The Real Cost of Slow Progress: Why Your "Cheap" Lessons are Costing You Thousands

 Let’s face it: there are plenty of guitar hacks out there. You know the ones. They charge fifteen or twenty quid an hour, sit you down, hand you a generic chord chart, and tell you to "just practice it until it feels right." If you expect a magic wand to wave over your fingers and make you a virtuoso without doing the hard mechanical work, I suggest you contact Paul Daniels—he’s got a much better chance of making that a reality than I do.

If you want actual results, you have to stop wasting your time on random, unfocused repetition.

The Illusion of "Cheap" Instruction

I often have adult learners come to my studio in Leeds who have spent years stuck in a rut. When they tell me they’ve been taking lessons for five years at a "discount" rate, I do some quick math for them.

Let's look at the actual numbers:

• The "Cheap" Route: 5 years of weekly £20 lessons = £5,200.
• The Result: They still can't cross strings smoothly, their timing is wonky, and they are completely stuck.

Now compare that to studying with a professional, top-tier tutor. My rate is £40 per hour. Yes, it’s double the price of a bedroom amateur. But if you have a structured, diagnostic approach that addresses your specific physical bottlenecks immediately, you can iron out decades of bad habits in just a few months.

If you get a highly targeted lesson plan, practice little and often (around 30 to 40 minutes a day broken into focused 15-minute blocks), and use properly engineered materials, you will save years of frustration—and literally thousands of pounds in the long run. Paying for elite guidance isn't an expense; it’s a massive financial shortcut.

Why LGS Materials are Different: The Anatomy of a Designed Exercise

In my teaching, I am constantly striving for simplicity and clarity. I don't believe in rote learning—memorizing patterns blindly is useless. You need a "process" approach, where you are forced to think through an exercise to properly internalize it and learn to think musically.

Take my economy picking framework (what I often call the mother of all technical exercises). It’s condensed down into pure, pathy goodness to save you time and effort. Most players try to build speed by just picking faster and faster. They don’t realize that speed isn’t about the notes you can hear; it's about the pick resets—the silent, mechanical micro-movements you must perform to get the pick from one string to another smoothly.

If you take a simple six-note fragment of a major scale and move it across two strings, you immediately hit three distinct permutations:

1. Permutation 1: Starting on a downstroke on the first string (down-up-down), then crossing to the second string with an straight-through downstroke (down-up-down), returning with an upstroke (up-down-up) and a double-up across the string crossing [1, 2].
2. Permutation 2: Starting on the middle note of the scale (up-down-down across three strings) and returning with an upstroke [2].
3. Permutation 3: Starting on the end note of the string, which forces a double-down to begin, then returning with a down-up-up stroke [2, 3].

These aren't just random scale shapes. They are diagnostic tools. When you play these with a metronome, any slight mechanical weakness, any awkwardness in your string crossings, or any issues with your squeeze-and-release note length control will be instantly exposed [4, 5]. If your note length is clipped, your timing will sound wonky even if it’s rhythmically even [4].

By engineered design, exercises like this—along with our technique building series like Digital Hell—find your weak spots and systematically iron them out [5].

There Is No End Goal, Only the Journey

When you come to Leeds Guitar Studio, I will always be completely honest with you about your abilities and your goals. I take my reputation as a teacher seriously. I won’t let people pass themselves off as my students if they've only had half a dozen lessons and haven't put in the practice.

But if you are willing to enjoy the process, embrace structured practice, and use materials designed to solve mechanical problems rather than just feed you tabs, your playing will transform.

Are you ready to stop messing around and actually master your mechanics? Get your metronome out, get it smooth, and let's get to work.

www.leedsguitarstudio.co.uk

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The Missing Link in Guitar Practice: Why Ear Training is Your Secret Superpower

 

When you think of standard guitar practice, what comes to mind? Running scale patterns, practicing speed drills, or memorizing chord shapes?

While these physical skills are important, there is one critical area of musicianship that is all too often neglected by both guitar students and teachers alike: ear training.

