Carlos Alonzo Rivera, MA

How to Play Wonderwall on Acoustic Guitar: Your Complete Guide to an Iconic Song

Impress your friends with this guitar classicIn 1995, British rock band Oasis released the song "Wonderwall," and the world hasn't been the same since. For better or worse, basically everybody who picks up an acoustic gu...

How to

Take Your Guitar on a Plane

If you’re worried about whether or not you can take your guitar on a plane or whether it would survive travelling as checked luggage, don’t worry! It’s actually your legal right to carry a guitar in the cabin of a ...

How to

Change Strings on an Electric Guitar

On the whole, the strings on an electric guitar will need to be changed more frequently than the strings of steel-string or classic guitars, depending on usage and bridges. While serious players will likely change their ...

How to

Find Out the Age and Value of a Guitar

Maybe you picked up an old guitar at a yard sale for a few bucks, or maybe you've noticed a few dusty axes in your grandparents' attic. These old instruments could be trash or treasure – you just don't know. That's wha...

How to

Change Classical Guitar Strings

If your guitar strings buzz, sound blunt, or can no longer hold their tune, this may be a sign that it's time to change out the old strings. Many people who own classical guitars avoid string changes for a very long time...

4 Simple Ways to Perfectly Tune Your 12-String Guitar

Start playing in the perfect pitch with our easy guideA 12-string guitar is the perfect instrument to play if you want a rich, resonant sound. But if you’ve never played before, tuning a 12-string can seem intimidating...

How to

Fix Guitar Strings

It happens to even the greatest guitarists. You're playing a gig, or maybe out jamming with friends, and a string snaps. You don't have an extra set of strings with you, and you aren't in a place where you can easily buy...

3 Ways to Tune a Guitar 1/2 Step Down

Learn to down-tune your guitar to play music in a different keyTuning your guitar a half-step down is common practice in certain genres of music—like punk rock and heavy metal—and gives your instrument a deeper, ric...

4 Ways to Hold a Guitar Pick

Up your guitar game with the right pick gripLearning how to use a pick is an important milestone for any guitar player, but it can be tricky when you start. How you hold the pick will factor greatly into your comfort as...

How to

Adjust the Truss Rod on a Guitar

Adjusting the truss rod of your guitar alters your guitar's neck relief — the amount of bow in the neck, measured by the distance between the strings and the frets. Some bow is necessary for a guitar to play well, but ...

How to

Use a Guitar Tuner

While there are ways to tune your guitar without a tuner, if you plan to play your guitar frequently or perform on stage, a guitar tuner is essential. Beginners can start with a smartphone app, many of which can be downl...

How to

Adjust Acoustic Guitar Intonation

Acoustic guitars frequently sound a bit sharp. Simple intonation problems often can be corrected with basic adjustments. However, if you've tried several tuning techniques and still have a problem, you may need to compen...

How to

Play the D Chord for Guitar

When learning guitar, the D chord can be a great item to add to your repertoire. It is easy to learn, and can help you play your favorite songs in no time. This article will cover three different versions of D-chord. All...

How to

Clean an Acoustic Guitar

Showing your acoustic guitar some love by cleaning it regularly will keep it looking beautiful and new. Sure, you could just wipe down your guitar with a cloth whenever it looks dusty, but this article will teach you how...

How to

String an Acoustic Guitar

From time to time you need to change the strings on your acoustic guitar. This keeps the sound and feeling of the instrument fresh and bright sounding. If you want to be a serious guitarist, you'll need to know all the t...

How to

Practice Guitar with a Metronome

Using a metronome is one of the few ways to ensure that you stay on time and on beat. While you should also practice along with other musicians to get used to playing in "real time," the ability to hold a rhythm is inval...

How to

Practice Guitar Scales

Mastering your scales, above all, takes time and practice. That said, there are more efficient ways to practice than others, and you need to know how to make the most of your scale practice if you want the skills to tran...

How to

Play a Bm Chord on Guitar

The B minor guitar chord (Bm chord) is a very useful chord found in a number of songs, but can be a bit difficult for beginners. This is mostly because it requires a barre. In other words, you have to hold down multiple ...

How to

Write a Song with Guitar Chords

Even if you’re a beginner at playing the guitar, writing your own original songs is within your grasp. Creating a unique piece of music through chord progression is literally a by-the-numbers approach to songwriting.

How to

Connect a Guitar or Bass Guitar to a Macbook

Connecting your bass guitar or electric guitar to your Macbook can help you improve as an artist. Using a pre-loaded software that came with your Macbook called GarageBand, you can record your playing and listen to it la...