How Many Guitar Scales Are There? Exploring the Infinite Possibilities of Scale Construction

If you’ve ever stared at a scale chart and wondered how guitarists could possibly memorize all of them — you’re not alone. The short answer is: there are a lot of guitar scales. The longer answer is more interesting, and a lot more useful. Let’s look at what actually exists, what’s worth knowing, and what […]

Monkey See, Monkey Do Guitar

Years ago I spent a while in Liberia, West Africa and had all kinds of crazy adventures. For a brief time, I even had a monkey as a pet.  Crazy little dude liked to ride on the motorcycle with you…  If he were still around today, maybe I’d teach him to play a little guitar! […]

The History of the Acoustic Guitar: From Early Origins to Contemporary Times

The acoustic guitar has a rich and fascinating history that spans centuries and continues to evolve, remaining relevant in the music industry through its versatility, emotional power, and continued experimentation.

Acoustic Rhythm: Thumping? Drumming?

Lately I’ve been playing more acoustic guitar, and as a result, I’ve started experimenting with some new rhythm techniques. In today’s lesson we’re talking about adding a “thump” in between the strumming. To be honest, I don’t really know what to call this technique, drumming on your guitar? Percussive rhythm? Who knows, and who cares, […]

A Sweet Mark Knopfler Lick

Today’s guitar lick is inspired by one that Mark Knopfler played in Sultans of Swing. Specifically, the lick in the second verse after the “jazz goes down” line. That lick is played over an A major chord, and if you dissect it, you discover that all of the notes in that lick are simply straight […]

Another Nameless Blues Lick

I’ve gotta confess, it’s HARD to name guitar licks! I could just go with the lick of the week number, but that seems bland and boring. Or, I could describe what’s under the hood so to speak – today we’re using a the blues scale, a flatted fifth, a one tone bend, etc. But again, […]