Real Gone Kid Guitar Lesson

[Shameka Roessler]

This was around the time that I started learning songs and playing guitar. I had an acoustic, but seeing Stevie play made me really want to rip into the electric. I got one and started learning his songs and then some Buddy Guy songs. It just started snowballing into the rest of the blues.

I played anywhere I could. I played at a crawfish stand and in front of a grocery store. I played at coffee shops. I would play and I would practice with my band. Every week we would play four-hour shows for tips.

Learn Justin Johnson's arrangement of "Case of Gone" with these detailed, note-by-note guitar tabs. This 12-page PDF tablature notation for the 6-String Guitar also comes with an accompanying performance video, so you can watch and listen to the performance in real-time, while following along with the tabs.

What are sharps and flats on guitar? And how are they different from natural notes? While they sound a little complicated they're actually really simple. Today we're going to talk all about these and by the end of this lesson you'll have a good overview of sharps and flats.

It's important to know that Western music has 12 notes total. A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and some sharps and flats thrown in. These names for the notes are completely arbitrary. They were given to the notes hundreds of years ago and we've been using them ever since. Instead of adding sharps and flats, we could have just gone up 12 letters in the alphabet. Or they could have been given numbers. But for whatever reason, we have our A-G letters and sharps and flats.

I say this to let you know that this isn't some magical formula. It's just letters. Sometimes names will get complicated, and theory can get very complicated, but at a baseline it's just part of the alphabet and elementary math.

So what are sharps and flats? Let's say you're playing a G note on guitar. If you moved that up a half step (one fret) it would be a G# (#=sharp). A flat is similar but in the opposite direction. If you played the G note and moved one half step down, you'd have a Gb (b=flat).

Here's where it gets a little weird. You can have two notes that sound identical (and are identical) but have a different name on paper. Remember the G#? Well that's also an Ab. If you played an A note and moved down one fret, it becomes an Ab. G# and Ab are enharmonic; they're the same exact note but have different names depending on the context.

All notes have either a sharp or a flat in between them except for B and C, and E and F. I like to call this the rule of B to C and E to F. If you play a B note and move up a half step (one fret), you don't get B# or Cb; you get C. Similarly, E to F is one half step and there isn't an E# or Fb.

There are certain instances where you might see a note called B#, or Cb, or E#, or Fb. And sometimes you'll even see a double flat (bb). Like Abb would be a G note. The theory gets a little complicated here, and it's not something most musicians will ever encounter.

It goes to show you how interesting music theory is and how honestly weird it can get. But that's kind of an outlier. The functional side of music theory is pretty straightforward, and hopefully you've seen that in this lesson.

When my grandchildren ask me about what I did during the pandemic, I'm going to tell them about how I got stuck at my parents' house learning something I always wanted... music. I can't thank Andy enough!

I first picked up the guitar just over 6 months ago and have been learning completely through Andy's videos on his app. It's great to have so many practice songs with the chords and strumming patterns broken down.

Andy Guitar is a guitar tutorial website where you will find thousands of exclusive video guitar lessons by Andy Crowley. With over 2.7 million subscribers and 310m+ views on Youtube he is one of the most prominent guitar teachers online.

Andy has a large collection of online courses catering for every level from beginner to advanced. There is also a huge catalogue of lessons teaching you guitar parts to popular songs. Additionally, You will find guest teacher courses hosted by other top music tutors. These courses cover a range of topics including performance techniques, singing and deep dives into specific styles of guitar.

There is lots of free content to enjoy but you may wish to gain access to all content with the Access All Areas membership. The membership exists to help fund the website and enable Andy to produce more courses and lessons.

You can get started with a 100% free account, which gives you access to a huge number of free online lessons. Upgrade to an Access All Areas membership for 10.99 per month or 109.99 per year to unlock all the features of an Access All Areas Membership. Start with a 10-day free trial. Cancel any time.

First, how do guitar price hikes compare to inflation rates in general? Well, since 2017 guitar prices have increased approximately 15-20% on average. Meanwhile, inflation has risen about 8% in that period. Clearly, guitar costs are rising much quicker than broader consumer prices.

