Short Description: Classical guitarists don’t use picks, they use their fingers instead. Folk and Rock artists also love to fingerpick. It gives them unmatched freedom and versatility while playing a guitar. Read this article and you’ll learn how to fingerpick.

How many picks do you use when you fingerpick? Well when you fingerpick, you are using all five fingers as picks and instead of one you actually have five picks at your disposal. So, you can play more than one string at the same time. This is the benefit of fingerpicking.

They have given, so to say, each finger an alphabet. Thumb is referred to as P while index finger is called I. M, A and C are used to denote middle finger, ring finger and little finger in that order. If you find this very difficult to remember, just recall “Poor Idiots’ Memories Are Crap”.

Before you begin to fingerpick be sure you know the position of the strings in your guitar (E-A-D-G-B-E). The thinnest string is the first or high E string and the thickest is the sixth or low E string. Thus high E is the lowermost and low E is the uppermost string in your guitar. In between, from bottom to top, lie the four strings B-G-D-A.

Sling your right arm gently over the body of the guitar such that the fingers hang loosely over the sound hole. Place your thumb on low E and gently curl the other fingers. Your little finger will be hardly of any use. It is usually too small and weak for plucking strings. Now place your index finger on G, middle finger on B and the ring finger on high E.

Now use your thumb to pick strings low E, A and D downwards. If you feel it’d help, you may bend the thumb a little but pick the strings with fleshy part of your thumb only. After you’ve got a feel of strings E, A and D, start picking G, B and high E downwards with fingers poised over them. When you are sufficiently confident, start picking the strings upward.

There are certain important things to remember when you fingerpick. Never straighten your fingers - always keep them curled, and, as soon as you have picked a string, let it return to its original position. Use your fingers only while fingerpicking, try to keep the palm as still as possible. And if you find the strings ringing softly, try to pick harder for a louder sound.

Some players keep their pinkie free while some others plant it near the bridge for additional support. I have nothing specific to tell you in this matter. Do what suits you best.

It isn’t really a bad idea to grow nails on your picking hand. It gives a brighter sound.

Short Description: This article tries to clear certain misconceptions about sweep picking.

The arguments never seem to stop on whether sweep picking is indeed a desirable technique or it simply distorts the rhythm and precision that can be achieved through alternate picking. But before we take sides and try to shoot down those on the other side of the fence let’s try to understand what sweep picking actually is.

Let’s assume you’re playing a major scale having three notes per string. When you employ alternate picking technique you would go down/up/down right through the scale. But if you are sweep picking, you’ll pick down/up/down on the first string followed by DOWN/up/down on the higher pitched string and DOWN/up/down on the next string below it while ascending the scale. So, there will be two consecutive down strokes when strings are changed.

And while descending the scale, if you’re sweep picking you’ll pick up/down/up, UP/down/up, UP/down/up. Again you perform two same pick strokes consecutively while changing strings. This is the crux of sweep picking.

You must have learnt in school that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. The technique of sweep picking uses this elementary mathematical axiom and hence is the most logical way to pick. The guitarist goes directly to the string that needs to be picked without getting restricted by the strict down/up/down regimen of alternate picking style.

But some players tend to feel more comfortable while remaining in the predetermined pattern of alternate picking. They say it leaves them with more free time when they are improvising since the picking motion becomes almost automatic. I feel this to be more a matter of perception than any real problem.

There are also certain other common problems which many players face and generally tend to avoid sweep picking.

I’ve heard players complain of sloppy sound while sweep picking. This occurs mainly because most of them try to practice too fast. If picking is done slowly, the tones will become crystal clear. Speed can easily be achieved once the picking is perfect. The other problem is to mute the notes which are not played. Well, this can be easily done by using either the palm or the thumb to press the strings that are not struck.

You shouldn’t sound as if you’re strumming as your pick runs across the strings. Even though the arm moves in a continuous sweep, play the arpeggio slowly so that each note is roundly defined and clearly heard.

One of the stars of the guitar world is the Gibson Les Paul Guitar. A solid body electric guitar, the partnership between Les Paul and Gibson Guitars began in the 1940s. Lester Paul was a very popular guitarist musician of the time and was well known due to his radio show. In his spare time Les Paul also enjoyed playing around with the idea of amplification of the guitar sound and dubbing of various sounds over the top of others.

