(Editor’s Note: Post contributed by David McCombs, an occupational therapist with several years experience in hand therapy.) As a hand therapist and ergonomic specialist, hand and wrist pain is something I see on a daily basis. Pain can be age-related, occur after an injury or surgery, or it can be related to incorrect posture or …
3 Causes of Guitar Wrist Pain or Hand Pain [& How to Treat Them] Read More »
When I first started playing guitar two decades ago, there wasn’t a lot of quality info online. So like a lot of people, I learned out of a good old fashioned book. Times have changed! Now, there are almost too many online options, which can make finding the best free online guitar lessons potentially overwhelming. …
The Best Free Guitar Lessons Online [For Any Style or Skill Level] Read More »
Wanna cut to the chase? I went searching for the best beginner acoustic guitar for kids, and my top pick (for about ages 6-10) was the Yamaha CGS102A Half-Size Classical Bundle. For older kids, my top pick was the Baby Taylor BT2. Learning the guitar when I was younger opened the door to many interesting …
The 7 Best Beginner Acoustic Guitars for Kids [Reviews & Buying Guide] Read More »
You already know that the age and condition of your guitar strings can change your sound. But what about the thickness of your strings? The first time I bought guitar strings, I was just given 9-gauge strings without being asked. So after that, I always bought 9’s. I was happy with my sound for a …
5 Benefits of Thicker Guitar Strings [& Who Should Use Them] Read More »
The first time I saw someone playing a fretless guitar, I was in awe. How did they know where to put their fingers? Why didn’t all guitarists play these sleek-looking instruments? Recently, I had the privilege of playing a friend’s fretless guitar. To my dismay, I sounded awful! I realized then why not everyone has …
4 Benefits of Fretless Guitars [and 3 Drawbacks] Read More »
We guitarists love buying guitar accessories. Almost as much as we love buying new guitars! Pedals, straps, cables, polish… But what about guitar picks? I have an extensive collection. I’ve experimented with them over time, and I’ve found that I gravitate towards larger picks. My small hands can grip them better. Have you considered experimenting …
As a beginner guitarist, sometimes it’s hard to find all the right info in one place. That’s why I put together this collection of easy guitar songs for beginners. You’ll find plenty of song options, and all the info you need to play each one. That includes a video tutorial, the chords, and a link …
39 Easy Guitar Songs for Beginners [Using 3 Chords or Less] Read More »
Let’s be honest. Part of the reason we love guitars is because they’re beautiful! Perhaps you like a particular guitar shape. Maybe you’ve got your heart set on a specific color. But the thing that really makes a guitar eye-catching is the finish. Nitro lacquer is one of the most common finishes to see on …
Back in my teens, I was amazed when I found out that Angus Young was the same height as me! As quite a shorty myself (5’1½”), I always thought guitars seemed so huge when I held them. Once I knew that some of my musical idols (Young, Prince, Willie Nelson, Paul Simon) weren’t very tall …
If you’re a blues fan, you’ve heard slide guitar. Rock fans may be familiar with the sound, because it makes an appearance in some hard rock songs! I’ll never forget the first time I heard Led Zeppelin’s In My Time of Dying. Those opening notes are unmistakably different to their usual hard rocking sound. That …
If you’re looking for a new guitar, you may have come across some “cutaway” options. In this article I’ll share with you some of the advantages of cutaway guitars (and one disadvantage). I’ll also answer some commonly asked questions about cutaway guitars. Let’s get started. Why get a cutaway guitar? 5 benefits of cutaway guitars. …
Wanna cut to the chase? I went searching for the best blues acoustic guitar, and my top overall pick was the Epiphone PR-5E Cutaway Acoustic-Electric. I’ve been playing guitar for over 20 years, but I only recently got into the blues. I wish I’d started sooner, because playing the blues (at least the basics) is …
The 6 best blues acoustic guitars [budget options included] Read More »
Wanna cut to the chase? I went looking for the best Yamaha acoustic guitar, and my top pick is the Yamaha FG830 Folk Acoustic Guitar. To make life easier for you, I wrote several organized and in-depth Yamaha acoustic guitar reviews (including lists of pros & cons that you can quickly scan). I tested out …
The 10 best Yamaha acoustic guitars [budget options included] Read More »
Considering you’re going to be spending plenty of time up close and personal with your acoustic guitar, it makes sense to choose the body shape carefully. When I first heard the debate of dreadnought vs concert, it sounded like a battle between a super villain and a superhero. Dreadnought, the evil guitar-slinging, cape-toting metalhead! I …
Dreadnought vs Concert – Picking the Right Guitar Shape Read More »
If you play acoustic guitar, you might feel reluctant to purchase a pedal. The sound of your acoustic guitar is great as it is, so why modify it? I get it. On the other hand, the natural sound of your acoustic guitar can lose its vibrancy when you have to rely on a microphone during a …
Best Acoustic Guitar Pedals [Review & Buying Guide] Read More »
