Diminished Chord Tricks on Guitar

Diminished Chord Tricks on Guitar

Posted by Robinson Earle on Sep 16th 2020

I once worked for a guy who enjoyed riding his bike around the showroom before we opened our doors for the day. He would weave his way through the guitar stands like it was some sort of demented driving test. It was his shop, so the rest of the staff just egged him on. I never saw him knock one down …
PRS S2 594 McCarty

PRS S2 594 McCarty

Posted by Robinson Earle on Sep 2nd 2020

PRS S2 594 McCartyIn the world of electric guitars, PRS is unique in their endless search for tonal and ergonomic perfection. While other guitar builder’s content themselves with simply offering stellar examples of classic designs, PRS has committed to reverse-engineering a vintage style of their …
In Defense of the "Self-Taught" Guitarist

In Defense of the "Self-Taught" Guitarist

Posted by Robinson Earle on Aug 12th 2020

If you want to avoid the gatekeepers, you’ll have to learn to make your way through the forest of sound alone. Thankfully, records hang like fruit from the trees, and there is a deep cave where you can examine the reflection of your instrument (just don’t venture too deep, like some sort of sonic na …
The Magic of Slide Guitar | Midwood Guitar Studio

The Magic of Slide Guitar | Midwood Guitar Studio

Posted by Robinson Earle on Aug 1st 2020

When folks who are used to fretting attempt slide guitar, it’s like trying to run on ice-skates. You suddenly realize that there are whole oceans between the notes. As western musicians, we tend to base our musical understanding on the 12-tone, chromatic scale, but a guitar is not a piano, and it ca …
Six String Shamanism | Midwood Guitar Studio

Six String Shamanism | Midwood Guitar Studio

Posted by Robinson Earle on Jul 15th 2020

People begin playing the guitar for many reasons. Some crave stardom, some the attention of the opposite sex. Some just regard it as a constructive past-time; a way to round out their skill-set, something to do at parties. From my experience as a musician and teacher, however, the ones who excel …
The Pentatonic Modes | Midwood Guitar Studio

The Pentatonic Modes | Midwood Guitar Studio

Posted by Robinson Earle on Jul 9th 2020

I’ve often heard guitarists express frustration at being trapped within the “pentatonic boxes”. Here they are organized to create an A minor pentatonic scale up the neck: Folks tend to memorize them each vertically, then horizontally, then diagonally. The most fluid players can find then wh …