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Manuel Marino

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Manuel is a passionate, driven, and techsavvy AV technician, artist and music composer with over ten years of experience, specializing in the captivating world of music and entertainment. Manuel is an expert in creating soundtracks for short films, feature films and video games. How to Register and Order on My Film Music Orchestral Page

Manuel’s Blog is a personal digital space where I share my thoughts, projects, and passions. Here you’ll find articles about music, technology, arts, books, culture, and personal reflections.

The blog brings together my ideas and the contributions of friends and readers, offering a mix of inspiration, practical tips, and honest opinions.

Whether you are curious about creativity, looking for advice, or just want to explore different topics with me, you’ll always find something interesting to read.

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Mastering the Lead Guitar And Playing Great Solos

I'm a One Man Band
Photo by Parksy1964

Join us as we explore some key tips for mastering the guitar. You will discover how playing without effects enhances precision, how to make the most of practice sessions with guitar backing tracks, and a few principles to apply to your guitar practice.

When picking up a guitar, most people have the ultimate goal of being able to effortlessly play a blazing solo, leaving their friends and family in awe. However, many individuals fail to put in the necessary effort to truly master their instrument because they desire instant results. The guitar is one of the most challenging instruments to master, but with dedication, time, and a genuine passion for musical expression, anyone can achieve it.

There are some strategies that hold the key to unlocking success in guitar mastery. One of the fundamental secrets to guitar success is dedicating the necessary time to practice. Although it may seem simple, many people give up on the guitar because they expect immediate results without putting in any effort. Practice requires time, effort, passion, and work. Every great guitar player in the history of music has sacrificed a significant amount of time to practice their instrument. While you don’t …

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“Mastering the Lead Guitar And Playing Great Solos”

Guitar Playing – Uncover What Exactly Makes It Trendy

(322/365) September 11, 2010: Tuned guitar
Photo by Jason Alley

Due to its versatility, efficiency, and the fact that it can be used to play any kind of music, the guitar is one of the most popular instruments to learn. Guitar playing is highly enjoyable and well-liked.

Whether you are interested in country, folk, jazz, rock, or any other musical genre, learning to play the guitar gives you the opportunity to play and perform your favorite songs and even create your own music.

However, like with any …

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“Guitar Playing – Uncover What Exactly Makes It Trendy”

Learn To Tune Your Guitar By Ear As The Pros Do

The Ryman
Photo by Dread Pirate Jeff

Those who are new to playing the guitar are often so eager to get started that they neglect learning how to tune properly. However, it is important to take the time to learn how to tune your guitar by ear for several reasons. One of these reasons is that there are situations where tuners are not available. Ear tuning is simple and often faster as well. Sometimes, this type of tuning is necessary to make …

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“Learn To Tune Your Guitar By Ear As The Pros Do”

The Greatest Lead Guitar Playing Myth – Shred Guitar Demystified

Day 116 - Play Guitar
Photo by DaGoaty

There are numerous theories circulating in the guitar player community regarding techniques to improve guitar playing speed. While these theories may be based on some partial truths, more often than not, they are simply myths that offer no real assistance in improving a guitarist’s playing ability or speed and style. One of the biggest myths, often discussed seriously, revolves around achieving faster playing speed by using thin strings and low action on the guitar. Many proponents of this myth claim that in order to make your fingers glide across the fretboard, you need to have thin strings, as thin as possible, and the string action should be extremely low.

The reason why this is a myth is that, in reality, thinner strings and lower action do not make it easier for you to play faster or better. Thin strings and lower action only reduce the amount of resistance you feel when you play, both from your fingers and the strings. It does not mean you are playing faster. It may make the notes easier to fret, but it does nothing for the quality of tone or your speed and technique. In truth, it simply makes producing sound …

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“The Greatest Lead Guitar Playing Myth – Shred Guitar Demystified”

Learn How To Play Guitar By Not Having A Guitar

Take 5 for 5-String Banjo: Continued
Photo by Usonian

  1. Draw fretboard diagrams and label the note names on the strings. This will enhance your understanding of the instrument and strengthen your ability to quickly identify any note (like when another musician tells you it’s an A chord). Start with just one string, such as the low E string, and label each note: E, F, F#, G, G#, etc. Repeat this exercise for each string, and soon you’ll have a much better grasp of the guitar’s layout.
  2. Draw more fretboard diagrams and fill in scale patterns. Remember that old joke about the school teacher making you write something repeatedly (like “I won’t chew gum in class”) on the chalkboard? Well, that repetitive practice might not have stopped you from chewing gum, but it can certainly help you memorize scale patterns.

Draw fretboard diagrams and place dots on the diagram in the shape of the five pentatonic patterns and seven diatonic patterns. Repeat this exercise until you have drilled these patterns into your mind. Even without your guitar in hand, this exercise will improve your ability to memorize the 12 essential scale patterns you need to master for playing lead guitar at a professional level.

  1. Give your fingers

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“Learn How To Play Guitar By Not Having A Guitar”