Scaling Your Way To Success

In the early years of my guitar playing, I hated playing guitar scales. After many hours of playing, I thought my finger tips were going to bleed. My patient instructor told me that the pain will pass. I remember getting up one morning to go to school and I didn't even want to look at my guitar. The night before I spent 6 hours trying learn the major and minor scales. After many failed attempts I thought about giving up on playing altogether. All I could think about at school was returning home to try at the scales once again. Later that day, after settling in at home, I sat back in my recliner and picked up my guitar. With no stress and total ease I played the scales. It sounded perfect! 

I'm sharing this story to motivate you to never give up on your dream to play. It does take time, patience, and focus. My guitar playing journey has had its high moments and low moments but ultimately I have had the time of my life playing guitar. During my high school years I would practically sleep with my guitar. Even though it didn't help me play any better, I still stayed up late at night trying to perfect my craft. I would hear the chords and notes in almost every song I heard on the radio. Luck for me I was going to a church that encouraged me to play. Even though I didn't start out wanting to learn "worship" songs, I found that these songs were easy to play and sing along with. This gave me a great edge to my skill. It marked a fundamental stage in my life and my guitar playing journey. 


Recently, I coined this phrase, "Scaling Your Way To Success". I started looking back at all the original scales for beginners. With just a few glances at the charts and I was playing those same scales that posed such a challenge to me years ago. I thought about how I would release all my stress and worries through the guitar. Then my children came running in the room to see what I was doing. I knew that my guitar playing journey had played a key role in my life. All the people that I met along the way played a big role. One that I'll never forget was, Mitch Lanier, my guitar instructor. He spent a few saturday mornings showing me the basics. He had me playing my first song, "Knocking On Heaven's Door", in no time. With those three basic chords, I felt like a "rock god"!

Success is a funny thing. The first definition of success is the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. Don't think that you have to be rich, famous, or popular to be successful. Playing guitar is fun and can be learned. It is a great goal to set. I tell my clients to take notes in a note book. They are, in away, journalling their guitar playing. I wish I had kept a journal note book for my journey. It is a way for you to see your success in progress. Here is a few things to consider in scaling your way to success.

"Creating Your Personal Life Plan"

1. Have A Vision- One of the first things I ask clients is, "why do you want to learn how to play guitar?". I haven't had a client tell me that they want to be a guitar legend but I'm open for that. You need to know what you want to do. If you never discover that, you will waste a lot of time and money on bogus activities and toys. A great way to start is by creating a list of things that you want to do and or places you want to go. Also picture what kind of life you want to live. Think about the future and the plans of those in your life, like family and close friends. This will get you started.
2. Have A Plan- Knowing what you want is only part of your success. Talk to people about your vision. Investigate how others have found success in areas of your vision. Read books that will help you build a plan. At the bottom of this blog, I'll list a link to a free E-Book written by Michael Hyatt called "Creating Your Personal Life Plan". Simply sign up for his free newsletter and get the e-book free. 
3. Have A Mentor- Surround your self with people who are on the same journey as you or people that can truly offer great advice to help you on your journey. Try to distant your self from people who are negative about your journey you have chosen. If it is truly what you are divinely inspired to do then go for it. Find a local instructor or mentor. Don't just depend on the videos and books. Nothing beats face to face advice and instruction. Get involved with local community groups and churches that share a common goal with you.
4. Have A Blast- My only rule with my clients is that we have fun playing and learning guitar. Everything you do in life to achieve your goals may not be fun but know that it is necessary in reaching your divine purpose. If it isn't necessary, question it. If you can , as a rule, make what every you are doing to achieve your goals fun! You may have some detours on your journey but that is what makes it a journey and not a destination. Let difficult times and situations sharpen you like a sword! A dull sword may look good on the wall but if you every have to use it for battle, you are dead. 

Personally, I believe every one should spend time every day meditating and/or praying. My time is spent reading a small portion from my bible, praying, and journalling. Write down or type up your vision for your life and read it daily. Be bold and courageous! 

If you are living in the Tarboro, Rocky Mount, and/or surrounding areas in North Carolina and you are interested in playing guitar, contact me today! Join us on facebook and share this post with your friends and family! 

