This lesson explores a roots blues approach for 3-string cigar box guitar, part of my ongoing roots blues series. It’s a 12-bar blues in G, played twice through (24 bars total), with variations on the second pass. I played this one fingerstyle, with the guitar...
If you tune your cigar box guitar to Open G, switching to Open E tuning (EBE) will be a breeze. Open E is exactly like Open G but pitched lower (a minor third or three frets down). In this lesson, I’ll take you through the basics of Open E tuning, show you how...
Six Un-Advanced Tips to Improve Your Guitar Playing I began this post with the intention of putting all the best music theory tips needed to create great blues and rock solos. However, that was too ambitious, so I’ve distilled the article down to a few common...
Grunge Time on your CBG In the late ’80s and early ’90s, the music scene was dominated by hair metal and glam rock. Then, grunge emerged from the streets of Seattle—a raw, unpolished sound that changed the sound of modern music and its psychology. This...
Muscle Memory Magic: Secrets to Enhancing Your Musical Abilities Mastering an instrument is not just about hitting the right notes; it’s about knowing precisely when and where to place your fingers. In this article, we will discuss the basics of how memory works...
What Should I Practice? Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced musician, mastering any musical instrument is a marathon that requires years of dedication, discipline, and good planning. A well-organized practice routine, as outlined in this article, is not...
The Art of Music-Making on a 2-String Cigar Box Guitar If you are reading this blog post, you likely already own a cigar box guitar or are considering buying one. But have you ever played a two-string before? I admit I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of playing a...
Accelerate Your Musical Journey: 25 Expert Tips for Rapid Instrument Learning You likely don’t need to be reminded that only consistent practice will help you achieve your goals. Ultimately, it does come down to the time spent on the instrument. No matter how...
Unleashing the Blues: Mastering Dominant 7th Chords on Your Cigar Box Guitar If you play blues on your cigar box guitar, you must learn several ways of playing a dominant 7th chord. Dominant 7th chords are used in all styles of music, from classical to rock, country...
“Sleepwalk” by Johnny and Santo is a classic instrumental track covered by countless musicians. It was initially released in 1959 and became an instant hit, largely thanks to its beautiful melody and unique instrumentation. Sleepwalk featured Santo Farina...
In today’s cigar box guitar lesson, we will learn one of the most famous, if not the most famous, blues songs of all time – The Thrill is Gone. The song was written by Roy Hawkins and Rick Darnell in 1951, but it was B.B. King’s recording in 1969 that...
Today’s cigar box guitar lesson will look at two country classics. The first is Lefty Frizzell’s “The Long Black Veil,” followed by a song that needs no introduction, “Tennessee Waltz.” Both tunes have found a place in the top 100...
In today’s cigar box guitar lesson, we will learn Blues Jam #2. One notable difference is that I’ve added some rhythm using a guitar looper pedal and a few other effects like the octave pedal. You don’t need a looper pedal to learn this blues jam – just a...
If you are a beginner at cigar box guitar, one of the first things you will want to learn is how to play a few basic chords. In a recent cigar box guitar lesson we learnt how to play 10 major chords. In today’s lesson, we will learn 10 minor chord shapes you should...
Classical music on a 3-string cigar box guitar is likely not the first thing you would think to play, but I have to say it works pretty well! Of course, there are limitations with only 3 strings, but that is why it works. You can’t add more than the melody and the...
Hello, here are a few Christmas holiday classics arranged for the 3 and 4-string cigar box guitar in GDG and GDGB tuning. We will learn one tune with the slide and the other with fingerpicking. The first tune is O Christmas Tree and is suitable for most beginner...
Top 10 Tips for Better Music Rhythm If I could sum up the most requested question after 30 years of teaching music, it would be “I need help with strumming and rhythm.” While some students get rhythm right away, most need many hours of practice to develop...
In today’s cigar box guitar lesson, we will use your slide to jam on a 12 bar roots/blues. We will learn to play some chords with the slide and review 5 basic slide techniques all players need to know. Check out the exercise videos and tabs below and download the...
In today’s cigar box guitar lesson, let’s learn 10 major chord shapes you should know. If you are a beginner at cigar box guitar, the first thing you will want to learn is how to play a few basic chords. We will use the open G tuning on the 3-string tuned G-D-G. ...
Do you use your fingers when playing the cigar box guitar? Do you want to find some fingerpicking patterns you can learn to sound better? Then maybe it’s time to master one of the most popular guitar fingerstyle techniques and apply it to your 3 or 4-string cigar box...
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