swiftlessons

When Pentatonic Scales Fail, Play THIS Instead!

Hello friends,

Welcome back to Swiftlessons for another beginner-intermediate level lead guitar tutorial. Major and minor pentatonic scales have a well-deserved reputation for being versatile. These five tone patterns have the ability to transcend genres, providing a palette with which we can create simple, yet captivating melodic ideas. While no one can question the usefulness of pentato...

Gospel Blues Guitar Lesson & Practice Routine - Fingerstyle Solo Performance!

Hello friends,

Welcome back to Swiftlessons for another acoustic guitar practice routine. Today, let's expand your musical vocabulary by learning some classic double-stop licks and chord embellishments with a gospel-blues flavor. Together we'll learn to combine rhythm and lead elements for a captivating solo performance. Let's get started!

Recommended Lesson:

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These Double Stop Licks Sound Awesome! - Blues Guitar Soloing Tutorial

Hello friends,

Welcome back to Swift Guitar Lessons for another beginner-intermediate soloing tutorial. In today's session we'll escape the usual single note licks, and learn to add grit and robustness to your lead playing using classic double stops. Together we'll learn three common licks that are guaranteed to make your solos sound more professional. Let's get started! -Rob

2023-06-07 13:36:40 +0000 UTC View Post

Solo Like a Pro Guitarist - Double Stop Harmonies Lesson

Hello friends,

welcome back to Swiftlessons for another lead guitar tutorial. One hallmark of a pro-level soloist is the ability to incorporate robust harmonies into lead lines and traverse the instruments many soloing positions with confidence. With that goal in mind, today we will learn to climb the fretboard and perform sweet double-stops that you can use to create licks, fills and mem...

Complete Country Guitar Solo Lesson | 8 Classic Licks + Tabs!

Hello friends,

Welcome back to Swiftlessons for another lead guitar tutorial. In today's session we're going to add some country twang to your skillset, and master a complete guitar solo in the key of C major. Together we'll learn 8 classic licks utilizing major pentatonics, harmony bends, arpeggios, and the CAGED system. Practice each lick slowly, being sure to visualize the overlapping ...

How to Solo Across the Fretboard, INSTANTLY!

Hello friends,

Welcome back to Swift Lessons for another beginner-intermediate lead guitar tutorial. Every aspiring guitarist dreams of having a borderless mastery of the fretboard, and the ability to perform a captivating solo with confidence. With this goal in mind, today we will review the 5 CAGED positions of the major pentatonic scale, before learning a simple lick that can be played...

3 Essential Bar Chord Progressions & How to Transpose Them!

Hello friends,

Welcome back to Swiftlessons for another beginner-intermediate guitar tutorial. In today's session, we'll discuss one of the most important skills a rhythm guitarist can have in their arsenal; the ability to perform common chord progressions across all 12 keys using movable barred shapes. Together we'll explore the connection between major scales and chord progressions, bef...

Chord Inversions Explained | Rhythm Guitar Mini Lesson

Hello friends,

Welcome back to Swiftlessons for a mini-rhythm guitar tutorial. In today's session we'll learn the theory behind basic chord inversions, and how to play them using easy three string fingerings. The use of chord inversions will add a unique flavor to your rhythm playing, while also providing an escape from strenuous barre chords. Let's get started! -Rob

Note: The 2023-05-01 18:53:35 +0000 UTC View Post

Robert Johnson's Signature Turnaround | Old School Blues Guitar Lesson

Hello friends,

Today, let's take another step in your blues guitar journey and learn from one of the original masters of the form. Robert Johnson has inspired generations of players with his brilliant songwriting, and awe-inspiring ability to combine rhythm and lead techniques. In this lesson, we'll learn a classic turnaround that is heavily inspired by his work on "Kind Hearted Woman Blu...

Classic Blues Turnaround Everyone Should Know!

Hello friends,

Becoming fluent in the blues genre is all about building your vocabulary and learning how to apply each new skill across the fretboard. In this mini lesson, we'll learn one of the most used phrases within the blues language; a fundamental turnaround that can be easily transposed across all 12 keys. Let's get started!

Note: This lesson is not yet available to the publi...

Slow & Groovy Blues Practice Routine | How to Mix Fingerstyle Licks & Rhythms!

Hello friends,

Welcome back to Swift Guitar Lessons for another fingerstyle blues tutorial. The ability to seamlessly combine rhythm and lead techniques is a hallmark of a seasoned player. In today's session we'll learn catchy phrases inspired by masters like Eric Clapton, Kirk Fletcher and Big Bill Broonzy, and how to implement them in a solo 12 bar blues performance. We'll begin with a ...

