Jazz guitarists have a unique style that sets them apart from other genres. From the big bands of the swing era to the bebop pioneers of the 1940s and beyond, jazz guitarists have always sought out the best instruments to help them achieve their …
How to Practice Scales on Fingerstyle Guitar
One of the practical problems I've had with fingerstyle guitar is figuring out the best technique for practicing scales. And the problem really boils down to this: what exact type of fingerstyle picking are you using? The techniques for your …
Continue Reading about How to Practice Scales on Fingerstyle Guitar
The 150 Top “Perfect” Albums (according to Reddit)
There's a fun thread on Reddit that got going when someone shared what they consider 'perfect albums', as in: ""Perfect" meaning you never skip any songs, the album flows seamlessly, and there's an overall theme." In an era of Spotify singles and …
Continue Reading about The 150 Top “Perfect” Albums (according to Reddit)
Tim Lerch, A Modern Master of Telecaster Jazz & Blues
Tim Lerch is like a mash-up of Bob Ross and Jeff Bridges... if they could play guitar like Ted Greene. Here's the quick backstory before I dive into why you should be following and learning from Tim Lerch: I discovered Lerch as many of us …
Continue Reading about Tim Lerch, A Modern Master of Telecaster Jazz & Blues
10 Steps to Learning a Jazz Standard on Guitar
Frank Vignola's course, "Jazz Standard Learning System", provides an efficient and thorough methodology for learning a jazz 'standard' song on guitar. Frank Vignola is a long-time favorite educator in the jazz guitar space, with some amazing …
Continue Reading about 10 Steps to Learning a Jazz Standard on Guitar
“Contemporary Latin Jazz Guitar” with Neff Irizarry
Neff Irizarry's new instructional book, "Contemporary Latin Jazz Guitar", breaks open the history of Afro Cuban latin jazz rhythms and how they work for guitar. Neff Irizarry is a guitarist, composer, educator, and author specializing in Latin and …
Continue Reading about “Contemporary Latin Jazz Guitar” with Neff Irizarry
The 10 Best Easy Fingerpicking Songs for Beginners
Learning fingerpicking guitar (or "fingerstyle guitar" as it's also called) can be overwhelming. You see YouTube's of people like Andy McKee or Tommy Emmanuel and you think, "not me". But playing this kind of music is like the …
Continue Reading about The 10 Best Easy Fingerpicking Songs for Beginners
The 10 Scales Used 99% Of The Time in Jazz Improv
Even if you haven't heard of Gary Burton, you've definitely heard the results of his teaching. Burton has been playing vibes (AKA the vibraphone) on jazz records for over 50 years, both as a side player and band leader, he's taught improvisation …
Continue Reading about The 10 Scales Used 99% Of The Time in Jazz Improv
‘mise en place’
'Mise en place' (French pronunciation: [mi zɑ̃ ˈplas]) is a French culinary phrase which means "putting in place" or "everything in its place". It's a good concept to apply to making music as well. The point of 'mise en place' in the culinary …
String Sling Review
The String Sling was designed with one purpose: to extend the life and vibrancy of your guitar strings. But it didn't stop there. The String Sling's development grew to encompass a number of other handy features as well. Let's take a look. The …
Furch Adds Bevel to Yellow and Blue Acoustic Series
Right before Christmas time, Furch updated their Yellow and Blue acoustic guitar series' with their Bevel Duo ergonomic feature. It's a welcome upgrade to these amazing guitars but... unfortunately it's too late for me since I bought my Furch Yellow …
Continue Reading about Furch Adds Bevel to Yellow and Blue Acoustic Series
Top 10 Fingerstyle Blues Songs for Acoustic Guitar
Blues songs are a mainstay of acoustic fingerstyle guitar, drawing on a rich tradition of acoustic blues players like Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters, and incorporating the contemporary sounds of players like Keb' Mo' or even John Mayer. …
Continue Reading about Top 10 Fingerstyle Blues Songs for Acoustic Guitar
Spitfire LABS Free Virtual Instruments are a Gift to Guitarists
I want to share with you something a friend recently shared with me: Spitfire LABS has free virtual instruments. And they're amazing. If you produce music, whether for yourself or for others, Spitfire's LABS series is an amazing set of free …
Continue Reading about Spitfire LABS Free Virtual Instruments are a Gift to Guitarists
This Reddit Thread About Being Nervous in Guitar Stores Will Help You Know You’re Not Alone
Have you ever gone into a music store to try out a new guitar, and just felt nervous? Maybe you were trying out an amp, or some pedals, or just shopping aimlessly. Why is it, when we turn up that volume, we all (ok, well, some of us at least...) …
