spent years building your Facebook following, and you now have a bunch of dedicated fans who have “liked” your page. Effectively, they liked your page because they want to see your content. Yet your posts get only a few likes and comments, and your reach is small. Why? Facebook has an extremely complicated algorithm…
Something a colleague of mine said has stuck with me over the years: Chords are frozen arpeggios, and arpeggios are melted chords. I can’t remember exactly who it was that shared that with me, but I am thankful for that description, because it’s exactly how I explain arpeggios to my students today. And – just…
Getting 100 “likes” on your Facebook fan page is relatively easy. Getting 100 genuine music fans on the other hand… well, that’s a different matter entirely. Here’s what happens with most bands and artists. They invite all of their friends and family members to “like” their page. Pretty soon, they have 100 “likes” on their…
Publicists can do wonders for the success of a release, a tour, and ultimately a music career. However, you first need to sign one on to your team. To complicate matters, you need to find and sign the right publicist, who works well with your genre and level of success, and most of all, loves…
The guitar’s enduring popularity might have something to do with how it makes look one feel and appear in live performance. Guitars are cool. They can turn through-and-through music geeks like Steve Vai and Joe Satriani into mysterious virtuosos and otherworldly aliens. They can turn shy, introverted types like Jimi Hendrix into wild animals onstage….
Are you looking to get some instrumental tracks done? Maybe you have a album, a TV show, a movie, or a commercial you’re looking to add some music to. Or perhaps you have a new video game that’s in need of some atmosphere. Whether you’re just getting started, or your project is nearing completion, it’s…
The image of a touring musician as portrayed by the media is a glamorous one – packed-out venues, parties in nice hotels, stages with full lights and sound, and a big, comfy bus to top it all off. Sadly, the reality of touring can be a harsh wake-up call for many budding musicians. The truth…
Here’s the good news about beginner guitar chords – there are only eight you need to know. The bad news is that some beginners find it difficult to pick these up. You may want to start with some simple single note, double stop, triad, or flatpicking exercises before you start pulling your hair out trying…
Whether you’re looking to increase your Facebook fan page “likes”, raise attendance at your shows, or boost the visibility of a new video you just filmed, Facebook advertising is a tool you should be adding to your kit. A lot of musicians have doubts around the pay-to-play nature of Facebook marketing, but the reality is…
You don’t want your guitar students to treat your lessons like they treat any other class in school. Why? Because music is supposed to be fun, and your students aren’t going to stick with it if it isn’t. This doesn’t mean that your students won’t come and go. Inevitably, they will hit certain milestones in…
This is part of the keyboard playing tutorials series. Use it to improve your playing skills. What is feel? In music, feel is everything. The way you’re playing in relation to the musicians around you, or to the beat, or to the metronome is 100% as important, if not more important than the notes you’re…