The first rule of Guitar Club is there are no rules. Okay, that might be a bit melodramatic, but there is an element of truth to it. When you play an instrument like the electric guitar, there is a bit of rebellion and innovation baked in. Rebellion and innovation don’t preclude a good foundation — they require one Yes, there are “rules”…

I — IV — V — vi. That’s it. These four Roman numerals represent 75 percent of the music we listen to today. Learn how to apply them and you can almost instantly play thousands of songs. And it’s simpler than you think. The Way Too Short Explanation of Western Music Western music is based on a 12-note…

I admit it: I have more guitars than I need. I’ve got a bit of a hobby — perhaps an obsession — with collecting them. I’m holding steady at about a dozen instruments these days, which seems to be enough to keep me from wanting any more…for now. But strangely…

Let’s face it: playing guitar in front of other people can be intimidating. Especially if you are fairly new to the instrument or have never been on stage before. It’s incredibly easy and natural to let the nerves get to you. What if I mess up? What if I play…

Hey, it’s my birthday! That’s right — I’ve successfully not died for yet another trip around the sun. I have avoided being mauled by a bear, having a piano drop out of the sky on top of me, and falling off the nearest cliff, to name just a few dangers…

Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. That was my experience last Friday, anyway. I had a very nice Godin Progression Plus (a Canadian-made Strat copy) that I was shopping around. The guitar itself was great — nothing wrong with it, and very high quality — but I’d had…

I’m taking a break from my normal guitar-related content to share a bit of my story. This is how I became a freelance proofreader and editor (a.k.a. my day job). I hope it inspires and motivates you. -Jon COVID screwed up my life — in a good way. In January…

My friend Anthony recently started playing the bass guitar. He had been wanting to learn for some time, and he finally asked me to go down to the local Guitar Center to help him decide what to buy. Although I am primarily a guitarist, I can play passable bass (and…

Hi, my name is Jon, and I’ve got GAS. That’s Guitar Acquisition Syndrome, for the uninitiated. I like guitars. It’s my hobby. It’s how I de-stress and one of the things I do for fun. For a very long time, I only had a couple of guitars. I’d hover between…