Monthly Archives: January 2017

NEW! Online Guitar Coaching Program

28 Saturday Jan 2017

Posted by in Guitar & Music

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Recently the folks at Skype told me that if there was one guitarist out there that could get metalheads playing together in the internet world, it would be me.

I did not think much of it as first, except being thankful for the complement, but then the gears in my mind started to turn.

What if they are right, indeed?

Then, I started remembering that one of the main gripes from many guitarists that I meet is that they are not in contact with many other players who just get “it” and are into the same type of music and playing they are into. They kind of feel alone in their quest to play better and don’t have enough feedback.

This explains why my Metal Heroes Summer Camp and The Metal Guitar Retreat are popular destination getaways. Not only the players get awesome personalized instruction there, they are indeed connected with others just like them when they attend these events. And, let’s face it, guitar playing can be extremely rewarding, but sometimes lonely place and not as fun if you have to go at it alone.

With that in mind, I had something up my sleeve last few weeks.

 I’d like to announce and introduce you to Metal Mike’s Metal For Life Online Guitar Program.

This group is like none other before it.

You get an exclusive twice a week videos, a Metal Monday motivation message beginning of every week and a private Facebook group hosted by me for only $19.95 per month!

This program is on-going, so you can join today and start right away. Once you register, you’ll be billed automatically each month. And, you are free to cancel any time with no questions asked.

Guitar playing is a funny thing. I should know as I dedicated 32 years of my life to it so far. Hundreds of thousands of players (sound crazy, but it’s true) saw my online videos and they e-mail me saying “Metal Mike, your video really helped me with a technique or with writing riffs,” or, “What do you use to get that guitar tone?” I love getting these e-mails and I reply to everyone.

But, I also know that jumping around the internet looking at a video here and a video there with no rhyme or reason and getting an answer to an isolated question robs these players of true results. Or, if the results come, it is through a very slow process.

The jumping around strategy is too scatterbrained. In order to truly get better fast, you benefit greatly from a succession of videos geared towards a goal and a commentary on what you might be doing wrong. When you pair that up with a support network of players just like you, well then, you can start seeing that this can bring your playing up to a whole another level.

When you get a destination place to visit time and time again for valuable information over a period of time – results come.

I have created an Effective and Inexpensive way to help you obtain your guitar goals.

You can join me at $19.95 per month!

Here is what we’ll be doing together:

(1) 2 videos each week (Tuesday and Friday) on one topic.

(2) Metal Monday Motivation post on Monday.

(3) Membership in a private Facebook group.

(4) Access to me with personal interaction answering your questions, e-mails and overseeing your progress.

(5) Support from players just like you who love to play metal guitar and want other encouraging people around them.

Guitar videos and topics will include a variety of topics from technique to fortifying riffs to leads to practice tips. We’ll talk about guitar tone all the way to guitar travel tips. And, Monday Metal Motivation will hit you each Monday afternoon with a nice dose of mindset shred to keep your week going.

Note: Each video will come with TAB (Tablature) sheet that you can save and print out later. I understand that many players need time to learn licks and each example will be shown slowly and explained well.

You bet I wish I had this when I was growing up!

I learned the old fashioned way of getting mail-order guitar tapes and trying to learn licks from MTV videos. But, here is 2017, we have a new way of learning the guitar.

And, we are doing this for $5 bucks per week.

Check out what some of my students are saying:

“One quick lesson with Mike has doubled my picking speed” .. Ben S.

“You are a great inspiration and a source of knowledge” .. Sebastian S.

“Having Metal Mike as a mentor has enhanced my playing ability drastically! He was able to point out my errors immediately and teach me techniques like no other guitarist I have ever met” .. Tony G.

“Mike helped me unlock my playing potential to a whole new level by showing me awesome licks, riffs and usable theory. There is no substitute for seeking face-to-face instruction from a world class player who has recorded and toured the globe with the all time greats” .. Alex H.

“Thank you for the lesson. Already writing riffs that are inspiring me again” .. Chris W.

“Mike’s instruction is a perfect blend of classic training and real world experience” .. Charles A.

“I will happily take another 100+ lessons without any thought whatsoever” .. Matt B.

“I’m fortunate to be getting first hand information from the ultimate wizard” .. Rob D.