Barre Chord Exercise for Strength & Dexterity

Hello friends,

Here’s another one-minute power lesson, this time breaking down a simple exercise for developing your barre chord technique, strength, dexterity and physical awareness. We’ll begin by reviewing a few of my go-to tips for optimizing your hand positioning before attempting the challenging task of performing a minor pentatonic scale while maintaining a barre with the index...

How to Strum a Guitar WITHOUT a Pick - 5 Fingerstyle Rhythm Patterns

Hello friends,

Welcome back to Swiftlessons for another rhythm guitar tutorial. In today's session you will learn common fingerstyle strumming patterns and how to sound good playing them. We'll begin by discussing the benefits of ditching the pick before learning my go-to technical tips. All in all, we will master five essential patterns that you can use for your own songwriting across di...

Angus Young Major Soloing Guitar Trick - Mixing Minor & Major Pentatonics

Hello friends,

Today I finally got back into filming YouTube shorts with this quick tutorial on how to combine maj and min pentatonic boxes. These videos are limited to just one minute in length, which definitely conflicts with my teaching style. I've always aimed to be the Bob Ross of guitar instruction, and that means teaching in a relaxed and patient manner. I'll need to work on my app...

Elvis Presley "Love Me" Guitar Lesson - Chords & Fingerstyle Strumming!

Hello friends,

Welcome back to Swiftlessons for another by request song tutorial. For today's session, let's travel back to the summer of 1956 and learn another classic love song in Leiber and Stoller's "Love Me." Together we'll master the chord progressions for the verse and chorus sections, and learn to apply a percussive fingerstyle rhythm. Let's get started! -Rob

PDF Sample: 2023-04-05 15:15:24 +0000 UTC View Post

All the Chords in the Key of D Major - You Need to Know This!

Hello friends,

Welcome back to Swift Guitar Lessons for another rhythm/music theory tutorial. In today's session we'll continue our study of major and minor keys and master both open and closed shapes in the key of D. Once we have established these seven tetrads (4 note chords) across the fretboard, we'll learn to apply them to a melodic practice routine. Let's get started!

Suggest...

2023-03-29 15:34:44 +0000 UTC View Post

Old School Blues Licks & Riffs - Bessie Smith "Backwater Blues"

Hello friends,

Welcome back to Swiftlessons for another old school blues tutorial. One of the best ways to diversify your skills and make your playing sound more unique is to dig into obscure tracks or to adapt techniques employed by other instrumentalist. In today's session we will do both as we master lead and rhythm techniques performed by pianist James P. Johnson on the iconic 1927 re...

Daily Player Series | Session 9 | Pop Hit Formula II

Hello friends,

Welcome back to Swiftlessons for session 9 of the Daily Player Series. In today's tutorial, we'll add to your chord vocabulary as we uncover the powerful 1.6.4.5 progression in the key of C. Armed with this essential chord sequence, we will then learn to apply a "Stand By Me" style arrangement and the percussive R&B strumming pattern. Let's get started!

Today's L...

2023-03-08 20:13:35 +0000 UTC View Post

Skip James "Train Whistle" Lick - Now on Soundslice!

Hello friends,

It's time to level up your blues soloing game with another premium Soundslice resource. Together we'll learn to incorporate the classic train whistle technique into your solos as we master a Skip James inspired lick of the week. Practice at your own pace with adjustable playback speed, looping, and synchronized tabs. Let's get started! -Rob

P.S. Is there a past lesson...

Skip James "Train Whistle" Lick - Delta Blues Guitar Lesson

Hello friends,

Welcome back to Swiftlessons for another lead guitar tutorial. In today's session we'll add another key phrase to your blues vocabulary as we learn to incorporate the iconic "train whistle" sound into your soloing. Today's lick is heavily inspired by blues legend Skip James, but also borrows influence from Big Bill Broonzy and other delta blues artist. We'll begin this less...

New Soundslice - Clapton Lick + How to Use BB's Box!

Hey everybody,

It's time to level up your lead technique and learn to incorporate the powerful BB's Box soloing position. Today I'm so excited to share the Soundslice version of my recent tutorial breaking down how to find this useful melodic device in the context of a classic Eric Clapton lick. Click the link below to enjoy the full tutorial with synchronized tablature, looping capabilit...

This Clapton Lick is Fire + How to Use BB's Box!

Hello friends,

Welcome back to Swiftlessons for another blues guitar tutorial. For today's session, let's expand your knowledge of useful soloing positions as we add another classic phrase to your repertoire. Together we will learn to access the powerful "BB's Box" as we master an Eric Clapton inspired lick across the fretboard. Let's get started! -Rob

Enjoy the entire lesso...