I found an old piece of paper where I had written down the chords and lyrics to this song. I had forgotten all about this one. I didn’t realize that it was written by Glen Campbell. This song has a great message – and is very upbeat and positive. Something our world could use at the moment is a few less selfish people (this song in a simple way gets the point across about thinking of others more and ourselves less)

Let Me Be A Little Kinder

Oh let me (G) be a little (C) kinder,

Let me (G) be a little (D) blinder,

To the (C) faults of those around me,

Let me praise a little (C) more.

And let me (G) be when I am (C) weary,

Just a (G) little bit more (D) cheery,

Think a (C) little more of others,

And a (D) little less of (G) me.  (C) (G)
 

Let me be a little braver,

When temptation bids me waver.

Let me strive a little harder,

To be all that I should be.

And let me be a little meeker,

With a brother that is weaker.

Let me think more of my neighbour,

And a little less of me.

Let me be when I am weary,

Just a little bit more cheery,

Let me serve a little better,

Those that I am striving for.

And let me be a little meeker,

With a brother that is weaker,

Think a little more of others,

And a little less of me.

Yes, let me (G) be a little (C) meeker,

With a (G) brother that is (D) weaker,

Think a (C) little more of others,

And a (D) little less of (C) me.  (G)

In this video he is performing it with Jackie DeShannon.

Disclosure: We do not accept advertising and the opinions expressed here are our own. We are not paid to write our reviews or to give our opinions. We will be compensated if you purchase a product described here through one of our links but we in no way allow that to impact our reviews.

One of my pet peeves is when I hear people say, “I wish I could play the guitar, but I could never be as good as you are.”  The reason that kind of statement irks me is because when someone says they “can’t” do something, they probably will never be able to do it. That is the opposite of positive thinking. On the other hand, just saying, “I really want to learn to play the guitar” is also not going to get you further along with actually becoming a guitar player. The only way your dream of being a guitar player will happen will be when you take positive action.

I know people who have put of learning to do the things they have always said they wanted to do for years and years. Wanting to and actually doing are two very different things. Put some feet on those thoughts and get going – taking the first step toward your goal is the best way to make the positive thoughts become reality.

Helping people take the first step towards learning a new skill, such a learning to play the guitar, is a very satisfying feeling – and that is why I have this blog in the first place. I don’t want to twist any arms, but I do want to encourage anyone who’s considering buying a course to learn to play the guitar. For me to say, “Just do it!” is not enough. In fact that could be a real turn off! But what I would like to say is, for anyone of any age that feels they want to achieve more in their life, that you can do some of the things you “wish” for in your life. You have to decide what priority to give to some of your dreams. If becoming a guitar player is really something you feel is a priority, then I would say, “Just do it!”

Just doing it – what does that mean? It does not mean just picking and choosing some guitar information and trying it out on your own. Without a good teacher and guidance, you will probably just get frustrated and quit. I would recommend “doing it” with a good teacher and a course that has a step-by-step plan to ensure your success. That course could be the Gibson’s Learn and Master Guitar course that I write about frequently on this blog.

Gibson’s Learn and Master Guitar course was developed by a professional guitar teacher and a company called Legacy Learning Systems. I like to recommend this group for new guitar students because they have a long track record of success and have won many awards because of the quality of their guitar lessons. They have produced are all kinds of learning materials, including video lessons, a student book, CDs with music you can play along with, and a member’s forum to interact with other students.And, they have it all planned out for you so that you can keep track of your progress as you learn. This course can teach a total novice and it can also be useful for someone who’s learned some guitar skills either on their own or from a guitar class or other lessons or courses.

There are other good courses, but I am more familiar with this one, so I had to tell you about it.  So, do you REALLY want to play the guitar? Get serious, get real. Decide if you think this will be a priority for you in 2011. If it is, then don’t put it off – make the investment in time and the cost of the course – taking those positive actions will really help you get to your goal of becoming a guitar player!

This would be an easy song for a beginner. Here are the lyrics – I’ll try to put the chords up soon.

Now I've been happy lately,
thinking about the good things to come
And I believe it could be,
something good has begun

Oh I've been smiling lately,
dreaming about the world as one
And I believe it could be,
some day it's going to come

Cause out on the edge of darkness,
there rides a peace train
Oh peace train take this country,
come take me home again

Now I've been smiling lately,
thinking about the good things to come
And I believe it could be,
something good has begun

Oh peace train sounding louder
Glide on the peace train
Come on now peace train
Yes, peace train holy  roller

Everyone jump upon the peace train
Come on now peace train

Get your bags together,
go bring your good friends too
Cause it's getting nearer,
it soon will be with you

Now come and join the living,
it's not so far from you
And it's getting nearer,
soon it will all be true

Now I've been crying lately,
thinking about the world as it is
Why must we go on hating,
why can't we live in bliss

Cause out on the edge of darkness,
there rides a peace train
Oh peace train take this country,
come take me home again

Technorati Tags: beginners, cat stevens, guitar, lyrics, peace train, video

Same Old Lang Syne
by Dan Fogelberg

Intro chords: C, AM – C, AM – C, AM – D7/F#, FM7, G

She said she married her an architect
Who kept her warm and safe and dry
She would’ve liked to say she loved the man
But she didn’t like to lie.

