The Merriam-Webster on line dictionary gives one definition of the word “chops” as “the technical facility of a musical performer”. When I hear the term “chops” I can’t help but think of guitarist Jimmy Bryant.
Jimmy Bryant was from Georgia. He was born in 1925 and died of cancer in 1980. During the 1950’s he was active in studio work and made many recordings with pedal steel guitarist Speedy West. Jimmy Bryant and Speedy West were considered to be one the most exciting instrumental duos of that time.
So where this is all leading to is that Jimmy Bryant was a jaw droppingly great guitarist and had chops up the wazoo.
I’ve posted a link to “Little Rock Getaway”. It starts out relaxed and then really kicks in at the 38 sec mark.
Here it is – Little Rock Getaway

For the longest time I thought “Till There Was You” was just another Beatles song. I’m not sure when it was when I learned it was actually a Broadway tune. More specifically it was in “Music Man” and written by Meridith Wilson. “Till There Was You” can also be found in jazz fake books and has been recorded by Sonny Rollins and Peggy Lee.

Here I’ve notated the tune based on the Beatles version. The melody is in standard notation and tablature.

There are two versions – both the same key but different octaves. There are two sets of chord voicings as well.

Here they are –

Till There Was You 1

Till There Was You 2

We talked about nylon string guitars being great for large hands due to the traditional wider neck. Nylon string guitars are also great for young hands. The nylon strings are much softer than steel strings and can be much easier on the finger tips. Young students often complain of the steel strings hurting their finer tips. Actually a beginner at any age can find steel strings tough on their left hand fingers.
Although the traditional classical guitar neck might be too wide for small hands their are many smaller, children sized guitars available. There are also full size guitars but with slim necks available. These are great for adults who like the feel of a smaller neck but want the sound or feel of nylon strings.
Guitar Center, Sam Ash, and Musician’s Friend websites all have a pretty sizable list of nylon string guitars for anyone interested to check out.

I recently began teaching a new student with really large hands. He came to his lesson with an electric guitar he recently purchased from a friend. Every time he tried to make a chord his left hand fingers would each cover two strings – whether he wanted to or not. It was impossible for him to precisely depress one string without hitting another.
So I let him try my nylon string guitar. Much better! Now he can precisely hit one string with his finger tip without muting or sounding any adjacent string.
Nylon string guitars which are usually classical guitars have, as a rule, much wider necks. A wider neck means wider string spacing making a less crowded situation for hands big and small. The neck on a classical guitar is flat across as opposed to having a radius. This also contributes to that wider feel.

Romance or Romanza is to classical guitar what “Stairway to Heaven” is to classic rock or what “Autumn Leaves” is to jazz. It’s very recognizable and a lot of guitarists do it as their first classical piece.

“Romance” has two different sections. It starts out in E minor which has one sharp in the key signature. This is considered the easier part.The second section is in E major which has four sharps. Less use of open strings and more left hand stretches make this section more difficult.
Anyone using the tab to play this should refer to the corresponding notation above for suggested left hand fingering and where to bar. The “C” next to a roman numeral shows when and where to bar. For example, CVII means to bar your finger across the 7th fret. The dotted line that comes after shows how long to leave it there.
DC al fine means go back to the beginning (E minor section) and then end the piece when you get to the word “fine”.
The letters next to the notes indicate the right hand fingering. P = thumb, i = index, m = middle, and a = ring finger.
Maintain this pattern throughout the entire piece.
Click here to play “Romance”.

Fretboard or neck radius refers to the arc of your guitar’s fretboard. With the exception of classical guitars, all acoustic and electric guitars have a slight curve going across the fretboard.

The middle of the neck being slightly higher helps out the weak spot in the middle of your finger when you barre.

Looking at the specs sheet for a guitar you might see Fretboard radius – 7.5″ or Neck radius – 12″

So how can a fretboard have a 7 1/2 or 12 inch radius when it’s clearly no more than 2 inches wide? Take any size circle and cut the width of your guitar neck out of the circumference. This gives you the slightly rounded fretboard. The larger the radius the less severe the arc.

Guitar radii range from 7 1/4 inch (vintage Fenders) to 16 inch (steel string acoustics). New Fenders have a 9 1/2 inch radius and Gibsons have 10 and 12 inch radii.

Some newer guitars have compound radii. This means it has a small radius at the nut and becomes flatter as it goes up the neck. One of the new strats has a 9 1/2 inch radius at the nut, 12 inch at the 12th fret and a 14 inch radius at the 15th fret.

I think it’s safe to say you get used to whatever neck radius you end up with.
A smaller radius makes it easier to make chords but tougher to bend strings without them choking out. That can be compensated for by setting the action slightly higher. So a guitar with a bigger radius allows you to keep the string action lower making string bending much easier.
Personally I’m a fan of the 10 inch radius on electrics and 16 inch on acoustics.

It’s 21 days until Christmas and holiday tunes are being requested. This week a student asked for a finger
style version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. This is not the easiest version but not too difficult for anyone willing to take the time and sit with it.
It is basically just the melody against a bass line that is mostly half notes. Enjoy!
Here ya go – Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Ok. It’s Thanksgiving weekend and the holidays are here. So, I’m posting a fingerstyle version of Silent Night.
The arrangement is considered easy and is meant for beginning fingerstyle players.
There is actually two versions. The first one is just single melody notes against open string bass notes.
The second version includes a simple harmony line.
Have fun, take your time, and make it pretty!
Click here – Silent Night

You can never say enough about the importance of playing in time or keeping good solid rhythm. Using a metronome is one of the best ways to help master this ability. Metronomes click at a set pace based on beats per minute (bpm). They generally range from 40 bpm to 250 bpm. They can also be set for different time signatures. This puts the accented beats in the right spot for the appropriate feel.

Using a metronome at first can be very frustrating as they are very unforgiving. When playing and practicing by yourself you don’t realize how much you speed up and slow down. This tool will remind you of even the slightest inconsistency.

The trick is to start slow and simple. In the beginning you may want to set your metronome at fairly slow pace and just listen first. Once your mind is locked into the beat you can clap, tap your foot, play just a single note or anything simple in time with the beat. Match each click and you’ll be clapping, tapping, or playing perfect quarter notes. Once you get the hang of this try 2 notes per click. Now you’ll be paying perfect eighth notes.

When you first start playing actual music with the metronome start with something you know very well. This way you can focus on the timing without having to think so much about the notes. Like so many things, the more you work with it the easier and more natural it becomes.

Aside from training you to have impeccable timing this will also help you to mark your own personal progress. Play scales, arpeggios, riffs or any musical passage with your metronome. This lets you see at what tempo you can play these clean and evenly. Start slow and as you get more comfortable increase the bpm to push you to the next level.

Play Happy Birthday