Guitar Study, Enhanced by Technology (part 1)

Using technology to help learn to play the guitar (or any instrument)

I tend to take a technological approach to everything I can. When I taught myself German, for example, it was a lot of DVDs, Internet tutors, flashcard programs, German pop MP3s, etc. And so it is with my study of the classical guitar. The instrument itself hasn't changed in a few hundred years (longer if you count earlier guitar-like instruments). In fact, one of the things I like about classical guitar is its standalone nature. In a power outage, I can be a completely happy camper.

But technology can be extremely useful. The only danger one must guard against is spending more time fiddling with technology than practicing! Lord knows I've spent 100 hours automating a 2 hour job. But with that caveat in mind, here are a few tools I've been using.

Video Recording

I sometimes play in public open stages or student recitals. And the nerves that accompany such an event can wreak havoc on my playing. Also, as my teacher has pointed out to me, I make a very unhappy face when I am playing. It looks like I am undergoing some unpleasant medical procedure. It feels that way too!

So video recording can serve a number of useful purposes. First, it somewhat simulates an audience. You get some measure of performance anxiety in trying to make a good, single pass recording. This is also true for audio recordings, and especially true if you post any of these recordings on-line.

Second, videoing yourself lets you see your facial expression. It lets you check your posture, and it lets you watch the movement of your fingers. I have some bad right hand mechanics that I need to work on, and the first step, as the saying goes, is awareness of the problem. For example, here's me playing a piece and trying not to grimace. But in thinking about my face, I let my right hand go at some weird angles.

And yes, that's about as happy a face as I make while playing. I do really need to work on that.

Videos can also give you a history of your playing, and that can help with encouragement. Progress can be so incremental, you may miss it. So it's illuminating to see yourself two or three years ago, and see how much progress you've made since then.

You can use a cheap webcam or frankly even your iPhone or iPad 2 for the purpose. But I had the excuse of new grandchildren to get a Sony HD Handycam. If I were so inclined, I could attach a better microphone to it, but the main interest I have is in the visuals.

Audio Recording

Many of the same advantages can be had with audio recording, but it's even easier to do. Although that being said, if you want a professional sounding recording, that's a hobby and skill in and of itself. But for the casual recording, there are a lot of options to use and value to be derived.

I own and used to use an M-Audio Microtrack 24/96 portable digital recorder. It's about the size of a pack of playing cards and does a fine job (although the battery life is disappointing).

But ever since going down the Apple fanboy rabbit hole, I am using either an iPod or iPad to do my recordings. I'll record lessons. I'll record practice sessions.

For these purposes, the iPad or iPod built-in microphone does an adequate job. But I will also sometimes plug in a thumbtack mic. If I were so inclined, I could probably use the media or camera connection kit to connect my iPad to a firebox mic preamp, but that would put me in the spending too much time fiddling (ha!) with technology rather than playing the guitar. The idea is to record a lot, and the best way to do that is to make it simple.

There are a great many recording applications for the iPad. If I am interested in taking some notes while I am recording (such as in a lesson). I will use Notability.  For better recording and quality options, I will use Audio Memos 2. Both of these apps make it easy to get your recordings up to Dropbox or sent via email, so if you want to post them somewhere, it's simple to do.

Internet Resources

Again, the danger of the internet as a distraction to practice can't be overstated. Ideally, you should have a practice area that does not have a PC! But that's almost impossible now - the average lifetime distance that a smartphone spends away from its user is only 5 feet! So the internet is literally in my pocket at almost all times.

But there are a few gems on the internet, both for general music as well as specifically for the classical guitar.

Musictheory.net

Musictheory.net is an outstanding resource for learning something about music theory. It has lessons, but more importantly for me it has "trainers". So if you are trying to learn to hear intervals, fire up the interval trainer and find out how well you can distinguish a 5th from a 7th. I also use the key signature trainer.

Delcamp

Specific to the classical guitar only, the Delcamp Forums are run by Jean-François Delcamp in France. The forum language is English, but there are active members from all over the world. This is the most civil internet forum I have ever seen. You can ask a question, give an answer, read the wisdom of others, post and listen to audio and video recordings (so long as they adhere to international copyright law; I couldn't post my Andrew York piece above). In addition, there is a library arranged by grades (1-10) of guitar music. These are extremely well typeset PDFs - thousands of pages worth. Mr. Delcamp is offering lessons on his site as well.

Acoustic Guitar Magazine

ACG also hosts some discussion forums, although their classical corner is a much lower volume place than Delcamp. It also tends to be a little more raucous. I read it, but have stopped participating because (a) I hate the forum software they use and (b) I signed up under an email account I no longer possess, so can't have the forgotten password emailed to me!

The Boije Collection

The Boije Collection is another fine library of digitized classical guitar music scores.

Youtube

Youtube certainly causes concern from a copyright permissions basis. But overlook the stolen material (and buy it from the artist, otherwise artists will stop producing!). Instead, look for high quality amateur performances of the pieces you are learning. I am currently learning Robert Johnson's Allmayne, and a fellow that goes by the moniker gutfrets posted a very nice lute rendition.

next up in part 2, software and apps for guitar study