Articles by Shawn Persinger
Spy Guitar Essentials
February 15, 2020
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to learn, understand, and incorporate the musical characteristics found in countless spy-film soundtracks.
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The Unsung Heroes of Twang Guitar
January 11, 2020
It’s all about melody, reverb, and loud amps.
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A Beginner’s Guide to Ambient Guitar
August 31, 2019
Ethereal drones, big reverbs, and plenty of dissonance go into this often-underappreciated style.
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Funk Guitar in One Chord Shape or Less
May 4, 2019
Yes, you can get funky with a single chord shape.
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How to Play Slower
February 2, 2019
It’s not as easy or straightforward as some might think, but taking an unhurried approach can add new dimensions to your playing.
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Jazz Chords Made Simple
October 27, 2018
Afraid of “complex” jazz chords? Just strip them down.
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Spice Up Your Cowboy Chords
September 29, 2018
Just because you live on the low end of the fretboard doesn’t mean you can’t add melodic and harmonic interest to your progressions.
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Sweet Soul Music
September 1, 2018
Prolific performer and teacher Shawn Persinger teaches you how to get inside the sounds of Cropper, Jamerson, Dupree, and more.
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Eclectic Effecting 101: How to Use Stock Pedals to Unlock New Sounds
February 10, 2018
A hands-on guide to using chains of pedals to create enigmatic, spooky, and downright crazy sounds.
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Punk-Rock Madness: It’s More than Power Chords
October 7, 2017
Push past the power chords and learn about some of the genre’s most underappreciated players, including Robert Quine, Viv Albertine, and Richard Lloyd.
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The Guitarist’s Guide to New-Wave Guitar
June 3, 2017
The 1980s were full of iconic tones and riffs from players like Andy Summers, Johnny Marr, and Adrian Belew. Let’s see if we can borrow a bit of that vintage mojo to craft compelling new riffs.
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Three Sides to Solo Guitar
March 11, 2017
Armed with a strong melody and an understanding of simple harmony, you can effortlessly move from ethereal to swinging arrangements.
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Digging Deeper: The Other Side of Paganini
August 6, 2016
Neo-classical shredders aren’t the only ones able to glean inspiration from Paganini. Learn how a simple theme can cross genres and styles.
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How “Freebird” Taught Me Everything I Need to Know About Rock Guitar Soloing
April 9, 2016
These fast pentatonic runs lie at the heart of rock guitar.
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Electric Etudes: John McLaughlin
December 5, 2015
Even with a wealth of theoretical concepts at his fingertips, Mahavishnu’s leader still plays from the gut.
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Kick Out the Jams: Two Chords and the Truth
October 10, 2015
Even if the harmony is boring, you can still play exciting guitar.
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Digging Deeper: Crafting Layered Guitar Parts
June 6, 2015
Such studio masters as Jimmy Page and Robert Smith are known for weaving multiple guitar parts into compelling sonic tapestries.
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Fretboard Workshop: Revisualize the Pentatonic Scale
May 16, 2015
Draw inspiration from Paul Gilbert, Eric Johnson, and Joe Diorio and forge a new approach to a time-tested scale.
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