Essays on guitar playing and music

Essays

Freddie Green Comping	The basics of 4-to-the-bar swing rhythm guitar.
Copyrights for the Working Musician	An overview of how copyrights work: who gets paid, when they get paid, who has to pay, and how the money is paid.
The Orchestral Guitarist	Orchestral work is often overlooked by guitarists, even though it is challenging and interesting work that pays well. This essay is a discussion of orchestral guitar playing, including what skills are needed, how to get the gig, and how to keep it.
Reading Music	How do you get a guitar player to turn down? Put music in front of him. Let's reverse this trend among guitarists and all start reading music. This overview of reading music can help improve reading skills.
Mastery	What does it mean to become a master of the guitar?
Developing Your Ears	A suggestion for developing those giant ears that all good musicians need.
Tuning the Guitar	Getting your guitar in tune seems like it should be simple, but for some reason it isn't. Here are some suggestions for tuning.
Stage Fright	A tip for overcoming stage fright.
Tip from David Russell	A tip from a private lesson with David Russell.
Doc Severinsen	What we can learn from a master musician.
Musician/Guitarist	What is the difference between a musician and a guitarist?
Stage Fright II	Another tip for overcoming stage fright.
A Week in the Life	Orchestral guitar work is both satisfying and demanding. (Pays pretty well too.) Here is a view of a week in the life of an orchestral guitarist.
In the Studio	Things to consider as you head into the studio to make a recording.
Feedback is Good	Feedback is not always a bad thing.
Prevent Hearing Damage	Don't let your ears get ruined. Learn about musician's earplugs and how they can prevent hearing damage from regular exposure to loud music.
Comping: Keep it Simple	Comping only seems complex. Simplicity is one of the keys to good comping.
Improvising 101 for Classical Musicians	The first step for a classical musician to take to join the world of improvisation.
My Strings	A slightly unusual setup lets my L5 feel like a classical guitar.
Dealing With a Broken Nail	Getting upset over a broken nail doesn't seem manly, but a broken nail is a real problem for a classical guitarist.
Speed	Is it good for guitarists to become obsessed with playing fast?
Tips	Miscellaneous tips....from flying with your guitar to extending the life of guitar strings.