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  • Want a Better Guitar Sound? Try This Pedal

    Want a Better Guitar Sound? Try This Pedal

    I know a compliment when I see one

    And that text, my friends, is why you need an EQ pedal.

    Let’s rewind.

    My live tone problem

    The last show I played with my band, my guitar sounded way too muddy for my liking.

    Weirdly, I had dialed in what I thought was a good sound during our practice sessions. But when I got to the venue? No dice.

    Every room, building, and venue will have its own distinct acoustics that will change your sound in idiosyncratic ways.

    Something about the place was accentuating bass frequencies — whether it was the placement of my amp, the stage’s resonance, the house mix, or the room itself, I couldn’t say. But even with the bass dial on my Marshall turned all the way down, it still sounded woofy.

    Fun venue, not-so-fun room acoustics.

    As it turns out, this is normal — every room, building, and venue will have its own distinct acoustics that will change your sound in idiosyncratic ways.

    In this case, I simply wasn’t able to eliminate low frequencies with my amp’s control panel. So now what? How was I supposed to turn the bass down past zero?

    And that’s when it hit me: I needed an EQ pedal. But as I found out, an EQ pedal can do so much more.

    What is an EQ pedal, exactly?

    An EQ pedal is essentially a filter allowing you to independently boost or cut a wide range of frequencies in your guitar signal — to a much greater degree than your amp.

    Every brand will be slightly different, but in general, most EQ pedals have between six and 10 frequency bands. These bands are usually controlled by sliders that allow you to quickly isolate and adjust a specific frequency. You can cut each out entirely, send it through the ceiling, or do anything in between.

    Different EQ pedals allow you to control different frequencies, as well, but most are going to have sliders for a selection between 100 and 5K Hertz (Hz).

    An EQ pedal is essentially a filter allowing you to independently boost or cut a wide range of frequencies in your guitar signal — to a much greater degree than your amp.

    The lowest frequencies (below 250 Hz) provide depth and warmth to your guitar’s sound but can also cause muddiness (my stage problem).

    Mid frequencies (250–4K Hz) are where the main portion of your guitar’s sound sits, which should be no surprise since the guitar is a mid-range instrument. But overdoing things here can give you a boxy sound.

    High frequencies (above 4K Hz) enhance clarity and brightness, but too much emphasis on these frequencies results in a sharp, piercing tone.

    Some EQ pedals will also come with a volume slider. This is because—for scientific reasons that I don’t understand—when you adjust frequencies up or down, the volume level also changes. If you cut a few troublesome frequencies, for example, you’ll notice your guitar is no longer quite as loud.

    How to dial in an EQ pedal

    The short answer is “use your ears.”

    Seriously, I watched a ton of tutorial videos and did a lot of research, and there is no “right” answer. It 100 percent depends on what you’re looking to achieve with it.

    For example, if you have a guitar with humbuckers and want to make it sound closer to single-coil pickups, you can set up your EQ pedal to do that (tutorial here).

    If you like your distorted signal but it sounds a bit too harsh, you can dial back the frequencies between 1K and 3K Hz.

    If you want your guitar to have a lo-fi radio sound, you can boost the middle sliders and lower the rest.

    Generally speaking, cutting 400 Hz and boosting 800 Hz will both positively affect your sound.

    The possibilities really are endless, but there are some general rules that can help.

    Placement matters. If you want to change your tone, consider placing it at the beginning of your signal chain. If you want to keep your tone but just sculpt or shape it, add it at the end of your FX loop.

    Don’t be afraid to experiment. Take each slider down to 0 and up to 100. Crank the lows and cut the highs, or vice versa. See how a 25% cut compares to an equal boost. Mix and match. The best way to learn how any pedal works is to try things and listen.

    Cut first, then boost. If you don’t like your sound, try reducing certain frequencies before boosting anything. Sometimes the solution is as simple as removing a few unwanted frequencies.

    Use the 400–800 rule. Generally speaking, cutting 400 Hz and boosting 800 Hz will both positively affect your sound.

    Let YouTube be your guide. Seriously, there are so many quality tutorial videos that will get you started (I like this one and this one).

    The small yet significant result

    Using what I’d learned, I started messing around with the new EQ pedal I’d just bought (this one, if you’re curious). I decided to make it the last pedal in my FX loop because I wanted to shape the overall sound coming out of the amp, not fundamentally alter it.

    First, I tried about every setting I could think of just to see what each sounded like. What if I cut all the lows? What if I raised the mids? What if I made a smiley face? A frowny face?

    The result was slight yet significant. It was the same tone, just better. Tighter. More “professional” sounding.

    But each of these trials affected the sound too much. I wanted a light touch.

    I found that for my setup, it was as simple as boosting 800 Hz to about 75 percent and cutting 400 Hz to about 40 percent. I slightly cut the remaining low and high frequencies.

    The result was slight yet significant. It was the same tone, just better. Tighter. More “professional” sounding to my ears.

    I tested out my newfound pedal and setting at church a few weeks back. The text message from the beginning of this article? That was from my worship director after the service. She had no idea I’d used an EQ pedal — a perfect blind test.

    And now I can’t wait to go back to the “bassy” venue with my band and see how well it fixes my low-end problem.

    Going from 99% to 100%

    In my last article, I said that upgrading to a Gibson SG and Marshall tube amp took my tone from 95 percent of where I wanted it to be to 100 percent.

    I lied.

    I now realize it only took my tone to 99 percent. Adding an EQ pedal to the end of my FX loop added that last percent. I’ve now got a tighter, cleaner sound — and people can tell something is different.

    So does that mean you should run out and buy an EQ pedal? I have played for decades without one and lived to tell the tale, so no, I don’t believe they are necessary.

    But if, like me, you’re looking to gain an edge and get yourself closer to a desired tone, I’d absolutely invest in one. It might just surprise you how much it helps.

  • Does Buying a Gibson Guitar Make Me a Hypocrite?

    Does Buying a Gibson Guitar Make Me a Hypocrite?

    I have espoused the virtues of $500 guitars for years.

    I’ve talked about how incredibly good they’ve gotten. How you could play guitar your whole life with one and not be missing out. How even pro musicians often leave their pricey guitars at home, preferring to tour with Mexican Strats.

    And then, in July of 2024, I went and bought this:

    Oh my.

    A Gibson SG Special with a list price of $1,599.

    Now it’s definitely not the top of the line when it comes to expensive guitars; there are, in fact, few cheaper Gibsons in their current lineup. But it is four times the price of the Epiphone I had been playing up to that point.

    Looking back over the last several decades of purchasing, playing, and promoting inexpensive guitars, I had to wrestle with one question: Does upgrading to a Gibson make me a hypocrite?

