Guitar Purchase and Care Guitar Lesson
Guitar Purchase and Care
Lauren Passarelli offers up her wisdom on purchasing a guitar. She also includes information regarding proper setup and care.
Taught by Lauren Passarelli in Lauren Passarelli Artist Series seriesLength: 19:55Difficulty: 0.5 of 5
Supplemental Learning Material
Lauren Passarelli Artist Series
Found in our Beginner Lesson SetsLauren Passarelli is an accomplished musician, songwriter and teacher. She is currently a full professor at the Berklee College of Music.
Lesson 1
Lauren Passarelli Interview
This interview covers topics such as music theory, reading sheet music, songwriting, and music technology.
Length: 37:34 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
Guitar Purchase and Care
Lauren Passarelli offers up her wisdom on purchasing a guitar. She also includes information regarding proper setup and care.
Length: 19:55 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
Guitar Thoughts
Lauren Passarelli gives her thoughts on several important aspects of the guitar including holding the guitar, holding the pick, playing chords, string skipping, practicing, learning techniques and even...
Length: 20:17 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Time and Space
Lauren talks about the importance of rhythm and proper practice habits.
Length: 12:56 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Reading Music, Chord Spelling and Arpeggios
Lauren Passarelli is back with a behemoth of a lesson. In this lesson, she gives tips on reading music and provides a wealth of music theory knowledge including chord spellings and arpeggios.
Length: 39:26 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Pick Tricks, Learning Tips and Ear Protection
In this lesson, Lauren offers her thoughts on guitar picks, learning efficiently, and the important of protecting your hearing.
Length: 5:15 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Vocal Tips
Lauren Passarelli gives a few potent tips to improve vocal performance and longevity.
Length: 3:56 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Slide Guitar Tips
Lauren Passarelli discusses slide guitar and dishes out several quality tips.
Length: 4:58 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Songwriting Ideas
Lauren begins discussing the topic of songwriting. In this lesson, she talks about how one simple chord can be a foundation for an entire song.
Length: 13:03 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Chords and Rhythm
Lauren Passarelli gives some tips on playing chords and maintaining rhythm while doing so.
Length: 4:48 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Songwriting Ideas Part 2
Lauren starts off by talking about RAS (Retinal Activation Syndrome) and then moves on to talk about the inspiration that goes into creating a song and its lyrics. She also talks about indirect lines and...
Length: 16:56 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Songwriting Ideas Part 3
Lauren Passarelli returns with more ideas on songwriting. This time around she talks about chords and chord naming, writing lyrics and uses her own song "Playing With the Pieces" as an example.
Length: 11:09 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Simplicity and Songwriting
Lauren talks about how sometimes simple chords, progressions or licks can be used to create some of the most powerful songs. She uses two of her own original songs to illustrate this point.
Length: 17:12 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Using Song Ideas
Lauren Passarelli talks about the process of whittling down massive pools of songwriting inspiration into a single, focused and usable song.
Length: 10:04 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
All the Words
Lauren showcases her original song "All the Words" as a way of demonstrating how powerful an extremely "simple" song can truly be.
Length: 5:52 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Writing Lyrics
Lauren Passarelli talks about the process of writing song lyrics and gives insight as to where both lyrics and song names can come from.
Length: 8:11 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Writing Lyrics Part 2
Lauren returns to the topic of lyric writing with several more potent tips.
Length: 3:33 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Alternate Tunings and Songwriting
Lauren Passarelli discusses how alternate tunings can be used in the songwriting process and demonstrates her original song entitled "From the Water."
Length: 10:34 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Rhythms of the Sun
Lauren introduces her original song "Rhythms of the Sun" and uses it as a springboard to demonstrate how songs can come from nothing into fruition.
Length: 9:12 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Alternate Tunings Part 2
Lauren Passarelli further explorers the world of open tunings. In this lesson, she talks about DACGAD tuning and demonstrates two of her original songs.
Length: 11:09 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Two Original Songs
Lauren Passarelli demonstrates two of her original songs and uses them as examples to show how songs can be written.
Length: 10:44 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Sometimes
Lauren Passarelli introduces her original song entitled "Sometimes." She uses this song as a wonderful jumping off point to discuss how songs can be written.
Length: 8:54 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
The Dreams I'm Living For
Lauren Passarelli demonstrates her original song called "The Dreams I'm Living For" and uses it to discuss different songwriting techniques.
Length: 7:18 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
New Tunings
Lauren Passarelli introduces two new tunings. She plays two of her original songs to demonstrate how they can be used.
Length: 13:20 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
D to C Tuning
Lauren Passarelli introduces a new tuning in which the D string is tuned down to C. She performs her original songs to demonstrate how this tuning can be used.
Length: 13:04 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Nail Care
Lauren takes a short break from her songwriting lessons to discuss nail care, an often overlooked yet crucial subject.
Length: 4:25 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Mainly Distance
Lauren Passarelli demonstrates her original song called "Mainly Distance." Lauren uses this fingerpicking tune as a vehicle to talk about songwriting.