Les Paul had spent some time in his home workshop experimenting with the first concepts of a solid body guitar. Originally drawn to the idea of the sustain that might come from the solid piece of wood, there was also the notion that the sound of the strings would be more pure and unaffected by the acoustics of the hollow bodied design.

The “log guitar” was Les Pauls first home-made attempt at the solid-body guitar. It was a very simple guitar that unfortunately attracted more amusement than genuine interest. Its similarity to a strung broom stick didn’t help Les Paul but he persevered with the concept and eventually put forward the instrument to the Gibson Guitar company in 1946.

Unfortunately there was not a positive reaction from Gibson Guitars and they did not take his ideas and prototype seriously. However the continued development of the solid body guitar continued on around them and Gibson Guitars were forced to take notice when Fender Guitars released the first Fender Telecaster in 1950.

The urgency of the situation for Gibson Guitars was now apparent as besides Fender there were also other Guitar production companies doing their own solid body concept work. These were National, Richenbacker and Bigsby. So in 1951, Gibson re-contacted Les Paul seeking his assistance in design and promotion of a product for them.

Things obviously began to click at this point as this team remains so well known today after well over 50 years. Because of their collaboration, the Gibson Les Paul Standard Guitar was released in 1952. Gibson Guitars and Les Paul signed an agreement where Paul would have input to the guitar as well as endorse the end product. This was a 5 year contract for which he was to receive 5% of sales.

Gibson’s first ever solid body guitar was simply named the Gibson Les Paul Standard and it was released at a price of $210. The Telecaster guitar from Fender was on the market for about $180 - $190. The Gibson Les Paul Standard had a solid mahogany body which gave it a full warm tone and this was topped with a carved maple top which gave the sound a bright clear edge. The guitar was always simply referred to as the Gold Top because of its beautiful gold finish.

The 3 way selector switch was used to control the two single coil P90 pickups that were contained in the first Gibson Les Paul Standard. There was a volume and tone control for each pickup. There was a rosewood fingerboard on the guitar which was overlayed on a mahogany neck. There were mother of pearl, crown shaped inlays as position markers on the finger board. There as also a combined mechanism which was a bridge and tailpiece that attached to the base of the guitar on the original Les paul Model. This was basically the design that Les Paul had used for the previous archtop guitars. It was soon replaced in 1953 as being not needed or wanted on a solid body guitar.

With the growing market, Gibson soon released more models of its signature Les Paul Guitar. In 1954 they produced a cheaper model targetted at the beginner market which was called the Les Paul Junior. At the other end of the range was the Les Paul Custom with its gold hardware. This was the beginning of the golden age of the rock guitar. Gibson was closely aligned with the rock genre and was favored by many rock gods of the 60’s and 70’s.

Short Description: Alternate Picking allows you to pick the strings of a guitar really fast. You can learn the technique of alternate picking in this article.

Alternate picking is a method where you strictly pick in a downward and an upward motion alternately in a continuous run. When alternate picking is done very fast on a single note it is sometimes called tremolo picking.

By doing alternate upward and downward movement, you can economize movement of your wrist a great deal while you play the notes. So, it becomes easier for you to smoothly execute fast picking licks.

But before you get into the act of alternate picking get yourself a brand new pick - one which is neither too flimsy nor too thick and hold it between your thumb and forefinger with the pointed edge protruding outside in such a way that a third of it is visible. This is the most “common” way of holding the pick.

But legendary musicians have held it in their different ways and still been able to produce unforgettable music. So, my suggestion is hold it in a manner you’re comfortable with and see to it that you are able to execute the notes without much effort. That’d be the best way for you.

Don’t forget you are attempting to do a fast run. So where you pick the strings is very important. If you pick bang in front of the bridge there will be an additional treble added to all the notes but if you pick nearer the neck you’ll get a mellower tone. Depending upon the composition you’re playing choose the proper picking position.

The tone you extract from the instrument has a great bearing on the overall impact of your performance. A pick held parallel to the strings gives you a clear tone. But if you hold the pick at an angle and “slice” the strings, the tones won’t be so crystal clear.

There are obviously two basic movements in alternate picking - the upstroke and the downstroke. Some players keep their wrists stiff and do all movements from their elbow while others go for circular picking using their thumb and index fingers. But most of the players prefer moving their wrists for alternate picking. Here again there is no “best” approach. Whatever you feel comfortable with is best for you.