    What I learned from decades of owning inexpensive guitars

    The truth is, if it weren’t for my decades of buying and playing inexpensive guitars, I would never have even considered buying a Gibson.

    Over my life, I have owned close to two dozen guitars (or maybe more—I’ve kind of lost count). All through that time, without even realizing it, I’ve been trying out all manner of styles, options, and configurations:

    • Different scale lengths
    • Different fretboard radii
    • Different pickups and electronics
    • Different body shapes

    In doing so, I have naturally gravitated toward certain guitars and away from others.

    If it weren’t for my decades of buying and playing inexpensive guitars, I would never have even considered buying a Gibson.

    For instance, I started out playing Stratocaster-type guitars with Fender specs. But as I progressed, I found that I enjoyed Epiphones with their shorter scale length and flatter fretboards more.

    I also owned guitars with every kind of pickup style and configuration. I eventually realized that, to my ears, a good set of P90s sounded “right” to me in a way that humbuckers and single coils couldn’t quite match.

    Additionally, I discovered that I don’t like heavy guitars. For example, I had a perfect-quality Godin Progression (a Strat-style guitar from one of my favorite brands) that I just didn’t bond with — in part because it weighed a ton.

    And when I purchased my Epiphone SG a few years ago, I connected with the body shape and the feeling of the pseudo-extended neck. (The scale length is still 24.75”, like all Gibson-style guitars, but the bridge is much more forward on SGs, shifting the neck higher up. The first time you play one, you’re constantly two frets off!)

    All that hands-on knowledge was made possible by spending decades sticking to playing less expensive guitars.

    Speaking of necks, it dawned on me one day that the guitars in my collection that had “mojo” all shared something in common: their neck profiles. My best-playing instruments, in other words, had D-shaped necks and a 12” fretboard radius.

    If you’re keeping score at home, that means over the course of the last 20+ years, I had unintentionally found my ideal guitar specs:

    • 24.75” scale length
    • A D-shaped neck and 12” radius
    • Equipped with P90s
    • SG body style
    • Lightweight

    All that hands-on knowledge was made possible by spending decades sticking to playing less expensive guitars.

    Had I spent my money on 3–4 expensive guitars instead of two dozen inexpensive ones, my ability to find what works best for me would have been severely compromised. I would have ended up with several nice American-made Stratocasters because that’s what 16-year-old me wanted, all the while never knowing that SGs were the better fit.

    Making the jump from Epiphone to Gibson

    Speaking of SGs, the turning point in this story was when I acquired my Epiphone SG PRO. It quickly became my number one guitar, replacing my PRS SE Custom 24. The more I played it, the more I loved everything about it. The only downside? It had humbuckers instead of P90s.

    Regardless, as I continued to play it, I started to wonder, if this Epiphone is so good, how much better would a Gibson actually be?

    The question started to gnaw at me, and I realized…if I sold off a few guitars and some gear I wasn’t using, a Gibson would, for the first time in my life, be within my means.

    I started to wonder, if this Epiphone is so good, how much better would a Gibson actually be?

    And then I found it: The Gibson SG Special. Seven pounds of P90-growl-inducing, devil-horned rock and roll.

    It literally had every spec on my wishlist. It was beautiful. It even came with a hard-shell case. And when my Sweetwater rep did me a solid and knocked a couple hundred dollars off the price (I’d had some issues with a gift card), it was a no-brainer.

    Why a Gibson was the right choice for me

    Now that I’ve owned it for around eight months or so, I can tell you that quality-wise, my Gibson is not four times better than my Epiphone — but it is better.

    The Gibson has better wood selection, better electronics, and better hardware. It has a thinner, sleeker body. The nitro finish looks nicer than the typical polyurethane finish on cheaper guitars. The headstock is even more proportional (to my eye) than an Epiphone.

    I could go on, but the point is this: everything is a step up, making the cumulative quality difference noticeable.

    And I’ll admit, it is more fun — and inspiring — to play, even if only because of the “Gibson” screenprint on the headstock.

    Cheaper gear has made me a more informed consumer.

    Does that make it worth the extra $1,200 over the almost identical Epiphone version? I suppose that depends on whose wallet is under assault.

    For me, it has been 100 percent worth the money.

    Having owned and played so many low- and mid-tier instruments for so long, I can discern and appreciate the small improvements in quality and sound. To put it bluntly, cheaper gear has made me a more informed consumer. When I’m guitar shopping, I know what I’m looking at. I notice the details, and I know which ones matter. I understand the value proposition. And most importantly, I know what I want.

    As much as I still love my affordable guitars and amps, they’ve always lacked that certain something.

    And what I want is a certain feel and a certain sound.

    As much as I still love my affordable guitars and amps, they’ve always lacked that certain something. They could take me 95 percent of the way there.

    But now, with my Marshall amp and Gibson guitar, I’m at the mountaintop. It just feels like I’m playing a professional setup. And I can finally start dialing in what I would consider “good” tones — the kind of tones you’d hear from an actual musician on an actual record.

    It is incredibly hard to put a price on such things.

    I might be foolish, and that’s okay

    Expensive guitars are still expensive. Low- and mid-tier guitars still offer amazing levels of quality for a fraction of the price. You’d have to be a fool to buy a $1,600 Gibson when a $499 Epiphone exists.

    But sometimes you just have to be a fool. If that makes me a hypocrite, too, so be it.

    At least I’m a happy one.

  • How to Dial in a Killer Chorus Pedal

    How to Dial in a Killer Chorus Pedal

    I’ve always treated my chorus pedal like a Crock-Pot: set it and forget it.

    I got my most recent chorus pedal, a Boss CH-1, a number of years ago. I found a decent enough setting, turned the effect way down for fear of bringing the 1980s back to life, and left it at that.

    But lately I’ve been wondering…how can I actually make use of this as a tool? What kind of tones might I be able to get from it that I’m missing out on?

    To answer those questions, I had to go on a journey to discover more about the chorus effect, how it began, what it does, and how to dial in the right tones.

    Here’s what I learned.

    A brief history of chorus effects

    The idea of chorus as an electronic effect dates back to 1975. This was the year Roland introduced the Jazz Chorus amplifier.

    The Jazz Chorus had two speakers, and when the onboard chorus effect was enabled, one of the speakers would be slightly delayed and modulated, while the other continued to play the unadulterated sound.

    The number of guitar-centric chorus pedals in the marketplace has skyrocketed, but they all perform in basically the same way.

    Interestingly, the amp was designed for keyboards and synths, but it soon found a home among guitarists as well.

    In fact, it only took until the next year, 1976, before the chorus circuit from the Jazz Chorus was installed into a pedal, the Boss CE-1.

