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The storefront attached to Acoustic Guitar: instruction books, songbooks, transcriptions and accessories, aimed at players who want to get better rather than just buy more.
Get complete music and lyrics to the traditional ballad, "Darling Cory," and learn Jody Stecher's style of flatpicking accompaniment and melody playing. Your guide includes 5 minutes of instructional video. By Jody Stecher.
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Learn to control the tone color and volume of your fingerstyle playing. Apply sul tasto and metalico sounds. Explore the guitar's full dynamic range. Includes 16 minutes of video. By Alex de Grassi.
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Use this downloadable guide to learn a classic fiddle tune arranged for flatpicked guitar. Includes: Complete music for the traditional tune "Forked Deer." Tab and standard notation. 7 minutes of video instruction. By Scott Nygaard
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Discover the origins of the blues in the rural South, early masters like Charley Patton and Blind Lemon Jefferson, and the guitars and techniques used by acoustic blues players, then and now, with this lively, comprehensive guide to one of America's most vital musical legacies. Leading roots-music performer and recording artist Steve James answers 50 key questions for contemporary blues guitarists and fans alike and provides invaluable reference information on essential recordings, books, websites, workshops, and more. With Inside Blues Guitar, you'll find the right gear, repertoire, and resources to play the blues and truly appreciate America's most accessible and enduring musical tradition. This comprehensive guide is available in two different formats: Book: 75 pages of tips, histories, photos, resources, musical examples, and more written by Steve James. PDF: Downloadable version featuring the complete written instruction from the book. Includes: Expert Answers to 50 Essential Questions Artists and Styles Tunings and Techniques Performing and Practicing Guitars and Gear CDs, Books, Workshops, and More "Suppose you could sit down for an afternoon with one of the top acoustic-blues players in the country and ask him about blues history and technique, get tips on practicing and performing, and find out what some of those obscure lyrics really mean. The next best thing might be this book by Steve James." —Kerry Dexter, Dirty Linen
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Countless songs, melodies, solos, and classic riffs are based on the sound and structure of the pentatonic scale, which is literally any scale with five notes. Pentatonic chord structures are relatively uncommon compared to their scalar counterparts. But they offer unique and beautiful sounds that will create interesting textures, whether you’re writing a song, playing rhythmic chord fills in a tune, looking to add colorful textures to fill out your lead lines, or simply looking for a good physical workout and way to reinforce your knowledge of the fret board.
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Kelly Joe Phelps Slide Lesson The fingerstyle guitarist and singer-songwriter demonstrates some of the slide guitar techniques that have reinvigorated his playing. By Orville Johnson. Loudon Wainwright III On Older Than My Old Man Now, the singer-songwriter casts an unflinching eye toward his own mortality. By Derk Richardson. Five Hybrid Nylon-Strings Reviewed Acoustic Guitar reviews five acoustic-electric classical guitars with narrow necks from Alhambra, Córdoba, Hill, Martin, and Taylor. By Doug Young. DEPARTMENTS ACOUSTIC CLASSIC Early Morning Rain. Music and lyrics by Gordon Lightfoot. By Andrew DuBrock. PRIVATE LESSON Solo Guitar Arranging Lesson. English fingerstyle guitarist Clive Carroll on combining chords, bass lines, percussion, and melody to emulate a full band. By Doug Young. NEW GEAR 1 Breedlove Voice Auditorium Review. Acoustic Guitar reviews a rich-sounding mid-size guitar with custom L.R. Baggs electronics. With video. By Adam Perlmutter. NEW GEAR 2 Washburn WDFLB26SCE Forrest Lee Bender Review. Acoustic Guitar reviews a string bender-equipped flattop designed for playing pedal-steel licks. With video. By Teja Gerken. IN