Without training your ear, you are essentially flying blind—relying solely on visual muscle memory (finger patterns and shapes) rather than musical intuition. If you want to break free from standard fretboard patterns and truly express yourself, you must build a strong bridge between your mind and your instrument.

“If you can't hear it, you can't play it.”

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The Ultimate Goal: Connecting Your Inner Ear to Your Fingers

The ultimate goal for any guitarist is simple yet profound: to hear what you are going to play, and play what you hear.

This is known as the connection between the inner ear and the fingers. When this connection is strong, you no longer have to guess which fret will produce the sound you hear in your head. Your fingers instinctively move to the correct note.

Developing this level of relative pitch—the ability to identify and reproduce a note in relation to a reference tone—is what separates mechanical players from expressive, improvisational musicians.

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A Simple 3-Step Relative Pitch Exercise to Start Today

You don't need hours of dry music theory to start training your ear. You can practice this simple relative pitch exercise, designed by guitar instructor Graham Young, using just a single string:

1. Play a Reference Tone: Start on any string (the G string is an excellent starting point) and play a single note. Let it ring out and focus on its pitch.
2. Make a Random Choice: From that starting note, randomly decide two things:
   • Direction: Are you going up or down in pitch?
   • Distance: Are you going up or down by a tone (two frets) or a semitone (one fret)?
3. Sing It Before You Play It: This is the most crucial step. Try to vocalize (sing or hum) the target note before your finger touches the fretboard. Once you've sung your guess, play the note to see if you got the pitch right.

Why This Exercise Works So Well

• It Uses Basic Scale Steps: Tones and semitones are the fundamental building blocks of all scales. By mastering these small interval jumps, you lay the groundwork for hearing entire solos and melodies.
• Randomness Prevents Predictability: If you simply practice major scales up and down, your brain relies on predictability. By choosing your intervals randomly, you force your inner ear to actively work out the pitch relationship without relying on a familiar scale pattern.
• It Scales with Your Skill: As you become proficient at identifying tones and semitones, you can increase the difficulty by adding other intervals, such as the scale steps of the harmonic minor scale.

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The Gold Standard: "Sing Everything You Play"

If there is one rule to take away from this ear training framework, it is this: sing everything you are going to play as you play it.

Developing a habit of vocalizing your notes forces your brain to internalize the pitch. Over time, this cements the "inner ear link," transforming your guitar from an external tool of wood and steel into a direct extension of your voice.

Stop neglecting your ears. Grab your guitar, pick a string, and start connecting your fingers to your inner musical voice today!

Leeds Guitar Studio

Multimodal Madness - add depth and interest to your solos with this approach.

Multimodal Madness - add depth and interest to your solos with this approach.

 

 

Figure 5.2.1 Multimodal Madness chord sequence

 

 

The harmony of the first four bars is derived from the 4th mode of A melodic minor over an ostinato riff in D. This implies a D Lydian dominant tonality. Bars 5-7 are major scale derived and the final Eb7#11 is derived from Eb Lydian Dominant a semitone up from the opening bars.

 

Bars 1-2 Mode 3

Before proceeding it is worth discussing exactly how I conceive mode 3. Here is Messiaen’s own definition from the ‘Technique’:

"It is transposable four times, as is the chord of the augmented fifth. It is divided into three symmetrical groups of four notes each. These "tetrachords," taken in ascending movement, are divided themselves into three intervals : a tone and two semitones.“

My conception of it is more guitar-centric, thinking of it as three groups of a tone, semitone, each of which are separated by a semitone. This reflects the geometric fretboard patterns that are formed if one arranges things in the standard 3 note per string way. However, due to the repeating, symmetrical nature of the mode there are many ways of organising any symmetrical mode across the neck.

