Picture this… 

You’re in a giant stadium for an event.

The crowd is stirring, feeling rebellious and rambunctious…

They’re wondering what is about to happen. Who will hit the stage or field? Suddenly, a guitar riff comes through the speakers…

What riff is it gonna be?

Well, a very common one is the mighty “Seven Nation Army” guitar riff.

In this post, I’m going to break down some insider tips on Jack White’s guitar style, and how you can get playing like this too.

So grab your guitar, and let’s dive into this “Seven Nation Army” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Seven Nation Army?

"Seven Nation Army" is one the most famous songs by the American rock band The White Stripes. It was written by Jack White, the band’s lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary writer. 

The song beats with a strong feeling of defiance and empowerment. As the lyrics sing of fighting back against forces and obstacles...

Behold… THIS… was the first riff I ever done learned.

I was around 11 years old, went over to my neighbor’s house, and he showed me the notes. It’s a fun one – on only 2 strings. 

The problem was, I never got the counting right. 

You see, I thought the first note started on beat 1 but it didn’t…

It was a “pickup”... 

In music theory, this is called an anacrusis. Which means you start playing BEFORE beat 1. But I played the “Come As You Are” riff as if the first note was beat 1. 

This made my rhythm wonky. 

And guess what?

I didn’t correct this timing problem for decades…

Until one day, I tried to play with the recording and fell flat on my face. When I heard Dave Grohl’s drum groove against the riff, I started to figure out the timing…

It was weird. As a yute, trying so hard to learn the riff, I actually engrained the WRONG rhythm in me. Working with recordings...

Have you ever wondered how to actually learn your blues scales?

What order you should go in?

And what’s a good way to structure scales in your practice sessions?

I’ve talked to many campfire guitar players over the years who want to learn how to add more depth, versatility, and skill to my playing in general with the blues scale. But many practice for years and never get it down.

They can’t navigate the neck, and they can’t improvise blues licks.

So today, you’re ole’ pal Johnny is going to reveal 3 powerful tips for mastering the blues scale on guitar. Starting with one, not a single online fake guitar goo-roo is going to tell you and that is…

1) Sing It

No, you don’t have to be a singer. You don’t have to sing onstage or sing loud. Just in the privacy of your own home. In fact, you can even lightly hum or whistle it. 

My old guitar teacher Kenny Burrell (I was in a band and he was the leader), used to whistle notes at me...

Ever wonder what you should do the day of a performance?

In this video, I want to share 7 tips I've found useful to prepare for a performance. These tips have helped me play HUGE shows with great success.

But they work the same if you're retired, and maybe you want to play for friends and family at a summer barbecue. Or you want to play at your church, or you have an open mic night coming up.

I help a lot of my students in my programs on my site do exactly this.

And it's been awesome to hear amazing stories from retired students live their dreams. So I thought I would share 7 quick ones here to help you out.

1. Play your guitar the day of the performance

Don’t go in cold. You want your fingers to feel warmed up. I often don’t leave my guitar out onstage. When possible I bring it backstage and I’m running through songs and playing quietly before the show. That way when I walk out, my guitar and strap are already on and I’m ready to rock....

Just like Jimi Hendrix, one of my favorite artists is Bob Dylan.

For years, I’ve had his records on repeat. His lyrics and the songs can take you away to another world, and today’s lesson is a perfect example of that. 

It’s a simple tune, with a very minimal production, yet it’s had a HUGE impact. 

So grab your guitar, and let’s dive into this “Mr. Tambourine Man” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Mr. Tambourine Man? 

"Mr. Tambourine Man" was originally written and performed by Bob Dylan. The song is famous for its vivid, surreal imagery and has been widely interpreted in various ways. Some listeners believe this song is about drugs, particularly with lines like "take me on a trip upon your magic swirlin' ship." However, others argue it’s more about the search for artistic inspiration.

“Mr. Tambourine Man” was recorded on January 15, 1965, at Columbia Studios in New York City, and the production was...

