Guitar Lessons Tips Advice

Awful as it sounds, it’s the truth. But don’t let it scare you off. The highest number I’ve ever heard in the context of music is 13, so you don’t have to be a genius to figure it out. There are two basic numbering systems in music. One has to do with the scale, the […]

I think we all know the importance of chords when it comes to making music, but to really play well it helps to understand how chords work and how the notes in them are selected. They form the main structures of any piece of music. As a player who has taken part in more recording

Hi, fellow guitar enthusiast. See? I told you I’d be back. This week I’ve got three lessons for you, all relating to the same subject: Chord Tone Melody. I spent years and years learning and practicing all those scale and modes, memorizing box patterns, juggling Greek names around in my brain. I did that because

I’ve posted a new free lesson. I played it finger style, but the lesson is more about one particular flavor of chord — the Major Seventh. Not to be mistaken for those bluesy dominant 7ths, Major 7ths are those ‘pretty’ sounding chords that conjure up sunny days and good vibes. I’ve strung a few together

So much emphasis is placed on playing well with your fingering hand that often our rhythm hand technique falls behind the curve. For example; can you play faster and cleaner notes using hammer-ons and pull-offs rather than picking each note individually? Using your pick and choosing what strings to play is extremely important in developing

There are so many great techniques that have been invented on the guitar over the past 35 years that some of them just fall through the cracks and nobody really thinks about them anymore. This technique I’m going to show you today is an extension of the right hand tapping technique that Edward Van Halen

For the benefit of all those newcomers who are concerned that they are merely playing the mighty 7 like their old 6 and that they feel they ought to be doing more 7-specific work… Chord building is one of the best ways of coming to terms with the 7 strings as a whole. I have

I read Mike Overly’s bit about modes in an earlier edition of GNW. I thought my 7 string major scale modes template might be of some interest to those privileged few that wield 7 strings. As if there arent already enough names for the scales and their notes, wannabee and initiate theorists will be interested

This week I’m still trying to make amends for the old 7A bias (you will be pleased to know that I now spend equal time with each tuning) with this group of bar chords. Try replacing your tired old major & minor bars with these cool voicings…they will also help develop the stretch somewhat. The

One thing I like to do while I practice guitar is watch martial arts movies. There are probably three reasons for this. First of all, it gets my wife out of the room, which allows me to concentrate on my practice. Secondly, I like to practice mindlessly — just play the scales over and over