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Satisfaction Guitar Lesson (Rolling Stones)

rock Oct 01, 2023

There’s something that I noticed about some of the BIGGEST guitar riffs of all time. I am talking about the fist-pumping anthems you hear played at sports events and ones that seem to hit home with virtually everyone. In fact, when you think about it, it’s kind of a crazy idea. 

What am I talking about?

I am talking about a one-string riff. And despite its simplicity, a well-crafted one-string riff can create a catchy and memorable song. 

Today I want to explore this idea with you in this “Satisfaction” guitar lesson.

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

Who wrote Satisfaction

The song "Satisfaction" was primarily written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones. Mick Jagger, the band's lead vocalist, contributed the lyrics, and Keith Richards, the guitarist, came up with the iconic one-string guitar riff that defines the song. 

The songwriting credit officially goes to "Jagger/Richards," which was the...

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Play Like Chuck Berry - Chuck Berry Rhythm Guitar Lesson

rock Sep 30, 2023

Today I want to share with you insights into Chuck Berry’s signature guitar style. In this guitar lesson, we’ll dive into Berry’s rhythm and lead styles, and I’ll show you how to understand the concepts behind what he was doing so you can use this in your own music. 

Berry is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. By studying his guitar style, you can gain a deeper understanding of the genre's roots and its evolution straight out of the blues. Berry's innovative guitar techniques laid the foundation for countless rock and roll artists who followed him.

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

Chuck Berry Rhythms

One of the first things that you’ll notice about Berry’s rhythms is that he often departed from the typical bar chord shapes and instead relied heavily upon blues rhythm patterns.

For example, if a song was in the key of A, instead of playing an open position A chord and strumming it...

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Something Guitar Lesson (Beatles)

rock Sep 28, 2023

Today I want to share with you a song that Frank Sinatra had very high praise for.

In fact, he often referred to it as “the greatest love song ever written" when he introduced it at his live concerts.

And I would definitely agree with Sinatra…

I think it’s one of the best ones I have ever heard too… 

The guitar solo in it is incredible as well. 

It’s a perfect example of taste and melodic lead playing. (It also uses the CAGED system, and is perfect for players who are studying CAGED)

So if you’d like to play it, then you are in luck because I’m going to break down all the chords, rhythms, key changes, and even the solo for you today in this “Something” guitar lesson.

So tune up and let’s begin!

Who wrote Something?

"Something" is a classic song by The Beatles, written by George Harrison. It was released on their 1969 album Abbey Road. The song was primarily composed by George Harrison, making it one of his most...

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Messin' With The Kid Guitar Lesson (Buddy Guy & Junior Wells)

blues Sep 18, 2023

 

"Messin' with the Kid" is a blues song originally recorded by Junior Wells in 1960. It is an up-tempo twelve-bar blues that alternates between Afro-Cuban- and Little Richard-style rhythmic accompaniment. The song is considered a blues standard and has been recorded by a variety of artists, including The Blues Brothers.

In this blog post, we will take a closer look at how to play "Messin' with the Kid" on guitar. We will learn the basic chords and progression, as well as some of the more advanced techniques licks too.

So grab your guitar and let’s get started!

Messin' with the Kid Chords

The basic chords in "Messin' with the Kid" are C7, F7, and G7. 

All three of these chords can use the same chord grip, just shifted around the neck.

Here is how I would play each chord.

For C7 I would play this:

F7 can be played the same way just shifted higher up the neck like this:

And finally, G7 is again the same shape. However this time I shifted the entire chord grip to...

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How to Play Happy Birthday on Guitar (With Bluesy Ending)

blues Sep 17, 2023

Today I want to share with you how to play “Happy Birthday” on guitar. Plus as a bonus at the end I will also share how to add a cool bluesy ending to it.

Playing “Happy Birthday” for your friends and family can mean a lot to them. Therefore, it’s a great one to know. You want to be able to pull it off at the drop of a hat.

So in this lesson, I am going to cover everything you need to know to do exactly that. 

So get tuned up, and let’s get started!

What are the chords for Happy Birthday?

To play “Happy Birthday” on guitar you will only need to know 3 chords. The chords we are going to play are G, C, and D. Here is how I would play each shape. 

For G, I would play all 6 strings and use 4 fingers in the fretting hand like this: 

D is the next chord we will move to in the progression, and this one is played from the 4th string down like this:

And finally, C is the last we will use and this one is played from the 5th...

