Everyone has their top books that changed the way they see things and go about their lives. Here are five books that not only changed my viewpoint, but also my approach and course of guitar playing—and none of them are…
Category: Guitar Lessons Notebook
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…
Discomfort and the Secret of Guitar Mastery
Becoming a decent guitar player is surprisingly easy. You just have to play for many hours—whatever music you enjoy—and after a while you’ll turn some heads. You’ll probably enjoy playing on your own or for friends, and perhaps have some…
15 Ways to Write a Song (Part 3)
And now, the final installment of songwriting ideas. Click here for #1-5. Click here for #6-10. Here are #11-15: 11. Collaborate: I’d venture the majority of well-known songs have been written by more than one person. Collaborating is excellent because as…
15 Ways to Write a Song (Part 2)
Another exciting installment of songwriting ideas. Click here for #1-5. Here are #6-10: 6. Try a new instrument or tuning: Just as with playing a new style or genre, playing a new instrument forces you to change things up. I…
15 Ways to Write a Song (Part 1)
One of the top songwriting questions is: Where do you start? Do you begin with a feeling? With lyrics? With music? In reality, there are dozens of ways to write a song, and while many songwriters have one preferred method,…
How To Get Really Good At Guitar As Fast As Possible
In addition to taking guitar lessons, the best way to ensure rapid progress is to practice regularly. I know from experience how easy it is to put off or forget to practice, and how tempting it is to play the…
7 (Unintentionally) Inspiring Guitar Movies
It’s probably impossible to come up with the perfect guitar/music movie list, but here are seven of my favorites. These aren’t all Oscar winners, but they all have their unique charms. For anyone getting into guitar, I hope these movies…