    Since then, the number of guitar-centric chorus pedals in the marketplace has skyrocketed, but they all perform in basically the same way.

    Understanding what a chorus pedal does

    Chorus pedals are part of a larger group of effects known as “modulation effects.” These effects all slightly delay and alter a copy of your guitar’s sound in some way. (Note: For any effect in your signal chain, your guitar’s normal sound is called the “dry” signal; the altered copy is called the “wet” signal.)

    In short, a chorus pedal takes the sound of your guitar, copies it, delays the copied version by a few dozen milliseconds, and modulates it before playing it back alongside the dry signal.

    This process was designed to mimic multiple human voices singing together (hence the name, “chorus”). Since humans aren’t perfect, when a group sings together, even in unison, slight natural delays and waverings occur, which our ears perceive as making the sound bigger and fuller.

    (That’s also why a choir sounds like a group of people singing together and not just one person singing extra loud.)

    A chorus pedal takes the sound of your guitar, copies it, delays the copied version by a few dozen milliseconds, and modulates it before playing it back alongside the dry signal.

    It’s this natural variation, leading to a fuller sound, that chorus pedals are designed to emulate.

    They do this via two primary settings: rate and depth.

    • Rate affects the modulation. Turn the rate down, and the wavering gets slower. Turn it up, and it gets faster.
    • Depth controls how much of the effect you get. A low depth will be subtler, while with a high depth, the chorus effect will be quite noticeable.

    All chorus pedals will have at least these two settings, although they may call them different names.

    Other common settings include level and tone (or EQ).

    • Level allows you to dial in how much of the modulated sound you hear relative to the unmodulated sound.
    • Tone determines how dark or bright the modulated sound is.

    Dialing in a killer chorus tone

    Now that you understand the nomenclature, it technically shouldn’t be hard to dial in a sound you like.

    If you want faster warble, turn the rate up. If you want a darker sound, turn the tone down. And so on.

    You can get a wide variety of sounds out of most chorus pedals. And you can even use more than one at a time if you’re feeling feisty.

    But, of course, in the real world it’s not always that simple. Sometimes we don’t know what kind of sound we want until we hear it. And for some of us, our ears may not be trained enough to recognize the subtle differences a chorus pedal can sometimes produce.

    It turns out you can get a wide variety of sounds out of most chorus pedals. And you can even use more than one at a time if you’re feeling feisty.

    But rather than trying to explain all of your options, in my research I ran across a video that samples a range of options when it comes to using a chorus pedal, and even how you can mimic a chorus effect if you don’t have a dedicated pedal.

    The guitarist in the video dials in some really cool — and very useable — sounds, so be sure to check it out.

    As for me, I’m still fine-tuning how I use my CH-1. (Like most guitarists, I’m never satisfied with my tone.) But at least now I know what I’m doing, rather than relying on randomly twisting knobs as was my previous habit.

    So how about you? How do you use your chorus pedal? Did you know what all the knobs did, or, like me, was it an effect shrouded in mystery? Let us know in the comments.

  • 5 Ways to Save Money on Guitar Maintenance

    5 Ways to Save Money on Guitar Maintenance

    Inflation sucks.

    Housing prices are insane (at least where I live).

    Groceries cost a lot more than they used to.

    Insurance rates and co-pays are going up.

    Unless you’re independently wealthy, you’ve been forced to tighten your belt a little bit more than usual this year. You’ve probably even had to forego some discretionary spending.

    That means saving money is more important now than ever.

    And luckily for you, over the years, I’ve become somewhat of an expert at saving money on guitars.

    (My only other option was to not buy guitars — and you know that ain’t happening.)

    You don’t have to run to a guitar tech for every last repair or fix.

    But I’ve also found ways to be frugal when it comes to maintaining and updating those guitars.

    And what I’ve learned is you don’t have to run to a guitar tech for every last repair or fix. There are a lot of things you can do yourself to keep your guitar playing and looking great.

    Here are five of them.

    Clean your strings!

    Let’s start with something so basic but so easy to forget.

    When you play your guitar, you’re constantly leaving dirt, oils, and sweat on it. That’s a bad combination if you want to keep your instrument looking and playing nice.

    Dirt gunks up your fretboard. Oils and sweat corrode your strings. It gets nasty.

    Spend 10 seconds wiping down your guitar strings with a rag after you’re done playing. You will be amazed at how much longer they last.

    The usual remedy is to change your strings more often and complain about how things don’t last as long as they used to.

    My friends, there is a better way.

    The simplest solution is to spend 10 seconds wiping down your guitar strings with a rag after you’re done playing. (For good measure, clean the back of the neck and anywhere the guitar has touched your arm while you’re at it.)

    If you commit to cleaning your strings before you put your guitar away, you will be amazed at how much longer they last. I haven’t done any scientific testing, but I estimate it triples the lifetime of the strings on my guitars.

    And while strings aren’t terribly expensive, they aren’t free either. Saving any amount of money by implementing something so quick and easy makes this a no-brainer.

    Use a locking strap

    I dropped my guitar on stage once.

    It slipped off the strap and…ca-chunk.

    I got extremely lucky; all that happened was the volume knob cracked (the pot was fine). One Amazon order and $5 of formed plastic later, and I was back in business.

    But it could have been worse. A lot worse.

    And that scare was enough for me to institute a new personal rule: “All thine guitars shalt have strap locks.”

    Yes, there is a small investment involved here (under $20). But the ROI is knowing that your precious axe won’t slip or fall while you’re playing.

    That was enough for me to institute a new personal rule: “All thine guitars shalt have strap locks.”

    That means no dings, no gouges, no snapped necks, and no broken headstocks — all of which are costly, headache-inducing repairs.

    (Don’t know where to start with strap locks? Here’s a great option that doesn’t require any modifications to your guitar.)

    Get a can of contact cleaner

    How many times have you been frustrated with guitar electronics?

    Maybe the volume knob crackles. Or the pickup selector switch is intermittent.

    If your first thought when this happens is crap, I gotta take this in for repair, I have good news.

    For about $15 on Amazon, you can pick up a can of electrical contact cleaner — and it will last you the rest of your natural life.

    More often than not, this is something you can fix yourself.

    For about $15 on Amazon, you can pick up a can of electrical contact cleaner—and it will last you the rest of your natural life.

    Using it is simple. Just spray a bit of solution in the knob or switch that’s giving you the issue (pro tip: use the spray straw it comes with) and work it in by twisting/moving the component back and forth for about 30 seconds.

    Congrats! You’re one step closer to being your own guitar tech.

    Learn the basics of guitar setup

    Speaking of being your own tech, I’m going to let you in on a little secret.

