Blues is individualistic and expressive as a musical style, heavily emphasizing improvisation, much like jazz. Despite that, you’ll notice some recurring elements in countless blues tunes, such as the 12-bar form, extended chords, and the ubiquitous I – IV – V sequence. In this guide, I’ll walk you through not only the ultra-popular I – …
There are millions of songs out there that include guitar in them, but only a small subset of those songs have guitar riffs that, once you hear them, you can’t get them out of your head. Below, we’ll share some of these songs and the best guitar riffs of all time, along with some tips …
An acoustic guitar, in the right hands, is a tool of expression that no synthesizer or electronic instrument can quite replicate. It gives a voice to emotion and sets the scene for words to come to life in melody. From Johnny Cash protesting and explaining his alias to Nick Drake’s wanderlust in Pink Moon, there’s …
Contrary to popular belief, punk isn’t dead. The traditional sound emitted from bands like the Misfits, Black Flag, Dead Kennedys, and Fugazi is arguably difficult to come by in modern time, though the authentic punk sound and subculture has merely evolved with its sub-genres like hardcore and its infiltrating derivatives like indie rock and pop-punk. …
As far as playing guitar goes, country songs aren’t usually very complex. In fact, their simple chords and straightforward rhythm make them a great starting point for beginner guitarists. The trick to growing your repertoire is to pick up and master a bunch of heavily used chord progressions of the genre. Don’t go scouting for …
Thinking of buying a guitar amp but confused by all the jargon? It takes quite a bit of time to get your head around all the ins and outs, especially when there are so many brands, specs and features out there. Fortunately, there’s some high-level information you can learn and understand quickly without getting overly …
Jazz is all about fluid, ever-evolving creative expression that allows you to push the envelope and grow as a musician. And while learning jazz standards is a great way to make your foray, getting a good grounding in the standard chord progressions will go a long way in allowing you to explore endless melodic and …
One thing common in the most iconic pop songs is that they are super catchy and easy to remember. However, if you get down to analyzing the chord structure, you’ll find the use of repetitive pop chord progressions to be a common ingredient. Pop songs are also spiced up with hooks designed to grab the …
When I was purchasing my first electric guitar, I didn’t know much about the instrument. I looked around online and watched videos, but with so many models to choose from, the whole process was still overwhelming. The good news for you is that I have learned a ton about electric guitars and tested dozens of …
Although metal music has traditionally been male-dominated, over the past couple of decades, we have seen a significant rise in all-female and female fronted metal bands. These powerful female figures have made their definitive mark on the music industry, playing a critical role in the continuous innovation of the metal genre into an increasingly inclusive …