THE STORES In the Stores. PLAYER SPOTLIGHT Andrew York. The former LAGQ guitarist on his new double album, Yamour. By Mark Small. SONG CRAFT Rewriting Other Songs. How to change the chords, feel, tonality, and time signature of an existing song to find ideas for a new song of your own. By Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers. HERE'S HOW Classical Shopper. How to choose and shop for a classical guitar. By Teja Gerken. THE BASICS Secondary Dominant Chords. Borrow chords from other keys to create interesting and exciting chord progressions. By Andrew DuBrock. SHOPTALK Classical Ten-String Guitars. All about the ten-string classical guitar and its variants. PLAYLIST Foggy Mountain Special: A Bluegrass Tribute to Earl Scruggs. By Kenny Berkowitz. Aimee Mann, Charmer. By Derk Richardson. Don Williams, And So It Goes. By Kenny Berkowitz. Jennie Stearns, Blurry Edges. By Kenny Berkowitz. Jerry Douglas, Traveler. By Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers. WEEKLY WORKOUT Move It On Up. Learn scales, intervals and chords that move up the fingerboard as well as across. By Scott Nygaard. WOODSHED Vibrato. Learn how to articulate a melody with linear and lateral vibrato techniques. By Alex De Grassi. SONGBOOK Bolero. Music by Julian Arcas. By Patrick Francis. GREAT ACOUSTICS 1994 Favino Jazz Nylon. By Buck Curran.
Compare all Stringletter No. 239 November PDF listings
Fingerstyle Guitar Duets How to use different accompaniment patterns, harmonies, counterpoint, and textures to create more exciting duo arrangements. By Doug Young. Shawn Colvin The singer-songwriter on her new memoir, creating compelling guitar parts, and collaborating with Buddy Miller, Jakob Dylan, and more on her new album. By Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers. A Visit to Guild How Guild’s iconic flattop guitars are built in the company’s Connecticut factory. By Teja Gerken. DEPARTMENTS PLAYLIST Butch Thompson and Pat Donohue, Vicksburg Blues. By Bill Wagner. I Draw Slow, Redhills. By Michael Lohr. ACOUSTIC CLASSIC Carry On. Words and music by Stephen Stills. By Andrew DuBrock. PRIVATE LESSON Pianistic Fingerpicking. Matt Munisteri on adapting the brilliant style of jazz-era pianist/songwriter Willard Robison for acoustic guitar. By Adam Levy. NEW GEAR 1 Boucher Studio Indian Goose 000-12FTB Review. Acoustic Guitar reviews a Canadian-made 12-fret 000 with an Adirondack spruce top. With video. By Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers. NEW GEAR 2 Gretsch G5013CE Rancher Jr. Review. Acoustic Guitar reviews an affordable acoustic-electric flattop with a classic vibe. With video. By Adam Perlmutter. NEW GEAR 3 Radial PZ Deluxe and Firefly Review. Acoustic Guitar reviews two new acoustic preamps from premier maker of DI boxes. With video. By Doug Young. IN THE STORES In the Stores. Washburn's WCG25SCE acoustic-electric, Kala's JTE/2TS archtop tenor ukulele, Planet Waves's NS Tri-Action capo, and a review of the Deering Phoenix six-string banjo. By Teja Gerken. NEW GEAR 3 Deering Phoenix Six-String Banjo. By Teja Gerken. PLAYER SPOTLIGHT Shovels and Rope. The dark acoustic country stomp of Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent. By Kenny Berkowitz. THE BASICS Fingerstyle Blues Variations. Use C-A-G-E-D chord shapes to find fingerstyle blues patterns up the neck. By Pete Madsen. SHOPTALK Montreal Guitar Show 2012. Acoustic Guitar reports from the Northeast’s premier guitar show. By Teja Gerken. PLAYLIST Robin and Linda Williams, These Old Dark Hills. By Mike Thomas. The Flatlanders, The Odessa Tapes. By Kenny Berkowitz. Zoe Muth and the Lost High Rollers, Old Gold. By Kenny Berkowitz. Al Petteway, It's Only the Blues. By Céline Keating. Steve Spurgin, Folk Remedies. By Phil Catalfo. Malcom Holcombe, Down the River. By Mike Thomas. WEEKLY WORKOUT Three-Against-Four Rhythms. Use the ubiquitous polyrhythms in your fingerboard explorations. By Scott Nygaard. WOODSHED Palm Muting Lesson. How to play pizzicato by damping the strings with your picking hand. By Alex De Grassi. SONGBOOK The Holly and the Ivy. Traditional, arranged by Sean McGowan. By Sean McGowan. The Christmas Song. Music and lyrics by Mel Torme and Robert Wells, arranged by David Wilcox. By Adam Levy. GREAT ACOUSTICS 1961 Guild M-20. By Derek See.
