Newsletter – FINGERSTYLE GUITAR LESSONS

How much money can you make as guitarist. Three killing tips to make more money!

Jan 6, 2016

Hot topic. Let’s talk about money! How much money can you make as a guitarist? If you are thinking of becoming a guitar player, this is the post you want to read. How do you make money? Even better: How do you make more money? Why people think that musicians are broke and why you shouldn’t listen to them. Is there a formula that you can follow to increase your income? Why are musicians so freaking disorganized? There are so many things we can talk about … I will give you three killing tips on how to make more money. Let’s get started!

Why is money so important?

I don’t know if you have noticed, but life is getting really expensive. If you live in the countryside or in a small town, you might feel less stressed about bills, mortgage, gigs, and happiness. I am from a small town, but I moved to London five years ago. In such a big city, things are tough. The rent is really expensive, public transport constantly increasing and quality food … scarce.

In a place like London, if you make less than 2000£ a moth, you live in scarcity.

How guitar players make money in London?

There are though many different things that a guitar player can do to make money in a city like London. Let me list them all:

Gigs – Pubs, Clubs, Function, and private events.
Touring.
Musicals.
Busking.
Studio session.
Teaching.
Selling your music.
Composing.

Gigs – How much money –

Let’s have a look at how much money a guitar player can make with gigs. For me, gigs are different from touring and play in a musical. Let’s get into details:

Pub Gigs – 125£ with a duo –

Pub gigs usually pay between 50 and 250£. If you play and sing, you could think about playing alone and keep the fee. If you are a singer, one thing that really works in a pub is a duo guitar and voice. I use to do many gigs in pubs when I started playing guitar here in London, and the max I got for a pub gig was 125£, which is not bad. It was a duo guitar and voice. I also had some gigs with the band (4 pieces), so we had to split the fee 50£ each, which for me it’s not worth the trouble.

Pub Gigs are good but try to reach better venues like music clubs or musicals/theater gigs.

Club Gig – 150£ average –

For me, clubs are slightly bit more exciting than pubs. Sometimes I have a chance to play at the Ronnie Scott or Pizza Express jazz club in Soho, which are amazing music clubs. They pay much more than pubs. You can get 150£ each with a full band (5 pieces), so you get good fees plus you get to play in a nice club with people listening to your music, eating good food and drinks.

Clubs are good and pay more. You are more likely to get long contracts.

Musicals – 125£ a day –

For me, musicals are a nightmare! You get to play the same songs eight times a week for months and months. Money is really good, but I think after a year playing Thriller or We Will Rock You, you probably just want to kill yourself! I have friends who played in musicals, and they were really happy with the salary but quite frustrated after six months. I think is a great way to push perfection to the limit because you play the pieces every day and you must keep a high level of energy, but on the other hand, can be quite degrading playing the same stuff over and over.

Really good money but quite frustrating after months of playing the same things every day!

Functions – 200£ average –

Gigs like weddings and private events are really good for the money. The minimum fee is usually around 150£ if you don’t travel, but it could go up to 350 if you go outside London. It really depends. I used to do a lot of functions before, but in 2014, I decided to quit this industry for good. I don’t like the idea of driving for five hours, play, and then drive for another five hours to go back home. The whole day is wasted!

Good money but a lot of travelling and a drunk audience. There is always someone stepping on your gear. Upsetting!

Touring – Not sure –

I never really had a chance of touring with a major or minor artist, so I don’t think I can help you with that.

Touring is great but make sure you don’t get underpaid.

Busking – 50£ a day average –

In London, you can sell your talent playing in the street. There are buskers in the Tube station and also in some of the most crowded streets in the center. Some areas like Piccadilly and Covent Garden became the showcase of many street acts. You will find dancers, musicians, and entertainers. How much money can you make with basking? It really depends. I have a friend who makes between 50 and 100 pounds every time he busks. Sometimes I ask him, “Why you can’t find a better gig ?” and he goes like, “I don’t care, mate! I play when I want, and I don’t have a responsibility”. I make a bit of money here and there, and that’s fine for me! I find the whole thing about busking too flaky and depressing. I never did it! What do you think? Would you do it?

