The Secret Guitar Weapon - How to Become a Guitar Guru

Join us as we take a look at what guitarists around the world are using as their secret weapon to mastery of their instrument. Come and learn what you can use as a method to help perfect and master a variety of important guitar techniques and skills

Every individual who plays the guitar and is serious about their playing seeks to master the instrument. They spend countless hours in practice, completely dedicated to perfecting their skills and growing in the knowledge of their craft. Most of these serious students are always on the look-out for a new trick, a new tip, or the secret weapon they need to take their playing to the next level and to take them one step closer to becoming a master. The ultimate little known secret weapon for guitarists are guitar backing trac

So what are guitar backing tracks? These are tracks without the lead guitar but recorded with the drums, bass, keyboards and all other instruments present in the original song. Some tracks do have the rhythm guitar while others leave room for rhythm playing. Guitar backing tracks are the secret to unlocking the potential inside the hearts, minds, and fingers of every guitarist who desires to take their skills to the next leve

This is because these backing tracks can help you to learn and master new skills by providing you with an entire band to back you up!

Guitar backing tracks can help you to grow in your ability to improvise solo and lead work on stage. By having a rhythm section behind you, with all the spots open for you to solo, you can practice and work on experimenting with improvisation and creating face-melting solos. Improvisation is an extremely important technique for a guitarist to learn, and it takes a lot of practice. But guitar backing tracks can help you to get the most out of your practice time as well as make it more fun

Another great aspect of using guitar backing tracks is to improve your timing and rhythm. These backing tracks provide solid, in tempo backup from a real band that knows how to play. Playing along and practicing with these tracks can help you to perfect your timing skills and help you to strengthen your sense of rhythm. To maximize the use of backing tracks, do ensure that a professional guitar backing track is used and not cheap midi files. Professional tracks can be purchased at Planet of Rock or custom recorded by your own band

Playing along with guitar backing tracks is the perfect way to train and perfect your skills and is great for learning how to put all the knowledge you've been learning into practice. Using guitar backing tracks gives you an advantage over individuals who don't use them, in that it helps you to learn how to perfect your playing abilities in a band setting. You can also play gigs with guitar backing tracks, and this will help you to gain experience playing live, which can also be helpful in developing your skills as a musician.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

For over 1000 Professional Guitar Backing Tracks, check ou

Eugene is the founder of Planet of Rock Music Studios -

href="http://www.planetofrock.comhttp//www.PlanetofRock.com">Guitar Backing Tracks for guitarists. As featured in Guitar Player, these professional backing tracks for guitar are great for lead guitar practice or live performances.

Jam with your favourite bands at the comfort of your own home or studio.

The Profiles of Some Famous Guitarists: by: Patrick Carpen

Most of us are quite enchanted by the magic of guitar. The mesmerizing tune and sweet tingling of the guitar strings have enamored many a man who has later moved on to become musical legends in their individual niche. There is a roster of famous and successful guitarists who have mastered this enigmatic art of music.
Amongst the many legendary stalwarts, Jimi Hendrix undoubtedly tops the list of profiles of famous guitarists. A genius in its truest sense, the legendary Hendrix was born in 1942. An American by birth, the maestro was a singer and lyricist, and is considered around the globe as one of the most influential and enigmatic personas in the ambit of rock music. One of the milestones in his career was his 1967 performance at the Monterey Pop Festival which raised him to instant fame in the United States and was followed by many accolades.
Besides earning a huge name and fame for himself through his forte as a great singer and musician, the legendary maestro also improvised the art of rock music in his own signature way, and he incorporated a number of innovations and techniques into the older forms of rock and jazz music. Quite recently, Hendrix was inducted into the USA's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, and into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005.
The very meaning of rock music becomes insignificant without the mention of B. B. King, the master craftsman in the art of music. An ingenious guitarist and singer-cum-song writer in the American Blues, B.B. King was considered the Third Greatest Guitarist of All Time in the 2003 listing of Rolling Stone magazine.
The legendary musician started his journey in the world of music in 1946, and worked in the local R&B radio channel as a vocalist. However, soon after this he began recording under big names and became a prominent figure among the best musicians in the R&B music scene. Some of his greatest all time hits during this period include, "Whole Lotta Love," "Every Day I Have the Blues," "You Know I Love You," and "Please Accept My Love." Amidst his many achievements as a successful singer and composer, is included his most recent felicitation at the Three Deuces Building in Greenwood, Mississippi, for his maiden in radio broadcasting. Also, a grand memorial in the name of B. B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center is all set to be inaugurated on September 13, 2008, in Indianola, Mississippi.
Robert Johnson is another of the famous names in the world of guitar and its magic. Born on May 8, 1911, as Robert Leroy Johnson, the veteran guitarist was one of the brightest stars in the entire Delta Blues group. The period between 1936 and 1937 saw him in great guns when he claimed and proved his forte as a brilliant guitarist and lyricist, as well as an awesome singer. Often regarded as the "Grandfather of Rock-and-Roll," Robert Johnson is believed to have been a great influence in the world of rock music, inspiring many legends of the same genre, including Bob Dylan, The Allman Brothers Band, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Black Keys, and many others. Eric Clapton, another legend of the same kind, has called Johnson "the most important blues musician who ever lived."

