https://acousticguitar.com lessons, music to play, and how-tos for all guitarists Thu, 08 Feb 2024 20:49:18 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://i0.wp.com/acousticguitar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/AG_Favicon.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 https://acousticguitar.com 32 32 103806923 https://acousticguitar.com/spice-up-your-chord-and-lead-work-with-double-stops/ https://acousticguitar.com/spice-up-your-chord-and-lead-work-with-double-stops/#respond Tue, 12 Mar 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=143506 From folk to blues to rock and beyond, the harmonies produced by double-stops can make a melody in any genre stand out. ]]> https://acousticguitar.com/spice-up-your-chord-and-lead-work-with-double-stops/feed/ 0 143506 https://acousticguitar.com/expand-your-range-on-guitar-with-this-picking-hand-fretting-technique/ https://acousticguitar.com/expand-your-range-on-guitar-with-this-picking-hand-fretting-technique/#comments Sat, 03 Feb 2024 13:15:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=143511 Sean McGown shows how to facilitate chord clusters and voicings that are normally impossible to play on the guitar without using a capo or alternate tuning.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/expand-your-range-on-guitar-with-this-picking-hand-fretting-technique/feed/ 1 143511 https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-use-a-partial-capo/ https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-use-a-partial-capo/#respond Tue, 09 Jan 2024 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=142675 Like a magic trick on your guitar, partial capos hold down some strings while leaving others untouched, changing the intervals between open strings.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-use-a-partial-capo/feed/ 0 142675 https://acousticguitar.com/add-excitement-to-your-fingerstyle-playing-with-these-advanced-concepts-and-techniques/ https://acousticguitar.com/add-excitement-to-your-fingerstyle-playing-with-these-advanced-concepts-and-techniques/#respond Sun, 28 May 2023 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=135656 Here are some ways to blend different fingerstyle techniques together to add variety and complexity to your guitar playing.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/add-excitement-to-your-fingerstyle-playing-with-these-advanced-concepts-and-techniques/feed/ 0 135656 https://acousticguitar.com/find-your-own-musical-voice-on-guitar-using-timbre-dynamics-and-time-feel/ https://acousticguitar.com/find-your-own-musical-voice-on-guitar-using-timbre-dynamics-and-time-feel/#respond Sun, 30 Apr 2023 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=135122 We spend a lot of time trying to find the right notes, or the best words for what we’re trying to say, but how we say something is what helps us leave our mark]]> https://acousticguitar.com/find-your-own-musical-voice-on-guitar-using-timbre-dynamics-and-time-feel/feed/ 0 135122 https://acousticguitar.com/weekly-workout-using-triads-to-negotiate-seventh-chords/ https://acousticguitar.com/weekly-workout-using-triads-to-negotiate-seventh-chords/#respond Fri, 24 Feb 2023 17:28:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=113878 Learn to use three-note, three-string triads — you probably already know a lot of these chords, and in this lesson, you’ll find ways to repurpose them. ]]> https://acousticguitar.com/weekly-workout-using-triads-to-negotiate-seventh-chords/feed/ 0 113878 https://acousticguitar.com/weekly-workout-building-colorful-chords-from-the-harmonic-and-melodic-minor-scales/ https://acousticguitar.com/weekly-workout-building-colorful-chords-from-the-harmonic-and-melodic-minor-scales/#respond Fri, 17 Feb 2023 16:13:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=121903 In this advanced guitar lesson, meet the melodic and harmonic minor scales and then explore the harmonies that can be generated from them. ]]> https://acousticguitar.com/weekly-workout-building-colorful-chords-from-the-harmonic-and-melodic-minor-scales/feed/ 0 121903 https://acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-generating-challenging-picking-exercises-from-ninth-chords/ https://acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-generating-challenging-picking-exercises-from-ninth-chords/#respond Sun, 05 Feb 2023 14:50:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=113291 Let’s take a close look at a common extended chord—containing a note beyond the seventh, the venerable ninth. ]]> https://acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-generating-challenging-picking-exercises-from-ninth-chords/feed/ 0 113291 https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-strengthen-your-picking-skills-through-efficient-patterns/ https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-strengthen-your-picking-skills-through-efficient-patterns/#respond Fri, 28 Oct 2022 16:19:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=127044 In this guitar lesson you'll learn economy picking, which includes alternate and sweep picking styles, as well as legato techniques for your fretting fingers.