Do busk if you are just starting out or you really need money.

Session Player – 150£ a day.

If you like recording things you want to try be a session musician. I think is a great job and can also be well paid. I use to record for some minor artists back in 2013. I spent six months in a studio three times a week recording different stuff from electric to acoustic and classical guitar. 150£ a day (6 hours slot). I guess if you do it full-time, you might be able to make decent money. I really like the fact that you never know what’s coming. One day is a reggae track, the next day a pop tune with acoustic guitar. You really have to be versatile and a focus person. They don’t like when you mess up too many times. If you are really good you could also make more money than that! The horrible thing is that most of the time you don’t really get to hear the final product. Sometimes I used to record on a drum and bass track with no vocals or piano.

Studio session are really good if you are creative and versatile.

Teaching – 30£x60min lesson.

Teaching is my field. This is when I feel really comfortable and motivated. I like playing but I like more teaching. I have always been quite generous with people and I like to help so I guess teaching kind of reflect my personality. With teaching you can make some decent money too. The average rate here in London is around 30£ per hour. Some charge less or more depending on the type of lesson, grade and location (if you do mobile lesson). Obviously 30£ per hour if you work on your own. If you teach for a school you could get as little as 18£ per hour. This is what I used to get that when I first started in 2012 here in London.

Don’t teach for money! It doesn’t work!

Teaching is also really difficult because students tent go come and go quite quickly. If you are a flaky teacher, you will probably fail to make money and you will see all your student join another school or private teacher. Don’t do it just for the money! Do it because you like to help people learning how to play guitar.

Selling your music – Not sure –

This is something I don’t really do but I have friends who make a lot of money selling songs or loops. Check out MELODY LOOPs web page. You can send them small loops that can be sold for publicity or movies as well as video games. You get money every time you sell a loop. I don’t really know the pricing here but if you really want to make good money you have to sell many loops a month. If you are good at recording short idea, this is definitely something you could do (not only in London). You could also sell your songs on Itunes or Spotifie and get royalty although it’s a quite saturated market. Let me know what do you think!

Selling your music is great and you can do it at your own pace.

Composing – 300£ average –

If you like to write songs and help singer/songwriters with arrangement you could make some decent money. I have friends who make between 100 and 500 pounds for an arrangement (This is for minor artists. I don’t know how much you would get by writing and arranging for a major artists). It sounds easy but it’s not. For this kind of job you really have to know the right people. Once you become part of the inner circle you can be ask to compose/arrange a lot of music each month. You could make really good money from home recording and selling your talent. I really like that job and I wish I could do more but sometimes I can’t really deal with the stress. Composing/arranging is like a ticking time-bomb. You need to do the a good job in a short amount of time. The artist will constantly call you for updates putting you even more under stress. If you can cope with that, this is the right job for you.

Composing and arranging is an amazing job. If you are creative and perform well under pressure this is the job for you!

Tip 1 – Focus on what you are good at – Don’t just follow your passion.

The first thing you want to do to make more money as a guitar player is to focus on your strength. You must find your greatest skill and work everyday trying to improve it.

How do I find my greatest skill?

Feedback analysis! Feedback analysis! Feedback analysis! I could copy that for pages and pages. You must be able to be honest with yourself and listen to what other people say. Let me give you an example:

Let’s say you are a great performer. When you are on stage you are really creative and your playing is always spot on. It doesn’t matter which kind of gig you do, you are always confident and comfortable on stage. You have really good feedback from everybody (crowd and fellow musicians) and your agenda is full of gigs. Based on all that good feedback you know that your best skill is performing.

You are also really passionate about recording sessions. Although is your passion, you realize that the feedback is not as good as when you perform. Once you are in the studio, you start feeling under pressure. After 20 minutes of mistakes you are asked to take a break. You come back and record the song but you are not really happy with the result. It happens all the time that when you are in studio you don’t feel comfortable and your playing degrade. You keep saying to yourself “This is a waste of time”. Maybe you are not naturally good as a session player therefore there is no point in keep on trying. You are better off

Using this time to improve your skills as performer!