 

 

Figure 5.2.2  Mode 3 three note per string fretboard diagram

 

This practice will emphasise certain intervals within the mode and draw out different sounds making it endlessly multifaceted. Once metric and harmonic placement is factored into the equation then the possibilities become even greater. As there is a larger palette of notes to draw upon, the aural effect of a particular transposition can be manipulated. By careful note choice and intervallic shape relative to the harmony it is being superimposed upon the improvisor/composer can sway the listener’s perception of how far in or out the line is from the harmony. Once again, we come back to Messiaen's own well-worn phrase, The charm of impossibilities. Holdsworth also alluded to this in various ways over the years.

 

Bars 1-2: Mode 3

Utilising a symmetrical pattern derived from Mode 3 in C the line transitions into the melodic minor (Lydian dominant) for the second bar creating a pattern of tension and release.

 

 

Figure 8.2.2 Multimodal Madness bars 1-2

 

5.3 Harmonic congruence between the transpositions of Mode 3 and Cmaj7#5

 

Figure 5.3.1 Harmonic congruence between the Mode 3 in C and Cmaj7#5

 

Here we can see how Mode 3 C dovetails with the A melodic minor in part but not fully.  This analysis will look at two levels of congruence. The first in relation to the prevailing Cmaj7#5 chord and the second to the underlying Lydian dominant mode of the parent A melodic minor. Those notes found in the Lydian Dominant will be highlighted in blue. Those notes falling outside either the chord or Lydian Dominant will be described as extensions, altered or otherwise. Dominant extension notes marked in red and totalled to give an index of that mode's overall dissonance.

 

C  D  Eb  - contains the 3rd

E  F#  G  - contains the 5th

G# A# B - contains the 7th

 

Eb is the b9

Ab is the b13

 

In this instance the major 3rd axis of Messiaen's definition neatly correlates with the first chord. Interestingly the root of the parent melodic minor is avoided. Herein lies the charm and aural intrigue of this superimposition.

 

As Mode 3 yields three transpositions a comparative study is in order. Here we have the comparative congruency diagram for the first transposition starting on Db

The 1st transposition starting on Db

 

Figure 5.3.2 Harmonic congruence between the Mode 3 in Db and Cmaj7#5

                    

Db Eb  E - contains the 3rd

F  G  Ab - contains the #5

A  B  C  - contains 7th and R 

 

Db is the #7

Eb is the b9

F is the #9

G is the natural 11 - in conflict with the diatonic #11

 

The 2nd transposition starting on D

Figure 5.3.3 Harmonic congruence between the Mode 3 in D and Cmaj7#5

 

The 2nd transposition

D  E  F  -  contains the 3rd

F# G# A - contains the 7th

Bb C  Db - contains the Root

 

F is the the #9

Bb is the b13

Db is sharp 7 in conflict with the minor 7th

 

 

The 3rd transposition starting on Eb

Figure 5.3.4 Harmonic congruence between the Mode 3 in Eb and Cmaj7#5

 

Eb F  Gb   -  no chord tones

G  A  Bb   -  no chord tones

B  C# D  -  no chord tones

 

Eb is the b9

F is the #9

G is the natural 11

B is the natural 13

C# is the sharp 7 in conflict with the minor 7th.

 

 

Congruence index for each of the transpositions

 

	Non Lydian Dominant tones	No of Chord tones	Congruence index
C	2	4	7
1st transposition Db	4	4	5
2nd transposition D	3	3	5
3rd transposition Eb	5	0	0

 

The maximum number of non Lydian dominant mode 3 scale tones that are not chord tones = 5

Taking the number of non Lydian dominant tones from 5 gives a positive number indicator of congruence.

 

The maximum number of chord tones is 4 adding this to the non Lydian dominant number gives an overall congruence index where the higher the number the greater the degree of congruence.

 

The following video has the opening line replayed with the mode 3 element in every transposition.

 

https://youtu.be/SBPafcgEQfs

 

Although the preceding analysis goes some way to quantifying the relative congruence of each of mode 3’s transpositions ultimately, it’s down to the subjective opinion of the listener as to which is the most aurally satisfying. It should also be noted that in all this musical bean counting no account has been made as to how phrasing and rhythmic emphasis impacts on our perception of ‘in’ and ‘out’, ‘wrong note’, ‘right note’ and more simply right and wrong.