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Use this helpful guide to learn everything you need to know about the parts of a guitar's body. Includes: How structural and material variations of a guitar's body affect its sound Functional and decorative elements common to acoustic guitars 13 minutes of video By Teja Gerken
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Back and Sides Woods How the choice of rosewood, mahogany, maple, koa, and other hardwoods may affect the tone of your guitar. By Richard Johnston. Real-World Rigs Nina Gerber, Jackie Greene, Laurence Juber, and other performing guitarists explain their amplification setups. By Teja Gerken. Old Crow Medicine Show OCMS returns with a vibrant new album, Carry Me Back. By Kenny Berkowitz. ACOUSTIC CLASSIC Wheels. Music and lyrics by Chris Hillman and Gram Parsons. By Andrew DuBrock. GREAT ACOUSTICS Fred Carlson Taproot. By Teja Gerken. NEW GEAR 1 Martin OM-28E Retro. Acoustic Guitar reviews a vintage-style OM that’s ready for the stage. By Doug Young. NEW GEAR 2 LAG T400J12CE. Acoustic Guitar reviews a stylish cutaway 12-string with onboard electronics. By Adam Perlmutter. PLAYER SPOTLIGHT Rhett Miller. The Old 97’s front man talks about acoustic guitars and his latest album, The Dreamer. By Derk Richardson. PLAYLIST Darrell Scott and Tim O'Brien, We're Usually a lot Better Than This. By Phil Catalfo. Jim Byrnes, I Hear the Wind in the Wires. By Derk Richardson. Kathy Mattea, Calling Me Home. By Kenny Berkowitz. Steve Forbert, Over with You. By Mike Thomas. The Giving Tree Band, Vacilador. By Céline Keating. PRIVATE LESSON Fingerstyle Improvisation. Australian guitarist Adam Miller talks about improvising over a bass line while keeping a solid groove. By Teja Gerken. SONG CRAFT Simple Substitutions. How to create alternate chord progressions for your songs by using chord substitutions. By Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers. SONGBOOK Auld Lang Syne. Traditional, arranged by Sean McGowan. By Sean McGowan. Here Comes the Sun. Music and lyrics by George Harrison. By Andrew DuBrock. THE BASICS Expand Your Minor-Pentatonic Solos. Learn to play and navigate every minor-pentatonic scale position all over the neck. By Andrew DuBrock. WEEKLY WORKOUT Chord Scales. Learn the function of the individual notes in scales by matching them to the chords in your favorite songs. By Scott Nygaard. WOODSHED Control Your Fingerstyle Timbre. Change the tone color of your melodies to help separate voices and create expressive sounds. By Alex De Grassi. Fingerstyle Bass Lines. How and when to use walking and alternating bass lines, pedal tones, and bass riffs in your compositions and arrangements. By Teja Gerken.