Be realistic and honest with yourself. Work on your strength and you will have amazing things happening in your life . Stop trying to do everything! Focus on one thing and start adding value to this one thing everyday. Reword will come!

Books related: These are some really good book that will help you figure out how to achieve more by doing less!

Tip 2 – Write down how much money you want to make then ask yourself ” Do I deserve it” and also “Why I didn’t get it yet”

We don’t like to talk about money. I know that because every time I bring up the topic people get easily fed up. People think money is the root of all evil yet they wish they had more. Even Madre Teresa di Calcutta needed money. Not for herself but for the community. Money is not always evil guys. The reason why you should write down how much money you want to make is because

You get paid in direct proportion to the amount of value you add to your job.

Look at people like Clapton, Page and B.B King. They became rich not because of luck but because they were able to add tremendous value to music . They changed people lives. They inspired generations. They deserve it all. Think also about the Google guys, Jeff Besos who started Amazon and Elon Musk with Paypal. They are billionaire because they worked on their strength to create something unique and cutting edge.

It’s not just about money!

Money is the most common way to evaluate ourselves but it is not the only way. For you it might be the number of people who watch your videos or buy your music.

It doesn’t matter which unit of measurement you use, the main thing is that you try to improve it.

Do you want more views on YouTube, write down how much more and how can you get there. Do you want to sell more music, write down how many units you want to sell and how can you promote yourself better in order to boost sales. Apply this concept and you will be successful because

A compelling vision (your goal) creates a clear picture of the future . Only after you have a clear vision, you can plan, measure and push forward.

Saying I want more gigs doesn’t mean anything. You should know which style you are the best at and focus on that. Be specific then ask yourself “Why I didn’t get it yet”. You will see that there is probably something you are doing wrong.

Once you know what’s the reason why you are not getting what you want, change it! Not tomorrow, not next week, but now!

Let me know what do you think. Leave a comment below.

Tip 3 – Own it –

If you always wait for someone to call you and offer you a gig, or a lesson or a paid studio session, you will always have to go through the middle man. I used to teach for 18£ an hour. Then I figure out that the school was charging 40£. I was making them rich while keep myself poor. Now I manage the lessons myself and you bet I make much more money. Same thing with gigs. Try to deal with the venue yourself. Be the one who pick up the phone and set the price. Be the one who call other musicians.

If you don’t build your dreams someone will hire you to build theirs! Manage yourself. You.Can.Freacking.Do.It!!

We all come from different backgrounds so your feedback is precious. Do you agree with what I say? Let me know. Leave a comment down below.

Finger Stretching Exercise for Acoustic Guitar. Three Killing Exercises!

Jan 3, 2016

Hey guys, today I will show you three killing exercises that will help you stretch your fingers. I think it’s essential to reach a good level of flexibility and stretch if you want to play chords and scales fluently. Also, with these exercises, you will be able to improve control and accuracy. As usual, make sure you are safe! Don’t compromise form and rest every time you need it. I am trying to help you, not ruin yourself, so please, follow these three rules and be safe.

Rule 1: Does it hurt? Stop immediately!
Rule 2: Does it burn? Stop immediately!
Rule 3: Do you have cramps? Freacking stop immediately!

Why do you need to stretch your fingers?

Stretching is really important for different reasons:

Prevent injuries.
Improve speed and control on a chord change.
Improve fluidity on scales.
Increase strength (you can play longer).
Give you a mental boost.

Prevent injuries.

For me playing guitar and workout are the same thing. When you go to the gym, you train different parts of your body to a better shape. You will notice, though, that when you start working out, the movement is stiff, and you get easily tired. It will take a couple of weeks to really start feeling you are doing the right movement. This is also the time when you can feel that your body is growing and improving.

When you play guitar, you go through the same process. You train your fingers several times during the week to get better. When you start, the fingers feel weird and stiff, and it takes time to really start feeling the improvement.