So you’ve learned to play a 6-string guitar, impressed your friends with moving renditions of Comfortably Numb and rocked out to Aerosmith’s back catalog. Then you moved on to a 7-string, gaining more confidence in your plucking skills… now where do you go?Well, if you want a real challenge, then you might want to go grab …
The Best 8 String Guitars [Reviews & Buying Guide] Read More »
Like the metal you find on the hull of a boat, metal music grafts itself onto a person quickly, and once it’s there it can’t be removed.For those of you that practice the dark art of metal guitar playing, you’ll be dying to find the best guitar pickups for metal. Metal is a very diverse genre, …
Best Guitar Pickups For Metal [Reviews & Buying Guide] Read More »
There’s nothing quite like a bit of fuzz to add more flavor to your bass sounds. The distortion and fuzz created by a bass fuzz pedal adds a truly distinctive sound to any track.Fuzz got really popular back in the 1960s/70s, and it was originally generated by turning up the gain knob on a tube …
The Best Bass Fuzz Pedals [Reviews & Buying Guide] Read More »
My first guitar cost about $100 and it came with a really basic amp. The noise was terrible and it wasn’t just because of my amateur playing.Later, I upgraded to a mid-range Ibanez RG. The tones that came out of that guitar were much better…but not exactly what I wanted.The problem was, I hadn’t replaced …
The Best Amp-In-A-Box Pedals [Reviews & Buying Guide] Read More »
What comes to mind when you think of the American South? Perhaps you think of NASCAR racing, or maybe delicious, southern soul food springs to mind! As for me, it always makes me think of country music. Believe it or not, the same chords that form the backbone of those toe-tapping country tunes are also central …
The Best Acoustic Guitars for Country Music [Reviews & Buying Guide] Read More »
Baritone guitars have had a huge impact on music for decades. These guitars are responsible for some of the most iconic guitar sounds in music, including famous songs such as ‘Crazy’ by Patsy Cline, and the heavy riffs in ‘Sad but True’ by Metallica (see the video below).I’m excited to see the baritone guitar becoming …
The 5 Best Baritone Guitars [Reviews and Buying Guide] Read More »
Replicating the sound of punk takes skill, passion, and the right guitar. So what’s the best guitar for punk, you ask? Let’s first start by asking ourselves: What is punk? Is it the fast, heavy strumming, the anti-establishment lyrics, the clipped sounds, the stripped-down instrumentals, the nasal shouting?For me, the thing that defines punk rock is the …
The Best Guitars for Punk [Reviews & Buying Guide] Read More »
When I got my first guitar (a few decades ago), I didn’t have an electronic tuner. I had a small set of panpipes that I had to blow to get each note, and tune by ear! If you’ve been wondering how to tune a guitar without a tuner, you’re in luck. I’ll be going through …
When you’re performing in a place of worship, it’s only natural that you want to sound your best.Every riff, note, and cadence should be nothing short of perfect in the name of the Lord.You have what it takes to make the music sound awesome, but does your guitar? Will your guitar help you to sound …
The 5 Best Guitars for Worship [Reviews & Buyer’s Guide] Read More »
An audio interface is an important piece for anyone who’s serious about making good music. And that’s true whether you’re mainly a singer or more of a guitar player.If you’ve never had to buy an audio interface before, don’t worry. I know it can be confusing, and I’m here to help.You can get audio interfaces …
The Best Audio Interfaces under $500 [Reviews & Buying Guide] Read More »
There is nothing on this planet that can match the funk of a slapping bass. The innate beat of the slaps and pops just makes you want to move! Slap bass has been around for decades. It started back in the 60’s with a bassist called Larry Graham. To see the master in action, check out …
Best Bass Strings for Slapping [Reviews & Buyer’s Guide] Read More »
Being a guitarist can be an expensive hobby! At least for me, my first entry-level guitar soon turned into an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar, a nice amp, a pedal or two, and many other accessories. But one thing I didn’t think about in the beginning was cleaning and maintenance. By the time I realized …
How To Clean A Guitar Fretboard With Household Items Read More »
I’ve always been a rhythm guitarist. I first learned how to strum a guitar the right way. As I progressed, I learned scales and began to play solos, as well as learning some fingerpicking. But I always seemed to gravitate back to rhythm guitar. For a while, I thought it wasn’t the “cool” type of …
My dad is a bassist. He started playing about 10 years after I did! His first bass guitar was an Ibanez, an entry-level but very decent instrument. But when it came to getting an amp, we already had a bunch of guitar amps in the house. So it was logical to ask, “Can I use …
I’d been playing guitar for a few years when I joined a band. It wasn’t the first time I’d jammed with other musicians, but it was the first time I’d come across a left-handed guitarist. I didn’t realize that he was a leftie, at first. He had a beautiful right-handed 7-string guitar, so it was …
How To Play Guitar Left-Handed [Various Options] Read More »