One and that sums it all up from Greg D …

“I feel like I have learned more in the past 4 lessons than last 2 years on my own”  

Read On!

This is an ongoing program, so you can sign up today and jump right in. You can go back and check out any materials we might have covered before you joined as well. Purchase the first month here and we’ll set you up for a recurring monthly billing of $19.95. Once you register, you’ll receive a welcome e-mail with further instructions.

Remember that you can cancel anytime free and clear with no questions asked. 

If this sounds like something that you feel is designed to help you go after your goals go to my Metal Heroes Academy site HERE and let’s rock.

Metal For Life!

Success In Opposites

23 Monday Jan 2017

Posted by in Guitar & Music, Inspiration & Motivation

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I have been thinking on an interesting observation lately. The idea is that much of success lies in the acceptance and being comfortable with opposites of where you want to be. Let me explain.

Let’s take a look at something I know well such as practicing your instrument. In order to become great at a guitar you have to have a final goal. It is something you strive for. The end goal for you might be the ability to play fluid, effortless licks in front of lots of people. But, that end goal needs an opposite which is the daily task of practicing and building up your abilities. The opposite is where you want to be versus what needs to be done now.

You can not obtain the final goal without breaking it down to daily steps. But, your daily steps very possibly won’t lead you in a desired direction unless you know what the direction of the final destination is.

So, the success lies in the ability of operating while seeing the distant possibility and what needs to be done now. You accept the two points and are conscious of the stretch in-between.

Let’s take a look at another example where the opposites work, perhaps with a slightly different twist.

If you want to ask a person out successfully, I really think you have to be ok with getting rejected. You can see a clear “want” and the “fail” scenario here. You have to be ok with it. The more you accept the possible opposites outcome of where you want to be, the higher your chances are of success.

In my own life, the greatest gains were obtained when I went after something not caring if I loose. One of the materialistic examples of this is when I wrote a check in the amount of my yearly salary to buy a car that I always wanted. On top of that I did not even care if something was wrong with it. You can call it stupidity of being young (there might be some truth to it) but that is the point, you see? I was ok with either outcome. Most people would not take that chance. The vehicle turned out great and has quadrupled in value since the day I bought it.

Here is another case from my own life. I made a decision growing up that I was going to give my all to practicing the guitar in order to ultimately become a full time metal musician. I said to myself that I am ok with failing as long as I know what I gave it my all. So although I can not say that I never thought about it; I was completely ok with sitting in my basement playing while missing out on Summer days at the beach or making very little money for a long period where some of the people I knew were getting real paying jobs and setting up their life on much more socially accepted terms. I went for my goal and accepted the opposite result.

Once again, this approach has not let me down. I’m going to cap it here and leave the above with you.

I hope this will give you some ideas to think about. Horns Up.

Ready, Set! Wait, What?

19 Thursday Jan 2017

Posted by in Guitar & Music, Inspiration & Motivation

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Hey musicians! Are you in the habit of announcing your projects and then not finishing what you set out to do or promised?

We all go through this. We get excited about an idea or a project and want to share it with the whole entire world. And, definitely, I have been guilty of this myself.

What I found out, mostly by reading about it, is that our human brain almost gets a morphine like drip of satisfaction when we announce something. It feels good.

The issue is what happens next.

Because of the feel good moment when we announced something of what we were going to do, out initial fire of that inspiration gets a little extinguished. We realize at that time that hard work and problem solving comes next. So, we go to another idea and get the morphine drip. Get my point?

Here’s a tip. Save the announcement until you are ready to roll out your idea in the flesh. This is not always applicable, when you are making an album and want your fans to go along for a ride, etc. However, in many cases it is wise not to announce until you have something tangible to show.

There was a time when I was writing more press releases then “doing.” And, rethinking my approach to the above has truly changed the way I do things now.

 

 

Add Two Legs To Your Keyboard

18 Wednesday Jan 2017

Posted by in Guitar & Music

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I really enjoy computers and the internet age. Some of it frustrates me, of course. I was not born into all of this “stuff.” For those of you older than 24 you know what I’m talking about – e-mail, social media, blogging, websites, new business models. Can I just please just play the guitar? No? Ok. So, you learn and get on with it. Same way we learned how to drive a car or raise a child. We figured it out. After a while, this is no different than changing oil in your car. It is something you do. My real saving grace is that I really enjoy being able to communicate and reach many people through the internet.

