How to Play Like Nickel Creek Guitarist Sean Watkins
Watkins has developed a guitar vocabulary quite different from the classic boom-chuck.
These articles originally appeared in the July-August 2023 issue of Acoustic Guitar magazine.
Great Acoustics: John Monteleone’s Rocket Convertible Is a Standout Archtop from the Blue Guitar Collection
With is elliptical soundhole and dual soundports, the innovative Rocket Convertible is a great example of Monteleone's vision and craft.
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Julian Lage on How to Play His Position-Shifting Guitar-Bass Duet “Double Southpaw”
With its "quirky rhythmic and harmonic twists and turns," this piece moves all around the fretboard.
Tips on Playing “Shake Sugaree,” an Elizabeth Cotten Fingerpicking Staple
Cotten plays “Shake Sugaree” on a guitar tuned down a whole step, using chord shapes in the key of C major that sound in Bb.
Julian Lage Champions the Steel-String Acoustic on His Latest Blue Note Release
Lage talks about his uncommon use of the steel-string guitar in the evolution of his ensemble, as well as collaborating with his wife, singer-songwriter Margaret Glaspy
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A Guide to Playing Guitar Throughout Your Lifetime
Five high-achieving guitarists share how they maintain and continually improve their skills, while offering advice applicable to players of all styles.
Try These Exercises for Mapping Triads All Over the Fretboard
Using a triadic approach to mapping the fretboard can help you break out of ruts and develop a deeper understanding of the guitar and music in general.
Ask the Expert: Is it Possible to Improve a Guitar’s Tone by Changing Tuners?
Considering the physics of sound in stringed instruments, let's explore the impact that tuners can have on the tone of an acoustic guitar.
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Learn “Doc’s Guitar”—Doc Watson’s Fingerstyle Tour de Force
The brilliance of Watson’s right-hand technique can be clearly heard on this punishingly fast instrumental
An Exploration of Doc Watson’s Innovative and Joyful Guitar Stylings
This lesson breaks down Watson’s acoustic flatpicking, beginning with rhythm and backup, transitioning to his lead playing, and ending with the combination of the two.
How Nickel Creek’s Sean Watkins, Sara Watkins, and Chris Thile Made Their Most Ambitious Album Yet
On ‘Celebrants,’ their first new record in nine years, the trio rekindles their connection and explores new territory.
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Review: Gibson’s J-45 50s Faded and Keb’ Mo’ “3.0” 12-Fret J-45 Are Two New Takes on the Classic Workhorse
Both models stick to the strengths and depart from the script in terms of our preconceived ideas about the J-45 shape.
Learn These Essential Americana Accompaniment Patterns in D Major
Make your I-IV-V boom-chuck accompaniments in D sound more interesting by adding some variety to your bass lines.
John Monteleone’s Exquisite Archtop Guitars Are Seen in the Hands of Top Players and Museum Display Cases
If there’s a living heir to the great mid-20th-century luthiers like John D’Angelico and James D’Aquisto, John Monteleone would have to be it.
Singer-Songwriter John Oates Explores the Music of Mississippi John Hurt
He will forever be best known as half of Hall & Oates, but John Oates has carved a distinct identity as a proponent of classic Americana
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Powerful Doc Watson Tribute ‘I Am a Pilgrim’ Surprises with Star-Studded Cast of Players
Diverse roster of artists reinforces the wide musical influence of the legendary guitarist.