Introduction

Breaking through a plateau is a tremendous challenge in all walks of life. Whether you are a world class sprinter looking to shave off one more second or a guitarist looking to achieve the next karmic level of musical expression, breaking past a plateau requires a significant deal of energy and commitment. This article is written with guitarists in mind. Perhaps your playing has stagnated. No matter what you do, you are not making strides. All that is about to change. Read on and let me help you take your guitar playing to the next level.

When we start out as beginners, we acquire knowledge and ability at an astounding pace. We are in a constant absorbing mode. This rapid rate of progress instills in us positive reinforcement that strengthens our inner drive and fuels the learning fire even more. We find ourselves in a self sustaining nuclear reaction of sorts. But alas we fall victim to the universal truth that perpetual motion is only an illusion. We reach a plateau. Motion stops. Positive reinforcement turns to disenchantment. We let the guitar sit in a corner collecting dust. Eventually, we find the courage to pick up the guitar again and through sweat and perseverance we continue our quest for excellence.

Almost any accomplished guitar player will tell you that if you want to be a great guitarist, then you need to get out there and play with great guitarists or any other great musician for that matter. But what if you live in the Montanna wilderness or deep in the Canadian Rockies? Not all of us have the luxury of being able to play right alongside with other musicians. But the internet lets us come close. With the explosion of digital streaming services such as Rhapsody and iTunes, we can open ourselves up to a staggering variety of music that we might otherwise have never discovered.

Having tried several digital streaming services, I can honestly say that Rhapsody is one impressive piece of work. Perhaps its best quality is its staggering collection of obscure music and its approach to organizing the music in a very logical manner. Using cross referencing, Rhapsody lets you find similar artists to those you already know and like and you can take advantage of playlists created by other community members as yet another means to discover new music that suits your style.

I will show you the ins and outs of Rhapsody so that you will have a new means to master your guitar playing.

In the next section, Rhapsody - The Basics, I will help you get acquainted with the Rhapsody application. If you are already familiar with Rhapsody, then skip ahead to the last section, Reaching New Guitar Playing Heights.

If you don't already have a Rhapsody account, you will want to sign up for a membership so that you can follow along through my tutorial.