How to fake being a better guitarist in five simple steps PART 2 of 2

Last time I talked about looking the part with good equipment to come across professionally, and ways to get up to speed on your singing. This week, I’m going to share some simple but often ignored pieces of information that can really push the impression you make from just a guitar player, to a fully fledged musician.
3. Be in tune

This is possible the most obvious tip but you would be surprised how many people don't follow it. NEVER EVER trust your ears for tuning when you are playing with or in front of people. You may think you sound perfectly in tune and at the same time you are sending someone (most likely me) up the wall. A floor tuner like the Boss TU-2 is a necessity. And don't skimp on a cheap one. They usually have little to no shielding and introduce noise into your rig.

There is more to tuning though than the open strings. Your guitar's intonation needs to be accurate as well. There is no point being in tune until you solo and then you are out of tune up the neck because your guitar's intonation is shot. Check it now. Hit a string open, and then do the harmonic at the 12th fret. Is it the exact same note (only an octave higher)? Chances are it's not and it will be noticed. There are plenty of guides on line that show you how to intonate your guitars, but it is worth getting it done properly (something that even I still do). Read more

How to fake being a better guitarist in five simple steps PART 1 of 2

You spend five hours a day playing your guitar. You run your scales, master your legato, your two hand tapping would make EVH blush. So why is it that every time you see a band playing at a bar with a guitarist with only a smidgen of your technical ability he is the centre of attention, garnering the praise of all the punters in the crowd?

Wait a minute. Isn't that the band that you tried out for the other week? The same band that said "don't call us, we'll call you"? The same band that was witness to your smoking 32nd note Lydian masterpiece solo?

Yeah it is, and you got smoked because the guitarist on stage knows how to fake being better than they actually are.

It's not a hard thing to do. I should know, I've done it for years. I'm the first to admit to being an "average" guitarist (actually, I've been practicing a lot lately and now would call myself an "above average" player, but that is another column in the works). Despite being average, I would get a lot of people, drunken punters, other musicians, women, all approach me after shows proclaiming how good I am. Like most of my ex-girlfriends, I've been faking it all along. And now I am going to teach you how to do the same.

Over the next two weeks, I will share with you my five secret tips to help you Fake Being A Better Guitarist. We’ll start today with tip #1 an #2. Read more