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Your Next Guitar We talk to Acoustic Guitar readers and veteran shop owners for advice on buying a new guitar. By Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers. Essential Albums of 2012 Acoustic Guitar 's editors and contributors choose the best acoustic albums of the year. By Mark Smith. Mumford and Sons On Babel, British folk-rockers Mumford and Sons keep their focus on what’s important: the song. By Kenny Berkowitz. ACOUSTIC CLASSIC City of New Orleans. Music and words by Steve Goodman. By Andrew DuBrock. Pastures of Plenty. Music and lyrics by Woody Guthrie. By Andrew DuBrock. The Cave. Mumford and Sons. By Andrew DuBrock. GREAT ACOUSTICS Fylde Custom Guitar with Mandolin. By Adam Perlmutter. IN THE STORES Takamine P1DC, Taylor 414 Fall Limited, DigiTech JamMan Solo XT, and a review of the Line 6 StageSource L3t PA. By Teja Gerken. NEW GEAR 1 Huss and Dalton Crossroads Review. Acoustic Guitar reviews a vintage-style blues guitar with contemporary touches. By Orville Johnson. NEW GEAR 2 Recording King RAJ-126 Review. Acoustic Guitar reviews an affordable slope-shoulder dreadnought with vintage tone. By Adam Perlmutter. NEW GEAR 3 Apogee MiC. A great-sounding USB mic that works with Mac computers and iOS devices. By Doug Young. PLAYER SPOTLIGHT Tift Merritt. The singer-songwriter on her love of vintage Gibsons and playing with guitarist Marc Ribot on Traveling Alone. By Derk Richardson. PRIVATE LESSON Acoustic Rock Guitar. Janet Robin on how she integrates hard rock techniques learned from Randy Rhoads into her acoustic playing with Lindsey Buckingham and her own songs. By Adam Perlmutter. SHOPTALK John Walker Guitars Profile. Montana luthier draws his inspirations from vintage Gibsons. By Teja Gerken. SONGBOOK Angeline the Baker. Traditional, arranged by Scott Nygaard. By Scott Nygaard. Carolina In My Mind. Music and lyrics by James Taylor. By Andrew DuBrock. THE BASICS Roots Fingerpicking in Acoustic Rock. Learn how rock stars like Jorma Kaukonen and Steve Howe used roots fingerpicking to create memorable solo instrumentals. By Andrew DuBrock. WEEKLY WORKOUT Pentatonic Patterns. Create new pentatonic melodic lines by looking at the five-note scale in a different way. By Scott Nygaard.
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On the Cover: Essential Acoustic Albums of 2010. Acoustic Guitar's editors and contributors review the past year's notable acoustic releases. Songs: Mick Jagger and Keith Richards – "Dead Flowers" Paul Simon – "Homeward Bound" Arrangement by Al Petteway – "Hound Dog" Features: Seven Complete Acoustic Guitar Rigs. From flatpickers at festivals to rockers on the lighted stage, we're all searching for our perfect package of gear. Here are seven complete acoustic setups to guide you on your quest; José González/Junip. The Swedish-Argentine singer-songwriter brings his deft nylon-string guitar skills to his eclectic trio, Junip; Ten tips for engaging an audience; A guide to contemporary Weissenborn-style guitars; How the world's top flatpickers transform square dance tunes into virtuoso guitar music. Lessons: Alternate Tunings in Acoustic Rock. Learn how bands like Led Zeppelin and Fleetwood Mac adapted alternate tunings from folk and blues styles for their acoustic rock hits. Sixth Chords. Learn how to play and use this easy, expressive, and often overlooked family of chords. Richard Smith Lesson. The fingerstyle guitar champion talks about thumbpicking, developing speed, and learning by ear. Gear Reviews: Breedlove American Series C25/Sme Recording King RP2-626-C Six New Tuners from Boss, Planet Waves, TC Electronic, Onboard Research, Korg, and Peterson.