Length: 8:31 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
In the Style of Songwriting
Lauren first introduces one of her original tunes and talks about how it was written. Then, she moves on to talk about writing songs in the style of your favorite artist.
Length: 19:21 Difficulty: 0.0 Members Only
Lyrical Inspiration from Poems
In this lesson, Lauren talks about how classic poems and your original poems can be a fountain of lyrical ideas.
Length: 17:36 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
I Carry On
In this lesson, Lauren Passarelli talks about playing chords in random positions to find interesting sounds. She also discusses pinch harmonics and the effectiveness of palm muting. She demonstrates her...
Length: 7:38 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Warming up and Triplets
Lauren teaches a few chromatic scale fingerings that can be used as warm-ups. She proceeds to talk about interesting ways to conceptualize and count triplets.
Length: 13:20 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Warming up Muscles
In this lesson, Lauren talks about the importance of making sure the muscles in your wrist and forearms are properly warmed up before playing. She also talks about remedies for muscle soreness.
Length: 4:54 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Tuner Thoughts
Lauren Passarelli takes a brief pause from her songwriting lessons to talk about guitar tuners, which kind she prefers, and why.
Length: 3:12 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Song Imitations
Lauren Passarelli explains how a riff, lick, tuning or even chords from a song you like can be used as inspiration when suffering from writer's block.
Length: 34:23 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Song Inspiration
Lauren talks about some of the interesting places song inspiration can come from, including things as simple as refrigerator magnets.
Length: 16:54 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Song Demonstrations
In this lesson, Lauren demonstrates several of her original songs and describes the process she went through while writing each one. This lesson is perfect for songwriters looking for inspiration!
Length: 23:14 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Instrumental Songs
Lauren talks about the process of writing instrumental songs and demonstrates a few of her originals.
Length: 23:14 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Instrumentals Part 2
Lauren returns to the world of instrumental songwriting. In this lesson, she demonstrates three of her originals and talks about how they were crafted.
Length: 12:07 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Book and Movie List
Lauren Passarelli shares a list of books and movies that she thinks are valuable for any guitarist. She covers books and movies not only on the topic of guitar but also everyday living.
Length: 4:00 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Growing as a Musician
In this lesson Lauren Passarelli gives her recommendations on good ways to grow as not only a guitarist, but also as an all around musician.
Length: 10:37 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Tips on Performing
Lauren Passarelli gives a few tips on performing and then closes out her artist series with an original tune.
Length: 19:14 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
About Lauren Passarelli
View Full Biography
Lauren Passarelli is an award winning teacher & distinguished alumni from Berklee College of Music where she has been a guitar Professor since 1984.
Originally from Paramus, NJ, Lauren received a fantastic guitar foundation using the Alfred’s, Mel Bay, Harry Shearer & William G. Leavitt guitar books from her first guitar teacher, Lou Sabini.
Graduating in 1982 as the first woman to finish the guitar performance program, Lauren also became the first woman to join Berklee’s guitar faculty & first to be promoted to full Professor.
She’s a multi instrumentalist, vocalist, arranger, recording engineer & record producer & has worked with Cindy Brown, Sarah Burrill, Thaddeus Hogarth, Kate Chadbourne, Danny Morris, Pat Metheny, Elizabeth Lorrey, Nancy Beaudette, Melissa Etheridge, Jane Miller, Louis Arnold & many others.
Her students include Derek Sivers, founder of cdbaby, Panos Panay, founder of sonic bids; Will Knox; Kyle Patrick, of Click 5; Jesse Ruben & Rob Harkness, founder of Barn Productions.
Lauren specializes in creativity, composing, sight reading, the ability to groove, the music of The Beatles, alternate guitar tunings, song writing, recording, producing, arranging & Artist survival skills. She writes in standard & alternate tunings, plays slide & fretless guitar, and approaches the guitar as a mini orchestra. She has the ability to play funky riffs and sing counter melodies at the same time.
She endorses, Line 6, Wechter, Guild, Fender, Taylor, Godin, Washburn, Yamaha, Martin, Rane, Electro Voice, Crowley & Tripp, AKG, Audio Technica, Groove Tubes, Bose, DR Handmade Strings, D’Addario, Planet Waves, IK Multimedia, East West, Apple, Studiomaster, ADA Amplification, Marshall, Vox, ART & more.
There are hundreds of performances, clinics & interview videos on youtube featuring Lauren & her original music as well as Beatle covers while she was touring as the sound-a-like George Harrison.
She is the co-founder of Feather Records, Cotton Moon Music, Wizard & Feather Brown Productions & PassaBrown Studios.
Lauren’s music is available world wide on cdbaby, iTunes, Rhapsody, Pandora & many other sites. Her CDs include: “Among The Ruins” & “Shadow Language” under her band name Two Tru, “Back to the Bone”, New CDs coming soon ~ “Playing With the Pieces” & “Blast of Love.”
"Lauren Passarelli is a great guitar player" Pat Metheny.
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Member Comments about this Lesson
Discussions with our instructors are just one of the many benefits of becoming a member of JamPlay.That was exceptionally clear and useful. I didn't understand intonation until I saw this. Thanks!