    Setting up an electric guitar is not difficult. At all.

    There are actually only a few things you have to do to set up a guitar, and unless there is a major issue, you can absolutely learn to do it yourself.

    That means saving $75 or more every time you buy a new axe.

    Setting up an electric guitar is not difficult. At all.

    I’m going to drop a few videos explaining the process below — including one that shows how you can literally get everything you need to do the job from Dollar Tree.

    A guitar setup is as easy as TRAIN
    How to set up a guitar on the cheap

    Assemble a dedicated toolbox

    This last money-saving guitar maintenance tip admittedly requires more of an up-front investment.

    But the savings over time will start to accumulate.

    It’s a smart move to assemble your own guitar maintenance toolkit.

    Even purchasing all of these items at once is worth it if you can avoid just one trip to the guitar doctor.

    Not only will a well-stocked toolbox unlock new repairs you can do at home, but it will make regular maintenance like string changes and setups much easier.

    Here are some of the supplies it pays to have on hand in a dedicated toolbox:

    • Rags
    • Guitar mat
    • Neck holder
    • Extra strings
    • Fretboard oil
    • Painter’s tape
    • Contact cleaner
    • String winder/clipper
    • Phillips head screwdrivers

    None of these things is expensive, and you probably have a fair amount of it lying around your house already (check your junk drawer, trust me). But even purchasing all of these items at once is worth it if you can avoid just one trip to the guitar doctor.

    TLDR: Guitar TLC doesn’t have to be expensive

    Guitars are many things:

    • They are tools.
    • They are investments.
    • They are extensions of our personalities.

    As such, they deserve to be cared for. And with a little bit of knowledge and planning, you can love on them and save money.

    And until prices fall or wages rise, saving money will continue to be the name of the game.

  • After 28 Years I Discovered the Secrets of Live Tone

    After 28 Years I Discovered the Secrets of Live Tone

    It turns out I’m a moron.

    Okay, maybe that’s a little harsh. (I do have a master’s degree, after all.)

    But it is true that I’ve been playing guitar for almost 30 years, and it wasn’t until the last few weeks that I figured out I was missing a rather important piece of the puzzle.

    It all started at our last show.

    Why can’t I hear myself?

    About six months ago I joined a band.

    After the first few shows, I realized my little 15W tube amp just couldn’t cut it in a rock band. (It still works great at church, though.) So I leveled up and bought a Marshall DSL40C with 40 watts of rip-your-face-off power.

    A picture of a Marshall 40 watt electric guitar amplifier
    My Marshall DSL40C. Fun fact: it weighs 50 lbs and is VERY loud. (Crappy photo by the author)

    I should have no problem being heard now, right?

    I’ve been playing guitar for almost 30 years, and it wasn’t until the last few weeks that I figured out I was missing a rather important piece of the puzzle.

    Wrong.

    At the next show, I could hear myself a little better, but the audience couldn’t. And so in between sets, I kept inching the volume up more and more.

    But it didn’t work. No matter how loud the amp got, my guitar was just getting lost in the mix. I ended the night frustrated, vowing to figure out how to solve this issue.

    The problem: “bedroom tone”

    Here is a truism I’ve learned over the years: no matter what problem you have, someone else has already experienced it, solved it, and made a YouTube video about it.

    Sure enough…

    In my case, I found half a dozen videos. And they all said the same thing.

    The culprit is “bedroom tone.” This is the tone you dial in when you’re practicing at home.

    It’s just you and your guitar, usually in a small space. If you’re a guitarist who’s just starting out, you might “scoop the mids” — i.e., boosting the lows and highs and zeroing out the middle frequencies.

    No matter what problem you have, someone else has already experienced it, solved it, and made a YouTube video about it.

    At some point, however, many of us learn to find a more balanced sound. We adjust our settings until we get a nice, thick, luscious tone with warmth and depth.

    But when you take either of those tones on the road and put it in a live setting, you’re guaranteed to get lost in the mix.

    Why? Because you’re not thinking about where the guitar sits within the band.

    One of the aforementioned YouTube videos.

    Your guitar is a mid-range instrument — so adjust your amp accordingly

    Whether you’re scooping the mids or looking for a warmer, rounded tone, the problem in a live setting is the same.

    In both cases, the low and high frequencies are fighting for space with other instruments — and losing.

    The guitar is a mid-range instrument. That’s where its strong suit is, and that’s where it wants to be.

    Emphasizing low frequencies in your guitar tone ensures you will be squaring off against the kick drum and bass, two instruments specifically designed for lower registers. Your guitar doesn’t stand a chance.

    Likewise, emphasizing the high frequencies pits you against instruments like cymbals, high hats, female vocals, and potentially the keyboard’s upper register. You won’t win these battles either (but you won’t lose them quite as badly as you will with the lows).

    As it turns out, the guitar is a mid-range instrument.

    That’s where its strong suit is, and that’s where it wants to be. But in our bedroom settings, the mids are almost always too low — both in absolute terms and in relation to the other tonal frequencies.

    That’s why I was getting lost in the mix. I was dialing in a good tone at home, but it just wasn’t translating at our shows. I was fighting with other instruments to be heard instead of finding my own sonic space to occupy.

    Given the above information, I was now able to set my amp’s EQ in a way that made sense in a band setting.

    Here, then, is the secret to live tone—the secret they don’t want you to know (kidding!):

    • Turn bass frequencies down to zero, then bring them back up just until you hear a difference
    • Turn mid frequencies all or almost all the way up
    • Set your high frequencies to taste
    • Turn your gain (including distortion and overdrive pedals) down by about 15 percent
    • Keep delay/reverb minimal (in a live situation, less is more)

    My “lightbulb” moment (it will sound like crap)

    All of the above is a summation of the various blog posts and videos I found.

    I tried to stick with solid sources (like professional musicians and sound engineers), and they all pretty much said the same thing. I was fairly confident that I was on the right track.

    And so, like the sheeple I am, I dutifully went downstairs, adjusted my amp and pedals to the advised settings, plugged in my guitar, and started to play.

    What none of the experts had bothered to tell me was, “Yes, Jon, a good live tone will sound bad in your home and by yourself.”

    That’s when I learned the most important thing — the thing none of the articles or videos discussed. But it was when the lightbulb clicked on in my brain.

    My guitar sounded terrible.

    The tone was thin, almost nasally. It was so bad, it made me not want to play guitar anymore. Why had I abandoned my amazing bedroom tone for this sonic monstrosity?

    What none of the experts had bothered to tell me was, “Yes, Jon, a good live tone will sound bad in your home and by yourself.”

    Testing in a low-stakes environment

    Nevertheless, I was not deterred. I was determined to find out if the experts were right.