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-strengthen-your-picking-skills-through-efficient-patterns/feed/ 0 127044 https://acousticguitar.com/fun-and-challenging-counterpoint-exercises-on-guitar/ https://acousticguitar.com/fun-and-challenging-counterpoint-exercises-on-guitar/#respond Wed, 05 Oct 2022 14:33:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=133518 Contrapuntal lines are not necessarily intuitive for most guitarists, but the approach is certainly worth the investment and yields dividends equivalent to sonic gold.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/fun-and-challenging-counterpoint-exercises-on-guitar/feed/ 0 133518 https://acousticguitar.com/guitar-lesson-using-augmented-arpeggios-to-add-dreamlike-sequences/ https://acousticguitar.com/guitar-lesson-using-augmented-arpeggios-to-add-dreamlike-sequences/#respond Wed, 07 Sep 2022 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=132739 Lisa Liu teaches fretboard exercises you can use to play beautiful, dreamlike augmented arpeggios for soloing and composing in any style.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/guitar-lesson-using-augmented-arpeggios-to-add-dreamlike-sequences/feed/ 0 132739 https://acousticguitar.com/how-do-you-get-good-tone-30-ways-to-improve-your-acoustic-guitar-tone/ https://acousticguitar.com/how-do-you-get-good-tone-30-ways-to-improve-your-acoustic-guitar-tone/#comments Fri, 02 Sep 2022 12:10:32 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=119141 Improve your acoustic guitar tone with these tips and techniques for fretting-hand, flatpicking, and fingerstyle playing for both your right and left hands.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/how-do-you-get-good-tone-30-ways-to-improve-your-acoustic-guitar-tone/feed/ 2 119141 https://acousticguitar.com/make-the-most-of-your-capo-4-essential-concepts/ https://acousticguitar.com/make-the-most-of-your-capo-4-essential-concepts/#respond Sun, 28 Aug 2022 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=132761 When used as a tool—and not merely a crutch—a capo can offer inspiration and creativity for guitar players of all skill levels. ]]> https://acousticguitar.com/make-the-most-of-your-capo-4-essential-concepts/feed/ 0 132761 https://acousticguitar.com/coordination-in-fretting-and-picking-fingers/ https://acousticguitar.com/coordination-in-fretting-and-picking-fingers/#respond Mon, 14 Feb 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=124686 Take a deep dive into building independence among the fingers of both hands.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/coordination-in-fretting-and-picking-fingers/feed/ 0 124686 https://acousticguitar.com/lesson-5-ways-to-master-artificial-harmonics-on-an-acoustic-guitar/ https://acousticguitar.com/lesson-5-ways-to-master-artificial-harmonics-on-an-acoustic-guitar/#respond Mon, 26 Jul 2021 15:40:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=100034 Guitarist Jeff Gunn offers a series of exercises designed to get you used to playing harp harmonics, a technique that produces chime-like tones, on acoustic guitar.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/lesson-5-ways-to-master-artificial-harmonics-on-an-acoustic-guitar/feed/ 0 100034 https://acousticguitar.com/picking-approaches-guaranteed-to-add-excitement-to-your-single-note-lines/ https://acousticguitar.com/picking-approaches-guaranteed-to-add-excitement-to-your-single-note-lines/#respond Tue, 08 Dec 2020 00:08:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=120999 This technique involves using a plectrum to play a series of single notes on adjacent strings in a consecutive motion, resulting in a fast, fluid sound. ]]> https://acousticguitar.com/picking-approaches-guaranteed-to-add-excitement-to-your-single-note-lines/feed/ 0 120999 https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-use-harmonics/ https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-use-harmonics/#respond Sun, 03 May 2020 13:42:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=109686 Learn how each type of harmonic—natural, harp, percussive, and pinch—is produced and how it can be used to add textural interest to your guitar playing.