Go to the gym and start working out like a crazy man, and you end up hurting yourself. It’s the same thing when you play. Stretching your fingers will prevent things like sore fingers, tendons, and cysts. Trust me!

Improve speed and control on a chord change.

Flexible fingers will enable you to perform better chord change. When you play chords like C major, G major, or F major chord, you notice straight away how stretchy these chords are. By practicing these exercises, you will improve your chords as well as finger’s muscle.

Improve speed and control on Scales.

A lot of people think that speed and control are innate. What they fail to realize is that control, as well as speed, is something you develop with time and practice. The best friend of speed and control is flexibility and stretch. You will see that your fingers will naturally feel stronger once you start practicing these three killing exercises. Make sure you practice the exercises step by step and follow all the recommended fingers.

The mental boost.

Do you know a nice feeling after you work out? You feel your muscle are bigger, and your confidence grows. Practicing exercises like the one below, will help you improve your confidence and boost your self-esteem. We feel better when we know we are practicing the right things.

Let’s get started!

Exercise 1 – Stretch –

In this exercise, we are going to use asymmetrical pattern 134. That means you will always use the 1st, 3rd, and 4th fingers of your left hand. The right hand will be plucking the strings with an i-m (index-middle) pattern. Now, to stretch the fingers, you want to make sure you hold the fingers down! This is the only way you will be able to stretch the fingers. Check the pics below.

: Pic 1

: Pic 2 – Play with ring finger but keep index down.

: Pic 3 – Play with the little finger but keep index and ring finger down.

: Pic 4 – Change string and start again with the little finger.

: Pic 5 – Play with the ring finger but keep index down – 5th string.

: Pic 6 – Play with little finger but keep index and third finger down – 5th string.

Let’s get into details.

Pic 1: Start the exercise with the index finger. Relax the other fingers.
Pic 2: When you play the second note with the ring finger, hold down the index finger.
Pic 3: Play the last note with the little finger but remember to keep the index and middle finger down.
Pic 4-5-6: Do the same thing on the 5th string. Remember, fingers stay down.

The left-hand finger pattern is 1 3 4 on each string.

Exercise 2 – Control –

This exercise is a killer. You really want to learn it step by step and slowly. It’s based on two chords: E minor 9 and C major 9. Both chords have the same shape, so you start playing them the same way. Then, you have to shift the index finger from the 5th to the 2nd string. When you do that, make sure you hold the other fingers down to allow the stretch. I have recorded a quick video for this one. I was home, so it’s a bit noisy but definitely helpful! Good Luck! Stop immediately if you feel pain.

The right-hand pattern is P I m an m I (Thumb, index, middle, ring, middle, index). Group the notes in three. 123 123 123 123.

Finger stretching exercise for Fingerstyle Guitar by Marco Cirillo. BlitzGuitar.com from Marco Cirillo on Vimeo.

Exercise 3 – Stamina –

The last exercise is another symmetrical killer. This time we are working on a quite stretchy position so, please, make sure you practice slowly. If you think is too stretchy for you, come back in a couple of months and try again. Remember, if you damage your tendons, you could spend months before you can play again.

The exercise is based on a 124 finger pattern. The difficult thing here is that there is a fret between each finger, so the positions are quite stretchy. Have a look at the diagram.

Remember that the right hand will always pluck with the i-m (index-middle) pattern. Keep the fingers relaxed and play the exercise slowly. Remember this is a stretching exercise, so you shouldn’t play fast. The speed should be a maximum of 70bmp. Please focus on the movement, and make sure you hold the fingers down as we did for exercise 2.

Right-hand pattern i-m

Thank you very much for watching and reading. I hope you have fun!

What’s the best way to start learning fingerstyle guitar. Three practical exercises with Tab.

Dec 14, 2015

One of the most common questions I receive here on Blitzguitar is about learning fingerstyle. From beginners to intermediate, the problem is always the same: What’s the best way to learn fingerstyle guitar. Is there a formula to follow to maximize your practice time so that you can improve faster? How do I practice so that I don’t hurt my fingers and tendons?

How did I start?

