If you've ever recorded yourself playing guitar and thought, “Ugh… why does this sound so sloppy?” You're definitely not alone. Sloppiness isn’t about talent. It’s not even really about speed. Most of the time, it comes down to control —timing, tension, and consistency. The good news? These are all fixable . You’re probably just a few tweaks away from sounding way cleaner and more confident. Let’s dig in. 🎯 1. Timing Is Everything Sloppy playing is usually a timing issue f

So city pop has been making waves again in recent years — and if you’re a guitarist, you’re in the perfect spot to join the party. In...

A lot of students tell me they want to write original music. Which is awesome. But here’s what I’ve noticed: They often skip one of the...

Welcome back! This is Part 3 of my 3-part video series on building better guitar solos over the tune Sunny . If you haven’t checked out...

Why comparison hurts, and what to do instead Let’s be real for a second. Have you ever seen another guitarist play something so clean, so...

If you’re like most intermediate guitarists, your go-to soloing approach over Stevie Wonder’s Isn’t She Lovely probably involves the C#...

The not-so-secret shortcut to sounding like you know what you’re doing A lot of guitarists want to improvise. They know some scales. They noodle around. But somehow… it just doesn’t sound musical. If that’s you, you’re not alone — and the fix isn’t more scale diagrams. One of the fastest ways to improve your soloing  is to start learning actual guitar solos. Not just for fun — but to build the vocabulary and phrasing  you need to improvise confidently. 🧠 Why Learn Solos? Wh

If your child has shown interest in music, you might be wondering: “Would online guitar lessons work for my kid?” The short answer?...

Welcome back! This post is Part 2 of my 3-part video series  on how to build better guitar solos over the tune Sunny . If you missed Part...

So—you’ve decided to start learning guitar. Or maybe you’ve already been playing and want to tighten things up. Either way, you type...

You’ve got your pentatonic scale memorized. You know which key you're in. But when it’s time to actually solo… your phrases don’t quite...

Let’s get this out of the way up front: You don’t need to learn all 7 modes to become a good guitarist. At least, not all at once. I’ve...

Ahh, the F chord… the bane of every beginner guitarist’s existence. It buzzes. It mutes. It hurts your hand. And no matter how hard you...

So the idea of just "making stuff up" over a chord progression can feel overwhelming. What scale should you use? How do you know if...

In today’s post, I want to show you 8 essential guitar chords  that’ll get you playing real R&B in no time. These chords are the backbone...

“Night time at Takadanobaba Station. BIG BOX and the busy area in front of the ticket gates. I moved to Tokyo from Toronto over a decade...

Groove is trainable When people talk about having “good groove,” they’re often pointing to a mysterious X-factor that separates pros from...

As musicians, we often hear the phrase “practice every day” like it’s gospel. While consistency is absolutely essential for growth, I...

If you’re learning English in Japan, you’re probably familiar with the frustration of studying textbooks that pile on vocabulary but...

If you’ve been playing guitar for a while and want to level up your groove, soloing, and improvisation chops the 4 C’s are a must-learn...