Three string guitars are fun and easy to play. It's much easier to learn how to play a cigar box guitar than it is to learn how to play a regular 6 string guitar.
Early Blues music and slide guitar that was played on these homemade instruments was created by people who most often didn't know any form of music theory or what musical chords and keys were. Many of them could not even read the written word.
If the musicians who played Blues music in the 1880's didn't know music theory or complicated math, then neither do you. You do not need to learn chords or complicated music structure to play great sounding blues music on a 3 string guitar.
On this DVD I will explain the method of how to play guitar by feeling and ear. These lessons will teach you in a simple and easy manner how to play guitar that sounds like it's from the past. It doesn't matter what your age is or how well you can or can't use your hands or fingers. If you can use a computer keyboard, you too can play a 3 string guitar.
Watch this short video below, you will see that these guitars don't require much effort to play. Slide guitar is basically just one finger guitar with a few plucks here and there. You can let the guitar work for you because the tone of the instrument is so unique.
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When I was in my teens, I was totally fascinated with learning how to play the guitar. I tried to learn from many teachers. I had a very skilled guitar teacher, but when he spoke it was so confusing to me. He spoke clearly, but it was all just too perplexing for my ears.
I was not the type of person who could grasp, "it's a G chord with this note as the root....or it's with a minor 7th,...or it's an F#"...and so on.
I remember thinking to myself, "How am I ever going to learn?"
I also found it too hard and frustrating to learn by trying to memorize fretboard maps or layouts with charts and dots from math that I didn't understand in the first place. I just wanted to be able to enjoy learning how to play the guitar.
As for me, I love hearing that old time deep southern blues. It makes me feel like I've been transported back into the past to a simpler time long ago. So in the end, I have spent 30 years studying and learning many different guitar techniques and styles. In the process, I've learned how to play guitar by feeling and ear. I can now teach you how to play the same way.
This DVD is not like the other standard "hard to learn" guitar courses
On this DVD,
NO math is involved
NO scientific music theory
These lessons are different. I will explain how to play guitar using easy to understand terms and concepts so you can play and create your own music that will sound compelling and moving to hear.
These lessons have been broken down into small easy to learn step-by-step building blocks that we will then put together to achieve an authentic old time vintage sound. With just a little patience and practice, you'll be able to create dramatic and captivating music without using difficult math or any music theory.
Listen to this youtube video and let's take a step back in time,
Imagine a time long ago and a farmer sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch after a long days work in the fields. He's holding in his hands a homemade guitar that was made out of an old used cigar box and some scraps of wood.
He's just sitting there relaxing and not thinking too hard about how to create music. He didn't have a computer or cell phone to compare himself to others. He's just sitting there playing guitar on a breezy afternoon without a care in the world. He's having fun and entertaining himself playing songs that his heart and ears can enjoy. - If he can do it, so can you.
These guitars are rewarding to play. Anyone can learn to play one with just a little time and patience.
3 String Guitar
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Well, it's time for me to go, if you've read this far thanks for your time in letting me explain what is on this dvd video. Email me anytime with any questions you have, John
If you have found yourself here and wondering what exactly is a cigar box guitar?
Since the mid 1860's, it's been common for poor people to make their own guitar or stringed instrument out of old and used cigar boxes and scavenged or found wood. If you wanted to play guitar and didn't have any money, you'd have to build a guitar yourself.
In small towns in the southern United States, you can still hear stories about those old school Bluesmen of the past such as Lightnin' Hopkins, Scrapper Blackwell, Little Freddie King and many others who got their start in music by building their own homemade guitar.
One reason early American Blues music has such a distinctive sound is because it has an origin based on these simple homemade instruments. From Muddy Waters to Elmore James, many great blues guitarist were influenced by them in their slide guitar playing. This long forgotten part of history is an important chapter in the story of early "Delta Blues" and its roots of slide guitar from the Southern Delta.
If you are interested in learning more about the hobby of cigar box guitars,
I have 5 different disc for sale on eBay. I also have a book on the subject.
1. Understanding 3 string guitar - How to Play lessons DVD
2. How To Build - 3 & 4 String Cigar Box Guitars DVD
3. Dust Bowl Blues - music CD
4. Cigar Box Americana - CD
5. Cigar Box Blues - CD
and a book titled "Box Guitar Blues" The story of the cigar box guitar and history of the Blues.
The How to Build DVD covers in-depth how to build 3 & 4 string cigar box guitars and Homemade Resonator guitars. These guitars are just as much fun to build as they are to play. Anyone can build a great guitar, even if it's your first time. You only need a few common hand tools that most people already have.
- the best way to learn how to play guitar, is to listen to guitar music. All of the music and videos I have recorded is only played on homemade guitars.
To view the Lesson DVDs and the Cigar Box Music CDs - Click Here
