7 Tips for Older Beginners

Session Ace Michael Thompson

Here's a compilation of 30 years of session work by guitarist and friend Michael Thompson.

And an interview with him by Tim Pierce and Pete Thorn.

Take Your Pick #2

In this video, the second of two, I talk about higher quality and unusual picks. 

Wegen Picks

Take Your Pick #1

There's a corny bumper sticker joke that goes - Every guy has his gal, but a guitarist has his pick. This is part one of a two part video series on the importance of the pick you choose. In this video I talk about "signal path" and six different gauges of Dunlop picks which are...

Dunlop Nylon 1.0mm
Dunlop Nylon .88mm
Dunlop Nylon .73mm
Dunlop Nylon .60mm
Dunlop Nylon .46mm
Dunlop Nylon .38mm

Sound Better for Free (or next to nothing) - Tip #5

Take Your Pick for Example

Picks are another good tool to experiment with both electric and acoustic.  There are probably more than a hundred shapes, composites and thicknesses of picks each with their own tonal fingerprint.  There are even expensive boutique pick manufacturers like Wegen picks.  I prefer the Gypsyjazz pick for Django stuff and some acoustic soloing and the bluegrass picks for, um, bluegrass.

When I play acoustic on a recording session I'll have as many as twenty different picks to choose from.  All different shapes and thicknesses and made of varied materials (not to mention my fingers).  It's a cheap way to vary the tone of the same instrument.  Eventually, your ear will become increasingly able to tell which combinations of picks and strings bring out the best your guitar has to offer.  Try recording your guitar using different picks to hear the variations in tone.  You could do a "blind taste test" of sorts.

Video from previous post...

A peck of picks for your perusal...
Dunlop Nylon Standard Picks, Black 1.0mm - my preferred acoustic strumming picks
Dunlop Jazz III Pick Pack, Black Stiffo, 1.38mm
Dunlop Tortex Pitch Black Standard Guitar Picks 1 Dozen, 1.0Mm
Dunlop Big Stubby Picks, 3.0mm - these are pretty thick
Dunlop Delrin Pick Packs, 1.14mm/Light Pink - the 1.5mm versions of these I use on electric

Intro to Django/Gypsy Jazz

Some of the chords used...
Am6 - 5x45xx
Dm6 - 10x910xx
E7 - x767xx
E7/B - 7x67xx
C6 - 8x79xx

Check out the Wikipedia page on Django Reinhardt.

Some recordings...
Essential Django Reinhardt

Capoing Reasons 4 and 4.1

A couple more reasons to capo.... to emulate an auto harp and play impossible chords.

Shubb capo...
Shubb GC-20A Acoustic Guitar Capo in Nickel

Auto harp...
Oscar Schmidt 21 Chord Autoharp

Some music by Fernando Ortega...
Fernando Ortega
Shadow of Your Wings: Hymns & Sacred Songs
Hymns of Worship
Breaking of the Dawn
Christmas Songs
Storm

Capoing Reason #2

Capoing Reason #2 - To contrast with another guitarist.

Original progression - Em C G D
Capo at 3rd fret play - C#m A E B
Capo at 5th fret play - Bm G D A
Capo at 7th fret play - Am F C G
Capo at 10th fret play - F#m D A E

Reason to Capo #1

To get out of bad keys like F, Bb, Eb, B etc.  A capo can make your life easier and make you sound better.

Dunlop 83 Trigger Curved Guitar Capo (Black) - curved for most guitars
Dunlop Trigger Classical Guitar Capo, Black Finish - flatter for nylon string guitars (this is why I was having problems in the video, I was using a classical guitar capo on a normal steel string guitar)
Shubb GC-20A Acoustic Guitar Capo in Nickel - My preferred capo for the studio
Kyser 6 String Capo, Black - my preferred capo for the stage
Shubb GC-20E Electric Guitar Capo in Nickel - my preference on the electric guitar

Some others to peruse...
Stainless Steel Deluxe Guitar Capo
Kyser Pro/Am Guitar Capo
G7th Performance Capo (Six String, Silver)
First Act MX220 Six String Guitar Capo
Planet Waves NS Capo, Silver
Jim Dunlop 7190 Russell Gtr Capo Reg - OLD SCHOOL!!!

Different Pick, Different Tone

Don't buy a new guitar when you can just buy a new guitar pick.

Dunlop Nylon Standard Picks, Black 1.0mm
Dunlop Nylon Standard Picks, Grey .88mm
Dunlop Nylon Standard Picks, Grey .73mm
Dunlop Nylon Standard Picks, Grey .60mm
Dunlop Nylon Standard Picks, Cream .46mm, Qty 12
Dunlop Nylon Standard Picks, White .38mm

Introduction

D35 Acoustic Guitar