Having said that I would contend that the indexes marry up to the aural experience surprisingly accurately but again, this is purely subjective.

 Listeners versed purely in major key, pentatonic based music often struggle to come to terms with Holdsworth’s music and equally Messiaen’s language is still challenging to some.

 

5.4 Line analysis of Multimodal Madness

 

Multimodal Madness was composed as an exemplar for how Modes of Limited Transposition can be applied to a tonal progressive metal context. The precomposed lines serve as models upon which to develop gestural fretboard knowledge in conjunction with harmonic and melodic connections. This internalisation is an important step in the development of my own compositional language as they relate to the remit of this masters thesis.

 

Bar 7: Mode 3

Figure 5.4.1 Multimodal Madness bars 7-8

 

In bar 7 we see that given the correct transposition mode 3 can fit into a minor 7th tonality. Mode 3 starting on B provides all the chord tones of Bm7. The remaining notes are either expected intervening scale tones (C# and G would suggest an Aeolian mode choice) or are more unexpected tension notes. All of the non-chord tones function by virtue of the internal logic of the symmetrical mode 3.  

 

Figure 5.4.2 Congruence of Mode 3 B and Bm7

 

Bar 9: Mode 6

As alluded to elsewhere in this work Mode 6 can be thought of as a game of two halves. It is constructed from two tetrachords separated by a tritone, creating a symmetrical division that inherently resists full tonal alignment. As a result, its congruence with any given tonal centre is essentially split — each tetrachord aligns with tonal structures to varying degrees, but never completely, making the mode feel perpetually unsettled or ambiguous. This 50/50 split in tonal affiliation is what gives Mode 6 its distinctive, almost dualistic character. Mode 6 lines perpetually weave in and out of a tonality. In this instance the harmonic context are chords diatonic to the melodic minor, Cma7#5 going to E7. As the second chord is an upper extension of the first most improvisers would treat them as a single harmonic entity or tonal region.

This duality in Mode 6 mirrors a common trick among jazz improvisers, the practice of shifting a melodic phrase up a tritone and then returning to the original key. Just as Mode 6 is built from two tetrachords a tritone apart, this improvisational device exploits the inherent instability and ambiguity of the tritone interval. By momentarily shifting the listener’s harmonic frame of reference, the improviser creates a tension that is both surprising and structurally coherent when resolved. In both cases, the tritone functions not just as a harmonic dissonance, but as a tool for structural symmetry and contrast. This interplay between tonal centre, whether embedded in the scale itself or navigated in real time through improvisation, reveals a shared logic. On the guitar this results in more of the fretboard symmetry we see exhibited in many of the 7+ modes and particularly in Messiaen’s Modes of limited transposition.

Figure 5.4.3 Multimodal Madness bars 9-10

 

The C-F tetrachord notes are blue and the F#-B tetrachord notes are in red. Here we see those notes and their function in the prevailing harmonic context. Note the one uncoloured note at the end of the line and the subsequent final note suggesting a resolution into the diatonic Lydian dominant. The following diagram illustrates the dual functionality of the individual notes of mode 6 in relation to the two chords. This harmonic and melodic ambiguity is something I exploit as a composer in works such as Elisions and Articles of Faith.

Figure 5.4.4 Congruence of Mode 6 C/F# to Cmaj7#5

 

Bar 12: symmetrical shape

Figure 5.4.5 Multimodal Madness bar 12

The first two beats of bar 12 make use of tetrachords derived from Mode 2, but rather than being spaced a tritone apart, they are separated by a major third—mirroring the fretboard symmetry typical of Mode 3. This intervallic shift creates partial overlap between the two tetrachords, resulting in a blurred or ambiguous modal identity. The resulting sonority could be loosely described as a Mixonyphyllic mode, but it’s more accurately understood as a practical adaptation of the symmetrical scale approach favoured by many guitarists. Most notably, Edward Van Halen often employed this technique, moving scale shapes around the neck in repeating geometric patterns to generate unpredictable and harmonically ambiguous lines*. This was, in part, his way of emulating Allan Holdsworth’s use of symmetrical modes, albeit a more shape-based, tactile logic, grounded in the guitar’s neck layout. Van Halen’s well-known quote about ‘falling down the stairs and landing on your feet’ springs to mind here!**

