The Guitarist Blog

The song "The Scientist" is the second single from the British alternative rock band Coldplay's second album - A Rush of Blood to the Head. In class we will play this song with a capo at the 3rd fret. If the Bm7 chord is difficult for you, just replace it with a D chord. At first, keep the strum simple.  Four down strums (one on each beat) is all you need. I suggest you download the song into your itunes (see link below). Here is a video you can practice with.  I am strumming down on all four counts.  In between the counts (the "and") I am hitting a bass note.  On beat four I am playing Down, Down Up (4 and a).

This is a Pete Huttlinger arrangement of While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

Here's our class version of the intro to Lyin' Eyes.  I play the intro twice in the video (slow and then slower).  Hope this helps!

Finally getting around to a demonstration of the intro to Time of Your Life. Watch the down and up strokes closely.

Play along with me to Mario Giuliani's study, Allegro.

A student in my class just gave this to me.  Very funny! Everyone should play the same piece. If you play a wrong note, glare at one of the other players. Carefully tune your instrument before playing.  Then if you play out of tune, you can at least do it with a clear conscience. If everyone gets lost except you, follow the ones who are lost. If a passage is difficult, slow down.  If it is easy, speed up.  Everything will even itself out in the end. When everyone else stops playing, you should stop also.   Do not play any notes you may have left over. A wrong note, played timidly, is a wrong note.  A wrong note, played with authority, is simply your interpretation of the phrase.

I really like this creative arrangement of And I Love Here by The Beatles.  The intro has a bit of a Latin feel.  This arrangement was composed by Pete Huttlinger.  I plan to teach another one of his Beatles arrangements, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, in class soon (video coming soon, too)!