Hot Electric Guitar How-Tos

How To: Play an F major chord on an acoustic or electric guitar

In this guitar lesson, learn how to play an F major triad on a guitar in standard tuning (EADGBE). With the guitar, as with any other instrument, if you want to improve, you'll need to practice. Fortunately, the Internet is awash with free, high-quality guitar lessons like this one. For more information, and to learn how to play a F chord on your own guitar, watch this video tutorial for beginning guitarists.

How To: Play an E minor (Em) chord on an electric or acoustic guitar

In this guitar lesson, learn how to play an E minor triad on a guitar in standard tuning (EADGBE). With the guitar, as with any other instrument, if you want to improve, you'll need to practice. Fortunately, the Internet is awash with free, high-quality guitar lessons like this one. For more information, and to learn how to play a E minor on your own guitar, watch this video tutorial for beginning guitarists.

How To: Play a C minor or Cm chord on an electric or acoustic guitar

In this guitar lesson, learn how to play a C minor triad on a guitar in standard tuning (EADGBE). With the guitar, as with any other instrument, if you want to improve, you'll need to practice. Fortunately, the Internet is awash with free, high-quality guitar lessons like this one. For more information, and to learn how to play a C minor on your own guitar, watch this video tutorial for beginning guitarists.

How To: Play "Brown Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison on guitar

Want to master "Brown-Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and its chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "Brown-Eyed Girl" on your own guitar, watch this video tab!

How To: Play "La Grange" by ZZ Top on electric guitar

Want to master "La Grange" by ZZ Top? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and its chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "La Grange" on your own guitar, watch this video tab!

How To: Play "Foxy Lady" by Jimi Hendrix on electric guitar

Want to master "Foxy Lady" by Jimi Hendrix? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and its chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "Foxy Lady" on your own guitar, watch this video tab!

How To: Play "Sweet Emotion" by Aerosmith on electric guitar

Want to master "Sweet Emotion" by Aerosmith? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and its chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "Sweet Emotion" on your own guitar, watch this video tab!

How To: Play "Slow Ride" by Foghat on electric guitar

Want to master "Slow Ride" by Foghat? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and its chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "Slow Ride" on your own guitar, watch this video tab!

How To: Play "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" by Iron Butterfly on electric guitar

Want to master "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" by Iron Butterfly? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and its chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" on your own guitar, watch this video tab!

How To: Play "Voodoo Chile" by Jimi Hendrix on the guitar

Want to master "Voodoo Chile" by Jimi Hendrix? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and its chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "Voodoo Chile" on your own guitar, watch this video tab!

How To: Play "Kashmir" by Led Zeppelin on electric guitar

Want to master "Kashmir" by Led Zeppelin on the guitar? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and its chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "Kashmir" on your own guitar, watch this video tab!

How To: Play "The Final Countdown" by Europe on electric guitar

Want to master "The Final Countdown" by Europe on the guitar? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and its chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "The Final Countdown" on your own guitar, watch this video tab!

How To: Play "Rock and Roll All Nite" by Kiss on the guitar

Want to master "Rock N' Roll All Nite" by Kiss on the guitar? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and its chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "Rock and Roll All Nite" on your own guitar, watch this video tab!

How To: Play "TNT" by AC/DC on electric guitar

Want to master "TNT" by AC/DC on the guitar? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and its chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "TNT" on your own guitar, watch this video tab!

How To: Play "Back in Black" by AC/DC on electric guitar

Want to master "Back in Black" by AC/DC on the guitar? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and its chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "Back in Black" on your own guitar, watch this video tab!

How To: Play "Paradise City" by Guns N' Roses on the guitar

Want to master "Paradise City" by Guns N' Roses on the guitar? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and its chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "Paradise City" on your own guitar, watch this video tab!

How To: Play "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N' Roses on guitar

Want to master "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N' Roses on the guitar? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and its chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "Welcome to the Jungle" on your own guitar, watch this video tab!

How To: Learn and play over 300 barre chords on the guitar

In this two-part tutorial, we learn how to play (and recall) over 300 barre chords on the guitar. It's a lot easier than you'd think! So easy, in fact, that this guitarist's guide can present a complete overview of the process in about twenty-five minutes. For all of the details, and to get started using these chords in your own guitar playing, watch this free video guitar lesson.

How To: Play "One" by Metallica on electric guitar

In this video we learn how to play "One" by Metallica on electric guitar. Start out with the beginning of the song. You will take the first finger on the second fret of the A string and your ring finger on the fourth fret of the E string. Play back and forth going between the different strings and then take your ring finger off and open up the string. As you continue to play you will begin to form the song. Go from the beginning to the middle and the end. Make sure to add in the chorus and ad...

How To: Play 112 jazz guitar chords

In this video, we learn how to play 112 jazz guitar chords. Start off with the F major 7 chord. Then play this where you mute the fifth and first strings so you only play the sixth, fourth, and third. Walk along these strings starting with the "e" and continuing through the scale. Continue to do this for all the different chords on your guitar, until you reach through all of them. As you continue to play, star to do this more quickly and slowly. Once you are finished, you will better understa...

How To: Play "Rock n' Roll" by Led Zeppelin on electric guitar

In this tutorial, we learn how to play "Rock n' Roll" by Led Zeppelin on electric guitar. First, you will start out by learning the different chords of the song. These include: E, B, G, D, A, and E; although they will be played higher and lower throughout the song. As you continue to play, learn where the breaks of the song are at and where they change to higher and lower. Once you get through the first part of the song, continue to play until you reach the chorus and the last few verses of t...

