Guitar geeks: pimp out your computer and iPhone with this collection of guitar-themed wallpapers. I created the Hendrix and Van Halen images a few years back by scanning in some photos from an old guitar magazines and goofing around in Photoshop. The rest are just collected from around the web. They vary quite a bit in resolution. I do not have other resolutions available, sorry.
50 Blues Guitar Licks You Must Know by Jeff McErlain is a new offering from TrueFire.com designed for intermediate to advanced blues guitarists wanting to spice up their vocabulary with some of the tastiest and most traditional phrases in the idiom. The course is available in a variety of formats with prices starting at $19.00.from truefire.com.
Working through the 50 Blues Licks course is a bit like a attending wine-tasting with an expert sommelier. Instructor Jeff McErlain’s hand-picked repertoire of phrases challenges you to break out of that good old minor pentatonic box using techniques such as: tremolo picking, double-stops, sixths, octaves, chromaticism, and diminished lines, and more. It includes not only solo ideas, but grooves, turnarounds, and tasty comping ideas. Although there are some slick licks included, these licks are generally not the flashy technique-oriented phrases but richly expressive musical concepts that will lend a sense of depth and sophistication to your playing.
As Jeff demonstrates each lick he takes time calls attention to the specific nuances that really make the music happen. Details on specifically how to bend, slide, or vibrato are not left to chance. I appreciated this attention to detail, especially as it relates to quarter-step bends. I find that those little in-between bends are often difficult for students to dial in, but usually get glossed over by instructional materials. Here, Jeff does a great job of highlighting exactly when they occur and what they should sound like.
Jeff will often relate a bit of history on how a lick has been used over the years. For example, the very first lick is based on Muddy Waters’ “Rollin’ Stone” blues. It’s a groovy riff to be sure, but Jeff reminds us that this riff has been recycled several times to become the basis for “Catfish Blues” and “Voodoo Chile” by Hendrix, “Still Alive and Well” by Johnny Winter, and even a section of “War Pigs” by Black Sabbath. This really gives a sense of the blues as a living music that continues to evolve. I also think it also gives guitarists permission to start creating their own music using the motif as a springboard.
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How to Play the Music of Stevie Wonder by Adam Rafferty is a fantastic new release aimed at fingerstyle guitarists wanting to hone their chops and add some R&B and funk to their repertoire with arrangements of the Stevie Wonder hits “Superstition”, “I Wish”, “Overjoyed”, and “Sir Duke.” The DVD/booklet sells for $34.97 at www.adamrafferty.com.
The DVD lasts just under two hours and Adam spends between 20 to 30 minutes teaching each arrangement. The video begins with a short introductory segment in which Adam encourages guitarists not to be intimidated or frustrated with the complex material presented in the video. He then briefly talks about what he calls “learning how to learn” and describes four specific stages of the learning process that students will encounter while working through the pieces. Adam adds that he continues to practice these pieces often and that he too is still fine tuning his performances!
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Looking forward to teaching at NGW this summer. I’ll be at the Chicago and DC Campuses. – John
Article by Dr. Matthew Warnock via [Modern Guitars]
Founded in 1983 by Dave Smolover, the National Guitar Workshop has since grown from its humble roots in South Kent, Connecticut, to become one of the top guitar workshops in the world. The NGW has built its strong reputation by providing guitarists the chance to study with some of the top names in the guitar world in an educational, though relaxed, environment. Students who attend any of the Workshop’s week-long sessions can expect to spend time everyday in clinics with big-name players, jamming alongside fellow musicians of similar levels and musical tastes, getting one-on-one instruction from a private teacher and basically eating and sleeping guitar the whole time they are there. Celebrating their 25th anniversary this year, the National Guitar Workshop is moving forward into its second quarter century by adding a new campus, bringing in legendary artists and adding several new courses that are sure to be hits with students and faculty alike.
Though there are many summer guitar camps and courses offered each year throughout North America, none can compare to the National Guitar Workshop’s wide range of world-class, and often legendary, guitar faculty. The NGW offers students of any genre and background the chance to study with some of the top players in their fields. This summer clinics and classes will be taught by jazz legends such as Pat Metheny and Pat Martino, who will also be giving private lessons; shred masters Herman Li of Dragon Force and perennial favorite Paul Gilbert; blues legends Buddy Guy and Jimmy Vaughn; and Country guitar virtuoso Brent Mason.
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