Archives: November 2011

November 23, 2011

The Wednesday Whatnot, November 23, 2011

by jim — Categories: General Music — Tags: , , , , , , — Leave a comment

Happy Dead Roasted Bird Day (www.slapupsidethehead.com)

What up, six-stringers!

While I am hard at work writing some EPIC lessons to thrill and amaze you, to bring you the guitar info and entertainment value you’ve come to expect from my fine establishment, AND learning the entire score to “The Civil War” (for which I have been entrusted with the rockin’, slidin’, country-fried Guitar 2 part), I figured I would throw a few musical goodies your way at no extra charge.

Call it a pre-Turkey Day post, seeing as how no one’s likely to read a Free For All Friday edition this week. Because in the immortal words of Steely Dan, “When Black Friday comes…,” people will be rioting at Best Buy at 5 am. Not me, though. I’ll be snug as a bug and dreaming. Suckers.

Btw, don’t know if people in other parts of the country use the word “whatnot”. Don’t even know if it’s an actual word that ANYBODY should be using, but in these parts, “whatnot” is as much a word as pizza is a vegetable. (Ha! I knew I could work that in somewhere!)

And now…The Wednesday Whatnot. Continue reading “The Wednesday Whatnot, November 23, 2011” »

November 15, 2011

The Only Theory Lesson You’ll Ever Need

by jim — Categories: Beginner, Guitar Lessons, Six String Theory — Tags: , , , , , , — 2 Comments

Wacky Professor

“Music theory”.

Just saying the words can make a guitar student’s eyes glaze over, like we’re about to launch into a trigonometry class or something.

Honestly, it’s not all that difficult to understand, if you put a little mental energy into it. And theory is very logical, so the elements tend to build on one another in a clear, sequential manner.

But some folks have such a lack of confidence in their ability to comprehend complexities, that the idea of music theory immediately deflates them.

Never fear! JB is here to simplify and demystify!

Follow along as I take you through the only theory lesson most guitarists will ever need – and I’ll make it fun and easy to understand as a bonus! Continue reading “The Only Theory Lesson You’ll Ever Need” »

November 11, 2011

The Definitive Lesson: Essential Capo Strategies

by jim — Categories: Beginner, Guitar Lessons, Intermediate, The Definitive Lesson Series — Tags: , , , — 2 Comments

Kyser capo

The humble capo.

Beloved by some, misunderstood by many.

If you’re one of the “many”, never fear. JB is here to rock your world with The Definitive Lesson on the art of the capo.

Since open strings are fundamental to the guitar’s sound, especially in pop music styles, learning to maximize those open strings with a capo falls into the “must know” category. And if you’re primarily an acoustic guitarist, a capo should be one of your first purchases, along with a tuner and some picks.

The bottom line: Effective use of the capo is essential for the modern guitarist. It will make your playing more professional, and the side benefit of minimizing barre chords will make you a much happier player to boot!

So pack a lunch and buckle up, fellow six-stringers – The Definitive Lesson: Essential Capo Strategies awaits. Continue reading “The Definitive Lesson: Essential Capo Strategies” »

November 10, 2011

Capo Basics

by jim — Categories: Gearin' Up, Guitar Lessons — Tags: , , , — 2 Comments

Don Felder playing Hotel California

What do classic songs like “Hotel California” (The Eagles), “Here Comes the Sun” (The Beatles), “Fire and Rain” (James Taylor), and “Landslide” (Fleetwood Mac) have in common?

How about modern pop tunes like “If I Die Young” (The Band Perry), “I’m Yours” (Jason Mraz), “Hey Soul Sister” (Train), and “Come On Get Higher” (Matt Nathanson)?

Answer: They all require a capo for maximum musical mojo!

If you’re not using a capo, then you’re doing your guitar playing a major disservice. The modern guitarist needs to learn to use a capo effectively since so many songs either benefit from it or require it to sound their best. Luckily for you, you’ve arrived at the right place.

This lesson will answer all of your questions about the fundamentals of capo use, including types of capos, positioning, the “moveable nut” concept, and more. Let’s get this party started with a trip through Capo Basics! Continue reading “Capo Basics” »

November 4, 2011

Songs from the Guitar Studio, Vol. 3

by jim — Categories: Guitar Lessons, Songs From the Guitar Studio — Tags: , , , , , , , — 1 Comment

guitar student

Welcome to Songs from the Guitar Studio, Volume 3!

As you might remember from Volume 1 and Volume 2, this series is dedicated to songs featured in my guitar lessons. Instead of picking a technique or concept and finding a song to match it, we’ll sometimes pick a song first and see what we can learn from it.

Listed below are some of the songs my students have worked on in the past few weeks. I’ve outlined some of the main elements and takeaway points from each one. Hopefully you’ll see something here that may inspire you.

Let’s check out some tunes! Continue reading “Songs from the Guitar Studio, Vol. 3” »

November 2, 2011

Student Success Story: Austin Haberkam

by jim — Categories: Student Success Stories — Tags: , , , — 1 Comment

Austin Haberkam (photo by Raquel Bowley)

If you live in or around the Baltimore metro area, do yourself a favor and go see a great rock trio called the Karma Sharkz. If you’re a guitar player yourself, pay close attention to the guitarist on stage. He’s pretty darn good. As a matter of fact, he’s likely way better than you. And he’s barely out of high school.

At 18 years old, Austin Haberkam is already the real deal and he’s doing exactly what he loves to do: play guitar and sing in a rock band. Continue reading “Student Success Story: Austin Haberkam” »

Jim Bowley is a well-known Bel Air, Maryland based guitar instructor. Jim is respected throughout Harford County, and the MD/DC/PA region, for his guitar teaching technique of tailoring instruction for each student’s skill level — he gives lessons to beginner, intermediate and advanced adults and children.

© 2012 Jim Bowley All rights reserved.
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