For today’s free guitar lesson, we’re going to use just one chord shape — E major — and create the four most common chords in Western music with it. In a couple of minutes we’ll be able to play literally…
Category: Video
Featured Guitarist Video: Peter Green
Long before the Fleetwood Mac was breaking album sales records with “Rumours”, they were fronted by the talented and enigmatic Peter Green. Through his contributions in blues and rock, Green is still lauded for his excellent phrasing and creation of…
“Drifting” by Andy McKee (Featured Song)
This video, along with several of Andy McKee’s other songs, became an enormous YouTube sensation. Andy McKee is one of my favorite examples of a guitarist who has and continues to develop a highly unique style of playing. Clearly he…
Duel from “Crossroads” by Steve Vai and Ry Cooder (Featured Song)
SPOILER ALERT! This is the climax of the movie 1986 movie “Crossroads” (IMDb link here). If you are interested in seeing this excellent movie staring the Karate Kid (Ralph Macchio) as a young guitarist on an adventure into the world…
“Four Chord Song” by Axis of Awesome (Featured Song)
This Australian trio decides they aren’t internationally famous because they’ve never written a four chord song, and then shows us all what one (or dozens) sound like. This video is an excellent way to see how closely most songs are…
“Irish Tune Suite” by Dan Crary (Featured Song)
Legendary bluegrass guitarist Dan Crary delves into Celtic-style guitar in this solo piece played on a 12-string with an alternative tuning (not the standard EADGBE).
Hugh Laurie Rocks Out In San Francisco
As a long-time Hugh Laurie fan, I’m very sorry I missed this performance at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in Golden Gate Park last Saturday. I like Hugh Laurie’s recent release, Let Them Talk, but I have to admit that after years…
Singing while Playing Guitar: Divide and Conquer by Eliminating Variables
Singing while playing the guitar is a perennial headache for beginners. It seems to be this mysterious multitasking ability that the pros have and effortlessly throw out during performances. In reality, it just takes a bit of practice—and the best…
Gary Moore & Playing with Feeling
Gary Moore – The Stumble I was very sorry to hear when Gary Moore died in February. If I made a list of guitarists who convey the most raw emotion, Gary would be near the top. I don’t know how…
The LXM – A Great First Guitar
The first guitar I ever played was an enormous musical brick that had been sitting behind our couch for untold ages. Awful sound, awful resonance, body like a wax-museum figure, strings like high tension wires… I probably could have heated…