ION INDIE MAGAZINE October 2016, Volume 29 | Page 37

By Thomas Jenney Ph.D.
Hello guitar enthusiasts! This month I would like to share some helpful information pertaining to practice
habits. We all are very busy, and finding time to pick up our instrument and play can be difficult. One strategy
I use is to keep a guitar in every room of your home--tuned and ready--so as you stroll by you can pick it up
and start to practice. Having it in the guitar case under your bed keeps it out of your immediate reach. I
started doing this to get ready for my outdoor stadium show in October, because I want to play at an optimal
level, and not just coast doing scales I can play in my sleep. Another regime I find helpful is playing along to
the radio or sound cloud, especially playing styles that are unfamiliar.
I got a call from my friend, Dave Marko, to play guitar for country artist John L. Gall’s new album. I drove out
to his studio and laid down the guitar parts in about an hour, which were major scales and pentatonics in
“D”. Even though I don’t consider myself a country artist, I had so much fun! I started practicing my basic
“C”. “G”, “F”, and “D” chords to play bluegrass and country, and I am composing a tune in that genre to take
to Dave to record. You just never know, so stay loose and practice, practice, practice! See you all in
November! ~Tommy

ION Indie Magazine Columnist Thomas Jenney is an award-winning guitar virtuoso, playing with the Ohiobased band The Akronauts. He also serves as Pastor for Saint Pio Mission and additionally, is the
Founder/Executive Director of the Barberton Gallery of Fine Arts, where he promotes the arts in all mediums
and raises awareness for various arts-related causes.

https://www.facebook.com/BarbertonGallery
https://www.facebook.com/The-Akronauts-978880575541067
https://www.facebook.com/Saint-Pio-Mission-725722197462523