Start practicing with short repetitive patterns at a moderate tempo of 80 - 100 beats per minute. You may use a metronome to maintain the beats. Slowly but steadily increase the tempo to 160 beats per minute. When you can play flawlessly at this speed you may rightly congratulate yourself that you’ve become a true pro!

Short Description: This article teaches you the correct way to hold the pick.

Losing a pick is the easiest thing in the world. So, go get yourself at least a dozen picks to start with. They are available quite cheap - you could get a good pick at less than a dollar. These come in various shapes, sizes and color. Any shape would do, but go for the ones thick enough to withstand the rigors of sustained striking.

With the problem of choosing a proper pick over, let’s get down to the issue of how to hold it properly.

Relax your “picking hand” and let the palm face you. Then curl your fingers in a loose fist and rotate your wrist till you’re looking at the knuckle of your thumb.

Gently slide the pick between your thumb and index finger so that the pointed end protrudes outwards. It shouldn’t hang out too much otherwise you wouldn’t be comfortable while strumming. Ideally the back end of the pick should be somewhere behind the knuckle of your thumb. Roll open the other three fingers.

Hold the pick firmly but don’t clasp it hard else strumming becomes muted. It might slip off a few times in the beginning but soon you’ll be used to it. Just push it back if it slips.

Sling your picking arm gently over the body of the guitar and rest the pick on the third string just above the sound hole. Plant your other three fingers on the face of the instrument. Then, without moving your wrist, let your arm fall freely using elbow as a pivot. Stop the moment you’ve picked the lowest string. Repeat this exercise starting from the topmost string till you can strike all the strings as your hand falls across them. See to it that you aren’t missing any while moving down.

Now try to pick your way upwards, without moving the wrist of course. Just brush the strings as you move up. You might not be able to hit all the strings - you needn’t anyway. The up strum is usually “off beat” and always weaker than the down stroke. Repeat these movements till you’re comfortable holding the pick.

You’ll surely be surprised if I tell you Eddie Van Halen, Jimi Hendrix and Mark Knopfler had their unique styles of holding the pick. So, don’t be too fussy about the “correct” way of holding it. Just see to it that you’re comfortable while holding it and can pick the strings without too much effort.

Short Description: You’ll know how to hold a guitar if you go through this article.

When you’ve already bought a guitar and decided to master it, there’s no need to wait any more.

Well then, let’s go ahead and begin with the finer details of how to hold the instrument. Please, don’t cast an awkward glance, it’s indeed very important to hold the instrument properly, since, just like any other musical instrument, a guitar must be held properly to get the best out of it. Any awkward pose makes it really difficult to play even the simplest of melodies and you may soon drop the idea of becoming an accomplished guitarist.

The first rule is to be comfortable while holding the guitar. So, go get yourself a straight-backed chair and sit on its front edge with your back straight. Gently lift the guitar and place it on your right thigh with the strings and sound hole facing outwards. If you’re right handed, the neck should point towards your left. If you’re a left hander, don’t worry, you have Jimi Hendrix for company! Place the guitar on your left thigh and let the neck point towards your right. The neck should point slightly upwards; say 30 or so.

But these details are merely guidelines. It isn’t necessary to follow them to the last semicolon - slight deviations here and there which make you more comfortable are on and they won’t bring the heavens crashing down.

Let’s go to the next step and see how your arms should be draped around the guitar. The hand positions described here are for a right hander - it’d be just the opposite for a left hander.

Let your right arm lie over the guitar in a gentle way so that your fingers hang loosely over the sound hole. These fingers (rather, the finger tips) would strum the strings, so see to it that you don’t require a lot of wrist movement in order to reach the strings. There are cases where people have ended up with carpal tunnel syndrome by exerting too much effort on their wrists, so, once again, be comfortable while holding the guitar.

Let’s now see how you place your left hand or the “fretting” hand, as it’s often described. The reverse side of the neck is curved. So your left palm fits snugly over it. Bend your fingers till you can freely press the strings with your fingertips.

But what would the poor thumb do being left alone as it were! Let it arch over the neck while you’re constructing chords. But when you’re playing scales keep it at the back of the neck. These are general guidelines, the watchword as always is comfort and ease while you hold a guitar.