This ambiguity is partially resolved by the line falling into mode 3 for the remainder of the bar. Thus, we have layers of tension and resolution as the bar progresses. Starting with overlapping repeating symmetrical shapes into mode 3 and its partial connection to the harmony and finally into the final resolved end note.

 

* Van Halen.E (1984). “Hot for Teacher”. (Song)- Guitar Tab | Lesson | Cover | Tutorial

**  Vancouver Guitar Lessons. (n.d). Eddie Van Halen's "Falling Down The Stairs...Landing On Your Feet" Technique. (Video)

 

 

Bar 15: Mode 2

Figure 5.4.6 Multimodal Madness bar 15

 

This line in Mode 2 functions in a similar way to the previous example in Mode 6. Like Mode 3, Mode 2 is also built from two tetrachords a tritone apart; however, their intervallic makeup differs, following a whole-step, half-step, whole-step (W–H–W) pattern. The line 'hooks' into the harmony by starting on the 9th, and through assertion and sequential patterning, it descends from the notes of the tetrachord that aligns with the chord (the 'congruent' tetrachord) into the notes of the contrasting, non-congruent tetrachord. This descent ultimately resolves on the first beat of the next bar, coinciding with a harmonic shift to the Eb7#11 chord.

 

Figure 5.4.7 Congruence of Mode 2 B and Bm7

 

5.5 Conclusions

This exemplar demonstrates how +7 scales, and the modes of limited transposition in particular can weave in and out of tonal harmony in a way that contradicts their inherent symmetrical nature and similarly the connections that can be made to more familiar diatonic scales.  Although the context may be very different this is the same interplay we see at work within the Messiaen examples discussed earlier. In the “Louange à l'Éternité de Jésus” the symmetry of mode 2 is used to weave in and around the prevailing tonal framework of the piano part. As the piece develops different transpositions are brought into play. This is highly reminiscent of Holdsworth’s modal juxtaposition approach to improvisation typified by the “Pud Wud” and “Devil Take the Hindmost” examples given earlier. 

 

Mechanics, Palm Muting, and the Rhythmic Mind

 

Unlocking Fretboard Power: Mechanics, Palm Muting, and the Rhythmic Mind

Great rhythm guitar isn't just about playing fast or turning up the gain. It is a fine balance of physical precision, sonic clarity, and internal rhythmic independence. In this post, we’re breaking down the essential mechanics of power chords and palm muting from Graham Young's Leeds Guitar Studio and introducing a powerful mind-muscle exercise—cross-rhythm tapping—to help you build the decoupling needed to execute these patterns flawlessly.

1. The Anatomy of a Power Chord

Before we dig into the picking hand, we need to understand what makes a power chord so uniquely powerful. In traditional music theory, a major or minor triad consists of a root, a third, and a fifth. However, when you run a full triad through high distortion, the close-voiced overtones can get extremely gnarly and jangly [1, 2].

To retain power and clarity, a power chord is essentially a chord where we omit the third [1, 2]. This implies the harmony without the muddy interference. The video outlines a few key ways to voice them:

• Root-Fifth: The most standard voicing, such as a C with a G above it [2].
• Fifth-Root (Inverted): Having the fifth below the root, like G below C [2].
• Root-Fifth-Octave: Playing all three notes (root, fifth, octave) for a fuller, thicker sound [2].
• Fretted Third (No Fifth): Omitting the fifth instead of the third (e.g., voicing B and G to imply G major), which is a common way to suggest harmony in rock riffs [2].
• Spread Triads: Playing a full major or minor triad but spreading it over more than one octave (for example, major third at the bottom and the power chord element above) to keep it from sounding too grungy [3].

