Latest articles by Stuart Ryan
A pioneering protest singer, American folk legend Joan Baez draws on jazz and flamenco for her intricate picking patterns
Ever since the '60s, Joan Baez has delivered a message with her music, but she was never going to be a two-chord folkie with a bellyful of fire. Her sound takes from jazz and flamenco with picking patterns that are as good as a fingerprint
Pete Townshend was the god of rhythm guitar in the ’60s and ’70s – here’s how he took his untapped technique to the acoustic
Tracks such as Pinball Wizard and Substitute were driven by Townshend's untapped, brawny-yet-brainy acoustic guitar playing. We've gathered all the techniques you need to nail his style in one video lesson
The Kinks are much more than You Really Got Me – and Ray Davies’ inventive acoustic style influenced a generation of players
Listen to the guitar work of the Davies brothers and you’ll gain a real insight into how it was all done back in the 1960s
Vince Gill and Brent Mason are two of country music's most respected guitarists – and their supreme hybrid picking abilities are key to their success
This is a smoking hot introduction to one of Nashville's most important skills
Paul Simon is one of the all-time great songwriters, but he’s a remarkable guitar player, too
There is a case to be made that Paul Simon is one of the most underrated players ever, but maybe that's because he always foregrounds the song. This lesson shows just what a clever player he is
Why learning Americana guitar styles will open up a whole new world for your acoustic playing
From Maybelle Carter’s famous ‘pick and flick’ approach to Pete Seeger’s banjo-style techniques – it’s all here in a lesson that will make you a more rounded player
Donovan taught John Lennon to fingerpick – here's why he's an under-appreciated acoustic guitar great
As legend tells it, he was the man who taught John Lennon to pick. And he sure could write a song. We pay tribute to the flying Scotsman of the Swinging Sixties, Donovan Phillips Leitch, with this lesson in his folk-informed style
Merle Travis, Lester Flatt and Hank Williams pioneered the Americana guitar style – and laid the groundwork for today’s country and bluegrass guitar stars
This lesson borrows from the pioneers of country and bluegrass that will whip your Travis picking and strumming into shape
Keith Richards is an electric guitar icon, but he prefers playing acoustic – and his unplugged Rolling Stones approach is full of smart ideas
Every player can learn a few tricks from Keef's characterful acoustic style – even if his rhythmic swagger will take longer to master
Americana is where country, blues, folk and bluegrass collide – and players like Steve Earle, Jason Isbell and Lucinda Williams are masters of the craft
Expand your fingerpicking skills and master the techniques used by Americana greats in this in-depth lesson
Bob Dylan is a songwriting great – and his acoustic guitar approach defined the folk sound
Bob Dylan changed the world with an acoustic guitar. We break down his style, giving you the tools to take your songwriting to the next level
Johnny Cash’s ‘boom-chick’ acoustic style is worthy of more attention
Learn the pick and strum style of the legendary Johnny Cash, and make the big-bodied acoustic in your life really sing
Phrase spellbending blues intro licks in the style of Kenny Wayne Shepherd and John Mayer
Learn how to phrase spellbending blues intro licks in the style of Kenny Wayne Shepherd and John Mayer
Janis Joplin covered his songs and he was in a supergroup with Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings – Kris Kristofferson is a movie star and outlaw country icon with a classic acoustic style
Kristofferson is one of the greatest songwriters of his generation, one of its biggest movie stars, and a master of making open chords work to a song's advantage
Willie Nelson wrote his first song at 7 years old. Now he’s one of the music world’s true ‘hitmakers’ – and an outlaw country icon with a unique guitar style
Fusing country, folk, jazz and blues, the Nashville country legend’s rhythm and lead playing approach is difficult to emulate
Intro licks are different to solos – they have to be concise and melodic, with a real start and end. Here's how to open your solos like the pros
These five ideas will get you thinking about crafting intros like Joe Bonamassa and friends
Ed Sheeran isn’t just a fingerpicker or a strummer – his ‘guitar orchestra’ approach sells out stadiums. Here’s how he does it
Sheeran is proof you can become a megastar with only an acoustic, a looper pedal, and, oh, a ton of talent. Here, we’re going to workshop your DADGAD fingerstyle chops so you’re stadium-ready, too
Improve your blues soloing now with 10 tasty B.B. King-inspired intro licks
With B.B. King, an intro was a meal in itself. Here are 10 examples with tab and audio on how you can grab your audience's attention from the first bars of your solo
How to play the Holly and the Ivy on acoustic guitar
A Christmas cracker popularized by Steeleye Span, his traditional song dates back to the 19th century – and will entertain the family as only an acoustic waltz in 3/4 can
Waylon Jennings was an outlaw country pioneer – and his clever open chord modifications were at the heart of his rhythmic acoustic strumming style
Jennings was country's original bad boy and lived a life less ordinary. His style might be simple but deceptively so, with strums complemented by embellishments that all served the song
Your acoustic blues playing will come on leaps and bounds with new fingerpicking patterns – here are 10 you need to know
Ditch the pick and dive into these fingerpicking style guitar lessons on some of blues guitar's finest fingerstylists, including Eric Bibb, Rory Gallagher and Leo Kottke
Country icon Dolly Parton has written over 3,000 songs, but her trademark ‘thumb and flick’ playing style is essential learning for acoustic players
Develop your alternating bassline picking and bluegrass soloing techniques with this country rhythm workout
She's a Grammy winner who's been writing songs since she was 8, but Kacey Musgraves also has a fingerstyle approach that will give your acoustic playing a real identity
Whether using a small-bodied acoustic or a J-45, Musgraves' playing has an abundance of melodic content that supports her vocals
Bonnie Raitt may be best known for slide, but she's an expert fingerpicker, too – and her Americana-indebted style will improve your acoustic playing
In this video and tab lesson, we unpack the acoustic fingerstyle approach of one of America's great songwriters, and give you ideas for how to embellish chords and use inversions