However, this online based connectivity is a dark turn for many musicians.

Remember this: money and opportunities flow through people.

Many musicians out there think that they can hide behind a keyboard, send tens of e-mails or newsletters and never leave their house to the place that the strongest connections take place – the real world.

I’m not saying that communicating via e-mail is not important, because it is. However, it is not enough. It is certainly not enough without face to face contact.

What hurts musicians and artists in general in this is that let’s face it – most of “us” would love to stay in and work on whatever is occupying our mind and clicking on the switch to go out and socialize is painful.

But, as an important lesson, please remember that it is essential. You must develop your skills and the more you chisel them out, the more you’ll enjoy staying in touch with the people you find interesting. Through real connections … interesting projects and opportunities will flow.

I find it absolutely best to make 1 heartfelt connection versus 1000 nice to meet you acquaintances. Keep that in mind. It is quality versus quantity. In the age of what can feel like an impersonal world, real connections feel better than ever before. Use that to your advantage. It is hard to succeed as a musician if you dislike talking to people. And if you truly do, work on that skill because it is essential for a career.

Why Is The World Obsessed With A Secret To Success?

18 Wednesday Jan 2017

Posted by in Inspiration & Motivation

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I went to a book store, looked over some magazine covers and man, just reading the covers made me tired. Secret this, secret that, must haves …

I’m not going to take on the world here – let’s just talk about the guitar.

Are there secrets that would make you a better guitar player or a musician? I don’t know. As a matter of fact, upon thinking about it – I don’t think so. Sorry to burst the secret finding bubble. I know, how unromantic. And, a month before Valentine’s Day, too!

I know posts like these aren’t often the most popular ones. Someone said if you want folks to dislike you – you tell ’em the truth. This is for the brave few and since you are on my page, I believe it might be you, too.

The good news is – you are now burden free from finding a secret and you can get to what you know needs to be done – picking up the damn instrument and spending some time with it. Harsh truth, but please read on. You see, there is no magic box where the secretive professional players trade advice. If your neighbor plays better than you, chances are he practices more or has played guitar much longer than you. With some exceptions, talent is not that much misplaced. If you like the guitar a lot – that IS your talent telling you to pursue it further. Develop it more. The more time you spend with it, the more and more you’ll enjoy it, too.

There are some good laws though that I like to follow.

Want to know a good one? The idea of delayed gratification is a good one. I know, sooo unlike 2017! Metal Mike what’s up with this blog, anyway!
Well, here’s one important thing that I picked up. That is that many successful people were able to delay the gratification for a bigger prize. What are you willing to give up right now for a better return on your guitar playing later? As a young player are you willing to miss some Friday and Saturday nights in favor of diminishing the gap between you and the players who are better than you?

Less Instagram = More Metalgram! (Yes, I just made that up.)

As an older player, are you willing to invest a couple hundred bucks a month in guitar lessons versus buying rounds for your pals at the bar?
In this aspect, I was almost cruel to myself in my younger days. Every single dollar and I mean every single dollar was spend on lessons and new gear when I felt I needed it. I missed many Summers, parties and friends while locked in my room studying music, theory or Randy Rhoads. While many of the kids I knew in school were at the beach partying, I was home … playing. I saved my lunch money and bought guitar pedals with it. I woke up before school and run home after school so I could practice. This is not to impress anyone, but rather to impress upon you an image of delayed gratification might look like in perhaps strong cases.

This type of task is tougher these days because information is screaming at you everywhere including dinner trays at the airplane, WTF. You put down the dinner tray to eat and you see an ad for something. Seriously? lol. But, I digress. We want things FAST today. And, just for the record, when you are young you want everything fast, no matter which decade you live in. That is no secret anymore. But, you must remember about the kid right now in his room without an iphone in his hand who is shredding the hell of his guitar. These guys or gals will always be there no matter what is happening. I can spot them a mile away. Some people are naturally wired that way, some have to figure it out and hone down forcefully on what’s important.

As a side note, please don’t always think that playing in front of 5000 people is the only success. This is where you turn off the internet and take a breather. If you are living an adult life and you have a guitar is your hand 4-5 evenings a week while enjoying the heck out of it – this sounds pretty successful to me, too.

Think about it. Now, go knock 2017 out of the park.