Arranging W.C. Handy, the “Father of the Blues,” for Fingerstyle Guitar
Guitarist and W.C. Handy scholar Jon Shain shares strategies for adapting ragtime pieces for fingerstyle guitar using the 1917 Handy song "Beale Street Blues" as an example.
These articles originally appeared in the January-February 2023 issue of Acoustic Guitar magazine.
Learn a Simple Guitar Arrangement of the Scottish Folk Anthem “Fortune Turns the Wheel”
"Fortune Turns the Wheel" is simple, and the sung melody needs little in the way of instrumental propulsion, so the guitar setting is spare in this arrangement.
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South Korean Classical Guitarist Bokyung Byun Has Seen Tremendous Success Since Moving to the U.S.
South Korea–born classical guitar virtuoso Bokyung Byun (aka “Bo”) is riding a wave of musical achievements.
Learn to Play Madison Cunningham’s “Life According to Raechel”
Learn to play the hushed, sparse, gorgeously melodic song that Madison Cunningham wrote in honor of her grandmother.
Balancing Act: How the Weight of Acoustic Guitar Bodies and Necks Affect Tone
Balance between the neck and body of an acoustic guitar is important to the sound and playability of the instrument.
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How to Play the Boom-Chuck Strumming Pattern on Guitar
In this guitar lesson we will break down the classic boom-chuck pattern heard throughout American roots music and begin to use it on songs.
Steve Nall Steps into a Big New Role at Collings Guitars
Steve Nall recently took over selecting tonewoods and voicing the tops and backs of all Collings acoustic guitars after working for decades with mentors Bill Collings and Bruce VanWart.
Smart Warm-Up Exercises for Acoustic Guitar
These guitar warm-up exercises are great for strengthening fingers, increasing speed, and improving synchronization between the left and right hands.
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Swing Lesson: Learn to Play Rhythm Guitar Like Freddie Green
In this guitar lesson, learn to play swing rhythm guitar like Freddie Green, the guitarist in the Count Basie band for 50 years.
Learn the Scottish Folk Song “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean” on Guitar
Learn an easy guitar arrangement of the traditional Scottish folk song "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean."
Flatpicking Guitar Lesson: Learn Courtney Hartman’s Arrangement of “Cumberland Gap”
Learn to play this expressive and understated flatpicking guitar rendition of the classic tune “Cumberland Gap,” from Courtney Hartman’s 2016 Nothing We Say.
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Great Acoustics: A Loyal Customer Inspires a Bold New Big Hollow Jumbo
When a repeat customer asked Big Hollow Guitars' Bevan Frost to build a large-bodied guitar with unique inlays, the luthier rose to the challenge.
Using Slash Chords to Strengthen Your Bass Lines and Chord Progressions
Slash chords are a small change to a chord voicing that can have a big impact on the sound of a progression, as we’ll explore in this guitar lesson.
Learn the Mamas and the Papas’ “California Dreamin’” on Guitar
This classic song captures the ethos of the early hippie era and is played in the key of A minor, with a capo at the fourth fret causing the music to sound in C# minor.
Guitar Lesson: Add Some Swing to Your Fingerstyle Blues with Walking Bass Lines
In this guitar lesson you will learn to play a 12-bar walking-bass blues in the key of E major, adding some swing to your blues playing.
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Review: The Hill Guitar Company Companion Is an Exemplary Parlor-Sized Crossover Nylon-String Guitar
The Hill Guitar Company Companion is designed to be a professional-quality travel instrument for a classical guitarist or a crossover guitar for the steel-string player.
Joe Robinson Explores New Directions on the Eclectic ‘The Prize’
With his 7th full-length album, The Prize, Joe Robinson is reaching for the biggest prize of all: writing songs that are as good as his guitar playing.
2022: The Year in Gear
Despite uncertain times, makers unveil guitars, guitars, and more guitars. There have been many new gear releases in the past 12 months - in this story, we explore the year's highlights and trends.
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How Madison Cunningham Uses Unusual Tunings and Beater Guitars to Discover Fresh Sounds
Madison Cunningham is a true triple-threat musician: a singer and inventive songwriter, a wickedly good guitarist, and a seeker of unconventional riffs and tones.
Review: The PRS SE A20E Angelus Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Boasts Versatility and Affordability
In this review of the PRS Angelus SE A20E acoustic-electric guitar, we were impressed as much by its easy playability as its bright yet flexible tonal range.
Review: The Schertler Giulia X Amp Proves Great Sounding Things Can Come in Small Packages
Tested using a handful of different guitars and pickups, this amp impressed with an abundance of great tones.
