Here is a 10-second tip for you that’s all about creativity.
Yesterday, I was on a call with Dan Thorpe Acoustic Academy member, Denise, who joined my new coaching programme.
She asked me about being creative and how to actually be creative.
When it comes to being creative, I find most people need a method at first.
After all, it can be hard to paint a pretty picture on a blank canvas (unless you are Picasso).
It’s easy for people to say, “Just be creative”.
…But how do you put that into practice?
Just like with painting, often it’s easier to have an outline to begin with.
So, here’s a simple method for being more creative on the guitar…
- Take a chord progression you know (e.g. G D Em C)
- Pick a strumming pattern you know, and play it over those chords
- Use a capo to change the key and flavour (e.g. put it on fret 4)
- Switch to fingerpicking the chords with a pattern you know
- Change one of the chords in the sequence (e.g. G D Am C)
The above can get you started and after that, you can think about things such as using 7th chords, embellishments, percussive hits, changing the tempo, and more.
…But the above simple steps are good to begin with.
Remember, when being creative, you can take the different things you already know and fuse them together to create something new.
I find creativity is very underrated in the music tuition world.
Not only can it be fun, but it’s a way to express yourself, and a little creativity and jamming is good for the brain and soul, I find.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that.
If you want to learn more about chord progressions, and how music works, giving you more tools to be creative and understand music in a practical way, my theory book teaches this stuff.
The spiral-bound version is out now and on sale for a short time, with lots of brand-new, exclusive online content to help you get the best out of the book.
You can find out more about it below…
Guitarists Get Theory (Spiral-Bound Book and Online Course)
Enjoy your Friday!
Dan Thorpe
Guitar Domination
P.S. This post was originally taken from Dan Thorpe’s private email list. To get blog posts like this sent to you which are full of great tips to make fingerpicking, strumming, and learning guitar more enjoyable (especially if you are over 40) join Dan’s list. It’s 100% free, HERE.
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