Have you ever said:

===

"I’ll do it tomorrow."

"I’ll get to it eventually."

"It’s on my to-do list."

=== 

Well if so, you might be able to relate to this epic Eagles rock song below. You see, the inspiration for it came from – putting off dreams until tomorrow.

This monumental tune also marks a pivotal change in the band’s sound.

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this “One Of These Nights” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote One Of These Nights?

"One Of These Nights" was co-written by Don Henley and Glenn Frey, two founding members of the American rock band Eagles. Frey explained in an interview that the song's inspiration came from about from the them of postponing ambitions. 

He noted, "We've all said, 'One of these nights I'm gonna do something – get that girl, make that money, find that house.' We all have our dreams – a vision we hope will come true someday." 

The track was recorded between late...

Just like you, I used to suffer from not being able to play killer blues guitar solos.

I was constantly hitting notes out of key. I didn’t know where to go on the neck. And, I was confused by all the different scale patterns, and music theory I thought I had to know.

It was miserable.

And I feel for anyone in this place.

But I’ve helped so many older retired students play the blues like they’ve never thought possible, inside my programs on my site. I specialize in blues guitar.

So today, I wanted to share an easy blues guitar solo that lets you sound like a pro with just 4 notes.

And this relies on an almost ancient method used by the old-school blues masters. They did this on countless songs. It’s so simple that many of today’s players would just laugh at it.

But this is to their own detriment. Because it’s been used on more recordings and hits than you can count.

So let’s get started with this easy blues guitar solo lesson.

The first...

Behold… one of the first true rock-and-roll songs.

This one is all about coolness, swagger, and the rebellious spirit of rock.

There are only 3 chords you need to know to play it. Below I’m going to break down the guitar style in the original Carl Perkins version, as well as the Elvis Presley version.

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this “Blue Suede Shoes” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Blue Suede Shoes?

“Blues Suede Shoes” was written by Carl Perkins, a pioneering figure in rock and roll and rockabilly. The inspiration for the tune came about from a casual remark Perkins overheard at a dance in Jackson, Tennessee. 

A young man told his date… 

Don’t Step On My Suede Shoes!

Perkins was struck by the phrase and that was the start of the simple yet evocative message behind the song of: protecting a prized possession—one's blue suede shoes. From there, the tune ended up being crafted around humor,...

Behold… an epic song about the dreamy California lifestyle and all its glory.

There are many guitars on the recording that create the sound you hear. But below I’m going to show you some tips for playing in this style and also getting a full sound with one guitar. 

You only need a handful of chords to play it. And, you get to blend together RHYTHM and LEAD.

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this “Ventura Highway” chords and guitar lesson! 

Who Wrote Ventura Highway?

"Ventura Highway" was written by Dewey Bunnell, a founding member and singer-songwriter for the folk-rock band America. It reflects the spirit and vibe of the Calfornia lifestyle in the early 1970s. 

The lyrics of "Ventura Highway" are deliberately abstract. There are phrases like “purple rain” and “alligator lizards in the air.” These lines are meant to evoke imagery and feelings rather than tell a linear story. The "alligator lizards in the air"...

I've always wondered about these famous songs titled a woman’s name...

Are they real? What was this person like at that time? Do they know said song was written about them?

Tunes like: 

* Jessica

* Layla

* Or Josie…

Well, below I’m going to break down the guitar style behind one of these types of songs. So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this "Roxanne" chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Roxanne?

"Roxanne" was written by Sting, the lead vocalist and bassist for the English rock band The Police. The song sings of a man's romantic feelings for a woman named Roxanne, who is implied to be a prostitute. He drew inspiration from his experiences in Paris, where he observed the city's red-light district. The name "Roxanne" was inspired by a character from the play Cyrano de Bergerac, a poster of which was present in the hotel where the band stayed. 

"Roxanne" was recorded in 1978 at Surrey Sound Studios in Leatherhead, England. It was released on...