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The ULTIMATE Before You Accuse Me Guitar Lesson

blues Sep 16, 2023

Today I want to share with you the ULTIMATE “Before You Accuse Me” guitar lesson. 

This song is a classic blues guitar tune and I’m going to break down a number of iconic versions, from the Bob Diddley original version from 1957 to later cover versions as well. 

You’ll learn the chords, theory, and even how to play epic blues solos over this classic blues jam. 

So grab your guitar and let’s get started!

Who wrote Before You Accuse Me?

"Before You Accuse Me" is a classic blues song written and originally recorded by Bo Diddley. "Before You Accuse Me" was recorded in 1957, and released as a single by Checker Records, a subsidiary of Chess Records

The song was part of Bo Diddley's self-titled debut album, which is often referred to as "Bo Diddley."

This groovy tune is considered a blues standard and has been covered by numerous artists over the years, demonstrating its lasting popularity and influence in the world of blues and rock...

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Are You Gonna Go My Way Guitar Lesson (Lenny Kravitz)

blues Sep 16, 2023

Today I want to share with you how I play “Are You Gonna Go My Way” as recorded by Lenny Kravitz. 

I’ve noticed a few things about this song in particular. Things that will help players elevate both their blues and rock playing simultaneously

This song is a great example of how blues guitar led straight into rock. For example, the main riff to “Are You Gonna Go My Way” is a straight-up blues riff. 

In fact, so much so, that it sounds like it could have been played in Muddy Waters’s version of “Catfish Blues.”  

In this post, I’ll walk you through this iconic riff, the chords you’ll need, and even some scales to further explore your own style with it.

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

Who wrote Are You Gonna Go My Way:

"Are You Gonna Go My Way" is a song written by Lenny Kravitz and Craig Ross. Kravitz, an American singer-songwriter and musician, composed the music...

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Midnight Rider Guitar Lesson (Allman Brothers Band)

rock Sep 15, 2023

Gregg Allman once said, 

“There's nothing like music to relieve the soul and uplift it.” 

I couldn’t agree more, and that’s exactly what I want to do today in this “Midnight Rider” guitar lesson.

In this post, you’ll discover how to play the chords, signature riffs, and even the solo to this iconic Allman Brothers Band song step-by-step. 

So grab your guitar tune up and let’s get started!

Who wrote Midnight Rider?

"Midnight Rider" was written by Gregg Allman and Robert Payne. It was first released by the American rock band The Allman Brothers Band on their 1970 album Idlewild South. The song has since become one of the band's most iconic and lasting tracks.

The song features a bluesy and soulful sound, with Gregg Allman's distinctive vocals and the band's signature dual guitar harmonies, courtesy of Duane Allman and Dickey Betts. 

The lyrics of "Midnight Rider" convey a sense of restlessness and the longing for...

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Gary Clark Jr Guitar Lesson (Bright Lights)

blues Sep 14, 2023

Today I want to share with you an awesome Gary Clark Jr. guitar lesson. We’ll dive deep into his soulful song “Bright Lights”. 

This tune is a one-chord blues, and I’ll break down how to play the rhythm and lead step-by-step.

So grab your guitar and let’s jam the blues! 

Who wrote Bright Lights? 

The song "Bright Lights" was written by Gary Clark Jr. himself. Gary Clark Jr. is an American musician and singer-songwriter known for his skillful guitar playing and blending various genres such as blues, rock, and soul. "Bright Lights" is one of his popular songs and has received critical acclaim for its energetic and soulful sound.

Although "Bright Lights" by Gary Clark Jr. has a similar title to another very famous blues song “Bright Lights, Big City”, by Jimmy Reed. The two songs are very different musically. They only really share similar titles and that’s it. To prove this I also have another lesson explaining the guitar...

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Come Together Guitar Lesson (Beatles)

blues Sep 13, 2023

Over the years countless students have come to me and said, “I’m not really a blues player”, but then in the same breath tell me about how they are working on tunes like “Come Together” or “Johnny B. Goode”. And that’s what they really want to play… Not the blues…

Well, here’s the thing…

You can’t play any popular music from the past 120 years without playing the blues.

If you play guitar, you have to learn the blues. And even if you think you don’t, you’ll still be learning it inadvertently through other songs you want to play.

So today I want to show you how “Come Together” is deeply rooted in blues. 

When you can identify patterns, like what I’m going to share with you in this lesson, you can learn songs WAY faster. 

It gets EASIER, and songs make more sense.

Plus after sitting in at countless jam nights, and with various bands I can say with certainty that...

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