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Acoustic Guitar

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lessons, music to play, and how-tos for all guitarists
Updated: 32 min 14 sec ago

Why You Don’t Need to Worry About Removing All Your Guitar’s Strings at Once

Wed, 08/27/2025 - 06:00
loose guitar strings on soundboard with bridge pins pulled from bridge
Never fear. Slacking all the strings at once is something every guitar technician needs to do every day.

Review: Classical Guitar Great Sharon Isbin Elevates New Release from Composer Karen LeFrak

Fri, 08/22/2025 - 10:33
 J. Henry Fair
Consisting of world premiere recordings of three works based around Cuban rhythms, ‘Romántico’ features the exquisite classical guitar work of the reliably great Isbin.

Thompson Guitars Attends the 53rd Annual Rocky Grass

Thu, 08/21/2025 - 23:45
Thompson Guitars Attends the 53rd Annual Rocky Grass
Sponsored by Thompson Guitars: There are always great players that are part of the Thompson family that play at Rocky Grass and this year was no exception, with the likes of Liam Purcell (2022 winner Flatpick Competition), Lindsay Lou, Tom Knowlton from The Fretliners, Peter Rowan, Molly Tuttle, Seth Mulder, Travis Book from the Infamous Stringdusters, […]

Meet Jesse Welles, Fiery Folksinger on the Rise

Wed, 08/20/2025 - 06:00
 Hannah Gray Hall
Welles, 30, is a genuine phenomenon—an internet-era troubadour clearly in the tradition of Guthrie, Dylan, Prine, and Ochs (and Cobain, too), yet also very much of this moment.

Learn a Hill Country Blues Lick with Mamie Minch | Acoustic Guitar Teaching Artists

Sun, 08/17/2025 - 06:00
Learn a Hill Country Blues Lick with Mamie Minch | Acoustic Guitar Teaching Artists
This Mississippi Hill Country lick turns up again and again, in countless variations by players like R.L. Burnside and Robert Belfour. So let’s learn it!

Review: The Iris Guitar Company MS-00 Is a Custom-Made Boutique Flattop with Vintage Flair and High-End Tonewoods

Wed, 08/13/2025 - 06:00
 Mathilde Sauve
The MS-00 is a guitar that’s straightforward, well-balanced, and built to be played, not pampered

Fundamentals of Chord Melody with Molly Miller | Workshop Replay

Sun, 08/10/2025 - 06:00
Fundamentals of Chord Melody with Molly Miller | Workshop Replay
The Los Angeles-based guitarist, composer, and educator explores three different takes on "You Are My Sunshine" and shows how to make rich and expressive solo arrangements from a simple melody.

Yoga for Guitarists—Tune Your Body and Mind and Improve Your Playing Experience with These Five Simple Exercises

Wed, 08/06/2025 - 06:00
Female acoustic guitarist in yoga studio with guitar
This brief practice can lead to improved skills, enhanced creativity and flow, and more enjoyable playing sessions

Sus Chords, Arpeggio Embellishments, Minor 7 Barres, Humidity, Non-Diatonic Chords | Teaching Artist July Recap

Sun, 08/03/2025 - 06:00
 Isa Burke, Mamie Minch, Thu Tran, Lisa Liu, Sean McGowan (l-r)
Here’s a recap of all the new Acoustic Guitar Teaching Artist lessons from July. And there is a lot more to look forward to: interactive hangouts, virtual open mics, and more!

New From Acoustic Guitar— ‘The Steve James Songbook’

Fri, 08/01/2025 - 06:00
New From Acoustic Guitar— ‘The Steve James Songbook’
This songbook includes full guitar parts in standard notation and tablature, with lyrics, plus the stories behind 20 of Steve’s original songs.

Americana Champion Margo Price Takes Flight with Her New Signature Gibson J-45

Wed, 07/30/2025 - 06:00
Margo Price on porch swing with signature model Gibson J-45 acoustic guitar, Courtesy of Gibson Brands, Inc.
The Nashville singer-songwriter talks about her bond with her instruments, her songwriting philosophy, and more.

Letter from the Editor: Acoustic Guitar Issue 354

Fri, 07/25/2025 - 06:00
 Acoustic Guitar Issue 354
If there’s a thread running through this issue, it’s not reinvention for its own sake, but the idea that familiar forms still hold new meaning.

Great Acoustics: Barney Kessel’s Well-Worn 1931 Gibson L-5 Helped Score Hits by Ella Fitzgerald, Elvis, and Others 

Wed, 07/23/2025 - 06:00
Barney Kessel's Gibson L-5
In July 1948, Kessel purchased this early Gibson L-5 from Smith and went on to use it for two decades of studio sessions.

Review: I’m With Her’s Acoustic Palette and Chamber-Folk Instincts Shine on ‘Wild and Clear and Blue’

Sun, 07/20/2025 - 06:00
 Alysse Gafkjen
The arrangements are rustic but current; the harmonies, tight but never smug, infuse the record with a sense of quiet inventiveness.

Flatpicking Fire: Trey Hensley Smokes His Taylor Gold Label 517e

Sat, 07/19/2025 - 23:45
 Trey Hensley Smokes His Taylor Gold Label 517e
Sponsored by Taylor Guitars: Once dubbed “Nashville’s hottest young player” by Acoustic Guitar magazine, Trey Hensley brings his signature blend of Appalachian grit and bluesy finesse to Taylor’s new Gold Label 517e. In this video, captured at Soundcheck Nashville, Hensley weighs in on the new round-shoulder dreadnought and demonstrates its earthy depth and warm, old-school tone.   […]

5 Minute Lesson: Julian Lage Teaches How to Add Dimension to Your Playing

Wed, 07/16/2025 - 06:00
Julian Lage seated with guitar. Photo by Alysse Gafkjen
Julian Lage shows how to turn a single melodic line into a layered, expressive statement—with just one subtle move.

Christian Lee Hutson Is Writing Songs Like a Bird on Rollercoaster 

Wed, 07/09/2025 - 06:00
Christian Lee Hutson Is Writing Songs Like a Bird on Rollercoaster 
The singer-songwriter talks about melody, his “magical” Martin guitar, and the stripped-down tracks on his latest release, ‘Paradise Pop. 10 (Deluxe)’

Learn a Contemporary Fingerstyle Arrangement of “Cielito Lindo,” a Mexican Cultural Treasure

Tue, 07/08/2025 - 06:00
 Joey Lusterman
Janet Noguera reimagines the iconic Mexican tune “Cielito Lindo” with modern textures, lush harmonics, and unexpected chord movement.

Contrast, Comping, Fretting, Ear Training, and Neck Issues | Teaching Artist June Recap

Sun, 07/06/2025 - 06:00
Contrast, Comping, Fretting, Ear Training, and Neck Issues |  Teaching Artist June Recap
The five Acoustic Guitar Teaching Artists are creating lessons for guitarists just like you, with a new lesson every week. Here's a recap of all the TA activity from June.

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