I said the years had been a friend to her
And that her eyes were still as blue
But in those eyes I wasn’t sure if I
Saw doubt or gratitude.

She said she saw me in the record stores
And that I must be doing well
I said the audience was heavenly
But the traveling was hell.

We drank a toast to innocence
We drank a toast to now
And tried to reach beyond the emptiness
But neither one knew how.

We drank a toast to innocence
We drank a toast to time
Reliving in our eloquence
Another ‘auld lang syne’…

The beer was empty and our tongues were tired
And running out of things to say
She gave a kiss to me as I got out
And I watched her drive away.

Just for a moment I was back at school
And felt that old familiar pain
And as I turned to make my way back home
The snow turned into rain…

Technorati Tags: chords, Dan Fogelberg, Easy Guitar Songs, intermediate, lyrics, Same Old Lang Syne

California Dreamin’ – Words and Music by John Phillips and Michelle Phillips

A little bit of history about this song:

John and Michelle Phillips were in New York City in 1963, just after they were married (at ages 28 and 19). John woke up Michelle and asked her to help him with this song he had just written one verse for. They were, at that time, still in a group called the New Journeymen. It wasn’t until 1965 after they had moved to Los Angeles and were in their new group, the Mamas and the Papas that this song became a hit. Also see a video: California Dreaming.

Technorati Tags: California Dreaming, chords, Dreamin', Guitar songs, lyrics, Mamas and Papas

A great resource is Guitar Center where you will find some fine guitars (I saw an awesome acoustic-electric Martin for sale!) and they have Epiphone, Dean, Fender, Ibanez and a ton of other brands:

Musician’s Friend is just that – a really good friend when you need guitars and gear. There are some deals and rebates to be found – or just do what I do – go drool over the stuff you wish you could buy! Just because they have some great Gibson guitars you are not limited in your selection, you can actually buy other brands there too.

Music123 has the most comprehensive price guarantee in the industry.Their selection is great and it’s a cool website to buy acoustic or electric guitars and accessories, plus books, videos, and other instruments.  If you find a better price than theirs, click on their “Beat this Price” link which is beside every one of their products.

Or… check out their Music123 Outlet for deeply discounted prices (and these are not junk products, some really awesome high-end stuff have their prices marked down). There are also refurbished items, items with a slight blemish (scratch ‘n dent), and products that have been discontinued by the manufacturers.

Another place to look and compare prices is at Amazon. I set up a store there with a friend that you can see some of  the guitars for sale: GuitarEditions Amazon Store.

Technorati Tags: accessories, acoustic, Amazon store, buy guitar, Dean, discount, electric, Fender, Gibson, Guitars, Ibanez, martin, music123, outlet, song books

My mother was a tailor

She sewed my new bluejeans

My father was a gamblin’ man

Down in New Orleans

Now the only thing a gambler needs

Is a suitcase and trunk

And the only time he’s satisfied

Is when he’s on a drunk

—— solo ——

Oh mother tell your children

Not to do what I have done

Spend your lives in sin and misery

In the House of the Rising Sun

Well, I got one foot on the platform

The other foot on the train

I’m goin’ back to New Orleans

To wear that ball and chain

Well, there is a house in New Orleans

They call the Rising Sun

And it’s been the ruin of many a poor boy

And God I know I’m one

Technorati Tags: animals, bob dylan, chords, Easy Guitar Songs, house of the rising sun, lyrics

I had to ask myself this recently: “What is stopping me from achieving the things I know I can achieve but haven’t been able to see come to fruition.”

Sadly, I think I may not believe in myself enough. Or perhaps I feel I don’t deserve to have success in my goals or dreams. There are many things that block us from getting things done – both the mundane and the important things we need to do and want to do in our lives. Sometimes it is just lack of motivation that holds us back. Sometimes it is a lack of focus. And of course there are real obstacles that stand in our way at times – such as just being too tired after doing the things that we have to do to maintain a “normal” life (working, spending needed time with friends and family, doing chores at home, etc.)

How DO people rise above the obstacles and become above average at anything? It must take a very strong desire that sets our “will” to achieve things that are out of the ordinary, such as being really good at a hobby, learning a new skill or playing an instrument.

And even if you desire something very much, it doesn’t always make achieving whatever goal you have possible. For example, let’s say you have the goal of reorganizing a messy room of your house. What if every time you look at the disorganized papers and clutter it just exhausts you to even consider tackling it. That is the kind of internal obstacle I am trying to write about here. What I don’t know is this: how does someone actually overcome those feelings of inadequacy or lack of motivation to actually get something done that is a hard thing for them personally to accomplish. Experts recommend just working on the mess in short 15-minute segments to clear the clutter day-by-day.

There is a saying, “How do you eat an elephant?” Well, the answer to that is: “One bite at a time.” Of course the real problem isn’t about elephants at all. The problem is how to succeed at a task that seems impossible. And the answer would be a little bit at a time.

