ArtistWorks Blog

Mark your calendars for December 23, 2024, at 1:00 pm PT / 4:00 pm ET, as ArtistWorks presents a special livestream event: The ArtistWorks Jazz Guitar Holiday Special. This festive online gathering will feature two of the most renowned jazz guitarists and ArtistWorks instructors, Dave Stryker and Sean McGowan. Whether you're a jazz enthusiast, a guitarist, or simply looking for an inspiring musical experience, this event promises something truly special.

We are absolutely ecstatic to announce that our newest course, “Flamenco Guitar with Noa Drezner,” is officially here! As of 9 am PT, the course is officially live and open to all students.

Exciting news for ukulele enthusiasts! Craig Chee and Sarah Maisel, renowned for their dynamic and engaging teaching style, have added six brand-new lessons to their popular online ukulele course at ArtistWorks. These lessons are all about mastering song outros in major keys, offering players an array of techniques to end their songs with style and confidence. Whether you’re a beginner or an intermediate player, these new additions will provide you with essential skills and creative inspiration.

If you’re learning bluegrass banjo, you’ve probably encountered the term “banjo rolls.” These are foundational picking patterns that form the backbone of bluegrass banjo playing. Among the many banjo rolls, the alternating thumb roll stands out as one of the most versatile and essential. Whether you’re just starting your banjo journey or looking to refine your technique, this blog will dive deep into mastering the alternating thumb roll—complete with exercises and tips.

The I-V-vi-IV progression is one of the most popular chord progressions in music, featured in countless hits across genres. It's a fantastic tool for piano improvisation, offering endless opportunities to experiment with melodies, rhythms, and harmonies. In this blog, we'll explore how you can use this progression to enhance your skills and make your piano practice sessions more creative and fun. Along the way, we’ll refer to expert advice from Zachary Deak's ArtistWorks online piano course, which provides invaluable resources for mastering improvisation.

Exciting news for guitarists diving into blues rock! Jared James Nichols has added four brand-new lessons to his popular ArtistWorks course. These lessons dive deep into one of Jared's signature tools: the Mixolydian scale. Known for its distinctive blend of major and minor tonalities, this scale is a staple in Jared’s expressive soloing and improvisation. In the first new lesson, Jared breaks down the Mixolydian scale, explaining its unique sound and why it works perfectly over dominant chords across genres. He offers tips on how to internalize its flavor and make it your own.

Mike Marshall, one of the foremost innovators and virtuosos of the mandolin family, has once again broken boundaries by bringing Johann Sebastian Bach’s six cello suites to the mandocello. Long celebrated as masterpieces of baroque composition, these suites were originally written for the cello, an instrument with a distinctly different tonal range and technique than the mandocello. Yet, through Marshall's unparalleled artistry and dedication, these works have been reimagined and recorded in their entirety on the mandocello—a feat never accomplished before.

We’re thrilled to announce that ten brand-new lessons have been added to Dave Isaacs’ highly acclaimed Session Player Toolkit course on ArtistWorks. These lessons form the all-new tenth unit of the course and focus on a fresh original composition from Dave in E Major called “Major Rock Walkdown.” Whether you’re honing your rhythm playing, expanding your soloing toolbox, or diving deep into music theory, these new lessons are designed to elevate your skills to the next level.