They’re the riffs every guitar shop owner is sick of. Played by every guitar student in the rockverse.

There’s a good reason for it; they’re amazing riffs. They sound complicated, but are quite simple to learn. Learning these riffs will not only impress your friends, but also introduce you to different playing techniques and exercises, and improve your playing.

Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd

This southern rock riff is unmistakable. The whole song is filled with top-notch guitar work, but this riff has got all the necessities of great country-rock guitar playing.

The majority of the riff is based around standard Dmaj, Cmaj, and Gmaj chord forms. Rather than strumming these chords, the guitarist plucks a certain sequence of notes from the open chords, creating more of a riff. This is a great way to make a simple chord progression sound more interesting.

The first few notes also introduce palm-muting. Palm muting is a great way to add percussion to your...

This guitar lick is heavy on hammer and smooth on country :) What I mean by that is - prepare to play lots of hammer-ons with a country music vibe. It's an amazing exercise even if you don't enjoy the style of music. Great for both hands. Have fun!

Download the TAB here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/07ccm05ds0b9j3x/Country%20%26%20Hammer.pdf?dl=0

Are you tired of playing the same old guitar chords? The same old songs? The same old regurgitated blues pentatonic riffs?

Are the songs you’re writing all sounding the same?

Have you run out of ideas?

The root of writer’s block (let’s call it “guitarist’s block”), is clinging to what is familiar. Writers and players alike need sources for new, fresh ideas, or they will revert to ideas they have already used, or are tired of.

This is what puts us in our musical ruts.

Here are 7 ways to get out of a musical rut, create fresh ideas, and kick-start your progress towards becoming a more advanced, more creative guitar player.

1) Use a capo.

This is one of the easiest ways to create new inspiration.

Using a capo will take chords you are already familiar with and make them sound fresh.

Are you sick of hearing the same Cmaj chord in all of your songs? Put the capo on the first fret. This will turn your Cmaj chord into a C#maj. C#maj is one of the most...

This lesson is intended to show beginning guitarists how to do palm muting. Palm muting creates a very percussive sound that can be used in many styles of music, but is probably most recognized for its use in hard rock and metal. It adds a whole new element to your playing and can really take it to the next level. It's definitely a really important and useful technique to learn!

So we’ve gone over the 5 things to consider when you’re buying your first serious guitar. It can be a tough decision. If you’re shopping for an electric guitar, finding the right amp is just as important as finding the right axe.

The amp is what ultimately shapes your sound. There are thousands of variables in developing your sound. It’s important to find the right gear to get you where you want to be.

You want to find an amp that brings the best out of your chosen guitar. The variety of guitar-amp tone combinations is almost limitless, so try them all.

Okay, so you can’t try them all. Music stores will have a limited selection.

So here are five things to consider when buying your first serious guitar amp.

1) Tube or Solid-State?

It’s an argument that will persist as long as there are still guitar players. Tube vs. solid state. Which is better?

Most tube amp enthusiasts will say solid state amps don’t compare in terms of tone and quality....

Learning how to play hammer-ons and pull-offs will make your playing much more dynamic and efficient. It's a great skill to have especially when tackling more advanced guitar parts. It's used in every style of music so it's definitely something you'll want to learn and master.

Download the Chord Diagram here: Hammer-Ons and Pull-Offs

Has your guitar changed over the past few months? Perhaps something is buzzing, or it’s getting harder and harder to play comfortably, or it just won’t stay in tune. You may be in need of a setup.

Guitar setups are usually inexpensive, and incredibly effective in making your guitar play like new.

Your guitar needs to be maintained. As most guitars are made of wood, it tends to adjust with nature. If you keep your guitar in a warm, humid environment, it is prone to cracking and warping of the body and neck. This can lead to major intonation problems, rendering a perfectly beautiful guitar unplayable.

Don’t let this happen to your instrument! You paid good money for that thing. Take it in for a setup and experience these five benefits:

1) You get new strings.

Depending on the technician, new strings are usually included in a setup. Pick the gauge you like and enjoy the bright, clear tone of brand new strings! And you didn’t even have to put them on yourself!

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You're gonna love this lesson if you're not a fan of playing bar chords. Bm and F#m are pretty common chords but they're also difficult to do if you're not too familiar/comfortable playing bar chords. In this lesson you'll learn a different way to play these chords. Not only that, they are just great sounding chords. I use them a lot even though I'm comfortable using the bar shapes. Keep in mind the chords I'm showing you are minor 7 chords but they are very interchangeable. In other words, if you see a Bm or F#m on a tab chart, you can usually replace it with the Bm7 or F#m7.

Download the Chord Diagram here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/skwaw5zgt14r7ow/F%23mBmChordVariations.png?dl=0

You’re the master of the pentatonic scale. You can tear through a major scale like nobody’s business. Even your harmonic minor licks are sounding tasty. But where do you go now?

How do you take your solos to the next level? How do you stand out from the many guitarists around you?

It’s time to rethink the guitar solo. It’s no longer a moment to show off your chops. Your musical prowess. You’ve done enough of that. It’s time to make a statement.

Guitar solos are a great way to compliment a song, when done effectively. Shredding up and down a pentatonic scale no longer cuts it. 

Let me ask a question. 

Who is a better guitarist, Joe Satriani, or Brian May? 

Everyone’s got his or her own taste, so let me ask a different question. Who’s solos do you know better? 

As an impartial admirer of both guitarists, I can say with confidence that the majority of people will know Brian May’s solos better. There’s...

As long as you know the C and Am chords then you'll do great with this lesson. Most of the work will be done with your fretting hand - playing the chords and moving around your index and pinky fingers - and then your picking hand will be following a consistent pattern throughout the song. It's pretty straightforward and sounds great once you get it!

Download the TAB here: SPRINGTIME SKIES (CLICK HERE)