This disparity indicates fundamental factors specific to the guitar industry are making production and sales more expensive. General rising costs of goods explain some but not all of the guitar price inflation.

Across all major guitar manufacturers and retailers, we see this pattern of significantly outpacing inflation. Guitar Center recently reported an 18% price hike on many guitars over the past year. The question is why?

One significant factor is ballooning production costs. Building guitars requires substantial material and labor expenses, which have increased over the past decade. Key components like wood, metal hardware, and electronics have become pricier to obtain.

For example, rosewood fretboards, commonly preferred for their smooth playable feel, have tripled in cost due to rareness and import regulations. Manufacturers now explore alternative woods like laurel and maple.

Getting instruments from Asia to American and European markets is vastly more expensive today. These transportation costs inevitably raise retail prices. Companies must decide whether to take a profit hit or pass expenses to customers.

Another clear price driver is the recent imposition of import tariffs on goods from overseas, including musical instruments. Since 2018, the US and Europe enacted up to 20% extra taxes on guitars and accessories coming from China and other Asian countries.

For American companies like Gibson and PRS which manufacture domestically, no issue exists. But Fender, Ibanez, and many other huge brands producing abroad have been forced to raise prices significantly to account for the tariffs.

Piling on to production struggles, guitar-buying enthusiasm has only increased over the past decade. 2020 saw the highest sales in 15 years as people picked up hobbies during lockdown. Beginners flooded the market creating massive demand.

Yet due to factory disruptions during COVID, supply chain issues arose preventing sufficient inventory production to match spikes in demand. Manufacturers are still catching up today, with buyers eager to purchase the continually limited guitars coming to market.

Big guitar companies generate significant revenue from their most premium and expensive models. However, increasing prices across the board grow profits further, aimed at protecting shareholder returns and executive pay.

On average, guitar prices have gone up 15-20% since 2017, more than double the rate of broader inflation. Specific models have seen even greater jumps depending on materials, features, and brand. Budget guitars increased the most proportionally.

Yes, cheap low-end models aimed at newbies have been raised closer to 20% typically. This makes buying your first instrument more painful. However, the entire market is impacted, with premium guitars up 10-15% across the board lately.

This depends on whether production costs and supply chain disruptions stabilize over time. But expect at least gradual 1-3% price hikes annually for the foreseeable future barring any major economic shifts. Get used to slightly higher guitar costs as the new normal.

Rising guitar prices certainly make the barrier to entry less inviting for beginners today. While costs may plateau, returning to 1990s prices seems unlikely given fundamental market shifts. Players may need to manage expectations on affordability going forward.

That said, opportunities exist to score deals through patience and diligence. Consider used instruments that depreciate in value quickly. Opt for budget models like the Yamaha FG800 acoustic or the Fender Squier Classic Vibe 70s Stratocaster electric as well as lesser-known brands. Seek out sales, discounts and financing promotions from major retailers.

Frank has taught literally thousands of students since 1978. Many have become successful musicians and entertainers in the local music scene. Some have even gone on to become guitar teachers themselves.

"Rock-a-Billy Wild Man" David Lee. David played nationally and internationally with "The Legendary Shack Shakers". David obtained a Gretsch Guitar endorsement. He even went as far as getting his own "David Lee Signature Edition Guitar" designed for him by Gretsch.

"Guitar Wizard" Justin Cain studied with Frank when he was in the regional band "Azwethinkweiz". He has since moved on and is teaching at the Atlanta Institute of Music Authority. He is currently playing in the "Angela Reign Band" and has a Electroplex Amplifier endorsement.

Kevin West went on to study jazz guitar at the College of Charleston. In 2006 he won first prize in the "American Songwriter Magazine's" lyric contest He has released several of his own CD's and successful musician and singer songwriter on the West Coast.

Aaron Firetag finished his degree in Music Theory and Composition and has gone on to be the "Go To" Mandolin player in the Low Country area. He performs and records with his own band and several other well known acts in the Charleston Musical Community.

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