(Image courtesy of Paul Reed Smith Guitars.)
On the most recent Vans Warped Tour, PRS artists definitely made a statement with a wide variety of guitars. PRS recently spoke with Miguel Cardona (Sylar), Pat Dimitri (Andy Black & Watsky), Mason Gainer (Bad Seed Rising) and Sam Bowden (Neck Deep) about their advice to new players, which you can check out below.
"What advice do you have for guitarists just starting out?
Miguel Cardona: Keep playing! Never stop playing. Practice, Practice, Practice! Don't be like Allen Iverson...he never won a ring.
Pat Dimitri: I guess... be patient! If you practice diligently and intelligently you'll get to where you want to go, but nobody gets where they want to go as fast as they want, so you have to be willing to be frustrated. At the end of the day, everybody is terrible when they first pick up an instrument - even those who are more naturally gifted than others (and I certainly was NOT naturally gifted). So as long as you don't put the instrument down, you put yourself in a position to succeed.
Mason Gainer: If you're just starting to play guitar my only advice would be to practice every chance you get, learn every single one of your favorite songs, write your own songs, and just have fun with it. That's what I think music is all about.
Sam Bowden: Don't pass on learning some theory. When it comes to writing songs, knowing a decent amount of scales or theory behind extended chords will go a long way. I never went too deep into it, but that's something I regret and advise. Also don't be afraid to write music. Even if it's your first go and you hate it and think it sucks, keep going. You only get better the more you put into it."
This excerpt and more about the PRS artists on the Vans Warped Tour can be found here.