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IRIS DEMENT The beloved singer-songwriter returns with her first album of new material in 16 years. By Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers. PLAY IT AGAIN! How Bryan Sutton’s legendary “Banjo Killer” dreadnought was restored after being damaged by the Nashville flood of 2010. By Dana Bourgeois. CUSTOM GUITAR GALLERY Individually crafted custom guitars from eight luthiers. By Teja Gerken. ACOUSTIC CLASSIC Oh, Shenandoah Traditional, arranged by Andrew DuBrock PRIVATE LESSON Contemporary Fingerstyle Textures: Antonio Calogero on using techniques like two-hand tapping and artificial harmonics in his compositions. By Doug Young. NEW GEAR Blueridge BG-2500 Review: A jumbo flattop with a bold sound and art deco-inspired looks. By Adam Levy. Voyage-Air VAD-04SN Review: A full-size dreadnought with a folding neck for easy storage and travel. By Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers. Peavey Ecoustic 110 Review: Affordable acoustic amp offers solid tone, extensive effects, and a built-in looper. By Adam Perlmutter. PLAYER SPOTLIGHT Lucy Kaplansky: The singer-songwriter makes her family the central focus of her latest album, Reunion. By Mike Thomas. THE BASICS Carter-Style Fundamentals: Learn the country bass and strum pattern pioneered by Maybelle Carter. By David Surette. SHOPTALK Headstock Nation: A report from the Woodstock Invitational Luthiers Showcase. By Steve James. PLAYLIST Adam Traum, Just Like Home. By Phil Catalfo. Alasdair Roberts, Wonder Working Stone. By Mark Smith. Carrie Rodriguez, Give Me All You Got. By Kenny Berkowitz. The Steeldrivers, Hammer Down. By Phil Catalfo. WEEKLY WORKOUT Patterns in Thirds: Break up your scale practice with third-based patterns. By Sean McGowan. WOODSHED Bluesy Improvising on a Melody: Learn to create rhythmic and melodic variations by using bluesy bends and slurs and combining licks and melodies. By Orville Johnson SONGBOOK Candy Man Blues: Traditional, arranged by Mississippi John Hurt. SONGBOOK Little Willie: Traditional, arranged by Jody Stecher. GREAT ACOUSTICS 1931 Francisco Simplicio. By Aaron Greene.
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Learn how to use open strings in melodies, chords, and arpeggios when playing in a variety of flat keys. When guitarists talk about guitar-friendly keys, it's almost always the sharp keys C, G, D, A, E all guitar friendly and all with sharps in their signatures, not flats. Some flat keys are called horn keys and are no fun for guitarists. Or are they? Because one of the things that makes something easy on the guitar is the presence of open strings, let's take a closer look at a few flat keys and see how many standard-tuning open-string notes can be found in them.
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DOUG WAMBLE Doug Wamble couples slide guitar and D A D G A D tuning for a very personal sound influenced by jazz, blues, and R&B. By Adam Levy. HOW TO MAKE UP A BALLADSONG AND GET AWAY WITH IT Songwriting lessons from Woody Guthrie. By Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers. SMALL PACKAGES A look at the inexpensive small-body market, with reviews of 11 steel-string flattops between $350 and $800. By Teja Gerken. ACOUSTIC CLASSIC Blue Moon of Kentucky. Words and music by Bill Monroe. Down by the Water. Words and music by Colin Meloy of the Decemberists. PRIVATE LESSON Choosing a Tuning. Fingerstyle guitarist Chris Proctor talks about his approach to arranging songs and how he chooses and explores different alternate tunings. By Andrew DuBrock. NEW GEAR Taylor 918e Review. Taylor’s powerful new grand orchestra model has a complex voice and upscale appointments. By Teja Gerken. Blackbird Lucky 13 Review. 1 3-fret small-body combines vintage blues-box specs and modern carbon-fiber construction. By Doug Young. Schertler Jam 100 Review. A powerful yet compact acoustic amp with four flexible channels. By James Nash. PLAYER SPOTLIGHT Field Report. Singer-songwriter Chris Porterfield’s restless evolution. By Kenny Berkowitz. SONGCRAFT Blues/Rock Changes. How to use chords like the flatted VII and flatted III in your songs. By Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers. THE BASICS Rock Fingerpicking Patterns. Learn different fingerstyle approaches used by the Beatles, Cat Stevens, Eric Clapton, and more. By Andrew DuBrock. SHOPTALK Bruce Sexauer Guitars. Northern California luthier fuses traditional and contemporary designs. By Teja Gerken. PLAYLIST Mary Gauthier, Live at Blue Rock. By Derk Richardson. Jody Stecher, Wonders and Signs. By Phil Catalfo. Marcy Marxer, Things Are Coming My Way. By David McCarty. WEEKLY WORKOUT Drop Two Chord Arpeggios. Strengthen your picking and fretting hands with these popular four-note chord voicings. By Sean McGowan. WOODSHED Fingerstyle Cross-Rhythms. Play in two meters at the same time for a multidimensional effect. By Alex de Grassi. SONGBOOK Daughters. Words and music by John Mayer. GREAT ACOUSTICS 1984 David Matlin. By Adam Perlmutter.
