I have been inspired by my brother’s recent guitar articles 1 & 2.

 

My guitar playing has been a learning curve over many years. But not wanting to rain on Pat's glorious articles I will instead provide this;

 

Guitar Secrets of the Professional Musicians.

 

• Professional musicians have been learning and practicing for many years. Yes its true, you must spend many years to get as good as the pros. Making that barr chord sound clean and powerful doesn't just happen overnight.

 

• Many musicians have learnt musical theory. Hard to believe I know. But many pros don't let on to how much knowledge it took to construct that three chord riff.

 

• Three chords and the truth doesn't a band make. You've learnt that first handful of chords, you decide to put a band together. You ever wonder why you sound shit?

 

• There is a difference between being inspired to play guitar by Joe Satriani and being inspired by Billy Joe Armstrong (Green Day).

 

• Producers can make a garage band sound like crystal cut audio diamonds. There is now a switch on mixing boards in top studios that flicks from shit to hit.

 

• The Vocaltron 5000 is the badass on lead. This software can fix any bad note, whether it be vocal (think Gwen, Britney, Christina, Avril, etc) or instrument. Yes even the kick drum.

 

• Not all guitar on an album is played by the guitarist in the band. That scorching lead break may have actually been laid down by the sound tech when the band couldn't come up with anything.

 

• The overnight guitar hero has just arrived. And it took him/her 10 years, 3-5 years of music lessons, 3-4 hours of practice a day, 50-100 gigs per year for 3-5 years, 2 months in a professional studio, 6 months in a home studio, a band of equally well trained musicians, and a pinch of fairy dust.

 

 

Now pick up your guitar and go out there and start a band.