    The next chance I had to play with other musicians was a practice session for the worship team at church. Using the above information, I dialed in a tone that I didn’t think sucked too bad during warm-up (I still didn’t love it).

    My guitar suddenly sounded amazing. Even more, I could clearly hear myself in the mix for the first time — regardless of volume.

    Once we started to play, I was blown away.

    My guitar suddenly sounded amazing. Even more, I could clearly hear myself in the mix for the first time — regardless of volume. In fact, I’ve literally never heard myself better.

    Even stranger, when I engaged my overdrive pedal, the crunch somehow seemed crunchier than before — even though the gain was dialed down.

    That was the moment I had to admit, the experts were right.

    A tale of two tones

    I’ve come to understand that every guitarist needs two tones: a bedroom tone and a live tone.

    Dialing in a solid bedroom tone is still important. After all, I still want to sound good even when I’m just practicing by myself. And with all of the sonic range available, why not fill it?

    But just as important is dialing in a “separate but equal” live tone. When I play a show, I want the audience to be able to hear me. I want to be able to hear me. (I mean, it’s kind of the point.)

    So rather than thinking one is better (or worse) than the other, just understand that they are meant to be used in different settings.

    Every guitarist needs two tones: a bedroom tone and a live tone.

    Your live tone will sound bad at home, and your bedroom tone will get lost in the mix at shows.

    But your bedroom tone will help you practice more and longer, and your live tone will help you be heard in your band.

    I’m excited about this new shift in my thinking, and I can’t wait for my next show. I just wish it hadn’t taken me three decades to figure it out.

  • 5 Things That Make an Expensive Guitar “Worth” the Price

    5 Things That Make an Expensive Guitar “Worth” the Price

    I’m a big fan of buying guitars in the $500 price range.

    Why? Because to me, that’s where the law of diminishing returns kicks in. Up to $500 or so, it’s easy to see the quality improvements in guitars. A $500 guitar is almost always vastly superior to a $100 guitar.

    After that threshold, however, the differences start to get smaller and smaller. A $2,000 guitar is virtually never four times better than a $500 guitar, for example.

    And as a rule, I like to get the most out of my money. So for me, focusing on the nexus of price and quality makes sense.

    But that’s not the only way to approach buying a guitar (and it may not even be the way I approach things in the future). There is a market for expensive guitars — lots of people own them.

    But why?

    What makes an expensive guitar “worth” the money? Why would anyone willingly pay thousands of dollars for a guitar when a very close approximation of it is available for hundreds?

    The truth is there are as many reasons as there are guitarists, but today I want to highlight five of the most common ones.

    Country of origin

    Some people equate quality with country of origin. Other people want to buy American to support their fellow citizens or keep their money in their local economy.

    Still others may feel that factories in other countries don’t treat or pay their employees well enough. A few even have political views that influence their purchasing decisions.

    I’m not here to say whether any of these reasons are right or wrong — only that they exist. Whatever the reason, some buyers make it a priority to buy American-made, and those goods almost always cost much more than international alternatives.

    Level of quality control

    When it comes to quality, buying a guitar is a bit like playing the lottery.

    There are insanely good cheap guitars, and there are expensive duds. But the more money you fork over for an instrument, the better your odds are of getting a good one.

    In other words, if you lined up 10 inexpensive ($150) guitars and played them all, you’d likely find six instruments that need a lot of work, three pretty good ones, and one great one.

    If you repeated the process with 10 expensive ($1,000+) guitars, you’d likely find six pretty good instruments, three great ones, and one that needed work.

    The reason? Quality control is expensive, and reducing QC is an easy way to bring down the price of a guitar. The result is more bad instruments slip through at lower price points.

    Since now we live in the internet age where most of us are buying guitars sight unseen, it could be worth your while to pay a little more to tip the odds in your favor.

    Level of hand time spent

    Similar to the above, the more money a guitar costs, the more time an actual person likely spent on it.

    Guitar manufacturing at scale uses CNC machines; this is true for every manufacturer in the world. But CNC machines can only get you close — they do not spit out a finished product. A person must do the fine detail work required to finish a guitar.

    Except people are expensive.

    So whereas a cheap Epiphone might get an hour of hands-on time in the factory, its Gibson cousin might receive ten hours of a tech’s time (I’m guessing on the actual amounts, but you get the idea).

    You can expect, then, that an expensive guitar should have a better fret job. The finish should be of a higher caliber. The overall setup and playability should be better out of the box. And for some buyers, this is worth the investment.

    Quality of components and materials

    More expensive instruments generally have better components and materials.

    This includes everything from the tuners to the frets, pickups, pots and switches, bridge, and even the output jack. It also generally means you’re getting nicer woods that have been handled (e.g., more focus on the drying process) and finished better, leading to fewer issues (like fret sprout) over time.

    Most really cheap guitars use cheap components and materials that end up hampering the player’s abilities, sounding terrible, and breaking or wearing out over time.

    The further up in price you get, however, the nicer components and wood you are likely to see. And these can add up to a big difference in your playing experience. The guitar will just feel, play, and sound better.

    If modding is your thing or you like playing cheap gear a la Jack White, a $100 guitar could be the way to go. But if you want quality components, it will cost you.

    Brand value

    This last reason has more to do with human psychology than the actual guitar, but it’s true nonetheless: a Fender or Gibson will retain its value more than a Squier or Epiphone.

    Why? Because people (including you and me) are irrational.

    I don’t get it either, but the name on the headstock matters. Even Gibsons with their famously shoddy quality issues still command top dollar for both new and used sales. (And of course, beyond all rationality, I still want one!)

    So if you are at all concerned with resell value, spending money on an expensive guitar is probably the way to go. It’s hard to imagine making your money back on a $150 guitar. And in the end, there are worse places to park your cash than in a Les Paul.

    Beyond right and wrong

    At the end of the day, purchasing a guitar is, I hate to say it, an emotional decision. As rational as we all try to be with our spending, a guitar is more than just a tool to make music with. It becomes a part of our soul.

    Ultimately, the reason some guitars are so expensive is because we are willing to pay for them. We just want what we want. And all the argumentation in the world won’t change that.

  • 5 Tips to Get Better at Playing Music with Others

    5 Tips to Get Better at Playing Music with Others

    Making music with other musicians is one of the true joys in life. But like anything worthwhile, it requires effort to make it the best experience possible.

    That means playing in a band setting is not as simple as showing up with a guitar. (That is, assuming your goal is to play well.) There are a number of things you need to be aware of when you walk into a room with other musicians; some of them are intuitive, some not so much.

    But the good news is that how good a guitarist you are often doesn’t matter as much as how good you are at getting along with your bandmates and fitting in the mix. Why is that good news? Because those are skills and habits you can learn — no talent required!

