How Do I Learn to Improvise on Guitar?
Wed, 07/12/2017 - 4:52pm
When blues and jazz first became popular over a hundred years ago, one of the things that set them apart from other styles was a radical new idea: improvisation. Singers and musicians didn’t just perform the same melodies every time, they “jazzed” or embellished them so that each performance was unique. From then on, each generation of performers studied the improvisations of their peers and those who came before, added their personal twist, and joined a chain of influences that leads right up to the present day.
After more than a century, however, there is still confusion over what it means to improvise and how you learn to do it. The Blues Guitar program here at ArtistWorks covers the subject in detail, but here’s a brief FAQ-style overview of improvising in general and blues improvising in particular.
Does improvising mean spontaneously coming up with original ideas?
The Fundamentals of Flatpicking Guitar
Wed, 07/12/2017 - 12:19pm
Love bluegrass guitar? Then be sure to check out Bryan Sutton's flatpicking lessons here at ArtistWorks. Click here for free sample lessons!
Bryan Sutton is arguably the best flatpick guitarist since the late great Doc Watson. During his eclectic career, he has appeared as a leading session guitarist on albums from Dolly Parton, the Dixie Chicks, Rhonda Vincent, and more. He has also played in the legendary bluegrass bands Kentucky Thunder and Hot Rize. Bryan picked up guitar from his dad at the age of 8 and won his first Grammy award in 2007. He's received IBMA's 'Guitarist of the Year' eight times. Bryan joined the ArtistWorks family in 2011, launching a dedicated bluegrass guitar course for students around the globe.
This is for anyone who's still not sure just what makes flatpicking different from other styles of guitar. Here's one way to look at it. There are two ways to sound a guitar string; by plucking with the fingers or by using a pick, or plectrum. When we use a pick to sound the string, this is known as ‘flatpicking’, which produces the crisp, classic sound of many bluegrass, rock, and jazz standards.
The Best Jazz Chord Progressions to Practice
Tue, 07/11/2017 - 3:34pm
Are you looking for a way to break out of the familiar patterns guitarists can't seem to escape from? Perhaps you’ve already mastered some blues and rock scales but just can’t seem to incorporate that elusive jazzy sound into your guitar playing without it all running off the rails.
While there are no shortcuts to make you sound like Wes Montgomery or Joe Pass, there are some simple jazz chord progressions that will point you in the right direction. So with that in mind, here are some of the main jazz chord progressions that you'll need to know to in order to sail through almost any jazz standard.
Guaranteed Great Moments in Rock Guitar History
Tue, 07/11/2017 - 11:16am
There are so many greats moments throughout the history of rock guitar. Definitely far too many to fit into any sort of written recollection. Nevertheless, there are a few times in rock guitar history that are remembered more often than others as being amongst the greatest. So without further adieu, and in no specific order (how could you?), here's a few classic myths and moments in the pages of rock guitar history.
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