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Download this helpful guide and benefit from expert instruction on the following: Learn two great non-shuffle rhythm patterns commonly associated with the blues. Spice up your blues with New Orleans–inspired rhumba rhythms. Slow things down with expressive 6/8 blues ballads. Includes seven minutes of video instruction By Orville Johnson
Compare all Stringletter Acoustic Blues Basics Blues listingsDiscover the origins of the blues in the rural South, early masters like Charley Patton and Blind Lemon Jefferson, and the guitars and techniques used by acoustic blues players, then and now, with this lively, comprehensive guide to one of America's most vital musical legacies. Leading roots-music performer and recording artist Steve James answers 50 key questions for contemporary blues guitarists and fans alike and provides invaluable reference information on essential recordings, books, websites, workshops, and more. With Inside Blues Guitar, you'll find the right gear, repertoire, and resources to play the blues and truly appreciate America's most accessible and enduring musical tradition. This comprehensive guide is available in two different formats: Book: 75 pages of tips, histories, photos, resources, musical examples, and more written by Steve James. PDF: Downloadable version featuring the complete written instruction from the book. Includes: Expert Answers to 50 Essential Questions Artists and Styles Tunings and Techniques Performing and Practicing Guitars and Gear CDs, Books, Workshops, and More "Suppose you could sit down for an afternoon with one of the top acoustic-blues players in the country and ask him about blues history and technique, get tips on practicing and performing, and find out what some of those obscure lyrics really mean. The next best thing might be this book by Steve James." —Kerry Dexter, Dirty Linen
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Play in the styles of acoustic rock icons like the Beatles, Paul Simon, James Taylor, and more in this twelve-lesson course on acoustic rock techniques. Acoustic Rock Basics starts with a group of lessons on chords. In these lessons, you’ll study the types of chords bands like the Eagles, Eric Clapton, and Tom Petty used in their classic hits, and you’ll see how acts like the Beatles and Neil Young crafted riff-based songs around chords. The song accompaniment section explores alternate tunings, percussive techniques like scratch rhythm, picking patterns like alternate bass fingerpicking, and more advanced fingerpicking techniques that highlight free-flowing melodies and allow for accompaniment without pattern picking. The section on lead playing investigates how classic rock acts used pentatonic scales, major and minor scales, and arpeggios to craft leads and anthemic instrumental melodies and hooks. You’ll put all that technique to work by learning to play 12 original rock songs, with complete tab and notation. Acoustic Rock Basics is available in two formats: PDF + Video Book + Audio download 12 in-depth lessons on playing rock lead, backup, and rhythm Tab and notation for 12 original songs in the styles of your favorite rock legends 154 minutes of video instruction with author Andrew DuBrock 12 in-depth lessons on playing rock lead, backup, and rhythm Tab and notation for 12 original songs in the styles of your favorite rock legends Audio downloads for all music examples and songs Whether you want to connect with rock’s primal roots by hacking out full-bodied chords or connect with its ethereal evolution by plucking out precise single-note licks, there’s a technique or tool in Acoustic Rock Basics that will help you rock! Includes: Sus and Add Chords Slash Chords Open-String Chords Creating Chordal Riffs Alternating-Bass Fingerpicking Single-Note Riffs and Backup Percussive Rhythm Techniques Alternate Tunings in Acoustic Rock Expand Your Fingerpicking Accompaniment Soloing with Pentatonic Scale s Play Leads with Major and Minor Scales Play Leads with Arpeggios
