Blog Archives

Guitar Noise contributor and Forum Moderator Vic Lewis lists his reasons for not playing guitar with a pick, or “plectrum,” if you prefer.

Nick Minnion shares his secrets of working out the CAGED system on guitar in these two videos he’s made.

Many people ask this question for different reasons; some may be looking for fulfillment, some may be looking for a job, and hopefully many are doing both.

Do you really need to know music theory to play? How about reading music? Although the answer is pretty simple, there’s a lot to consider when making those choices. David discusses these decisions and what they mean, or should mean, to you.

Using a metronome during guitar practice is very helpful but it’s also important to know when not to use it. Tom Hess explores the reasons both for using a metronome and not using a metronome when trying to improve your guitar playing.

Learn how to play the sparse and spooky (but very easy to learn) version of Scarborough Fair that Nick and David came up with while working on The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Guitar.

We’re going to learn different fingerpicking patterns for House of the Rising Sun, a folk song covered by the Animals, Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton and others.

Most of this song involves simple patterns that are repeated during each verse. There is some very interesting and intricate fingerstyle guitar playing.

Here are some tips and advice on how to realistically gauge your progress and also how to get the most enjoyment out of learning to play guitar.

If you’ve decided to pick up the guitar again, here is some advice on how to get yourself ready to learn again, regardless of how long you have been playing.

In Part Two of this guide to touring, we take you from launching your tour to making your van your home to bringing everyone home safely and successfully.

Many players obsess about not being able to play fast. Tom Hess offers some important tips for guitarists wanting to improve their playing speed.

Vic Lewis looks at the basics of playing slide guitar in standard tuning, which is a great thing to know if you’d prefer to not keep changing your tuning every other song!

Chris Gallant (lead singer and guitarist of The Sidewalks) brings you an introduction to the realities of touring. Grab your gear and get ready to hit the road!

Discovering the roots of impatience can lead to much more productive practice and better performance. Jamie Andreas teaches you how to become a patient person.

In Part 4 of her series on understanding modes, Beth Isbell looks at each of the seven modes and gives examples of how they are used in songs you may know.

GN Forum Moderator Vic Lewis shares some favorite discoveries that have helped him become a better guitarist and musician.

In this first lesson on accompanying yourself with guitar we focus exclusively on using arpeggios to create interesting song arrangements.

Good vibrato technique can bring a lot more polish to your playing. Kenny Masters examines the various aspects of vibrato, with great audio examples of each.

Making small adjustments to simple 3-note sequences can bring a unique sound to your soloing. Paul Tauterouff shows you how it’s done.