INTRODUCING VIDEO SURGEON

Drum roll please...

Video Surgeon is a new product being developed that is similar to Song Surgeon, EXCEPT it will work on Videos. As you may recall, Song Surgeon, is a fantastic tool for transposing songs into different keys, and slowing down guitar parts so you can figure them out.

After receiving numerous inquiries from customers, the folks at Song Surgeon have decided to develop Video Surgeon. They are about 50% through the development phase, and expect to launch this exciting new product around the middle of this year. I will fill you in on the details as soon as I get them.

In the meantime...

Beginning today through the end of March you can get Song Surgeon for only $49!

THIS IS the lowest price Song Surgeon Version 2.0 has ever been sold for.

Go to their website and scroll to the bottom of the page to learn more...

Song Surgeon Special

Song Surgeon comes with 100% money-back guarantee, so if you are considering it, but have not purchased because of the cost – THIS is the time to buy – because S.S. 2.0 usually sells for $79. You will not find it sold for a lower price anywhere else.

If your are an existing Song Surgeon customer, you are eligible to upgrade to Song Surgeon 2.0 at no cost or a reduced cost.

Here is the link again:

Song Surgeon Special

Till next time...

Keep practicing!

Free Guitar Tips

Guitar Spring Cleaning

Well, it's that time of year again- time for some good 'ol guitar spring cleaning! As I sit here I can see the dust accumulating on the top of my guitars and the set of new strings waiting patiently on my dresser. There they are, two classical guitars and two acoustic-electrics, not to mention the other five that are in the closet! Oh for a little more time...

Some of you may be hesitating to clean your guitar and put on some new strings simply because you don't know how. I had one student who drenched his new guitar strings in oil after putting them on his guitar! He said he did this because that's what he used to do with his softball glove!! Needless to say, they were ruined. Fortunately, the guitar itself was okay.

So, it goes without saying that you need to use cleaning products that are specifically made for guitars- not your moms furniture polish, or some vegetable oil you found in the cupboard.

I like to use Martin Guitar Polish because it's very affordable and easy to apply. All you do is spray it on and then use a polishing cloth to wipe off all the excess gunk and smudges from the surface of your guitar. The polish is very fine, so it doesn't leave an oily residue. It will both clean and polish your guitar, plus add a little shine too. Martin Guitar Polish comes in a spray bottle, so you only need to use a little bit, which makes it last a long time.

In order to get a real thorough guitar spring cleaning done though, you will need to take the strings off. If you need help doing this, just read the article I wrote awhile back titled:

How To Change Your Guitar Strings

Feel free to print it out if you need to. Here are some pictures that show how it's done.

I have a little guitar care & maintenance kit which includes these items...

Guitar Polish

Polishing Cloth

String Winder/pin puller

Plus a pair of plyers and a thing-a-ma-jig I use for pulling the string out of the capstan hole on the head of the guitar. The thing-a-ma-jig I use looks like a long narrow, two-pronged fork. I have also used a nail-file in the past. You can use your fingers if you want to, but metal strings are sharp and sometimes difficult to get out. Whatever you do, be careful not to scratch your guitar.

I also use a multipurpose precision oil on the machine heads (tuning keys) to keep them from sticking so they're easier to turn. If you have problems with string breakage, I recommend using Nut Sauce, which is popular among electric guitar players and will also help keep your guitar in tune.

You can buy the items mentioned above individually and make your own kit, or you can buy a kit that's already made by the manufacturer. Dunlop and Gibson both have ready-made kits available...

DUNLOP MAINTENANCE KIT

GIBSON ACCESORIES PACK (includes a string-winder)

Well, if the weather is crummy this weekend, maybe we can all get some guitar spring cleaning done, eh?

Till next time...

Keep practicing!

Free Guitar Tips!

Turn Your Guitar Hobby Into Income

There are several ways that you could turn your guitar hobby into an income stream. Here are just a few ideas...

• Provide music for restaurants and coffee houses
• Provide music for special occasions, such as weddings, birthdays, etc.
• Create jingles for radio or tv commercials
• Provide guitar music for tv specials
• Sell songs and CDs over the internet
• Become a guitar teacher

This is not some "pie-in-the-sky' advice I'm giving you. I've actually done each one (except jingles for radio or tv), so you can too! If you are just a beginner guitar player you may not be convinced that you have any real talent yet. But I suggest you give yourself some time to develop your skills before making any judgments as to your ability.

Perhaps you have other gifts or hobbies, such as songwriting, that you could use to develop into an income stream. The first step is to figure out what it is that you absolutely love to do!

Consider Your Interests

sports, art, music, animals, books, poetry, cooking, theology, crafts, cars, science, horticulture, hiking, etc.

Consider Your Background Environment

early childhood experiences and development, family traits, things you enjoyed doing as a child

Consider Your Personality

extrovert, introvert, likes & dislikes, behavior patterns, reactions to particular situations... What makes you happy? Sad? Angry? Compassionate? What motivates you?

Consider Your Strengths and Weaknesses

what are you good at? what do you find difficult?

Write down your discoveries, then look for a pattern to emerge. There may be several traits or areas of interest that unfold before your eyes. Try to determine Which area you are most strongly drawn to. If more than one, can they be combined?

For example...

I like to sing and write- especially poems and song lyrics. I love music and playing the guitar. These hobbies obviously combine very nicely. I also have a knack for teaching and I am a self-starter. My curiousity drives me to explore and learn new things. All of these traits combined together have helped me turn my hobby into an income stream as a private guitar teacher.

Now I also teach guitar from my own website.

Being online provided me with several new opportunities, such as selling my songs over the internet and having two of them used in a tv special. In addition to this, I continually earn a passive income from my website through google ads and affiliate programs.

So you can see how my guitar hobby led me to discover the perfect job match for my personality type, skills, and interests! You can do the same! It's not hard. Visit my website and learn more about:

My Success Story

If you follow my example you'll learn how to become your own boss, do what you love, and beat the economic crisis too!

Till next time...

Keep practicing!

Free Guitar Tips

$200 MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP

For a limited time, Berkleemusic is offering a $200 scholarship for newly enrolled students. This is an excellent opportunity to sign-up for one of their online music courses or certificate programs.

The spring term begins April 6, 2009. I've been told that many of these courses fill up early, so don't wait too long before making your decision!

Below is a link that will help you research Berkleemusic's world-renowned faculty members. You will be able to view the professors' profiles to learn what projects they have worked on, which artists they have worked with, and which courses they teach...

Berkleemusic Faculty

This second link will take you to all the certificate programs that are available at the online school...

Berkleemusic Certificate Programs

You can learn more about the instructors by clicking on the course you are interested in. A new page will open where you'll find the instructor's comments about the course at the right hand side of the page...

Berkleemusic Courses

You can also take a quick tour of the online school here...

Berkleemusic.com

Just one more thing before I go... If you want to see what the courses are like, you can take a test ride for free! All you have to do is put in a request for a sample course here...

Berkleemusic Sample Course

Many great guitar players, such as John Mayer, got there start at Berkleemusic. And, as you may know, John's album Heavier Things, went platinum.

Maybe now it's your turn!

Till next time...

Keep practicing!

Free Guitar Tips