If you want to learn to play guitar like a thunderous rock god.

Here's a powerful riff to help set you on your way. 

In fact, few guitar riffs hold as much raw energy as this one. It blends elements of the blues with searing rock guitar solos. 

I’m going to share its most iconic moments in this post. 

So grab your guitar and let’s dive into this “Stranglehold” guitar lesson.

Who wrote Stranglehold?

“Stranglehold” was written by American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Ted Nugent.  While Ted is often credited with the song, Rob Grange, the bassist, also played a significant role in its creation. 

Apparently "Stranglehold" is a song that evolved from a spontaneous jam session. The riff came about during a rehearsal, and then quickly took shape as the band experimented with different musical ideas. 

The recording captured the band's live energy, with Nugent's guitar work being a standout feature. His extended guitar solo, which lasts several minutes, is a central feature of ...

If you want to master the art of rock guitar, then you are going to need to do something very important.

And that is...

Listen to great rock records.

So below are 10 epic rock guitar albums every guitarist should know.

As I go through them, I’ll some share key points I’ve gleaned from studying these masters of rock guitar.

So without further ado, here they are (in no particular order):

1. Back In Black AC/DC

Angus Young is one of the greatest grand pooh-bahs of rock guitar. Malcolm gets credit too. But Angus was a master at creating killer riffs. He also plays the h3llz out of them in a stadium full of fist-pumping rock fans.

2. The Dark Side of the Moon Pink Floyd

David Gilmour’s soaring leads with Pink Floyd have no doubt moved the world. Everything on this album from the way he bent strings, to the chord progressions, to even the use of psychedelic sounds is incredible.

3. Rumours Fleetwood Mac

Take a listen to tunes like “Go Your Own Way”. You'll hear how Lin...

Here’s an edgy song made famous in the classic film “The Graduate” in 1967.

It all started with a bluesy riff Paul Simon mashed together with a catchy sing-along melody that made history.   

I’m going to share facts about the song and go through some of Paul Simon’s iconic guitar work in this post. 

So grab your guitar, and let’s dive into this “Mrs. Robinson” guitar lesson.

Who Wrote Mrs. Robinson?

"Mrs. Robinson" was written by Paul Simon, one-half of the American folk-rock duo Simon & Garfunkel. The song was released in 1968 and is famously associated with the film "The Graduate," directed by Mike Nichols. 

Nichols, a fan of Simon & Garfunkel's music, initially wanted to use their existing songs for the movie's soundtrack. But Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel decided to write new material. 

At the time, Simon had been working on a song titled "Mrs. Roosevelt," which evolved into "Mrs. Robinson." Nichols didn’t like the political element so they put a tacet on the “Roosevelt” l...

If you like playing along with your favorite recordings or even jamming songs with friends, then here’s a quick and easy tune to add to your setlist and have blast playing.

You only need 3 chords to get through it. And, you’ll potentially unlock a lot of powerful guitar skills like:

• Improving your rhythm
• Improving your fingerpicking
• Improving your strumming
• Combining licks and chords
• Playing lead guitar

So grab your axe and let’s dive into this “Can’t You See” guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Can’t You See?

"Can't You See" was written by Toy Caldwell, the lead guitarist and primary songwriter for the classic Southern rock group the Marshall Tucker Band. Caldwell was known for his distinctive guitar playing and made big contributions to the band’s iconic sound.

He wrote "Can't You See" while recovering from a motorcycle accident. The song's bluesy tone and reflective lyrics show Caldwell's emotional state during his recovery.  

“Can’t You See” was released in 1973 on the group...

Have you ever been frustrated trying to figure out a song by ear?

It’s not easy when you’re banging your head against the wall trying to figure out a certain chord, lick, or melody.

Years ago, I was playing a gig with this brilliant organ player who Downbeat magazine rated “Organist Of The Year” and he was talking to me about transcribing Steely Dan. There was one chord, that he had on loop, and was just banging keys on the piano trying to find it.  

For some guitarists, this seems to come naturally for others they need to focus more on the fundamentals of ear training. 

Below I share with you some tips on guitar started (as a guitarist) and simple steps forward to improve your ear.

1. Simple Pitch Matching Skills:

Start by becoming more tuned to the sounds around you. It could be as simple as hearing a doorbell, or noticing a truck backing up. Try to match the note back. This is the most basic level of ear training called pitch matching, and it’s a very valuable skill to have...

