Rockabilly Swing Rhythm Guitar
Hey folks…here’s a little Rockabilly / Swing to wet your appetite, inspired by messing around with “Stray Cat Strut” by The Stray Cats (doh!). What’s interesting to me is how you can combine a variety of subtle techniques to add depth to a simple chord progression…welcome to the lost art of rhythm guitar! Here’s the […]
Troubleshooting Chord Strumming On the Guitar
Strumming chords is essential “bread & butter” technique for accompanying songs with the guitar, and yet it is suprisingly hard to do well. Here’s a short checklist you can run through each time you practice to ensure that you’re getting the best possible sound. Fretting Hand Are all the desired the notes ringing […]
Edelweiss
This haunting version of Rodger’s & Hammerstein’s Sound of Music classic Edelweiss captured my attention when it was re-purposed as the eerie introduction for the televesion adaptation of Phillip K Dick’s “The Man in the High Castle” I was so impressed that I decided to learn it, but I noticed that all the version I […]
Using the Guitar Pickup Selector
The Gentle Art of Using the Guitar Pickup Selector (or how to make your bassplayer happy!) This is a slightly tongue-in-cheek post, but I thought it might be informative. As resident bassist in New River I am constantly engaged in the bitterest acrimony with our guitarist (in my capacity as musical advisor) regarding the gentle […]
7th Chords for Guitar – Part 1
Drop-3 Seventh Chords for Guitar Howdy there you plunkers! It’s time to dust off the old Jazz box and prepare to launch yourself upon that excruciating voyage of musical discovery par excellence – that’s right, it’s time to learn your Jazz chords in all inversions! Specifically, we’re going to be focusing on Drop-3 7th Chords […]
Rockabilly Ballad Rhythm Guitar, Part 1
Muted Arpeggio Strums Hey folks…staying again in the 50s vein, I have your next rhythm installment! In this episode we’re going to learn a classic R-Guitar technique – what I have dubed the (palm) muted Arpeggio Strum! Despite the awkward name, this little baby is great for those 1950s ballad situations where our teenage hero […]
Basic Jazz Chords for Guitar
Adding some Jazz Colour to Your Guitar Playing Howdy Again…this is starting to become habit forming…This week on the KNSounds – installment one of my multi-part mini-epic on Jazz-a-matizing your playing. Now…I know what you’re thinking: “Jazz is well hard!” (and if you’re not thinking that you’re wrong!). But that doesn’t mean you can’t add […]
Tritone Substitutions, Part 1
Basic Theory Hi Folk, and welcome back for more lashing of red hot theory. This week I’m going to delve into the arcane mysteries of the dread “Tritone Substitution”, a diabolical techique where an innocent dominant 7th chord is substituted for more diabolically satanic alternative…ahem! Sorry…little musical joke – if you want the scoop, here’s […]
Jeff Buckley’s Hallelujah
Jeff Buckley’s Hallelujah is a powerful rendition of the Leonard Cohen Classic. Jeff’s intricate fingerstyle picking and reverb soaked telecaster tone create his unmistakable signature guitar sound. Combined with his unique vocals and the overall effect is unmistakable. Jeff Buckley, Son of the late Tim Buckley was one of the major talents of […]
Alternating-Bass Fingerpicking
An Introduction Hi folks If you’ve ever listened to the likes of Chet Atkins, Davey Graham or the like, you’ve probably found yourself confounded by the torrent of simultaneous notes underpinned by a pounding alternating bass….well my friends, “fret” no more (ahem!) because I’ve finally pulled my finger out and provided a detailed tab for […]