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On the Cover: 100 years of Martin’s dreadnought guitars —from Hank Williams and Doc Watson to Joni Mitchell and Kurt Cobain, the dreadnought has continually revolutionized music. Songs: The Rolling Stones - “Sweet Virginia” Green Day - “Warning” Classic folk tune - “Hang Me, Oh Hang Me” Features: An appreciation of New York folk music icon Dave Van Ronk; a look at two guitar duos on the rise— James Elikngton & Nathan Salsburg and Dawn & Hawkes; Patty Griffin on her new Servant of Love album. Lessons: Use triads and dominant sevenths to build blues and rock solos Pete Madsen lesson in rag guitar Looping tips from Ed Sheeran ’s guitar tech Gear Reviews: McElroy Standard Breedlove Oregon Concert Ltd. Fender Acoustic Pro and Acoustic SFX amps CD Reviews: New albums by Peter Case, Darlingside, Greg Blake, and Mipso. **Bonus Stage & Studio Supplement**: Recording to an iOS device, an Airbnb-like recording studio app, and mixing yourself onstage using mics and boost pedals.
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Down By Law On the heels of hot new album, sometime-rocker Scott Law reflects on the decision to pick up the acoustic The Haunting North Dakota troubadour Tom Brosseau leaves a ghostly impression on his new album, Grass Punks From Busking to Bigtime Australian sensation John Butler continues his inspiring rise to stardom Free Byrd Jonathan Byrd spreads his wings as a Southern traditionalist singer songwriter SPECIAL FOCUS Nylon Strings Attached! Nylon May You Run Experts’ guide to buying a nylon-string guitar Brandt Offerings Nylon luthier goes Hollywood Assad Effects Brazilian virtuoso Badi Assad’s got the world on a string Nylonic Duo Rodrigo y Gabriela reincarnate their sound with 9 Dead Alive The Beat Goo Goo Dolls unplug on tour, and in forthcoming DVD Think Thrice, It’s All Right A trio of new Dylan offerings has us tangled up in Bob Songcraft At 34, Conor Oberst has written more incredible songs than most artists will in a lifetime Here’s How Five surefire ways to build your acoustic-guitar self-confidence Take It Easy Choosing the right sound production The Basics Hone your jazz vocabulary Weekly Workout How low can you go with blues bass lines? Shop Talk Saving spruce with a limited edition Taylor GS Mini Makers & Shakers Mervyn Davis designs from the motherland Guitar Guru Great wood doesn’t mean great sound Review: Breedlove Legacy Auditorium Oregon guitar maker builds on its, er … legacy Review: Gretsch G9550 New Yorker Archtop classic is Big Apple to the core Review: Gibson J-29 Another red-letter day for the J series Playlist Ben and Ellen Harper keep it in the family with Childhood Home, plus the latest from Tom Griesgraber and Bert Lams, Liz Green, Dirk Powell, and William Fitzsimmons Books The heart of a songwriter in Joni Mitchell Complete So Far… Video Suzanne Vega brings her solo Solitude to DVD
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Glory’ Days An exclusive excerpt from a new memoir, Rumours of Glory Prodigal Sons Guitarists Julian Lage and Chris Eldridge traverse the landscape of American music Lone Star—Unplugged! Just in time for SXSW: AG’s guide to the players, the clubs, the makers & more For the Sake of the Song 20 essential Texas singer-songwriters Young Guns El Paso’s Dirty River Boys find their own path to glory 5 Texas Troubadours A handful of gifted newcomers Praise the Lloyd From pedal steel to production, Maines is the Man Live Music Capital of the World 20 music hotspots around the Lone Star state Hotbed 5 great Texas guitar builders you should know NEWS The Beat Music is a never-ending dream for the women of First Aid Kit; Del McCoury does Woody Guthrie; & more News Spotlight Earls of Leicester: Jerry Douglas’ tribute to a Dobro pioneer PLAY Songcraft Loudon Wainwright III can be serious or funny, but he’s always compelling Take It Easy Helpful hints for opening acts Here’s How Keep your guitar in tip-top shape Basics Use jazz language to improvise in any style Weekly