True story: 

The first time I ever heard this song was when one of my childhood best friend’s played it at a high school talent show.

I remember sitting in wooden fold-down chairs, in the school auditorium when they came on to perform. But something looked a little bit different with the rhythm section. The drummer (who played with my friend) managed to cover keys and drums at the same time. He moved away the floor tom and played the synthesizer part on a keyboard setup where the floor tom would be with his right hand. The rest of his body played the rock drum beat.

I was blown away. My childhood friend sang the lead, and the crowd loved it.

There’s just something about this rock anthem that is so satisfying to listen to and play.

So grab your guitar and let’s dive into this The Cars’ “Just What I Needed” guitar lesson!

Who wrote Just What I Needed?

"Just What I Needed" is a classic rock song by the American rock band The Cars. It was written by the band's lead vocalist and r...

There’s an old joke… 

Mozart’s little sister would walk into the room, go to the piano, and play:

C, D, E, F, G, A, B…

Then walk out.

Mozart would frantically run to the piano and hit the note C to resolve the tension he felt. This was how she would tease him. 

But that’s the power of a good ear.

I believe, it’s one of the most valuable skills a musician can have.

Why?

The answer is simple: music is a hearing art. You’re only as good, as what you can hear. Below I’m going to be talking about the benefits of having a good ear and developing your relative pitch. Relative pitch is simply a discovery of how your own mind interprets sounds.

So let’s get started with the 7 ways ear training makes you a better guitarist, beginning with:

1. Tonic recognition 

Music at any given point has a tonality or a “home” key. This is talked about when musicians say things like, “The song is in the key of E”. In the key of E, the tonic would be the note E.

The ability to hear a progression,...

While the Rolling Stones may be known for their hard rock songs…

If you’re gonna go “acoustic” this is how you do it.

Below I’m going to share a beautiful song featuring raspy vocals from Mick Jagger, and a soulful groove from the rest of the band. Including a beautiful 12-string guitar part I believe to be played in a mysterious open tuning with a partial capo. 

Fear not though, if you want to stay in standard tuning, I am going to cover both.

So grab your guitar and let’s dive into this “Wild Horses” guitar lesson! 

Who wrote Wild Horses?

"Wild Horses" was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, the two principal songwriters in the English rock band The Rolling Stones.

The inspirations for "Wild Horses" have been somewhat debated. Mick Jagger has said the song is about his relationship with Marianne Faithfull, a singer and actress he was romantically involved with in the late 1960s. Faithfull herself has claimed that the phrase "wild horses couldn't drag me away" was som...

Here’s an iconic song about an unusual love triangle between music legends Eric Clapton, and the wife of his fellow friend and musician George Harrison of The Beatles.

It’s got searing rock guitar riffs fit for any stadium. And also later became a mellow acoustic version featured on Eric Clapton’s famous Unplugged record.

I’m going to unearth little-known facts about this song, and break down key points to Eric Clapton’s guitar style.

So grab your axe, and let’s get started with this “Layla” guitar lesson.

Who wrote Layla?

"Layla" is a rock song written by Eric Clapton and Jim Gordon, first released by Derek and the Dominos. Jim Gordon, an American drummer and songwriter, co-wrote the piano ending for "Layla." It’s like almost like a completely new journey after the first part of the song. 

"Layla" was recorded in 1970 at Criteria Studios in Miami, Florida. It was produced by Tom Dowd.

The backstory goes…

"Layla" was inspired out of Clapton falling in love with Pattie Boyd, ...

If you're down and out, and you feel real hurt, here’s an epic blues groove to pick you right back up.

And that’s something special about the blues. It often comes out of sad circumstances. But ironically when you listen to it or play it on your guitar. You feel better.

So grab your axe, that’s what we’re going to do in the post. 

I’m going to break down a classic from none other than the Velvet Bulldozer himself, in this “I’ll Play The Blues For You” Albert King guitar lesson. 

Who wrote I’ll Play The Blues For You?

"I'll Play the Blues for You" is a classic blues song written by Jerry Beach. It was made popular by Albert King though, one of the most influential blues guitarists and singers of all time. King’s recording of it was released in 1972 as the title track from his iconic album "I'll Play the Blues for You." 

The song’s lyrics talk about a musician promising to play the blues for someone who's feeling down or going through a tough time. The track was recorded at Stax...