    So whether you have experience playing in a band setting or are just curious about what it looks like, today I want to share with you five tips that will help you get better at playing music with others. Implementing these will help you have more fun and make better music, so let’s dive in!

    Come as prepared as possible

    The purpose of band practice is not to learn the material.

    The purpose of band practice is to work out how you’re going to play the material together.

    That means to the extent you are able, you need to come prepared.

    Now sometimes, that’s not possible. Life happens. Especially if, like me, you’re trying to juggle work and family on top of everything else, there will be days/weeks/months where practicing guitar just won’t be a priority — and that’s okay.

    And sometimes surprises happen. I recently learned “Overdrive” by Post Malone, only to walk into my band’s practice and find out we’re actually doing a reggae cover of the song. Welp, time to improvise! I’ve also practiced many a worship song for my church in one key only to find out at rehearsal that we’re playing it in a different key. D’oh!

    But by and large, most of the time I’m able to come prepared and ready to rock and roll, and you should too. You and your bandmates will have a much better time, and your stress level will go way down.

    Ask questions and collaborate

    When it comes to making music with people, collaboration is the name of the game.

    Don’t be afraid to ask questions like:

    • “What are you playing between the first and second verses? I want to play something that complements it.”
    • “I had this idea for the chorus — what do you think?”
    • “Do you want to take the lead on this song, or do you want me to?”
    • “How does that part go exactly? I couldn’t quite figure it out when I was practicing.”

    This is where the magic happens — getting everyone involved in the creative process. You’ll usually find that one question or comment spurs another and another until you’ve got a really great idea on your hands.

    So don’t be shy or think your ideas don’t matter. Speak up! (And if your ideas or questions are looked down upon, find better people to hang out with.)

    Stay in your lane

    I’m especially talking to my fellow electric guitarists on this one.

    As much as we want them to be, most songs are not simply vehicles for your immaculate guitar playing. Nor did anyone in the audience come to hear you play over everyone else.

    In a band setting, everyone has a part to play. Know yours and stick to it.

    For example, when I play at church I’m the only electric guitarist on stage, and there’s always an acoustic guitarist. That means I don’t need to strum a bunch of cowboy chords — that would just be doubling the acoustic, leading to a muddy mess. Rather, I need to primarily focus on playing power chords, triads up the neck, or little licks here and there, depending on the song.

    In fact, I’m very rarely playing all six strings any any one time. Instead, I’m narrowing my range to stay in my lane — the part of the sonic spectrum that no one else is covering.

    Your lane may look different depending on the song and who you are playing with. But figure out where you need to be and get comfortable hanging out there. I promise there will still be plenty of creative freedom!

    Use your ears…and your eyes

    All of music theory can basically be distilled into the sentence, “If it sounds good, keep playing it!”

    It makes sense that using your ears is key to making music. And as a guitarist, you need to be listening to the other band members and thinking about whether what you’re playing fits into the mix. Does your part match the song when it comes to rhythm and intensity? Are you playing over anyone (see previous point)? In other words, does it sound good?

    But using your eyes is just as important. When I play in a band setting, I’m constantly looking at the other musicians’ hands. What are they playing? How high up or down the fretboard or keyboard are they playing? When are they playing (or not playing)? How hard or soft are they playing? Doing this provides me with a ton of information — much more than just focusing on the sound — that helps me make better decisions.

    And the truth is sometimes you can’t hear everyone on the stage. (This can be especially problematic at church services, where you often don’t know what kind of mix you’re going to get from week to week.) That can leave visual cues as the only information you have to ensure you’re playing in sync with everyone else. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve had to look over at the acoustic guitarist to know what he’s playing, even though his channel is cranked in my monitor.

    Remember that less is often more

    Everyone loves EVH, but the reality is most songs do not require your services as a guitar virtuoso.

    As I’ve started learning a lot more material recently, I’m constantly amazed at how simple some of the best songs are. Tom Petty made millions off of three chords, as has AC/DC. Dyads and triads are all over the place in rock music. A simple fill or solo can often be more effective than busting out our inner Joe Satriani.

    That’s not to say there aren’t great technical songs (there are), but you absolutely don’t need to be a shredder to make good music that resonates with the audience. Sometimes one note is enough — and sometimes not playing is the right choice for the moment. (And thankfully, it’s pretty hard to screw up a rest.)

    Bonus tip: Always serve the song

    At the end of the day, the most important rule in music is to always serve the song.

    This really encompasses each of the other tips. Everything that you and your bandmates play (or don’t play) should have the goal of benefiting the song. You may not get to show off your technical skills each and every song, but that’s okay. The best part for you to play in a given song — the part that meshes with everyone else — might be trivially easy. So? Play it anyway and take it as a chance to relax and enjoy the moment.

    These are just a few of the tips I’ve learned over the years playing with other musicians. What did I miss? Let us know in the comments below.

  • How to Navigate Mistakes when Playing Live Music

    How to Navigate Mistakes when Playing Live Music

    If there’s one thing I’m an expert at, it’s making mistakes.

    I’ve made about every kind of mistake possible — some big, some small.

    Just speaking about music (lest we be here all day), I’ve done all of these boneheaded moves — and most of them recently:

    • I’ve forgotten chord progressions in the middle of a song.
    • I’ve failed to plug in my in-ear monitors before a set and wondered why I can’t hear the click track.
    • I’ve plugged my amp into a dimmer switch for stage lighting and wondered why it was buzzing so badly.
    • I’ve knocked over my instrument during the prayer time at church.
    • I’ve bombed more solos and riffs than I can count.

    I think this establishes my bona fides as a mistake-maker extraordinaire.

    But over time I’ve used those experiences to learn how to navigate them.

    As a guitarist who plays in live settings, I’ve discovered what to do — and not do — when I do inevitably screw up on stage. And so in this article, I want to share my accumulated wisdom with you.

    So if you get frazzled by mistakes or are afraid to get in front of people with your guitar because you might mess up, read on — this one’s for you.

    Have the right mindset

    Anytime you play in front of people, you want to do a good job.

    Playing in front of an audience can be a great motivator, pushing you to grow as a musician and entertainer. This is a good thing, and it can help you learn a ton.

    But while striving for a solid performance is appropriate, striving for perfection is not. Simply put, anytime you play live you will make mistakes.

    The last time I played at church, I bombed the first song. I learned and practiced it, attended two rehearsals, and was all set to go. But then when the service started, everything went out the window!

    I screwed up the opening riff. I lost my place in the song (even though the chords and lyrics are on a giant screen in the back!). I was stumbling around on my instrument like an idiot until about halfway through when it finally came back to me.

