View Post

7 Day Guitar Practice Routine – #3 Arpeggios

In Arpeggios, Guitar Blog, Practice and Technique by Craig SmithLeave a Comment

Hey it’s Arpeggio day! This week we’re going to change it up by doing some Arpeggio sequences for guitar. If you missed the first 2 installments you can find them here: 7 Day Guitar Practice Routine: Day 1 – Warmups 7 Day Guitar Practice Routine: Day 2 – Modal Workout If you’re new to the routine, I highly recommend reading the first one that includes important instructions on how to practice the right way every …

View Post

5 Books Every Guitarist Should Own

In Guitar Blog, Music, Reviews and Gear by Craig SmithLeave a Comment

In the age of Youtube videos and Learning Apps on our devices, the online community has created a sort of overload of information (and misinformation) when it comes to learning just about anything. Nowhere is this more prevalent than in online Guitar Lessons, Apps, Tabs (that are almost always wrong) and the over-population of so-called ‘experts’ seemingly everywhere online. Enough already! Below is an excellent list of BOOKS, yes I said books, that I guarantee …

View Post

Minor Pentatonic Shapes – Guitar Scale Overlapping

In Guitar Blog, Practice and Technique, Scales by Craig SmithLeave a Comment

This week I’m going to revisit the Pentatonic Scale. Particularly the minor pentatonic scale and how it overlaps notes in it’s parent Major Key. In case you missed it, last week I did a lesson on guitar modal scales and how they overlap. One of my readers, Tim, sent me an email right after that lesson went live and asked about the same concept using minor Pentatonic scales.. so like I always say… I get …

View Post

Lagrima – Complete Score and Classical Guitar Lesson

In Classical Guitar, Guitar Blog, Practice and Technique by Craig SmithLeave a Comment

My first (online) Classical Guitar Lesson! I gotta say, I’m kinda stoked about it too. If you’ve read my 2019 Guitar Goals article, you know that classical guitar is a beloved hobby of mine and something I always strive to improve. In this Lesson: Intro Francisco Tarrega Intro to Classical Guitar Score Analysis Tips For Practicing Video Performance January for us working musicians in Florida can be the slowest time of year for live gigs. …

View Post

Beginner Guitar Lesson – Strumming and Accompaniment

In Chords, Guitar Blog, Interviews and Insights, Music, Practice and Technique by Jami TaylorLeave a Comment

Hey everyone! Today I’m doing a guest guitar lesson with Utah Guitarist, Jami Taylor.  I met Jami recently on Pinterest and we became fast email guitar buddies. Jami has a wonderful gift for beautifully designed, easy to follow, visually appealing guitar lessons. I just love her website and her beautifully styled lessons are so different than mine, I just had to have her do a guest post here at Lifein12Keys.com. Hopefully it won’t be her …

View Post

Pentatonic Scale Shapes, History and Use

In Guitar Blog, Music, Practice and Technique, Scales by Craig SmithLeave a Comment

Pentatonic Scales! These scales are simultaneously the most used and sometimes most purposely avoided of all scales on the guitar. In all of my years of teaching guitar lessons, I’ve found there are typically 2 kinds of guitarists: Those who avoid pentatonic scales because they believe they are overused or too simple. Those who use pentatonic scales because they are easy to get into and haven’t learned other scales yet. Many years ago at Lentines …

View Post

Guitar Goals 2019!

In Guitar Blog, Interviews and Insights, Practice and Technique by Craig SmithLeave a Comment

Happy New Year Guitarists! 🎸 Resolutions…. Yikes! I mean, I think the general population will roll their collective eyes .. I know I do. The fact remains, we make New Years Resolutions whether we admit it (publicly) or not right? Whether it’s a diet to take off some of that holiday weight or better Guitar Practice.. I mean myself personally.. I think I ate over 300 cookies bewteen Thanksgiving and Christmas! Who am I kidding? …

View Post

Guitarist Bill Hall – Profile and Interview

In Guitar Blog, Interviews and Insights, Music, Practice and Technique by Craig SmithLeave a Comment

The internet is a funny thing… there are times when I absolutely despise what social media has become and other times where I’m genuinely moved by reconnecting with an old friend or family member I haven’t seen in years. The latter happened recently when I was promoting my new book (The 7 Day Guitar Practice Routine) in some random guitar related Facebook groups. I came across a video of a guitarist just destroying a nylon …

View Post

The 2 String Guitar Workout

In Arpeggios, Guitar Blog, Practice and Technique, Scales by Craig SmithLeave a Comment

Every few months or so, I find myself in some type of a guitar playing slump, or rut or whatever you want to call it. If you’ve been playing guitar for longer than a few years, you probably know what I’m talking about right? Things I normally can play with ease become a little sloppy or my hands feel out of sync.  After 30 years and thousands of gigs, it wears on you a bit. …