Scales are the key to advanced-level guitar playing. Here are the steps to mastering your scales and turning them into shreddin’ lead guitar:

1) Learn and memorize each of the five pentatonic and seven diatonic scale patterns. Needless to say, this isn’t going to happen overnight. Play each pattern straight from the lowest note of the pattern to the highest note of the pattern and back again. Don’t do anything tricky with the pattern. Play each pattern starting as low on the neck as possible (open string or first fret), play the pattern across all six strings and back, then move up one fret and repeat the same pattern. Continue to move up one fret at a time until you’ve played the pattern at every fret you can comfortably play. Consider this one “round” of playing a pattern. It may take you 10 or 20 or more rounds to even begin to become fluent with the pattern. Personally, I put in hundreds, probably thousands, of rounds of each scale pattern over the course of a few years in my teens and early twenties. In all honesty, that’s what it takes.

2) Then start working on the patterns using exercises - the kind that have you play sequences of scale notes that are not just playing straight from the lowest note to the highest note. Exercises like this can be found on the net, and there are dozens of them in my course, Logical Lead Guitar, demonstrated on DVD and written out in tab and notation. These exercises help you to become fluent playing the scale patterns in a non-scale-like fashion. And this is the all important bridge to actually being able to play lead guitar.

3) Next, begin doing what I refer to as “puzzle locking exercises.” Scales fit together in one key up and down the neck like puzzle pieces, so you have to work on sliding from one scale pattern into the next pattern without going to the wrong fret. That’s why I suggest these “puzzle locking exercises.” There’s a ton of them in Logical Lead Guitar, on DVD and in tab and notation.

4) Learn a melody - something really easy and familiar, such as “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” - in each of the scale patterns. No matter which melody you choose, you’ll find that it’s probably easier to play that melody in some scale patterns than others. After you’ve attempted enough different melodies, you’ll usually find that there are certain melodies that work best in each of the five pentatonic or seven diatonic scale patterns, and not quite as well in the other patterns. And at first you might think that there are only a couple of patterns in which most melodies can be played very easily, and most of the other scale patterns are not so useful. But with time - and with the exploration of more melodies - you’ll find that every one of the patterns has its strong points.

5) “Noodle around,” as I call it, in each of the scale patterns. Plan on doing a lot of this, if you really want to become fluent at improvisation - creating your own unique solos - instead of simply knowing how to play other guitarists’ solos. By noodle around, I mean that you should spend five or 10 minutes straight playing any and every simple, or even silly riff or melody that you can find in one pattern. Then choose another scale pattern and do it again for five or 10 minutes. You can easily do this unaccompanied, or you can put on a CD of some song by your favorite artist and play over the top of them. Really, you should use both techniques to really learn your chops. Actually, after you’ve done this a few times and have begun to feel comfortable doing so, it becomes kinda fun!

6) After doing plenty of noodling around in each of the patterns, you should have begun to find specific licks that work really well only in one specific pattern. You need to catalog these licks, at least in your mind, if not by writing them down (in tab or sheet music) or even by recording them so you can refer back to them in the months ahead.

7) Begin learning solos from your favorite artists, as close to “note-for-note” as you can. Use any resource you must to get the solo correct in the beginning - free tab off the Internet (many, if not most of these, are incorrect, however); the very accurate songbooks published by companies such as Hal Leonard, Mel Bay, Warner Bros., etc.; DVDs, such as the awesome Signature Licks series by Hal Leonard; or even from a teacher or friend. And here’s a hint: If you are closer to beginner lead guitarist than expert, don’t waste your time trying to run before you can walk. Whether you want to or not, you really need to learn simple, slower solos before you’re going to be able to tackle something by Joe Satriani or Eddie Van Halen or Metallica or Avenged Sevenfold. Don’t bother trying to fool yourself, you’re just wasting time. Learn a couple of simple solos, then move up to intermediate solos, then start working on the harder stuff.

The acoustic guitar has been around for centuries and is one of the most beautiful instruments available on the market to date. They range from the crummy plywood copies that you see in a pawn shop to the high end masterpieces that cost upwards of $15 000 - $40 000. This leaves a guitarist between a rock and a hard place with a lot of questions.

What qualifies as a great acoustic? Do they have to cost that much money? What makes up an acoustic? All of these questions and more will be answered in today’s newsletter. Join us as we enter the acoustic world.