I consider myself quite lucky because I started playing guitar when I was ten years old. I started with the classical guitar, so I didn’t have a choice between fingerstyle or pick. Classical guitar requires a super accurate and advanced fingerstyle technique. I was practicing a lot, and that helped me to build up my technique slowly but firmly. When I finished my degree in classical guitar at age twenty, my fingerstyle was quite good. When I picked up the acoustic guitar, it was quite natural for me to play it. The approach is the same!

Which Guitar?

If you are starting now, you have to make a decision. You can begin by learning fingerstyle on Classical Guitar and Acoustic Guitar. The technique itself is the same, but both guitars behave differently.

The Classical Guitar: Because the classical guitar has nylon strings and a wider neck, the fingerstyle is kind of straightforward. The nylon strings are quite soft to play with. You will be able to play the chords and melody easily with the left hand. The neck is wider, so you have more space between the strings. You can pluck freely. Also, the nylon strings respond quite well with dynamics. If you grow just a bit of fingernail, you could work on different tones and make your playing more unique. Also, the classical guitar has a really “step by step” method that will allow you to improve daily without struggling.
The Acoustic Guitar: This is a different ball game. The acoustic guitar is equipped with still strings. For that reason, the tension is higher. You will need to press harder if you want the chords and melody to sound good. You also have a smaller range of dynamics and tones as the still strings respond quite flat to the plucking. Also, the neck is smaller than the classical. You have less space between the strings, so you are more likely to touch the other strings when you start plucking. This won’t last forever, though. I am sure that with a bit of practice, you will overcome the problems and start playing fluently after just a few weeks. There are a lot of books on acoustic guitar. The only downside here is that I always struggled to find something for intermediate guitar players. There are many books for beginners and some cool stuff for advanced, but not many for intermediate. Share some books if you want. I would be delighted.

Do I start with Classical or Acoustic Guitar?

It depends. I usually recommend classical guitar for kids and any student who likes classical music. If you want a reliable fingerstyle technique, the ability to play different dynamics and tones, learn how to read music, and play solo guitar repertoire, the classical guitar is probably the instrument you want to pick up. The acoustic guitar is also an excellent instrument for beginners. If you want to learn how to play like Tommi Emmanuel, Don Ross, Chet Atkins, Preston Reed, Michael Edges, and chord melody and play modern songs in fingerstyle, you better start with an acoustic guitar.

Once you define which guitar, you need a good teacher!

It would help if you started straight away with a good teacher. When you start playing guitar, you will need someone who will guide you step by step. Why do I need a teacher?

If you want to learn faster, you need a fingerstyle guitar teacher.
If you want to avoid bad habits, you need a fingerstyle teacher.
If you want to progress faster, you need a fingerstyle guitar teacher.
If you want tailored guitar lessons, you need a fingerstyle guitar teacher.
If you want to become a pro guitar player, you need a fingerstyle guitar teacher.

What about Youtube and Online Courses?

YouTube and Online Guitar Courses are grand. I have learned a lot from watching tutorials online, and I have regularly done free lessons on YouTube. If you want to have more material and more personalized lessons, you can subscribe to online courses. Nowadays, there are a ton of them. They are cheap, effective and you can use them whenever you want during the day. Private lessons are more expensive, but you have better feedback because the guitar teacher can customize your music path based on your needs! Try both!

Let me give you some practical stuff you can use today to start improving your fingerstyle!

Books
Online Courses
Three Killing exercises I use. With tabs! Check down below 😉

Books.

The best way to start learning a fingerstyle guitar with books is to find the one that will help you improve your technique as well as your musicality. Books like “Pumping Nylon” are great but too mechanical for me. I like to have exercises that are more practical and “song-like” type of thing.

These three books are super useful if you want to start using fingerstyle on classical guitar.

