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:

===

We all live in a yellow submarine

Yellow submarine, yellow submarine...

=== 

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 th...

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:

===

Just one look at you

And I know it’s gonna be 

A lovely day…

===

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...

Years ago, I was at a gig in a club in Los Angeles listening to my old mentor play Ron Anthony – guitarist for Frank Sinatra.

There were a bunch of other great guitar players there too in the audience. They all would come out to hear Ron play because he was so good. At this time, I had just gotten my driver’s license and was definitely the youngest one hanging around in the club. But these older musicians would all hang out, and share stories, and tips about guitar.

After the gig, we were chilling out backstage and into the alley behind the club. I got to talking with this one guitarist and they said, “Have you started learning your triads on guitar yet?”

I said, “No, what do you mean?"

They pulled out a nylon string guitar from the back of their trunk and started showing me these chord shapes moving up and down the neck.

I was blown away and tried to soak up everything they were sharing. When I got home, I went to work practicing these guitar triads.

Below I want to share wit...

Here’s a crowd-favorite song that’s had a bit of controversy around the lyrics. 

I’ve played it for years and honestly never thought much about it.

For me, it’s a unique, up-tempo, acoustic rock tune. Below I’m going to break down some of the secrets behind the guitar stylings.

So grab your axe and let’s dive into this “Blister In The Sun” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Blister In The Sun?

"Blister in the Sun" is one of the most iconic tracks by the American rock band Violent Femmes, first appearing on their self-titled debut album in 1983. The song was written by the band's lead vocalist and guitarist, Gordon Gano. Interestingly, Gano initially composed it with a female vocalist in mind. ​

The lyrics of "Blister in the Sun" have been subject to various interpretations over the years. While some listeners have speculated that the song references masturbation, Gano has clarified that the lyrics actually are about drug use. 

Either way, the recording took place in July 198...

Here's a song Paul McCartney started writing as a mock French tune to perform at parties.

It's got a soothing, melodic charm to it.

It wasn't until John Lennon told McCartney to develop it into a full song, and as they say, the rest is history…

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

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

Who Wrote Michelle?

“Michelle” was primarily written by Paul McCartney, although it’s credited to the Lennon/McCartney songwriting partnership. It was featured on The Beatles’ monumental album Rubber Soul, released in 1965.

One of the other unique things about “Michelle” is that, as far as I’ve heard, this is the only Beatles song with French lyrics. McCartney sought the help of Jan Vaughan, a French teacher and wife of his friend Ivan Vaughan, to write some authentic French phrases. She contributed the iconic lines “Michelle, ma belle” and “sont des mots qui vont très bien ensemble,...