About The Author
Patrick Carpen is the designer, writer and owner of the website http://guitaring.infobay.ws/

Vinyl Records For Sale Buying Tips: by Dean Forster

s part of my ongoing quest to grow my vintage music collection, I am always looking to find vinyl records for sale. There are a multitude of places you can look to find these bargains. Some outlets charge a serious amount of money whilst others are really cheap. Of course, amongst those really cheap bargains there is an outside chance you may pick up something that has a much higher value in the real world to those who know. Old records in particular are a challenge worthy of this pursuit.
You may find it useful to begin your search for vinyl records in places that are local to where you live. In particular bargains can be found at garage sales and in flea markets as the owners often don't know what the true value is of what they are attempting to sell. So if you want a valuable record at the right price, here is an excellent place to start if you don't mind spending the time to unearth these bargains.
I once found a very valuable vinyl record for sale at a garage sale, mixed in with a number of other valuable records in a box. I paid just a few dollars for those boxes, which was an absolute snip. Some of the records were still unopened.
Flea markets are another great place to check out. The people that run the stands at these flea markets are more savvy so they do have an idea of what things are worth, so you are likely to end up paying more for any vinyl records you buy at these venues. That said, you can still find excellent deals at flea markets and they are good if you have a specific record or artist in mind. You can also find more information about where to buy vinyl records at http://www.bigjohnsrecords.com/
Some music shops also stock vinyl records and also resell the vintage types. Nowadays these types of stores are becoming rarer and you will find that any records on sale at these shops will cost you more than those sold at flea markets and local garage sales. The one advantage of a store like this is that there is a very good chance you will locate the record you are specifically looking for, at a price.
Another option that is often overlooked by many is the internet itself. As there are people all over the world selling their items on the internet, it makes an ideal hunting ground for those that know what they are after or even those that just want to browse.

Which Is Better: Rap Or Metal? by: Silky Johnson

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

A Short History of the Electric Guitar: by Paul Smith

Electric guitars are strongly associated with famous musicians of the twentieth century—and may be the iconic musical instrument of our time. Here’s a brief history of their rise in popular music. During the Big Band Era in the 20’s and 30’s, performers experimented with attaching microphones to acoustic guitars in order to amplify the sound. Most electric guitars were hollow-bodied acoustics with electric pickups. But the hollow space within the guitar produced vibrations that made harsh feedback when interacting with electric pickups. Manufacturers experimented with solid-body guitars to get rid of the feedback. One of the earlier solid-body guitars was an aluminium instrument known as the “Frying Pan” or “Pancake Guitar.” In 1940, Les Paul attempted a solid-body instrument called the “log guitar,” so called because it was a simple post equipped with neck, strings, and pickups. The electric guitar did not hit commercial success until the 1950’s, when Fender released its first solid-body model: the Esquire. The Esquire was followed by the Telecaster and finally, in 1954, the Stratocaster. The aggressive sound of the electric guitar became characteristic of rock and roll in the 60’s and 70’s. It was a high-profile instrument during this time, appearing on stage with dozens of famous bands and musicians. This created demand for affordable electric guitars. In the 60’s and 70’s, electric guitars were too expensive for ordinary buyers. But it wasn’t until the 1980’s that Japanese manufacturers stepped forward with affordable electric guitars that sounded good. This put pressure on American companies such as Gibson and Fender to provide their own affordable lines. Today, the electric guitar is one of the most prolific instruments in popular music. You can find it in a wide variety of genres, from metal to New Age.
About The Author
Paul Smith is managing director of Rose Morris Musical Instruments based in Denmark Street, London – for a wide range of the latest electric guitars visit http://www.proaudiostore.co.uk/