I’ve never been a girly girl. When I started learning guitar, my nails were as short as can be, and I’ve never grown them or worn false nails. But I was reminded of how your nails can impact your guitar playing recently. A friend of mine started learning, and she was having trouble playing chords …
Can You Play Guitar With Long Nails? [Tips & Tricks for Success] Read More »
You know, when I’m with friends and I whip out my 7 string guitar, they ask me: What is the point of a 7 string guitar? And then I show them!Much like a 5 string bass guitar, the 7 string guitar is designed to give an additional low register tonal range. In other words, with …
The Best 7 String Guitars [Reviews and Buying Guide] Read More »
My first ever guitar was a little classical nylon string guitar, and I think it still has the same strings on it (a few decades later)! When I got my first electric guitar, I played with the same strings until I snapped one and was forced to replace them. I was shocked at how much …
Some people think rocking out on an effects pedal is strictly for lead guitarists. But what about bass solos?There are plenty of pedals on the market for bass players to have fun and experiment with, one option being bass distortion.Whether you’re a complete bass novice or an expert seeking to upgrade your current setup, you may …
Best Bass Distortion Pedals [Review & Buying Guide] Read More »
Wanna cut to the chase? I went searching for the best mini guitar amp, and my top pick was the VOX MINI3 G2 Battery Powered Modeling Amp, 3W. When I finished school, I did a lot of traveling. I worked in three different countries in two years, and in various different places within those countries. …
The 5 Best Mini Guitar Amps [Reviews and Buying Guide] Read More »
Wanna cut to the chase? I went searching for the best guitar picks for speed, and my top choice was the Dunlop Tortex Standard. When I started learning guitar, it was all fingerstyle. I didn’t start learning to play with a pick until about a year or so in, and it was difficult! For a …
I’m lucky enough to have grown up in a family of musicians. We have one of almost everything! My grandfather is a drummer, my uncle played the saxophone, my dad is a bassist, and my mom sings. My brother is a keyboardist, vocalist and general jack-of-all trades (master of a few) kind of musician. Although …
If there’s one thing that can make anyone sound like a bad guitarist really quickly, it’s an out-of-tune guitar! One of the first things we all learn when starting off is how to tune a guitar. It’s kiiiiind of important if you want to sound good. Can you believe my first tuner was a little …
I got my first proper, high-quality electric guitar when I was about 19. It was a beautiful little Jackson DK2 Dinky, and it’s still my main guitar today (a decade and a bit later). I’m a big Jackson fan. But when I was buying my first one, it was quite a race between my DK2 …
Epiphone Wildkat Review | What’s Good, What’s Not Read More »
Wanna cut to the chase? I went searching for the best guitar amp under $300, and my top pick was the Marshall Code 50-watt Digital Combo Amp. I got my first guitar (and second) long before I got a guitar amp. Even when I got my first electric guitar, I played it unplugged for a …
Best Guitar Amp Under $300 [Reviews and Buying Guide] Read More »
Wanna cut to the chase? I went searching for the best electric guitar for kids, and my top pick was the Squier by Fender Mini Stratocaster. I got my first guitar when I was 12. It was a nylon-string, and I don’t even remember what brand it was. My uncle picked it out for me. …
The Best Electric Guitar For Kids [Reviews and Buying Guide] Read More »
You may be thinking, “What do you mean, how to wear a guitar strap? How hard can it be?” And to a degree, you’d be right – you just sling it on, and get down to musical business. When I started playing electric guitar, I modeled my style off of my favorite guitarist, Brian May …
How To Wear A Guitar Strap Correctly (for Comfort and Easy Playing) Read More »
What do “Stairway to Heaven”, Crocs, and the word “like” have in common? They’re all used way too much… And mostly in completely the wrong time and place. Did you know that playing Stairway is banned in most music stores? Yep! To be honest, I don’t have my own Stairway story of being shushed by …
Why Is Stairway To Heaven Banned In Guitar Stores? Read More »
Wanna cut to the chase? I went searching for the best acoustic guitar for fingerstyle, and my top choice is the Yamaha L-Series LL6 Acoustic-Electric Guitar. Growing up, I spent a lot of time listening to classic rock and blues rock. I was a full-on bluesy rock guitarist and loved my electric. No acoustic for …
The 5 Best Acoustic Guitars for Fingerstyle [Reviews and Buying Guide] Read More »
Wanna cut to the chase? I went hunting for the best 3/4 acoustic guitar, and my top pick is the Yamaha JR1 3/4-Scale Acoustic Guitar Bundle. I’ve been playing guitar for over 20 years, and I can still recall those moments of frustration as a beginner, trying to wrap my fingers around the fretboard to …
The 5 Best 3/4 Acoustic Guitars [Reviews & Buying Guide] Read More »
You may be wondering: Can an EQ pedal help me sound like Eddie Van Halen, Slash, or Jack White? Surely isn’t it all about just plugging in and playing?Well, hold your horses, riff-master general, EQ pedals are very important for getting that perfect shredding sound.EQ pedals process the sound in your guitar as you play …
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