Simon Candy

Guest Columnists

• How To Transform Fingerpicking Patterns Into Incredible Sounding Music

  A little technique can go a long way if you know how to apply it creatively.
  April-May 2021
• 3 Ways To Sound Amazing On Your Guitar Using Chords In An Open G Tuning

  Simon takes a close look at the use of chords in this popular tuning.
  October-November 2018
• Creating And Playing Chord/Melody Arrangements On Guitar - Part 2

  Avoiding these crippling mistakes will eliminate frustration and lead to satisfying arrangements.
  August-September 2018
• Creating And Playing Chord/Melody Arrangements On Guitar - Part 1

  A way of playing your guitar where you can sound full and complete without needing someone else to play with you.
  August-September 2018
• How To Easily Play Acoustic Percussive Guitar

  Learn the sophisticated, awe inspired, and flat out mind-blowing style of percussive acoustic guitar.
  June-July 2018
• Play Thousands Of Songs With The Clawhammer Fingerpicking Pattern

  Play great songs such as “Landslide”, "Dust In The Wind" and "The Boxer".
  April-May 2018
• Learn The Technique Of Slide Guitar And Take Your Playing To A Whole New Level

  Slide guitar offers a very cool and unique sound that cannot be emulated any other way.
  February-March 2018
• Awesome Sounding Fingerpicking Blues Arrangements On Your Acoustic Guitar

  A technique that allows you to play both the melody and accompaniment parts of a blues tune at the same time.
  December-January 2017
• Fingerpicking The Easy Way Versus Fingerpicking The Right Way

  Don't go with what feels easy as opposed to what is right.
  October-November 2017
• 5 Ways Jazz Will Make You A Better Acoustic Guitar Player

  Studying other styles of music such as jazz, will only make you a better, more rounded acoustic guitar player and musician.
  August-September 2017
• Soloing With Open Strings On Guitar, Part 3

  In part 3, you'll learn how to easily play fast solo lines and riffs on your guitar.
  June-July 2017
• Soloing With Open Strings On Guitar, Part 2

  In part 2, you'll learn how to create amazing blues guitar solos using open strings.
  April-May 2017
• Soloing With Open Strings On Guitar, Part 1

  How to create amazing guitar solos using open strings and pentatonic scale patterns.
  February-March 2017
• Easy To Play, Advanced Sounding Chords For Acoustic Guitar

  Drastically improve your acoustic guitar playing with these easy to play, advanced sounding chords.
  December-January 2016
• How To Play Cascading, Harp Like Harmonics On Your Acoustic Guitar

  Harp harmonics never fail to immediately grab the attention of those who hear you play them, leaving them spellbound by what they just heard.
  October-November 2016
• Instantly Sound Great, Playing Your Acoustic Guitar In Open Tunings

  You maybe missing out on a massive range of sounds that you just can't get otherwise.
  August-September 2016
• Playing Acoustic Blues Rhythm Guitar Parts That Are Worth Listening To

  Three cool ways to approach the rhythm of a 12 bar blues - take to your next jam and blow everyone away.
  April-May 2016
• Improving Acoustic Guitar Playing Using Other Instruments

  How studying other instruments will make you a better, more creative, and superior acoustic guitar player.
  April-May 2016
• How To Make Your Unplugged Acoustic Songs Sound Killer!

  How to carefully observe and learn from the vast library of existing unplugged acoustic songs out there.
  February-March 2016
• Awesome Guitar Techniques In The Style Of Chet Atkins

  Learn awesome guitar techniques in the style of Chet Atkins and how to apply them to your own acoustic playing.
  October-November 2015
• Chords Are Not Just For Rhythm Playing

  Chords have the potential to bring a whole new element to your soloing providing cool, unique, and contrasting textures amongst the single note lines you play.
  August-September 2015
• Killer Ways To Totally Change The Way You Play Acoustic Guitar, Part 2

  Do you feel like you are at a dead end with your guitar playing? Here are three additional killer ways that will totally change the way you play your acoustic guitar from now on,
  June-July 2015
• Creating Killer Sounding, Unplugged Acoustic Guitar Songs

  Awesome tools, tricks and techniques that you can use again and again to create your own killer sounding, unplugged acoustic guitar song.
  April-May 2015
• Avoid Sucking At Guitar!

  Learn how to develop great rhythm and time with your playing.
  February-March 2015
• Killer Ways To Totally Change The Way You Play Acoustic Guitar, Part 1

  Do you feel like you are at a dead end with your guitar playing? Here are five killer ways that will totally change the way you play your acoustic guitar from now on,
  December-January 2014