One of the simplest—but most overlooked—ways to improve your guitar playing is by vocalizing while you practice. Speaking out loud engages your brain differently than just thinking about what you’re p...
Have you ever noticed that so many songs sound familiar—even when they are in very different styles? That’s because most popular songs of the past 50 years are built on just four chords: the I (1st), ...
One of the common struggles I see in guitar players is this: “Should I follow a structured method, or just play songs and riffs I enjoy?”
Some students lean heavily on method books and exercises. Oth...
One of the biggest frustrations beginners face is this: “I know some chords, I know some strumming patterns… but I still can’t play a whole song without stopping.”
If that’s you, don’t worry—you’re n...
If you’ve ever felt like chord changes are the single biggest roadblock in your guitar playing, you’re not alone. Almost every beginner hits this wall. The moment you finally get one chord sounding ri...
Learning guitar is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming at times. Many beginners end up frustrated not because they “lack talent,” but because they unknowingly fall into common traps that hold ...
The capo is one of the simplest tools you can buy for your guitar, but it's powerful. It can make songs easier to play, open up new sounds, and even help you write music in fresh ways.
Let’s break do...
If you’ve been playing guitar for any amount of time, you’ve likely had a run-in with barre chords. For many players, they’re a frustrating roadblock—you press down hard, your hand cramps up, and the ...
This week I was teaching an adult student how to play the following arrangement of Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door:
This arrangement is by Chris Murrin of the YouTube channel Six String Fingerpicking. He...
You sit down with your guitar. You’re ready to play.
But then you pause.
“What should I work on today?”
It’s a common struggle of guitar learners: not knowing what to practice.
You want to make mus...
As someone who teaches guitar, it might sound strange for me to say this, but guitar lessons aren’t for everyone. At least, not right away. If you’re thinking about signing up for lessons, it’s import...
Life gets busy. Work, family, errands... Sometimes it feels impossible to carve out time for guitar practice. But here’s the truth: you don’t need hours a day to get better. Even 10 focused minutes ca...