Anybody considering learning the guitar, or wanting to get better has a number of questions. I've answered some of the most common questions below:

Q) What type of guitar do you recommend to start on?

I personally recommend a nylon-string acoustic guitar for beginners. They are softer on tender fingers, and easier to press the strings down with. If you have very small hands, then a steel-string guitar may be a better option, but your hands will stretch as you learn. Best thing is to go visit your local shop and talk with the representatives an get their advice. Don't buy the cheapest option either, always go up a couple of notches.

Q) Are the DVD Courses suitable for electric guitar?

You can use this course on either electric or acoustic guitar. When starting out on the guitar, acoustic and electric styles are identical. It is only much later, when all the fundamentals have been learned, that the two styles can split, for example into electric rock, or acoustic fingerstyle.
 

Q) What styles of guitar do the DVD Courses cover?

The DVD Courses cover "modern" guitar ideas. With modern, it thoroughly covers strumming, picking, arpeggio and fingerstyle guitar - all except "true" classical in the traditional sense. Classical Guitar is about having impeccable techinque, and playing pieces from the 16th Century, and going through a grading system - something that only a teacher can provide. Some people get mixed up and think that fingerstyle guitar is actually classical but it is not. Good examples of songs that are fingerpicked but in a modern way would be Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton or Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin. The Beginners DVD Course does include "Greensleeves" which is a classical piece, as well as other fingerpicking ideas, and the Intermediate Course builds on these fingerstyle pieces more.

Q) What is the minimum age the DVD Course would suit?
The DVD Courses are suitable for children from about 10yrs+. It is important to remember that any "self-teaching" process requires diligence and regular (every day!) practice - which is a step kids sometimes miss i.e. they presume that a couple of minutes here and there will make them a guitar player, which is unfortunately, not correct - 20mins daily is much better.

Q) Does the DVD Course teach how to tune the guitar?
Yes, it does cover tuning the guitar. I usually recommend to new players to purchase an electronic tuner (about $45), as it takes quite a while for the ear to develop. Then you tune the guitar manually, and use the tuner to test yourself. After a while you start to get better and tuning and eventually you are able to manually tune easily.

Q) I can already play quite a lot of things... how will your DVD Courses help me?
If you are already quite good at some basic skills, but still looking for more, you probably need some "structured" form of learning to give you the proper foundations.

With your learning, a good question is how good is your knowledge of open chords... does the same apply to Barre Chords? The Beginners DVD takes people right from the beginning, so a lot of it may be very easy for you, but also might fill in some gaps in your knowledge.

If you are good at Barre Chords then the Intermediate Course might suit better with its extensive theory lessons and songwriting ideas.

My teaching style teaches you skills and techniques as opposed to songs - you can then use the skills to play any song you like.

Q) What do you say about having a goal?

You need to focus on a direction or goal.

As an example example, I personally play 3 different gigs:

1) Acoustic duo with a girl singing - all songs designed to be played well and performable on a single guitar.

2) Solo performance, i.e classical and mellow songs to play at weddings and anniversary's

3) Rock band. Electric based performance with modern rock songs.

Each different type of gig has its own pieces and skills required - you need to ask yourself what are you aiming for? i.e. just to play at a campfire, or join a band?

But having a firm goal is a great idea.

Q) Does the DVD course suit left-handed guitar players?

Yes, the course is suitable for left-handers. You learn the guitar in exactly the same manner as right-handers. The chord diagrams etc are a "mirror" image, but you soon get used to it. 99.99% of printed material (from any course etc) is in right-handed format, and I have plenty of leftie guitar students who have no problems.

Q) Can I get a discount for purchasing both courses together?

Sure thing for a discount - the courses are $36 NZD each + courier. If you are in NZ how does $60 for both courses, plus courier delivery of $3.95 sound? So $63.95 in total.

Q) What songs will I learn from the DVD Course?

Hi thanks for your question. This course doesn't teach any "songs" as such, rather is has a number of pieces which are used to demonstrate the various skills such as Fingerstyle, Riffs and picking, and arpeggios. My view is that one you know and understand the fundamentals you can play any songs you like - and there are literally millions of songsheets and TAB's on the internet - but you need the skills and techniques to be able to interpret and play them, which is what my course does.

For all purchasers, I have prepared and will email a 40-song Ebook with many hit songs, both modern and old, to accompany the DVD Course. I have put a grading system in place so you can tell which songs to play at about which level.

Q) I'm a complete Beginner - will your course be able to help me?
Yes, this DVD Course takes you right from the beginning - presuming you have never even touched a guitar before.

If you have any other questions or can think of anything I should add to this list, please do not hesitate to drop me an email to: justin@fingersoffire.com

Cheers

Fingers of Fire Guitar School