Bryan, here!
After helping guitarists play the way they want to for over two decades, I hear the same questions again and again.
So today, I thought I’d answer some of the most common ones, starting
with…
with…
“Does EVERY player need this exercise? What about people who have been playing just fine for years?"
Well, a lot of guitarists have a technique that works for what they play, and if you have a guitar instructor that’s a great question to ask them. They can look at your hand, instrument and style and give you a personalized, educated opinion.
The fact is, the internet has changed the way people learn guitar forever, and for the better.
Before the internet, players had to take lessons in person, go to music school or learn on their own by ear. Now, they can tap their phone and take lessons from teachers and players all over the world.
In the vast majority of online lessons and tutorials, it’s assumed that you have the technique needed for the lesson so they focus on the information.
If your way of playing does not set your hand in the position to reach the notes in that lesson, you're just becoming an educated fan instead of bringing those licks into your own style.
Your Skeleton Key will allow you to get right into the core of your favorite player’s secrets and not be held back because your pinkie can’t reach the 7th fret.
Bottom line: If you want to take full advantage of the millions of hours of free guitar teaching online, you need to find your optimized hand position.
“I’ve really gotten into the “Playing By Feel With Your Skeleton Key” section of ”Play Guitar By Feel” but want to know more about using it. How can I work it into my playing?”
The trick is to practice keeping your Skeleton Key as you play so it becomes your default position.
Not only is this the position where all of your fingers can reach the most notes with the least effort, it's also the best position to adjust from when you need to reach any other position to play chords or techniques.
To practice keeping your Key as you play, check out this video.
Cheers!
Bryan