Recently an email from a high profile online guitar teacher reached my inbox. The message went on to praise all the advancements in recording technology and "how easy" it is to create your own home recording studio.

While everything this guitarist said was true, it failed to present the whole picture, so I thought it was about time somebody set the record straight! (pun intended)

What follows is a list of low tech, common sense attitudes relating to the recording scene that will give you the whole story. You can make up your own mind from there.

Myth: The myth created by the marketing people who promote music nstruments and recording equipment to the unsuspecting public goes something like this ...

" if you buy the latest brand "X", guitar, mixing console, digital processor you won't have to worry about learning to play the guitar ... everything will just work out fine and very soon you will be top of the charts."

Of course there are variations of this myth, such as "your only problem will be beating off large hoards of adoring groupies etc " ... but I'm sure you get the general idea.

Cost of believing the myth:

(a) Financial cost: Recording studios are like a "black hole" that have the capability of swallowing any amount of money you are prepared to throw at them! Expect to outlay anything from $600 to $12,000 to get started.

(b) Musical cost: The original role of the recording studio was to "capture an event" nowadays this concept has largely been replaced by the idea of trying desperately to "create an event".

No matter how you look at it a hack guitar player armed with two power chords and a pentatonic scale isn't going to produce much in the way of meaningful promote music.

Of course that's where layers of distortion and video clips come in ... they help distract the listener, at least until they buy the CD and get it home.

How many recent albums sound better without the video clip?

Reality Time:

Nothing can replace hard work ... if you asked me about talented players, I would have to say a talented player is one who has the ability to work harder than anyone else!

Benefits of going with reality:

Nobody can take away from you the skills and knowledge that you have acquired through your own hard work.

Everything in life has a price ... pay the price and it's yours.

A hack golfer with an expensive set of golf clubs is still a hack golfer!

I invite you to use these tips and tools when you play the guitar.