How To: Play the heavy metal scale

In this tutorial, we learn how to play the heavy metal scale. You will start out with the E, B, G, D, A, and E chords on the 5,7, and 8 strings. These will make the heavy metal sound and be fit to the scale. There are different ways you can play this, using small riffs. You can play the strings differently as you go, changing up the order that you put them in. Continue to practice with the scale to better understand how it works. Once you do this, you will be able to better play the heavy met...

How To: Play A Simple Blues Lead Guitar Lick

There is a lot of mystery and voodoo surrounding blues guitar these days. With the common opinion claiming that in order to play the blues you have to really feel the music and respond with your playing. While this is certainly the case when improvising, I would argue that a good knowledge and understanding of the basic principles of blues guitar can provide even the beginner guitarist with a great sounding set of licks to impress friends and family.

How To: Play the blues with an electric guitar for beginners

In this tutorial, we learn how to play the blues with an electric guitar for beginners. Blues is a great gateway into learning more types of progressions of music. To start, you will need to have your favorite guitar and a basic knowledge of music. Next, you will need to learn where the six strings are going from top to bottom. The highest one is the first, then so on from there. Fir the first finger on the third fret, then play the A note. After this, place your third finger on the fret next...

How To: Play the "Beat It" electric guitar solo

In this video, we learn how to play the "Beat It" electric guitar solo. You will want to focus on harmonics when you are playing this so it sounds just like the original song. Start out by playing the intro to the song, paying attention to where the highs and the lows of the song are at. Also play the different riffs and then play onto the first verse. After this, play the rest of the verses and incorporate the chorus in between. Once you finish with the song, you can add in lyrics to it and ...

How To: Use the CAGED system on the guitar

The CAGED system is the road map of your guitar, it teaches you how to play any shape for any chord on any point on the neck of the guitar. This system does require you to be able to at least be able to bar anywhere on the neck with your finger. In this video you will learn the entire CAGED system and how to apply it to your playing.

How To: Apply the CAGED system with arpeggios

So you've gotten down the CAGED system, fantastic! You're on your way to be a master of your fretboard! But if you're not sure what else you can do with the CAGED system, try the lesson in this video. You will learn how to arpeggiate your chords in the CAGED system up and down the neck, which if sped up, could be a really awesome lead up for a solo!

How To: Apply the CAGED system over minor chords

The CAGED system is an amazing way of organizing the fretboard to allow you to find any chord on any place of the neck and instantly have a shape to play on, a scale, a triad and even an arpeggio. In this video you learn how to apply the method with minor chords as opposed to major chords.

How To: Play basic arpeggios on the guitar

Learning how to play and connect arpeggios is the beginning of getting into not only creating interesting and fresh melodies but also sweep picking! It's very simple to do, you just need to know the formula for the different types of arpeggios out there. In this video you will learn what an arpeggio is and also how to play a few basic arpeggios!

How To: Find octave centers on the guitar

Octaves are a cool way of spicing up your solos either by adding in the ocatve note after playing the lower note, or, in the way that George Benson and other great Jazz artists have made famous, playing full octave type power chords that allow you to play all sorts of melodies on the guitar. In this video you will learn how to find octave centers and begin to build your own melodies, solos and rhythm patterns!

How To: Do sweep picking and connect arpeggios on the guitar

Sweep picking is that thing them younguns are into these days, trying to become the next Steve Vai or Eric Johnson, and you have to admit, it is pretty cool if you can use it right. (like anything in guitar and music in general) If you'd like to learn the basics check out this video on how to do basic sweep picking over a I, IV, V progression and connect the arpeggios together!

How To: Set up the intonation on your guitar at home

As a guitar player one thing that you may find yourself running into is your guitar, over time, will start to lose its intonation, especially if you never set it up after you purchased it. You could take it to a tech to have him set it up and fix it for you, but that's expensive, and who wants to spend money when you can do it for free right!? In this video you will learn how to adjust the bridge of your guitar among other things to help get your guitar back into tune!

How To: Play the Ionian mode on the guitar

Ionian mode is the first of the modes, and in a way, is the major scale! It has the same steps as the major scale, for those of you playing from home that's whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step! In this video you will learn how to play and apply the Ionian mode on the guitar!

How To: Read sheet music on the guitar

In the studio world, and the ensemble scene, you're going to be handed ALOT of sheet music, sometimes it has only a few notes for a specific melody, and sometimes it's a whole lot of notes for the entire song. Knowing how to read these notes are important, and it can be very daunting at first, but if you practice every day anybody can read. In this video you will learn the basics of reading the notes on the staff with the note names for the treble clef.

How To: Read basic rhythms on a chart for the guitar

In almost all charts and forms of sheet music, the composer will more than likely have added rhythmic dictation to the staff, a specific rhythm that he wants you to play over the progression using the chord. In this video you will get a breakdown of basic rhythmic dictation of a quarter note, eighth note and more on top of how to read these in notation format!

How To: Create and build chords on the guitar

For beginners, you may learn a few basic chords here and there, but somewhere in your mind you must think about why do these chords sound like this, why is this an A chord and this a G chord? Well, wonder no more! In this video you will learn how the construction of a chord works, which is basically taking the root and adding a specific formula for what you're looking for. Let's say you want to build an A major chord. Well, you first have to build the triad which is the 1st note of the major ...

How To: Play inversions of triads on the guitar

As a guitar player, you will be faced with various challenges in your career, and one of those are being able to blend in with your rhythm section without stepping on anybody elses toes. One way is playing inversions of triads to give a fresh and unique sound to your rhythm and lead guitar playing. In this video you will learn about rearranging triad shapes to make inversions.

How To: Play and use the Dorian mode on Guitar

Dorian mode is the second mode of the seven modes to learn and is also, in a way, natural minor with a major sixth note of the scale instead of the minor sixth. You can use it over a minor chord progression over the four chord if it's a dominant, among other things. In this video you will learn the basic construction and use for the Dorian scale.