In this edition:

In addition to answering the above questions, we’ll examine some great guitars that are affordable and offer amazing quality. Learn what to look for when shopping for a guitar and how you can get an instrument that fits your budget.

We’ll also answer some great questions in the Feedback Booth. Without further adue, let’s get started!

The Guitar That Started It All.

In the beginning.

We’ve all dreamt of that moment where we’ve finally saved up enough cash to get our dream acoustic. Whether you just want one on the side to enhance your playing skills, or you want to be known as the best acoustic guitarist the world has ever heard, you need to know what you want.

I remember the first time I saw an acoustic guitar that was priced at over $3000. My jaw dropped as I picked it up and began to play it. In my head, I just had to have this guitar. As I became more accomplished, I ran into more guitarists who paid upwards of $4000 for their axe’s.

This seemed so unreasonable to me. Why did these guitars cost so much? What made them better than that $3000 “Professional” electric guitar? How could a guy like me get a good acoustic that could give me professional results for less money?

All of these questions rolled through my brain. When I started to research acoustics a few years ago, I soon learned of the complex construction and craftsmanship that goes into a well made acoustic. Unlike many electrics, building an acoustic involves far more than cutting the wood and sanding it to shape.

Internally, there is a lot that the eye doesn’t see. Some of the finer attributes include bracing, wood choice, various joints, neck construction, and many other little touches that make a big impact on sound. All of these things take time to do, and a talented luthier to do them right.

The bottom line is that you get what you pay for. With lower end guitars, machines do all of the work. This makes for fast and easy production. They are reliable and somewhat precise, which usually gives people like you and I a half decent guitar to play.

However, if there’s a lemon to be produced, it is usually traced back to a faulty robot. This is why the higher end guitars are mainly made by hand.

The more human contact, the finer the instrument. When you add up the cost of materials and craftsmanship, it’s easy to see how the price skyrockets for some of these guitars. It’s not unlike a custom motorcycle. You’ll pay up to four times the cost but in the end you get something that fits you and is made from the finest parts.

The good news is that you can get great sounding acoustics for under $1000. You just need to do some research of your own and be patient when shopping. While many professional guitarists think that a professional acoustic starts at $5000, I firmly believe it starts at your finger tips.

Learn how to play well and you can make a $600 acoustic sound far more expensive. Keep this in mind and don’t get bogged down by the music industries version of cool. We’re going to run through the different components of an acoustic guitar and you’ll be left with a new outlook on what qualities to look for in an acoustic.

Types of acoustics.

As you may have noticed already by walking into your local music store, there are many different kinds of acoustics out there. Some can act like an electric guitar, while others have 12 strings. Each class of acoustic has it’s own purpose and produces a different tone.

The unfortunate thing about acoustics is that many guitarists buy them not knowing what they’re buying. Perhaps you’re style leads you to want to do plenty of on stage performances but the guy at the music store said you’d be fine with a regular acoustic without a pickup system. You’d just have to mic it.

However, you end up getting a lot of feedback as a result and spend more money in the long run because you ended up putting an additional pickup system. While the mic setup may have been the first choice for someone else, it didn’t fit your lifestyle.

This doesn’t have to be you! Lets take a closer look at what is available to us.

6 String Acoustic - This is the most popular acoustic sold on the market today. The prices range from the cheap to the extravagant. It uses six steel string to give it a more sharp attack to the notes.

12 String Acoustic - This acoustic consist of 12 strings, each one smaller than the acoustic strings. Essentially, each pair of strings has one tuned to the regular tuning and the other tuned to it’s octave. This produces a very nice chorus effect, giving the impression of two acoustic guitars playing at once. They aren’t good for starting off on as they tend to require a little more technique and finger strength to hold all of the strings down at once.

Classical Acoustic - The classical has been around for quite a while. It has three nylon strings and three steel. This makes playing it a breeze. The neck is considerably thicker than its 6 string steel counterpart but is great for a number of styles. Has a much mellower tone to it, which can be a plus or a set back depending on what you intend to use it for.

Acoustic/Electric - The acoustic electric is simply a six string acoustic with a pickup placed inside of it so you can amplify your acoustic. You can do this for classical or steel string. Some come with a pickup while others require you to buy them. Great for playing in public.

