OK so i figure im going to try to write a blog a week to kick this off…i have about 4 blogs in 3 years LOL. And, im inspired by my buddy Elmer (www.ElmerTheGreat.com) who always has something to say.

 Todays subject is going to be music. I was helping a bud out the other day – hes a new guitarist, and suffering thru the ‘first three months’ of guitar playign which can be extremely difficult…your fingertips hurt, your hands hurt, your brain hurts, etc. You realize quickly that humans are not inherently meant to play guitar. HOWEVER, as i explained, the rewards that await the patient player are indeed great.

One premise of guitar and im sure it relates to any other instrument, is the rule of 10. I made that up, but its based on an article i read in the early nineties on practice, i think by Zakk Wylde. It goes somethign like this: When you are learning something, play it 10 times slow until you nail it each time; then 10 times medium til you nail it, then 10 times at speed. If you mess up any of the 10s, start over at the beginning of that 10. Some parts are hard enough that you’re going to have to do 10s for weeks before you nail it. BUT – always give yourself at least 10 perfect runs slow before you try to play it at speed.

It sounds dumb, but ive been playing guitar for 26 years now (since i was 5) and i still always use the rule of 10. Rock on 🙂