    The rest of the service went off without a hitch.

    But you know what? That stuff happens. TO EVERYONE. Every musician from beginner to professional has stories about how they screwed up on stage. It’s all part of the experience of making music.

    And because of that, no one expects you to be perfect either. So why would you expect it from yourself?

    Think about the audience’s point of view

    Why do people attend concerts?

    While there may be a few jerks out there who go to point out all the mistakes they see (and who cares about them?), the vast majority of the crowd is there to have a good time.

    Furthermore, most of them don’t play the guitar. They can’t tell a Strat from a Les Paul or a Mixolydian scale from an Aeolian one. They certainly can’t tell if you hit a wrong note during a solo.

    And more importantly, they don’t care. As long as they are having fun, it’s “mission accomplished” as far as they are concerned.

    I have lost count of the number of times I felt like I played terribly, only to have people compliment me afterward. I used to even ask, “Didn’t you hear me mess up on the first song?” One hundred percent of the time the answer was, “No, you sounded great to me!”

    The bottom line is that the average audience member literally cannot tell when you make a mistake, so it’s just not worth stressing out over.

    Get through it and get back on track

    Now that you’ve got the proper mindset, how do you handle on-stage mistakes when they do happen?

    First and foremost, just get through it.

    Most mistakes aren’t anywhere as major as we make them out to be. A couple of wrong notes aren’t going to ruin most songs. A flubbed chord change is just a passing element of a song, even if it feels like an hour when you’re the one doing the flubbing.

    So when you find yourself in the middle of a mistake, just power through it like you own the place and get back to the right notes when you can.

    You can even stop for a moment to recalibrate and center yourself if need be. It’s better to have an unplanned beat or two of rest than get completely flustered and prolong the issue. Just take that extra second or two to relax and find the song again. Your mistake will soon fade into oblivion.

    Don’t acknowledge it

    The corollary to the above point is this: you must pretend like everything is fine.

    Normally ignoring a problem is not a great strategy, but in a live band setting, it’s definitely the way to go.

    Remember how I said most audience members can’t tell when you make a mistake? Well, if you grimace, curse, or look around sheepishly, you will blow your cover. They will know you messed up because you’re broadcasting it to them with your body language.

    So rather than react, don’t acknowledge it. Act like as far as anyone else is concerned, you played exactly what you meant to play.

    Later, in private, you can acknowledge and work on any parts that gave you trouble — just not during the show.

    Come prepared

    I hope at this point I’ve helped you realize that making mistakes while playing live music is a) going to happen and b) not a big deal.

    But, of course, we all still want to minimize the impact of mistakes on our playing. And it turns out the absolute best way to handle mistakes is not to make them in the first place.

    This means practicing. And practicing. And then practicing some more.

    The more you can learn your setlist and parts ahead of time, the better off you will be. When you do make the inevitable mistake, knowing the song well will help you jump back on the horse quickly.

    There is just no substitute for practice and preparation.

    Have fun

    At the end of the day, we make and listen to music for the sheer enjoyment of it. How is stressing out or fearing mistakes enjoyable? It’s not, that’s how.

    So more than anything else, the biggest takeaway from this article should be “enjoy yourself.” And when you make a mistake? Don’t worry about it. Move on. Have fun! (We’re not curing cancer, after all.)

    The next time you find yourself in the middle of a mistake, follow the above process and let me know how it goes. And if you have other tips on how to navigate mistakes during a live performance, let us know in the comments!

  • 5 Techniques to Level Up Your Guitar Game

    5 Techniques to Level Up Your Guitar Game

    All of us started out as guitar noobs.

    We all had to endure the callous-inducing pain of learning how to play. At the time, it seemed like even getting our fingers to cooperate was too hard a task to master.

    Yet we finally got the hang of it, and before long we could play some basic chords.

    For many of us, however, our progress stalled once we mastered G, C, D, and Em. Some of us continued on to power chords or maybe learned the basic minor pentatonic scale or a blues lick or two.

    Sure, it was enough to (badly) play a song around a campfire. But this plateau is very much still in Beginner Town.

    So if you find yourself here — firmly established as a beginner — but want to advance to the intermediate level, this article is for you.

    Today I’m going to show you five easy techniques you can implement in your playing to help you finally get off of that plateau and transition from beginner to intermediate guitarist.

    Sustained chords

    This trick works even with basic open chords, so it’s a good place to start.

    The idea is there are times when a slight change to a chord can really make a song pop, and this is often the result of adding in a sustained, or sus, chord at just the right time.

    Sus chords are made when the third of the chord is replaced by the note above or below it. But you don’t really need to know the theory to use them.

    A couple of super-easy sustained chords are Asus4 (x-0-2-2-3-0) and Asus2 (x-0-2-2-0-0), Dsus4 (x-x-0-2-3-3) and Dsus2 (x-x-0-2-3-0), and Esus4 (0-2-2-2-0-0). (As a refresher, an “x” means you don’t play that string.) These can all be made by either removing a finger from the fretboard (the sus2 chords) or adding your pinky finger to the standard chord shape (the sus4 chords).

    The best guidance I can give to when to substitute a sustained chord is to just try it out and let your ear tell you. It’s pretty clear when this trick works and when it doesn’t, and it won’t take long for it to become second nature for you. And once it does, your playing will start having that extra little something to it.

    If you want to learn more about sustained chords, check out Richard White’s excellent Medium article on the topic.

    Triads

    I’ve written an entire article introducing triads and how to play them, so I’ll keep it brief here.

    Basically, triads are chord shapes made up of just three strings (or notes). The beauty of triads is they are moveable: once you’ve learned a shape, you can take it up and down the fretboard anywhere and it will still work.

    And if you know your basic chords, you already know at least one triad: D.

    Think about it: the chord shape for D major is x-x-0-2-3-2. If you just play the top three strings, x-x-x-2-3-2, you now have a triad shape that you can move up the neck.

    That means if you move up to x-x-x-4-5-4, you are now playing an E triad. Keep going up to x-x-x-7-8-7 and you’ve unlocked a G triad, and so on.

    Triads are one of the most powerful — and accessible — tools at your disposal to progress in your guitar playing. I highly recommend learning them. You’ll start noticing the improvement immediately.

    Dyads

    Dyads are like triads’ little brothers. As the name suggests, you play just two notes instead of three.

    Dyads are so great because they are easy and sound good. Literally all you need to do is finger any chord you know but then only play two neighboring strings. You can play them together or one after the other — whatever works best in context.

    So if you were playing a D chord (x-x-0-2-3-2), you might choose to just play the B and E strings (x-x-x-x-3-2) instead. Congrats — that’s a dyad!