I'm doing 9's because I stress bends, but inotation on fat E never corrected no matter what I did to bridge adjustment. After hearing this, I know I just need to use a slightly thicker 6th string to get that final correction. Thank You Lauren.
Thanks Lauren. Been playing more off than on since the 70's. I have fell into a couple of nice guitar's lately. Martin d12-18 and a Taylor. Had the Martin repaired but what a nice guitar it is the Taylor is not bad eather. Really good information. Look foward to more.
Hi Lauren! Love your teaching style. I was wondering what age do you think is a good age to start guitar playing/lessons for children? Also you mentioned wanting lessons at age 7...what inspired you to want to play so much at an early age?
I had a plastic guitar at 2 yrs old. Saw The Beatles on Ed Sullivan when I was 4. I wanted lessons real early. & seems to be a good age to start, unless you can find a very small guitar to seriously start at 5 if they're actually asking to learn. Depends on the person & the teacher.
that was supposed to read 7, not &
I really like how your videos are covering the minor things other instructors may not think to cover. It's really filling the gaps for me. I like how you showed setting the intonation, and I'm assuming you do that with each strong, not just the High E? It should produce identical results on the 12th fret? I have noticed some slight rattling from my low e string, I'm going to try raising it and seeing if that fixes the problem :S I've restrung it twice thinking it was a tension issue, and in the process, i'd break the string because I thought it was too tight -_-. I look forward to more of your videos.
I like how you went over the set-up process as well. Can you please explain how to sound the harmonic?
Right, you check the intonation on every string :)
Still having a listen to your talk, but I identify with your comments on guitar weight - I'm sure across the board for men and women alike - the physicality of the guitar is a major concern, but I've always wondered if for the longest time the guitar has been dominated by men is because so much of it seems to take a lot of strength. My teacher loves fat, fat, fat guitars - he has some that even he has trouble with - under his influence I bought a les paul style guitar for my first electric - not long before I was using muscle relaxants for my back. Switched out to something extra light and I am so happy. I just shake my head at him now - having accepted that I am a girl.
For me learning to play is heroic enough. I don't need to wrestle or tame the thing. I'm not into making my life harder in any way. I don't use hard to play anything, strings, picks, straps, heavy instruments. Nobody's keeping score. It's not like you'd get more points to torture yourself while you play. Though some people think this. I love ease, flow & joy rather than struggle.
Great information. A question I have is regarding string care. I have been told to use a product called Tone Finger Ease. What is your opinion of this product or similar products ( I have been playing for only 6 mos.).. Also , What are your thoughts about guitar polish and cleaners? Thanks, Harry
I haven't ever used finger ease. Jack O'brien a brilliant Luthier here in MA rec I use fast fret to seal the moisture in the fretboard after a nice humid summer. (With the strings off.) Then string them back on & it helps while humidifying. Lemon oil is good for the fretboard after a good cleaning. I clean the fret board & neck & strings with Dr Stringfellow string cleaner. Then if I'm changing strings anyway, see if the fretboard needs lemon oil. I use guitar polish, but really we're polishing the finish not the wood. Still they look so beautiful clean & shiny. Works of art these instruments. Yay for those who build these gems for us.
Thanks Lauren, that was extremely helpful, just bought a vintage ovation and needed some info on the action, string gauges ect. Everyone does such a great job, just thought I'd say thanks.
Thank you for mentioning it.
Lauren, thank you for these two lessons. I'm so on board and ready to see more! I just bought my second guitar last week, and what you said about string selection, action, and intonation all is very timely and helpful information. I have also just recently realized that I seriously need to think about humidity... I like your idea of humidifying the whole room rather than just each individual guitar. If you have any recommendatiosn on hygrometers or humidifiers, I'd love to hear them. Michele
Hi Michele, I have one humidifier from Sears, a big brown one & two from the hunter fan company. I also have a few $14 dollar ones from hardware stores that look like little space ships. They emit cool air. I've even had one in my car in the winter. Any will do & probably any hygrometer. The main objective is to keep your guitar from cracking & the frets from sticking out & getting sharp to the touch when the wood contracts from dryness. The nicer the guitar the more sensitive it is to these changes. I had two Yamaha 150 acoustics for decades that never complained about anything. They were totally reliable no matter what. But still for your own overall health, it's better to humidify. Our noses keep out the germs when the little hairs work. When it gets too dry they can't do their job.
Great lesson. Thank you for the information. I used to pay someone to set up my guitars, now I can do it myself.
great lesson lauren kep up the good work
This is really interesting... I bought an electric 3 years ago but didn't really feel comfortable with it and didn't really play it. I am heading down to HK soon, on my way to Nepal so might pick up an electric when I am down there as its gonna be cheaper than buying a good one in China (plus in HK it's not gonna be fake). This lesson is really giving me stuff to think about.
Thanks, Lauren, for the valuable information. I didn't know how to properly set up the intonation on my guitars. Now, thanks to you, I do. I'm looking forward to more of your lessons! Bob