John Dearman's 'FingerTips' - Introduction

Hi Everybody!

Yes it’s that John Dearman – the 7-string guy from the LA Guitar Quartet, and I’d like to welcome you to one of the newest features on the GSI website: FingerTips. FingerTips will be a series of columns where I’ll offer advice on a wide variety of guitar related topics including: technique, repertoire, interpretation, performance, reading, practicing, memorization, guitar maintenance, and most importantly, how to sneak your guitar on board airplanes!

In writing the columns and choosing the topics I’ll try to aim somewhere toward the middle of the various levels of playing ability out there. Some of you may already be very familiar with the material being presented or may have different opinions or points of view about the ideas I’m presenting. Just remember: there are many ways of playing and making things work on the guitar and I’m here to pass along some new ideas and to try to take a fresh look at some old ones.

Also, I should point out that whenever possible, I try to give credit for ideas I’ve picked up from others along the way. Over the years of studying, discussing and just generally keeping an ear to the ground of the guitar universe, I’ve noticed a lot of ideas that are continually passed around, often resurfacing in a new book or somebody’s masterclass. So just want to say thanks to all of the great people I’ve met, or read, and I’ll try to give credit where due.

Your input is very important to the evolution of this column – your feedback and suggestions for topics are very welcome! And the perfect place to do that is in the GSI Forum. The Forum can serve as a place for asking questions or offering your own opinions about ideas presented in the columns, or for suggesting ideas for new FingerTips columns. Guitar Forum is also a great resource for finding or submitting announcements of special events in your area, or telling others about interesting experiences you may have had in master classes, concerts or festivals.

So be sure to tune in next week for the first installment of FingerTips. In the meantime, log on to the GSI Forum and let us know what’s on your mind and start the discussion rolling.