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/how-to-use-harmonics/feed/ 0 109686 https://acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-5-steps-to-learning-tremolo-picking-and-vibrato/ https://acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-5-steps-to-learning-tremolo-picking-and-vibrato/#respond Sun, 19 Apr 2020 13:17:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=102942 Try these picking and exercises to improve your picking technique and precision and make your notes sustain and vibrate.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-5-steps-to-learning-tremolo-picking-and-vibrato/feed/ 0 102942 https://acousticguitar.com/lesson-how-to-play-thirds-up-and-down-your-acoustic-guitar-fretboard/ https://acousticguitar.com/lesson-how-to-play-thirds-up-and-down-your-acoustic-guitar-fretboard/#respond Sun, 23 Jun 2019 18:15:33 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=98722 Lines based on thirds present great material for picking- and fretting-hand exercises, and also provide a solid foundation for melodic ideas and solos.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/lesson-how-to-play-thirds-up-and-down-your-acoustic-guitar-fretboard/feed/ 0 98722 https://acousticguitar.com/weekly-workout-build-your-speed-by-using-more-efficient-fingerings/ https://acousticguitar.com/weekly-workout-build-your-speed-by-using-more-efficient-fingerings/#respond Thu, 16 Aug 2018 23:46:28 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=107630 If you watch the hands of guitarists who play with enviable speed and fluidity, you may notice how little effort they seem to exert. Their finger movements are relaxed and minimal, considering the amount of music they are generating. What they’re playing is surely not easy, but it looks that way. So how does a guitarist achieve that state of grace?]]> https://acousticguitar.com/weekly-workout-build-your-speed-by-using-more-efficient-fingerings/feed/ 0 107630 https://acousticguitar.com/lesson-get-to-know-your-fretboard/ https://acousticguitar.com/lesson-get-to-know-your-fretboard/#respond Tue, 13 Mar 2018 17:12:22 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=105906 If you'd like to strengthen your knowledge of the fretboard, try viewing it through a handful of different perspectives.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/lesson-get-to-know-your-fretboard/feed/ 0 105906 https://acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-building-solos-around-chord-shapes/ https://acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-building-solos-around-chord-shapes/#respond Wed, 17 Jan 2018 18:41:55 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=105206 Chord shapes are great tools for expanding the range and flexibility of your guitar solos—in any style. They can help you get your bearings up and down the neck and find phrases and riffs that truly lock in with a song’s chord changes.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-building-solos-around-chord-shapes/feed/ 0 105206 https://acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-using-horizontal-harmonies-to-express-chord-changes/ https://acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-using-horizontal-harmonies-to-express-chord-changes/#respond Fri, 15 Dec 2017 18:28:57 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=104786 Try these exercises to make your melodies more harmonic and your harmonies more melodic.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-using-horizontal-harmonies-to-express-chord-changes/feed/ 0 104786 https://acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-5-ways-to-strengthen-your-pinky/ https://acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-5-ways-to-strengthen-your-pinky/#respond Wed, 13 Sep 2017 04:13:31 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=103802 Just as you would do pushups for upper-body strength or crunches to work on your core, the best way to improve pinky strength is to train it.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-5-ways-to-strengthen-your-pinky/feed/ 0 103802 https://acousticguitar.com/color-your-chords-with-hammer-ons-and-pull-offs/ https://acousticguitar.com/color-your-chords-with-hammer-ons-and-pull-offs/#respond Fri, 18 Aug 2017 16:05:10 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=103468 Enhance your rhythm playing by adding hammer-ons and pull-offs to chords—an essential technique used in all styles on the acoustic guitar.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/color-your-chords-with-hammer-ons-and-pull-offs/feed/ 0 103468