Are you struggling to understand music intervals as a guitarist?

This is something that boggled my brain for a while. But once I cracked the code on it, guitar parts in songs, music theory, and my ear training improved a lot. You see, most guitar players have never done any ear training before.  

It wasn’t something I ever did until I went to music school. And to make matters worse, not 1 in 1,000 guitar instructors knows how to properly teach it either. 

There are some so-called “ear training experts” out there. But they don’t have a complete step-by-step system from scratch, and they often go way too fast. They’ve forgotten what it’s like to have a beginner's mind when it comes to music and ear training.

This means that if a player is not already experienced or advanced, then they can easily end up stuck, frustrated, and spinning their wheels – just like I was. 

An interval is simply the distance between 2 notes. Below I want to dive into the 12 most common music intervals I ...

Here's a tune that was originally rejected by famous artists like Billy Idol, Bryan Ferry, and even The Fixx.

It wasn’t until Simple Minds recorded it, and it was placed in the film The Breakfast Club, where it really took off.

Below, I’m going to share some insider tips on the guitar style behind it.

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this “Don't You Forget About Me” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Don't You Forget About Me?

“Don’t You (Forget About Me)” was written by two songwriters, Keith Forsey and Steve Schiff, specifically for the 1985 film The Breakfast Club. 

This tune has become one of the most iconic songs of the 1980s, but its backstory is surprising. It was first offered to several famous artists like Billy Idol, Bryan Ferry, and even The Fixx, to record. But they all declined the offer. It eventually landed with Simple Minds – who also weren't keen on recording someone else’s material.

The band finally agreed to record it after being shown a rough cut of ...

Here’s a controversial tune from the 1960s that’s even been linked to a fan’s death.

The band is The Rolling Stones, and you only need to know a handful of chords to play it.

Below, I’m going to share some insider tips on the guitar style behind it.

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this “Under My Thumb” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Under My Thumb?

“Under My Thumb” was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, two members of the English rock band The Rolling Stones. 

It was recorded in March 1966 at RCA Studios in Hollywood and released later that year on the album Aftermath. One of the unique things about this track is its distinctive use of the marimba, played by Brian Jones. 

This was not a common sound to mix into rock and roll – especially during the 60s. Along with the marimba, Keith Richards played both acoustic and electric guitars. The track was produced by Andrew Loog Oldham.

Lyrically, “Under My Thumb” tells the story of a relationship in which the nar...

Do you ever sing when you play?

If not, I would recommend giving it a try.

Why?

Because it’s one of the most musically rewarding things I’ve ever done.

No, you don’t have to be a singer. And, you don’t have to do it anywhere but in the privacy of your own home. You see, playing guitar is AWESOME. But adding singing to it is even BETTER.

Simply strumming some chords and singing, can make the songs you play more recognizable – instantly. When I started, I had zero talent.

In fact, I was as awful as you can get. I couldn’t even tell if I was hitting the right note or not. (This is called pitch-matching). One of the trademarks of great singers is they are excellent pitch matchers. They sing with beautiful intonation.

Intonation means pitch accuracy.

An easy way to think about this is by imagining the needle or blinking lights of a guitar tuner.

You know when the needle (or blinking lights) move closer to green or “on pitch”? The voice works the same way. You just have ...

Imagine walking into your band rehearsal with a new song and telling your mates the hook goes:

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We all live in a yellow submarine

Yellow submarine, yellow submarine...

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Well, that’s what Paul McCartney did when he introduced this song to The Beatles that he wrote specifically for Ringo Starr to sing.

Below I’m going to dive into the guitar styles behind it.

So grab your axe and let’s get started with this “Yellow Submarine” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Yellow Submarine?

As I mentioned above Paul McCartney is the primary songwriter for “Yellow Submarine”. However, the tune was officially credited to the Lennon-McCartney partnership. The inspiration for this little ditty came about after McCartney thought of the line "We all live in a yellow submarine." 

It’s one of the select Beatles songs Ringo Starr sang the lead on. Ringo brought his unique and lighthearted character to The Beatles' catalog. His lead vocals can also be heard on other tunes like "With A Litt...

My first guitar teacher taught me the modes.

I remember leaving my lessons with a sheet of paper that had all these patterns ​handwritten out in blue pen.

