On Practicing Guitar

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  • Fender Strat Pickup Swap – CS ‘69s for Original ‘57/’62s

    Years ago, I bought a Fender Made in Mexico Strat with the intention of creating a “stealth guitar” or “secret weapon.” The idea was, I would have this cool looking guitar that hardly cost anything and sounded great. It was an Olympic White Strat with a rosewood fretboard (one of my favorite styles) and I…

  • Stomp Box Serenade

    We're living in the golden age of stomp boxes. Pedal reviews, instructional videos and comparisons proliferate on YouTube. Newbie players acquire gargantuan pedal boards. And top selling pedals are sold out everywhere. There’s no question, effects pedals are massively popular right now. What follows here isn’t an exhaustive look at all things pedal but notes…

  • How Many More Times by Led Zeppelin – The Main Riff in Depth Video and Tab

    Learn the central riff of this Zep classic, including the rhythm, picking, fretboard theory, and more! Playing a repetitive riff, over and over again, can be a great way to get some exercise for your left and right hands, as well as giving you an idea of where you are with the techniques involved. The…

  • Sitting On Top of the World: From The Inside Out

    Sitting On Top of the World is a blues song that has fascinated me for years. I originally heard the Cream version, and that led me to Howlin' Wolf. In this lesson, we'll take a look at the structure of the song, sometimes known as the inside. That includes the harmony, rhythm, and melody. The…

  • Learn San-Ho-Zay by Freddie King with Tab and Video

    I’ve been a fan of Freddie King for a long time, but I didn’t take the deep dive until I had to learn the "The Stumble" when I joined a band called The Fountain of Blues. One thing led to another and soon I was ripping the Texas Cannonball’s riffs, chord changes and hopefully, his…

  • Jimi Hendrix’s Little Wing Acoustic Guitar Lesson for Beginners

    The beautiful chord changes of “Little Wing,” Jimi Hendrix’s psychedelic ballad, are an opportunity for beginners to up their game. You may feel that you want to play the intricate melodies, fills, and leads that Jimi and others play, but you’ll be much better prepared for that if you master the changes. You need to…

  • 12 Bar Blues Acoustic Guitar For Beginners

    There used to be an adage that learning the blues provided a strong background for playing rock music. Much of today’s rock music isn't based on the blues, so this theory may not be entirely accurate anymore. But one thing still holds true: Learning the blues is a great way to learn how to play…

  • Guitar Hand Positioning for Beginners

    Take a look at this picture of Jimi backing up Wilson Pickett with Cornell Dupree riding shotgun. Jimi has his thumb over the top of the neck. But the left hand is more telling – he has his pinky and ring fingers touching the guitar while the thumb and index fingers hold the pick. Too…

  • I’m Gonna Ruin You! Covering a Forgotten Jimmy Reed A-Side

    A cover of Jimmy Reed’s fourth single for Vee-Jay Records, “I’m Gonna Ruin You.” It features a transcription of the harmonica solo arranged for slide guitar.

  • Guitar Teacher – Now Accepting Students

    Hi there! Thanks for visiting my site. My name is Christian Botta and I’m a guitar teacher and performing musician with lots of experience and training. I work in NYC but I’m available for ZOOM lessons far and wide. I teach all levels of students, from total beginners (click links to check out a lesson)…