DWM Guitar Lessons on Facebook

"Creating Your Personal Life Plan" by Michael Hyatt  

6 Top Selling Guitar Strings

When it comes to guitar strings, as a Guitarist, I generally don't have a preference, other than price. I tend to focus on size. I prefer a light or extra light size string for both electric and acoustic guitars. For my students, I recommend the same. As a general rule, if they are eroded, changing colors, or you didn't put them on yourself, you are in need of a change! Some guitarist even change out the factory string on new guitars, since they don't know how long the guitar set out on the sales floor. Either way, if you are going to play guitar, then you need to change them regularly. Your playing time will determine your change time. Example: You play for an hour a day for a month, your string time should be between 3-4 weeks. A set can last longer with proper maintenance practice: Wipe them down with string conditioner (purchased from guitar shop), keep the guitar in its home (its case), pay close attention to moister (causes tarnishing), and wash/dry your hands before playing (just trust me on this one). When the time finally comes to head down to the local shop, here are a few top brands you can trust:

1. D'Addario Strings: World-renowned as "The Player's Choice" among guitarists of all genres and styles. EXL strings are wound with nickel-plated steel, known for it's distinctive bright tone and reduced fret wear. EXL110s are among D'Addario's most popular round-wound, nickel-plated electric guitar strings.

2. Dean Markley Strings: Dean Markley 1973 Vintage Reissue Electric Guitar Strings are made to the same exacting specs as the original Vintage Electric strings that won the hearts of players around the world. The combination of outer wrap alloy, special round cores, and core-to-wrap ratios make these strings sing with power and punch. Long life is just a bonus. I'm a fan but not a buyer, I use my savings on guitar picks!

 3. Ernie Ball Strings: Regular Slinky Electric Strings are Ernie Ball's top-selling set and are favored by many musicians around the globe. Regular Slinky wound strings are made from a nickel-plated, steel wire wrapped around a hex-shaped, steel core wire. The plain strings are made of specially tempered, tin-plated, high-carbon steel, producing a well-balanced tone for your guitar. I'm a buyer and fan! 

 4. Fender Strings: Fender has been an instrument of choice for many of the greatest musicians since 1946. Fender's popularity through the generations is a result of their design innovations and commitment to quality. These guitar strings reflect this legacy and are worthy of the Fender name. Attention to detail and the finest materials ensure that you will get the best feeling and greatest sounding strings, set after set.

 5. GHS Boomers: Round wound nickel-plated steel delivers passion, power, and performance. The dynamite alloy Boomers continue to be the standard
to play by. GHS has made the highest-quality strings since 1964. The choice of numerous guitar greats. But not my choice. I may be wrong but I would stay clear of these, just based on the name..lol.

6. Martin Acoustic Strings: Martin uses a winding alloy that is ideally suited for making strings that deliver deep, rich basses and clear, bright trebles. Martin strings are high-quality strings designed for daily use. Core and wrap wires must meet strict requirements to make the grade. Martin acoustic guitar strings are wound to precise specifications. If I'm picky, I'm choosing this for my acoustic guitar needs.

Amps Going To All New Heights

The age of technology has long been making moves in the music world. I remember my first amp. I thought I was a rock god! I only had one BOSS distortion pedal and the built in distortion channel on the amp itself. My next amp purchase will be much different. Jump 13 years into the future and you have a state of the art, limitless, and powerful computer amp. The amps on the market are taking your guitar to an all new level. These two Companies have been a powerhouse in the market for "smart amps". Here are a few things you need to know about each of them and how to know which is going to work for you. 

The new Fender Mustang amplifier series raises the standard for modern guitar versatility and muscle. Driven by incredibly authentic amp models and a huge bank of built-in effects, Mustang amplifiers come equipped with USB connectivity and Fender Fuse software, allowing your musical creativity and imagination to run wild. The Fender Mustang III is a 100W open-back combo amp with a 12" Celestion speaker that sounds great and pumps serious volume. It contains 100 amp presets derived from 12 different amp models that deliver tones from vintage Fender sparkle to outrageous modern metal distortion, and 37 different effects in four categories (stomp, modulation, delay and reverb), all easily and instantly accessed. The Mustang III combo is great for rehearsing, jamming and small gigs, and the 1/8" headphone jack doubles as a speaker-emulated line out. Further, connect Mustang III to your computer with its USB output and use the included Fender Fuse software to open up a world of possibilities, including on-screen parameter control, deep editing, additional effects, unlimited preset storage, online preset swapping with the Fender Fuse community, and free Fender artist presets. The Mustang III combo's included programmable two-button footswitch controls preset up/down, quick access, effects on/off and tap tempo (optional four-button footswitch also available). Mustang III packs it all into a striking visual design with sleek and modern Fender styling that provides a look that's as desirable as the sound.

