I’m sitting down to write you this while stuck in the Haneda airport in Tokyo Japan…

My flight just got delayed, and I still have a long and tiring travel day ahead…

But while in Japan…

Some cool things have happened…

Like I got to go to the world’s one and only Fender store.

They had all kinds of old-school Fender ads on the walls:

Take a look at this staircase that leads up to the custom shop floor:

Not bad eh?

Well, this brings me to today’s lesson…

I’d like to share with you a song that was inspired during a drive through a desolate desert area of southern Morocco. 

It’s one of Led Zeppelin’s most mysterious and hypnotic songs. In fact, Jimmy Page even said that he wished Led Zeppelin was known more for this song, than “Stairway To Heaven.”

The riff is in an unusual open tuning and I’m going to break it all down for you step-by-step in this “Kashmir” guitar lesson.

Who wrote Kashmir?

"Kashmir" is a rock epic by the legendary band Led Zeppelin. It was released ...

On the journey to becoming a great rock guitar player, there are many skills and techniques we need to develop...

In this post, I want to share with you some of those crucial areas to focus on so you can get the songs of the songs we all know and love. Specifically in this lesson, I’ll be addressing things like power chords, palm-muting, and how to “lock in” your eighth-note rhythms.

So grab your guitar, get tuned up, and let’s dive into this “Hold On Loosely” guitar lesson!

Who wrote Hold On Loosely?

"Hold On Loosely" is a classic rock anthem by the American band .38 Special, released in 1981 on their album Wild-Eyed Southern Boys. The song's origins go back to guitarist Don Barnes, who was facing personal struggles in his marriage. He confided in co-writer Jim Peterik, expressing his wife's lack of support for his musical aspirations.

From this raw emotion, the first line, "Hold on loosely, but don't let go," emerged. It captured the essence of navigating challenges while sta...

In 1966 the Rolling Stones were at a pivotal period in their musical evolution.

They were starting to break away from their earlier rhythm and blues roots. And were venturing off with experimental sounds.

Brian Jones, a founding member of the band, had come up with this awesome riff, after picking up a sitar and being inspired by Eastern music.

Today I want to break it all down for you step-by-step in this “Paint It Black” guitar lesson.

Who wrote Paint It Black? 

"Paint It Black" is a song by the English rock band The Rolling Stones, released as a single in 1966. It was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, the primary songwriting duo of the band, and is credited to Jagger/Richards.

"Paint It Black" was created during a pivotal period for The Rolling Stones. The band was transitioning from their earlier rhythm and blues sound to a more psychedelic and experimental style. 

It all started when Brian Jones, a founding member of The Rolling Stones, stumbled upon the song's ...

I grew up with 3 wild brothers…

I’m the middle one.

And when I was in my first band. My older brother would come out to all our shows in Hollywood. It was a routine.

And he would always bring dates he was trying to schmooze and impress. I’d see him in the audience from the stage.

He’d point at me and say to his date, “That’s my brother”...as he’d try to get them out on the dance floor…

It was hilarious. But this brings me to today’s song.

...because before every show…

My brother would ask me…

“Are you going to play “x” song tonight?”

He always wanted to know…

Today I want to share with you that song...

It's one every party band guitar player should know.

It’s full of nostalgia. Making many listeners think about innocent crushes, summer days, and simpler times. 

You only need 4 chords to play it. And, the majority of the song just repeats one progression over and over. (So it’s perfect for beginners as well).

I’m going to break it all down for you step-by-step in this “...

One of the core techniques every guitarist should have a handle on is arpeggio picking. 

The basic idea of arpeggio picking is you take notes of a chord. But instead of strumming them. You pick them individually.

This one technique has been the seed of many legendary guitar riffs. And today, I would like to share with you an example of this in this Rebel Rebel guitar lesson. 

So grab your guitar, and let’s get started!

Who wrote Rebel Rebel?

"Rebel Rebel" was written and performed by David Bowie. It was first released as a single in 1974 and then later included on his album "Diamond Dogs." The song has a catchy guitar riff and it’s known for its rebellious lyrics. 

Bowie recorded it in January 1974 at Olympic Studios in London.

"Rebel Rebel" is considered one of Bowie's signature songs and a glam rock anthem. 

The song features Bowie's distinctive vocals and Mick Ronson's memorable guitar work. 

It reached No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart. 

Despite not originally achieving si...