2. Mechanics of the "Chug"

Executing a clean, driving "chug" requires very specific picking hand mechanics. Many guitarists struggle with palm muting because they rely on brute force, but the secret lies in wrist rotation and pick angle.

• Pick Angle & Edge: Do not hold the pick flat against the strings. Instead, twist it slightly so you are holding it at an angle, striking the string with the bevel edge of the pick [3].
• The Pecking Motion: Use a slight downward "pecking" motion that originates directly from your wrist joint, not your forearm [3].
• Finding the Sweet Spot: Place the outer edge of your palm over the first centimetre or so of the strings [3]. Moving your hand too far forward kills the notes completely, while keeping it too far back fails to mute them at all [4]. Finding that sweet spot is all about tactile feedback [4].
• The "Key in the Door" Rotation: When transitioning from a palm-muted chug to letting a chord ring open, do not lift your entire arm. Instead, use a rotational action coming from the wrist joint—like turning a key in a door—with a slight bounce upward and away from the strings [4]. This rotational movement allows you to return to the exact muting position effortlessly [4].

3. Breaking the Grid: Groups of Three

Once you have the physical mechanics down, the challenge becomes rhythmic. In The Power Chord Rhythm Study No. 5, the riffs break away from simple, straight-ahead rhythms by grouping notes in odd numbers over a steady pulse.

For example, in the main E-string chug riff, you start with three low E chugs followed by an open high E power chord [5]. From there, the riff shifts into groups of three: playing open E to F# (counted as a group of three: 1, 2, 3) then open E to G [5]. Similarly, the C power chord riff chugs on the A string in groups of three before resolving on beats three and four [6].

These syncopations are what make rock and metal riffs feel dynamic, but they require a high degree of rhythmic independence. Your brain has to keep track of a steady, constant beat while your hands are executing groupings that cross over that beat.

4. The Rhythmic Mental Hack: Cross-Rhythm Tapping

To master these shifting groupings, you have to train your brain to decouple your hands. If you only practice with a guitar in hand, you might compensate for weak rhythm with finger speed. Instead, isolate the rhythm itself with this dual-hand tapping exercise.

The Exercise Setup

Put down the guitar, sit at a table, and use your hands to tap out two distinct rhythms simultaneously:

1. The Constant Pulse (Picking Hand): Tap a steady, unbroken stream of 8th notes on the table using your dominant (picking) hand. This is your clock—it never speeds up, slows down, or pauses.
2. The Syncopated Groupings (Fretting Hand): With your non-dominant (fretting) hand, tap out repeating cycles of groups of 3s and 2s against that 8th-note grid.

Why This Works

By forcing your non-dominant hand to cycle through asymmetrical groupings (like tapping on every 3rd 8th-note, then every 2nd, etc.) while your picking hand maintains a relentless, even pulse, you are physically hardwiring rhythmic independence into your nervous system.

This mimics the exact mental load of guitar playing: your picking hand keeps a steady, automated "chug" going [4, 5] while your fretting hand and wrist rotation have to jump in on syncopated off-beats [4, 5, 6]. Once you can tap a 3-against-2 cross-rhythm on your lap without thinking, executing the shifting power chord riffs will feel like second nature.

5. Your Practice Action Plan

1. Warm-up with Tapping (2 mins): Spend two minutes tapping constant 8th notes in your picking hand and cycling 3s and 2s in your fretting hand.
2. Dial in the Chug (3 mins): Grab your guitar, find the sweet spot at the bridge with your palm [3, 4], and practice straight 8th-note chugs using the bevel edge of your pick [3].
3. Add the Wrist Rotation (5 mins): Practice chugging for four beats, then rotating your wrist ("key in the door" [4]) to let a power chord ring open, and immediately rotating back to freeze the sound [4].
4. Learn the Riffs: Slowly integrate the groups of three from the study, focusing on keeping that low E-string chug completely steady under the syncopated chord changes [5].