“The Water Is Wide” | Learn Hiroya Tsukamoto’s Orkney-Tuned Fingerstyle Arrangement
Simple and modern at the same time, this interpretation of the Scottish folk classic keeps the fundamental harmony of the original.
Learn the Power of Motivic Development Through This Modern Fiddle Tune
Dive deep into the melody and harmony to get maximum musical mileage out of a few compositional ideas.
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A Primer on DIY Finish Touchup for Acoustic Guitar Repairs
How can you determine what type of finish was originally used? And how can you best match it to complete the repair?
Two Ways of Approaching the Flatpicking Jam Tune “Old Joe Clark”
Learn two versions of this well-known mountain folk jam tune, one simple enough for beginners and the other a bit more complex.
Hurray for the Riff Raff’s Alynda Segarra Looks Ahead, and Reconnects with Acoustic Guitar, on ‘The Past Is Still Alive’
Segarra’s return to the acoustic guitar marks a new integration of the band’s American folk roots with a more sophisticated level of songcraft.
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Play Laurence Juber’s Solo Guitar Take on the Beatles’ “In My Life”
While he is known for using DADGAD tuning, this fingerstyle arrangement is in standard tuning
7 Things You Need to Know Before Participating in Your First Jam Session
Regularly attending a jam can be one of the best ways to get inspired to practice and improve. Here's how to find a jam session, how to prepare, and what to do when you get there.
“I Know You Rider”—Learn a Dropped-D Acoustic Take on this Grateful Dead Classic
This arrangement takes some cues from the Dead, but uses dropped-D tuning for more low end punch and adds a bunch of flatpicking fun.
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Review: Vintage Guitar Authority George Gruhn Rewrites the Rulebook with His Bold New Versitar Design
Based on the Tacoma models that Gruhn designed back in the 1990s, the Versitar series deconstructs and reconstructs many of the touchpoints of traditional flattop design, like the neck joint, fret count, bracing, soundhole position, and more
How to Add Jazz Flavors to the 12-bar Blues Form
In this lesson, we’ll explore how you can spice up your blues with a range of jazz ingredients, starting simply and then progressing to more advanced concepts.
Santa Cruz Guitar Company’s Richard Hoover Brings out His Choicest Tonewoods for the Stunning New Vault Series
Hoover enlisted the most skilled luthiers in his workshop to build a series of instruments that would represent the state of the art of the steel-string guitar.
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Great Acoustics: Tracy Chapman’s Cherished Judy Threet Model A Parlor Guitar
“It’s probably the most exquisite acoustic guitar I’ve ever played,” says guitarist-composer Joe Gore, who has worked with Chapman for many years
All About Nylon Strings and Modern Steel Sets
Finding the right match between string and guitar can have a very rewarding result.
Decorating Open Chords with Hammer-ons and Pull-offs
This basic lesson focuses on using hammer-ons and pull-offs with open chords—creating classic sounds heard throughout roots, country, and rock guitar styles.
Review: Julian Lage’s ‘Speak to Me’ Is a Deep and Multifaceted Album from the Young Master
Whether you’ve been out of the Lage loop or you’re simply Lage-curious, this album feels like the perfect vehicle to explore his talents as a player, collaborator, and composer.
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How Acoustic Musicians Are Carrying Forward the Songs of the Grateful Dead
Sam Grisman Project, Andy Falco and
Travis Book, Wake the Dead, and Grahame Lesh share thoughts on what the Dead's songbook means to them, and how they approach it as a living tradition.
Joining the Circle: Tips and Tactics for Making Music with Others
Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer, a duo for more than 40 years, share some of the things they've learned about how to approach playing with others.
Review: Taylor Branches Out with Its First Acoustic Amplifier, the Circa 74
Beyond its good looks, the Circa 74 offers a well-thought-out feature set that incorporates all the essentials without being overcomplicated.
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Madi Diaz Brings Her Intensely Personal Songwriting to the Big Stage
The Nashville-based singer-songwriter reflects on her musical journey from the early days to touring with Harry Styles.
Play an Approachable Arrangement of the Classic Tune “I Can’t Give You Anything but Love, Baby”
There’s a fair number of chords in this arrangement—14 shapes in all—but they are mostly in open position and easy to play.
The Secret to Shubb Capos’ 50 Years in Business? It’s the Little Things
Checking in with Rick Shubb, founder of Shubb Capos, on his company’s 50th anniversary.