Julio Sagreras is one of my favorite books because it combines both technique and technical exercise. You will start by learning the notes on position one. Then, you will begin playing straightaway some simple classical guitar pieces. The book is obviously for classical guitar fingerstyle, but acoustic guitar players can be used with a “Classical” taste. I highly recommend this book.
120 Arpeggio is a book by Mauro Giuliani. This book will learn 120 different arpeggios that will help you improve your fingerstyle technique. I like this book because, at some point, the exercises turn into proper short pieces. The right hand will gain control, accuracy, and speed. A good book if you want to start playing in the fingerstyle technique.
Melbay Classical Guitar Book: This book is a simplified version of the Sagreras. I highly recommend this book for beginners. I don’t use it that much because I think it is too simple, but please check it out.

The three books for Acoustic Guitar

Check on Amazon for Acoustic Guitar Book, and you have almost 7000 items. Which one is the best? I have used these three books a couple of times, and I think they are quite helpful. When it comes to fingerstyle, I would instead use my exercises, but just because they are better organized.

Fingerstyle Guitar Essential: In this book, you have lessons from different teachers. It is entirely organized, although I think the book is too simple. You can learn some basic chords and arpeggios. Entirely suitable for beginners.
Fingerstyle Guitar by Hal Leonard: This is one of the most popular books for acoustic guitar. In this book, many exercises will help you with fingerstyle and chords. I quite like it, and I used it several times for beginners.
Fingerstyle Standards: This book is quite a practical book for fingerstyle. You will learn 17 songs in fingerstyle. I like this book because I think it is easy and well written—definitely an excellent book to start learning fingerstyle guitar on a new level.

Books are great! But there is a massive difference between using a book on your own and go through the book with a teacher. The thing is, a book itself can give you useful exercises and tips on how to start playing fingerstyle, but you never know if you are playing it the right way. I usually always recommend having a private teacher. If it’s too expensive, try one lesson a month to review the exercises and making sure you are on the right track!

Online Guitar Courses

Online guitar courses are another valuable way of learning fingerstyle guitar. You have millions of webpages available covering any style and genre. What is so amazing about Online Guitar Courses?

Quantity: You can find anything you want in a vast number.
Flexibility: You can pay on-demand or a monthly fee and watch the video when you want.
Price: Online guitar courses are cheap!
Tested: You can try them out before you start paying. Some webpages give you a “3 days trial”
Interactive: Some webpages allow you to book skype lessons with the teacher to have private lessons.

Online Courses are one of the most significant trends of the 21 century. Try it!

Let me give you some practical exercises!

If you have been on BlitzGuitar long enough, you probably know that I always like to give some practical tips. I want to give away exercises that I write and use because I know they work. For this lesson, I will give you three amazing exercises that I consider to be “The best way to start learning fingerstyle guitar.”

Exercise 1 – Accuracy –

In this exercise, I am going to give you the key to accuracy. When you start learning fingerstyle, you have probably noticed that you have to be precise and accurate when you pluck the strings. It would be best if you learned how to balance your fingerstyle. The best way to do that is to create an exercise with:

A constant right-hand movement.
A simple left-hand approach.
Rhythmic variation (even just one syncopation would be enough).

Exercise 2 – Strength –

Strength is everything. You won’t get far if your fingers get quickly tired. If you want to build muscle, you need an exercise based on repetition. Repetition is the key to power and control. Make sure you can hear the different voicing on the top strings. If you don’t use nails, you will probably struggle with volume. Don’t grab and pull strings but pluck the strings smoothly. Form over speed. Practice this exercise slowly and rest if you feel pain. Remember: You don’t want to stress your muscle and tendons. Good luck!

Exercise 3 – Tone –

The tone is a crucial aspect of your playing. You must be able to achieve the type of sound you want. When it comes to fingerstyle, a different tone can be achieved by plucking the string in a separate area. Play close to the neck if you want to make a mellow and rounded sound. Star shifting towards the bridge, moving closer to the bridge, will be a more sharp and brighter sound. I am sure this exercise will help you with improving this area of your playing.

Thank you very much for reading, guys. I hope this article helps you out with fingerstyle.

Make sure you subscribe to the YouTube Channel. You can also leave your email and keep update with the upcoming lessons.

[DISPLAY_ACURAX_ICONS]