Great Guitar Tips - The World's Most Useable Guitar E-Zine ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A free, monthly E-Zine dedicated to providing you with useful information and tips for your guitar playing ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

September 2007 Issue #042 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you like this E-Zine, please do a friend a big favor and pass it on. If a friend DID forward this to you and if you like what you read, please subscribe by visiting...

http://www.learnclassicalguitar.com/ezine.html

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Table Of Contents

1. News

2. Technique - Developing Speed, Agility & Accuracy

3. New Page Additions - Favorite 3 Players, Jeffrey McFadden, Updated Guitar Scales

4. Product Review - Christmas Products

5. Classical Guitar Fun Blog

6. This Month's Fr/ee Music

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1. News

Welcome to the September 2007 issue of Great Guitar Tips.

There's plenty of stuff to occupy you for a while in this issue :))

That includes giving your opinion...see below in "New Pages". And there's a new bio page about the fabulous Jeffrey McFadden.

Also you'll get plenty to download including a major & minor scales PDF as well as this month's music.

Anyhow, let's get on with the show, as they say...

2. Technique - Developing Speed, Agility & Accuracy

In his excellent book Classical Guitar Pedagogy , Anthony Glise suggests that you…

"not work toward speed, but toward complete finger independence and control."

When you ponder this thought you see straight away that it is really common sense because that is the ONLY way you can develop speed. You MUST be in control!

Further, Glise makes the point that if you can play a certain speed with just one finger you should be able to double that speed by alternating fingers, if the fingers are working independently of each other of course.

What is the best method then for developing speed + accuracy = agility?

The best guitarists always agree that the "staple" for this type of development should be a combination of arpeggios, scales, other technical exercises and even passages of difficult pieces in isolation.

All these techniques should be practiced slowly at first, preferably with a metronome, and built up in speed gradually. This will give you a feeling of security as you move forward and your sound and tone will be more "full."

Glise goes on to describe additional aids in developing speed and accuracy in developing right hand speed including a 7 point exercise program to develop just that. Sound advice indeed for those that want to develop their playing to the next level.

3. New Page Additions

The first one I want you to have a look at is a small bio about the classical guitarist Jeffrey McFadden. When I heard Jeffrey McFadden play on a disc recently I was really pleasantly surprised. I'd not heard much about him before but knew straight away what a quality player he was... Read more here...

And now a drum roll please....Ta Dah!

It's time for you to give your opinion. Yes, that's right. What do YOU think? I've created a page for all those who'd love to talk about their favorite 3 classical guitar players.

It's a chance to have your say AND it's a lot of fun too! Now don't worry, there are no wrong answers because it's your opinion.

Just a small warning though. I do want to stress that any negative responses will be quickly deleted. As I've mentioned on the page I'm passionate about making this site useful, friendly and positive.

There's too much negativity in the world and this little website can at least redress the balance in some small way and keep people happy throughout the world. That's why I just can't/won't tolerate any rubbish.

Phew! Got that out of the way. Let's get back to the positive!

As I was saying, it's just a page to have your say and have a little fun to boot. The many people that visit this site will be interested to hear what you have to say, so...

Go to the page and tell us about your Top 3 Classical Guitar Players

The third page I want you to have a look at is the updated one about Guitar Scales

If you scroll to the bottom of the page I've added a PDF that goes through all the scales (major & minor) that occur in the first 4 frets of the guitar. It's a good adjunct to not only learning the scales but also learning the notes on the neck of the guitar.

I hope these can help you.

4. Guitar Products - Christmas

A great idea is a classical guitar picture or poster from AllPosters

There's a wide selection to choose from and some very beautiful pictures. Enjoy!

5. Classical Guitar Fun Blog

If you don't know what it's about it's a page with youtube videos often with a "slightly weird" but funny slant or twist. If you want a good laugh or just a pleasant surprise or just to be cheered up, do yourself a favor and take a look at this page. Great fun!

6. This Month's Fr/ee Music

You can get a copy here...

Don't forget to right click and use "Save Target As" to your desktop (if you're using Windows). I hope you enjoy the music!

And don't forget the new video page just for YOU. Yes, that's right subscribers to this ezine ONLY get videos of the monthly music.

***IMPORTANT: I change the password monthly so that I can keep the page just for you. This month's password is...

purcellthelatest

Just copy and paste the password into the password protected page here...

I've also made the video this month a real close-up of both hands. Let me know if you prefer this type of video but please...don't be too hard on my ugly mug! :))