He wrote strange words above each pattern like Ionian and Dorian… In this post, I want to talk about one of those modes… How to play the Dorian scale on guitar. This scale is a great one to know whether you are a beginner or an advanced player. 

I’ll share two different ways to play the A Dorian scale on guitar. Plus how to practice it, and finally, a few examples of songs and progressions where I would use the Dorian scale on context.

So make sure you’re tuned up, and let’s get started!

What is the Dorian scale on guitar?

The Dorian scale is the second mode of the major scale. It’s a minor scale with a natural 6th. If you compare it with the natural minor scale (Aeolian), you raise the 6th tone. This one change gives it a slightly brighter, jazzier feel compared to the natural minor (Aeolian) scale.

Let’s look at an exampl...

Since the beginning of time, women have "runaway" from men, leaving them heartbroken, spinning, and wondering, "Why-why-why-why-why?"

Here's a legendary song about just that. 

Below, I’m going to share some insider tips on the guitar style behind it. 

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this “Runaway” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Runaway?

“Runaway” was written by Del Shannon (a.k.a. Charles Westover) and keyboardist Max Crook, who shared credit for the iconic keyboard break. It sings about an emotional story of heartbreak. The lyrics describe a guy walking in the rain, mourning the loss of his girl.

“Runaway” was recorded at Bell Sound Studios, New York City, on January 21, 1961, with producer Harry Balk at the helm. 

The track features Del Shannon (vocals/guitar), Max Crook on the Musitron (an early synth he built), plus session players like Al Caiola, Moe Wechsler, Joe Marshall, Milt Hinton, and Bucky Pizzarelli.

One of the most distinct features of the song is...

Here’s a song where Bill Withers sustained one of the longest vocal notes ever in a US Top 40 hit. 

This note clocked in at an astonishing 18 seconds, and the track features some LA session musician royalty.

Below, I want to share some insider tips on the guitar style behind it.

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this “Lovely Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaay” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Lovely Day?

“Lovely Day” was written by American singer-songwriters Bill Withers and Skip Scarborough. It’s a soulful classic that celebrates the power of love to brighten life.  

Withers sings:

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Just one look at you

And I know it’s gonna be 

A lovely day…

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It first appeared on Withers’ sixth studio album, Menagerie, featuring these musicians:

• Keyboards/arrangement: Clarence McDonald
• Guitar: Ray Parker Jr.
• Bass: Jerry Knight
• Drums: Russ Kunkel
• Percussion: Ralph MacDonald 

"Lovely Day" was recorded at The Record Plant in Los Angeles, California, in 1977. The Record Plant was on...

Here's a unique song that bridged the gap between folk-rock and jazz-pop.

It’s inspired generations of musicians, and it’s a lot of fun to play.

Below, I want to share some insider tips on the guitar style behind it. 

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this “Moondance” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Moondance?

“Moondance” was written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician Van Morrison. It’s one of his most iconic songs that blends jazz, soul, and pop in a way that has made it a timeless classic. 

After finishing his second album (Astral Weeks), Morrison moved to Woodstock, New York. Inspired by a new environment, he wanted to write a song that sounded like a jazz standard. He wrote the melody on saxophone.

It was recorded at A&R Studios in New York City, in 1969. The studio band included Jeff Labes (piano), John Klingberg (bass), Gary Mallaber (drums), and Jack Schroer (alto sax), among others. The arrangement featured a swinging rhythm section and punchy gr...

A wise man once said: 

“All of the significant battles are waged within the self."

I don’t think there is anything more chaotic than a man torn apart inside by love. Here’s an epic song recorded by Bryan Adams about just that.

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this “Run To You” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Run To You?

​“Run to You” was written by Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance. It was released on October 18, 1984, as the lead single from Adams' fourth studio album, Reckless. ​

Adams and Vallance wrote “Run to You” over three days in January 1983 in Vancouver, Canada. Initially, the song was penned for bands like Blue Öyster Cult and .38 Special, but both declined to record it. 

So, Bryan decided to record it, and the sessions were done at Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver, with Bob Clearmountain producing. ​

“Run to You” is basically a song about infidelity and internal conflict. The lyrics sing about a man torn between his faithf...