Blog

How To Use Pedals EffectivelyThroughout my years in the gear circus, I’ve noted a sharp divide between guitarists who do and don’t use pedals. This all or nothing mentality has contributed to a stigma on either side. You’ve got players who won’t practice without at least five pedals on (and half the time they’re fiddling to find the right tone), and you’ve got players who … read more

There’s something magical about solo guitar music.In Greek Mythology, It was Hermes who crafted the first plucked string instrument. This “lyre” proved so entrancing that it helped him settle a dispute with his brother Apollo, who would go on to master its secrets. The guitar has many ancient antecedents, the lyre being one of them, but it was the “vihuela” of 15th century … read more

The Sound of Guitars is Hard to DescribeOften, the words we use reflect our subjective preferences. Whether a particular guitar sounds “boxy”, “thin”, “earthy”, or “woody” usually boils down to a matter of opinion. That said, there is a certain thematic continuity in our diction. It would be unusual to hear an instrument referred to as both “dark” and “bright”. Let’s get m … read more

Ideally, practicing guitar should feel like a combination of playtime and meditation. Focusing too hard on one’s perceived goals can end in frustration and discouragement. Although everyone learns and refines their abilities differently, I have uncovered some approaches to the instrument that will hopefully inspire a few readers out of a rut.#1 Woodshedding: We’ve all … read more

At some point, most guitarists will tire of major and minor scales and start looking for something more “exotic”. After exploring the “church” modes, which can be committed to memory using the mnemonic, “I Don’t Play Loud Marshalls Any Longer” (Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian), one begins to wonder if t … read more