Looking for online tools for guitar practice when away from the guitar

June 8, 2011 2:01 AM

Looking for online tools for guitar practice when away from the guitar

So I've decided that this will be the year that I finally Join (or Start) A Band, and I've taken up electric guitar again. I don't have as much time to practice as I'd like, but I do have occasional downtime at work during the day. How can I best use this time to learn stuff that will help my progress? I'm thinking maybe along the lines of an online fretboard trainer (I'm working my way through Fretboard Logic and the Fretboard Workbook, so any exercises that relate to those two books would be great). Or perhaps theory-based youtube lessons?

My goal is to eventually play lead guitar in a blues/prog/folk type band and at the moment. I'm OK in terms of technique (e.g. I learned to play the intro to Little Wing from a youtube lesson last night without much trouble). What can I learn that (a) will help be become a more rounded player, (b) specifically help me when playing with others, and (c) can be learned at work while I don't have a guitar with me?

posted by primer_dimer to media & arts (6 answers total)

I'm a bit hesitant to push a product, and it's not really an online tool per se, but if you have an iPhone Guitar Toolkit might be really helpful. It has been an indispensable iPhone app for me, occupying some primo real estate on my first home screen. It has a tuner and chord library which is pretty standard for a guitar app, and also a fretboard with optional labels for learning different scales, meaning you can work on that sick nasty guitar solo during your bathroom break. It's also been great for me because I play guitar, soprano ukulele, and baritone ukulele (though none of them very well), and it has the tunings and chord libraries for all those instruments and more—though again, this may not be so relevant to your case.
posted by Rickalicioso at 3:06 AM on June 8, 2011

Sit down with a book and learn to read music.
posted by joannemullen at 4:12 AM on June 8, 2011

Oops, probably should have mentioned that I can already read music - looking for more guitar-specific stuff.
posted by primer_dimer at 5:54 AM on June 8, 2011

justinguitar.com
posted by snowjoe at 7:47 AM on June 8, 2011 [1 favorite]

How about working on your grip strength or finger flexibility?
posted by jander03 at 11:01 AM on June 8, 2011

I've been listening to Desi Serna's guitar music theory podcasts during my commutes. Even without a guitar handy they're pretty educational.
posted by rocket88 at 1:58 PM on June 8, 2011