Guitar Tricks Blog

Extremely prolific, and regarded as one of the best songwriters of all-time, Bob Dylan has been a commanding influence in the music world, and pop culture in general, since the early 1960s. His work is deeply personal, yet anyone can relate to it. With themes surrounding civil rights and the anti-war movement, many of his classic songs are now more relevant than ever. With a troubador-like singer-songwriter feel, many of his songs are quite simple to learn and get comfortable playing quickly, making them perfect for beginner-to-intermediate guitarists looking to get their sea legs playing some iconic folk tunes.

We've all been there: The clock is running out and you still haven't gotten that little something for everyone on your list.

This year, skip the socks and scratch-offs and hook-up the guitarist in your life with a gift they'll appreciate and actually use. We've compiled a quick list of stocking stuffers that should be available at the last-minute and will be a welcome addition to any guitar player's gear collection.

There’s nothing more satisfying than writing your first song. All that time spent learning chords, writing lyrics, structuring your song and composing melodies has paid off. Now it’s time to record your track, mix, master and release it into the world for your friends, family and hopefully some new fans. With a few tips, some basic tools and a little bit of learning, getting your first song finished and released is easier than you think.

Unison bends can add a layer of depth to your rock soloing and really level-up your sound. In this lesson, Mike Olekshy demonstrates an easy approach to unison bends so that you can have the skill in your back pocket the next time you take a solo.

Mike Olekshy is back again with a primer on finger tapping. In this lesson, he'll show you where to start to make sure you build yourself a solid tapping foundation. It all starts with putting the pick down and getting the technique feeling comfortable under you fingers. 

Can't quite get the hang of the finger roll technique? In this video, Mike will break it down for you and make it super easy to understand!

Improvising guitar solos is all about recalling a variety of licks and riffs from your memory. It helps to have a deep repertoire of licks to pull from for any given solo. Mike is here again to share four easy licks that are sure to find a place in your soloing library.

Are you going to be gigging soon? Maybe you got invited to your first jam session? Guitar Tricks instructor Mike Olekshy wants to make sure you know these three quintessential guitar rhythm strumming patterns before you start jamming with a band. 

Guitar Tricks instructor Mike Olekshy is back with his "Lick of the Day." This time around, he's showing us a country-flavored "chicken pickin'" lick that's a little tricky, employing a combination of interesting techniques. In classic Mike fashion, he'll break it down so it's nice and easy for beginners to pick up on and become masters of chicken pickin' in no time.