So, for newbie guitar players, it is essential to understand that to learn to play guitar as a beginner, you won’t learn everything at once. You have to take it a step at a time. Just like climbing a mountain, there are no quick ways to get to the top. Only taking one step and then another and another will get you to your goal. Practice 20 minutes to a  half an hour at a time on a daily basis - or at least every other day. If you stay committed to practicing regularly, you will see improvement. The worst thing you could do is practice manically for a few days and then stop. So, try just doing a little practice often.

And if you find there are distractions to your guitar practicing, such as the radio or the TV – make yourself restrict their use until after you practice. Then, after you practice, you can reward yourself with those things that were pulling at your attention.

If you feel you are taking steps but things are not falling into place the way you think they should…dig deep inside and try to find out if there is a part of you that isn’t fully committed or isn’t able to totally believe in the fact that you WILL become a guitar player. Work on that belief, make it grow – don’t let anyone tell you what you can or can’t do (including that voice inside your head). Tell yourself you DO deserve to achieve what you are willing to work hard for. And keep taking the steps, one by one, to get to your dreams. Not trying will NEVER get you there, so keep trying – and you might, yes, you probably will get there!

A company that is dedicated to helping you achieve your dreams is Legacy Learning. Their Gibson’s Learn & Master Guitar is widely known as the best home instruction course for learning guitar. It is the winner of an Acoustic Guitar Magazine Players’ Choice Award, two Telly Awards and an AEGIS Award for Excellence in Education.
Watch their video about guitar lessons:

Technorati Tags: beginner guitar, dreams, Gibson's, goals, learn and master, lessons, new guitar players, obstacles, practice, steve krenz

I saw one of those “no child left behind” bumper stickers yesterday. It made me wish there was a “no guitar student left behind” program. I think it is sad that the public schools don’t offer more classes in the visual arts or music. Since those were my favorite subjects, I wanted to have the best instruction in music and art. My teachers for those subjects were not happy campers – their programs were always at the bottom of the list when it came to funding (since a lot of emphasis was put on science and math).

I think the schools don’t understand that many people actually make a living in the arts – especially the visual arts and graphic design. I know some musicians can make it too. Sure, not all of them become household names or famous stars. But there are recording arts jobs that don’t require you to be famous – studio musicians, sound engineers, etc. Seems like the “traditional” education systems in America just don’t understand or support creative people.

That leads me to why I think anyone who wants to learn to play the guitar should have as much support as possible. I was lucky to have support (from parents and a little bit of help from music teachers). For those who don’t get encouragement for learning to play an instrument – now there is the world wide web! The Internet isn’t as good as a one-on-one, face-to-face meeting with a mentor or teacher, but it will have to do for many beginner guitar players.

This blog is here to help, too. I not only am trying to get people to stop putting off learning to play the guitar, but I am also trying to get homeschooling teachers (and possibly other teachers) to get really good guitar lessons for their students. There are courses available for anyone to teach – no guitar skills are necessary. So, a music teacher could be an expert trumpeter and still teach this course (because of the teacher’s guide that gives them a clear picture of what to teach and when to teach it).  So, if you think your teacher needs to add guitar lessons to the course curriculum, tell them to look at this review: Gibson’ Learn and Master Guitar – Homeschool Edition.

And I just found out that anyone who bought the regular course – Learn and Master Guitar – can upgrade to the Homeschool Edition for a very low price – $29.99 (the same goes for the Piano course, except that upgrade only costs $24.99). The upgrades will get you the 68 pg. Teachers Guidebook (with a 2-year scope and sequence). In addition, there are 2 Teacher Resource DVDs in the guitar edition and 1 in the piano.

And here is a cool “secret” to saving money. If you buy the regular edition and the upgrade, you pay less than buying the full student/home school version! (upgrade info)

Here is the product link if you want to teach yourself (the regular DVD program – not the Student/Teacher edition) – also this is less expensive than the Homeschool Edition – but you can upgrade it.  Gibson’s Learn and Master Guitar DVDs.  Upgrade to Homeschool Edition to get 68 pg. Teacher’s/Parent’s Guidebook, and 2 Teacher Resource DVDs: Upgrade Learn and Master Guitar.

Here is where you can find out more about the Guitar Lessons Homeschool Edition.

Technorati Tags: DVD, DVDs, Gibson's, guitar, guitar student, homeschool lessons, homeschooling, learn and master, piano, steve krenz, upgrade

For the complete interactive home study jazz guitar course that guarantees super-fast results: Play Jazz Guitar includes.

• Part One: Melody
• Part Two: Harmony
• Part Three: Playing over changes
• Part Four: Phrase development

Check out the bonus free lesson that introduces this course: Play What You Hear is a revolutionary way to learn. You can buy and download these lessons or order them on CD – a nice choice for any jazz guitar student.Find out more…

Technorati Tags: by ear, CD, chris standring, download, hear, intermeditate, jazz guitar lessons, learn, online, play