CléberCo

I won’t teach here how to play, change strings, etc. These tips are only about your behavior.

First, your appearance: no doubt using the guitar low gives you a better look. But, don’t fool yourself: if you let your guitar around your knees, having to play in a hump position, be sure: you’ll look as an idiot!

At the other hand, a guitar whole above your waist line gives you a terrible look. There’s just a few guys that are really permitted to use the guitar this way. They are the absolutely-excellent-professional-players. If you are not one of them, don’t do this.

Now, if you’re really good (but you must be really, really good), you can play your instrument in teh way you want.

Well, the very guitar represents half of the look. If you’re going to play in a chuch, please, don’t use a flying-V or that crazy-shaped guitars. And, if you’re going to play heavy metal, be aware, for half of your audience plays the guitar too, and none of them gets impressed with a good look at expenses of a good sound. Guitar players like guitars that sounds good. However, avoid telecasters in this last case, ok?

You know, strato and Les Paul solves 90% of your problems. That’s the reason why I’m a fan of Paul Reed Smith: it’s a kind of mixture between both of them.
And when you that, as me, is a median player, meet a very talented player? What to do? First: don’t panic! The man won’t laugh on you nor anything like that - if you do the things correctly.

So, stay calm. Remember you will never be able to perform that crazy-and-amazing thing that you read on that magazine so fast. Your business is the major scale? All, right: do it! Do what you do well, even if you are going to play one note a second. And don’t bend your notes all the time. Less will become more on this times.

And more: don’t apologize as if your habilities were a shameful thing. It’s what you know, and there’s a lot of people that can’t do a half of what you did. And there’s another lot of people that overperform you both!

So, just try to have fun! It’s the reason why I play. Try to play a good base and ask for the another guy to solo over it. Enjoy! You can even ask for a base and try to solo. (Nice tip: learn the 12 bar blues and it can save your skin).
And, if you’re an excelent guitar player and met a not-so-good one? The same counsel: enjoy! Don’t try to help your mate, except if he asks you. The moment is hard enough for him, and it’s unnecessary to say “hey, guy! You’re erring the height of your bends!”.

(To be continued)