Guitar technique

Why Fretboard Awareness Matters More Than Memorising Random Patterns

2026-05-16T08:00:34+01:00

Many guitarists spend years collecting shapes. For many players, the more patterns they learn, the more confused they become. They may know where to place their fingers, but not always why those notes work, where they are on the instrument, or how to use them musically. This is where guitar learners discover why fretboard awareness matters more than memorising random patterns. A pattern can help you play something quickly. Fretboard awareness helps you understand the guitar. Fretboard Awareness Gives You Musical Freedom Fretboard awareness means knowing the instrument well enough to make informed musical choices. It is not about turning [...]

Why Fretboard Awareness Matters More Than Memorising Random Patterns2026-05-16T08:00:34+01:00

How to Avoid Wrist Pain When Practising Barre Chords

2026-04-01T13:36:33+01:00

For many guitarists, barre chords mark a turning point. They open the door to a far wider harmonic vocabulary, greater freedom across the fretboard, and a more mature, versatile way of playing. Yet for all their usefulness, they can also be one of the most uncomfortable aspects of learning the guitar, particularly for adult students who are trying to develop strength and control without unnecessary tension. It is very common for players to experience discomfort when first working on barre chords. In many cases, this does not mean anything is wrong with the guitar, the hand, or the student’s ability. More [...]

How to Avoid Wrist Pain When Practising Barre Chords2026-04-01T13:36:33+01:00

How to Break Out of a Guitar Plateau

2026-01-28T16:26:02+00:00

There comes a quiet moment in every guitarist’s journey when progress seems to slow to a crawl. The fingers still move. The chords still ring out. The guitar still feels familiar in the hands. And yet, something is missing. The spark that once made every practise session feel like discovery has dimmed, replaced by repetition and a low hum of frustration. At first, it is easy to ignore. Surely it is just a bad week. Perhaps the strings are old, or the room is too noisy, or the mind is tired. But days turn into weeks, and the same shapes appear [...]

How to Break Out of a Guitar Plateau2026-01-28T16:26:02+00:00

7 Easy Blues Licks For Beginners

2025-03-26T10:37:56+00:00

When starting off playing pentatonic scales and improvising, it can be hard to break away from sounding like you are just playing an exercise, and start sounding like your guitar heroes. These licks will show you just how we use our favourite scales to make music and sound like a pro in many different musical genres. Lick #1 Our first lick, played in the A Minor Pentatonic Scale (as with the majority of our licks seen here) is a blues rock staple! This lick is a simple run through the Minor Pentatonic Scale, which although is nice and [...]

7 Easy Blues Licks For Beginners2025-03-26T10:37:56+00:00

Guitar Roles: Rhythm vs. Lead

2025-01-13T11:10:40+00:00

Rhythm guitar provides the foundational backbone of a song, locking in with the band and creating a solid structure, while lead guitar adds excitement and flair, often through solos. Although both roles are important, rhythm guitar is essential for most songs, especially those with vocals, whereas lead guitar shines in instrumental tracks or key moments. Rhythm Guitar Role For those just starting out in the world of guitar playing, you may mistake rhythm guitar as the inferior of the two as it is often thought of as “just playing the chords” or “playing the same riff over and over”. Although it [...]

Guitar Roles: Rhythm vs. Lead2025-01-13T11:10:40+00:00

How to Play Rhythm Guitar in a Band – Tips and Tricks

2024-11-08T14:05:39+00:00

Rhythm guitar - sometimes considered the lesser guitar to lead, but once you really get into studying this art form you’ll soon discover that it is anything but! Lock In with the Bass and Drums As a rhythm guitarist you have a very important job, along with the bass and drums, to create a solid foundation for lead parts such as singers and lead guitars to soar on top of. If the foundations of the song are shaky, then the more noticeable lead parts won’t sit right and in the instance of playing live, these musicians will struggle to execute their [...]

How to Play Rhythm Guitar in a Band – Tips and Tricks2024-11-08T14:05:39+00:00

How to Improve Your Guitar Technique

2024-10-28T10:09:41+00:00

Something that is often skipped over in the early stages of learning, guitar technique will affect all aspects of your playing! Don’t take shortcuts by breezing over the basics. Make your playing the best it can be by improving your guitar technique! Fundamentals The most logical place to start when wanting to improve your guitar technique is with the fundamentals, as many players skip over these in order to jump to playing their favourite songs! This is one of the major hurdles I find as a guitar tutor when taking on a new student who is mainly self-taught, or has come [...]

How to Improve Your Guitar Technique2024-10-28T10:09:41+00:00

Going Back to the Basics in Your Guitar Playing

2024-06-26T21:19:09+01:00

As a guitarist, it's easy to get caught up in the thrill of playing new techniques, learning complex songs, and exploring different styles. However, it's essential to remember that a solid foundation in the basics is crucial for any level of guitarist, regardless of whether you're an intermediate or advanced player. In this article, we'll explore the importance of going back to basics and provide some practical tips on how to refocus your guitar playing. Why go back to basics? When you're an intermediate or advanced guitar player, it's tempting to skip over the basics and focus on more challenging [...]

Going Back to the Basics in Your Guitar Playing2024-06-26T21:19:09+01:00

How to Play Rhythm Guitar in a Band

2024-06-06T08:43:34+01:00

Often overlooked, the art of being a great rhythm guitarist is so much more than strumming chords and having to be quieter than the lead guitarist. It’s actually the rhythm guitarist that has the skill of gluing the band together and giving impact to their sound. So how do you play rhythm guitar in a band? Study the greats A logical place to start when trying to get good at rhythm guitar is to study great rhythm players from great bands that you admire. Although many of these are names that you will know from some of the biggest bands of [...]

How to Play Rhythm Guitar in a Band2024-06-06T08:43:34+01:00

What Is The First Thing To Learn As A Beginner On The Guitar?

2022-10-31T13:08:51+00:00

The Basics! So I suppose the most logical place to start your guitar journey would be at the beginning (duh!) with the basics! You would think that this would be fairly obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people skip over the core fundamentals of playing the guitar because they are in a rush to learn their favourite songs! I always start every first guitar lesson with: the body parts of the guitar, the open string names, basic fretting technique and basic strumming technique. These fundamentals are extremely important to get right in the beginning to then build upon later down [...]

What Is The First Thing To Learn As A Beginner On The Guitar?2022-10-31T13:08:51+00:00
Go to Top