Ask the Expert: Flying with Your Guitar
When flying with guitars, it’s important to think outside the case. Even with careful preparation, there are many potential dangers that lurk throughout the process.
Learn to Play the Beatles Ballad “And I Love Her” as Interpreted by Pat Metheny
Metheny manages to capture the wistful vibe of this Beatles classic while casting it in a bossa nova–inspired setting and updating it with his intricate sense of harmony and phrasing.
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Tackle a Challenging Arrangement of “Spotted Pony” by the Late, Great Guitarist Dudley Hill
Hill’s rendition of this traditional Missouri fiddle tune sounds straightforward but is deceptively tricky.
Ani DiFranco Takes Her Guitar and Voice in a Radical New Direction
DiFranco sits down with Peter Mulvey to discuss her new record, writing, touring, her love of tenor and rubber bridge guitars, and the meaning of the term “umwelt.”
Ask the Expert: What’s the Best Way to Maintain My Guitar’s Fretboard?
Products designed to improve the look and feel of your fretboard are plentiful, but some can lead to unintended problems.
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Learn Happy Traum’s Bluesy Take on the Traditional Song “He Was a Friend of Mine”
This tune from Traum's last album exemplifies the late guitarist's signature steady bass groove and complex picking.
How the Acoustic Guitar Kept the Pulse of the Swing Era
We’ll examine the techniques and approaches that made the acoustic guitar an essential component of the swing era, while tracing its journey through the big band era and its lasting impact on jazz.
Great Acoustics: A Mighty 1949 Epiphone Emperor Archtop
The Emperor pictured here was made in late 1949, and has a carved spruce top, carved maple back, and extensive inlay work befitting such a fancy guitar.
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Learn Gwenifer Raymond’s Haunting Solo Guitar Arrangement of the Sacred Harp Hymn “Idumea”
My instrumental arrangement of “Idumea” was originally conceived for clawhammer banjo, but here I’ve translated it to guitar with an alternating bass pattern.
Remembering Folk Legend and Educator Happy Traum, 1938-2024
In this series of remembrances, some close friends and collaborators—and Happy’s musician son, Adam—share their reflections on the man and his music.
Review: Audigo Wireless Microphone/App Turns an iPhone into a Mobile Studio
Audigo lets you record and sync audio and video, use EQ and effects, and share the final product—all on your phone.
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50 Years into His Career, Pat Metheny Explores a New Landscape of Sound on the Baritone Guitar
The groundbreaking guitarist goes deep on his latest solo ventures—and why every one of his 50-plus releases feels like a single album.
Scott Memmer’s Charmed Life Picks Offers Handcrafted Alternatives to Tortoiseshell Plectrums
A conversation with Scott Memmer, whose cutting-edge products have brought him lots of fans in the world of acoustic instruments.
Review: Stephane Wrembel’s ‘Triptych’ Triology Is His Finest Work Yet
The guitarist-composer has outdone himself with his latest project, a three-album release called ‘Triptych Phase I,’ ‘Phase II,’ and ‘Phase III.’
Learn to Comp Like Jazz Legend Freddie Green
Green’s rhythm style—quarter-note strums in 4/4 time (aka “four to the floor”)—seems simple enough. But it’s rarely mastered.
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How to Easily Communicate Chord Progressions with the Nashville Number System
It makes sense that a shortcut system to convey chord progressions efficiently would emerge from Music City.
Learn Cole Porter’s Slightly Silly Show Tune “Let’s Do It, Let’s Fall in Love”
Compared to some of the songs we’ve covered in this series, this is a fairly adventurous arrangement using quite a few chords.
Review: The Takamine FT340 BS—a Quality Modern Dreadnought Primed for the Stage or Studio
The Takamine FT340 BS is a versatile axe for the gigging acoustic guitarist who needs a consistent sound at a variety of volumes in a variety of venues.
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Guitar Talk: Singer-Songwriter Maya de Vitry Sees Her 000-Sized Blueridge as a Trusted Friend
Maya de Vitry discusses her formative musical years, her deep rhythmic relationship with the acoustic guitar, and her love of instruments that don’t feel delicate.
Add a Blues Flavor to Your Rhythm with Simple Chord Embellishments
In this lesson we’ll work with some "blue" notes that you can use to add bluesy colors to open chord shapes.
