Where Does Tone Come From?

Where Does Tone Come From?

You may be surprised at how much power you literally have at your fingertips when playing the guitar.  Below are the top 5 factors in achieving great guitar tone.  These are listed in order of importance: #1 – Where you strike the string Right/strum...
Scales, Soloing and Improvisation

Scales, Soloing and Improvisation

One of the most common desires of aspiring guitarists is learning to solo or improvise.  It often boils down to this: “I want to play like that guy!”  In learning to play like [insert your favorite guitarist here], it will help to understand some...
The Language of the Guitar

The Language of the Guitar

If you’re new to the world of guitar, you may hear some terms and phrases bandied about that sound like people talking in a foreign language.  In many cases, these are simply ways to describe how the mechanical parts of the instrument are calibrated for the...
Getting Out of the Way

Getting Out of the Way

When you’re ready to branch out and play with other musicians, you’re likely to find lots of available guitarists.  Learning to blend musically with other musicians is an ongoing skill that can take years to develop and a lifetime to master....
All About Pickups

All About Pickups

Pickups may just be the most important factor in shaping a guitar’s sound.  Yet, they often get overlooked when choosing an instrument.  In this article, we’ll go over basic pickup types, how they differ and what guitars you’ll find them...
Learning to Solo

Learning to Solo

There are two primary approaches to constructing a solo on the guitar:  1) Work it out in advance  2) Improvise. Regardless of the method you’re using, it can help to think of the solo as a structure that has a beginning, a middle and an end and not...
Why I Love Epiphone Guitars

Why I Love Epiphone Guitars

John Lennon played an Epiphone guitar.  It was, and still is, called the Casino.  In fact, John Lennon played the same Epiphone Casino from 1965 through his remaining years with the Beatles.  The original sunburst finish was stripped off to a natural...