Articles

Learning anything is an individual pursuit. By nature we all learn at a different pace and through different methods. Some of us can’t stand the thought of classroom instruction while others need the structure of a classroom to focus and learn anything. I’ve always been self-taught. It’s the way I work best. Guitar class never …

Shredding is a term used to refer to a type of lead guitar playing that involves very fast runs using techniques such as tapping and sweep picking. Some of the best know shredders include Paul Gilbert, Yngwie Malmsteen, Dimebag Darrel, Michael Angelo, Zakk Wylde, Randy Rhoads, and Eddie Van Halen. Shred guitar requires speed, dexterity, …

The first thing you need to do to learn to play guitar is to buy a good guitar. I don’t mean this in a sarcastic way at all. When I suggest buying a good guitar, I do so to help you avoid the frustrations I know the frustration that comes with buying a cheap, poor …

One of the most important thing about learning to play guitar is actually buying that first guitar. The goal, of course, is to buy the best you can afford. Your first guitar doesn’t have to be expensive for you to be able to learn to play, but the better quality the guitar, the easier it …

I wanted to play guitar the minute I heard Ace Frehley play in KISS. He certainly isn’t the most technical guitar player ever, but he does have a style and he knows the role of the guitar in music. Any good guitar player has these characteristics. Picking your favorite guitar player isn’t always easy. There …

A chord is a series of three notes or more. Major chords are made from the first, third, and fifth notes of the corresponding major scale of the same name, minor chords are made using the first, flatted third, and fifth notes, a seventh chord is a major with the seventh note of the scale …

Pop songs, ballads, country, classical, folk, and old standards are all song genres that have Acoustic Guitar Songs. In recent years unplugged shows have become popular, where classic rock and metal bands present songs originally written for electric guitar on acoustic. What constitutes a good acoustic guitar song? This is a question that’s hard to …

If you’ve ever visited a music shop that carried a wide range of guitars and other instruments, you may have come across what’s referred to as an “archtop” guitar. As its name suggests, an archtop guitar is one with an arched, or curved, top, and it’s usually either acoustic or semi-acoustic (a semi-acoustic guitar is …

There are some qualities that every professional musician has, regardless of what instrument or style they play. And no, it’s not that all of them were born with it or have a natural talent; while some people can pick things up quicker than others, everyone started from the same place, which is as a beginner, …

Guitar licks are great for beginning guitar players to practice. They are repeating patterns that occur in many songs, so by learning only a few, you’ll have a better grasp of some of your favorite solos. Below, we have a few easy guitar licks for you to try out. They each came from a popular …