Billy JonesDec 2, 20212 minSize doesn't matter. Does it?Pick size, that is! What did you think I was talking about? Pick Primer Guitar picks are used for a few reasons. They help: create a...
Billy JonesOct 13, 20212 minHow to Play Like Jimmy PageWhat guitar player hasn't dreamed of becoming their guitar idol? We certainly have! If Jimmy Page is on your list of guitar heroes,...
Billy JonesSep 3, 20212 minTo Plug In or Not to Plug InHey electric guitar players, should you be practicing plugged into an amp? You know our favorite answer is it depends! There is value in...
Billy JonesJul 26, 20211 minHow do you find your own sound?A huge factor in finding YOUR sound is learning what the guitar greats before you have done. What does this amp sound like? What is gain?...
Billy JonesJun 12, 20211 minDo you control your fretboard or does it control you?Remember the 90’s movie Total Recall with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sharon Stone? Well, playing the guitar really has nothing to do with...
Billy JonesMay 7, 20212 min3 Reasons to Play Guitar With Other PeopleEver see a football team with only 1 player on it? Me neither! Why? Football is not a solo sport. Neither is guitar! Guitars are meant to...
Billy JonesMar 31, 20213 min3 Reasons Why YouTube is Sabotaging Your Guitar PlayingThere are literally endless options for finding out how to do something on YouTube nowadays. Want to learn that song? That riff? That...
Billy JonesMar 3, 20213 minThe hidden price of tension and what to do about it.Do you know how many times my previous guitar and bass teachers told me about tension? Zero. I only recently started considering how...
Billy JonesFeb 5, 20214 minAre you making progress?Merriam-Webster offers us one definition of progress as “to develop to a higher, better or more advanced stage.” But exactly HOW can you...
Billy JonesJan 19, 20212 min4 Ways to Make Sure You Don't Suck at Slide GuitarDo you feel excited but also a little intimidated by the prospect of playing slide guitar? If so, you are not alone! Even the most...
Billy JonesJan 5, 20212 minWinter is ComingGame of Thrones reference aside, cold winter weather is upon us. What are you doing to care for your guitar this winter? Depending on the...
Billy JonesDec 8, 20201 minThe Best (Affordable!) Gifts for MusiciansI'm tired of finding gift-giving guides where every recommended item is $100+. If you are like me and you need some holiday gift-giving...
Billy JonesDec 8, 20201 minHave you practiced today?Want to know the best way get motivated to practice? It's wildly simple: Put your guitar where you see it. Jeff Beck once said of his...
Billy JonesNov 18, 20202 minTips to Touch Up Your Guitar PlayingIt’s pretty easy to see how finger position makes a big difference in your guitar playing. But what about your thumb? The position of...
Billy JonesOct 14, 20201 minIs it major or minor?You know some scales and you know some chords, right? Now what? When playing in a Minor Key (ie. Em, Bm, Am), use the Minor Pentatonic...
Billy JonesOct 12, 20202 minShould Guitar Players Learn to Read Music?Do I need to learn to read music to play guitar? In short: it depends, but probably not. New students and parents of aspiring guitar...
Billy JonesSep 8, 20201 minImprove Your Guitar Playing in 1 Simple StepDo you play your guitar sitting down? Me too! But sitting down to play can lead to bad form, which leads to bad technique, which makes...
Billy JonesJun 5, 20202 minOur Favorite BassistWe would be remiss if we didn’t pay homage to some of our favorite bass players. Meshell Ndegeocello tops the list. Often credited as...
Billy JonesMay 8, 20202 minTom Morello is our Guitar HeroWe're continuing our shout outs to the guitarists we admire the most here at BJM with our guitar hero, Tom Morello. Perhaps best known...
Billy JonesApr 27, 20202 minThis is why we love Albert KingAlbert King is a BJM favorite and an impressive guitarist for many reasons. Born in 1923, he learned to play guitar from his father who...