Line 6 Spider IV is one of America's best-selling family of guitar amplifiers. Plug into a 75W Spider IV 75 for Line 6 amp and FX modeling, dialed-in tones and presets created and inspired by rock stars, and much more.Each guitar amp model in the Line 6 Spider amp delivers the distinct tonal nuances of a celebrated American, British, or European guitar amp. Models were inspired by a Marshall JCM-900, Hiwatt Custom 100, '60s Fender Blackface Twin Reverb, '60s Fender Blackface Deluxe Reverb, Vox AC30 Top Boost, Divided by 13 9/15, '50s wide panel Fender Deluxe Reverb, Gretsch 6156, '68 Marshall Plexi 50-Watt, Orange AD30, '68 Marshall Plexi 100-Watt with a Variac and jumped input channels, Diezel Herbert, and Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier. Keep your Line 6 Spider IV 75 guitar amp up to date with an FBV MkII footcontroller. Connect the Spider IV 75 to Line6.com via an FBV MkII footcontroller to receiver valuable software and firmware updates and upgrades. These updates may include new features, presets, or effects for your Line 6 amp. FBV Express MkII delivers hands-free channel switching; FBV Shortboard MkII is a full-on remote control. They both feature a full-sized volume/wah pedal, chromatic tuner display, bright LEDs, durable footswitches and chassis, and more. They keep you at the foot of the stage instead of tied to the front of your Spider IV 75. They also feature USB connectivity for keeping your Spider IV 75 up to date. (Footcontrollers sold separately.) Who do you want to sound like today? Discover the tones of your heroes in Line 6 Spider IV 75. 50 famous guitarists and bands, including Coheed & Cambria, Johnny Marr, Slipknot, and others, handcrafted more than 300 of their signature tones and turned them into Line 6 Spider IV 75 presets—from sparkling cleans to effect-laden tones to saturated high-gain heaven. Line 6 Spider IV Edit software (a free download from Line6.com) is an editor/librarian for your Spider IV 75 tones. Bask in the glow of your computer while you edit presets, create backups, and even email tones to other Spider IV players. 

Over all the years I have been a guitarist I have never wanted an amp this bad. With this age of technology and genius ideas coming to the market so fast I can't wait to see what they'll come up with next. Until next week, keep on rocking and rolling on your guitar playing journey!

Please Share This Blog with Your friends. Connect with us on Facebook!

Learn To Play Guitar Today!

Have you ever thought about picking up a guitar and wanted to start playing? Ever find yourself walking into a Guitar shop and dreaming of playing one someday? I have wonderful news for you! You can start playing guitar today! Getting started is easy and can be affordable. I recommend you take lessons from a real life person. Not a video or book. These items may help but in the end nothing beats a real live person.

DWM Guitar Lessons is in the business of helping everyday people learn how to play guitar and have fun all at the same time. We are affordable, reliable, knowledgeable, and motivational. No matter your age, gender, or style in music, we are here to help. David Wayne Manning has been playing guitar for over 15 years and has been apart of many different music projects and bands. "I believe everyone has the potential to play guitar. We just got to tap into that potential to see it happen!"-Wayne. Along with learning how to play guitar in one on one sessions, DWM Guitar Lessons, will post tips and hints for you on your Guitar playing journey. Our desire is to help anyone who wants to learn. Most One on One Guitar lessons are between $35 and $40 per hour but with us you'll only pay $20 for a one hour session. "I get really excited when I see the 'light bulbs' turn on in my student's eyes."-Wayne. DWM Guitar Lessons also provides you with consulting sessions in the field of purchasing your guitar and gear. We are willing give positive advice on making your guitar and gear purchases. "Don't be pushed into buying gear you don't need. Let us help, that is our goal and that is what we do!"- Wayne.

So, are you ready to learn this exciting age old skill of playing guitar? Act now and be amazed by what you can learn! Don't have a guitar yet? We can start by consulting with you at a local guitar shop and help you make the most out of your budget. Are you a parent of a child or young adult who has been wanting a guitar and don't know where to start. Let us help! The best time to start playing guitar is today and we want to be apart of your guitar playing journey.-DWM Guitar Lessons

Stay in touch with us on our new Facebook Page:

 DWM Guitar Lessons 

You can also send us your requests for lessons here:

 DWM Guitar Lessons