1) Draw neck diagrams and label the note names on the strings. This will improve your knowledge of the instrument, and solidify your ability to quickly jump to any note (like when a fellow musician tells you it’s an A chord). Start with just one string, such as the low E string, and label every note: E, F, F#, G, G#, etc. Do this a few times for each string and you’ll soon know your way around the guitar sooo much better than you do now!

2) Draw more neck diagrams and fill in scale patterns. You know that old joke about the school teacher making you write something stupid (I will not chew gum in class.) 100 times on the chalkboard? That teaching method may not have successfully kept you from chewing gum, but it will successfully help you memorize scale patterns.

Draw neck diagrams and put dots on the diagram in the shape of your five pentatonic patterns and seven diatonic patterns. Do this repeatedly, until you drill those patterns into your brain. Even without your guitar in hand, this exercise will improve your ability to memorize the 12 basic scale patterns you must know to play pro-level lead guitar.

3) Give your fingers a workout with a stress ball. A tennis ball, or any other squishy ball will work too. A big part of playing guitar satisfactorily lies in the development of the muscles in your fret hand and wrist. You’ll recognize this fact real quick if you pick up an acoustic guitar and try to play lead guitar. You can do this at work, at school, or anytime actual playing is not an option - and it will improve your playing abilities!

4) Analyze the tablature in your favorite artists’ songbook. Learning to read the most advanced tablature notation is not much easier than learning to read the actual sheet music - and it takes practice. Don’t forget that there is usually a key to all the weird symbols - all those arrows and squiggly lines - in the back of many, if not most, song or method books. Study that key until you know what is meant by all those symbols, and then actually read through a few songs - all the way through. Your tab reading will become a whole lot easier after you’ve done this a few times.

5) Better yet, work on reading sheet music instead. It’s not really as hard as it seems, but it absolutely takes practice. And sheet music has one huge advantage over tablature - it can tell you the actual rhythm of the music, which most tab does not. Start with easy stuff, such as a Guitar Method 1 type book where all you’re expected to read is quarter notes and half notes, and only the notes as they fall on the low end of the neck in the key of C major (no sharps or flats to worry about!). Then work your way up from there.

Learning to read sheet music is a skill that can be built one step at a time, one new concept at a time. And you can practice reading without a guitar in hand, by simply picking up any piece of sheet music and literally reading it as if the notes were printed alphabet letters put into phrases and sentences, just like the ones you’re reading right now! Understand that becoming really adept at sight-reading may actually take months or years, so be patient with yourself. But you’re planning on playing your guitar for decades, right? The extra effort will pay off a thousand-fold!

If you’ve been raving, spitting and cursing because you have iPod problems, you probably need some tips to set you on the right track. We all know iPods are supposed to be fun and easy to use, and it’s no fun when the thing doesn’t work quite right. The good news is that most problems with iPods can be fixed.

The problem that scares people the most with their iPods is when the sad iPod face shows up on the screen. This can lead you to believe that your beloved iPod is dead.

Don’t make the mistake of assuming your iPod can’t be revived. Don’t lose hope yet, because there are ways to bring your iPod back to a functional state.

Depending on which iPod model you have, the methods for bringing your iPod back to life vary. In most cases you will start by pushing the hold button.

When you are finished, hold “menu” and “select” at the same time. Your iPod should be up and running again in no time.

But naturally, the sad face syndrome isn’t the only problem you might experience with your iPod. Maybe you can’t seem to get your iPod and computer to talk to each other.

When that happens, you’ll want to make sure that all cords and cables are connected correctly. This is a usually a quick fix once you discover what the problem is.

Sometimes iPod problems have less to do with the device being flaky and more to do with a lack of something you were hoping for. Maybe you hoped your iPod had speakers so that you wouldn’t have to wear headphones. If so, you could try buying iPod accessories.

Another common problem with iPods is that they can easily get scratched and dinged. You can protect your iPod by buying a case for it.

If you shop around, you can find a wide variety of accessories that will enhance your iPod experience.

No matter what iPod problems you have, you’ll definitely need a place to find the answers. It can be very helpful for you to visit online websites in order to find all the help you need.

The instruction manual can also give you lots of helpful information to troubleshoot your iPod.

Your iPod will last for a good long time if you make sure to take care of it. Most problems you have with your iPod can be solved very quickly and with little effort. Don’t give up, the information is out there!