Month: May 2017

Music Theory for Beginners: The Musical Alphabet

      What is Music Theory? Music theory is the study of harmony, melody, and rhythm and how they interact with one another to make the music you love. A thorough understanding of music theory can help you write better riffs, improvise with greater confidence, and deepen your appreciation for the music you listen to every […]

Finger Exercises for Beginning Guitarists

  Have you ever seen a great guitarist like Jimi Hendrix, Joe Satriani, or Steve Vai play the guitar with one finger? Absolutely not, but that’s precisely how many young guitarists spend their first couple of years learning to play the guitar. I call it the “one-finger of doom syndrome” because it’s guaranteed to self-destruct […]

3 Practice Tips for a Guitarless and Recovering Guitar Hero

  While most die-hard guitarists have little problem establishing efficient and daily practice routines, they often struggle with “not practicing.” Busy schedules, outside distractions, and repetitive stress injuries can impose a quick halt to their best intentions. For many musicians, imposed time off from their instrument can cause frustration, anxiety, and depression. However, the truth is time […]

5 Songs Using Power Chords

  Power Chords in Rock Music Power chords are a key element of many styles of rock music. Power chords are built from the root and fifth of any major scale, and its simple shape is easy to rock. As one 11-year-old Rock Dojo student stated, “Without power chords, rock ‘n’ roll would be rock […]

Basic Rhythms: It’s All About that Groove

“There is music wherever there is rhythm, as there is life whereever there beats a pulse.” -Igor Stravinsky Rhythm is the fundamental glue binding music together. Without rhythm, music would be reduced to noise. So if you want to rock on the guitar, you should spend some time each practice session building your rhythmic vocabulary. In […]

Rhythm Games for Guitar Teachers

It’s no secret that kids love games! Kids are drawn to the reward systems games provide because positive reinforcement makes them feel good. Games also give kids a chance to team up and collaborate to solve difficult puzzles. Finally, games give kids a chance to test their skills against their classmates. Moreover, games are a […]