Workout Two ways to get fluent on the fretboard AG TRADE Shop Talk Luthier extraordinaire Bruce Sexauer on pearwood and other exotic tonewoods Makers & Shakers Can Ren Ferguson revitalize the Guild Guitars brand? Guitar Guru Brazilian rosewood has never been more in demand—or rare Review: Thompson OM Brazilian An heirloom-quality instrument that’s a worthy investment Review: Gretsch G9201 Honey Dipper A modern resonator guitar with that authentic Delta sound Review: Recording King RP1-16C The old-style 0-size wonder packs a punch Pickin’ Weber’s Two-Point Bitterroot octave mandolin sounds like a tiny string orchestra Great Acoustics Collings’ collectible “cowboy stencil” guitars Playlist Laura Marling’s tough and tender fifth album, Short Movie; plus Classic African American Songwriters and new releases by Eric Bibb, Jim White vs. the Packway Handle Band, and Rob Ickes
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On the cover: The Art of the Axe—nine guitar inlay artists show and discuss their magnificent creations. Special Focus: The DADGAD Way—three masters of the Celtic tuning demonstrate its versatility: Pierre Bensusan, Sarah McQuaid and Dáithi Sproule. Plus, Developing melodic solos, Don Henley returns to his country roots, David Rawlings’ new Southern Gothic album Nashville Obsolete, Yo La Tengo strip down acoustic (again), David Hidalgo on Los Lobos’ Gates of Gold. Also, we have songs to play—George Harrison’s gospel turn on “Hear Me Lord,” the Left Banke’s 1966 smash “Walk Away Renée,” and Charley Jordan’s classic blues “Keep It Clean’; gear reviews—Lichty’s powerful Small Jumbo, Takamine’s electro-acoustic EF360S-TT, and Mackie’s feature rich Freeplay personal PA; CDs, including Shawn Colvin’s Uncovered, Tom Russell’s The Rose of Roscrae: A Ballad of the West, Beppe Gambetta and Tony McManus’ Round Trip; and much more.
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Learn to connect the five minor pentatonic scale positions with this video featuring Ron Jackson. The pentatonic scale is common rock, blues and jazz. The pentatonic scale is composed of five notes: I, b3, 4, 5, 7 (the scale tones found in the A minor pentatonic scale used in the demo are A C D E G). Explore the variations within the scale by trying different combinations of the scale tones. Ron Jackson is a master jazz guitarist, composer, arranger, producer, and educator who’s played with Taj Mahal, Jimmy McGriff, Randy Weston, Ron Carter, and many others. He is a guitar instructor at Jazz at Lincoln Center and a regular contributor to Acoustic Guitar magazine. 5-Minute Lesson is a series of brief, insightful videos with tips on warm-up exercises, practice tips, gig preparation and other useful topics for guitarists.
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Work through these exercises to feel more comfortable and confident playing with the fingers of your picking hand, especially if you are primarily accustomed to using a flatpick. The workout as a whole is comprehensive. Initially, you will build technical confidence by working on plucking to get a good, even tone and then build independence of the picking-hand fingers. Finally, you’ll play through scales and single-note lines and build more sophisticated contrapuntal textures.
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Are you looking to purchase a gift for that musically inclined friend or loved one but aren’t quite sure what to get? Then look no further! Our digital gift card option is a great choice for giving a thoughtful present while still allowing for personal choice. Whether they want stacks of magazines or loads of lessons, you can rest assured they’ll get exactly what they’re looking for. Perfect for birthdays, holidays, or graduation gifts! Features: $5, $10, $25, $50, and $100 increments No expiration date Balance available for use over multiple purchases Personalized gift card code emailed to recipient So gift yours today and make that special someone super happy!
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