Looking to take a break from practising guitar and relax over watching a film? How about seeing some of these greatest guitar solos used in movies? Here is a list to get you started. Back to the future One of the most talked about guitar scenes in movies that I am aware of, and in fact the movie that is the reason why many guitar players first picked up the instrument, is Back To The Future (1985), with its infamous “Johnny B. Goode” scene. This scene sees character Marty McFly playing the Chuck Berry classic at his parents high school dance, to which he has time traveled back to the year 19 ..read more

Although it’s not the most rock ’n roll thing to think about as a guitarist, looking after your health will be incredibly important to ensuring longevity as a musician and also to maximise the most out of your practice sessions! Warm-up and cool-down Being a guitarist is much like being an athlete, although it may not seem like it at first. Playing guitar involves us using many different small muscles in our hands, wrists, and arms, which need to be warmed up thoroughly before playing challenging material. Would a professional athlete jump straight onto the track for a 100-metre sprint? No w ..read more

New to guitar? Don’t fret! Choosing the right strings can seem overwhelming, but we’ve got your back. We’ll simplify the options and help you find what suits you best. Whether you’re strumming a sunny tune or rocking out a solo, your strings matter. They’re the bridge between your fingers and your sound, shaping your playing experience. Let’s dive into the basics, making sure you’re equipped for your musical journey. Guitar string materials Guitar strings are typically crafted from one of four primary materials: Steel: Known for its durability and bright tone, steel strings are commonly fou ..read more

We need both hands to play the guitar, but which is more important? We need to make all of the chords with our fretting hand, but they won’t make much sound without the strumming hand! So which one is more important? Strumming hand vs. fretting hand – which is more important? Role of the fretting hand When we first start learning the guitar, a lot of thought is given to the fretting hand. This will be important as we are constantly thinking about which strings and frets each finger needs to be on for both riffs and chords, as well as which fingers should be placed on each string. There is al ..read more

Not only is jamming along to your favourite songs at home a whole lot of fun, it is also a great pathway to becoming a better musician! This will improve your ability to stay in time, your dynamic sensibilities, awareness of the vocals, and your overall musicianship. How playing along to songs will make you a better musician Staying in time One of the major skills that you are going to develop from playing along to songs is the ability to stay in time, which is something you aren’t tested on as much when you are playing by yourself solo. You will notice if any transitions between sections ar ..read more

If you find yourself reading this article, you’re probably on a quest to deepen your understanding of guitars. These instruments, crafted with precision by luthiers, stand as pillars of musical expression, offering a rich palette of sounds and textures. Understanding the anatomy of a guitar, along with the specialised terminology used to describe its parts, is crucial for anyone looking to master the instrument or simply to appreciate the artistry behind its creation. Join us as we dissect the guitar, piece by piece, in a journey that promises to enhance your knowledge and connection to this ..read more

From the electrifying rock riffs to the delicate classical tunes, the guitar has been a cornerstone of music in many styles. Within the world of music are legendary figures whose names are etched in the hearts of fans worldwide. Let’s explore the lives and legacies of these guitar legends across musical genres. Kicking off with the rock genre Jimi Hendrix James Marshall “Jimi” Hendrix, an electrifying force in the 1960s, revolutionised the way the guitar was played and perceived. Born in Seattle, Washington, in 1942, Hendrix’s early life was marked by a fascination with music and a determina ..read more

If you’re just starting out on your guitar journey and are primarily self taught, there may be some confusion for you around whether or not you should be using a plectrum/guitar pick to strike the notes that you are playing. Some people take to using a pick more naturally than others, but it is actually very important to getting the best result possible in your playing to either use this or not. I would urge all guitarist to get used to playing both with and without a pick, as different songs will require different techniques and sounds. Chords For 99% of the time that you are playing chords ..read more

Listen to the bass! Learning songs by ear is a lot of fun, and a skill that will come in extremely handy for you both at home for your own enjoyment and in jam sessions/rehearsals when you need to be able to pick things up quickly without TAB’s or sheet music. When starting off on your ear training journey, keep things simple and try to learn a simple four-chord-song that will have pretty straightforward information for you to transcribe. Let’s take “With Or Without You” by U2 as our first example. This will use the same four chords the entire way through the song, so nice and easy to start wi ..read more

Many rock guitarists may, at some point in their musical journey, feel the need to learn jazz, which can appear quite daunting initially. The good news is, that you are able to use your existing knowledge of rock guitar to start you off on your jazz guitar journey! Scales Like with any style of music, scales will be a fundamental piece of knowledge that feeds into every aspect of your playing. This will particularly help with the theory side of jazz guitar playing, as you could argue that jazz guitar is much more theory-based than rock guitar. In rock, we play a lot ‘by ear’ or ‘by feel’, of ..read more