    Dyads are all over the place on your guitar (and, like triads, they’re also moveable). And the best part? If you learn a triad, you’ve learned multiple dyads by definition — just omit one of the three notes!

    Tons of great bands (for example, Weezer, The Killers, The Black Keys) use them all the time in their songs. Dyads are a terrific example of “less is more,” so they are definitely worth knowing and practicing!

    Palm muting

    Palm muting is a wonderfully easy technique that has many applications in rock-based music. The reason it’s so handy is because it extends your dynamics.

    No one wants to hear music at the same volume and intensity all the time. (If you doubt me, just sit through a junior high band concert sometime.) That’s why in every song, you’ll find some quieter sections and some louder sections.

    During those quieter sections, you can use palm muting to great effect. It communicates intensity without loudness. This is a good technique to use during the first verse of a song, for instance, or as the start of a build-up (or crescendo) during a bridge.

    This is a strumming-hand technique only — your fretting hand doesn’t change what it’s playing. To successfully pull off palm muting, all you have to do is lightly rest your strumming hand on the strings while playing. The outside edge of your palm should rest on the lower strings toward the bridge. (Palm muting works better on the lower strings.)

    You can adjust how much pressure you place on the strings until you hear a nice “chugga chugga” sound. Palm muting also works well when combined with a straight downward picking pattern (no upstrokes).

    I use this technique all the time, and when it’s right, it’ll give you — and the crowd — goosebumps.

    Use a metronome

    This last tip is really for everyone.

    Whether you’re an absolute beginner or a professional, the more you practice with a metronome, the better you will be.

    A metronome is not a crutch; it’s a tool to help you learn to play in time. In fact, even the best guitarists in the world practice with one. Many of them wouldn’t even consider working on their craft without it. It’s really that important.

    Now, do I always practice with a metronome myself? No. Sometimes I just want to play a song for fun.

    But if I’m working on a song to play in a band setting, I absolutely either use a metronome or a backing track. Because of this, by and large, my ability to play in time is pretty good. And I plan to keep it that way.

    With the plethora of metronome smartphone apps, this really is a no-brainer. Just do it!

    Real-life cheat codes

    These five techniques could almost be considered guitar cheat codes. None of them is difficult, and with a little practice, you can add all of them to your repertoire quickly, leveling up your ability in no time. So which one are you going to start working on today?

  • The 10 Best YouTube Channels for Guitarists

    The 10 Best YouTube Channels for Guitarists

    How did anyone ever learn anything before YouTube?

    I mean, I was alive during the last century, so somehow I learned a bunch of stuff. But YouTube makes it much easier, especially when it comes to skill-based tasks like playing the guitar.

    A ton of creators have figured this out, too, of course, and the number of channels dedicated to the best instrument in the world has exploded. But some of those channels have risen to the top (at least the top of my list), and I want to share them with you today.

    If you are a guitarist looking to get better at your instrument, these are the top 10 channels you should be following.

    Rick Beato

    Rick Beato is a former college professor, professional musician, and producer. He is a walking encyclopedia of all things music, and he features the guitar in many (perhaps a majority) of his videos. Plus he’s interviewed many of the biggest names in rock and jazz guitar.

    I don’t care how much you think you know, you will learn something from every Rick Beato video.

    Phillip McKnight

    Phillip McKnight has been a guitar nerd since he was in high school. He even owned a guitar store for 13 years until he decided to make YouTube his full-time gig.

    Much like Rick Beato, Phil has his own encyclopedic knowledge of guitars and the guitar industry. His videos and live streams are not as well-produced as other channels, but the depth of his content continues to blow me away. If I’m being honest, he is my favorite YouTuber, period.

    Rhett Shull

    Rhett Shull is an Atlanta-based musician who wanted to make a channel “to teach his 14-year-old self everything he wishes he knew” about the guitar. (Rhett also urged Rick Beato to begin posting videos, so you know he has good taste.)

    Rhett offers lots of great advice and gear reviews from the perspective of an active, working musician. I don’t agree with everything he says, but everything he says is incredibly well thought out.

    Michael Palmisano

    Michael Palmisano is a guitar instructor who has found YouTube fame by reacting to live performances. His typical video features him watching a performance for the first time and dissecting it musically as he goes. If you are looking for music theory applied practically, this is the channel for you.

    Elevated Jam Tracks

    It’s tough to work on soloing when you’re alone in the living room. You can use a looping pedal if you have a specific chord progression in mind, but for general chops-building, backing tracks are the way to go.

    Elevated Jam Tracks have some of the best tracks I’ve heard. Plus, all of the chords are laid out in real time, as well as the scale and note positions. Videos even include sample solos if you need inspiration. The channel prides itself on quality, and it shows.

    Music is Win

    Tyler Larson is a music school grad turned YouTuber. His videos cover a wide range of topics, from gear reviews to song tutorials to fun and even endearing general entertainment content.

    Tyler is an exceptional guitarist, he’s good in front of the camera, he’s creative, and his videos are all well polished. Whether you’re looking to learn or just be entertained, Music is Win has you covered.

    samuraiguitarist

    Another graduate of a music college, Steve Onotera — aka the Samurai Guitarist — represents the Canadian guitar scene admirably. Much like Tyler Larson, Sammy G’s videos are part entertainment, part learning, and all awesome. He also shows off his dry wit quite often, which I particularly enjoy.

    Brandon Acker

    It might seem strange to include a classical guitarist on this list, but before you write him off, check out a few of Brandon Acker’s videos. He started his guitar-playing life as a metalhead but then fell in love with the classical guitar. His calm demeanor and ability to explain and demonstrate seemingly archaic music and musical concepts in an engaging manner are what sets his channel apart.

    It’s always good to expand your thinking and horizons, and when it comes to the guitar, Brandon Acker will help you do just that.

    five watt world

    If you’re interested in the history of guitar gear, do yourself a favor and check out five watt world. The channel features tons of mini-documentaries on the history of guitars and those who play them. The man behind the channel, Keith Williams, really does his research, digging up all kinds of obscure yet fascinating facts that will help you level up your own guitar knowledge.

    Marty Music

    Marty Schwartz, aka Marty Music, is an online guitar teacher. His channel is devoted to detailed lessons on how to play popular rock songs. His content lends itself toward newer players, perhaps those who self-identify as “better than beginner but not quite intermediate.” Regardless, if you’re looking for a guitar tutorial for a specific song, it’s worth your while to see if Marty Music has done it.

    I could have listed any number of other channels, but for me — as of today — these are my top 10. I hope you check some — or all — of them out! Likewise, drop me a line in the comments with your favorite guitar-themed YouTube channel. Bonus points if it’s not on my list!