Imagine lounging on a breezy Rio de Janeiro beach, the sun setting over the waves, and a soft guitar melody floating through the air. That, my friend, is the vibe of bossa nova —a Brazilian music style that’s smooth, sophisticated, and effortlessly cool. Whether you’ve heard “The Girl from Ipanema” at a café or caught its gentle rhythms in a movie, bossa nova has a way of making everything feel just a little more glamorous. But what exactly is bossa nova, and why has it captu

After many years of playing, even the most seasoned of professionals develop bad habits, or at least habits that are bad for other people. This could be based on technique, a different way of learning a song or anything in between. However, there are also many different things that you pick up along the way, either out of necessity or otherwise, that offer a substantial improvement in every day operations.  In this blog post, I will go over five things that no one tells you b

It is an unfortunate fact that if you own a guitar then, at some point, something will go wrong or at least require adjustment. This is...

In the age of a million different music streaming services, and algorithm-driven music suggestions, it is easy to discover new music....

When it comes to electric guitars, few names are as iconic as the Fender Stratocaster and Telecaster. These two models have shaped the...

There is a huge market for budget equipment, and I would not be surprised if a greater share of the market was appropriated to budget...

Feeling stuck in a guitar-playing rut? Maybe you’re tired of the same old chords, or you feel like your playing is missing a little...

At risk of explicitly stating the obvious, the answer to this question really depends on what music you are required to make, or if you...

There is a seemingly endless number of ‘standard’ shaped guitars, such as the Fender Stratocaster or a Gibson Les Paul – all of which are...

A few months ago, we were delighted to host the fingerstyle magician himself, Mr Hide Takemoto! A Kyoto native originally, Takemoto moved...

In any discipline, and in fact at any point in your life, you will inevitably work with people that are difficult in some way. There are...

Let us explore some more questions I have been asked recently. There are some interesting ones this time! What is the difference between...

In the world of music, certain songs become part of the universal language spoken by professional musicians. These songs are called...

As a guitar player, it is imperative that we have a solid grasp of rhythm. This can help us with comping, which is supporting a song with...

The New Wave of British Heavy Metal, or NWOBHM, is a musical movement that originated in the United Kingdom from the 1970s onwards....

Every guitar player knows the importance of keeping their instrument in top shape, but when it comes to setting up an acoustic versus an...

This is a special blog post, and definitely a longer one that you are probably used to reading from myself or Ryan here at The American...

I think it is time for another edition of Unanswered Questions. Here are some questions and, once again, are genuine things that I have...

It has been a good long while since doing one of these, and after the last one I wrote based entirely on Ska music, I thought I would...

When it comes to hybrid instruments, the Fender Bass VI stands out as one of the most intriguing in music history. Is it a bass? Is it a...