A fan on Reddit said this about today's song:

"Those opening lines, 'There are places I'll remember/All my life, though some have changed' - they just take you right back to your childhood." 

I would agree with that.

I’ve played this song at:

Weddings…

Anniversaries…

Private events… 

I’ve played it all over. And it always seems to hit an emotional note with the crowd. 

Today I want to break it down for you step-by-step. We’ll look at the signature guitar parts, the chords and progressions, and even an unexpected twist at the end. 

I’ll dive deep into how George Martin recorded and played the piano solo in this In My Life guitar lesson.

Who wrote In My Life?

The iconic song "In My Life" is credited to the legendary songwriting duo Lennon-McCartney. But its origins are a bit murkier than that.  

While John Lennon wrote the lyrics and is considered the primary author, there's been debate about the extent of Paul McCartney's contribution to the melody. 

Regardless, the song...

Bob Dylan is often thought of as one of the greatest songwriters of all time.

But in an interview, he was once asked what he thought was the greatest song ever written…

What was Bob’s response?

“Wichita Lineman”

And many people agree with Bob… 

In fact, this song has moved the world.

So today I want to share with you the ULTIMATE Wichita Lineman guitar lesson.

We’ll unpack the history of this song, the chord progressions, and even the iconic guitar solo.

So tune up, and let’s get started! 

Who wrote Wichita Lineman? 

"Wichita Lineman" is a classic song written by American songwriter Jimmy Webb. It was made famous by the iconic American country singer Glen Campbell, who recorded and released it in 1968 as a single and included it on his album of the same name. 

The song was recorded at the famous Capitol Studios in Hollywood, California. It featured the skilled and emotive guitar work of session musician James Burton, which contributed to its distinctive sound. The song's ...

Let's go back in time and play an epic song from 1970… 

Currently, this tune has over 50 million views on YouTube (cumulatively between the two versions I share below.)

And here’s the crazy part, you only need 3 chords to play the main riff.

So grab your guitar, tune it up, and let’s dive into this American Woman guitar lesson.

Who originally sang American Woman?

"American Woman" is a legendary rock song originally sung by the Canadian band The Guess Who. It was primarily written by Randy Bachman (lead guitarist and vocalist) with contributions from the rest of the band. The Guess Who recorded this iconic hit at RCA Studios in Chicago, Illinois, in December 1969. It was produced by Jack Richardson.

The song has received quite a few accolades like:

• Ranked No. 3 on Billboard's "100 Greatest Canadian Songs of All Time" (2005)
• Certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)

Covered by numerous artists, including Lenny Kravitz, Mötley Crüe, and KISS...

Few guitars capture the essence of the pop and folk-rock sounds of the 60s as the Rickenbacker 12 string does. 

So today I want to share with you a classic example of this sound in action. You’ll learn a catchy tune that only uses 6 chords. Plus we’ll break down how you can use a technique called arpeggio picking to create memorable and melodic guitar parts.

So grab your guitar, tune-up, and let’s dive into this “Ticket to Ride” guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Ticket To Ride?

"Ticket to Ride" is a classic song by the British rock band The Beatles. It was primarily written by John Lennon, with some contributions from Paul McCartney. The song was released as a single on April 9, 1965, in the United Kingdom and on April 19, 1965, in the United States. It also appeared on their album Help! which was released in August 1965.

The song was recorded at EMI Studios (now Abbey Road Studios) in London, England. It was produced by George Martin, who was the Beatles' longtime producer and collabor...

Ever tried to explain a song real quick to some bandmates or fellow musicians for a jam?

Well, if you have, you’ll notice this cold truth I am about to tell you right now…

Songs with simple structures and not a lot of chords are best for this…

Think about it.

If your bandmates don’t know the song, is it easier to explain a complex tune with a bunch of twists & turns, and unexpected changes? 

Or is it easier to say, “Hey the chords are G, C, and D, and it repeats this same part over and over.”

The answer is the ladder.

Now today’s lesson is not quite as simple as that.  

But it’s pretty close… 

And that’s why this song is played at jam sessions and in cover bands all the time…

Because musicians can pick up the meat of the song pretty quickly.

And then just get to the PLAYING! 

So that’s what we are going to do today in the Miss You guitar lesson. 

Who Wrote Miss You?

"Miss You" is a classic rock song by the Rolling Stones, one of the most legendary rock bands in music ...